This is a family favourite in its original form, but I thought I'd see if it could be adapted to our current eating habits.
1 tin / jar of clams or mussels in brine (keep the brine!)
2 onions, finely chopped
5 cloves
1 l skimmed milk
4 thin slices of smoked ham, trimmed of all fat
Fry the onions in a lightly oiled pan with a bit of water, until they are softened (takes about 15-20 min on a low heat). Then turn up the heat and add the ham. After 1-2 minutes, add the clams / mussels, the brine, the cloves and the milk. Bring to boiling point (watch it, it's milk after all!) and then turn down the heat to let it gently simmer away for 15-20 minutes. Then switch off heat and leave it to stand for as long as possible, ideally 1 hour before eating. Then gently reheat it before serving.
It's very good, but I did miss the bacon and the potatoes which are in the original recipe :-(
Wednesday 29 September 2010
Veal Shoulder Joint
This weekend, we hosted our first dinner since boarding HMS Dukan. And it was plain sailing, even though it was a PP day. We had decided not to mention the D-word (Dukan or Diet), and our guest was none the wiser (or very discrete and polite).
So the starter was a Cake au Saumon (but without the leeks from the original recipe). Followed by a veal shoulder joint. We were going to cok poussins, but upon finding this rare treat, we changed our mind.
After much maternal advice-taking and googling, I decided to cook it in a casserole with a tight-fitting lid (a Le Creuset Doufeu if you must know) on the hob.
First, rub the veal with salt, pepper, fresh thyme and some cut garlic. Then lightly oil the casserole, and brown the veal on all sides. Remove the meat and pour in 3 tbsp white wine (since the alcohol burns off, it's allowed). Put the meat back in, along with a couple of peeled shallots, unpeeled garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and enough stock to cover the bottom of the pan, but not so much that the meat will boil instead of roasting.
Cook for 45 min on low-medium heat (a nice simmer is perfect), then BEFORE it's cooked through, remove the meat and slice (not too thinly). Add 1-2 tbsps cornflour mixed with cold water to the pan, mix and return the meat to the pan to finish cooking. Et voila!
We offered our guest pasta to go with it, but I imagine steamed vegetables would be just as nice.
So the starter was a Cake au Saumon (but without the leeks from the original recipe). Followed by a veal shoulder joint. We were going to cok poussins, but upon finding this rare treat, we changed our mind.
After much maternal advice-taking and googling, I decided to cook it in a casserole with a tight-fitting lid (a Le Creuset Doufeu if you must know) on the hob.
First, rub the veal with salt, pepper, fresh thyme and some cut garlic. Then lightly oil the casserole, and brown the veal on all sides. Remove the meat and pour in 3 tbsp white wine (since the alcohol burns off, it's allowed). Put the meat back in, along with a couple of peeled shallots, unpeeled garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and enough stock to cover the bottom of the pan, but not so much that the meat will boil instead of roasting.
Cook for 45 min on low-medium heat (a nice simmer is perfect), then BEFORE it's cooked through, remove the meat and slice (not too thinly). Add 1-2 tbsps cornflour mixed with cold water to the pan, mix and return the meat to the pan to finish cooking. Et voila!
We offered our guest pasta to go with it, but I imagine steamed vegetables would be just as nice.
Saturday 25 September 2010
Beef Gullasch and Cheat's Mash
Honestly, I think this is a work in progress, but bear with me to get a general idea and if / when you improve on it, please let me know.
Preheat oven to 150C
In a casserole with a tight-fitting lid, put:
Small chunks of lean beef
Finely chopped onion
Finely chopped leek
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
3-4 whole unpeeled garlic cloves
1 tbsp paprika
Optional: 1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)
Optional: carrot chunks
Beef stock - about 1/2 glass of liquid, you can always add more if it's too dry
Let it simmer for about 2-3 hours, checking once in a while that it's not drying out (I made the mistake of putting too much liquid yesterday (1 big glass), so I had to take some out - not a good idea!)
For the mash, I steamed (but boiling is probably fine as well) some small chunks of celeriac and swede, until tender enough to mash. Before mashing them, I heated some skimmed milk with 2 tbsp fat free soft cheese and mixed everything together before mashing. It might be fine to blend in a magimix, which I think I'll try next time (you can't do that with potato mash, but since there is no starch in celeriac and swede, I'm thinking the result will be smoother than what I obtained).
Serve with some fat-free fromage frais / yogurt. Oh the pleasure of having something to soak up the yummy gravy! Real Friday night comfort food, and another case of food not needing much attention, just lots of time in the oven while doing other nice and / or practical things :-)
Again, I'll be having the left-over meat on a PP day and probably use some of it for a pasta sauce for our wee one.
Preheat oven to 150C
In a casserole with a tight-fitting lid, put:
Small chunks of lean beef
Finely chopped onion
Finely chopped leek
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
3-4 whole unpeeled garlic cloves
1 tbsp paprika
Optional: 1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)
Optional: carrot chunks
Beef stock - about 1/2 glass of liquid, you can always add more if it's too dry
Let it simmer for about 2-3 hours, checking once in a while that it's not drying out (I made the mistake of putting too much liquid yesterday (1 big glass), so I had to take some out - not a good idea!)
For the mash, I steamed (but boiling is probably fine as well) some small chunks of celeriac and swede, until tender enough to mash. Before mashing them, I heated some skimmed milk with 2 tbsp fat free soft cheese and mixed everything together before mashing. It might be fine to blend in a magimix, which I think I'll try next time (you can't do that with potato mash, but since there is no starch in celeriac and swede, I'm thinking the result will be smoother than what I obtained).
Serve with some fat-free fromage frais / yogurt. Oh the pleasure of having something to soak up the yummy gravy! Real Friday night comfort food, and another case of food not needing much attention, just lots of time in the oven while doing other nice and / or practical things :-)
Again, I'll be having the left-over meat on a PP day and probably use some of it for a pasta sauce for our wee one.
Thursday 23 September 2010
Lemon Chilli Broth with Turkey Meatballs
Turkey mince doesn't taste of much, but it's lean, it's cheap and it's a variation on the ubiquitous beef and chicken. So with lots of herbs and spices, a PP meal can become a very tasty treat! I kept thinking of the Italian holiday dish Tortellini in Brodo when I made this, although I've never tasted it, but this is what I imagine it could taste like.
I use a magimix for this because I like my mince to be chopped alot finer than it is when I buy it. It means it cooks faster and the resulting texture is more moist.
In a blender, put:
Turkey mince (but chicken or beef would work as well, I guess)
1 onion
2 finely chopped cloves of garlic
lots of finely chopped herbs (I recommend rosemary or sage)
1 egg
Salt & Pepper
Mix well and form into small meatballs and leave to rest (ideally in the fridge, as this firms them up and prevents them breaking apart during cooking).
Meanwhile, make a strong broth with a some beef or chicken stock, more chopped rosemary and garlic, LOTS of lemon juice and a tsp of dried chilli flakes. Leave to bubble away on low/medium heat.
While the broth is bubbling, cook the meatballs 2 min on each side in a lightly oiled frying pan. When they are brown on both sides, but you can still tell they are raw in the middle, transfer them one by one to the broth to finish cooking. The broth should only be simmering, as any more boiling would break up the meat balls. Serve in plates/bowls that are flat enough to use the bottom to break up the balls, in case you have made them slightly too big for one mouthful, like I did. I'm having the leftovers for lunch today: WEHE!
I use a magimix for this because I like my mince to be chopped alot finer than it is when I buy it. It means it cooks faster and the resulting texture is more moist.
In a blender, put:
Turkey mince (but chicken or beef would work as well, I guess)
1 onion
2 finely chopped cloves of garlic
lots of finely chopped herbs (I recommend rosemary or sage)
1 egg
Salt & Pepper
Mix well and form into small meatballs and leave to rest (ideally in the fridge, as this firms them up and prevents them breaking apart during cooking).
Meanwhile, make a strong broth with a some beef or chicken stock, more chopped rosemary and garlic, LOTS of lemon juice and a tsp of dried chilli flakes. Leave to bubble away on low/medium heat.
While the broth is bubbling, cook the meatballs 2 min on each side in a lightly oiled frying pan. When they are brown on both sides, but you can still tell they are raw in the middle, transfer them one by one to the broth to finish cooking. The broth should only be simmering, as any more boiling would break up the meat balls. Serve in plates/bowls that are flat enough to use the bottom to break up the balls, in case you have made them slightly too big for one mouthful, like I did. I'm having the leftovers for lunch today: WEHE!
Chicken Snacks
No, not FOR chicken. Made WITH chicken ;-)
I had to do 7 days of Attack phase, and I found it very hard going. What did help me was always having a plastic container of this in the fridge for those energy slumps I would get during the day. But the recipe works equally well for a meal.
Marinate some chicken breasts in your choice of:
I had to do 7 days of Attack phase, and I found it very hard going. What did help me was always having a plastic container of this in the fridge for those energy slumps I would get during the day. But the recipe works equally well for a meal.
Marinate some chicken breasts in your choice of:
- soy sauce, chopped garlic, lime juice and chilli
- yogurt mixed with chilli sauce
- lemon juice, herbes de provence
- yogurt mixed with tandoori spices or garam masala
Marinate for at least the time is takes to preheat the oven to 200C, but overnight is even better.
Put the chicken breasts and all the marinade in a tight-fitting dish so the marinade doesn't evaporate but stays around to cook the meat.
Cook for approx 30 min, turning once, until the meat is cooked through but still tender.
Wait for it too cool a bit before you wolf it down. Make enough every time so you have leftovers which you can slice and heat in the microwave with some of the sauce for a quick pick-me-up.
Salmon Pate
Our 3-year old is crazy about fish pate, so I prepared this version one weekend in order for us to be able to share. It works equally well with tuna or smoked mackerel, or even left-over crab or cooked shrimp / prawns
Blend or hand mix:
Smoked fish or other protein of your choice
Fromage frais, yogurt or cottage cheese 0%
Dill / fennel fronds, finely chopped
Lemon zest
Dash of lemon juice, but not too much or it will make the whole thing too liquid
Eat with Dukan Pancake or Dukan Bread.
If in PV, you can losen up the pate by adding more of the dairy product and use it as a dip for crudites.
Blend or hand mix:
Smoked fish or other protein of your choice
Fromage frais, yogurt or cottage cheese 0%
Dill / fennel fronds, finely chopped
Lemon zest
Dash of lemon juice, but not too much or it will make the whole thing too liquid
Eat with Dukan Pancake or Dukan Bread.
If in PV, you can losen up the pate by adding more of the dairy product and use it as a dip for crudites.
Autumnal Beef Casserole with Warming Spices
Preheat oven to 150C
In a casserole dish (ie with a lid), put:
Big lean beef cubes
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1-2 star anise
3-4 cloves
1 whole chilli
1 cinnamon stick
1 pinch of pepper corns
2 onions cut in quarters
4 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
If in PV, you can add some carrots in big chunks. I also added some butternut squash during the last 1/2 hour of cooking.
Add lean stock so it comes halfway up the other ingredients.
I cook it for 2 hours early in the day (or the day before), and then depending on the level of tenderness of the meat, I cook it 1/2 - 1 hour before serving. Add some cornflour mixed with cold water for the last 10 min to make the gravy and adjust seasoning.
This dish works in PP and PV, as we had it with some steamed pointy cabbage one night (PV) and the next day for lunch (PP) I just had it without vegetables.
Tip: I think this would work well with any kind of combination of spices/herbs you like and I plan on experimenting with variations
Tip 2: I've discovered that balsamic vinegar replaces wine really well in casserole dishes and gives it a depth of flavour which is difficult to obtain otherwise.
In a casserole dish (ie with a lid), put:
Big lean beef cubes
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1-2 star anise
3-4 cloves
1 whole chilli
1 cinnamon stick
1 pinch of pepper corns
2 onions cut in quarters
4 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
If in PV, you can add some carrots in big chunks. I also added some butternut squash during the last 1/2 hour of cooking.
Add lean stock so it comes halfway up the other ingredients.
I cook it for 2 hours early in the day (or the day before), and then depending on the level of tenderness of the meat, I cook it 1/2 - 1 hour before serving. Add some cornflour mixed with cold water for the last 10 min to make the gravy and adjust seasoning.
This dish works in PP and PV, as we had it with some steamed pointy cabbage one night (PV) and the next day for lunch (PP) I just had it without vegetables.
Tip: I think this would work well with any kind of combination of spices/herbs you like and I plan on experimenting with variations
Tip 2: I've discovered that balsamic vinegar replaces wine really well in casserole dishes and gives it a depth of flavour which is difficult to obtain otherwise.
Yes, we Dukan!
Hello!
My name is ASMO and I'm a Dukanian. I beg your pardon? That means that I am currently trying to shift some of my excess food-induced baggage, without forgoing deliciousness.
If you want to know all about the Dukan Diet, please go here: www.dukandiet.co.uk Dr Dukan is in no way related to my blog, doesn't know about and probably has better things to do with his time.
The purpose of this blog is simply to share a few of the recipes I create with my friends and family who have decided to give this a go as well. There are alot of other Dukan sites out there, but not so many in English and I thought I'd make my humble contribution in this way.
As our family likes to eat the food hot and when it's ready, there will probably be a shortage of photos to illustrate the dishes, and you'll have to forgive the very careless attitude towards precise measurements in some cases.
Bon appetit!
My name is ASMO and I'm a Dukanian. I beg your pardon? That means that I am currently trying to shift some of my excess food-induced baggage, without forgoing deliciousness.
If you want to know all about the Dukan Diet, please go here: www.dukandiet.co.uk Dr Dukan is in no way related to my blog, doesn't know about and probably has better things to do with his time.
The purpose of this blog is simply to share a few of the recipes I create with my friends and family who have decided to give this a go as well. There are alot of other Dukan sites out there, but not so many in English and I thought I'd make my humble contribution in this way.
As our family likes to eat the food hot and when it's ready, there will probably be a shortage of photos to illustrate the dishes, and you'll have to forgive the very careless attitude towards precise measurements in some cases.
Bon appetit!
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