Monin cooking

COOKING & BAKING

This page starts with some quick and easy recipes using the huge range of Monin syrups. As you progress further through these recipes you will come across a unique variety of flavours created exclusively for Monin Inc, by master chef Mary Hanson-Siff who has combined her enthusiasm for Monin syrups with years of training in France and Italy to create a culinary exploration which reflects several regions of France, Asia, and the Mediterranean.

Quick and Easy Recipes

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/4 cup of oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Monin Raspberry Syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt & Pepper to taste

Flavored Cream Cheese	Flavored Whipped Cream
5 tbl spoons selected Monin syrup 8 ounces cream cheese Whip briskly until well blended.	1/2 pint whipping cream 5 tbl spoons selected Monin syrup Whip cream slowly adding syrup Try: Raspberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Hazelnut or others

Flavored Cottage Cheese	Flavored Yoghurt
1 cup cottage cheese 3 tbl spoons selected Monin syrup.	1 cup plain yoghurt 3 tbl spoons selected Monin syrup.

Soup a la Robert

1 kilo fresh well rippened tomatoes
3 whole cloves garlic
60ml Monin Coconut
1 pack Campbells Beef Stock

2 large onions
3-4 small hot chillis
60ml Monin Tangerine
Lots freshly ground black pepper

Blend all ingredients until pureed. Refrigerate for 1 or 2 hours.
Serve with dessert spoon of sour cream

Restaurant de Ville truffles

60 truffle cases (25ml capacity)
330ml thickened cream
45ml Monin Irish Cream
500g Callebaut milk chocolate chopped

In a large saucepan, bring cream almost to boiling point, then remove from heat. Add syrup and chocolate and stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth and melted. Transfer mixture to a dry bowl of an electric mixer and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until thick but not set. Using an electric mixer, beat chocolate mixture on high speed until pale in colour and thick (do not overbeat).
Spoon mixture immediately into a piping bag fitted with a plain 5-7 mm nozzle and pipe chocolate into truffle cases until cases are 2/3 full. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until set.

Restaurant de Ville truffles

Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales,
Australia
(As shown in Gourmet Traveller)

Created by chef:
Luke de Ville

Cherry & Rose Syrup Ice Cream

Another great recipe featured in 'Gourmet Traveller'

Serves 4-6

165g (3/4 cup) caster sugar

500g cherries, pitted & coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups pouring cream

60ml Monin Rose Syrup

Shortbread biscuits, optional, to serve

Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add cherries and stir frequently over low heat for 3-4 minutes or until cherries are soft and release some of their juices. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir cream and rose syrup into cherry mixture until well combined, then cover and refrigerate until cold.
Freeze cream mixture in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Serve scoops of ice-cream in glasses with shortbread biscuits.

Mango & Pineapple Cheesecake

Base: 1 cup of your preferred biscuit crumbs

1/4 cup melted unsalted butter

Filling: 1/2 cup boiling water

2 tbsp gelatine

300g cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1 1/4 cup crushed pineapple & juice

1 mango chopped

2 1/2 cup whipped cream

1/2 cup Monin Mango Syrup

Method

Base: Mix biscuit crumbs with melted unsalted butter. Then press onto bottom and sides of nine-inch spring cake pan.

Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice. Mix pineapple and mango. Mix in cooled gelatine and Monin Mango syrup and then fold in the cream. Pour filling over the base. Chill and drizzle Monin Mango syrups over the top before serving.

Created: Lucy Ifopo from Frasers, Mt. Eden

Monin's Mint Chocolate Cake

5 1/4 ounces butter 4 eggs 4 1/5 ounces sr.. flour 2 tbl spoons Monin Vanilla	5 1/4 ounces chocolate 3 1/2 ounces sugar 3 1/3 ounces Monin Green Mint
Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave for 1 minute and 15 seconds. Whip together chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, Mint syrup and Vanilla syrup. Slowly combine flour to mixture until stiff. Grease cake pan, pour in batter and bake for 50 minutes at 350f or until done.

Hazelnut Parfait
4 egg yolks 4 tbl spoons sugar 2 ounces Monin Hazelnut 1 1/3 cup of cream
Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave for 1 minute and 15 seconds. Whip together chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, Mint syrup and Vanilla syrup. Slowly combine flour to mixture until stiff. Grease cake pan, pour in batter and bake for 50 minutes at 350f or until done.

Raspberry Parfait with Hot Orange Sauce

4 egg yolks
4 tbl spoons sugar
4 ounces Monin Raspberry
1 3/4 cups cream
2-3 teaspoons corn flour
7 ounces Monin Orange syrup
4 ounces of water

Whip the yolks with the sugar, whip the cream. Mix together and flavour with the Monin Raspberry syrup. Freeze in a pan. Mix the Monin Orange syrup with the water. Simmer on low temperature for a couple of minutes. Thicken with the corn flour until you have received the proper consistency.

Strawberry Mousse with Exotic Taste

5 eggs
4 ounces Monin Kiwi
4 ounces sugar
2 ounces Monin Blue Curacao
1 quart strawberries
2 1/2 cups cream
6 gelatin 'blades'

Beat the egg yolks and sugar, add the strawberries. Wet the gelatin in water. Whip the cream and egg whites separate. Melt the gelatin on low temperature. Mix in the cream and the egg whites. Pour into serving plates and put in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Ready to serve. Serves 15

Monin's Peach Surprise

4 canned peach halves
7 ounces Monin Raspberry
1/2 cup coconut flakes
2 ounces Monin Coconut

Warm the raspberry syrup until lukewarm. Mix the grated coconut with the Coconut syrup. Fill the holes in peaches with the coconut mixture. Place the lukewarm raspberry syrup like a mirror on a plate. Serve at once.

Apple Upside Down Cake

4 cups sliced peeled apples
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup low fat milk
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup Monin Apple syrup
1/2 cup nuts
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tbl spoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups flour

Combine apples, Monin syrup, butter and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook until apples are tender, stirring frequently. Pour into well greased baking pan. Sprinkle nuts over apple mixture into pan. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cream together shortening with sugar, blend in eggs, beat well. Combine milk and vanilla, add alternately with dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Spread over apples in pan. Bake in 350 f oven 35-40 minutes or until done. Remove from oven. Turn cake upside down over large serving plate. Let stand a few minutes, then remove pan. Serve warm with whipped cream if desired. Serves 16.

Heritage Beef

40 ml Monin Blueberry
Topside beef slices
Blueberries
Sliced Carrots

40 ml Grand Marnier
Snow peas
Teardrop tomatoes
Red currant jelly

Sauté beef in butter. In other pan slowly warm snow peas & carrots. When beef is
nearly cooked add jelly and melt. Flambe Grand Marnier and add Monin Blueberry,
reduce. Arrange on plate garnish with fresh dill sprigs.

Fresh Apricot Risotto

2 cups fresh peeled apricots
2 tbl spoons lemon juice
2 cups italian aboria rice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup Monin Apricot
1 cup mascarpone cheese

2 cups Monin Apricot
5 tbl spoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup granulated sugar

In a saucepan, combine chopped apricots, Monin Apricot Syrup, water (enough to cover apricots) lemon juice, bring to a boil. Allow to simmer until soft. Strain and reserve liquid. In a separate saucepan, melt half of the butter. Add the rise and stir until coated. While stirring, add the spices. Reglaze with Monin Apricot Syrup and stir until absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of the apricot syrup from the apricot mixture. Repeat until rice is creamy but al dente to the bite. Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter, apricot chunks, sugar and mascarpone cheese. Spoon into individual dishes or glasses. Top with toasted pine nuts, caramel sauce and raspberries. Decorate with a leaf of baked shredded filo dough, lightly coated with Monin Apricot syrup.

Savory Seas

30 ml Monin Coconut
Volavant cases
Coconut cream
Prawns & Scallops
Edible flowers

Flambe prawns & scallops until almost cooked. Add Monin Coconut & coconut cream together with sweet chilli sauce. Reduce, than place into Volavant cases. Garnish with edible flowers.

Raspberry Topped Lemon Pie

Crust: Pre made pie crust
Lemon filling: 3 egg yolks, 14 ounces condensed milk, 1/2 cup Monin Lemon Syrup In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with rest of ingredients, pour into crust. Bake at 375 f for 30 minutes.
Raspberry filling: 10 ounces frozen red raspberries, 1/4 cup Monin Raspberry syrup, 1 tablespoon corn flour. In a small saucepan, combine raspberries and corn flour, cook and stir until thickened and clear. Spoon raspberry mixture evenly over top of Lemon filling. Chill 4 hours or until set.
Whipped Cream Topping: 16 ounces whipping cream, 1/4 cup Monin Raspberry syrup

Ice Cream Recipe

2 litres cream
Castor sugar
3/4 bottle any Monin flavour

Vanilla beans
6-7 egg yolks per litre
(100 gm per litre)

Place cream into saucepan, slice vanilla beans lengthwise, add to cream. Bring to boil while stirring. Take off heat once boiling, add sugar, egg yolks and Monin Syrup. Place back on heat, mix in slowly. Place in ice cream machine and then freezer ALTERNATELY: Freeze metal bowl with mixture. After 1 hour, scrape around sides of bowl, mix in, re-freeze. Repeat three to four times. Freeze in plastic container.

Apple & Apricot Jelly

2 litres apple juice
300 ml Monin Apricot
16 sachets gelatin
Fresh apricot wedges
1 cinnamon stick
(4 to 5 per portion)

Brings apple juice and Monin Apricot with cinnamon stick to the boil. Cool slightly. Dissolve in gelatin. Strain through muslin cloth. Fill molds with apricot and jelly, 1/3 at a time. Slightly set jelly, add another layer of fruit and jelly. Make sure jelly is still warm at each addition. Makes approximately 12 jellies.

Soufflés

Base: Dissolve 1 kilo sugar to 1 litre water. Combine fruit flavour Monin approximately 500 ml with sugar and water along with some fresh fruit if desired. Simmer for 10 minutes. Thicken with corn flour, whisk through quickly. Cool.
Monin Flavours: Mango, Apricot & Ginger, Apple & Cinnamon, Peach, Strawberry etc.
Soufflé: Two egg whites whipped and pinch of salt. Whip until stiff. Add Soufflé base 7 gently fold through till desired taste.

Now for the real Chefs

White Chocolate Rose Petal Mousse

150 ml cream
300 gm white chocolate
2 gelatin sachets
500 ml whipped cream
60 gm Castor sugar
100 ml Monin Rose

Heat 150 ml cream, add chocolate and diluted gelatin & sugar until combined. Cool. Fold in whipped cream, 100 ml Monin Rose. Place onto cold chocolate cake (recipe below) and refrigerate until set. Serve topped with splash of Monin Rose on top (approx. 15 ml)

Flourless chocolate cake - White chocolate

500 gm chocolate
330 gm butter
12 eggs separated
300 gm sugar

Melt butter and chocolate in baymarie. Cool slightly. Add yolks. Whisk egg whites and sugar to a meringue. Fold into chocolate mixture. Grease tin, line with grease proof paper & grease again. Bake at 180c for 45 mins. Test with skewer. Should be moist still.

Coconut Tart

Pastry:
200 g flour
100 g butter
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 glass lukewarm water

Prepare the pastry by pouring into a salad bowl & making a hole in middle. Put the butter in little pieces in middle with the salt & sugar, and progressively add the water. Knead until the flour is absorbed. Leave 2 hours. Roll our and place in a tin.

The Garnish:
4 eggs
Monin Coconut
150 g grated coconut
fresh cream

Whisk the eggs adding 10 teaspoons of Monin Coconut. Add the grated coconut & cream. Pour over the pastry and cook in medium oven 210c for 30 mins. Baste copiously with Monin Coconut.

Cinnamon Bananas

8 bananas
80 g sugar
60 g butter

1 lemon
Monin Cinnamon
fresh cream

Peel bananas, prick them with a fork then lay in dish. Pour lemon juice over and let marinade for 30 mins. Stir regularly. Strain bananas & place in individual buttered dishes for ovens. Baste with Monin Cinnamon then spread crystallized sugar & butter cut into thin strips. Cook in medium oven 160c for 30 mins. Serve hot or cold with fresh cream or vanilla ice-cream. Serves 4.

Strawberry Cream

100 g cottage cheese
100 g fresh cream
70g crystallized sugar
Monin Strawberry

Whip the cheese, fresh cream, and the crystallized sugar with vanilla sugar. Beat egg whites till still. Fold mixtures together, place in individual small dishes. Leave two hours in fridge, & serve fresh, copiously basted with Monin Strawberry. Serves four.

Strawberries in Vanilla - Citrus Syrup

1 quart strawberries
2 tbl spoons Monin Vanilla
1 tbl spoon Monin Lemon
2 tbl spoon Monin Strawberry
Fresh mint sprigs

Rinse strawberries in a large basin of cold water. Set to drain on several thickness of paper towels. Hull the berries with a small sharp paring knife, keep berries whole. In a large bowl, toss gently with the syrups. Cover, refrigerate, and allow to macerate for at least half an hour. Garnish each serving with a sprig or two of mint. Serves 4-6.

Honey and Thyme Poached Pears

1 1/2 cups water
2 tbl spoons white balsamic vinegar
2 tbl spoons Monin Vanilla
3 sprig fresh mint
8 whole all spice cracked
1 cup white wine
3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 teaspoons dried thyme
4 tbl spoons Monin Pear
2 tbl spoons dark honey
8 black peppercorns cracked
4 pears (slightly under ripe)
3 strips lemon zest
1 bay leaf

Bring water to a boil. Place thyme in a tea ball and submerge it in the water, infusing for 15 minutes. In a deep, non reactive medium saucepan that will hold all the pears snugly, combine the thyme infused water and all remaining ingredients except the pears. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 15 minutes. Submerge peeled pears (immediately after peeling so that they will not discolor) in poaching liquid, cover and cook at a bare simmer for 30 minutes, turning the pears occasionally so they are evenly coated. Remove from heat, cool uncovered, transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours. Strain poaching liquid through a fine sieve into another bowl, then pour back over the pears. Garnish each serving with a sprig or two of thyme. Pass a plate of cookies, something simple like petits beurres or chocolate wafers. Serves four.

Steamed Asparagus with Mandarin Oil

1 pound thin green asparagus
3 tbl spoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tbl spoons Monin Tangerine syrup
2 tbl spoons extra virgin olive oil
White pepper

With a paring knife, trim the bottom 1/2" of the asparagus. With a vegetable peeler, peel each stalk almost up to the bottom of the tip. To peel, lay the stalk flat on a cutting board, so that the thin stalks will not snap (save trimmings in a small saucepan, cover with water, simmer for 20 minutes, pass through a strainer and use in rice pilaf or a risotto to add subtle flavour). As they are peeled, place the stalks upright in a glass containing a little water. For the Tangerine (Mandarin) oil: In a mini processor or blender, add salt to vinegar to dissolve, than add remainder of ingredients and process until emulsified. If the asparagus stalks vary in thickness, group them approximately according to size. Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan or skillet, bring water beneath it to a simmer, lay the thickest asparagus in the basket first. Cover. A minute or so later, add the next thickest batch, and so on. Asparagus should be steamed no more than 5 minutes for the thickest of these thin asparagus. Wrap the cooked asparagus in a kitchen towel briefly to absorb any moisture. Divide amount 4 plates and drizzle with the mandarin oil. Any further garnish would be a case of gilding the lily. Serves four.

Spring Lamb braised in Chablis

2 pounds boned leg of lamb (shank half) cut into large 2" chunks, trimmed of excess
fat, bones reserved, but into 3" sections. Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2
cup superfine flour for dredging
The marinade:

3 tbl spoons olive oil
crushed garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

4 tbl spoons Monin Lime
2 ribs celery thinly sliced

2 medium carrots sliced
White pepper

The sauce:

6 tbl spoons olive oil
6 sprigs parsley*
2 bay leaves*

2 cups Chablis
6 sprigs rosemary*
* tied together in a bundle

Marinade ingredients with any remaining marinade liquid

3 plum tomatoes chopped
2 tbl spoons unsalted butter
2 tbl spoons chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 cups baby carrots steamed 5 mins
18 small white pearl onions

Combine marinade ingredients and marinate the lamb 8 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature. Remove chunks of lamb from marinade and pat dry on paper towels. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Reserve marinade. Spread flour on a sheet of wax paper. Dredge each chunk of lamb and several sections of bone in the flour, toss in a sieve to remove excess and place on large plate, leaving a little space between the pieces so that they don't get sticky.
Heat oil over medium heat in a deep, heavy casserole until hot but not smoking. Brown lamb and bones on all side, in batches, taking care not to crowd the pieces. Begin with 3 or 4 tablespoons of oil, adding more as necessary for subsequent batches. Remove the pieces to a platter as they are done. Discard any remaining oil in the casserole. over high heat, deglaze the casserole with 1/2 cup of wine, scraping browned bits from the bottom and stirring vigorously to incorporate them. Add marinade ingredients and liquid to casserole, then the herb bundle, the lamb, and remaining 1 1/2 cups of wine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to lowest possible level, using an asbestos pad, if necessary to maintain liquid at barest simmer. Partially cover, braise for 1 hour.
While the lamb is cooking, prepare the plum tomatoes, steam the carrots, and prepare the pearl onions by plunging them into boiling water for one minute, transferring them to an ice-water bath, and removing the skins, which should slip off easily. Cut a cross 1/8"deep in the root end of each trimmed onion to prevent them from bursting. Over low heat, melt the butter and simmer the onions for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time so that they turn a golden yellow all around. Keep the heat low enough so that they don't brown. When lamb has cooked for an hour and is fork tender, remove casserole from heat. Remove lamb pieces from sauce and place in a saucepan. Extract any marrow from the bones and add to lamb. Discard bones. Pour sauce through a sieve set over saucepan containing lamb, pressing with the back of a large spoon to extract all the flavour from the vegetables. Discard the marinade vegetables and herb bundle, taste for seasoning, and adjust. Add the tomatoes, carrots, and the onions to the saucepan and cook over low heat until warmed through 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some of the chopped fresh thyme over each plated serving.

Roasted Beetroot & Lamb's Lettuce (Mache) with Key Lime

Dressing:-

4-5 medium fresh beets
4 tblspoons walnut oil
1 teaspoon creme fraiche
Chopped fresh italian parsley

3 cups lamb's lettuce
1 1/2 tblspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tblspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Monin Gin
10 drops tobasco

Preheat oven to 400f. Cut off the beet greens, *leaving the stump. Wash the beets and without drying them, wrap tightly in aluminium foil, place on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until beets are tender when pierced with a knife. Whisk together dressing ingredients. Wash the lettuce by swirling in a basin of cold water, leaving it in the little clumps it grows in, attached above the roots. Gently pat dry and refrigerate. Peel the beets under running water by slipping off the skin. Cut the beets into cubes and toss with 1/2 of the dressing. To assemble salad plates, place a mound of beets in the centre, surround without he lettuce tossed with remaining dressing. Sprinkle with parsley. Serves four. *Beet greens may be washed and dried, bundled together to cut in julienne strips, then wilted by placing in a saucepan, covered over very low heat for 203 minutes. Toss with salt, pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Very nice with sautéed calves liver.

Caramelized Apple Tart

The Tart Dough:-

1/4 cup hazelnuts roasted and ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tblspoon Monin Cinnamon

1/3 cup castor sugar
3 1/2 ounce unsalted butter
1 egg separated to glaze tart shell pre baked

The Caramelized Apples:-

8 granny smith peeled/cored
1/2 cup Monin Apple

4 teaspoon white vinegar in 4 cups of water

3 tblspoons unsalted butter
3 tblspoons dark brown sugar

The Custard:-

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 tblspoon Monin Hazelnut

In a food processor, grind roasted and cooled hazelnuts, then add flour, sugar salt and nutmeg. Pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse just until coarse crumbs form, about 10 seconds. Whisk the egg yolk and syrup together. Pulse to incorporate the liquid rapidly in to he dry ingredients, just until the dough starts to come together. With a rubber spatula, scoop the dough together and transfer it directly to a very well buttered, loose bottomed 12" tart pan. Dust your fingers with flour and press the dough evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Prick the bottom all over with a fork, cover well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Cut each apple into 12 equal wedges. As you prepare the apples, place the wedges into the acidulated water to prevent browning. When you are ready to proceed, drain the apples and pat them dry in a kitchen towel. Over medium-low heat, melt the butter in a large, non-stick skillet. Add the syrups, then the apples. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the apples, and sauté them for about 15 minutes, turning now and then to lightly brown all side. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 425f. Line the tart shell with heavy-duty aluminium foil, pressing it right up the edges to avoid shrinkage, and fill the foil 3/4 full with dried beans or with pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes, lower heat to 375 f and bake 3-4 more minutes. Remove the foil and beans or weights. Brush the lightly beaten egg white over the bottom. Return to oven for a minutes or two to set it, which will help prevent any sogginess in the crust later, once it is filled with fruit and custard. Remove from oven and set on rack.
Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Arrange the apples in concentric circles, slightly overlapping, in the tart shell. Pour the spoonful or two of butter-syrup mixture remaining in the pan over the apples. If more than this amount remains, reduce it over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Brush the edges of the tart with the beaten egg yolk. Whisk together the egg yolks, cream and syrup, and pour over the apples. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of brown sugar. Bake about 25 minutes until custard has barely set. Cool tart pan on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. To serve, push tart from below on its metal disc, up and away from the tart pan's ring, displaying the brown, fluted crust, and set it on a decorative plate. Because of the eggs in the custard, refrigerate any remaining tart and reheat 10-15 minutes at 250 degrees to serve again. Serves eight.

Grilled Apricot Glazed Chicken Breasts

4 half breasts of chicken boneless & skinned
2 1/2 tblspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
2 tblspoons chopped fresh summer savory

Scant 1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tblspoons Monin Apricot syrup
1/2 red bell pepper diced
1/3 cup of chicken stock (defatted)

16 dried apricots cut into 3 strips, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, drained and patted dry
2 ribs of celery, strings peeled, cut into 1/2" slices, steamed for three minutes
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Remove tendon from centre of each breast half by cutting 1/2" along both sides of its end. Hold the end with a paper towel and pull the tendon out, scraping it free with the knife. Trim ragged edges and flatten slightly by laying the flat side of a large knife against the breasts and pounding gingerly with your fist. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt & cayenne, Monin Apricot syrup and 1 tablespoon of summer savory. Pour over chicken breasts, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in he refrigerator for 2-03 hours. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and hour before cooking. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Reserve marinade. Spray a ridged cast iron skillet with non stick cooking spray or brush with oil. Cook over medium to high heat.

Mesclun with Tarragon-Grenadine Vinaigrette

The dressing:-

1 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tblspoon Monin Grenadine syrups
2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

2 tblspoon red wine tarragon vinegar
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 pound assorted greens* washed/dried Herb blossoms**, squash blossoms, and/or nasturtium petals. *The greens should include one third sharp, bitter, or peppery greens (such as arugula, escarole, radicchio, chicory, dandelion, or watercress) and two thirds sweet and tender greens (such as Bibb, Boston, red or green leaf, spinach, young beet or turnip greens, romaine, or small opal basil leaves.)
**Such as chive, thyme, oregano, chervil, or borage
Chill four salad plates. Combine all dressing ingredients in a mini-processor or blender and emulsify. Toss chilled greens with just enough dressing to coat. When plated, scatter a few of the blossoms and/or petals over each serving. Serves four.

Pound Cake with Armagnac-Ginger Prunes

30 pitted prunes
5 tblspoons Monin Ginger
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

4 tblspoon Armagnac
3 eggs separted (room temperature)
6 3/4 ounces butter softened
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tblspoon finely minced orange zest

The Glaze:-

2 tblspoons Monin Ginger
1 cup castor sugar
1 tblspoon finely minced orange zest

1 tblspoon Monin Triple Sec
1 tblspoon hot water
Pinch of salt

Macerate the prunes several hours or overnight in the Armagnac and Monin Ginger syrup, tossing occasionally so that all the prunes are plumped up. Drain and set aside, reserving any liquid not absorbed by the prunes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees f. Butter a 10" spring form pan, line bottom with parchment paper, butter again and sprinkle with flour and sugar. Tap our excess. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until incorporated. Add the butter and beat until creamed. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Fold the flour mixture into the batter in three batches. Add any Armagnac and Monin Ginger syrup left after draining the prunes. Beat egg whites into peaks and fold into the batter. Sprinkle the orange zest over the batter and fold once or twice. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and arrange prunes in concentric circles atop batter. Bake 50-60 minutes until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in he centre comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes or so in the pan, then release the sides of the pan and transfer the cake to the rack to cool completely. Combine all the glaze ingredients and spread over the cake.

Burgundy-Black Currant Estouffade of Beef with Aromatic Vegetables

2 pounds stewing beef cut into 2" chunks
4 tblspoons Monin Blackcurrant
6 Juniper berries, crushed
2 medium onions coarsely chopped
1 rib celery, sliced 1/2" thick
4 sprigs italian parsley*
6 thyme sprigs*
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 bottle dry red wine i.e. Beaujolais-Villages
2 tblspoon extra virgin olive oil
6 black peppercorns crushed
1 carrot peeled sliced 1/2" thick
2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
4 rosemary sprigs*
2 bay leaves*
2 tblspoon chopped italian parsley

*Tied together in a bundle with cotton kitchen string.
Combine all ingredients in a large glass or stainless steel bowl, cover, and marinate overnight in refrigerator, turning 2-3 times. over very low heat, bring to simmer. Maintain the barest simmer, using an asbestos pad if necessary, and cook for about 3 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender. When the stew has cooled down, remove herb bundle and refrigerate, preferably overnight, until any fat which has risen to the surface and solidified can be lifted off with a spoon.
Reheat over low heat for 20 minutes or so, until meat is warmed through. Adjust heat and add orange zest, and sprinkle each plated serving with chopped parsley. Serves 4-6.

Belgian Endive with Roquefort in Pear Dressing

The Salad

4-6 Belgian endeive

2 ounces Roquefort,crumbled

1 red skinned pear

The Pear Dressing

2 tblspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tblspoon white wine vinegar
Freshly ground white pepper

1 tblspoon Monin Pear

Chill four salad plates. Wipe each whole endive with a damp towel and cut away any browning edges of the exterior leaves. Slice on the diagonal. Cover and chill. Combine all dressing ingredients in a mini-processor or blender and process until emulsified. Set aside. Quarter and core the pear, but do not peel it. Slice each quarter finely and evenly, cutting almost - but not quite - through the stem end. Flatten each quarter slightly with the palm of your hand, fanning out the slices (do this right before serving the salad, because the pear will discolor to an unattractive brown if left to sit around once it is cut). Toss the endive with the dressing, divide among four chilled plates, and top with crumbled Roquefort. Arrange a pear fan to one side. Serves four.

Cherry Vanilla Cobbler

6 cups cherries, pitted
1 1/2 tblspoon cornstarch

1/4 cup Monin Cherry
1 tblspoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup Monin Vanilla

The Cream Biscuits

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup heavy cream

2 tblspoons sugar
1 tblspoon Monin Vanilla

1 tblspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt

Nutmeg & brown sugar to sprinkle on biscuits and Vanilla ice cream or frozen yoghurt with sprigs of mint.
Preheat oven to 450f. Combine syrups, cornstarch, and lime juice in a saucepan. Add cherries. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Place mixture in a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Onto a sheet of wax paper, sift together the sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Transfer to bowl and make a well in the centre. In a bowl, beat the cream to soft peaks, scoop it into the well, add Monin Vanilla syrup and stir with a fork until it forms a dough. Turn onto a floured board and knead to combine well. Pat out to a thickness of 3/4". With a biscuit cutter or a glass (the rim dipped in flour to prevent sticking), but out circles of dough, arrange them atop the fruit, brush them with a little cream, and sprinkle with nutmeg and brown sugar. Bake on middle rack of oven 16-18 minutes, until fruit is bubbling and biscuits are browned. Cool for a few minutes before serving, with vanilla ice cream or frozen yoghurt. Garnish with mint.

Radicchio & Butterhead Lettuce with Ginger Dressing & Shaved Parmesan

The dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl spoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt & freshly ground white pepper
1/2 pound butterhead lettuce

2 tbl spoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tbl spoon Monin Ginger
1/2 pound radicchio
3-4 ounces Parmesan

Chill 4 salad plates. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or mini-processor and emulsify. Wash and spin or pat dry the radicchio and the butterhead. Cut into julienne strips and toss with enough dressing to coat well. With a vegetable peeler, shave Parmesan and top each salad with a few shavings. Serves four.

Pistachio Frozen Mousse

2 large eggs (room temperature) separated
Pinch of cream of tartar
2 drops of green food coloring (if desired)

1 tbl spoon sugar
1/2 cup Monin Pistachio
2/3 cup heavy cream, very cold

Place a bowl and the beaters from a hand mixer in the freezer, along with a 1 quart mold lined with plastic wrap. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and pale. Beat in the syrup and optional food coloring. In another bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a balloon whisk or with an electric mixer, starting off slowly and gradually increasing the speed, until they just hold stiff peaks. In chilled bowl, with chilled beaters, whip cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the yolk and syrup mixture, then fold in cream. Pour into prepared mold, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze several hours or overnight. Serves four.
Note: The Pistachio syrup may be replaced with other Monin flavours, such as Kiwi, Yellow Banana or Irish Cream. If using a couple of drops of food colouring to enhance the decorative effect, choose a color corresponding to the flavour.

Blueberry Coulis

1 cup blueberries plus a dozen or so for garnish 1/4 cup Monin Blueberry syrup

Liquefy the blueberries and syrup in a blender. Strain into a jar and refrigerate. Spoon some of the coulis onto each dessert plate, set a slice of mousse atop it, then drizzle some more over the mousse, but without covering it, and top with a few blueberries. Note: If making another flavour of mousse, prepare a coulis that complements that flavour. The method is the same.

Red & Green Leaf Lettuce with Mango Yoghurt

The dressing:

1/4 cup plain nonfat yoghurt
1 1/2 tbl spoon white wine vinegar
1 tbl spoon Monin Mango
1/2 pound red leaf lettuce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt & freshly ground white pepper
1/2 pound green leaf lettuce

Chill 4 salad plates. Combine all dressing ingredients in a mini-processor or blender. Blend. Refrigerate until ready to use. Wash lettuce leaves, spin or pat dry. Tear into bite sized pieces and refrigerate. Toss lettuce with just enough dressing to coat.
Serves 4.

Scallops Seviche with Lime Juice Cordial & Coriander Seed

2 tbl spoons white wine vinegar
1 pound bay scallops
1 small hot chilli pepper, minced
6 cups mixed salad greens
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 orange bell pepper, seeded & cut in 1/4"

6 tbl spoons Monin Lime Cordial
4 tbl spoons finely chopped shallots
* 2 tsp coriander seeds toasted & ground
1 tbl spoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbl spoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl spoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar and lime juice cordial. Toss with the scallops, shallots, chilli pepper, and coriander. Cover with plastic wrap. marinate in refrigerator for at least 3 hours but no more than 6 hours. Wash salad greens and dry well in a salad spinner, or pat dry with dish towels. Refrigerate until ready to assemble, when greens should be tossed with lemon juice, salt & pepper. Divide among 4 chilled plates. Add oil and bell pepper to marinated scallops and toss. Place 1/4 atop each bed of greens, sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4.
* To toast coriander seeds, heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat and toast seeds for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until lightly browned.

Stir-Fried Jumbo Shrimp with Coconut-Lime-Cayenne Sauce

The Marinade:

2 tbl spoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tbl spoons olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
6 tbl spoons Monin Coconut

2 tbl spoons chopped fresh lemon balm or other mint
The shrimp:

2 pounds jumbo shrimp, heads off, shells on 1/2 cup dry white wine

Combine the first four ingredients, then whisk in the next four. Allow the marinade ingredients to blend for an hour or so at room temperature. Pour marinade over shrimp, toss to coat, cover with plastic wrap. marinate in refrigerator up to 12 hours. Spray cold wok with non stick spray, heat wok over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Remove shrimp from marinade with a slotted spoon, reserving marinade. Sauté shrimp about 3 minutes, tossing and turning, then add marinade and wine toss again. Cover and cook 2-3 more minutes. When shrimp have turned a bright pink, remove to a platter and cover loosely with aluminium foil. Over high heat, reduce sauce by about a third. (3-4 minutes) Arrange the shrimp around each plated serving of spaghetti squash and spoon some of the sauce over the shrimp. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serves four.

Parsleyed Spaghetti Squash with Zucchini Confetti and Tomatillo Concasse

2 1/2 pounds spaghetti squash
3 tbl spoons Monin Orange
3-4 tomatillos, finely chopped
1 small zucchini, medium dice
2 tbl spoons chopped fresh Italian Parsley

1 1/2 tbl spoons roasted garlic butter*
1 tbl spoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

* 1-2 heads of garlic, divided into cloves, unpeeled, 1 tbl spoon olive oil, salt & 1 tbl spoon minced fresh thyme or rosemary, or a mixture. Pre heat oven to 350 f. On a square of aluminium foil, place garlic cloves, drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with salt & herbs. Close foil into a packet and bake 40 minutes. Open packet and allow to cool somewhat. Squeeze the roasted, softened garlic from each close into a small bowl and mash with a fork.
Preheat over to 425 f. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Spread the butter on the cut surfaces of the squash, put 1 tablespoon of Monin Orange syrup in each half. Place the squash halves cut side up in a baking dish and put 1/4" of water into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with aluminium foil and bake about 1 hour. With a serrated grapefruit spoon, scrape downward from the cut edges of the squash to dislodge the spaghetti like strands into a bowl. Add the olive oil, one more tablespoon of Monin Orange syrup, the tomatillos and zucchini, and toss. Add the pepper, salt to taste, and chopped parsley. Toss again. Serves 4-6.

Watercress and Curly Endive with Kiwi Lemongrass Dressing

The dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tbl spoon minced fresh lemongrass
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

3 tbl spoons cider vinegar
3 tbl spoons cider vinegar

Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or mini-processor and blend. Set aside, unrefrigerated, for several hours to allow the lemongrass to flavour the dressing.

1 head curly endive 1 bunch watercress 2 kiwis

Wash and spin or pat dry the curly endive, refrigerate until ready to assemble the salad. Wash the watercress separately and dry, refrigerate. Pass the dressing through a very fine strainer, pressing down on the solids to extract all the flavour. Chill 4 salad plates. Peel and slice the kiwis. Toss the watercress and curly endive with enough of the dressing to moisten it well. Arrange a few slices of kiwi atop each plated serving of salad. Serves 4.

Roasted Red & Yellow Peppers with Scallions

2 tbl spoons olive oil
2 yellow bell peppers
4 tbl spoons capers rinsed and roughly chopped
1-2 tbl spoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 red bell peppers
1 tbl spoon Monin Lime syrup
2 scallions (white and pale green parts only) thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 450 f. Seed the peppers and remove the white rives, but into strips lengthwise. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a cast iron skillet. Add peppers and cook 8-10 minutes, until they are limp. Stir in Monin Lime syrup. Salt lightly, season with pepper, stir in capers. Place in oven and cook, uncovered, until peppers look roasted, about 20 minutes, turning them 2 or 3 times so that they don't burn. Serve warm or at room temperature with warm crusty bread. Top each plated serving with a scattering of scallions and parsley.

Peach-Dijon Double Pork Chops

The Marinade:

1/4 cup Monin Peach syrup
1 tbl spoon Dijon mustard
1 tbl spoon chopped rosemary

2 tbl spoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

The Chops

4 double centre-cut pork loin chops
1/4 cup dry sherry

1-2 tbl spoons olive oil
Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Marinate chops for 24 hours, turning occasionally. Remove chops from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 325 f. Remove chops from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve marinade. In a cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil until hot but not smoking. Sear chops on both sides, until they have browned nicely, adding a little more oil if necessary to keep them from sticking. Remove chops to a shallow baking dish. Discard cooking oil and deglaze skillet with sherry, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add marinade, boil 2 minutes, and pour over chops. Cover baking dish with aluminium foil and cook 30 minutes, turning the chops halfway through. Garnish each serving with a sprig or two of rosemary. Serves four.

Pistachio Potato Gratin

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8" thick
8 ounces chicken stock (defatted)
8 ounces skim milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbl spoons Monin Pistachio
3 tbl spoons fresh leafy herbs i.e. parsley, mint, tarragon
1/4 cup dry roasted pistachios, shelled, skinned, roughly chopped
Preheat oven to 425 f. Over medium high heat, bring the potatoes, milk, chicken stock and salt to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent potatoes from sticking to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring now and then, about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat, add pepper, and set aside. Gently stir in Monin Pistachio syrup. Place half the potato mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle with half the garlic-herb mixture. Add the rest of the potatoes, then the rest of the garlic-herb mixture. Bake 30 minutes, sprinkle the nuts on top, bake another 5 minutes.
Note: If you place the potato slices directly into the milk and chicken stock as they are sliced, you will avoid having them turn brown.

Mocha Semifreddo with Caramel Sauce

The semifreddo:
2 tbl spoons cocoa, mix with 1 tbl spoon instant espresso & few drops of hot water

3 tbl spoons Monin Swiss Chocolate
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup castor sugar, sifted

3 tbl spoons Monin Coffee
1 cup heavy cream, very cold

The Caramel sauce:

1/2 cup Monin Caramel
1 tbl spoon sugar

2 tbl spoons Monin Vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream

The garnish:

8 sprigs of mint

16 amaretto cookies

Place a medium bowl and beaters from a hand mixer in freezer. Line a metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving 2" overhang at either end, and place in freezer. In the large bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat eggs until thick and pale. Combine dissolved cocoa and espresso with syrups and add this mixture, in a stream, to the eggs while beating. Beat 8 minutes at high speed, until volume has almost doubled. In the bowl from the freezer, whip cream with hand mixer and very cold beaters until it just holds stiff peaks. Incorporate sugar and fold into egg mixture gently but thoroughly, one third at a time. Pour mixture into loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight. For the sauce, boil the syrups with the sugar until dark amber, remove from heat, and when bubbling has stopped, stir in cream. Cool for 15-20 minutes. Wi a spoon, drizzle over plated slices of semifreddo and garnish with a sprig of mint and a couple of amaretto cookies. Refrigerate any remaining caramel sauce. Serves 8.

If you have created your own recipe using Monin Syrups, we would love to hear from you and include your recipe on this web site.