Baked eggs with cream and salt cured ham

Tags

bakedeggs, bayonne ham, Breakfast, cream, eggs, prosciutto

This must be one of the easiest and most delicious ways to serve eggs for breakfast. You can obviously use different types of ham but using prosciutto, Jamon Iberico, Serrano or Bayonne ham is best for this recipe.

I used Jambon de Bayonne, a salty boneless French ham, named after the southwestern France port city of Bayonne. This ham is still produced according to regulations founded on ancient practices and is still preserved exclusively with inland “mountain salt” found at the base of the Pyrenees mountains. The ham is aged for about 9 to 12 months.

According to a legend in the south of France, the Count of Foix was out hunting wild boar in the 14th century and wounded a boar. The animal escaped. Months later its carcass was found in the hot, salty spring water in the town of Salies-de-Béarn. The meat was apparently preserved and still edible! This discovery of the preservative qualities of salting pork led to a ham production industry in the area that still thrives today.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
4 slices ham
¼ cup cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley

Method:

Preheat your oven to 160°C / 325°F
Generously butter 2 large ramekins and place on a baking sheet
Place 2 slices of ham in the base of each dish
Crack 2 eggs in each dish
Divide the cream and pour into each dish
Add some black pepper and salt if desired (but remember the ham is already salty)
Bake until eggs are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on how runny you like your yolks)
Sprinkle on some parsley and serve with a crusty baguette
Bon Appetit!

Strawberries in red wine with mascarpone cream

Tags

cooking with red wine, cream, dessert, fruit, mascarpone, red wine, strawberries

Fresh strawberries do not need much dressing up but these take on another flavour dimension in this incredibly simple yet elegant French dessert.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

400 g / 3/4 lb small strawberries, hulled and halved (if large)
250 ml / 1 cup dry red wine, I used a Merlot
50 g / 1/4 cup sugar
180 ml / 3/4 cup heavy cream
120 ml / 1/2 cup mascarpone
2 vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped out and reserved
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Preparation:

Place the strawberries in a large bowl and pour the wine over them
Sprinkle in the sugar and stir
Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but not more than 12
Remove from refrigerator just before serving
In another bowl, whisk the cream, mascarpone, vanilla seeds and confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form
Spoon some cream into each bowl and top with the strawberries and wine
Enjoy!

 

Lapin à la moutarde / Rabbit in mustard sauce

Tags

classic french, cream, Lapin, mustard, Rabbit

It’s easy to see why mustard is a classic ingredient in rabbit dishes. It’s delicious. This kind of thing would be really good made with chicken thighs and legs too. I’d take the skin off to minimize the amount of fat if using chicken. Domestic rabbits (farm-raised, not wild) give a very lean white meat that is not at all strongly flavoured.

Serve with rice or sautéed potatoes.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

1 rabbit (about 3 to 4lbs / 1 1/2 to 2 kg), cut into serving pieces
3/4 bottle of dry white wine (I used a Chablis)
3 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (I used a combination of classic Dijon and wholegrain)
250ml / 1 cup crème fraîche
3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5 shallots, finely sliced
3 bay leaves
1 sprig of thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 carrot, sliced thinly (optional)
1 cube of sugar (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped roughly

Preparation:

Coat the pieces of rabbit with the Dijon mustard (3 tablespoons)
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat
Add the rabbit and brown on all sides
Meanwhile bring to the boil, in a saucepan, the wine with the bay leaves, thyme, garlic, sugar and carrot
When the rabbit is nicely browned, remove to a plate and keep warm
In the skillet add more butter, if needed, and cook the shallots until translucent
Add the rabbit and the wine mixture
Season and allow to simmer for about 1 hour
In a bowl, mix the cream, the 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard and some parsley
Remove the rabbit when cooked and place on a serving platter
Add the cream and mustard mixture to the wine cooking juices and cook for 2 minutes, do not allow it to boil
Pour the sauce over the rabbit and serve
Bon Appétit!

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