Tabbouleh: a classic Lebanese salad

Tabbouleh, tabouleh, tabouli... is a classic Lebanese salad. It makes a delicious substitute for a rice dish on a buffet table. Tabbouleh is very good with cold meat like lamb, or with smoked salmon.
You can switch some ingredients and try new combinations. I sometimes add raisins to my recipe: cover 1 tbsp raisins with hot water, let stand for about 10 minutes and add this to your tabouleh.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: none - 2 hours in the fridge
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
- 1 cup (175 g) whole wheat couscous (semolina)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 2 shallots (or spring onions)
- 1 green pepper, seeded and sliced
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 2 tbsp almonds
- black Kalamata olives to garnish
- salt and ground black pepper

1. Put the couscous in a bowl, add cold water to cover, and let stand for at least 1 hour (up to 2 hours).

2. If there is excess water, spread the couscous on kitchen paper to dry it completely.

3. Place the couscous in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, the oil and a little seasoning.
Allow to stand for 1 to 2 hours.

4. Add the chopped parsley and mint, shallots (or spring onions), green pepper, diced tomatoes, almonds and mix well.

5. Garnish with the black olives and serve. You can let stand in the fridge before serving, if needed.

Shrimp Flambées à la Vodka Recipe

Vodka Shrimp Flambé: Yes, "Flambé" is French, it means in "in flames". This is how you can give a peculiar taste to your food and make a nice show for your guests at the same time :) I first tried this recipe with Mango Vodka and OMG, it was delicious! The shrimps really had a mango taste... My husband loved this dish!

Serves 2
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound (about 450 g) fresh tiger prawns, peeled (keep the tail, it's nicer) and deveined
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons Mango Vodka
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.

2. When the oil is hot, add the chili pepper flakes and let brown for 1 minute.

3. Still on high, add the shrimp and cook them on both sides for about 1 minute.

4. Lower the heat and add the vodka.

5. With a long match, set the vodka on fire and shake the skillet until flames die down. BE VERY CAREFUL.

6. Add the chopped parsley on top, stir and serve immediately, either with rice or mashed potatoes

How to make a delicious Carrot Soufflé....

... very easily! You'll love this simple recipe. A soufflé is a great side dish which you can make with a lot of different vegetables: potatoes, broccolis, zucchinis etc. I prepared one with carrots and it turned out great. Try it out and let me know if you liked it!

Serves 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients:
- 2 pounds carrots
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 to 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup grated cheese (parmesan or gruyère)
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 40 g (3 tablespoons) butter
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- salt & pepper

Wash, peel, cut the carrots and place them in your pressure cooker with the thyme and the bay leaf. Cover with water and cook for 10 minutes with the pressure regulator slowly rocking
Note: You can also cook the carrots in boiling water until they are tender (about 20 minutes)

Separate whites from egg yolks.
Drain the carrots, remove the thyme and bay leaf, and mash the carrots to obtain a smooth puree. Mix this puree with the sour cream, egg yolks and cumin seeds. Add salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven at 150°C / 305°F. Coat six small ramekins or individual baking dishes with butter.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until peaks form. Slowly fold in the beaten egg whites into the puree with a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into the 6 dishes until they are three-quarters full.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot with meat, poultry or a salad.

Broccoli Gratin with Parmesan cheese

This Gratin can be made with broccoli or with zucchinis. It is very simple and quick to prepare. And while it's baking, you can do something else! It is a good recipe to have your kids eat veggies :)

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
- 2 medium broccoli bunches
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 (375 ml) cup milk
- 1 1/2 (100 g) cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
- a pinch of grated nutmeg

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart.

Steam the broccoli florets for about 5 minutes: they shouldn't be too tender but rather a little firm - they will finish cooking in the gratin.
Drain the florets and place them in a rectangular baking dish (I usually use a glass cake dish).

Preheat your oven at 200°C/390°F.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and add the grated nutmeg, salt and pepper and finally the parmesan cheese.
Pour over the broccoli florets.

Place your dish in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes. The gratin should be firm, not liquid, and golden brown on top.
Serve with a salad.

Eggplant and Celery Stew - Easy Vegetarian dish

This stew is a vegetarian dish with can be served with rice. For the story, I wanted to make an Indian Eggplant curry but since a dinner was planned at an Indian restaurant at the end of the week, I decided to use my eggplant in another dish. Celery is a vegetable which is rarely used: it's a pity in my opinion because its taste is very aromatic. I personally use both the stalks and the leaves, the latter being even more aromatic.

Serves 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
- 1 big eggplant
- 1 onion
- 4-5 celery branches, with leaves, chopped - Separate the leaves from the branches
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup vegetable broth (more if needed, depending on the consistency)
- salt
- pepper


Cut the eggplant into medium size squares. Sprinkle them with salt and let stand while you prepare the other ingredients.

Chop the onion very finely, cut the celery stalks into small pieces, crush the garlic cloves and cut the celery leaves roughly.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauce pan and add the onion, garlic and celery stalks. Cook for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, rinse the eggplant squares and pat dry. Add them to the sauce pan. Stir and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Let cook for 5 more minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, the heavy cream and the vegetable broth. Add the celery leaves to the stew.

Cover and cook on low heat. Check after 15-20 minutes and add broth if the preparation sticks to the bottom of the sauce pan or is too thick.
There should not be too much liquid but it shouldn't be dry either.

After 45 minutes to 1 hour, the eggplants should be very tender. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot with jasmine rice.

Lemon-Ginger Steamed Chicken

The recipe I'm going to share today is very healthy and perfect if you are on a diet. If you are not, it's okay because steamed chicken is delicious and you'll want to have some anyways :-) Steaming is a great way to keep all the flavors and the nutrients of the ingredients. This recipe is an example of how you can use steaming for everyday cooking.

Serves 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
- 1 pound (about 450g) chicken breast
- 1.5 inch (3.5 cm) ginger root, cut into thin slices
- 1 organic lemon, cut into slices
- salt and pepper
- olive oil (optional)
- some mint leaves, chopped

You should use a tall pot with a steaming basket. At the bottom of the basket, place one sheet of parchment paper. Make some holes in it.

Evenly layer the lemon slices in the basket and then layer on top the ginger slices like this:


Cut your chicken breasts in slices (not too thin) and layer them on top of the lemon and ginger. Season with salt and pepper and, if desired, sprinkle a little of olive oil.

Start steaming for about 15 minutes.
When it's cooked through, serve the chicken immediately with slices of lemon and ginger. Top with freshly chopped mint leaves. You can serve with rice or vegetables.

Vegetarian Millefeuille with Summer Vegetables

This recipe came out of my imagination yesterday evening... no meat in the fridge but tofu, one eggplant, tomatoes and feta cheese. By adding some basic ingredients that I always have in my pantry, I prepared this flavorful dish which my husband liked a lot :-)
The presentation in layers is very cute and it's not difficult at all. Try this receipe as an appetizer or an entrée, and make it your own!

Serves 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: **
--Vegetarian dish--

Ingredients:
- 8 slices of eggplant (1 long eggplant should be enough)
- 8 slices of tomatoes (2 medium size tomatoes should be enough)
Note: try to find an eggplant and tomatoes which are almost equal in diameter
- 8 slices
Note: same as for the eggplant and tomatoes : it's better if the tofu has the same diameter - if not, double the quantity
- 1 handful of basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 4 big dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon almond powder (or pine nuts powder)
- about 4 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese
- olilve oil
- sesame oil

Grate the garlic cloves and rub each side of the eggplant slices. Pan fry the eggplant slices in olive oil until golden: you can proceed in batches. Pat dry to remove the excess of oil. Reserve aside.

Pan fry the tomatoes until soft and golden. This should be quick - make sure the tomatoes don't "melt", they need to keep their shape.

Wipe your pan and heat some sesame oil. Pan fry the tofu until golden brown on each side, turning once.

Chop the basil leaves and the dried tomatoes. Mix with 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and the almond powder.

Prepare the millefeuilles - place the different ingredients in this order:
1 slice of eggplant
1 slice of tomatoe
1 slice of tofu
a small quantity of basil/dried tomatoes preparation
feta cheese
1 slice of tofu
1 slice of tomatoe
1 slice of eggplant

Repeat to make 4 millefuilles. Top with crumbled feta cheese.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 390°F / 200°C, then broil on high for 5 minutes.
Enjoy with a baby greens salad and a balsamic vinaigrette.

Skewers: Thai Satay Prawns

If you like Asian-inspired recipes, this one is for you. Satay is a dish of marinated, skewered and grilled meat or seafood, served with a sauce. Peanut is quite popular in Asian cuisine and it gives this recipe its special taste.
It's very easy to prepare but you need already prepared (peeled and deveined) shrimps and some time for marinating. Enjoy!

For 6 skewers
Preparation time: 30 minutes + 2 hours marinating
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients:
- 12 king prawns, peeled and deveined, with tails intact
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/2 cup (80g peanut butter)
- 1 onion, grated
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2/3 coconut milk

You can serve with a Satay sauce:
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
- 1 stalk lemongrass (white part only, finely chopped)
- 1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped

Soak six wooden skewers in water for a couple of hours to prevent them from burning.
Prepare the shrimp if they are.

Using a blender, prepare the marinade by mixing the garlic, peanut butter, onion, fish sauce, chili flakes, turmeric powder, ground coriander and 2 tablespoons of coconut milk, until smooth.
Stir in the rest of the coconut milk.

Plunge the prawns in the marinade, keeping the tails out if possible. Cover and place in refrigerator for 2 hours minimum.

Thread 2 prawns onto each skewer. Keep the marinade for the sauce and to brush the prawns during cooking.

Prepare the satay sauce: heat oil in a pan. Add the curry paste and lemongrass. Cook for 1 minute on high heat. Add the coconut milk, peanut butter and sugar. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to let simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
Stir in the rest of the marinade and boil until thickened (2 minutes).

Barbecue the prawns until cooked through, brushing with the marinade and turning once.

Serve with the satay sauce sprinkled with chopped peanuts.

On the side, you can prepare saffron rice (basmati and wild rice): start with the wild rice which cooks twice longer than the regular rice. At half-time, add the regular rice to the sauce and some saffron strands. Drain the rice and serve.

Moussaka: a classic Greek recipe

The moussaka is a popular classic Greek recipe. The preparation is a bit long but it's worth it. Mildly spiced, moist and very flavorful, this moussaka will delight your guests. Traditionally prepared with ground lamb, you can use ground beef if you like.

Serves 6
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients:
2 pounds (900g) eggplants
1/2 cup (100ml) olive oil
2 large tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomatoe purée
2 large onions, chopped
1 pound (450g) ground lamb
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 ground allspice (quatre-épices)
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
salt and pepper

For the sauce:
4 tablespoons (50g) butter
1/2 cup plain (50g) flour
2 1/2 cups (600ml) milk
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/3 cup (25g) grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Cut the eggplants into 5mm (1/4 inch) thick slices. Brush each side with olive oil and lay on an oven grid.
Heat your oven at 180°C / 350°C and cook in the eggplant slices for about 30 minutes, turning them after 15 minutes.

Peel the tomatoes (I personally use a vegetable peeler, it's faster than plunging them into boiling water and then peel away the skin - your choice).

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan and add the chopped onions and lamb. Fry on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up the lamb.

Add the tomatoes, allspice, cinnamon, tomato purée, wine, parsley, pepper and bring to the boil. Then, reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for about 15 minutes.

In a shallow ovenproof dish, place alternate layers of eggplants and meat sauce. Finish with a layer of eggplants.

Prepare the topping sauce: in a small pan, melt the butter and stir the flour. Stir for 1 minute on medium heat.
Lower the heat and gradually blend the milk. Increase the heat to medium again and cook, stirring until thickened.
Add the nutmeg, cheese, salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the eggplants and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Heat your oven at 180C° / 350°F. When hot, bake for about 45 minutes. The top should be golden.

Dahl: Indian Lentil Soup

The Dahl (also spelt Dal, Dalh or Daal) is a vegetarian dish, traditionally prepared with pulses. For this recipe, I used red lentils. Deliciously spiced and flavored, this recipe is easy to make and can be served with rice, vegetables, naan or roti (wheat-based flat bread), or as a side dish with Indian curries.
The dahl is an excellent source of proteins. Enjoy!

Serves 4/6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
- 200g red lentils

- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves (or parsley - but you'll have less flavor), chopped

- 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes

- 2 inches (5 cm) piece fresh ginger, cut into slices

- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

- 2 cloves garlic, crushed

- 1 small onion, finely chopped

- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

- 1 teaspoon ground coriander

- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

- salt

In a pan, bring to the boil the lentils and 3 cups (750ml) water.

Reduce the heat. Add the ginger and turmeric powder and cover. Simmer for about 25 minutes or until tender. Make sure you stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Remove the ginger and add salt (about 1/2 teaspoon).

In a frying pan, heat the oil, add the garlic, onion and mustard seeds. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. When the onion is golden, add the cumin seeds, ground coriander and chili pepper flakes and cook for 2/3 minutes.

Add this preparation to the lentils and stir. Add 1/2 cup water and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season to taste.

Sprinkle with the coriander.

Grilled Lime-Ginger Marinated Scallops

Tired of traditional BBQs? This summer, try grilling scallops for a change! They cook very fast and are delicious on the grill. Big and juicy scallops are preferred because they are much easier to handle and they will not break up during cooking. I did not do it this time but you can thread the scallops onto skewers, it will be even easier.

Serves 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes + 2 hours marinating
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
- 10 big scallops, fresh or thawed
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 0.5 inch grated fresh ginger (about 1.3 cm)
- juice of 1/2 lime
- zest of 1 lime
- 3-4 basil leaves, chopped
- salt and pepper

Start with the marinade: grate the ginger root, zest the lime (keep some zest strands aside to top your dish before serving) and mix with all the other marinade ingredients. Check the seasoning.

Pat dry the scallops to absorb all the liquids.

Pour the marinade in a plastic freezer bag (like Ziploc®) and add the scallops. Close the bag and gently shake it to coat the scallops with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
If you chose to make skewers, place them in a large flat pan and turn the skewers from time to time to make sure the marinade coats each side of the scallops.

Heat the grill; grease it with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. When hot, start grilling the scallops. It will be pretty fast. Make sure the scallops don't stick to the grill and turn them after 4-5 minutes. Continue grilling on the other side for about 4 more minutes.

Just before serving, top with the remaining zest strands and/or chopped basil. Enjoy with a fresh salad.

Low-fat Lemongrass Chicken Skewers

Ideal for summer, this recipe is very simple and healthy. You can cook on a barbecue or simply pan-fry. Serve these delicious chicken skewers with a mango sauce and some rice or a baby green salad.
Happy cooking!

Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes + 4 hours marinating
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients:
4 chicken thigh fillets
1 1/2 tablespoons soft brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons green curry paste
Grated rind of 1 lime
2 stalks lemongrass


Mango salsa:
1 mango (small to medium size)
Grated rind of 1 lime
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

Cut the chicken fillets half lengthways. Combine the brown sugar, lime juice, curry paste and grated lime rind. Add the chicken, mix well and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, covered.

Trim the lemon grass to measure about 20 cm (8 inches). Leave the root intact. Cut each lengthways into four pieces.

Cut two slits in the chicken and thread onto the lemongrass. Repeat with the remaining chicken and lemongrass.

Barbecue or pan-fry until cooked through.

For the mango sauce, stir together all the ingredients and serve with the chicken.

Healthy and Natural: Eggplant and Zucchini Puree

Natural, healthy, easy, tasty... this recipe has all good! It is my own version of the eggplant purée. Usually, eggplant requires quite a lot of oil to cook properly in a pan, which is not a very healthy: the trick here is to brush lightly the eggplant with olive oil and bake it in the oven to soften it. Then I mix it will the other ingredients to create a smooth, light and perfect texture. Try it!

Serves 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: *
-you'll need a food processor-

Ingredients:
- 1 small eggplant
- 2 small (or 1 regular) zucchini
- 1/4 red onion
- 2 big leaves basil
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- salt & pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Preheat your oven at 210°C/ 410°F.
Cut the eggplant in the middle, lengthwise. Brush the interior with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the inside is soft.

In the meantime, peel the zucchinis (if you are using organic veggies, I recommend to wash them well and to keep the skin).
Steam then for about 10 minutes, until soft.

When the eggplant is ready, scoop the flesh with a spoon and add it to the bowl of your food processor.
Add the zucchinis and all the other ingredients, except the sesame seeds.

Blend for about 2/3 minutes until the preparation is smooth and all the ingredients are mashed.

Sprinkle the sesame seeds on the puree and served hot with some prosciutto/jambon de Bayonne. Enjoy!

French Potato Gratin: Gratin dauphinois

This traditional French recipe is very simple and requires only a few ingredients: potatoes, whipping cream, garlic, salt and pepper. Very easy! I suggest you add some grated nutmeg for a light nutty taste. Cooked slowly and for at least 1 hour, the potatoes melt in the mouth, it is delicious!

Really Easy Salt and Pepper Tofu

Want to make a vegetarian dish which everybody will love? Try this easy recipe with Tofu. Tofu is not a very tasteful ingredient but the texture is pretty nice. So we'll give it a little kick with pepper and a little crispiness by pan-frying it.
Great served with bock choy.

Serves 2
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
- 1 block of firm or extra firm tofu
- salt
- pepper
- mix 1 teaspoon vegetable oil + 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Slice the block of tofu. Then cut each slice diagonally to form triangles. Pat dry each tofu piece with kitchen paper.

Season well both sides of each tofu triangle with salt and pepper.

Heat the 2 teaspoons of oil in a large frying pan and add the tofu triangle. If your pan is not big enough, heat only half the oil and proceed in batches.

Let cook the tofu on the first side until it's light brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.
Turn the tofu triangles and let cook on the other side, until brown and crispy, like for the first side.

Once it's ready, transfer the tofu to a plate covered with kitchen paper.
Just before serving, you can transfer the tofu back to the hot frying pan and reheat for 1 minute.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot, with bock choy (quickly pan-fried with soy sauce) and/or brown rice.

Small Homemade Walnut Breads

I have a bread machine but for walnut bread, I use my hands :-) Indeed, I actually prepare individual portions because it is so convenient and so cute when I have family or friends over! Using the same recipe I'm going to share with you, you can make Fig and Walnut bread, for an even more fancy homemade bread. Ready? Go!


For 4 small walnut breads
Preparation time: 10 minutes + 1h20 to let rise
Baking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients:
- 160g / 1 cup and 1 big tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon liquid honey
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 10 cl / 3/8 cup (a little bit more than 1/3) warm water
- 1 teaspoon bread yeast (machine bread yeast works wonderfully)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 figs cut into small squares (optional)

Pour the liquids in a large bowl (water, oil, honey). Add the flour and make a small whole in the center and add the yeast. Close the whole with some of the flour and add the salt on the side (the yeast should not come in contact with the salt).

Knead with your hands for at least 5 minutes. If the dough looks dry, add a little bit of water or in the contrary, if the dough is sticky, add a little bit of flour.
At the very end, add the walnuts (and the fig pieces if you are using some).

Leave the ball of dough in the bowl, cover with film paper and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Then place the dough on a clean and lightly floured surface. Cut it into 4 equal parts and shape your small breads (round, oval...). Then place the breads on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and let rise again for about 20 minutes, covered with a clean towel.

Preheat your oven at 350°F / 180°C. Bake the breads for 10 minutes first, then increase the heat to 410°F / 210°C and continue baking for 10 minutes.

Spiced Chicken and Vegetable Couscous

The Couscous is a dish originating from North Africa. The Moroccan people were the first ones to export it abroad. The term of couscous comes from the name of the cereal (processed from semolina) which is usually served with meat, poultry and vegetable stews or tagines.
It is very rare to find twice the same couscous since any combination of meats and vegetables can be created to prepare this dish. So get creative and make your own!

Scallops on a bed of leeks

This dish is perfect for a "chic" diner. Scallops are a delicate ingredient which marries perfectly with leeks, which belong to the same family as onion and garlic. Leeks have a very mild taste and they are very good bones, joints, arteries and connective tissues. Make sure you include them in your diet thanks to this great recipe!

Serves 2
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: **


Ingredients:
- 8 nice and big scallops (4 per person) - Use more if your scallops are on the smaller size
- 4 leeks
- 1 + 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup (50 ml) water
- salt & pepper
- a pinch of paprika

First, wash the leeks. Make sure you do it properly since the layers might trap some dirt. Trim the leeks, keeping only the white onion base and light green stalk. The dark green portion is usually discarded since it has less flavor and can be bitter.

Chop the white base of the leeks into slices about 1 inch (1.5 cm) thick.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan. Add the leek slices and the water and let "melt" on medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the water is gone.
If you see that the water evaporated but the leeks are not melted (=tender) enough, add a little bit of water and continue cooking on low heat.
Do not let the leek slices brown, they should keep their origial color!

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. Pat dry the scallops with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper on each side.
When the frying pan is hot, add the scallops and let brown for about 2/3 minutes. Return the scallops and do the same on the other side.
**Do not overcook the scallops since they can become chewy. Be also aware of the risks of undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, shellfish and eggs consumption.**

Once the scallops are cooked as you like, lay a bed of melted leeks on a plate and place 4 scallops on top. Add a pinch of paprika on the scallops to add color. Repeat for the second plate.

If you liked this recipe, let me know!

Chicken and Peanut Stir-fry

Stir-frying basically means sautéeing and it is used a lot in Chinese cuisine. I like preparing stir-fries : it's quick and easy, and I can use any vegetable I like in this dish. Today, I'll share the recipe of the Chicken and Peanut stir-fry. If you like, you can replace the peanuts with cashews.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients:
- peanut oil or vegetable oil for cooking
- 1 1/2 (750g) chicken thigh fillets, cut into strips
- 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup cornflour or all-purpose flour
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- 2 carrots, very thinly sliced
- 1 head of brocoli, cut into small florets
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or fish sauce
- salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup roasted peanuts

Heat a wok or a large fying pan until very hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl it around to coat the pan.
Dip a small handfull of the chicken strips into the egg whites and then into the flour. Add to the pan and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes, unti the chicken is golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and repeat with the rest of the chicken strips, reheating the pan and adding a little oil when needed.

Reheat the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the onion, carrots, pepper and brocoli over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the vegetable have softened slightly. Increase the heat to high and add the sauces: soy sauce, rice wine, oyster/fish sauce. Toss well and bring to a boil.

Return the chicken to the pan and toss over high heat for 2 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Add the peanuts, toss and serve immediately.

Don't forget your chopsticks!

French Stuffed Cabbage for the last days of Winter

Comfort food is really something that I enjoy cooking. It is synonym of cosiness, fireplace, family and wool socks among other things.
Well, I don’t have a fireplace… but it is always a pleasure to eat a slowly cooked and delicious meal when it is cold and rainy outside. That’s my way of getting better in middle of the winter.
Last week-end I prepared a French recipe that my mom does a lot in winter time. In French, it is called “Chou farci à l’auvergnate”. It could be translated as “French Stuffed Cabbage“.

Serves 4
Preparation: 1 hour
Cooking time: 2 hours
Difficulty: **

Ingredients:
- 1 green cabbage
- 1 pound ground meat (you can use pork, veal, beef or a mix of these three – I have a preference for pork or veal)
- 2 onions
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 carrots
- 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup stock (vegetable stock is preferred)
- salt and pepper
- 2 long bacon strips and 2 long pieces of cooking string
(optional)

Mix the meat with the onion finely chopped, the garlic and the parsley. Season to taste.
Prepare the cabbage: remove the leaves that are damaged or don’t look good. Without detaching the leaves, try to cut and remove as much stalk as you can. This part is harder and it is better to remove it.

Place the cabbage in cold water in a large saucepan. Heat slowly until water is boiling. Remove the cabbage, drain it and let cool down a little bit.
Open delicately the cabbage, unfolding the leaves, one after the other; make sure you do not detach them. When you reach the core, remove it, chop it and add it to the meat mixture.

Fill the cabbage with 3/4 of the meat mixture. Fold back some leaves and place small amounts of the remaining mixture between the leaves, delicately closing the cabbage for it to have its initial shape.


Optional step: Cross the 2 pieces of cooking string (X-shape) and place the bacon strips on top. Place the cabbage in the center, cover with the two bacon strips and then tie up the cabbage with the string.
This step might seem complex but it is simple when you so it.
Place the butter and olive oil in a saucepan (large and tall enough for the cabbage). Add the chopped onions and the carrots thinly sliced.
Place the cabbage on top and add the stock.


Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low.
Let cook for about 2 hours, making sure the vegetable bed does not stick to the bottom of the saucepan. You can completely cover with the lid the first hour and then half cover for the time remaining.

Et voilà! Cut into quarters and serve hot.