Eating frogs’ legs

I know some of you will be disgusted but we do eat frogs’legs in France. Actually in my family we tend to eat out around Christmas time and I always pick this dish.

People say the taste and texture of frog meat is between chicken and fish. Well, you need to try this dish yourself to find out. 

The frogs legs are cooked in butter, garlic and parsley.

I have put the photo of what the dish looks like when you get it and what my plate looked like when I finished! 

You eat the frogs’legs with your fingers. No need to use your knife and fork!

Try this dish if you visit Lyon in France, the capital of gastronomy…

Recipe for ‘Liqueur 44’

When we moved to Brittany we discovered this ‘Liqueur 44’ that everyone over here seem to make!

Here is the recipe:

You will need:

1 organic orange

44 coffee beans

44 sugar lumps

And 1 litre of eau de vie (pure alcohol)

If you live in France, just ask around, you will always find someone who knows someone who makes the eau de vie !

Get a huge jar from your local supermarket.

Stab the orange 44 times!

Put a coffee beans in each holes,

Put the orange in the jar,

Add the 44 sugar lumps and pour the eau de vie on top of it. Close the jar.

Leave it to ‘rest’ for 44 days.

It will taste like Grandmarnier, an orange liqueur with a little extra flavor. It is a nice 'digestif', something you can drink at the end of a meal after the coffee.

Recipe for Pastéis de nata

I have been introduced to Portuguese food by my friends from Madeira. Pastéis de nata is like egg custard.

It is rather easy to make. You will need:

500 ml of milk

150g sugar

2 spoons of Maizena (or plain flour)

5 eggs yolks

Vanilla essence

Zest of a lemon (1/4)

1 puff pastry

Mix the Maizena and sugar together.

Boil the milk. Pour the milk on the maizena/sugar mix.  A the egg yolks one by one, stir quickly. Add the zest and some vanilla essence.

Pour the mixture on the puff pastry (you can make a big one or 12 small ones)

Cook for 20 minutes at 230 degrees.

Sprinkle some cinnamon powder when they are cooked. They are best eaten cold.

Recipe for coconut macaroons, gluten free

I make coconut macaroons if I have some extra egg whites. They are very quick and easy to make. They keep for a few days in a air tight jar. 

Ingredients:

3 egg white

210 g of sugar (I use 180 g only)

250 g of desiccated (shredded) coconut

Whisk the egg whites, slowly add the sugar and coconut, whisk till they are completely combined and the mixture is frothy.

Shape de macaroons with wet hands into small balls (2 cm diameter)

Place the macaroons on the baking sheet.

Bake the macaroons until golden, about 20 / 25 minutes at 180 degrees.

They are crunchy on the outside, chewy in the middle and very tasty when they are still warm!

They are gluten free.