I simply love these little beggars. They are always so juicy, and absolutely yummy.
This will serve 4
- 2 2lb. Cornish Game Hens, halved
- 8 sage leaves, fresh
- 2/3 cup dry white wine, (1/3 cup for the Chef…well?)
- 3 tbsp. Calvados
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped shallots
- 2 tbsp. chopped sage
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Starting at the neck end of hens, slide your fingers between the skin and breast and insert 2 sage leaves in each piece. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and transfer to a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes.
Simmer 1/3 cup of wine, Calvados and shallots in a small saucepan stirring until the sauce thickens (about 5-6 minutes). When thickened, simply stir in the chopped sage leaves.
Brush about half the glaze over the chickens and roast for a further 5 minutes. Brush with the remaining glaze and now cook until the hens are cooked and the glaze is bubbling (about 5-8 minutes further. Now is a good time to try YOUR 1/3 cup of wine and relax, almost done! Transfer to a platter to rest.
Skim off the fat from the juices in the pan and discard. Add the remaining 1/3 cup of wine and boil until it has reduced by 1/3. This should take another five minutes. Spoon over the hens. Cut down the middle of the hen and serve 1/2 hen per plate.
Serve with a lovely risotto or garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable.
Light the candles, pour the wine, seat everyone and enjoy! The conversations will be lively and the laughter will ring throughout the dinner.
Calvados Apple Pie
This a very tasty pie from the ‘olden’ days.
- 10 cups of Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 12 0z. jar of apricot preserves
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup Calvados
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. grated lemon peel
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)
- 1 unbaked 9 inch pastry shell
In a small bowl, combine 2 cups of the sliced apples with lemon juice and toss – set aside.
Place remaining apples in a medium saucepan, along with the apricot preserves, 1/3 cup sugar, Calvados, butter, lemon zest, spices and raisins (optional). Bring to a boil, stirring constantly then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes (should be applesauce consistency). Cool for 30 – 35 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour warm applesauce into pie shell. With the remaining 2 cups of apple slices, arrange attractively on top and sprinkle with 3 tbsp. sugar.
Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry turns golden brown and the slices are tender and glazed. Remove to a cooling rack.
In a small saucepan, heat remaining apricot preserves with the balance of the sugar, stirring until the preserves are melted. Remove from the heat and brush the tops of the apples.
Serve warm with cinnamon flavoured whipped cream or cinnamon ice cream (vanilla if you can’t buy the cinnamon ice ceam).
In a word…..YUM!
Apple Puff
Ahh….weekend just hours away and this is a nice, lazy day kinda start to the long weekend.
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- dash of salt
- icing sugar
- 1 cup whipped cream, flavoured with a sprinkle of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Saute apples in butter until soft. Now arrange in a pie plate, in a pretty overlapping pattern.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and slowly add the flour and beat until really smooth. Stir in the milk, vanilla and salt and pour over the apples.
Bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Quickly add the icing sugar, a dollop of whipped cream and Voila! You did it again. Oh yeah, serve immediately.
Hint: If you want to make it ‘adult’, add some Calvados to the butter when cooking the apples. Just sayin’…..
Chicken Calvados
This is another wonderful chicken dinner to serve family and even company.
Serves 4
- pinch of salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 4 – 4 oz. skinless and boneless chicken breasts
- 4 tsp. vegetable oil
- 4 delicious apples. peeled, cored and sliced thin
- 1 cup apple juice
- 3 tbsp. Calvados (apple brandy)
Combine all the dry spices and rub into the chicken breasts. In a large frypan, heat the oil and saute the chicken until browned. Transfer to a plate.
In a skillet, cook the apple slices until golden brown and tender; stir in the apple juice and bring to a boil. Return the chicken breasts and turning as needed to cook through. Transfer now to a platter.
Stir the Calvados in the skillet and cook until the apples are glazed and the liquid has thickened. Spoon over the breasts and serve.
I will promise you this will be a first for most people to try. Here you go….’damn I can do this”.
So, so good.
Seared Trout with Calvados Sauce
Oh, boy….turkey has now gone bye-bye and you are having guests. What to serve? Try this delectable and elegant dish.
You will need:
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
- 2 tsp. finely chopped thyme (fresh)
- 2 tsp. finely chopped garlic (fresh, not bottled)
- 3/4 cup Calvados (apple liqueur)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste (go light)
- 4 trout fillets (if have 4 people for dinner) 6 oz. each
In small saucepan melt 2 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, thyme and garlic and cook until the shallots become transparent. (maybe 5 mins).
Add the Calvados and reduce by half, add the cream and cook over medium heat until a light sauce consistency is achieved. Set aside.
While sauce is reducing, melt the remaining butter and sear the trout in butter on one side. Cook the presentation side in the butter first. This is the side without skin.
Brown the presentation side for about 4 minutes and cook the other side for the same time. This will vary depending on the thickness of the trout. Remember to tuck the thin end under the trout so it will all cook the same.
If you wish, you can place the salmon over frisee lettuce and top each one quarter of the sauce.
Wipe any ‘drips’ off the plate so you only serve “clean” plates.
Taste Rating: 9.2
Trout with Calvados Cream Sauce
- This can be an elegant main course or, if smaller portions made, can be used as an appetizer.
You will need:
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup findly diced shallots
- 2 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 tsp. fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup Calvados
- 1 cup whipping cream
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 4 trout fillets, skinned and boneless
- lettuce of your choosing
In a small saucepan, melt 2 tbsp. of the butter, along with the shallots, thyme and garlic and cook until the shallots are transparent.
Add Calvados and reduce by half, add cream and cook until a light sauce consistency is achieved (about 6 minutes). Season lightly with salt and white pepper.
While sauce is reducing, melt the other tbsp. of butter in a non-stick fry pan. Sear trout in butter until golden brown on one side. Be sure to place the right side up in the butter first (the no skin side). Brown this for about 3-4 minutes and turn over and cook for 4 minutes. This will vary if the salmon is too thick.
On a pretty dinner plate, place your lettuce, trout on top and divide the sauce over the 4 fillets. Truly amazing main course.