www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dUpBLA2C6I/
However, I 'do' some French dishes, my way, and they work rather well....so here you are.
Moules Mariniere
The worst part is cleaning the mussels. Put your fresh mussels in a big bowl of cold tap water and leave for a while. Throw out any which haven't closed after half an hour and also chuck out any with broken shells.
Take each of the mussels, rip off any seaweed and the threads which attach them to the rocks and scrape off any limpets or crusty bits from the shell. Then put them into fresh cold water and leave them till you want to cook them. You want them as clean as possible or you will have bits in the cooking liquor which you won't want to eat!
They used to advise throwing out any which floated but if the mussels are small they will float.
In a large pan, wok or casserole pan heat white wine, crushed/chopped garlic, chopped parsley and a good knob of butter. When the liquid is boiling hot tip in the mussels, pop on a lid and shake. Every couple of minutes shake the pan and you should find that each mussel opens. Any which don't open are dean and should be thrown out. As soon as the mussels have opened serve with crusty bead/ French baguette. You can sop up left over liquid with the bread.
The French serve this with chips, hence the menu item Moules Frites.
Cherry Clafoutis
In June there is a glut of cherries in the area where our house is, and that includes our garden as well. Every garden seems to have a cherry tree....not the ornamental, the edible, but what to do with all that fruit! My neighbour makes lots of jam. If we aren't there to collect our fruit she collects it and we get some of her jam to enjoy. And everybody makes cherry clafoutis.
The batter:..........
Beat 2 large eggs
with
180ml milk and 1/2 teaspoonful of vanilla essence
and
65 grams flour and a pinch of salt
plus
25 grams of ordinary white sugar
When the batter is smooth leave it whilst you sort the cherries.
Wash and de stalk the fruit. If you can be bothered, remove the stones, but then you haven't any stones to put on the side of your plate to play Tinker, tailor with. You need about 450 grams of sweet cherries.
Melt 13 grams or so of butter, preferably unsalted, in a frying pan and add the fruit. Cook gently till soft, adding 25 grams of sugar so you get a syrup. This takes about 5 minutes.
Put the fruit into the bottom of your dish. Then pour over the batter.
Cook 20 minutes at gas mark 6 or 220 C until the clafoutis is puffed up and turning a golden brown colour.
Don't open the oven door till it's cooked.
Sprinkle with of icing sugar whilst it's hot and eat warm with cream. Delicious!
You can make a clafoutis with any fruit. Raspberries work very well.
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