Niçoise Salad

Prep Time : 20 mins

Total Time : 20 mins

Ingredients
For the Salad
3 to 4 medium tomatoes halved and sliced into wedges
4 ounces soft lettuce such as Bibb or Boston
6 radishes thinly sliced
1 cucumber peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup pitted black olives, Niçoise olives or other black olives
1 cup quartered artichoke hearts canned in water, drained
4 hard-boiled eggs peeled and quartered
1 5-ounce can quality tuna packed in oil
4 spring onions white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
freshly ground black pepper
10 basil leaves

For the Dressing
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Put the tomato wedges in a large colander and place the colander over a bowl. Season the tomatoes with kosher salt and let them sit in the colander while you prepare the rest of the salad. Do not discard the tomato juices.
2. Arrange the lettuce on a platter and top with the sliced radishes, cucumber, olives, artichoke heart quarters, eggs, and drained tomato wedges over the lettuce. Arrange chunks of tuna, green onions, and torn basil leaves all over. Sprinkle some black pepper.
3. Make the dressing. In the same bowl with the juices from your tomatoes, add the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and salt. Whisk to combine. While you are whisking, pour the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Taste and adjust salt
4. Serve the dressing next to the composed Nicoise salad and allow everyone to help themselves. Otherwise, you can pour a bit of the dressing over the salad and toss very gently so that the salad does not lose its beautiful composition.

Notes

1. To make perfect hard-boiled eggs, you can either pressure-cook them in an Instant Pot, or use the stovetop method. Place the eggs in a large saucepan and cover with 1 inch of water. Bring the eggs to a boil over MEDIUM heat (not high). This may take some time. Once the water has come to a boil, turn it off, and allow the eggs to sit in the hot water, covered, for twelve minutes. Drain the eggs and rinse under cool running water and allow them to sit in the cool water for 10 minutes or so (this makes them easier to peel).
2. Nicoise Variations: Omit the tuna for a vegan option, or you can use anchovies or cooked salmon in place of tuna (as mentioned earlier, cooked salmon is not a traditional option for this salad. You can also add cooked green beans and boiled potatoes to this salad, if you prefer.
3. Leftovers & Storage: Leftover nicoise salad does not last very long. Transfer to a tight-lid glass container and save in the fridge for a few hours or no more than 1 night.

Nutrition
Calories: 332.8kcal

Carbohydrates: 13.7g

Protein: 9.8gFat: 26.6g

Saturated Fat: 4.5g

Cholesterol: 186.6mg

Sodium: 911.8mg

Potassium: 522.5mg

Fiber: 5.2g

Sugar: 5.9g

Vitamin A: 2265.9IU

Vitamin C: 19.6mg

Calcium: 80.3mg

Iron: 1.9mg

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich

Prep Time: 5 Mins 

Cook Time: 8 Hours 10 Mins
Total Time: 8 Hours 15 Mins

Ingredients:
2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed French Onion Soup
1 can (10.5 ounces) Beef Consomme
3-4 pounds beef chuck roast
8 sandwich rolls
8 slices provolone cheese

Directions:
Place the roast in a slow cooker. Pour the soup and consomme over the top.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Remove 3 cups of the juice from the slow cooker with a measuring cup or ladle and add to a small sauce pan. Turn heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce to a hard simmer and let cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the beef to a pie plate and shred with a fork.
Place the sandwich rolls in a 9x13 pan and spoon meat into each roll. Top with provolone cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately with the sauce on the side for dipping.

Hot Chocolate Rum Souffle

Ingredients:

75g of dark 70% cocoa chocolate
1 1/2 Tbsp double cream
1 1/2 Tbsp rum
Butter
Caster sugar
3 egg yokes
4 egg whites

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C & place baking sheet inside to preheat.
2. Melt chocolate in double cream & remove from heat.
3. Add in rum, stir & leave to cool.
4. Brush soufflé dish with melted butter & dust with caster sugar.
5. Whist egg yokes thoroughly & then add into chocolate mixture.
6. Whist eggs whites to soft peaks stage & then add 1 Tbsp castor sugar & whisk.
7. Fold a quarter of egg whites into chocolate mixture, then add remaining egg whites.
8. Pour mixture into  soufflé dish.
9. Bake soufflé on preheated baking sheet in centre of oven for 20 minutes.
10. Dust soufflés with icing sugar.
11. Serve on warm serving plates with chocolate sauce (made with chocolate & double cream) & cream.

Twice Baked Soufflé

Ingredients:

225 ml semi skimmed milk
40g butter
40g plain flour
4 egg yokes
200g Roquefort cheese - crumbled
150 ml double cream

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180C.
2. Prepare ramekins with melted butter.
3. Add milk, butter & flour in saucepan over medium heat & whilst ingredients together until it is a thick, smooth & glossy sauce.
4. Turn the heat as low as possible & cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add salt & pepper & cool slightly.
6. Whisk in egg yokes & then add the 100g of cheese until almost melted.
7. Whilst egg whites until they form soft peaks.
8. Add a large spoonful of egg whites to mixture, fold gently to loosen the mixture.
9. Then add the mixture into the remaining egg whites using lifting & folding movements.
10. Place ramekins in an oblong baking tin & divide mixture between 6 ramekins & pour in 1 cm hot water into baking tin.
11. Bake in centre of oven for 20 minutes.
12. Remove ramekins to wire cooling rack & cool.  Souffles may be stored in fridge for 24 hours covered with cling film.
13. For second baking, remove soufflés from ramekins with palate knife & place right way up on baking sheet with liner.
14. Bake in centre of oven at 180C for 30 minutes.
15. Heat remaining Roquefort cheese with double cream.
16. Serve souffles on warm plates with the sauce poured over.

Note: Ramekin dish is 7.5 cm x 4cm

Classic Creme Brulee

Prep Time:15 min

Inactive Prep Time:2 hr 15 min
Cook Time:1 hr
Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
4. Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

French Dip Sandwiches

Ingredients:

approx 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
16-oz. beef broth (1 1/2 cans)
1 10.5-oz. can condensed French onion soup
6-oz red wine
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 French rolls
sliced provolone cheese, optional

Method:

1. Trim excess fat off of beef roast and season meat all over with salt and pepper.
2. Pour beef broth, condensed French onion soup, red wine and garlic powder into slow cooker and place beef roast into liquid.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Slow cookers have different time intervals that you can select, so work with your cooker. Depending on how the settings on your slow cooker work, the time will vary. Since this is cooking in liquid, you don’t have to worry about the meat drying out in the same way you might if you were roasting the meat in the oven. Mine took 7 1/2 hours and was falling apart tender.
4. Take beef out and rest it, covered with aluminum foil, for about 15 minutes. Slice beef and return to slow cooker on low or very low for 30 minutes.
5. Lightly toast the bread and evenly distribute cheese between rolls, if using. Divide beef onto rolls and spoon the beef juice* into ramekins or other small bowls and eat everything while it is hot. Serve each sandwich with its own dip.

Ratatouille’s Ratatouille

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 cup tomato puree (such as Pomi)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.
3. Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.
4. On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.
5. Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping and alternating vegetables.
6. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.
7. Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside the dish.
8. Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but still a bit firm. You should see the tomato sauce bubbling around them.

May be serve with soft goat cheese on top, alone, or with some crusty French bread…