Ingredient: Herbs de Provence

French Country Pate

HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE!

Pate, or pâté in French, can be a paste, loaf, or pastry type that is filled with ground meat from pork, beef, poultry, fish or from vegetables such as mushrooms. Pâté is commonly associated with French cuisine. However, variations of this dish exist worldwide.

Paté’s roots can be traced back to country sides of northern and central Europe, where it is believed to have developed as a means of preserving the meat of game that could not be kept fresh. In the 16th century, it became popular with French royalty, and in the 17th century, the first recorded pâtés appeared. At its core, pâté was a humble peasant dish, but over the years, French chefs experimented with the form by incorporating different ingredients, and eventually, baking it in pastry dough, or what we know as pâté en croute.

In France, pâté is considered a delicacy and is often served as an appetizer or snack. It is commonly enjoyed with bread and paired with wine or champagne. This dish has many different varieties, each with its unique flavor profile.

Most pâtés are considerably easier to make than you might think. It can be served hot or cold and is an essential requirement with any cheeseboard, served with a thin slice of crusty bread, toast or crackers, tiny pickles and mustard, or as a perfect dinner starter. 

Traditional country-style pâté is defined by its coarse texture and liberal seasoning, which includes onions, garlic and herbs and spices.

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 French Country Pate
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Finger Food Buffet
Cuisine French
Keyword French country pate
Servings
Ingredients
Course Finger Food Buffet
Cuisine French
Keyword French country pate
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes or until hot. Add onion; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften. Stir in herbs de Provence, garlic, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Stir in wine. Increase heat to high; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until no liquid remains in skillet. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix beef, pork, bread crumbs, pine nuts, parsley, chives and cooled onion mixture until thoroughly combined. Shape into 5-inch-long loaf, packing mixture tightly to hold together. Wrap bacon around loaf to cover, with ends of bacon slices all on bottom of loaf.
  3. Place loaf, bacon seam side down, on rack in roasting pan. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until thermometer inserted in center of loaf reads 160°F.
  4. Remove loaf from oven. Cover loosely with tent of foil; cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Using serrated knife, cut into 17 (1/4-inch) slices; cut each slice in half to serve.
  5. To serve, spread a small amount of mustard on a thin slice of French bread. Top with a slice of pâté and serve with a tiny French pickle on the side.
Recipe Notes
  • Add 1 cup water to the roasting pan before baking to prevent drippings from spattering and burning on the oven floor.

Creamy Roasted Red Onions

All onions are not created equal so using the best onion for the job can really add a depth of flavor to your meals.

Onions are the workhorses of the kitchen and the foundation of so many billions of dishes across the globe that we forget how lovely and delicious they are all by themselves.

For most of the year, you’ll find red storage onions at the supermarket, which are pungent and spicy. In the summer months, you’ll often find fresh red onions, which are much milder, and lack a bit of the ‘onion-y’ flavor you’ll find in their yellow and white cousins.

The main difference between red onion and white onion is that red onions are a little spicy in taste while the white are comparatively sweeter and less mild.

It is a well-known fact that almost all dishes feel and taste incomplete without the presence of onion in them. Stuffed onions are an impressive side dish and a perfect complement to any main dish. 

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 Creamy Roasted Red Onions
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword creamy roasted red onions
Servings
Ingredients
Onions
Filling
Topping
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword creamy roasted red onions
Servings
Ingredients
Onions
Filling
Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Onions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Peel onions, trim the root ends so they will sit upright & cut about 1/2-inch from tops. Rub onions with olive oil & season with salt. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from oven & allow to cool slightly.
  3. Gently remove the centers leaving a shell of about 2-3 layers. Return a slice of the center to form a bottom. Coarsely chop onion centers.
Filling
  1. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, salt, herbs de Provence, garlic powder, minced garlic & chopped onions. Spoon filling into onion shells.
Topping
  1. In a small bowl, combine Panko, butter, cooked bacon & parsley. Spoon carefully over onions.
  2. Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is heated through & bread crumbs start to brown. Serve immediately.

Ground Beef Ratatouille Galette

Ratatouille is a classic dish of southern France. Served as a side dish, hot or cold, arranged in a casserole or individual plates, its a recipe that lends itself to many different main dishes.

Ratatouille can be a challenging dish to pair with meat because the rich and luxurious flavors come from the freshness of the vegetables. There are, however, many types of meat that would not compete with ratatouille and still keep the meal light & satisfying.

For the meat lover, beef can make this meal quite enjoyable. Hence the inspiration for this galette: eggplant, squash, onion and tomato. Roasted together in the oven over a layer of seasoned beef all in a sturdy homemade pastry crust. Brion & I thought this vegetable-beef ratatouille came together in one harmonious blend and made a super nice meal.

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 Ground Beef Ratatouille Galette
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine French
Keyword beef ratatouille galette
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Veggies
Beef Filling
Course Main Dish
Cuisine French
Keyword beef ratatouille galette
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Veggies
Beef Filling
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the mixture until most of it resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces. Form a well in the center. Sprinkle with 4 Tbs. of the ice water. Mix with your fingertips until the dough holds together enough to form a ball. If too dry, add the remaining water by the teaspoon, and mix until the dough comes together.
  2. Form the dough into a ball, put it between two sheets of plastic wrap, and then press it into a 12-14-inch round. Wrap it tightly in more plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Veggies
  1. Wash & slice veggies; set aside in refrigerator until ready to use.
Beef Filling
  1. In a large skillet over medium heat. Brown beef until no longer pink; season with salt & pepper. Remove beef from skillet with a slotted spoon & set aside.
  2. In the beef drippings, sauté shallot & 1 tsp Herbs de Provence until caramelized. Add beef back to pan with crushed tomatoes & 1 Tbsp olive oil. Stir & simmer for 6-7 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
Assemble & Bake
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Remove dough from fridge. Transfer pastry circle to a sheet of parchment paper.
  2. Spread beef /sauce mixture evenly inside the circle leaving about 3" of dough from the edge. Place the veggies in a spiral, rotating for some color interest. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt 2 tsps Herbs de Provence & some black pepper.
  3. Fold edges of dough over filling, making sure there are no cracks. Brush the galette dough with egg wash.
  4. Bake for about 45 minutes or until veggies are roasted & pastry is golden. Allow to cool slightly then slice & serve.