Saturday Night Supper Suggestions

If you're searching for something to make for those dark, cold, winter evenings, look no further. Perfect for snuggling down with in front of the fire...

Lamb and Herb Stew - delicious. Make it as hot or mild as you want by adding more or less Harissa.

Oxtail Stew - you could spice this one up with the addition of chilli flakes.

Tartiflette - reminiscent of those bright cold ski days - one of my favourites, though make sure you do something during the day to deserve this winter treat!

Green Thai Curry - you don't have to make your own paste for this one, but the addition of onions and green pepper makes it even more tasty. Serve with coriander flatbread.

Gnocchi - very easy so don't be put off by making your own pasta. It's simple. And a range of sauces to choose from too.

Herby Lamb Cobbler - a great winter warmer for those chilly evenings.

Mushroom and Spinach Pancakes - if you use shop-bought pancakes it takes even less time to prepare!

Cote D'Azur

Apologies for not writing sooner, but I've only just managed to dig a laptop out from the dust after having a little building work done. It's not the one with the photos though, so you'll have to wait a little longer for me to add those! (Since added!)

Why is it that French airport shops are generally much more attractive than English ones? Is it because even if you buy a children's book from the newsagents there, they wrap it as a present and take time to do it beautifully, despite the queue building up? Or is it simply that the produce looks so much more appetising? Rather than selling everyday chocolate and giant bags of sweets, they sell a range of delicious French cheese, magnums of French champagne, foie gras, saucisson...the list could continue, but those are just a few of my favourites.

The restaurant food is a self-service affair but not as we know it in England. Admittedly, there isn't a choice as at Stansted - see my post about the simple and delicious food at the airport, but the food all looks quite appetizing; the best thing being that you can buy wine in a carafe from a tap! How good is that?! Red, White or Rose from a machine that in England, only dispenses soft drinks -wonder if we could get one installed in the staffroom at school?! No Tartiflette on the menu unfortunately, so we both ordered pizza -not frozen from a packet, but made there in front of you with fresh dough and toppings of your choice, and cooked in a feu-de-bois (wood burning oven). Just a reminder, this is a self-service restaurant in the airport! Usually these are delicious, but unfortunately this once, the girl left it in a little too long and the base was certainly crispy in parts, if not burnt and black. Oh well, the carafe of wine made up for it at just 4 euros!

Tartiflette

One of the best things about a skiing holiday has to be the full-fat food doesn't it? I was introduced to this dish as part of a 'demi-pension' half-board skiing holiday in Valberg - a little resort in the Southern French Alps, and it has remained one of my favourites every since. Now, each ski holiday, I insist on eating it at least once, even if it means a trip down to the village rather than lunch on the slopes! And, because you've skiied all morning, you can eat it without any guilt at all, knowing that you've burnt off hundreds of calories in the morning and will continue to do even more in the afternoon - if you can actually get out of your chair or dare to leave the warmth of the sun after lunch!

My meal this year was in Auron, again in the South of France. The village is small and delightful and there is one restaurants that is superb - it's part of a hotel but has an outside terrace area in the sun and a lovely bar area for that all important apres-ski. The hotel is called Edelweiss, and their tartiflette is one of my two favourite! The other is in a restaurant in the back streets of Nice, served only in winter obviously.

For those who don't ski, or haven't heard of Tartiflette, it is originally a dish from the Savoie region of France and uses Reblochon cheese. Recipes vary, but all include potatoes, cheese and usually, bacon/lardons. Edelweiss' version also includes onions. It is served in a low pottery dish and this particular one had a delicious green salad with tasty dijon dressing. The basic idea is that all the ingredients are cooked, the covered with cheese and baked. here's my version of the recipe:

Tartiflette

Potatoes - peeled and chunked
Onion - sliced
Lardons - smoked if preferred
Creme fraiche
Reblochon - sliced in half, both ways!

First, par-boil the potatoes until just cooked.
Fry off the onions and lardons and when cooked, add the potatoes to brown. Season if necessary.
Transfer to a low sided oven-proof bowl and stir in a good dollop of creme fraiche.
Place the large slices of reblochon on top with the crust uppermost. (The cheese should be cut in half so you have two semi-circles, then sliced horizontally.)
Bake in a medium oven (170) for about twenty minutes until the cheese is brown and the dish is bubbling!

It's not a light-weight dish, but if served with a crisp green salad, you can kid yourself you're at least getting some nutrients! And it's always best after a morning ski session, sitting in the sun with a cold, clear glass of white!