main courses recipes

When we were kids, every Saturday, after school (YES, my sister and I went to regular French and English school on weekdays and Greek school on Saturdays), my father would treat us to Kentucky Fried Chicken or McDonald’s (it was all new to us and YES, my dad is the sweetest). This may explain why many of us automatically eat these foods...

Like I said, don’t be a “CHICKEN”… buy some WHOLE FISH today ! You know what, I’m a bit of a “chicken” too when it comes to buying whole fresh fish, or at least I was. Now I try to buy some every 2 weeks. I know (and you know) how much easier it is to buy fish steaks and filets or to eat fish sticks...

A SUITCASE full of fresh fruits and vegetables from a friend coming back from a vacation is both wonderful and magical and a bit crazy ! And what’s crazier is when they’re a gift for you because you enjoy cooking. An obviously wonderful gesture (because someone is thinking of you) but also the type of gift that is stamped with an...

Back to salted cod again ! I can’t help myself ! This recipe is an adaptation of my oven-baked bacalhau salted cod with vegetables dish, yet different in texture, a more compacted and crispier version, almost like a barbecue (but not quite) because the skewers are baked and then grilled in the oven. Of course, the extra touch which consists...

I have always found that the tart taste of rhubarb was fantastic with pork. My first trials with rhubarb were always with savory dishes, sweet dishes came much later ! I often cook my meat with lemon juice but this time, rhubarb would be enough, with a little honey and ginger and garlic. Don’t forget that the rhubarb must be disgorged of its...

A STEAK is one of those meals that we don’t often have at home, it’s either too dry or too chewy or too over-cooked or too runny because we forget to let it sit before slicing into it. Also a symbol of respect and friendship when you invite a friend for a steak dinner in a restaurant … I love the expression “Let me buy you...

I PROMISE NOT TO MAKE ANYTHING ELSE WITH ZUCCHINI IN 2015 ! But it’s been a very good year for these vegetables. People haven’t stopped dropping off their little summer harvests so obviously I couldn’t waste them, because it’s wonderful to share food, especially when you grow it yourself ! So far this year, I’ve...

A little bit of this, a little bit of that, put it all together, top it all off with a little bit of this and maybe a little more of that and what you have is an easy green tomato pita PIZZA ! Until I figure out and complete my pizza dough experiments,I think this could be a nice and easy and quick option ! Of course I'm referring to my...

Tomato acidity, ricotta freshness, mustardy sharpness, herby crust …only 4 steps to make summer tomato ricotta tartlets, including the crust ! I appreciate this recipe because I use 1 egg yolk and 1 egg white so no need to waste or to store any extras in the refrigerator. The shortcrust is not there to contain the filling but closer to a...

Chicken is just one of those foods you can do so much with, whether using only the wings, the drumsticks, the breasts or the whole beast. Cooking it whole obviously takes longer and looks great, but then you have to carve it correctly, unless you’re eating it at home and simply attack it with your fingers that get stickier and stickier. My...

Oh my lovely, darling, sweet fresh figs … or rather salty-sweet roasted figs, because you were so juicy, so very juicy, so extra juicy (even when baked, that I had to make this recipe 2 times before getting it right). The 1st time, it was more like a rustic fig “soup” tart, with juices running everywhere and me just making a...

This may be (but I hope not) our last chance to make a large roasted vegetables dish (with some extra chorizo sausage) before the summer fruits & vegetables season comes to an end … or perhaps the opportunity to prepare larger quantities of ratatouille and store it for the autumn and winter months. (a good idea if you have some empty...

Back to the basics and traditions (or at least my traditions) ! … Last May, I made the the vegetarian and vegan version of this oven-baked dish with zucchini and rice and fresh herbs. Now it’s time to remake my mother’s (and other mothers’) original Greek stuffed bell peppers with a mix of rice, herbs and ground beef ! The...

"Summertime, and the living is easy" . . . so it’s also time for you to roast some vegetables ! Well, to be honest, life is easier if you have a mandoline to slice the vegetables thinly and evenly before roasting them ! Yeah, yeah , ha ha ! Obviously with this summer heat, I try to make things as simple as possible which is why I...

We are all familiar with falafels, chickpea balls or fritters that are wonderfully crispy-fried on the outside, soft on the inside, served as a main dish or in a bread as street food, often paired with pickled vegetables or coleslaw and salad and a few different sauces. Here is a version that is half spinach and just as great for vegetarians and...