Plum Clafoutis without the Dough

From Why French Women Don't Get Fat

12 plums
1 Tbls lemon juice
1 Tbls sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp butter

Wash the plum and quarter them. Pour the lemon juice over and marinate for 10 min. Mix the sugar with the cinnamon. Warm the butter in a nonstick frying pan and add the plums. Sprinkle with the sugar-cinnamon mixture.

Cook over low flame until just tender but not mushy. Serve at room temp with or without ice cream.

Grilled Peaches wth Lemon Thyme

From Why French Women Don't Get Fat

4 peaches
2 Tbls olive oil
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
4 sprigs lemon thyme, coarsely chopped

Rinse the peaches, pat dry, cut in half and remove the pits. Place the peach halves in a baking dish. Mix together the oil, honey, and vanilla and pour over the peaches. Sprinkle with the lemon thyme. Marinate for 20 min, turning over once and basting.

Broil or grill the marinated peaches on the bbq for 2-3 min on each side, or until the peaches are tender but not soft. Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream if you wish.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Tomato Salad

1 6.5 oz jar of artichoke hearts, draiend and chopped
2 Tbls grated Parmesan
2 Tbls fresh thyme leaves
4 6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbls plus 1 tsp olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
2 beeksteak tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 Tbls red wine vinegar
8 baguette slices, toasted

(*Another option is to stuff the chicken with olive tapenade, feta, pine nuts, or roasted red peppers and Parmesan)

Mix the artichokes, Parmesan, and 1 Tbls of the thyme in a small bowl.
Cut a 2-inch pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast and stuff with the artichokes. Rub the chicken breasts with 1 tsp of the oil and season with salt and pepper.
Cook in a broiler (or on the grill)
Mix the tomatoes, shallot, vinegar, some salt, pepper, thyme, and remaining oil in a large bowl.
Slice the chicken, and if desired, serve with the tomato salad and baguette slices.

Crepes with wild mushrooms, sherry and cream

1 ounce (can be dried-if dried soak) porcini mushrooms
2/3 cupboiling water
Basic crepes
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup medium sherry
2/3 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
spinach or other greens to serve with crepes

Make the crepes and set aside while doing the filling.

Melt the butter in a skillet and saute the onion for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes. Add liquids, herbs, cream and sherry. Season with salt and pepper and cook gently for a few minutes.

Fold the crepes into quarters. Open them out like cones and fill with some of the mushroom mix. Arrange in a lightly greased shallow baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve on a bed of lightly wilted spinach or other greens.

Spinach crepes with asparagus

24 thick asparagus spears, trimmed
8 spinach Crepes
vegetable oil for greasing baking dish

For sauce
1 1/2 cups milk
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
salt and pepper
1/2 cup mild white Cheddar cheese, grated

First make the sauce. Put the milk, onion and bay leaf into a saucepan and heat until just boiling. Remove from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes to infuse. Strain the milk and reserve. Meanwhile, make the crepes and set them aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook over a low heat for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and beat in the infused milk, a little at a time, until blended. Return to a low heat and stir constantly until thickened. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring, then simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Blanch the asparagus spears in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Place 3 asparagus spears on each crepe and roll them up. Place the crepes seam-side down in a lightly greased baking dish. Pour the sauce over the crepes and then sprinkle with cheese.

Place the dish under a preheated broiler and cook for 8-10 minutes until bubbling and golden. Serve immediately.

Chicken Biryani

2 tsp. canola oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 2)
1 bag masamati rice
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 can chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 lime wedges

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken to pan. Saute 3 minutes. Add onion, saute 3 minutes. Add ginger, cumin, salt, and garlic. Saute 30 seconds. Add tomato, rice, raisins, and broth. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Chickpea and sausage Stew

1 Tbls olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

12 ounces Italian sausage, thawed and castings removed

1 Tbls tomato paste

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 10-ounce package frozen leaf spinach

Kosher salt and pepper

8 slices bread, toasted 

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5-7 min.  Add the sausage and cook, crumbling it with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8 min.  Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 min.  Stir in the parsley and cilantro and cook for 1 minute more.  Add the brother and chickpeas and bring to a boil.  Add the frozen spinach and simmer, partially covered for 10 min, stirring occasionally with a fork to separate the leaves.  Stir in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Divide the toasted bread, among individual bowls and spoon the stew on top.