Starters & Dips Olive Tapenade Caviar d’Aubergine Confit d’Oignon (Onion Marmalade) Savory Olive & Ham Cake Aioli (Garlic Mayonnaise) Raw Trout Starter
Soups Jerusalem Artichoke Soup Soupe à L’oignon Doux de Citou (Sweet Onion Soup)
Main Courses Bourride de Lotte à la Sétoise (Monkfish Stew from Sète)
The Mouse-Proof Kitchen A novel by Saira Shah Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books. Available in hardcover and ebook wherever books are sold.
Green Beans with Lemon & Rosemary Layered Vegetable Stew
Salads & Side Dishes Cucumber Salad Carrots & Ginger
Desserts Tarte Tatin Cherry Clafoutis Quince Poached in Dessert Wine
Preserves Violet Syrup Cherry & Rose Jam Elderflower Champagne
Starters & Dips
Olive Tapenade INGREDIENTS 2 garlic cloves 4 anchovies in olive oil 30 green olives (ideally Lucques olives), without pits
METHOD Crush the garlic and anchovies together with a pestle and mortar, food processor, or blender. When mixture is smooth, blend in the olives until finely chopped. The tapenade may be jarred and kept for a month in a cool place. Serve with a little virgin olive oil de Nîmes and crusty bread.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Starters & Dips
Caviar d’Aubergine INGREDIENTS 3 large eggplants, de-stemmed and cut in half Up to 1 cup cold pressed virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, cut into slivers Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper
METHOD Press the garlic slivers into the eggplant halves and bake at 355° for 40 minutes, or until the flesh is perfectly soft and light brown on top. Scoop the cooked eggplant flesh into a bowl, with a fork. Mash the eggplant along with the lemon juice. Add salt and pepper and virgin olive oil according to taste. Serve as a dip, either hot or cold.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Starters & Dips
Confit d’Oignon (Onion Marmalade) INGREDIENTS
5 or 6 sweet onions, chopped finely ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ½ cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD Put the onions and olive oil into a heavy-bottomed large saucepan and cook them on medium-low heat until they begin to brown, stirring often. Add the sugar, vinegar, and seasoning. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring constantly. Put into sterilized jars and store in a cool place. Keeps for about a month, in the fridge.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Starters & Dips
Savory Olive & Ha m Cake INGREDIENTS ½ cup pitted green olives, ideally Lucques, cut into circles ½ cup ham, diced finely ½ cup finely grated parmesan 1 ½ cups of self-rising flour (You may substitute plain flour and 1 tsp baking soda) 4 eggs ½ cup milk ½ cup olive oil Cayenne pepper, to taste ¼ vegetable stock cube, crumbled
METHOD Mix the flour, oil, milk, and crumbled stock cube together in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs with a whisk or electric mixer until you have a smooth batter. Add the ham, cheese, and olives. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you wish.
Anna’s notes… You may replace the olives and ham with a variety of other ingredients. Make sure they are not too watery (such as fresh tomatoes).
Spoon the batter into a greased cake dish and bake at 355° for 50 minutes. Check the cake often during cooking. (You can cover it with wax paper or aluminum foil if the top is becoming too brown.)
Why not try...
When a fork comes out clean, the cake is ready.
✥✥Smoked trout and chopped capers
Turn out onto a wire tray and allow to cool. Cut into thin slices and serve with an aperitif. The cake should be very moist.
✥✥Dried tomatoes and cayenne pepper
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
✥✥Roquefort and walnut ✥✥Sweet onion marmalade
Have fun experimenting!
Starters & Dips
Aioli
(Garlic Mayonnaise) INGREDIENTS 3 garlic cloves 1 tsp coarse grain Dijon mustard 2 large egg yolks ½ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ cup hazelnut or almond oil 2 tsps lemon juice Salt and white pepper to taste 1 Tbsp boiling water
METHOD Peel the garlic cloves, bruise them, and sprinkle them with salt. Then, crush into a paste. Put in a bowl with the Dijon mustard and the egg yolks and whisk for a couple of minutes. Drizzle first the olive oil and then the nut oil into the mixture, beating hard. When you have used all the oil, add lemon juice and whisk again.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Anna’s notes… Rose must have had strong arms! You can use an electric hand whisk, a blender, or a food processor. The trick is to make sure that the mixture is emulsifying before adding too much oil. If the mixture splits, put another egg yolk into a new bowl and re-whisk the split mixture little by little into the extra egg. This is a classic southern French dish. The most traditional version uses only olive oil and garlic. Stir into bourride (recipe in the Main Course section) or serve as a dip with bread or a condiment with any fish dish.
Starters & Dips
Raw Trout Starter INGREDIENTS ¾ lb of trout filet, diced Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1 crushed garlic clove Pepper, salt, and olive oil to taste
METHOD Drizzle the trout with lemon juice and zest. Toss in crushed garlic, olive oil, and seasoning, making sure that all of the cubes of fish are covered. Leave in the fridge for 1 hour to marinade. Serve with chopped dill and crusty bread.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Soups
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup INGREDIENTS 1 ½ lbs of Jerusalem artichokes (also known as sunchokes in the US) cleaned, peeled, and chopped roughly 1 lb of carrots, chopped roughly 6 Tbsp butter 1 medium onion, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock 2 bay leaves Salt and pepper Crème fraîche and parsley to garnish
METHOD Sauté celery and onions in butter on low heat for 5 minutes. Add artichokes and carrots and sauté for 10 minutes more. Then, add stock and bay leaves and simmer until vegetables are soft. Pour the soup through a sieve (or liquidize the cooled soup in a blender or emulsion mixer) and serve with crème fraîche and parsley.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Soups
Soupe a L’oignon Doux de Citou (Sweet Onion Soup) INGREDIENTS 5 sweet onions, finely diced 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock ¼ cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 4 slices stale bread ½ cup grated cheese, such as gruyère
METHOD Bring the stock to boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, gently fry the diced onions in the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet until they are dark gold. When they’re golden, add onion to the stock, along with salt and pepper, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese onto the bread. Divide the soup into four ovenproof bowls, put the bread and cheese slices on top, and grill for five minutes under your oven’s broil setting. Serve immediately.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Anna’s notes… This soup will also succeed with ordinary onions if sweet onions are unavailable.
Main Courses
Bourride de Lotte a la Sétoise (Monkfish Stew from Sete) INGREDIENTS 2 ¼ lb of monkfish (also known as goosefish in the US), cut into bite-size pieces 2 carrots 2 leeks 1 stick of celery 1 lettuce heart 2 onions 1 clove of garlic ¼ cup of dry white wine Thyme 2 bay leaves Salt and pepper to taste ¼ cup of olive oil
METHOD Cut all the vegetables very finely and, using a cast-iron casserole or heavy-bottomed soup pot, sauté them for about 20 minutes in the olive oil over gentle heat. Add the monkfish, white wine, salt, and pepper and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the fish from the stew and place it in a warm dish (you can warm an oven-safe dish in your oven while the stew is simmering). Stir the aioli (see Starter section for recipe) into the sauce and reduce for a few minutes. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Main Courses
Green Beans with Lemon & Rosemary INGREDIENTS 1 cup chopped onions 1/3 cup olive oil 3 cups haricots verts or green beans with ends removed and sliced into 1-inch pieces 1 cup cooked flagelot beans (if necessary, you may substitute navy beans) 1–2 cups chopped tomatoes 2–3 cloves garlic, well crushed 3 sprigs rosemary 1 lemon, zested and juiced 2 cups vegetable bouillon
METHOD Sauté the onions in 2–3 Tbsps olive oil over low heat, until translucent. Add runner beans; stir and cook with lid on for 10 minutes, until soft. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, flagelots, lemon juice, and enough stock to cover. Add rosemary, cover, and leave to simmer 20 minutes more until runner beans are tender. Then add the remainder of the olive oil and simmer 20 minutes with lid off to reduce mixture. Serve warm!
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Main Courses
Layered Vegetable Stew INGREDIENTS 4 medium onions 4 medium potatoes 1 large or 2 small red peppers 6–8 medium tomatoes 1–2 medium eggplants 1 vegetable stock cube About ½ cup cold-pressed virgin olive oil
METHOD Take a heavy-bottomed, cast-iron casserole dish or saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and straight sides and pour about a third of the oil into the bottom. Peel the onions, cut into thick rounds, and lay in the bottom of the pan so that the entire bottom is covered. Peel the potatoes, cut into thick slices lengthwise and lay on top of the onions. Pour on some olive oil and crumble half the stock cube on top of the potatoes. Remove the seeds and stem from the pepper(s). Cut into thick strips, and layer on top of the potatoes so that they are completely covered. Cut the tomatoes into thick rounds. Cover the red pepper in a thick layer of them. Crumble on the other half of the stock cube and pour on some more olive oil. Remove the stems from the eggplants and cut lengthwise into slices, about ⅛-inch thick. Layer the eggplant on top of the tomatoes and pour the last of the olive oil on top. Put the lid on the pan and make sure that it fits very tightly. Put the pan on very low heat and cook for about an hour. (After about half an hour, this dish should begin to smell delicious!) The stew is done when the vegetable juices have risen up to the top and the eggplant is cooked and tender.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Salads & Side Dishes
Cucu mber Salad INGREDIENTS 1 cucumber, sliced and peeled 1 cup crème fraîche Dijon course grain mustard to taste (about 1 Tbsp) 3 Tbsp extra virgin cold pressed olive oil Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD Salt the cucumbers and leave them on a plate. (Salting them allows for a mild pickling effect.) Meanwhile, mix the crème fraîche, mustard, olive oil, and seasoning together. Drain the cucumbers from the plate and dry them, using clean kitchen towels. Stir them into the dressing and serve chilled.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Salads & Side Dishes
Carrots & Ginger INGREDIENTS 3 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped into circles 1 large or 2 medium onions, finely chopped Salt and pepper 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 fresh ginger roots, peeled and grated 2 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground nutmeg 3 medium eggs 1 cup crème fraîche Half a pint of milk
METHOD Fry the finely chopped onion with olive oil in a heavy pan. Add the carrots and season to taste. Then, add the grated fresh ginger roots along with the cumin and nutmeg. Stir frequently, until the carrots are slightly softened, but still crunchy. Put everything into an ovenproof dish. In a large bowl, beat three eggs, add 1 cup of crème fraîche and a good half pint of milk. Season, whisk well, then pour onto the carrots. Bake in an oven at 355° for 45 minutes.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Desserts
Tarte Tatin INGREDIENTS 8 oz short-crust or puff pastry. 6 large sweet apples, quince, or pears, peeled and cored and cut into quarters lengthwise ¾ cup muscovado sugar (you can use white or golden sugar instead) 6 Tbsp butter
METHOD Spread the softened butter evenly over the bottom of a heavy cast-iron skillet with an ovenproof handle. Sprinkle the sugar on top. Arrange the apple quarters in concentric circles until the whole skillet is covered. Put onto low heat and simmer gently for about 5–10 minutes until the butter/ sugar mixture has melted. Then increase the heat a little bit, taking care not to burn the mixture, and allow to caramelize. Remove from heat. Roll out the pastry thinly so that it is a little larger than the skillet. Drape it over the skillet, trim around the edges, and prick holes in the pastry with a knife to release the steam while baking. Put the whole skillet into a hot oven and bake at 420° until the pastry is golden on top (about 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow cooling for about five minutes. Then turn upside down. To turn the tart, take a large plate, bigger than the skillet, and put it over the pastry. Quickly—but carefully—turn the whole thing upside down and remove the skillet. You should have a perfect tart with the pastry on the bottom and the caramelized fruit on top. This is easier than it sounds but it is a bit of a knack! Slice and serve hot.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Anna’s notes… When caramelizing the sugar, gently shuggle (shake/jiggle) the pan a bit every minute or so to prevent burning on the bottom. Watch it like a hawk! It takes a bit of practice to tell when the sugar and butter has caramelized. The apples poach in their own juice and become soft, but should still keep their shape. The mixture reduces a little and becomes quite viscous. If you are using white or golden sugar it becomes a darker, caramel color. You should not smell burning! The whole process takes about 20 minutes. This dish is delicious with cream into which a small amount of calvados has been added. Once you have practiced this recipe a couple of times you will find it very easy– and incredibly impressive to your guests!
Desserts
Cherry Clafoutis INGREDIENTS 1 lb stoned cherries 4 medium eggs 1 cup finely granulated sugar and a little to dust on top ¼ cup butter, melted ½ cup flour 1 cup milk Vanilla A pinch of salt
METHOD Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, as you would for an omelette. Add the sugar and whisk well. Add the melted butter and whisk again. Beat in the flour a little at a time. Finally add the milk, mixing into a smooth batter. Place the stoned cherries so that they cover the bottom of a large, buttered, ovenproof dish. Pour the batter over the cherries, and bake at 355°. Start checking how set the clafouti is after 25 minutes and be prepared to cook for up to 50 minutes, depending on the depth of the dish. Check for doneness by inserting a thin knife, fork, or toothpick: if it emerges clean, it’s done. Sprinkle with sugar and serve warm.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Anna’s notes… Calfouti should be golden brown on top, and the middle should be just set. The dessert may jiggle slightly, but should be mostly firm. The texture of this very traditional dessert is neither a cake nor a flan–but something in between the two.
Desserts
Quince Poached in Dessert Wine INGREDIENTS 4 quince, peeled, with stems on (you may use pears, but reduce the cooking time) ½ cup sugar 1 ½ cups Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois (or any sweet dessert wine) Vanilla pod Cinnamon stick
METHOD Put the fruit upright into a saucepan that is small enough to hold them tightly in place. Pour over the wine, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and enough water to cover all of the fruit but the stems. Place a small, heavy saucer atop the fruit to prevent it from bobbing around. Gently simmer on medium-low heat for up to an hour, until the fruits are very soft but retain their shape. Remove the fruit gently with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce the syrup by raising the heat to medium-high, stirring often to prevent it from burning, until it has a thicker, syrupy texture. Serve either hot or chilled with the syrup poured over the fruit and a dash of crème fraîche.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Preserves
Violet Syrup INGREDIENTS ¼ cup fresh violet petals 4 cups water 2 cups sugar
METHOD Place the violet petals in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of boiling water. Put a plate on top of the mixture, in order to keep the petals under the water. Leave for about an hour and a half to soak. Make a sugar syrup as follows: Boil 1 cup of water with the sugar. Simmer, stirring well and never allowing it to burn. From time to time, dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the syrup and plunge immediately into cold water. When the sugar that remains on the spoon handle is brittle, the syrup is done. Mix the violet infusion and the sugar syrup together and put into bottles. This will keep well in a cool place. Mix with wine or champagne for a celebration aperitif, or use for a delicious flavoring in baking.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Preserves
Cherry & Rose Ja m INGREDIENTS 8 cups cherries, pitted 4 ½ cups sugar with pectin Juice of 1 lemon ½ cup rose petals
METHOD Boil cherries with sugar until they are at the ‘soft ball’ stage. That is, when you put a drop of the warm syrup into a glass of cold water, the mixture forms a soft ball. Add rose petals and lemon juice and boil for precisely 4 and a half minutes more. Put into sterilizing jars and sterilize for 30 minutes.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Anna’s notes… We use petals from very small, fragrant roses. If you use large rose petals, chop them. Make sure you use fragrant ones. Will keep a year as long as the jar is closed. Will only keep a short time— about a month in a cool place—once the jar is opened. If you want the jam to keep without sterilizing, double the amount of sugar.
Preserves
Elderflower Cha mpagne INGREDIENTS 50 heads of elderflowers, picked off the stalks. Use only fresh, clean flowers. Juice and zest of 2 lemons 4 ½ cups sugar 1 ¼ gallons water 2 Tbsp vinegar
METHOD Boil 5 pints of water in a large pot, and dissolve the sugar into it. Add the rest of the water, cold. Add flowers, lemons, and vinegar and stir carefully. Cover with a muslin towel, or other thin cloth, and leave 24 hours in a warm place. Check to see if the mixture is bubbling after 24 hours. If not, add 1 teaspoon dry yeast. After another 24 hours, when bubbling, pour the mixture through a sieve to remove the petals and any other solid matter. Bottle.
Recipes from Rose’s Notebook A companion to Saira Shah’s The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Proudly published by Emily Bestler Books
Anna’s notes… Use sterilized PLASTIC bottles. Beware–glass bottles may explode! Keep in a cool place and monitor regularly, letting out the gas when necessary. Drink promptly!