Recipe for Pollo alla Crema (Chicken in Cream)

Ingredients: 
Chicken breasts
butter
salt
garlic
1 cup of dry white wine
500ml of chicken stock
250ml of cream
1 onion (finely chopped)
400 gr of mushrooms
20 gr of flour
70 gr of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil 
600 gr of chicken breast 
2 teaspoons of mustard


Method:


Cut the chicken into cubes, then in a heated pan add 30 gr of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then put the onion in. Let it gently cook for about 10-15 minutes.
Add the chicken cubes to the pan with the onions and cook for a further 10 minutes. In the meantime clean and cut the mushrooms to then add them to the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the cup of white wine to the chicken and mushrooms whilst cooking at a low heat.


In another pan put 40gr of butter and once its melted add 20gr of flour. Mix it until the paste gets a beige tone and then pour the 500 ml of chicken stock and cook at a low heat.


Add the chicken and mushrooms to the butter/flour paste and mix all the ingredients together . Finally put the mustard and cream in and cook for a few minutes (until the sauce thickens).  

Can be served with tagliatelle or rice... Entirely your choice! :) Buon appetito! 

Vivienne Westwood opens first US shop in LA

Dame Vivienne Westwood with Mad Men actress Christina Hendricks

Blake Lively's outfits

The white lace dress is Dolce & Gabbana and the red dress is Marchesa.
Loving them both!

R.I.P Liz Taylor

Pierre Hardy now available on netaporter.com

The french shoe designer's creations are now available online on netaporter!
His statement shoes are pieces of art, so if you want to check them out you can go on:

www.pierrehardy.com

or : www.netaporter.com (where you can buy a selection of spring/summer designs)

The Reader (2008 Film)

I had been meaning to see this film ever since it came out, and have had it on DVD, in my house for quite a bit. So the other day after a friend told me how much she enjoyed it I decided it was time to watch it.

The story takes place in post World War II Germany, where Michael Berg, a German lawyer who as a teenager in the late 50s had an affair with an older woman, Hanna Schmitz. Their summer fling ended when she suddenly disappeared. Years later as a law student Michael is an observant at a war crimes trial where he encounters Hanna, who is one of the defendants in the trial due to her actions as a guard at a concentration camp. 

During the trial, Michael realises that Hanna is keeping a secret that in her opinion is more daunting than her actions as an SS guard. 

The heart of the story is the deep love, and how far a person could go to keep a secret. 

Even though the film is great, I must admit that I find it hard to empathise with a guard who participated in mass murder. 

I can however praise the acting, as Kate Winslet is sensational and I believe her Academy Award was well deserved. 

If you haven't seen it, I recommend you to as it is a grasping film. 

La Boheme at the King's Head Theatre London

Last night I went to see a modern production of Giacomo Puccini's La Boheme at the King's Head Theatre in Islington, produced by Operaupclose.
I absolutely loved it! And recommend it to everyone, even people that are not great fans of opera. The setting of this opera was different to Puccini's in the sense that it was a more contemporary take. The essence of the opera remained as the plot was the same, but it was adapted to today's world. 
The cast, although young was very talented, and managed to make the experience very enjoyable and accessible. It is also emotionally engaging as La Boheme is meant to be, with love as the basis. 
The director Robin Norton-Hale managed to give this classic opera a modern twist, which worked wonderfully. 


The reviews have been very positive, and they have even won an Olivier Awar for "Best New Opera Production." 


The theatre in the King's head is quite small but cosy, so I advise to reserve your tickets in advance. 


Check it out: 

THE KING'S HEAD THEATRE
115 UPPER STREET

ISLINGTON, N1 1QN

BOX OFFICE: 0207 478 0160

ADMIN: 0203 286 8788

If you prefer  you could even go online and find out more :  http://www.kingsheadtheatre.com 

Chicken Breasts stuffed with Fontina and Prosciutto Recipe

Ingredients:


4 boneless split chicken breasts 

1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto 
6 ounces Fontina Val D'Aosta cheese, sliced 
4 leaves basil 
1 cup flour 
Salt and pepper to taste 
1/4 cup olive oil 
2 tablespoons butter 
4 to 6 leaves sage 
1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions:

To start with cut a deep horizontal slit into each chicken breast to butterfly it. Open each breast so that the chicken lies flat, then cover with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until chicken is 1/2-inch thick. 

Next, arrange the prosciutto in four piles on a clean surface. Place a slice of cheese in the center of each pile and bring the ends of the prosciutto up around the cheese to create a packet. 

Lay a prosciutto packet on half of a flattened chicken breast and top with a basil leaf. Fold the other half of the breast over the prosciutto and basil and press down firmly. Repeat with remaining prosciutto packets, chicken, and basil. 

Transfer flour to a wide, shallow dish and set aside. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper, then dredge each piece in flour, shaking off any excess. Set aside. 

Heat  some oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium/ high heat. Add sage leaves and cook until crisp, then remove from the skillet. 

Add chicken to skillet, skin side down, and cook until cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. To know if your chicken is cooked pierce the thickest part with the tip of a  knife. If juices are still pink, lower heat and continue to cook another few minutes. Transfer to a warm plate.

This dish can be served with green beans or asparragus.

I think it is a perfect dish for a dinner party!

Bon appetit! 

Chanel Autumn/Winter 2011/2012 Fashion Show

Louis Vuitton A/W 2011/2012 at Paris Fashion Week

Thai Styled Steamed Sea bass recipe (By Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients: 


for the Thai paste
• 2 large bunches of fresh coriander, leaves picked and stalks reserved
• 2 small pieces of fresh ginger, peeled
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 fresh red chillies, halved and deseeded
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• juice and zest of 2 limes
• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk

• 400 gr  basmati rice
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 x 170 gr of sea bass fillets, pinboned and skin scored
• a handful of  mangetouts
• a bunch of spring onions, outer leaves discarded, trimmed and finely sliced
• 1–2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
• 1 lime, quartered 


Directions: 
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

In a food processor or liquidizer mix the coriander stalks, half of the coriander leaves, the ginger, garlic, halved chillies, sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice and zest and the coconut milk. This will result in a  fragrant Thai-style paste.

Then proceed to cooking your rice in salted boiling water until it’s just undercooked and drain it in a colander. Scoop the rice in a roasting tray. Pour the Thai paste over the rice and mix it in well, then shake it out flat. Lay the sea bass fillets on top with the   mangetouts on top and  cover the dish tightly with tinfoil and put it in the preheated oven for around 15 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle over the spring onions, the sliced chilli and the other half of the coriander leaves. 


Add the lime to taste and enjoy!

Pancake day!

What to blog about on pancake day? hmmm pancakes...
I know for sure there are some people that will read this post and laugh, because I have been refusing to make pancakes for a while. However, I do like them... but as you have probably noticed I am not that into sweets...




Here goes the recipe for American style pancakes: 

Ingredients: 
 3 large eggs
115 gr of plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
140 ml of milk
 a pinch of salt


Directions


First of all separate the eggs, putting the whites into one bowl and the yolks into another. 
Then add the flour, baking powder and milk to the yolks and mix to a smooth thick batter. Whisk the whites with the salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold into the batter – it is now ready to use.

Heat a good non-stick pan on a medium heat. Pour some of your batter into the pan and fry for a couple of minutes until it starts to look golden and firm.  Continue frying until both sides are golden.

You can make these pancakes large or small, to your liking. And if you wish you can add blueberries or banana (or any fruit into the mixture).


You can eat them with maple syrup, or with nutella, or jam... even savoury ingredients can go very well!




Recipe for crepes: (will make about 12)

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions: 

Sift together flour, sugar and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk together with an electric mixer. Beat in flour mixture until smooth; stir in melted butter. 

 Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat.

 Pour or scoop the batter onto the pam, using approximately 2 tablespoons for each crepe. Tip and rotate pan to spread batter as thinly as possible. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

You can have them with anything you want, from ham and cheese, to nutella and banana, or even the simple lemon and sugar ones taste delicious!

Enjoy you pancakes/crepes and have a good women's day!

   

Scaloppine al limone recipe (Chicken

Ingredients (serves 4)


4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup of flour
3 medium lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter


Directions:


Remove skin and fat from chicken breasts. With a wooden mallet, flatten (and tenderize) chicken breasts. 

With a sharp knife, slit the breasts through the center, and cut in halves.  Coat the chicken in flour. 

In a heavy skillet, melt butter. Add prepared chicken breasts and cook on medium-high heat for about two minutes or until the chicken appears half cooked. Then add the lemon juice.  

Reduce heat to medium-low and complete cooking, about six minutes Remove breasts with a slotted spoon and serve immediately on a warmed platter.


Serve with mashed potatoes or green beans, and enjoy your meal!

Baked pasta with classic tomato sauce recipe

Ingredients


For the tomato sauce:
 a small bunch of fresh basil
 1  onion, diced
2 small cloves garlic
 1 tablespoon olive oil
1  can  of diced tomatoes
freshly ground black pepper

For the bake
½ teaspoon salt for water
500g  of tortiglioni (or other short pasta can be used) 
 ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 mozzarella balls ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
breadcrumbs 


To make the sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C .
Pick the basil leaves, keeping any smaller ones to one side for later. Peel and finely chop the onion and the garlic.  Put a large pan of salted water on to boil.

2. Next, heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and add a some olive oil. Add your onion to the frying pan and stir for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly golden.

3. Add your garlic , and as soon as they start to get some color add the large basil leaves and then the tomatoes. Bring to the boil and add the pepper.
To put the bake together
4. Cook the pasta according to package directions, but remove from water when slightly undercooked, as the pasta will continue to cook when baked.

5. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot and stir in the tomato sauce and ricotta. Put half the pasta in a square baking dish  and then add the mozzarella slices,  cover with the other half of the pasta and add some more mozzarella and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top. Add a handful of breadcrumbs (as it will make a nice crust).
Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese on top is golden and crusty, this will take around 25/30minutes. Scatter some of the smaller basil leaves over each serving. And add more parmesan if you wish to.




Buon appetito! 

Salmon and Avocado Tartar

Ingredients:

Serves 8
600 gr. fresh salmon skinless and boneless
200 gr. smoked salmon
4 medium ripe avocados
60 gr. pickle
60 gr. capers ( I don't use them as I don't like them...) 
2 shallots (in their absence, chives)
2 lemons
16 tablespoons olive oil
 1 teaspoon Tabasco
2 teaspoons mustard
2 tablespoons chopped coriander  
Salt and freshly ground black pepper



Preparation: 

1. Cut  the fresh salmon into cubes as small as possible. Add the smoked salmon, pickles,capers, shallot, coriander and avocado, all finely chopped. Mix and keep in the fridge with the bones of the avocado.

2. Prepare the dressing by mixing of tartar in a pot with a lid the oil, two tablespoons of lemon juice, mustard, Tabasco, salt and black pepper.

3. Before serving, shake the dressing and add the salmon tartar with avocado. Season to taste  Place on plates with a mold. 






And there you go! Super easy, fresh and tasty recipe! 




Bon appetit!