icookstuff, recipes blog http://www.icookstuff.com/ A food blog with recipes from the world cuisine, veggie and for kids too Tue, 5 May 2026 4:53:05 CESTen-US hourly1 <![CDATA[«horta» salad with beetroot greens]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/greek-horta-wild-greens-herbs-salad-beetroot-leaves-recipe/ 02.05.2026 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/greek-horta-wild-greens-herbs-salad-beetroot-leaves-recipe/

The story of «horta» is essentially the story of Greek resilience, a culinary tradition born from the rugged mountains and the necessity of the seasons. While the word simply translates to "greens," it carries a weight of cultural identity that spans millennia, representing a deep, ancestral knowledge of the land. In Greece, foraging is not a modern hobby but a fundamental skill that has sustained the...

]]> <![CDATA[roast chicken & vegetable croquettes]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/croquettes-spanish-croquetas-bechamel-roast-chicken-vegetable-recipe/ 18.04.2026 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/croquettes-spanish-croquetas-bechamel-roast-chicken-vegetable-recipe/

These new croquettes, better called “croquetas de pollo asado y verduras” in spanish, captures that fleeting seasonal transition, where the comforting, marrow-deep warmth of winter meals meets the charred, crunchy and aromatic vibrancy of the coming summer !

]]> <![CDATA[laminated & rolled «tsoureki» brioche buns]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/mini-tsoureki-brioche-ensaimada-buns-laminated-rolled-recipe-easter/ 04.04.2026 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/mini-tsoureki-brioche-ensaimada-buns-laminated-rolled-recipe-easter/

The laminated “tsoureki” or “tsourekaki”, like a little brioche or ensaïmada, represents the fourth major evolution of my search for the ultimate Hellenic crumb. While rooted in the foundations of my 21st century tsoureki recipe ]]> <![CDATA[bakaliaro (crispy battered salt-cod) & skordalia (potato-garlic purée) & horta (blanched bitter greens salad)]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/greek-recipe-national-meal-bakaliaro-crispy-battered-salt-cod-skordalia-potato-garlic-puree-horta-blanched-bitter-greens-salad/ 21.03.2026 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/greek-recipe-national-meal-bakaliaro-crispy-battered-salt-cod-skordalia-potato-garlic-puree-horta-blanched-bitter-greens-salad/

On March 25th, Greeks worldwide gather around the "national meal", a storied trio of crispy bakaliaro and creamy skordalia and vibrant horta, celebrating a dual heritage : the 1821 War of Independence and the Feast of...

]]> <![CDATA[mallorcan «ensaïmada» mini easter sweet breads]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/ensaimada-spanish-mallorca-easter-bread-buns-recipe/ 07.03.2026 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/ensaimada-spanish-mallorca-easter-bread-buns-recipe/

Patience is the defining ingredient of an authentic Mallorcan Ensaïmada. Hailing from Spain's Balearic Islands, this iconic spiral pastry transforms the most basic staples : flour, water, lard, sugar, eggs, and yeast, into an impossibly airy, delicate, and layered treat. 

Its...

]]> <![CDATA[artisanal twisted bread «ficelles» with bacon & egg & cheeses]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/artisanal-twisted-stuffed-bread-string-ficelle-bacon-cheese-egg-recipe/ 21.02.2026 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/artisanal-twisted-stuffed-bread-string-ficelle-bacon-cheese-egg-recipe/

This recipe reimagines the classic French “ficelle”  as a hearty, savory breakfast, lunch or snacking bread, with a generous filling of salty, smoked thick-cut bacon, soft-scrambled eggs, sharp cheddar and nutty gruyère, laminated directly into the dough, becoming a slender, high-impact loaf where every bite is a balance of crust and core...

]]> <![CDATA[rustic «patatas bravas» with baby potatoes & sauces]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/patatas-bravas-spanish-tapas-rustic-recipe-sauce-allioli/ 07.02.2026 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/patatas-bravas-spanish-tapas-rustic-recipe-sauce-allioli/

Experience a no-peel, zero-waste twist on the classic Spanish tapas dish: this high-crunch yet tender double-fried version comes with two updated sauces !

There’s something magical about waking up to market day in Paris, when the sounds of metal poles and the scents of olives, rotisserie meats, fresh...

]]> <![CDATA[chicken soup ‘from scratch’ (with vermicelli noodles)]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/best-homemade-chicken-soup-noodles-recipe/ 24.01.2026 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/best-homemade-chicken-soup-noodles-recipe/

This recipe was crafted with meticulous care, patience, and great attention in order to recreate the chicken soup of my dreams: a delicately flavored dish that highlights a perfect balance between all the ingredients, especially the chicken, with an approach that uses every possible part to prepare the broth and soup as completely as possible, all while ensuring zero waste !

]]> <![CDATA[fried spanish padrón mini peppers]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/padron-fried-spanish-mini-peppers-recipe/ 10.01.2026 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/padron-fried-spanish-mini-peppers-recipe/

After holiday indulgences, it’s perhaps time to enjoy more vegetables again, like this spanish tapa (appetizer) and one of my favorite and probably the simplest preparation ever !

Over the years, I’ve focused on decreasing meat intake and I find myself always pairing their preparation with...

]]> <![CDATA[spanish cured ham & cheese «croquetas»]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/spanish-croquette-croquetas-ham-cheese-recipe/ 27.12.2025 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/spanish-croquette-croquetas-ham-cheese-recipe/

Imagine a crunchy and fried exterior breadcrumb shell, that reveals, once you bite into it, a creamy, almost oozing center, made of a thickened béchamel sauce, dotted with pieces of fried ham and onion and cheese !

As you know, I’m often in Spain. The country makes me feel alive and...

]]> <![CDATA[greek melomakarona-flavored french macarons]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/french-greek-macarons-baklava-melomakarona-flavors-recipe/ 13.12.2025 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/french-greek-macarons-baklava-melomakarona-flavors-recipe/

After so many years of blogging, and going through old recipe scribblings, I was stunned that I had never published a “macaron” recipe, which is probably one of the desserts I made the most often, before even beginning the blog, so here it is, a greek version and it’s very surprisingly & pleasantly different & not that difficult !

]]> <![CDATA[quince «spoon sweets» preserves in syrup with almonds]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/quince-dessert-preserves-spoon-sweet-almonds-recipe/ 29.11.2025 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/quince-dessert-preserves-spoon-sweet-almonds-recipe/

Three textures : chewy, syrupy and crunchy reunited, to create a magical dessert option made in mostly Balkan villages for centuries, getting the household and its visiting guests through the winter months ! 

Spoon sweets are a type of sweet preserve that hold a special place in the tradition of...

]]> <![CDATA[turkey breast, eggplant & mushroom sausages]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/turkey-sausage-eggplant-mushroom-recipe/ 15.11.2025 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/turkey-sausage-eggplant-mushroom-recipe/

Here’s a way to transform lean turkey breasts into flavorful and juicy sausages by incorporating eggplants and mushrooms. These ingredients help absorb added duck or goose fat, deepen the overall flavor, and improve the texture of the sausage. This approach is particularly useful for adapting recipes that use meats with lower fat content.

]]> <![CDATA[strawberry tree berries «membrillo» paste]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/membrillo-fruit-paste-quince-strawberry-tree-berries-arbutus-recipe/ 01.11.2025 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/membrillo-fruit-paste-quince-strawberry-tree-berries-arbutus-recipe/

Membrillo is a thickened and sliceable fruit paste, to accompany cheese platters, prepared in autumn, almost always with quince, and sometimes with apples & pears and never, to my knowledge with strawberry tree berries, which grow in our garden, so I gave it a try !

The scientific name of the strawberry...

]]> <![CDATA[«revithosoupa» chickpea soup with lemon & fresh herbs]]> http://www.icookstuff.com/en/chickpea-soup-vegetarian-revithosoupa-lemon-fresh-herbs-cumin-coriander-recipe/ 18.10.2025 g-tsak http://www.icookstuff.com/en/chickpea-soup-vegetarian-revithosoupa-lemon-fresh-herbs-cumin-coriander-recipe/

A simple, nourishing and vegetarian green and yellow soup that I started making last summer in Montreal (at my mother’s request), which is lightly spiced with cumin and coriander seeds and complemented with oregano, rosemary and parsley and brightened with fresh lemon juice, making it a great soup for all seasons !

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