all the recipes

You know those Portuguese puff-pastry & sweetened custard tartlets that we all love and buy when we can find them, but never make at home ? Well maybe we all can all give it a try now finally ! I’m not saying that this is the traditional way, but it might be the only way to kindly & encouragingly nudge you into making them soon,...

Called “bamies latheres me domata” in Greek, which means oil-braised okra with tomatoes, it’s most often prepared as a summer vegetarian dish that I adore but rarely ever eat here in France; but since I’m heading to Montreal soon to see my family, I hope I can prepare this stew with my mom ! Okra, also called gumbo or...

Making TABBOULEH, despite the simplicity of its ingredients : parsley, mint, scallions, tomato & bulgur grains and the dressing, is a labor of love, because it requires such precise & time-consuming chopping, but what a joy it is when it’s ready and served alongside many summer dishes, which is why I’ve chosen to explain my way...

A simple and delightfully sweet and crispy cookie, that crossed the Mediterranean from Oran in Algeria to Sète (near Montpellier) in the south of France in the 70’s and whose official invention and evocative naming only came about at the end of the 90’s ! The French and/or Europeans who were born and raised in Algeria, until...

A pairing that occurred haphazardly because I happened to have all the ingredients on hand, combining the various textures and colors, as well as the delicate flavors, to create this particular loaf-shaped quiche; crunchy, buttery, creamy, yellow, pink and green ! I didn’t grow up eating salmon nor asparagus but living here in France...

Fried fish evokes images and scents and thus memories of the summer season, alongside a bright sun, sandy beaches, crashing waves, warm breezes, clear and starry nights and easy-living and yet, anchovies are available all year long, so why not take advantage of this inexpensive delight all year long ? Anchovies, especially the smaller ones, are...

Moutabal is a Middle Eastern and more precisely a Levantine appetizer (Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asian region), made with roasted smoky eggplants, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, yogurt salt & pepper and nothing else ! I’ve tested different ratios of ingredients and have concluded that LESS IS MORE and I’ll explain...

A perfectly shaped, not too soft, neither too firm, somewhat rustic and obviously delicious bun, can be easy to make if you correctly balance the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, so it’s easy to knead (several times) and if you give the buns the space they need to rise and to bake beautifully ! It’s all a question of...

My nextdoor neighbours are young girls, studying part-time and working part-time and they were sweet enough to knock on my door and hand me a big piece of a quiche like this. It was honest and comforting and delicious in its simplicity. Here’s how I think their version was put together and how I modified it slightly to remember their...

Spring festivities roast lamb leftovers can take a while to get through, so here’s an option to make a second dish with what’s left, after at least the 2nd day of enjoying the initial preparation, with a colorful Mediterranean twist ! Shepherd’s pie, as opposed to Cottage pie, is made with lamb or mutton, while the second...

Here are little squares of nourishing morning comfort food with no need to add little side plates of butter and/or jam or anything else that is sweet and creamy, because these hearty and pre-filled dried fruits and nuts and seeds scones are all that you’ll need to get you through your day, at least until lunch time. I obviously know that...

Lamb belly, also known as breast of lamb, is rich and flavoursome, yet an underrated and thus inexpensive cut of lamb, due to its small size and higher fat content, yet providing excellent results when oven-roasted or barbecued with herbs, lemon and spices, if correctly prepared beforehand, so here’s a...

A modern reinterpretation of the famous Galician (north-western Spanish) and Portuguese tuna pie, prepared in a smaller hand-held individual format, called an empanada (like a turnover); combining a filling of cooked tuna, peppers, onions, tomatoes, olives and hard-boiled eggs and encased in crunchy flavourful pie crust. Historically the...

Here’s a clever and easy way to use up your salmon and/or mashed potatoes leftovers from a previous meal. Add a few extras for flavoring and texture, perhaps a little sauce and salad and the meal is ready ! The patties or fish cakes can be served as is, on plate for adults or even sandwiched in a bun for kids, using the same sauce and...

Here’s my 5th leg of lamb recipe for this year’s Catholic and Protestant Easter (in 7 days), Orthodox Easter (in 14 days), Jewish Passover (which begins in 4 days) and Muslim Ramadan (which began 10 days ago and will last another 19 days), because even when I erroneously think that my last recipe and method can be set in stone, it...