Week 33 - Monaco and Oman

We should be on week 36, but I have only reached week 33 as I have had some time of from doing this. I will still do all the countries, but sometimes life is way more important and it does not mean I have given up it just means I had to focus my attention elsewhere for a bit. Whilst I have been updating this blog from week 20, which has taken a bit of doing. I have been very aware of how dry it is and the lack of pictures. Some blogs have too much information, but I think this lacks. So, I felt I ought to explain. This is not a fancy site, it is simply a means to record the recipes we have done while doing a family challenge.

So, week 33 over half way and Monaco and Oman, what have we got...

O'man, is what my husband had to say for the dish from here. Both he and my son loved it, in particular the chicken. I think I scored 10's for this one. I discovered that I don't do lentils, my tummy was really poorly after this so I scored it low. However, the chicken was a winner and I am sure I will do that again and a tummy-friendly version of the rice to go with it and maybe some veg; but not sure what.  For the same meal we had s dessert from Monaco, which apparently was a favourite of Prince Albert; hence the use of strawberries. Well, we prefer cherries, so I used them instead. This scored 10's all round too - plus I have a picture!

Monaco Millefeuille

Serves: serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 C milk
• ¾ C sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod, sliced lengthwise
• 3-1/2 TBS corn flour
• ¼ C butter
• ⅔ C whipping cream
• Other needed ingredients:
• 1-1/2 LBS fresh strawberries
• Puff pastry sheets
• ½ C White Frosting recipe follows:
• Recipe for White Frosting:
• 1 C milk
• ¼ C all-purpose flour
• ½ C shortening
• ½ C butter
• 1 C white sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Slice vanilla pod lengthwise; add to a pan along with the milk and 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, beat together the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl. Whisk corn flour into egg mixture. Remove milk from heat and add the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Remove vanilla pod and return to low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for about two minutes. Pour mixture into a bowl; add the butter one small cube at a time. When butter has been incorporated, set aside to cool. Stir occasionally so mixture cools and thickens evenly.
2. Prepare Puff Pastry. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Roll out puff pastry into three sheets. Layer with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator to chill for at least thirty minutes. Layer each pastry sheet on waxed paper and set on baking trays. Place in oven and bake for thirty-five minutes. When pastry rises and turns golden, remove from oven. Set a plate on top of each pastry sheet; set aside to cool.
3. Make the White frosting
4. In a small saucepan, combine milk and flour. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. When milk mixture is cool, add butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer for ten to twelve minutes, scraping the bottom of the bowl occasionally. Refrigerate frosting about thirty minutes before using.
5. After pastries have cooled, spread icing on smoothest side of each pastry sheet. Place in a preheated 425-degrees F oven. Bake for about four minutes, or until lightly caramelized. Allow the pastry to cool, then proceed to assemble the cake. Whip the cream; fold through the custard mix.
6. Place a sheet of pastry on a serving plate; add layer of cream. Clean and snip strawberries; slice and add a layer to cake. Repeat layering until three sheets of pastry have been assembled. Use whole strawberries to decorate the top of the cake. Cut into slices and serve.

Source: http://www.internationalcuisine.com/monaco-fraise-millefeuille/

Maqbous

Source: https://blog.arousingappetites.com

Prep 30 mins

Cook 1 hour

Inactive 4 hours

Total 5 hours, 30 mins

Yield 6 people

Ingredients

For the Chicken and Spice Marinade

• 5 chicken thighs (approximately 1 lb)
• 1/2 teaspoon Allspice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon lime powder
• 1 tablespoon salt

For the Rice and Braising Stock

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 6 pieces cloves
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 2 pieces bay leaf
• 6 pods green cardamom
• 2 pieces white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 2"-piece ginger, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

For the Toppings

• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup chana dal, boiled
• a pinch of saffron
• 1/2 cup rose water

Instructions

Stage 1: Marinating the chicken

1. Start by combining all the spices for the marinade in a bowl. 
2. Place your chicken thighs in the bowl and coat them evenly in the spice mix. Once they're coated, cover the bowl and let it marinate for at least four hours in the refrigerator.
3. At this point, rinse the chana dal and leave to soak in a bowl.

Stage 2: Cooking the chicken

1. Combine your white onion, garlic, ginger, and olive oil in a food processor, and pulse it into a smooth, non-clumpy paste.
2. Roast this paste in a braising pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Be sure to stir constantly to keep it from burning.
3. Add your cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, and cardamom pods into the pan and roast for 2 more minutes, still stirring constantly.
4. Next up, add in your marinated chicken thighs and sear for about a minute on each side.
5. Pour in just enough chicken stock to cover the chicken about 2/3 to the top.
6. Raise your stovetop heat to bring the stock to a boil, and then cover the pot with a lid and braise on a simmering heat for 20 minutes.
7. When the chicken is done, pull them out of the stock (which you'll save for the rice) and set them on a colander or cooling rack to air-dry for at least 30 minutes. Sprinkle some salt on the chicken skins to draw out any excess moisture.

Stage 3: Cooking the Rice

1. Put the basmati rice in a large bowl and rinse it under a cold running tap until the water runs clear.
2. Next, soak the rice in water for 15 minutes and let it sit.
3. As your rice sits, drain your chana dal and place it into a pot, then cook it on a simmering heat for about 45 minutes after bringing the water to an initial boil.
4. Returning to the rice, drain your bowl and allow the rice to air-dry for 10 minutes.
5. Place your braising pot back on the stovetop and heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the rice, coating the grains evenly with oil.
6. Ladle in 4 cups of the cooking stock, including the whole spices.
7. Bring the stock to a boil, put the lid on, and then cook for 18 minutes over the lowest possible heat setting.
8. After 18 minutes, turn off the stovetop heat and keep the lid on for another 10 minutes.
9. After 10 minutes, take off the lid and fluff the rice gently with a meat fork.
10. Soon thereafter, your dal should be fully cooked, so take it off the heat and set aside.

Stage 4: Finishing and Assembling your Maqbous

1. Preheat your oven broiler to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (~220 Celcius)
2. Arrange the chicken pieces on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil, then broil for 10-15 minutes.
3. As your chicken broils, soak the raisins in rose water for 5-10 minutes, then drain.
4. Next, soak a pinch of saffron threads in warm water for 5- 10 minutes.
5. Take a pan and heat it over medium-high heat then add a tablespoon of olive oil.
6. Sauté your raisins and almonds for 2-3 minutes. The raisins should puff up. Once they have, take them off the heat and set aside.
7. In the same pan, sauté your cooked chana dal, adding a tablespoon of the saffron-infused water, then set aside.
8. Tint about half of the cooked basmati rice with the rest of your saffron-infused water.
9. Finally, top the basmati rice with dal, raisins, almonds, and the chicken pieces, and enjoy!