Leslie’s River Bistro Caesar Salad

2 Generous Servings

• 4 anchovy fillets, minced (or 1 ½ teaspoons anchovy paste, this is what I use).
• 1 large garlic clove, pressed
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
• 1 cup croutons
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ½ ounces)

Whisk anchovy, garlic, mustard, vinegar and hot pepper sauce in large bowl. Gradually add ¼ cup olive oil and whisk until thick. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Add lettuce and toss. Add croutons and cheese and toss again. Divide salad between plates and serve.

Note: Can also add a bit of lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce

Seasoned Croutons

• 5 slices bread
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled

Remove crusts from bread. Cut bread in cubes. Melt butter with olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; add bread cubes, stirring until well-coated with butter mixture. Cool slightly.

Combine Parmesan, oregano and thyme in heavy plastic or paper bag. Add bread cubes; toss to coat evenly with cheese mixture. Spread bread cubes in even layer on ungreased jelly roll pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp, stirring occasionally. Cool, then place in freezer storage bag; freeze until needed. Makes about 2 cups.

Anneloes’ Tartiflette

For the whole cheese [half cheese, half recipe]

• Cook 1 kg of potatoes with peal +/- 15 minutes.
• Chop 2 onions
• When potatoes are cooked, dice them.
• Put onions and potatoes in pan and “brown” them a bit.
• Add pepper and salt, and if you have [not necessary] a table spoon of crème fraîche.
• When done put some white wine with it and let it cook for +/- 5 minutes – until it is not to wet anymore.
• Pour the onions-potatoes mix in an oven-bowl – don’t forget to butter it.
• Grate the white stuff of the cheese with a knife – don’t forget the side.
• Cut the cheese in strips about 1 cm wide and cover the onions-potatoes mix with it.
• Cover the bowl and put it in a warm oven [180-200°C] and wait 25-30 minutes.
• Now you can eat it but watch out, it is hot…

Ellyn’s Easy Potato Salad (vegetarian)

This is a good recipe to make in large quantities for big gatherings. Serves about 6-8.

• 2 750 gr. packages of already prepared diced potato’s
• 1-2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/2 cup pickles, chopped (I use already prepared “augurken blokjes”)
• 2 eggs, hard boiled and diced (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Sambal or any good hot pepper sauce (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Additional parsley, pickles, eggs and paprika powder for garnishing

1. Hard boil the eggs.
2. Using a fork, make some holes in the packaging of the diced potato’s and
   microwave them for about 13 minutes at 800 watts.
3. When the potato’s are done and still warm (not too hot), combine them with the mayonnaise, vegetables and eggs and stir well.
4. Let it cool and refrigerate overnight.
5. Garnish with parsley, pickles, eggs and paprika powder.

Witlof (Endive)

Everything here was copied from http://frenchfood.about.com/library/blendiverecipes.htm

Endives à la flamande

Endives flemish style served with butter and egg. This is a popular entrée in northern France. It is sometimes accompanied by aspargus and is called chicons en asperge.

• 8 Belgian endives
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt/pepper
• 4 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
• 6 ounces butter
• handful of parsley,chopped

Preheat oven to 350°

1. Put cleaned endives into ovenproof dish with a lid.

2. Mix the lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper together and pour over the endives. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

3. Just before serving melt the butter, stir in the parsley and pour into a sauceboat. Cut the eggs in half and put them in a bowl.

Let everyone take an egg and crush it on their plate. Mix it with some of the melted butter. Add the endives on top and eat with the egg sauce.

Endives au Jambon

Belgian Endives wrapped in ham, baked in a creamy cheese sauce.

• 4 Endives
• 4 slices cooked ham, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 5 Tablespoons of flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• scant 1 cup of grated Gruyère
• salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Remove outer leaves of the endives and trim ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 15 minutes. Drain well.

2. Wrap a slice of ham around each endive. Preheat oven to 390°.

3. Grease a baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter. Arrange the endives in it.

4. Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, lightly brown the flour and the remaining butter. Add the milk, stirring continously. Simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Fold in 1/3 of the cheese and season with the salt and pepper.

6. Pour the sauce over the endives and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

7. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Serve immediatley, accompanied by a Sancerre.

Endives à la crème

• 4-6 endives, out leaves removed
• 4 Tablespoons of butter
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tablespoons crème fraîche
• handful of parsley, chopped
• salt

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the endives, salt and lemon juice.
2. Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes, or until the endives are tender. Shake the pan from time to time.
3. Add the crème fraîche, stir gently.
4. Arrange the endives on a warmed serving dish. Pour the cream sauce over and sprinkle with the parsley.

Apple Stuffed Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 500 grams Brussels sprouts, tough outer leaves removed, base trimmed, sprouts cut in half
• 500 grams raw beets cut in chunks the same size as the Brussels sprouts.
• 200 grams shallots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced in half
• 2 – 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar plus a few dashes extra
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°F (425°F).
2. Toss all ingredients except the thyme leaves.
3. Place on a baking tray in the oven, uncovered. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through and caramelized on the edges.
4. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with a few dashes of balsamic vinegar, the thyme and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
5. You can also add some shopped walnuts and goat cheese the last few minutes of the baking time.