Pissaladiere

This Southern French pastry is a bit like a pizza as it does have a pizza base, but there is no cheese or tomato in sight. Just packed full of flavourful sweet onions topped with savoury olives and anchovies.

I discovered it while in Nice at the Cote Azure, in a Supermarket. I bought it, tried it and was smitten with it. Here is my easy recipe.

Ingredients:

2 ready mix Pizza Base mixtures

About 1kg Onions, sliced

2 Garlic Cloves, sliced

About 10 good black Olives, pitted and halved

1 small tin of Anchovies, oil discarded and filets sliced in half lengthways

A generous glug of Olive Oil

Fresh Thyme, Salt, Sugar and Pepper

Prepare the ready make Pizza dough as the instructions tell you on the packet. That's the easy part. You can of course make one from scratch if you like.

While the dough is proving, start to sautee the Onions and Garlic in the olive oil. Use a large enough pan on a medium heat. This process should take about half an hour. Keep tossing the onions every now and then and be patient. Season with a little Salt, Pepper and Sugar.

Once the dough has proven roll it into a large rectangle and shape it onto a baking tray pushing the edges up a little at the sides.

Fill this base with the sautéed onions, sprinkle with the fresh Thyme and garnish with the Anchovies and Olives.

Now of course it is ready for the oven. Bake the Pissaladiere at a fairly high heat (200C) for about 20 minutes or until the base has turned lovely and golden on the sides and it looks deliciously ready.

Cut into squares and enjoy hot, warm or cold.

Venison Bourguignon

This Classic French Favorite doesn't need any introduction and I am just going to give you my recipe, which I have adapted to a rich gamey Venison version.

Ingredients:

500g Venison

200g Baby Potabello Mushrooms

15 Shallots

1 Bottle of Red Burgundy

200g Bacon Lardons

5g Dried Wild Trumpet Mushrooms (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes)

5 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme

2 Bayleafs

Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

3 Juniper Berries

1 Organic Chicken Stock Pot/Cube

1 tbs Olive Oil

2 tbs plain Flour mixed with Water

 

Using a large frying pan, sautee the Bacon Lardons without anything until they have released their own fat and have browned nicely,. Shake the pan occasionally to achieve this.
Once that's done toss them into a Crock Pot where everything is going to join the fun.

 

Next fry the venison in the same pan using the left over Bacon fat. Brown it all over then add the Venison to the Crock Pot.

Now Empty the Bottle of Red Wine to the Pan and bring to a boil, scraping all the lovely bits and bobs from the bottom of the pan that have all the lovely flavor we want to keep.

Once the alcohol has bubbled away, pour the Wine into the Crockpot.

The wild mushroom will have soaked now in hot water and they can now go in as well.

Cover with a lid and place into a lowish oven (about 140C or gas mark 4) for 1 hour.

 Meanwhile have a Glass of Wine. Or maybe that's just me. But do fry the peeled Shallots in a little Olive Oil and toss around until they have gained some colour, ten add the Mushrooms. I like to leave them whole as they shrink and become succulent and keep their pretty shape.

After the first hour is up it's seasoning time. Check if any extra salt is needed. Mine didn't but it's always good to check.
Now the Mushroom and Shallots get to join the Party

 

Not forgetting the Bouquet Garnie, as in Thyme and Bayleaf and the Juniper Berries.

Back into the Oven for another 3 hours.

Now everything will have mingled and jingled and taste really scrummilicious.

serve with a side of  Crusty Bread or Mashed Potato or anything else you fancy.

Bon Apetit!