Pho with seared tofu and kale

Ingredients
Serves 4 persons

4 table spoon of sesame oil
2 garlic gloves, thinly chopped
Approx. 1 inch of chopped fresh ginger root
4 stalks of chopped lemon grass (hard leaves removed, just the pale yellow tender part),
½ teaspoon of crushed chili pepper (optional)
2 X 32 once of chicken stock
Hoisin sauce, approx. 2 table spoon (or to taste)
Soy sauce, approx. 3 table spoon (or to taste)
Lime juice, approx. 3 table spoon (or to taste)
½ lb Pho rice noodles
12 once of tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes and seared in sesame oil with cilantro, garlic, red crushed chile pepper, salt and pepper until nice and gold
2 cups of kale, cut thinly and sauteed with crushed garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes or until just wilted.

Garnish with:
Fresh bean sprouts
Fresh Cilantro
Fresh Basil
Green Onions


Directions
Heat sesame oil under medium-low heat; add garlic, ginger, lemon grass and chili pepper. Reduce heat to low and sautéed for approx 10 minutes (you want to flavor the oil and not burn it, so keep the heat low after ingredients are added). Add chicken stock, season with hoisin sauce, soy sauce and lime juice. In a separate pot boil rice noodles according to package instructions or until tender. When noodles are cooked, cool them under cold water, add a little bit of sesame oil and stir so they don’t stick to each other. Set aside. To assemble the soup, place rice noodles in a large soup bowl, put tofu and kale on top, add flavored stock till ¾ full. Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, green onions and a piece of lime.

Pate de Campagne

This pate is quite easy to do and it's a great fast lunch or a very fancy appetizer if served in very thin slices with a green salad and a dijon/shallot dressing, my favorite!


Ingredients
3/4 cup Cognac (or any other Brandy)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup minced onion
2 1/2 pounds ground turkey
12 oz bacon (8 to 10 slices), finely chopped, plus 14 bacon slices (for lining pan - optional)
3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 6-ounce piece turkey steak, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
½ cup whole pistachio
½ cup dried cranberries
Coarse sea salt

Preparation
Position grill at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°F. Boil Cognac until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool.
Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent but not brown, about 8 minutes.
Combine ground turkey and chopped bacon in large bowl. Using fork or fingertips, mix together until well blended. Add sautéed onion, garlic, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, thyme, allspice, pistachios, cranberries and pepper to bowl with turkey mixture and stir until incorporated. Add eggs, cream, and reduced Cognac. Stir until well blended.
Line 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan with bacon slices, arranging 8 slices across width of pan and 3 slices on each short side of pan and overlapping pan on all sides. Using hands, lightly and evenly press half of meat mixture (about 3 1/4 cups) onto bottom of pan atop bacon slices. Arrange turkey strips over in single layer. Top with remaining meat mixture.
Fold bacon slices over, covering pâté. Cover pan tightly with foil. Place pan in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan and transfer to oven. Pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake pâté until a thermometer inserted through foil into center registers 155°F, about 2 hours 15 minutes.
Remove loaf pan from baking pan and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Place heavy skillet or 2 to 3 heavy cans atop pâté to weigh down. Chill overnight.

Beet, Carrot and Kale salad

I ended up serving this dish like a wrap. I served 1/4 cup (more or less, depending of the size of the lettuce leave) of the salad in a Boston lettuce leave and ate it like a burrito. It was delicious!

Ingredients

2 large carrots, shredded

1 small beat, shredded

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 leave of kale, chopped

1 avocado, cut in 1/4 inch cubes

1 hand full of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 inch of fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp of chipolte pepper

1/4 cup of olive oil

3 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

Juice of 1 lime

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper for seasoning

Mix everything together in a large bowl, marinate a little and serve on Boston lettuce leaves to form wraps.

Spaghetti Zucchinis

This is a delicious raw salad. I made a huge bowl full and I couldn't stop eating it, I ate and ate until it was all gone...It's also a very quick recipe if you have a mandolin, if you don't, you should consider investing in one, it makes chopping so much faster.

Ingredients

2 small zucchinis, julienned

1/2 a big portabello mushrooms, julienned

1/2 can of a 15.5 oz organic cubed tomatoes

1 1/2 cup of kale, chopped in very thinly ribbons (like a chiffonnade)

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1 inch of fresh ginger root, minced

Dressing

1/2 cup of olive oil

3 tbsp of sesame oil

3 tbsp of soy sauce

Lime juice, to taste

1 tsp turmeric

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper for seasonning

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, marinate for 5 minutes and serve!