Cooking Recipes and Gastronomical Information

French Cooking Recipes
France is famed for its cuisine, although you would be wise not to tell any chef that you are attempting these recipes, as the haughty defensiveness is all part of the act. Nevertheless, French cuisine is surprisingly easy to cook yourself, so when you can’t visit a gourmet restaurant overlooking the Seine, satisfy your desire for French food with the following delicious recipes:

Chicken with Truffles
Called Volaille Demi-Deuil in French, this main course nods to the bounty of the French countryside, the peasants as well as the finesse of the rare and scrumptious truffles.

Ingredients: 
· 2thinly sliced truffles
· 2 chicken, preferably large and ready for the oven
· 8 well cleaned and thickly sliced leeks
· 8 carrots that have been halved lengthways
· 120 fluid ounces chicken stock

Directions:
Apply pressure and loosen up the skin of chickens around the thigh and breast areas, then take the extremely thin slices of truffle and embed them underneath the skin. Once done, envelop the chicken in muslin, tucking it in under the thighs and wings, and string it tight. Along with the veggies, pour stock over the chicken, with everything in a big pan and make sure the chicken is completely submerged. Once it begins to boil bring it down and let it gently simmer for an hour. Serves 8.

French Brochettes
Also called shish-kebabs to the less cultured among us, French brochettes are a savory, spicy and delicious way to enjoy French cuisine.

Ingredients:
· 4 tablespoons olive oil
· 3 pounds pork loin, cut up into inch-sized cubes
· 6 pressed garlic cloves
· 2 tablespoons vinegar, red wine
· 2 teaspoons cumin
· 4 tablespoons of freshly chopped sage
· Fresh ground black pepper and salt
· 1/2 teaspoon flakes of red pepper

Directions:
Soak the wooden sticks, or “skewers” or half an hour prior to putting the meat on them. To prepare the pork, take a big bowl and combine the vinegar, sage, red pepper, oil, garlic, cumin, pepper and salt, then introduce the pork cubes into the bowl and mix it all up so that the sauce covers (and eventually will glaze) the entire surface of each cube, let it marinate for a quarter of an hour then skewer the meat and broil for 20 minutes, 10 on each side. Usually a tinfoil covering is required so that the sticks don’t burn up. Serve hot and enjoy!