, , , ,

Cooking in confinement: Chicken, preserved lemon and olive tagine

The next best thing to being in Morocco is recreating its fragrantly spiced dishes in your own kitchen.
, , , , , ,

The best marmalade recipe from Mamé Clairette

Those who love marmalade consider it the queen of jams, thanks to its delicate balance of sweet and bitter…
, ,

Lemon soufflé cake

It will be two more months before I can bite into a juicy French gariguette or ciflorette berry that signals the real beginning of red fruit season. In the meantime, thankfully, there is citrus fruit: vivid lemons, the last of the local clementines, bergamot, bitter oranges for marmalade, and - just occasionally - the deeper orangey-yellow Meyer lemon.

, ,

Instant minestrone

By the time I have chatted with my favorite farmers and sipped coffee on a sunny terrace with the friends whose paths inevitably cross mine, I often find that there is no time left to cook lunch.

 
Gratin de Ravioles
,

Fast food à la française:
gratin de ravioles

At the supermarket, I spend most of my time avoiding "convenience" foods. But, if I snub the frozen pizzas and star chefs' fancy prepared meals, there is one pre-made food I have come to love: the little ravioli variously known as ravioles de Royans or ravioles du Dauphiné. 

Yoghurt Cake
, ,

Uplifting yoghurt cake with bergamot and pear

I am aware that I have neglected this blog for a long time, and without making any reckless promises I would like to remedy that this year. I am going to start with a baby step: a short post about a simple cake that may change your life. 

, , ,

Making yogurt at home

If I had to compile a list of things I might potentially need for the house, "another kitchen appliance" would definitely not be on it.

Mirabelles
, , ,

Time for mirabelles

Mirabelles, like their cousin the quetsch (known as damson in English), are a specialty of the Alsace-Lorraine region. It's thought that René of Anjou discovered them during the Crusades of the 15th century…
Milk-fed lambs
,

Navarin d’agneau – Spring lamb stew

Easter weekend was the perfect time to cooknavarin d'agneau, a dish that I first came across many years ago while working as an interpreter at the Cordon Bleu cooking school.

The Elle Diet: Thai Salads
,

A week on the Elle diet

When I decided it was time to shed a couple of extra kilos before spring, it was natural to turn to my extensive collection of Elle magazines.