Little Paris Kitchen - Hardcover

Rachel Khoo:

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0718158113 ISBN 13: 9780718158118

Publisher: London: Michael Joseph, 2012., 2012

Synopsis

Rachel Khoo serves up a modern twist on classic French cooking. Rachel Khoo was determined to get to grips with French cooking, so to learn more she moved to Paris, not speaking a word of French, and enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu, the world-famous cookery school. Six years later, she still lives and works in Paris, cooking up a selection of classic French dishes from all over the country and giving them a fresh makeover with her own modern twists. From a Croque Madame muffin and the classic Boeuf bourguignon, to a deliciously fragrant Provencal lavender and lemon roast chicken, Rachel celebrates the culinary landscape of France as it is today and shows how simple these dishes are. The 120 recipes in the book range from easy, everyday dishes like Omelette Piperade, to summer picnics by the Seine and afternoon 'gouter' (snacks), to meals with friends and delicious desserts including classics like Creme brulee and Tarte tatin. It's a book that celebrates the very best of French home-cooking in a modern and accessible way. Real French food is no longer something only served in fancy restaurants; Rachel will show how you can add a little French culinary touch to your everyday life at home, no matter where you are in the world, or how big your kitchen is!

About this title

Review:

Featured Recipe from The Little Paris Kitchen: Canard à l’Orangina (Duck with fizzy orange)

Serves 4 as a main

When I was invited to a dinner hosted by Chef Jean-François Piège, he described how his previous elaborate style of cooking at the Hôtel de Crillon had evolved into something a lot more simple and homely at his current restaurant in the Hôtel Thoumieux. He told an amusing story of how his wife wanted duck à l’orange for Sunday supper and all he could find at his local corner shop was Orangina, so he used it to make a sauce for the duck. I’m not sure exactly how he made his canard à l’Orangina, but here’s my version. A simple watercress or wild arugula salad works well with this dish.

For the Marinade:

• finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt

To Make the Marinade

Mix together the orange zest and juice with the olive oil, cumin, and salt.

The Duck

• 4 duck legs
• 7 tbsp orange soda
• 2 tbsp Cointreau
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 4 oranges, cut into segments

Rub the marinade over the duck legs and leave to marinate for a minimum of an hour (or in the fridge overnight).

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Put the duck legs with the marinade into a roasting pan and cook for 1 hour or until tender. Halfway through cooking, baste the duck with some of the pan juices.

Fifteen minutes before serving, pour the orange soda and Cointreau into a large frying pan, place on a high heat, and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the salt and vinegar before adding the orange segments. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Serve the duck legs hot, with the orange segments and sauce.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Resting time: 1 hour–overnight

Cooking time: 1 hour

About the Author:

Rachel Khoo is a Paris-based food creative and star of the BBC show The Little Paris Kitchen.

About this edition

• Publisher: London: Michael Joseph, 2012.
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0718158113
• ISBN 13: 9780718158118
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288