Egg-mayonnaise, soufflé-style galette and mango ricotta – Liberation

Nothing beats the kitchen for warming up the atmosphere. Even when you have more money than ideas. Follow the guide, with a balanced menu for less than 5 euros.

This Tuesday we start with a classic so great that an association is dedicated to defending it, egg-mayonnaise (about 1.20 euros per portion), followed by a cheese soufflé galette, to be served with a green salad for vitamins and mineral salts (less than 1 euro per portion) and we finish with the sweetness of a mango combined with the softness of ricotta (1.50 euro per portion). Or a complete menu for about 3.70 euros per person. And if that doesn’t inspire you, you can find all the menus here.

Appetizer: egg and mayonnaise

Nothing could be simpler than this bistro appetizer recipe, but to get it right, we’ll dress our hard-boiled eggs with homemade mayonnaise and not overcook them. You’ll see, it makes a difference. You will need: two eggs + 1 yolk; neutral oil; some mustard if you like; salt and pepper. If you have any, a few sprigs of chives and/or red onion pickles (made during the Christmas holidays) will add an elegant touch to your entryway.

Start by cooking the eggs in a pot of water. They must be immersed in the water when it starts to boil, helping you with a spoon to gently place them on the bottom of the pot and prevent them from breaking. Let them cook for about 8 minutes so that they keep a little softness while holding together well. Once cooked, plunge them into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. In the meantime prepare the mayonnaise: put an egg yolk in a bowl and let it drip with oil, beating vigorously with a fork or a whisk. When the mixture begins to emulsify, i.e. it becomes a little thicker, you can add salt and pepper, or even add half a teaspoon of mustard, and continue beating until you obtain a consistency of mayonnaise.

Peel the eggs, cut them in half and place them on the plate. If you want to play it pro, put a little mayonnaise under each egg half to hold it together. Decorate with chopped chives and/or pickled onion. Don’t forget the bread to finish off the mayonnaise, which you can also use in a sandwich for lunch tomorrow.

Tip: make meringues with the remaining egg white, whisking the egg white until stiff at room temperature, with a little icing sugar. With fresh fruit, such as clementines or kiwis, and some whipped cream or white cheese, this will make a great dessert.

The dish: a cheese galette like a soufflé

This dish is one of the madeleines of our childhood, and if it was undoubtedly perceived by our parents as a recipe well done quickly in the days of little inventiveness and limited budget, we keep a very particular memory of it. In reality they were neither more nor less the ingredients of a soufflé, but we didn’t bother whipping the egg whites and, instead of cooking them in a high-sided dish, we poured the device into a cake pan, it was easier to cut for six diners and gave the impression of tasting a completely different dish. You need, for a whole galette, which you can eat two or three times according to your appetite (this can also make a single meal by finely slicing the rest, to serve as an aperitif): 2 eggs; 60 g of flour (that is, two large heaped spoons); 20cl of milk; salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic powder; a handful or two of grated gruyere (or any cheese that can be grated).

Mix the eggs and flour well with a whisk. Gradually add the milk, always mixing with the whisk to avoid lumps. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and garlic powder to taste, as well as the grated cheese. We put it in a buttered baking dish, and soon, we bake it at 200°C for about thirty minutes, until it is golden brown and puffy. Serve with a green salad as they also serve some vegetables.

The dessert: mango ricotta

Ok, you have the right to cheat by buying the mango already cut and canned, it will be more practical and cheaper. You need half a box of mangoes (you will have the rest for breakfast tomorrow); 30 g of cottage cheese; if you want, a teaspoon of powdered sugar.

In a bowl put the ricotta, which you can sweeten if you wish. Add the mango pieces, diced or mixed into a coulis. Taste.