I love this menu! I first posted it last March. It’s still one of Mr. T’s favorites, so….I thought with Valentine’s Day upon us I’d feature it again. I’m doing Cornish Hens on Valentine’s Day and I’m making them just as I would a whole large hen. Our kids will be here from Atlanta and we have lots of reasons to celebrate the love we share as a family! Preparing delicious food that is shared with loved ones is probably one of my most favorite things to do! Here’s to love and here’s to you….have a wonderful weekend! AND MORE! Here’s a link to what’s going on in the world of music over the next few days! Thanks Kathi Williams!: http://www.elegantislandliving.net/blogs/im-with-the-band/live-music—feb-6-12/
As the week winds down and we begin to plan our weekends, I think it’s time for some French comfort food! This menu is perfect for a casual Saturday night supper or a Sunday family dinner. The delicious flavors of herbes de Provence make the main course so tasty. I have to confess that this is Mr. T’s favorite meal. I originally found the recipe for Honey Hen in a wonderful little cookbook by Laura Calder, “French Food at Home”. This is a cookbook I can heartily recommend to anyone wanting to learn how to make simple French food that feeds the soul. There really is nothing like it!
Lillet
Radish and Herb Butter Canapes
Honey Hen
Provence Roasted Tomatoes
Salad of Mixed Greens with Parmesan Crisps
Baked Apples
French Red Table Wine
Lillet is a fine French aperitif which originated in the small village, Podensac, in the late 1800’s. Lillet is a blend of rigorously selected wines and fruit liqueurs, aged in oak vats for around 12 months, during which it is given the same care as the Grands Crus (great wines) of Bordeaux. It is the perfect way to start this meal, served with the light canape I am featuring! Garnish each glass with a sprig of fresh basil.
Radish and Herb Butter Canapes
I like to make these using a loaf of rustic bread. Cut squares out of the slices so that there is no crust. Spread with the herb butter, top with thin slices of radish and sprinkle with French Grey Salt. Cut a dozen squares for four guests, increase for each additional guest.
Herb Butter:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
Mix the butter and herbs in a small bowl. Let set for half an hour before beginning to make the canapes.
This is so easy and so yummy!
Honey Hen
Serves 4 – 6
This is the ultimate comfort food in my book. I always make a pot of homemade soup using what ever is left over. Just take the hen, bones and all, place in a Dutch Oven, cover with water and simmer for eight hours. Remove any bones and add leftover chicken meat with chopped fresh vegetables of your choice, some wild rice, simmer for two more hours and Voila! Another delicious meal to enjoy. Note: the honey mixture will give the hen a “laquered” appearance which may look dark, do not be disturbed by this…the meat under the skin is succulent and moist!
1 chicken (this can be kept whole or have your butcher cut it into eight pieces)
French Grey Salt and freshly ground peppercorns to taste
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 head garlic, cut in half
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Melt the honey in a saucepan and whisk in the mustard and herbs. Pour over the chicken in a baking dish and roll the bird to coat it well. Scatter the shallots and garlic around the hen. Bake until the meat is cooked through, well browned and dripping in the sauce. If you are leaving the chicken whole this is about an hour. If you are cooking separate pieces it will usually take 40-45 minutes.
Sauce: After the chicken is cooked remove it from the baking dish along with the garlic halves. Place the dish on the stove top with the burner on medium heat. Add 1 cup dry white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape any drippings and meat from the pan. Reduce the heat and add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pan. Simmer for about five minutes. If you would like a slightly thicker sauce you may add a “slurry” of 1 teaspoon cornstarch to 1/4 cup water, blended well and stirred into the pan.
Serve the sauce in a gravy boat to be spooned over each serving of chicken.
Provence Roasted Tomatoes
3 large beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a shallow baking dish with olive oil. Core the tomatoes and cut them in half, crosswise. Squeeze the juice and seeds out gently, over a small plate and reserve for the soup stock you will make with the leftover chicken. Clean out the cavities of each tomato half with your fingers and place the halves in the baking dish. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Stir the bread crumbs with the remaining ingredients and stuff each tomato half generously. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Bake for twenty-five minutes, until the tomatoes are browned lightly.
Salad of Mixed Greens with Parmesan Crisps
1 head red butter lettuce
1 bunch watercress
1 head raddichio
1 small head baby Kale
Wash the greens well and place in a salad spinner to remove excess moisture. Tear the greens into pieces and wrap in paper towel or a soft kitchen towel and refrigerate until ready to toss.
For a light dressing, mix 1/4 cup good olive oil, 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar, a pinch of dry mustard, sea salt and pepper to taste.
Parmesan Crisps
I recommend making these earlier in the day for the best results!
These are a delightful substitute for the traditional croutons you normally see in salads….no carbs and gluten free too!
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
coarsely ground black pepper
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take a small handful of cheese and place on the parchment, repeating until all of the cheese has been used. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and back at 325 degrees until lightly browned. Remove from the baking sheet and place on paper toweling to cool and crisp up.
On chilled salad plates, place a generous serving of greens that you have tossed in the dressing. Garnish with the Parmesan crisps and serve. I like to serve this salad in the traditional French style, after the main course.
Baked Apples
If anyone has room for dessert, this is one of my family’s favorites!
6 Granny Smith Apples, cored and peeled
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 sheets puff pastry dough, thawed.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Mix the brown sugar with the spices and pack into the center of each apple. Top with a small pat of butter. Roll the pastry dough out a bit on a floured surface until it is 1/8″ in thickness. Cut squares, large enough to encase each apple. Place an apple in the middle of the dough and bring the corners together at the top, crimping the dough together to keep it in place during baking. Brush each apple with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse, raw sugar. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the dough is crisp and golden brown.
To add insult to injury you can spoon a mixture of warm spiced rum with melted butter over the top of each apple before serving and a bit of freshly whipped cream….Enjoy!
So ends my fifth week of blogging. I am having so much fun sharing my thoughts, ideas, recipes and interviews with my readers. This blog does accept sponsors! It’s a great way to advertise your business or service and reach readers you might not otherwise find! Please contact me if you are interested: melissa@thepermanenttourist.com. Have a WONDERFUL weekend.
Some photos provided through Pinterest, with gratitude!
