The Good Life France Magazine




The Good Life France Magazine brings you the best of France - inspirational and exclusive features, fabulous photos, mouth-watering recipes, tips, guides, ideas and much more...


Published by the award winning team at The Good Life France

Views
2 years ago

Issue No. 17

Packed with fabulous features: Carcassonne, Nimes, Orange in Provence, Nice Carnival, Paris at Christmas, Laval in Mayenne, absinthe, the fashion district of Paris, recipes, guides and more. Our secret ingredient is passion!

Galette des rois cake

Galette des rois cake Ingredients (for 6 portions) 75g butter (softened) (1/3 cup, 2.5 oz) 2 eggs (medium) 75g caster sugar (1/3 cup, 2.5 oz) 1 tablespoon plain flour 75g ground almonds (1/3 cup, 2.5 oz) 1 packet of puff pastry (about 400g) 1 tablespoon rum (optional) Almond extract/essence (optional) Pinch of Salt 1 fève – lucky charm Method Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4/350°F and line a baking tray with grease proof paper. Keep the puff pastry in the fridge right up until you need to use it. Mix the butter, egg, sugar and flour together in a bowl and then add the ground almonds, salt, almond extract (a few drops) and the rum if you’re using it and mix them all well together. Roll out the puff pastry and cut two 22cm (8 inch) circles and put one on the baking tray and the other in the fridge. Spread the almond paste onto the puff pastry circle on the tray leaving about 2 cm (inch) clear around the edge to allow you to join the” lid”. Put the fève into the almond paste and then brush the beaten third egg round the edge you left clear and place the refrigerated puff pastry circle over the top. Pinch the edges together gently so that they stick but be careful not to squidge the filling out! (Note some people leave the feve out and just pop it on top afterwards to avoid potential choking risk, or replace it with a piece of candied fruit). Brush more beaten egg over the top of the cake, make a small hole to let the steam out and then lightly score the pastry with a knife creating a crisscross pattern – or a fancy leaf pattern or anything you like, it really enhances the appearance and you can let your creativity run wild! Place in the oven for 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 160°C/Gas Mark 3/325°F for 25 minutes or until the puff pastry is well risen and golden. Place a paper crown on top and eat when cold…

Sara Neumeier's Lapin a la Moutarde Ingredients: serves 6 1 three-pound rabbit, cut into 12 pieces 1/3 cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil 4 ounces lardons fumes (or 4 slices American thick-cut bacon, diced) 18 white pearl onions, peeled 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 bay leaf Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 2 cups dry white wine (we use Bergerac sec) 1/3 cup crème fraîche Place rabbit in a medium bowl and toss with mustard until it is thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours or overnight. When ready to cook, heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium high heat. Add lardons and cook until golden and crispy; remove with a slotted spoon and reserve for later. Add onions to skillet and cook until golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer onions to a small bowl using a slotted spoon, and add rabbit pieces to skillet. Cook rabbit until nicely browned, 5-8 minutes per side. Add thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, pepper, reserved onions, and wine. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook at a low simmer until rabbit is tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in crème fraîche, and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve over roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or pasta. Sprinkle reserved crispy lardons over top.