Airlines share their favourite recipes

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to restrict travel, many travellers around the world are craving their next trip. 

Air France and Atout France have teamed up with some of South Africa’s greatest culinary maestros to share some traditional French recipes to help bring the magic of France into your own home. 

In a statement, General Manager of Southern Africa, Air France KLM, Wouter Vermeulen said that during this time of lockdown they have seen people embracing virtual travel to their dream destinations. And that while it is no replacement for the real thing, it helps keep that travel dream alive. 

Vermeulen said that another way they have seen people bringing the world to them is through food.

“Seeing all of those posts from people baking bread is enough to send you into a daydream about indulging in a freshly-baked baguette as you picture yourself strolling through the streets of Paris,” he said. 

Below are the French-inspired recipes that you can try at home.

Slow-Baked Lamb in a Rosemary Dough Crust. Picture: Supplied

Slow-Baked Lamb in a Rosemary Dough Crust

The Lamb

Ingredients

2.5 - 3 kg leg of lamb, bone-in

3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Some olive oil

1tsp salt

1tsp ground white pepper

1tbsp ground cumin

Juice of 1 lemon

Method

Make slits in the lamb and insert the garlic and rosemary into the slits.

Make a paste with olive oil, salt, pepper, ground cumin, and lemon juice, rub all over the lamb.

Heat a large frying pan and sear the lamb all over, remove from the pan and cool

Place the prepared leg of lamb onto the dough and enclose it by wrapping the dough around the lamb and pressing it together to seal.

Let the bone stick out.

If you wish you can decorate the wrapped lamb with dough off-cuts, fresh rosemary, and half heads of garlic.

Place the lamb onto a baking tray and bake at 180°C for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 150°C and bake for three hours.

Take the lamb to the table and break it open, remove, and carve.

The Dough for encasing the lamb

Ingredients

4 cups flour

2tsp salt

4tsp sugar

10g instant yeast

4tbsp finely chopped rosemary

450ml lukewarm water 

Method

Place the flour, salt, sugar, rosemary, and yeast into the bowl of a food processor, attach the dough hook and, with the motor running slowly, add the water and knead the dough for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic to the touch. 

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let it rise to twice its size.

Now punch the dough down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface.

Recipe by Jenny Morris. 

Classic Quiche Lorraine With Potato Crust. Picture: Supplied

Classic Quiche Lorraine With Potato Crust

Ingredients

5 eggs

1 cup milk

450g grated potatoes (rinsed and drained) 

2tbsp unsalted butter (melted)

½tsp salt + 1tsp for filling

¼tsp ground pepper + ½ tsp for filling

1 tbsp pecorino romano

½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved)

½ cup mushrooms (fried)

½ cup bacon (fried)

¼ cup onion (sautéed)

½ cup grated hard cheese (I used white cheddar)

1tsp garlic (sautéed)

1tsp chopped basil (chopped)

Method

To begin, preheat your oven to 200°C.

Add your grated potatoes into a large bowl and follow with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and pecorino romano and stir through.

Using your fingers, fill your baking dish with the potatoes, I used a round tart pan. Start from the middle and work your way out making sure every bit of the bottom and sides is thoroughly covered. Ensure there are no gaps as this forms as the base of your quiche.

Bake the crust for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are just cooked but not brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Reduce your oven temperature to 180˚C.

For your filling, whisk together the eggs and milk before adding the onions, garlic, bacon, cheese, remaining salt, remaining pepper, and basil.

Slowly pour the egg mixture over the potatoes making sure ingredients are evenly distributed. Carefully place the halved tomatoes onto the mixture, ensuring that the inside part faces upwards.

Bake the quiche for 30 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the potatoes are nicely golden brown.

Enjoy warm or cold.

Recipe by Tumi ChewMe Mogoai. 

Whether it’s for a special occasion or you simply fancy something more exotic than your usual soft drink, you can learn to create some Emirates sparkling mocktails with these recipes. 

Orange Fizz

A rejuvenating mocktail of fresh orange juice and ginger ale. 

Ginger ale is a Canadian favourite created by John McLaughlin. In 1904 he began experimenting with flavour extracts and invented pale dry ginger ale, the main ingredient of the Orange Fizz. It gives the drink a warm, spicy flavour to complement the zesty orange juice.

Virgin Cucumber Gimlet

A refreshing mocktail with cucumber and lime.

It’s pronounced Gimlet with hard ‘g’. It’s thought to be named after surgeon Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette who used a lime cordial drink to boost vitamin C in the British Royal Navy. Emirates uses freshly squeezed lime in theirs with the hydrating freshness of cucumber.