Monthly Archives: June 2011

Lamb Chops with Mint Yogurt Sauce

One of my favorite meats is lamb.   The grass-fed lamb from New Zealand has a sweet, wild taste that sets it apart from it’s grain-fed cousins.  The difference in taste and texture could be compared to the difference between, … Continue reading

Posted in American, Cooking, Food and Wine, French, Main dishes, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Tacos Carnitas with Salsa and Guacamole

Mexican pork carnitas are very easy to make.  It’s just a matter of boiling pieces of pork until the water has evaporated, and then browning the pieces in the fat that has been rendered by the boiling.  “Nickel”!  as they … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, Food and Wine, Main dishes, Mexican | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

BBQ Chicken with Bacon, Corn, Hominy and Tomato Salad

Two day heat wave today and tomorrow, 97 degrees.  Why is it, when it’s so hot outside, we decide to increase the heat by lighting a fire to cook our food?   It’s a mystery. The bacon, corn, hominy and … Continue reading

Posted in American, Cooking, Food and Wine, Main dishes, Recipes, Salad | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Peach Melba Sunday

I think it was in the 60s-70s when peach melba was the epitome of dessert elegance, along with crepes suzette.  We seemed to be experiencing a mini-love affair with the French.  Jacques Brel English remakes were on the radio and … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, Dessert, Food and Wine, French, Fruit, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Catfish Salad Meli-Melo

I’ve discovered, you’ll like this Dave, the French equivalent of catfish; pangasius.   I spotted these fillets in the fish bins of Carrefour and didn’t know what they were, but they looked good and were on sale.  The Wikipedia says:  “Pangasius is … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, fish, Food and Wine, French, Recipes, Salad | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Foie de Veau aux Peches

You guessed it, liver again.  The French sounds so much more elegant and I can trap the liver haters into looking.  Gotcha 🙂  Calf’s Liver with Peaches. This is soooo good people.   Shallots and ham strips are sauteed in … Continue reading

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Mushroom Ragout

Chores today(I hate that).   Also I need to start preparing for our trip to the U.S. to see my darlin’ sworn in as the first USAID Mission Director for Southern Sudan.  So proud! Still, one must eat. I’m going … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, Food and Wine, French, Main dishes, Recipes, side dish | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Double “Egg” Benedict with Tomato Pesto

Once in Niger, we hosted a small brunch for friends.  The brunch included Eggs Benedict on top of breaded eggplant rounds(English muffins were not available) with hollandaise and tomato pesto sauces, homemade breakfast sausage links, fruit salad and mimosas.   … Continue reading

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Pork Chops and Traditional Ratatouille

I was discussing ratatouille the other day with a neighbor and she definitely had her ideas about what ratatouille was and wasn’t.   Sort of like me with potato salad. Interested, I betook myself to my French cookbooks and google.fr. … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, Food and Wine, French, Main dishes, Recipes, side dish, Vegetables | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Steak and Kidney Salad

Jade has been mentioning the steak and kidney pies I made in March: http://atomic-temporary-17826715.wpcomstaging.com/2011/03/14/steak-and-kidney-pie/, not because she wanted the pies again but she really liked the taste of the steak and kidney fried, before I put it into the sauce.  So … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, English, Food and Wine, French, Main dishes, Salad | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments