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Chinese Chicken

Inspired by Australian author Donna Hay, this flavourful recipe, fast and easy to make, adds a touch of the exotic to daily menus. Mirin is a product with a base of vinegar, fermented rice and corn syrup. It can be found in the Asian food aisle. It can be replaced with a sweet white wine or sherry. You can also try this recipe with salmon or tuna steak or even tofu cut into approximately 1/2-inch slices. Cooking time will be about the same.

Preparation: 10 minutes, cooking time: 15 minutes, serves 6

What you need

1/2 cup white wine or mirin

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 green onions, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 tbsp fresh ginger, slivered

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

red pepper flakes

1 lb chicken breast, skinless

What you do

In a large non-stick skillet, mix the wine, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, brown sugar, oil and red pepper flakes. Bring to the boil. Slice the chicken horizontally in the direction of the grain to obtain two slices of a1/2-inch thick.

Place the chicken in the skillet, forming one layer, and cook 5 minutes on medium. Turn each piece and cook 5 minutes more or until they are well cooked. Remove the chicken and keep warm.

Bring to the sauce to a boil and reduce for about 3 minutes or until it is slightly sticky. Add the chicken to the pan and coat well in the sauce.

Serve with steamed rice and sliced snow peas or baby bok choy.

Bolognaise Sauce

This sauce need not be cooked a long time to render it savoury. Adding milk to the to the sauce may seem unusual, but it is the traditional preparation of this recipe in northern Italy.

Preparation: 10 min, cooking time: 1 hour, serves 8. Can be frozen.

What you need

1 tbsp oil

2 chopped garlic cloves

2 large onions, diced

1 small carrot, diced

2 bay leaves

1 rosemary sprig or 1 tsp dried rosemary

salt and pepper

2 lb ground beef

1 cup red wine or beef stock

1 can (5-1/2 oz) tomato paste

1 cup water

1 cup milk

What you do

In a large thick-bottomed skillet, heat the oil and sauté the garlic, onion and carrot for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the bay leaf and rosemary, salt and pepper to taste. Add the ground beef and cook until it has lost its pink colour.

Add the wine or beef stock and let simmer 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Stir in the tomato paste and water. Simmer 15 minutes or until the water has almost evaporated.

Add the milk and simmer 15 minutes more or until the milk has almost evaporated. This sauce is particularly suited to serving with tagliatelle noodles, cooked al dente and garnished with parmesan.

Parmesan Meatballs

1, 2, 3… here come the meatballs…4, 5, 6…there they go!

Preparation time 15 minutes, cooking time 15 minutes, serves 6. Can be frozen.

What you need

1 lb ground beef

1 egg

3 tbsp bread crumbs

1/3 cup parmesan

1/4 cup)fresh chopped parsley

salt and pepper

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp butter

What you do

In a bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly except oil and butter.

Form ping-pong-sized meatballs (rub some olive oil on hands to facilitate the process). This makes approximately 20 to 25 meatballs.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter on high and sear the meatballs for 15 minutes or until browned, turning often.

Serve as spaghetti and meatballs: Leave the cooked meatballs in the skillet and add 4 cups tomato sauce let simmer for 5 minutes and serve on spaghetti noodles. To use in soup, form very small meatballs and cook them in simmering beef stock. Add chopped spinach and garnish with parmesan. Serve with crusty bread.

Recipes excerpted from Family Table by Marie Breton and Isabelle Emond. First English Translation Copyright © 2008 Fitzhenry & Whiteside. Originally published in French, Copyright © 2006 Flammarion Quebec. Reprinted with permission from Fitzhenry & Whiteside.