![Lemon Chicken Paillard]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Jun 23, 2017 | Chicken, French, Poultry Dishes
Paillard is a French culinary term thinly sliced or pounded meat, which is easier to cook and has quicker cooking times as a result of that.
I love pillared and actually do it to beef as well, but this chicken dish has a special place in my heart because of all my favorite flavors in it: sea salt, olive oil, lemon, fresh herbs like oregano and thyme.
I start out with some beautiful boneless, skinless raw chicken like breast meat chicken tenders, which you can get from Billy Doe Meats (everything is Halal).
Then, I wrap it in plastic wrap and use something heavy like a mallet or even my cast iron pan to pound the meat thin.
Once that’s done, I prepare the pan. I use a cast iron pan, but you can use any skillet. My secret to the chicken never sticking is to salt the bottom of the pan then add the frying oil. I season the chicken, too, but am careful with the salt because there will be plenty of salt in the pan. 
I cook it for about 5 minutes on one side and never move it until it’s ready. You can tell by looking at the edges of the meat, which starts to pull away from the pan. Flip the meat over, then add the lemon slices and fresh herbs on top. Let it cook for another 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, then move to a paper-towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil.
I like to add a few more cut fresh herbs on top for flavor, but what I also love about this dish is that you can lift the meat from the pan and still have the lemons and fresh herbs on top looking untouched, so the presentation is pretty- and all the flavor has been cooked into the meat so nicely. It’s just one of the easiest and quickest things you can do to put a great meal on the table- a side of rice, couscous or pasta would all be fantastic, although even a little rustic bread would be lovely, too. It doesn’t get much simpler or easier than that, particularly for the last Iftar of Ramadan.
![French Onion Soup with a Halal Substitute for Red Wine]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Feb 20, 2014 | French, Halal Substitutes, Soups
, I’ve also always loved the very classic French Onion Soup, or “Soupe a l’Oignon”, as the French say it. My mom made it at home a couple times but we mostly enjoyed it at some of the restaurants where I grew up eating out with my parents.
When I began to eat a Halal diet I experimented with a variety of quality grape juices that would be a suitable alternative for the red wine used in the traditional recipe. What I have found so far is that a high quality grape juice not-from-concentrate that has a dark color and sweet taste works best for this dish—and there’s no need to miss the wine. The grape flavor is present, but none of the alcohol is.
There are people who will inevitably ask about the alcohol burn-off rate during cooking. What I have found is that most scientists will agree that alcohol never completely burns off during the cooking process, which is why I choose not to start with alcohol at all, especially since I wouldn’t buy it to begin with and keep it in my house for any particular reason. Therefore, it’s also a great recipe for people who are struggling with addiction and desire to keep away from alcohol in all forms.
One other note: many chefs disregard the idea of substituting wine with juice because they say it’ll make a dish too sweet. Their answer is often to just leave out the wine and/or add chicken broth or water. I believe all these suggestions overlook the idea of the flavor profile we’re after here- in this case, it’s the grape- completely halal in it’s original state, so that’s what I’m after here. Of course if you’d rather not use the juice, that’s fine, too. In my opinion, it’s a lot more fun to cook and taste in the end by doing it with my recipe tweaks here.
Here are some of the basic ingredients I used in the dish: yellow onions (of course) because they cook more softly than white or red onions, concord grape juice (make sure it is gelatin-free), and whole wheat flour.
If you only have all-purpose flour, just use that. You’ll also need butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.
And French bread and gruyére cheese for the top of the soup- that makes ALL the difference, so please don’t skip that step!
The onions need to be slowly cooked for at least 20 minutes. Some classic recipes go even longer than this, but for the amount of onions I’ve included here, that just isn’t necessary.
You have to keep an eye on them carefully so they don’t burn. Once you add the flour, you can add a little of the juice to give it some moisture and allow the smooth blending and incorporation to take place. Essentially, you are making a roux to create thickness in the soup.
Next, you’ll add the concord grape juice. Another note about the juice. Apple juice will not be a good substitute for the grape juice here, and I don’t like it with white grape juice but that is closer than apple.
It looks quite deep in color, but the final result will not be so bright, so don’t worry. Besides, it’s only 1/2 cup of juice.
Next is the beef broth or water if you don’t have that. Lamb broth is too strong for this soup and chicken is too light and changes the flavor, in my opinion, which is why I prefer the alternatives. Beef broth is nice and rich and adds just the right depth of flavor in combination with the other ingredients.
You’ll let that cook for about 15-20 minutes. In the last few minutes, cut your bread fairly thick (1 inch is good) and put the bread under the broiler or in a toaster oven with a couple tablespoons of grated gruyére cheese on top. I don’t like my cheese cooked so much to the point of almost burning it, but if you like it that way, just keep an eye on the toasted bread and cheese and bake/broil it a little longer than I did.
Ladle the soup into bowls and place two pieces of bread into each bowl. Guests can ladle the soup over the bread or eat separately, but most people like to submerge the bread deep into the soup and break up the bread with a spoon, eating it all together.
Oh, yum, yum, yum. I may just have to make this again really soon before spring is here again and I have no excuse to warm up to a nice bowl of piping hot onion soup like this.
Enjoy- Bismillah and Bon Appetit!
For more information about halal substitutes in cooking, see my chart here.
wordpress-523174-1665548.cloudwaysapps.com/substitutes-for-alcohol-in-cookingFor more information about halal cheese, see my post here.
To get a copy of the My Halal Kitchen cookbook where you’ll find this recipe and a list of halal food resources, click on the banner below or go to Book Depository where you can also get the book shipped for free globally.
![Salmon Baked in Papillote with Dill & Thyme]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Feb 24, 2013 | American, Cooking Techniques & Kitchen Tips, Fish & Seafood, French, Recipes, Scandinavian
Salmon is one of the easiest types of fish to make on a regular basis. It’s thick texture stays together nicely when cooking, so whether you’re frying, grilling or baking it, it tends to stay together really well. This is great news for novice cooks or those who are a little intimidated to cook fish at all. And winter is a great time to have salmon because it’s super high in Vitamin D.
If you watch enough of the news or programs like the Dr. Oz Show, you’ve probably already seen recent reports that so many people are low in the ever important Vitamin D that protects our bodies and our immune systems from all types of diseases. (more…)
![Parmesan & Feta Quiche]()
by Yvonne | Aug 5, 2011 | Breakfast & Brunch, Egg Dishes, French, Halal-Certified Products, Italian, Ramadan, Suhoor, Vegetarian
Everyone is talking about this year’s daily fasts in Ramadan being so long because sunset (the time when the fast is broken) will come a little after 8pm here in Chicago. It’s also a hot summer season. Very hot.
Fasting isn’t meant to be perfectly easy or else how could we savor the reward of building self-discipline? It’s also not meant to harm us, either. We have to do it right so that we can experience it with enough energy to get through the day, do our work and take care of other responsibilities. (more…)
![No-Bake Chocolate Terrine]()
by Yvonne | Mar 2, 2011 | Dessert, French
A terrine is something that has been baked or prepared in a loaf pan. Most commonly known for meat dishes, terrines (a French term) can also be chocolate desserts. I love this recipe for its simplicity and versatility. It’s quick to make and the goodies inserted into the middle can be substituted with just about anything you like or have readily on hand.
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![Cherry Tomato and Sharp Cheddar Cheese Quiche]()
by Yvonne | May 22, 2010 | Breakfast & Brunch, Egg Dishes, French
One of my favorite things about pie crust is that it’s so versatile once you have some ideas of what to do with it. It’ s a whole new tasting experience to try savory dishes using pie dough instead of just the typical (but deliciously sweet) fruit pies. Another thing I love is the technique involved in learning how to make quiche, which is a French word for a savory open tart with a custard-type filling, usually made up of vegetables.
The most famous quiche is the Quiche Lorraine, (made with cheese and bacon, obviously not halal) but once you learn how to make one type of quiche, you can make yours with anything you have on hand. That’s the beauty of learning cooking techniques– they will feed help you feed yourself, as opposed to just memorizing recipes, which will leave you dependent on ingredients and instructions.
I made this recipe using a lovely Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Cabot, mainly because they are halal-certified and also because the company was generous enough to introduce me to this specific style of their cheese by sending a couple boxes of their many cheese varieties. I’m loving experimenting with the different (all halal-certified) types they have. Try their excellent cheese and try this quiche with it, or use any vegetables you have. If you don’t have any veggies, just make a simple cheese quiche. Simplicity is always a good thing.
Cherry Tomato and Sharp Cheddar Quiche
Ingredients
1 ready-made pie crust, defrosted and cold (I prefer the Trader Joe’s brand)
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs
½ cup heavy cream
1 pound of cherry tomatoes, each one cut in half
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Use a rolling pin to thin out dough to cover pie dish and have enough for the edges. Fold over the edges. Place half of the shredded cheddar cheese on the dough in the middle of the pie plate.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and heavy cream. Add the parsley, garlic and the other half of the cheddar cheese. Mix well.
Next, drop in the tomatoes and gently fold them into the mixture, careful not to crush them and spill their juices.
Pour the egg mixture on top of the cheddar into the pie plate. Fold over the edges of the pie dough to form a crust. Add a few pats of butter to the top of the mixture.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center of the quiche is firm. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.
