Spiced Duck and Potato Soufflé: Stylish!

You can plan on cooking Duck for Valentine's Day this year, it 's very simple and it's original. I suggest that you serve it with a light Potato Soufflé: simple and memorable!! The flavors of both dishes marry well together and you'll surprise your partner with the secret ingredient used in the Soufflé.... sssshhhh.


Serves 2
Preparation: 5 minutes for the Duck + 1 hour marinating, 10 minutes for the Soufflé
Cooking time: 5 minutes for the Duck, 10 minutes for the Soufflé
Difficulty: *

Ingredients for the duck:
- 2 duck breasts (about 1 pound)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
For the marinade:
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground 5-spices
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Ingredients for the Potato Soufflé:
- 1/2 cup mashed potatoes
- 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds -this is the secret ingredient!-
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper

For the Duck:
Remove the skin off the duck breasts and cut each breast into 4 slices (not too thin).
Prepare the marinade: wisk together the lime juice and spices in a non-metallic dish and add some pepper. Coat the duck breast slices with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a big frying pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, fry the duck breast slices for about 1 minute on each side.
Reduce the heat to low, add the honey and let cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes.
Serve immediately.

Prepare the Potato Soufflés (make sure they'll be ready at the same time as the duck - you can let the soufflés stand for about 5 minutes before serving):
Separate the egg white and the yolk.
Mix together the mashed potatoes, the fennel seeds and the egg yolk.
Add a pinch of salt to the egg white and beat until stiff.
Delicately mix the stiff egg white and the mashed potatoes.
Preheat your oven at 400°F / 200°C.
Fill in 2 small ramequins with the preparation and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes. Your soufflés will be fluffly and light.

Enjoy, and Happy Valentine's Day!!

Italian Meatballs: … tutto buono!

Last night I decided I was going to make meatballs with fresh ground beef. Back in Massachusetts, my friend Linda showed me her real Italian recipe and I used her tips to make this dish. It is extremely flavorful and really simple. Once you start, you can't have enough! And don't forget to pair it with a good red wine, Italian or not, it is good anyways ;)

Serves 2
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 handful breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- salt & pepper
- 1 handful parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp Herbes de Provence (Provençal Herbes - or use a little some thyme, basil and rosemary)
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic clove, crushed

For the tomato sauce:
- olive oil
- 1 big can whole tomatoes (you can use diced tomatoes)
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 10 olives, pitted and chopped - green or black, both are delicious, you can mix
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- salt & pepper

Start preparing the meat balls, mixing beef, egg, breadcrumbs, fennel seeds, parsley, onion and garlic. Use your end, that's better to mix everything well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion first and when it starts being translucid, add the garlic and the olives. Let cook for a few minutes; it should be brown but not burn. Add the tomato paste and let cook again for 1 minute. Then add the whole tomatoes. [I like using whole tomatoes because it is less liquid than a regular tomato sauce and I also like eating the tomato pieces with the meatballs.]
Wait until it starts boiling gently.

Start rolling the meat balls. Take a small quantity of meat in your hands and roll it to make a ball [2 inch diameter max]. Place the meatballs into the sauce and let simmer for about 45 minutes, turning the meatballs after about 25 minutes.