Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Homemade Boursin On New Year's Day

We were so good on the first day of 2008!!
We went vegetarian!
But to make the meal more palatable for some, I had to resort to a rather sinful treat - Boursin!
And the meal still turned out so refreshing after the viscous onslaught of meat during the last week of 2007.

Beet root, boiled and sliced, served with a honey/red wine vinegar/chives/salt and pepper dressing. One of my all time favourites.

I made the baked potatoes which we had for Christmas dinner by popular demand. This is a very simple-to-do dish which I picked up from channel 703 and it is so easy and so tasty.

Boiled broccoli and carrots, and just tossed with butter, salt and pepper.

A crusty french wholemeal loaf with sunflower seeds and herbs fresh from the oven. An English baker which I met many years ago indulged the secret of getting a crusty surface. Will post the recipe later at a more leisure pace.

Here is the star of this first-day-of-the-year meal - the special homemade Boursin cheese spread. So easy to do and taste so much better and fresher than the expensive stuff you get at the supermarket shelves.

Simply gorgeous and sooo finger licking good with the baked potatoes...

...and the freshly baked bread.

Homemade Boursin Cheese Spread
250g cream cheese, at room temperature
30g butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoon parsley, minced finely
4 cloves garlic, boiled for 3 minutes, mashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional

Mix all the above together well.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Leave for 30 minutes or so for the herb and seasonings to infuse.
Can be kept in fridge in an airtight container for 3 days to a week.

Jo

9 comments:

DonDon said...

yum!!!

a feast, everyday said...

By far the best dinner of the year 2008, right? :p

Anonymous said...

The cheese looks totally delicious. Definitely can't make it for home, but for the next upcoming party, it will be the absolute piece de resistance :p

Thank you for sharing it.

Cheers//

wmw said...

Heehee, roast pork earlier and then vegetarian next! Happy New Year!

Heather said...

i want this for CNY too!!!

:) dun care whether or not its gluten free!!!! :)

a feast, everyday said...

Frank, hope tt u'll make it soon. Very, very delicious...hehehe bad influence, eh?

WMW, happy new year to you too. I know, i know, hope we can stay good until CNY.

D, all these same food? wat do i blog for CNY then?

Unknown said...

Greetings, I wonder if you would share the recipe for the baked potatos? I love this dish, and would love to make it.

Thanks for the wonderful recipes you have shared here.

Regards
Iris

a feast, everyday said...

Iris,
just boil some new potatoes with the skin on but make sure they r scrubbed clean of all grit and dirt first. Drain when soft enough to poke a fork thro easily.
Lay them on an oiled baking sheet and slightly mash each one with a fork or if available, a potato masher just until crack and flatten but still whole. Does tt make sense?? :p
drizzle or brush the potatoes generously with olive oil (can use melted butter too if a little indulgence is needed, gives more flavor).
then sprinkle salt and pepper and whatever herb (dried or fresh) u like ( we like rosemary), chop them up first.
then just put them in a hot oven (250C- tops for my oven) for 20 or so mins. until they turn nicely golden and crisp at the mashed edges.
think i'll do it again and post it step by step.

Unknown said...

Hi, thanks for your reply.
I am sure your many other readers,like me, will be eagerly awaiting your post on this baked potato.

Best regards
Iris