Ingredients:

Bouquet Garni : see below

2 lb. dried navy beans
4 carrots
3 medium onions
2 whole cloves
1 small head plus 5
1 cloves garlic
1 piece (4 oz) pork rind, rolled, tied (optional)
1 duck (about 5 lb) cut into
8 pieces with giblets
salt and freshly ground
pepper to taste
1 (8 oz) thick sliced bacon, cut into 1 inch squares
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, drained, coarsely chopped, liquid reserved
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 1/2 lb. garlic sausage, such as Kielbasa
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Procedure:

Place beans in large Dutch oven and add water to cover by 3 inch heat over medium heat to boiling. Meanwhile, prepare bouquet garni. Scrub 1 carrot and trim ends. Peel 1 onion and stick it with the cloves. Add bouquet garni, onion, 1 head garlic, pork rind (if using) and duck giblets (but not he liver) to beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, adding water if necessary, until tender, 1 and 1/2 hours. Drain beans reserving liquid. Discard herbs and vegetables. Chop giblets and pork rind; mix with beans in large bowl. Add salt and pepper. Meanwhile, fry bacon in large heavy saucepan over medium heat until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then stir into beans. Discard fat. Trim fat from duck and prick skin thoroughly with fork. Brown duck on all sides in same saucepan over medium high heat, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Pour off duck fat and reserve. Pare and thickly slice remaining carrots; coarsely chop remaining onions. Add to the same saucepan; cook stirring occasionally, over medium heat until softened about 5 minutes. Mince 5 cloves garlic, add to pan, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 3 minutes. Add 1 cup bean liquid and scrape brown bits from bottom of pan. Return duck to saucepan; sprinkle with thyme. Add enough bean liquid to partially cover duck. Simmer covered over low heat until duck is tender, about 1 and 1/4 hours. Remove duck. Spoon off as much fat as possible from the broth. Meanwhile, add sausage to large pan of simmering water; simmer 5 - 7 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Peel and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Heat oven to 325°. Halve remaining clove garlic and rub over inside of large Dutch oven, then coat with 2 tablespoons reserved duck fat. Sprinkling each layer with pepper, add ingredients to pot as follows; one fourth the beans; half the sausage, one fourth the beans; one third the duck broth with the vegetables, the duck pieces, one third the broth, one fourth the beans, then remaining sausage, broth, and beans. Add bean liquid if necessary to come to the top of the beans without covering them. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs and drizzle with 2 tablespoons duck fat. Bake covered 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake 45 minutes longer, breaking crust and turning top crust under with large spoon 2 or 3 times. Increase heat to 400° F. Add some tomato liquid if cassoulet seems dry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs and drizzle with 2 tablespoons duck fat. Bake until top is crusty and golden, about 20 minutes longer. Serve hot from Dutch oven.

For bouquet garni, tie 1 bay leaf, i leek, 1 rib celery, 3 sprigs parsely, and 1 pinch dried thyme in cheesecloth (or purchase). Serve with a Cotes du Rhone.

Ingredients:

1.2 kg. (3 lb) lean stewing veal, cubed
salt and pepper to taste
6 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup veal or chicken stock
1 bouquet garni
225 grams (8 oz.) canned peeled tomatoes
65 grams (2 1/2 oz.) tomato puree (paste)
1 tsp. paprika
12 pickling or pearl onions
3 cups button mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp. beurre manie

Procedure:

Rub the veal cubes with salt and pepper. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter with the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Add the onions and garlic and fry until they are soft. Stir in the veal and fry until the cubes are evenly browned. Pour over the wine and stock and stir in the bouquet garni, tomatoes and can juice, the tomato puree (paste) and paprika. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture for 1 1/2 hours. Add the onions and simmer for a further 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a frying-pan. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer the mushrooms to a warmed serving dish. When the veal is cooked, transfer the cubes and onions to the serving dish. Keep warm while you finish the sauce. Remove the casserole from the heat and strain the contents into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables and flavorings with the back of a wooden spoon. Skim any scum from the surface of the cooking liquid and bring to the boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about a third. Stir in the beurre manie, a little at a time, and cook the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, or until it has thickened and is smooth. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables and serve at once. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

450 grams (1 lb.) pork meat
300 grams (2/3 lb.) veal meat
250 grams (1/2 lb.) smoked lardoons (bacon)
5 cl. ( 2 fl. oz.) cognac
2 eggs
2 blades of thyme
2 bay leaves
nutmeg, salt & pepper

Procedure:

Cut the meats into cubes. In an electric mixer, with the blade accessory, put meat cubes and crush them, but not too thinly. Put the meat in a salad bowl, pour the cognac, add the thyme leaves, the nutmeg, salt (not too much because of the bacon) & pepper ; mix everything and leave for 15 minutes. Add the 2 eggs to the meat and mix to obtain an homogeneous mixture ; put it into a paté terrine, smooth the surface and display the bay leaves on. Cover with the terrine lid. Put the terrine on the oven baking tray in which you must always keep some water during the baking time (this is called “bain marie”). Bake in preheated oven at 180°C / 350°F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let it cool down then keep in fridge for at least 12 hours before serving. Serve with French bread and cornichons (gherkins).

Ingredients:

200 grams whole rice
100 grams green lentils
4 eggs
1 fennel
1 red pepper
2 onions
30 grams butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp. curry spice
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 stock cube
salt & pepper.

Procedure:

Peel the onions, clean the pepper and fennel ; mince them all. Fry them in a casserole with the butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil for 2/3 minutes, then add the thyme, the peeled garlic and curry and mix for another minute. Add the rice and mix until the rice becomes translucent (another few minutes). Boil 75 cl. (25 fl. oz.) water with the stock cube and pour it in the casserole. Turn the flame down, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes. Gently turn from time to time. Put the lentils in a sauce pan with cold water and bring it to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes then strain. Add them to the rice after 10 minutes cooking. Let all cool down when cooked ; mix with 1 tbsp.olive oil and adjust seasoning. Beat the eggs with salt and pepper and fry one or 2 thin omelets in a non-stick pan ; roll them and cut them in thin slices. Display the omelet slices on the top of the salad (this stage is optional). Serve fresh.

Ingredients:

2 kg. of uncooked sauerkraut
2 onions
3 cloves of garlic
200 grams goose fat
½ liter Riesling wine
1 liter water

Bouquet garni in a muslin made with:
2 cloves,
1 bay leaf,
1 sprig of thyme,
6 juniper berries
12 pepper corn.

Garnish :
1 smoked pork shoulder
1 pork knuckle,slightly cured
1 rack of pork
400 grams smoked pork belly
8 Strasbourg sausages

Procedure:

Wash off the uncooked sauerkraut several times, then drain excess water by pressing carefully. Melt the goose fat in a large pot and sweat off the onions until soft. Add the wine and the water and bring to the boil. Next add the smoked shoulder, the pork knuckle, the rack of pork and the pork belly as well as the small bag of spices and the sauerkraut. Salt lightly; cover with greaseproof paper and a lid. Cook in the oven during 1 ½ hours at 350°F (180°C or th6).
Meanwhile, cook the Strasbourg sausages in simmering water for 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot, slice it and arrange it on a tray around the sauerkraut. Add the sausages and some steamed potatoes if you wish. Sauerkraut can also be used in other recipes, in accompaniment of a grilled salmon steak, roasted monkfish or fillets of guinea fowl or pheasant, etc. Sauerkraut tastes really good if it is served with apples. You may for example braise some pork fillets, deglazing them with some cider vinegar, some cream or some bouillon. Then you can coat the pork fillets with this sauce and serve some sauerkraut, in which you would have added some dices of raw apple, to the side. The flavor and the texture of this dish will take you to new tasting heights…

Ingredients:

1 (17-ounce) package Hormel Refrigerated Entrees Beef Roast Au Jus
4 hoagie buns, sliced
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing

Procedure:

Remove roast from package, reserving juices. Slice roast thinly. To make sandwiches, place half of shredded cheese on bottom halves of each roll. Layer sliced beef on top of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange bell pepper slices and onion over meat. Drizzle each with a little Italian salad dressing. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Place tops on rolls. Wrap sandwich in foil. Heat in a preheated 350º F oven for 10-12 minutes or until warmed through. Slice in half and serve.

Au Jus
Place meat juices in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until it comes to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve in small bowls on the side for dipping sandwiches.Serve with frozen, seasoned steak fries prepared as package directs, and green grapes.

Ingredients:

250 grams of veal cushion
250 grams of pork loin
500 grams of puff pastry
1 egg
1 tbsp. milk
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 bunch of parsley
1 twig of tarragon
1 thyme branch
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 dl of white wine
Fine salt and freshly ground pepper

Procedure:

The day before:
Cut the veal into pieces (each should be 1/2 cm wide and 5 cm long). Mix the meat slices and the finely chopped garlic and shallots with 1 dl of white wine in a large bowl. Add the parsley, the tarragon and the thyme. Add salt (1/2 teaspoon) and pepper. Mix well and cover this stuffing with plastic film and leave to marinate for 12 hours in the fridge.

Next day:
Roll-down the puff pastry, forming two separate rectangles, until the pastry is only 2 to 5 mm thick. One rectangle should measure more or less 35 cm as it will be used for the base and the edges, and the second rectangle should be slightly smaller, 30 cm, serving as a top cover. Place each rectangle on a hotplate and set aside in the fridge for 1 hour until they become firm.In order to make the paté, place the marinated stuffing in the center of the largest rectangle, being careful to leave a 6 cm margin all around it (for the paté edges). Fold the larger sides of the rectangle over the stuffing, without overlapping. Then fold the other two sides and remove any excess pastry below them in order to avoid having too much pastry above the stuffing. Whisk together the egg, the milk and a pinch of salt. Brush this mixture over the pastry edges. Fold these edges and make them stick together. Cover the paté with the second rectangle. Eliminate any excess pastry and press gently with the tip of your fingers so that both pastries stick together well. Brush some more of the egg mixture over the whole surface. Take a knife and open 1 or 2 small holes in the pastry in order to let cooking vapor escape easily. Decorate with a crisscross design over the pastry using a knife. Place the paté in the fridge for 30 minutes so that the pastry becomes firmer. Preheat the oven at a temperature of 400°F (200°C), using the oven’s ventilated position, if possible. Cook in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes at a temperature of 400°F (200°C), then for 15 minutes at 375°F (175°C). You may serve this paté from Lorraine with a green salad. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 (7 3/4 ounce) can salmon, drained
2 hard-boiled eggs, mashed
1/2 cup stuffed olives, minced
1/4 cup celery, chopped finely
1/4 cup green onions, chopped finely
1 teaspoon dill weed<
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (1/4 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Procedure:

Mix salmon, eggs, olives, celery, onion, dill, salt and pepper in bowl. Soften gelatin in cold water–set over hot water to completely dissolve. Stir gelatin, mayo and lemon juice. Combine with salmon mixture. Spoon into a 3-cup mold. Refrigerate until firm, approximately 2 hours.To unmold, set in warm water and turn upside-down onto plate. Serve with crackers.

Ingredients:

1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (10 - 12 oz.)
4 ounces codfish roe (tarama)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 onion, minced
1/2-1 cup olive oil
bread, for serving

Procedure:

Place potato in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool a bit. Process potato, roe, onion and lemon juice thoroughly. The more roe that is mashed, the better the dip will taste. Gradually add in the oil until thoroughly combined.Transfer to a serving bowl. Can garnish with kalamata olives if desired. Serve with bread.

Ingredients:

4 rib eye steaks (1/2 inch)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter (divided)
3 teaspoons green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced

Procedure:

Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp. butter in skillet,stir in onions and mustard. Add steaks.Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Remove to serving platter and keep warm.To skillet, add lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, and remaining 2 tbsp. butter.Cook for 2 minutes. Add parsley and chives. Pour over steaks.