Bon… pourquoi des recettes pour les enfants en anglais me direz-vous? Et bien tout simplement parce que nous habitons a Singapour et avons la grande chance d’avoir un perle a la maison pour nous aider dans nos taches de tous les jours. Comme on bosse tous les deux tard, c’est elle qui prepare les repas des enfants. Du coup, je prepare chaque semaine un menu (si possible) equilibre) pour les petits… Le mercredi, c’est atelier cuisine avec les garcons donc il y a une petite recette de gateau ou biscuit.

Ne vous formalisez pas pour l’anglais qui n’est pas parfait. Je fais ca au plus vite alors je ne checke pas tout dans le dictionnaire!

Les recettes sont pour 2 enfants.

Menu week 1

Monday – Risotto ham and mushrooms

• Slice 50 g of ham in small pieces
• Slices mushrooms in fine slices
• Peel and slice ½ onion
• Cook onion in a pan  with a teaspoon of butter
• When cook, add 120 g of risotto rice
• Cook an extra 2/3 minutes
• Add hot chicken stock gradually while always stirring
• When rice is ready, add mushrooms, ham and 1 table spoon of grated parmesan
• Cook an extra 2 minutes and serve

Tuesday – Salmon balls and snow pea

• Cut 1 salmon steak (about 200g) in cubes
• Mix with 1 beaten egg, juice of ½ lemon, salt and pepper until you get a paste
• Form little balls and roll them in breadcrumbs
• Cook balls in pan with peanut oil
• Remove excess of oil with kitchen paper
• Serve with steamed snow peas

Wednesday – Mini Penne with chicken and courgette

• Cut ½ courgette in small cubes
• Cut chicken in small cubes
• Cook courgette and chicken together in a pan with a little bit of butter
• When cook, add cream and milk (about 2/3 cream – 1/3 milk)
• Add salt, pepper, 1 table spoon of grated parmesan
• Add to mini Penne

Baking with kids: Quatre Quarts

• Preheat oven 180 C
• Mix 6 egg yolks with 200 g castor sugar until it becomes a bit white
• Add 200 g flour, 1 sachet of yeast and then 200 g melted unsalted butter – mix
• Whisk egg whites until firm and incorporate delicately to mixture
• Put mixture in cake mold and bake during 30-35 min

Thursday – Hachis Parmentier carrot

• Peel and slice 1/2 onion
• Cook onion and add 100 gr of beef mince + 100 gr of pork mince
• Drain and  add 1 table spoon of breadcrumb, salt, pepper, herbs, mix and put aside
• Prepare a mash with 4 potatoes + 2 carrots + milk + salt and pepper
• In an over dish: put meat first then mash
• Add grated emmental cheese on top and cook in the oven until hot

Friday – Phyllo tuna & egg with cherry tomatoes

• Cook 1 egg until hard boiled (8-10 minutes)
• Mix in a bowl 1 small can of tuna (in spring water – not oil) with the egg
• Add 1 table spoon of parsley, 1 table spoon of lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix
• Cut 1 sheet of phyllo into 2
• Put 1 table spoon of mixture in a corner and fold in a triangle
• Cook triangles in a pan with a little bit of olive oil (2-3 minutes each side)
• Absorb extra fat with kitchen paper
• Serve with cherry tomatoes

Saturday – Soup carrot and courgette with emmental crostini

• Peel carrots (about 4) and courgette (about 3) and cut in big cubes
• Put the cubes in a pan, cover with water et cook
• Blend the soup
• Add 1 table spoon of grated emmental, 1 table spoon of cream
• Add 1 teaspoon of mild yellow curry, salt and pepper
• Blend the soup again
• Serve with crostini with melted cheese

For the crostini: cut small baguettes into thin slices, brush with a little bit of olive oil, add some grated emmental and cook in the oven until cheese is melted

Sunday – Mushrooms toast

• Slice 250 gr mushrooms
• Peel and slice 1 shallot
• Cook shallot in a pan then add 100 gr diced bacon
• Add mushrooms, pepper
• Add 100 ml cream and fresh parsley
• Bring to boil and then stop fire
• Toast  2 slices of bread
• Put mushrooms on toasted bread and serve

Menu week 2

Monday – Chicken breasts with maple syrup and green peas, mash

• Prepare a mash with 3 potatoes
• Cook 200 gr green peas in boiling water for about 10 min
• Slice 2 chicken breasts and cook 5 min in a pan with a teaspoon of unsalted butter
• Add 40 ml of maple syrup in the pan – cook until chicken is cooked
• Add green peas in the pan and stir. Add ½ glass of water and cook (low fire) for 10 min
• Serve with mash

Tuesday – British sausages with corn stick

•  Steam the corn until cooked
• Cook 4 British sausages in the pan
• Put a stick on corn and brush with melted butter
• Serve

Wednesday – White fish with mustard sauce, boiled potatoes, green beans

• Place 2 white fish fillets in an oven dish
• Mix in a bowl: 100 ml of cream, 2 table spoons of mustard, salt and pepper
• Cook in oven (220 C) for 15 min
• Serve with 3 boiled potatoes and green beans

Baking with kids: Nutella and banana muffins

• Place muffins paper cups in tray or use parchment paper (see below)

• Preheat oven (200 C)
• Melt 75 g butter in microwave (do not cook the butter!)
• Beat 2 eggs in a big bowl
• Add: the melted butter, 300 g flour, 100 g castor sugar, 1 packet of vanilla sugar, 1 packet of dry yeast, 13 cl of milk and 1 pinch of salt
• Pour 1 cm of the mixture in each cup
• Add 1 big teaspoon of Nutella in each cup and 1 cm slice of banana
• Add some mixture in each cup to reach 3/4 height
• Bake muffins for 15 – 20 min
• Remove muffins cups from tray but leave paper

Thursday – Baked macaroni with ham and broccoli

• Cook 150 gr macaroni until al dente and drain
• Cut 200 g broccoli into small bunches and steam until tender
• Mix broccoli with 2 big table spoons of mascarpone, salt and pepper
• Add 100 g of ham cut into small pieces
• Mix pasta and sauce and put in oven dish
• Sprinkle with grated emmental
• Reheat in oven until hot

Friday – Eggs mimosa and smoked salmon

• Cook 2 eggs for 10 minutes
• When cold, cut eggs in half lengthways and scoop out the yolk
• Mix egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, pinch of dry dill, pepper and add 1 slice of smoked salmon cut into small pieces
• Spoon the stuffing mixture into the egg whites
• Serve with 1 slice of smoked salmon per child

Saturday – Stuffed courgette

• Cut 1 big courgette in half lengthways and scoop out the pulpy centre with a teaspoon, leaving an outside shell, 1cm thick. Reserve the pulp, and chop lightly
• Place the courgettes in an oven dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes or until tender – they should pierce easily with a fork
• Cook 75 gr of rice
• Peel and slice ½ onion
• Cook onion and add 100 gr of beef mince + 100 gr of pork mince + chopped courgette
• Add salt, pepper, herbs and pinch of smoked paprika
• Mix rice with the meat
• Spoon the stuffing mixture into the courgette boats and sprinkle with breadcrumbs (1 teaspoon per boat)
• Reheat in oven until hot
• Serve with ketchup

Sunday – Broccoli and apple soup

• Peel and slice ½ onion
• Cut about 250 g broccoli into small bunches
• Peel 1 Granny apple and slice
• Cook onion with 1 table spoon of olive oil
• Add broccoli and apple and cook for 2 min
• Add 375 ml chicken stock and cook for 30 min
• Mix the soup
• Add salt and pepper
• Serve with toasted bread with Vache qui rit

Menu week 3

Monday – Salmon steak with honey and paprika, risoni pasta and green beans

• In a pan, put 2 table spoons of honey and 1 tea spoon of paprika
• Let it melt under low heat
• Add 2 salmon pieces and let cook 5 minutes on each side (10 minutes in total)
• Serve with risoni pasta and steamed green beans

Tuesday – Quiche Lorraine with cherry tomatoes

• Place puff pastry on 2 individual pie pans
• Precook the pastry in the oven for 15 min at 150 C (use red beans)
• Cook 100 g of bacon in a pan and remove extra fat with kitchen paper when cooked
• Mix in a bowl: 1 egg, 50 ml cream, 50 ml milk
• Add the bacon and 50 g of grated emmental
• Add pepper
• Pour in pie pans and cook for 20-25 min
• Serve with cherry tomatoes

Wednesday – Soup with Leeks and potatoes with ham and cream cheese cigarettes

• Wash 1 big leek and cut into pieces
• Peel 150 g potatoes and cut in big pieces
• Peel and slice ¼ onion
• Put 0.5 L of water in a pot and bring to boil
• Add vegetables and half a piece of vegetable stock
• Reduce heat and let cook for 20  min
• Blend the soup

For the ham and Philadelphia cigarettes: Spread some Philadelphia or other cheese (Vache qui rit, etc.) on slices of ham, Roll the ham and serve with the soup

Baking with kids: Yoghurt cake

• Preheat oven (200 C)
• Pour 1 nature yoghurt (125 ml) in a large bowl.
• Keep the yoghurt container and add: 2 containers of castor sugar, 3 container of flour, 1/2 container of sunflower oil
• Add 1/2 packet of dry yeast, a pinch of salt and 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• Mix well
• Grease a baking dish and pour the mixture
• Bake in the oven for 20 min then reduce temperature to 180 C and cook for an additional 30 min

Thursday – Cantonese rice

• Cook 100 g rice
• Cook 100 g of green peas in bowling water
• Beat 2 eggs and prepare an omelet
• Slice the omelet into thin strips
• In a pan, mix the rice, the peas, the omelet, 80 g of cooked little pink shrimps and 1 teaspoon of soja sauce
• Reheat quickly and serve

 Friday – Chicken, halloumi and red pepper skewers

• Cut half a red pepper into squares and steam them for 10 min
• Cut 2 chicken breast into cubes and season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and herbs
• Cut 100g of halloumi cheese into cubes
• Alternate on the skewer: 1 piece of red pepper, 1 piece of halloumi, 1 piece of chicken
• Cook skewers in the oven 10-15 min (+5 min of grill) until the chicken is cooked

 Saturday – Tortilla potatoes and spinach

• Preheat oven 180 C
• Peel 150 g of potatoes and cut in small cubes
• Cook the potatoes 10 min in bowling water (they must be almost cooked)
• Cook 150 g spinach for 10 min in a pan with a table spoon of olive oil
• Blend the spinach
• In a bowl, mix 3 eggs, 50 ml cream, 50 ml grated emmental cheese
• Add the potatoes and the spinach, salt and pepper
• Pour in individual bowls or cake mould
• Cook for 25-30 min and serve

 Sunday – Homemade burger

• Cook 2 beef patties in a pan
• 5 min before the patties are cooked, add a slice of cheese on the patties in the pan
• Prepare burger buns: 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise + lettuce
• Place meat, add a little bit of ketchup and serve

Menu week 4

Monday – Caramelized pork fillet with rice and carrots

• Preheat oven (200 C)
• Cut 200 g of pork fillet in cubes
• In a pan, melt 20 g of butter with 3 table spoons of honey
• Add 1 teaspoon of mild paprika
• Put the meat in an oven dish, add some salt and pepper, add the honey sauce and mix well
• Cook in the oven for 20 min (stir from time to time) – last 5 min place under the grill
• Serve with rice and 1 medium size steamed carrots

Tuesday – Tomatoes stuffed with scrambled eggs

• Put 2 big tomatoes in boiling water for 1min
• Remove from water and remove the skin of the tomatoes
• When they have cooled down, cut the top empty them
• Beat 4 eggs, add pepper, salt, dried chives, 1 table spoon of mascarpone or cream
• Cook the scrambled eggs (they still need to be soft – not overcook them)
• Mix the eggs with 100g pink cooked shrimp
• Fill in the tomatoes and serve with bread

Wednesday – Pasta with ham and mushrooms

• Slice 150 g of mushrooms
• Cook mushrooms in a pan with ½ diced onion
• Add 100 ml cream and 100g ham cut into small pieces
• Add salt, pepper and some dried parsley
• Mix with pasta and serve with some grated parmesan

Baking with kids: Chocolate madeleines

• In a small pot, melt slowly 130g of butter and 150g of dark chocolate
• In a bowl, mix 3 beaten eggs and 130 g castor sugar until the mixture becomes slightly white
• Add 100g flour and half a packet of dried yeast
• Mix and add the chocolate
• Preheat oven (180 C)
• With a small brush, put butter in the Madeleine mold then sprinkle some flour
• Put the mixture in the mold (fill in half)
• Bake for approximately 10 min
• Let them cool down in the mold

Thursday – Tuna Parmentier

• Peel 500g of potatoes and cut them into cubes
• Steam the potatoes until tender
• In a pan, cook ½ diced onion with olive oil and a bit of thyme
• Add 1 can of diced tomatoes
• Cook until water is gone and add 1 can of tuna in spring water
• Cook an extra 5 min
• Prepare a mash with the potatoes, 50 ml of milk, 1 bit of olive oil, and a bit of butter. Add salt and pepper
• In an oven dish put 1 thin layer of mash, then add the tuna and tomatoes then finish with a layer with the rest of the mash
• Sprinkle 50 g of grated emmental
• Rewarm in the oven

Friday – Carrot soup with coco milk with fresh bread

• Peel and dice 400g of carrot and 100 g of potatoes
• Cook in a pot 1 diced onion with a little bit of olive oil
• Add carrots, potatoes, 400 ml of water and 1 chicken stock cube
• Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for 20 min
• Blend the soup
• Add 200 ml of coco milk, pepper and a little bit of dried coriander
• Blend again and cook for an extra 5 min

Saturday – Salmon papillotte with pasta

• Dice 2 medium leeks, clean them and steam until tender
• Cut 2 slices of aluminium paper
• Put in the centre of each paper: half of the cooked leeks, 1 salmon steak (150g each), 1 slice of lemon, salt, pepper, thyme. Add 1 table spoon of cream and 1 little bit of olive oil
• Close the papillote and cook in the oven for 15 min (210 C)
• Serve with boiled potatoes

Sunday – Pasta with sundried tomatoes, mascarpone and chicken

• Cut 1 chicken breast in small pieces and cook in a pan with a bit of olive oil
• Cut 60g of sundried tomatoes into thin slices
• Add in the pan and cook for 2-3 min with 2 table spoons of diced fresh basil
• Add 3 big table spoons of mascarpone, mix and add pepper
• Cook pasta and mix with the sauce

Menu week 5

Monday – Pitta pockets with chicken, chives sauce and grated carrot

• Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, pinch of salt, pinch of dried oregano, pinch of garlic powder, and pepper in a large resealable bag. Add 1 chicken breast cut in small cubes, mix well, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator 3 hours or overnight.
• Grate 1 carrot
• Mix in a bowl: 2 table spoons of yogurt, 2 table spoons of mayonnaise, chopped fresh chives, salt and pepper
• Pour the chicken and marinade into a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
• Toast 2 pitta pockets (slightly toasted)
• Stuff each half of the pocket bread with chicken, chives sauce, grated carrot

Tuesday – Tuna and tomato pasta

• Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil and then add in a crushed clove of garlic for 30 seconds.
• Add in a can of chopped tomatoes and leave to cook for 4 minutes (during this time you can cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water).
• Drain the tuna from the can (small can) and sprinkle over some dried oregano and salt and peper and break up the tuna with a fork.
• Then add the tuna in to the tomato sauce and leave to cook for a further minute of two
• Serve with the pasta

Wednesday – Blini with smoked salmon and creamy spinach

• Place 200g spinach in a large colander. Pour over a kettle full of boiling water until the leaves have wilted (you may have to do this twice). Place the spinach in a clean dishcloth, squeeze out any excess liquid, then roughly chop. Place the spinach in a pan and heat with a bit of cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper
• Serve the blinis with hot spinach and slices of smoked salmon

For Homemade blinis:

• 1      ½ teaspoon of sugar
• 1/4      cup warm water
• 1      teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1      egg
• 1      ½ cups lukewarm milk
• 1      cup Self raising flour
• 3/4      cup buckwheat flour
• ½      teaspoon Salt
• 1/4      cup butter, melted

In a small bowl, dissolve ½ teaspoon of the sugar in warm water. Sprinkle in yeast and let it stand for approx 10 minutes until the mixture appears to be frothy. In a separate larger mixing bowl, beat egg, milk and remaining sugar. Add flours and salt and beat for 1 minute. Beat in the yeast mixture and half of the butter. Cover the mixing bowl with glad wrap; leave it to rise in warm place until it has about doubled in size (around 1 hour).

Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with some of the remaining butter. Either spoon or use a piping bag. (or a zip lock bag, seal it and cut a small corner on the bottom to pipe with)

Pipe ‘blobs’ of batter around 4cm in diameter. Cook until bubbles form on top, then carefully flip each one over and cook until bottoms are golden brown.

Baking with kids: French toast

• In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 egg, ¼ cup milk, 1 tablespoon of cream, 1 drop of vanilla extract and 1 pinch of cinnamon.
• In a large pan, melt 1 teaspoon of butter over medium heat.
• Soak the bread, one piece at a time, in the egg and milk mixture (5 seconds on each side).
• Once the butter is melted, add soaked bread to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Add the remaining butter, then remaining pieces of bread.
• Serve immediately with sugar

Thursday – Melon with parma ham

• Cut small pieces of green or orange melon
• Wrap with parma ham
• Serve with grisini

Friday – Courgette and parmesan soup with Grisini

• Heat 60 ml olive oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat.
• Cook 1 chopped clove of garlic, 1 handful chopped basil, salt and 1 kg courgette slowly for 10 minutes, or until the courgettes are lightly browned and softened.
• Add white pepper, to taste, then pour in 750 ml chicken stock and simmer for 8 minutes, uncovered.Remove from the heat.
• Put three-quarters of the soup mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Return the mixture to the pan and stir in 60 ml cream, handful flatleaf parsley (Italien parsley) and 50g of grated parmesan.
• Serve with Grisini

 Saturday – Shrimp, tomato, avocado and Ebly ble salad

• In a small bowl combine ¼ chopped red onion, 1 lime juice, 1 tea spoon of olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.
• Cook 200g of Ebly ble in boiling water with salt
• In a large bowl combine about 200 gr of cooked shrimp peeled, ½ diced avocado, 1 diced small tomato
• Combine all the ingredients together, add a bit of dried coriander and gently toss. Adjust salt and pepper to taste
• Mix ble and salad

Sunday – Cheesy broccoli and bacon stuffed potato

• Preheat the oven to 180C
• Prick 2 large potatoes with a knife and bake them on a foil-lined baking sheet until tender, about 1 hour. Remove the potatoes, but leave the oven on
• While the potatoes cook, pan fry 2 slices of chopped bacon
• Steam 1 cup of broccoli in pieces in the steamer then chop the broccoli
• Cut off and discard (or munch) the top quarter of each potato. Scoop out the flesh and mash it with 1 table spoon of butter and 2 table spoon of sour cream, then add 2 table spoon of Emmental grated cheese. Stir in the bacon and broccoli and pile the stuffing back into the potato skins. Add salt and pepper
• Bake another 20 to 30 minutes, or until browned and piping hot.

Menu week 6

Monday – Omelette with mushrooms, bacon and cheese

• Cut 2 slices of ham in small pieces
• Peel and slice 1 handful of button mushrooms and pan fry them for 2 minutes
• Crack 4 eggs into a mixing bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Beat well with a fork
• Put a small frying pan on a low heat and let it get hot. Add a small knob of butter. When the butter has melted and is bubbling, add your eggs and move the pan around to spread them out evenly. When the omelette begins to cook and firm up, but still has a little raw egg on top, sprinkle over 1 small handful of emmental grated cheese, the ham and the mushrooms
• Using a spatula, ease around the edges of the omelette, then fold it over in half. When it starts to turn golden brown underneath, remove the pan from the heat and slide the omelette on to a plate

Tuesday – Pumpkin soup with mini tomato bruschetta

• Preheat the oven at 150 deg C. Dice 800 g of pumpkin into half-moon shape pieces. Remove the seeds. Sprinkle a tablespoon of olive oil over the pumpkin. Roast it for 15 minutes with a sprig of fresh Rosemary.
• When time’s up, leave the pumpkin to cool. Remove the skin and cut it into cubes.
• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauce pan. Saute 1 onion peeled and diced and 2 cloves of garlic peeled and smashed for 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and saute for another 3 minutes. Pour in 350ml of water and bring to a boil. Close the lid and leave it simmering for 8 minutes. By this time the pumpkin should be turn soft. Off the fire, and leave the soup to cool down a bit.
• Blend the soup till smooth
• Before serving, reheat the soup with 100ml of water and 200ml of milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Slice half a baguette, brush the slices with olive oil and grill the bread in the oven
• Put in a bowl: 1 diced tomato, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, 2 leaves of fresh basil chopped
• Spread on the toasted bread and serve with the soup

Wednesday – Mild prawn (or fish) curry with rice

• Put 1 diced onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1cm of peeled ginger, 2 teaspoons of mild curry powder, 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1 pinch of chili powder and 1 can of 400g chopped tomatoes in a food processor and grind to make a sauce.
• Heat the sauce in a large saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes so that the flavours have a chance to combine.
• Add 200g of cooked prawns peeled (or 200g of white fish cooked) and 100g of fresh baby spinach to the sauce and heat gently for 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the prawns heated through.
• Season with pepper to taste and serve with basmati rice.

 Baking with kids: Banana cake

• Line a baking tin with baking paper and heat up the oven to 180 degress Celcius.
• Beat 250 g butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy
• Add in 4 eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition
• Add in 3 or 4 mashed bananas and 1 cup of milk. Stir well
• Sieve in 3 cups of slef-raising flour and mix
• Pour into the cake tin and bake for about 40 minutes. Use a skewer to test for doneness.

Thursday – Pasta a l’italienne de Nanou

• Fry 50 g of bacon bits in a sauce pot
• Add 2 handful of frozen green peas and cook for an extra 5 min on low heat
• Add 1 pot of cream, 1 table spoon of grated parmesan and let it boil then reduce heat
• Season well with pepper, salt and a pinch of paprika
• Serve with Penne and fresh parmesan

Friday – Chicken schnitzel with spaetzle and green beans

• Place 2 chicken breasts between sheets of plastic and pound meat flat with a heavy flat bottomed pan
• Set up three shallow dishes: Flour and salt in the first; breadcrumbs on the second; and eggs in the third.
• Heat enough oil in a pan to very hot so that the breaded meat will ‘swim’ while cooking rather than sit on the bottom.
• Cover meat in flour until dry, then in egg until completely coated. Allow excess to drip off then coat with breadcrumbs and place immediately into the pan.
• Cook on both sides for about 4 minutes a side, ensuring they don’t stick
• Drain oil off on paper towel and serve with spaetzle cooked in a separate pan and boiled green beans

Saturday – Pitta pizza with tomato, cheese, courgette and pork mince

• Turn the oven on to 180 C
• Prepare mini pork meatballs with 100g of pork mince, salt and pepper
• Cut the pitta bread in 2
• Spread some tomato purée on each pitta circle
• Cover in with some slices of courgette and pork meatballs
• Sprinkle with some shredded mozzarella.
• Pop in the oven until the cheese is melted and starting to brown a little.

Sunday – Sushi

Buy from shop!

Menu week 7

Monday – Croque Monsieur

• Preheat the oven (180 C)
• Butter the outside of 4 slices of sandwich bread
• Make the sandwich (butter on the outside): 1 slice of gouda cheese and 1 slice of cooked ham
• Place in the oven in a thin cooking dish
• Let it cook 5 min then turn the sandwich and let it cook until it starts to brown a little

Tuesday – Seared red tuna with pinapple and mango mint salad

• Prepare the salad: Mix 1 half fresh pineapple cut into bite sized pieces, 1 ripe mango cut into bite sized pieces, 1 teaspoon lime zest, the juice from 1 lime, 2 table spoons of liquid honey, 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves finely chopped and a pinch of salt
• Prepare the fish:
• Lightly use a paper towel and pat 1 tuna steak to absorb excess juices
• In a separate bowl add black and white sesame seeds as well as a pinch of salt.
• Coat the entire outside of the tuna by pressing it into the sesame seeds until completely covered.
• In a pan, add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan and preheat the pan to medium-high heat. Then take the tuna and place it in the hot pan and sear for about 45 seconds on all sides
• Slice the steak and serve with the mango salad

 Wednesday – Jamie Oliver’s chicken stroganoff with leek and mushrooms

• Slice 1 fresh leek then wash well
• Slice 2 chicken breasts into little bite size pieces
• Peel and slice 2 handful of button mushrooms
• Prepare the frying pan on a high heat with a knob of butter
• Add the leek and the mushrooms to the heated frying pan along with a small amount of white wine, a small glass of water and a pinch of salt and pepper
• Let that bubble for five minutes.
• Next add some chopped parsley
• Take the chopped chicken breasts and add that to the frying pan along with a pot of cream
• Give it all a good stir and pop the frying pan back on the heat to boil.
• Turn down the heat then and simmer for ten minutes.
• Before serving your meal squeeze one half of a lemon to taste
• Serve with rice

Baking with kids: Delphine’s chocolate cake

• Preheat oven (180 C)
• Melt 200g of dark chocolate and 200g of salted butter
• Add 200g of sugar
• Add 3 beaten eggs
• Add 1 table spoon of flour
• Put in a large oven dish
• Bake for approximately 30 min

Thursday – Pasta bolognaise

• In a big pot, pan fry 100 gr of chopped pancetta until fat melts
• Add 1 table spoon of butter, 1 small onion chopped, ½ cup of celery minced, ½ cup of carrots minced and cook on medium-low heat until soft (about 5 minutes)
• Increase flame to medium-high, add 250 gr of minced beef and 250 gr of minced pork, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned
• Add ¼ cup of white wine, cook until it reduces down (about 3-4 minutes)
• Add 3 cans of 400g of chopped tomatoes, 1 can of 400gr of whole peeled tomatoes and 1 bay leaf. Simmer covered on low, at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally
• Add ½ cup of cream and ¼ cup of parsley, cook 2 minutes longer.
• Serve with pasta
• Freeze rest of the sauce

Friday – Lentil and vegetables soup

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a big pot over medium–high heat
• Add 2 slices of bacon chopped, 1 large onion chopped, 2 celery stalks chopped, 2 carrots peeled and chopped, and 2 garlic cloves chopped
• Sauté until vegetables begin to brown (about 15 minutes)
• Add 4 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of water, 1 ½ cup of lentils rinsed and drained and 1 can of 400g of chopped tomatoes with juice and bring to boil
• Reduce heat to medium–low, cover and simmer until lentils are tender (about 35 minutes)
• Puree soup with a blender to develop a smoother consistency.
• thin soup with more water by 1/4 cupfuls, if too thick
• Gently stir in ½ tablespoon of butter until melted and fully incorporated
• Season with salt, pepper and serve with toasted bread

 Saturday – Savoury cake with pepper, olives and feta

• Preheat your oven to 180 C
• Roast a red pepper until you can remove the skin, the seeds and chop into pieces
• Mix 3 eggs, 150 g of flour, 1/3 sachet of yeast, 1 pinch of salt and pepper
• Stir in 100 ml of sunflower oil and 125 ml of hot milk
• Stir in the chopped ingredients (red pepper diced, 1 handful pitted olives, 1 handful emmental cheese, 1 handful feta cheese (or goat cheese)). Grind over some pepper.
• Pour in the cake dish and bake for about 45 minutes.

Sunday – Cocotte eggs with smoked salmon and spinach

• Preheat oven (220 C)
• Saute 2 handful of baby spinach in a previously greased medium skillet about 4 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper
• Spray or grease with butter 2 ramekins
• In each ramekin add half the spinachs, 1 slice of shredded smoked salmon, break 1 egg into each one, add 1 table spoon of creme fraiche on the side of the egg. Sprinkle with ground pepper.
• In the bottom of a oven baking dish, pour boiling water, place ramekins (water should rise to half side of ramekins)
• Bake au bain-Marie for 7 to 10 minutes. When white are done but eggs yolks look still shaky, it’s ready.
• Meanwhile toast some bread, slice it in sticks to dip in the eggs

Menu week 8

Monday – Cheese stuffed chicken cutlets with mustard sauce, boiled potatoes and carrots

• Preheat the oven to 180 C. Using a small knife, cut a pocket in the side of each chicken cutlet (4 cutlets). Insert ½ slice of gouda and spread 1 teaspoon of chopped thyme in each pocket; press gently to close.
• In a small saucepan, boil ½ cup of chicken stock and ¼ cup of heavy cream      over moderately high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and boil for 30 seconds, whisking a few times. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
• In a shallow bowl, beat 2 large eggs. Beat in 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Put some flour in another shallow bowl.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge 2 cutlets in flour, shaking off the excess, then coat with the beaten egg. Fry over moderately high heat until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Coat and fry the remaining cutlets.
• Bake the chicken for about 12 minutes, until just cooked through. Reheat the mustard sauce and pour onto plates. Set the cutlets on the sauce and serve with boiled potatoes and steamed carrots

Tuesday – Mushrooms, onion and bacon quiche (without crust) and cucumber salad

• Place 4 slices of diced bacon, 250g of sliced mushrooms and ¼ cup of finely chopped onion in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat  and set aside
• Preheat oven to 175 C. Lightly grease a pie pan.
• Line bottom of pie plate with 100g of shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, mushrooms and onion.
• Combine 4 beaten eggs, 2 table spoons of melted butter, a pinch of salt, ½ cup of flour and 1 ½ cup of milk; whisk together until smooth; pour into pie pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, until set. Serve hot or cold with a cucumber salad

Wednesday – Red pepper soup

• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Place 4 chopped red bell peppers, 1 chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves in the saucepan and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
• Pour in 700 ml chicken broth, stirring well, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
• Run the soup through a strainer and return the liquid to the saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in ½ cup of heavy cream, some ground black pepper and allow to heat through, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Serve with mini sandwichs (cheese, ham, tuna)

Baking with kids: Marie’s delicious cookies

• Turn on the oven at 200 C
• Put baking paper on an oven rack
• Mix together: 1 egg, 80g of brown sugar, 80g of white sugar, 1 pinch of vanilla powder, 225g of flour, 100g of butter (room temperature), 1 pinch of salt, 75g of chocolate chip
• Make some flat balls and put them on the oven rack
• Cook 8 min at 200 C
• After 8min, remove the cookies from the oven and keep on the paper but not on the rack

Thursday – Baked Pasta with Broccoli and Ham with Cheesy-Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

•  Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium head. Add 1 small head of cauliflower cored and chopped (about 3 cups), 1 garlic clove roughly chopped, ½ cup onion diced, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook until soft (approximately 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add 4 teaspoons of flour and stir to coat well.
• Gradually add 4 cups of milk, stirring, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is soft (about 15 minutes). Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree with ¾ teaspoon of nutmeg and 1 cup grated cheese until smooth.
• Cook 250 gr pasta (penne, rigatoni, macaroni = short pasta) in boiling water until slightly tender but not fully cooked (about 5 minutes). Drain and return to pot. Add 150 gr ham chopped, 1 medium bunch broccoli trimmed and cut into florets, and cauliflower sauce, stirring to combine. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle with some cheese.
• If baking immediately, bake at 200C for 30 minutes.
• If baking after cooling down in the fridge, cook for an extra 15 minutes
• Put grill the last 5 minutes

 Friday – Fish in foil with rice and courgettes

• Preheat oven to 200 C
• Rinse fish fillets (rainbow trout, salmon or white fish), and pat dry.
• Rub fillets with some olive oil, and season with garlic salt and black pepper.
• Place each fillet on a large sheet of aluminum foil.
• Cut some lemon slices and squeeze the rest of the lemon over the fish. Arrange lemon slices on top of fillets.
• Add some courgette diced into very small cubes
• Carefully seal all edges of the foil to form enclosed packets. Place packets on baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of fish. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
• Serve with rice

Saturday – Beef, potato and green peas phyllo samosas

For about 18 samosas:

• Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in 2 large potatoes diced in small cubes and 1 cup of frozen green peas. Cook until potatoes are tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In a large saucepan over medium high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Brown ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds and 1 crushed bay leaf. Mix in 2 onions finely chopped and 450 gr of ground beef. Cook until beef is evenly brown and onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
• Mix in 4 cloves of garlic crushed, 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger root.
• Season with black pepper, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon ground cardamom.
• Stir in the mashed potato mixture. Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until cool.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat.
• Mix 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro and 2 tablespoons of chopped green chile peppers into the potato and beef mixture.
• Place approximately 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto each phyllo sheet. Fold sheets into triangles, pressing edges together with moistened fingers.
• In small batches, fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Sunday – Mozzarella in Carrozza with cherry tomatoes salad

• Make sandwiches out of the bread (6 slices of white sandwich bread with crust removed) and mozzarella (1 bowl of mozzarella in thin slices), leaving a little margin around the edges unfilled with cheese. Add 1 leave of fresh basil and close sandwiches
• Press the edges together with your fingers to help seal.
• Pour 125 ml of milk into one soup bowl, 3 table spoons of flour into another, and beat 1 egg with salt and pepper in another.
• Warm oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
• Dunk the sandwiches briefly, one by one, in the milk, then dredge in the flour, then dip in the beaten egg. Fry in hot oil on each side till crisp and gold and remove to kitchen towel.
• Serve with tomato salad