The weather is getting really hot here, I don’t know how it is for you, but I am getting scared of the next weeks to come, specially for Joséphine, you never know when a baby is thirsty. She is becoming more and more « mammone » as italians are saying, that means that she always wants her mum, be in the arms…all time. Right now she is doing lot of noises, bubbling, trying to catch up my attention and I soon as I look at her she stops and smiles (just so cute!)…Her brother was like that but she is on the way to beat up the score.

I already mentioned that beside growing up 2 kids, we are growing up sage on the terrace . The plants found their place and  keep expand! I can not see the end… After many many sage shortbreads, A. desperately came with the idea of sage pesto. I tried once pesto of coriander with almonds too. It goes perfectly with fishes.

This time almonds just tone down the strong taste of sage. You can use it in different dish like with chicken, pasta, bruschette, filet mignon….

Talking about sage and coriander, did you know that coriander helps breast milk production whereas sage decreases it!

Sage pesto

• 100 g almonds
• 40 g sage leaves
• 60 g parmesan cheese
• Olive oil

1. In a pan roast the almonds
2. Wash and tail the sage.
3. Grate the parmesan cheese
4. In the blender, mix almonds, sage leaves and parmesan cheese together at maximum speed and stopping from time to time to avoid the sage warming up.
5. When the mixture starts to get sandy add the olive oil still mixing until the mixture gets more liquid.

You can store the pesto in the fridge covering it with some oil.

Pesto de sauge

• 100 g amandes entières
• 40 g feuilles de sauge
• 60 g Parmesan
• huile d’olive

1. Dans une poele griller légèrement les amandes.
2. Laver et équeuter les feuilles de sauge.
3. Raper le parmesan.
4. Dans la cuve du mixeur (ou robot) mixer les amandes, feuilles de sauge et parmesan ensemble. Arreter de mixer de temps à autre pour éviter que le pesto ne commence à chauffer.
5. Quand la mixture commence à etre sableuse, ajouter de l’huile d’olive jusqu’à ce qu’elle prenne une consistance un peu plus liquide.

Vous pouvez conserver le pesto au frigo en le recouvrant d’huile d’olive.

Pesto di salvia

• 100 g mandorle intere
• 40 g foglie di salvia
• 60 g Parmiggiano grattugiato
• olio d’oliva

1. In una padella tostare le mandorle.
2. Pulire e depicciolare le foglie di salvia.
3. Col frullatore, tritare le mandorle, salvia e parmiggiano insieme. Smettere di frullare ogni tanto che il misto no si riscalde.
4. Quando il misto ha l’aspetto di sabbia, aggiungere l’olio finche l’impasto ha una consistenza un o’ più liquida.

E possibile tenere il pesto  nel frigo coprendolo con un po’ d’olio d’oliva.

A little break from Italy and macaron recipes. This time I enjoy summer, its fruits and colors festival to do some marmelade and experiment unexpected flavors (at least for me). Doing a foodblog is a little challenge: you have to write a lot (not my case ) but at least you always have to consider what you are going to cook or to bake. So you read you pay more attention of what’s going on on the » blogosphere » and you experiment. Example this recipe, an apricot marmelade is quite classical but add it some rosemary! the taste is just surprising, sweetness of the fruits and freshness from the rosemary.

We tried it this morning on some petit pain au lait (small rounded brioche…a recipe that I will share soon)

Confiture d’abricots et romarin

• 600 g d’abricots
• 500 g de sucre
• le jus d’un demi citron
• 1 petite branche de romarin

1. Laver et dénoyauter les abricots. Les mettre dans un fait tout et les recouvrir du sucre et jus du demi citron.
2. Laisser reposer toute la nuit.
3. Le lendemain, chauffer sur feux moyen-doux pendant 20 mns.
4. Ajouter le romarin et laisser infuser 10-15 mns.
5. Retirer la branche de romarin et mixer légèrement avant de mettre en pot.

Apricot and rosemary marmelade

• 600 g apricots
• 500 g sugar
• the juice of half a lemon
• a small branch of rosemary

1. Wash and pit the apricots. Put the fruits in a high saucepan, cover them with the sugar and lemon juice.
2. Leave it aside for the all night.
3. The day after cook the mixture over low medium heat for 20 mn.
4. Add the rosemary and let infuse for 10-15 mn.
5. Remove the rosemary, mix gently before putting the marmelade in container.

Marmellata d’albicocche e rosemarino

• 600 g albicocche
• 500 g zucchero
• spremuta di metà limone
• 1 piccolo ramo di rosemarino

1. Pulire e snocciolare le albicocche. Metterle in una pentola alta e coprire con lo zucchero e la spremuta.
2. Lasciare riposare una notte.
3. L’indomani cuocere a fuoco basso-medio per 20 minuti.
4. Aggiungere il rosemarino e lasciare in infusione per circa 10-15 minuti.
5. Rimuovere il rosemarino, frullare un po’ prima di mettere la marmellata in barattolo.

Previous week end it was the birthday of Nora, she sent me subliminal messages saying « I saw that recipe in the last Sale&Pepe, it does look really good »  » I remember that red onions marmelade you did for that dinner » « are you sure that you can find good pecorino cheese there??! »…Armed of every ingredients and pleasure I cooked the pecorino bavarois and the red onions marmelade (helped by my aunt who cried for an hour…). I did some little changes from the orginal recipe and my own marmelade inspired from the one of the talented Lorette (so so many good recipes in her blog). The combination of the two was just perfect. I was afraid it could be a little be heavy given the cheese and the cream but actually the eggwhites helped to lighten the texture. Everybody was just enthusiast about it!

Pecorino bavarois with red onions marmelade

red onions marmelade

• 1.5 kg red onions
• 750 ml white wine
• 10 ml balsamic vinegar
• 125 g honey
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. nutmeg
• 1 coffee spoon salt
• 1 coffee spoon peppers
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 100 g brown sugar
• 200 g sugar

1. Slice in dices the onions
2. In a pan quite high, pour the olive oil and add the onions. Let them brown for 5 mns.
3. Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 1h20-1h30 or until the juice is resorbed
4. Put in pot and let it cool down. Reserve in the fridge (this marmelade can be kept at least a couple of months in the fridge)

pecorino bavarois (8 serv.)

• 220 g Pecorino cheese high quality
• 400 ml fresh liquid cream
• 250 g eggwhites

1. Warm up the oven at 150°C
2. Cut the cheese
3. In a pot put the cream and the cheese
4. Let the cheese melt in the cream in a bain marie
5. Filtrate above a bowl and let it get tepid
6. Add the eggwhites and mix gently
7. Pour in the ramekins and place them in the oven on a plate with water (half level of the ramekins) in order to cook them in a bain marie
8. Let them cook for 20 mns at 150°C then decrease the temperature at 100°C for 10-15 mns.
9. Let them tepid before serving on plate with the marmelade of red onions

Bavarois au Pecorino et confit d’oignons rouges

confit d’oignons rouges

• 1.5 kg d’oignons rouges
• 750 ml de vin blanc sec
• 10 ml de vinaigre balsamique
• 125 g de miel
• 1 c. à soupe de cannelle
• 1 c. à soupe de muscade
• 1 c. à café de sel
• 1 c. à café de poivre du moulin
• 3 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive
• 100 g de cassonade
• 200 g de sucre en poudre
• 1 tante bien gentille pour éplucher les oignons

1. Mettre sa tante à contribution et lui faire éplucher les oignons et les couper en dés.
2. Dans un fait tout assez haut, verser l’huile d’olive et y faire revenir les oignons pendant 5 mns environ
3. Ajouter le reste des ingrédients et laisser mijoter 1h20 à 1h30, ou jusqu’à réduction du jus de cuisson
4. Mettre en pot. Laisser refroidr et mettre au frais.

Bavarois au Pecorino 8 pers.

• 220 g de Pecorino de très bonne qualité
• 400 ml de crème fraiche liquide
• 250 g de blancs d’oeufs

1. Préchauffer le four à 150°C.
2. Couper grossièrement le fromage
3. Dans une casserole verser la crème et ajouter le fromage.
4. Faire fondre le tout au bain marie.
5. Filtrer le mélange au dessus d’une jatte et laisser tiédir.
6. Ajouter les blancs d’oeufs progressivement.
7. Verser dans des ramequins et les disposer dans un leche frite.
8. Enfourner et laisser cuire au bain marie pendant 20 minutes à 150°C, puis 10-15 minutes à 100°C.
9. Laisser tiédir avant de démouler sur les assiettes. Accompagner du confit d’oignons.

Tortino al Pecorino e marmellata di cipolle rosse

marmelata di cipolle rosse

• 1.5 kg cipolle rosse
• 750 ml vino bianco secco
• 10 ml aceto balsamico
• 125 g miele
• 1 cucchiaio cannella
• 1 cucchiaio noce moscata macinata
• 1 cucchiaino sale
• 1 cucchiaino pepe
• 3 cucchiai olio d’oliva
• 100 g zucchero di canna
• 200 g zucchero bianco

1. Tagliare a pezzeti le cipolle
2. In una casseruola versare l’olio e far dorare le cipolle
3. Aggiungere tutti gli altri ingredienti e lasciare cuocere per circa 1h20-1h30 fin quando il liquido si è redutto
4. Mettere in barratolo, lasciare intiepidire e conservare in frigo (questa marmellata si conserva un paio di mesi nel frigo)

Tortino al Pecorino (8 pers.)

• 220 g Pecorino di primissima qualità
• 400 ml di panna liquida
• 250 g albumi

1. Accendere il forno a 150°C
2. Tagliare grossolanamente il pecorino
3. Far fondere a bagnomaria il pecorino con la panna
4. Filtrare dentro un’insalatiera e lasciare intiepidire
5. Aggiungere gli albumi, mescolare
6. Versare nelle coppette imburrate
7. Cucocere a bagnomaria  nel forno per 20 min. poi per 10-15 min. a 100°C
8. Fare intiepidire poi sformare sui piatti e servire con la marmellata di cipolle

Con la ricetta di marmellata di cipolle rosse participo al concorso sotto vetro dello spilucchino di Virginia

I discovered that little plant on the fruit market I usually go. They call it here « agretti » or « barba di frate« . Totally unknown for me I looked at wikipedia: « This plant is said to be halophyt », which means that it likes salt. « It is found only in the Mediterranean basin, in particular in Italia and Spain where it is typical of the diet ».

The only thing the farmer told me about was that I should try to cook it in the pan with a little bit of olive oil just time the « agretti » get a little fluffy. That’s what I did but cooking it with some lemon « confit » (home made, I give you the recipe just below) and its olive oil. It was surprisingly good, still crunchy and with a soda taste (actually its Latin name is Salsola soda and it was also used for the making of bicarbonate of soda!).

So now, « les citrons confits » the lemon confit, I really like it and for some years I was searching for a good recipe to do them on my own, with of course beautiful bio lemon, good olive oil and the occasion to do them. And I did it not so long ago, it just needed about one good month for the lemon to get « confit ». You will see them from time to time in my recipes, I love to use it for example in the « tajine«   and I am thinking about using it in sweet recipes too…

Barba di frate with lemon confit

• 4 untreated lemons (or as much as you want)
• Salt
• couple of garlic cloves
• Olive oil

Wash and brush the lemons. Slice them (1 cm width) and progressively put the slices in a colander in the sink. Add salt at the same time in good quantity in order to cover them. Kindly patient until the day after. Wash the lemon slices under water and put them tight in a pot. Add the cloves and cover with oil. Close well the pot and put it in dark for at least a month before using the lemon.

Barba di frate aux citrons confits

• 4 citrons bios (non traités)
• Sel
• quelques gousses d’ail
• huile d’olive

Laver et brosser les citrons. Les couper en rondelles d’un demi centimètre d’épaisseur environ. Les placer au fur et à mesure dans une passoire en les salant abondamment. Patienter une bonne nuit. Le lendemain, rincer à grande eau les citrons. Les mettre en pot assez serrés avec une ou quelques gousses d’ail épluchées. Bien serrer les tranches de citron. Verser de l’huile d’olive jusqu’au rebord des conserves. Fermer et mettre à l’abri de la lumière pendant un mois avant de déguster.

Spring is now showing up here…finally! Winter was so rainy! I was told they never, from man’s memory, had so much rain here during a winter. It was just incredible and as you might have seen on news, in December Rome was underwater, the Tevere never been so high!

Now summer is coming progressively and within the next two weeks the terrace will be set up and we will enjoy fresh warm air while eating, and even barbecue at the house of the seaside during holidays. I particularly love to be over there in Pescia, closed to Tuscany. The house is just behind sand dune and so 2 minutes walking from the sea. At night we all appreciate to meet around the bbq, and eat the « bruschette« , these slices of bread toasted and scrubbed with garlic before pouring olive oil (the Tuscan one is just so delicious with her fruity taste). I am telling you all that because recently I did some « poivrons marinés » and the centurion and I both agree they would be so great on the bruschette.

English table:

• 5-6 red, orange and/or yellow sweet peppers
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• 1 small stick of celery sliced thinly 
• some leaves of parsley snipped
• 2 table spoon of apple vinegar
• 5 table spoon of olive oil

2 days before, warm up the oven to  180°C.  Put the peppers cleaned and entire on a plate intheoven until their skin start turning to black. Let then the peppers cool cown before peeling them. Remove the seeds and the stalk.  Put the peppers in a colander in the sink until the day after.

Sliced the peppers and put them in a tupperware or a jar. Add the garlic, celery, parsley, vinegar and oil. Mix and keep in the fridge until the day after. Eat them freshly out from the fridge, alone or on bread or even chopped breast chicken.

A la table française:

• 5-6 poivrons rouges, jaunes et/ou oranges
• 2 gousses d’ail écrasées
• 1 petite branche de céleri émincée
• quelques feuilles de persil ciselées
• 2 c. à soupe de vinaigre de pomme
• 5 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive

2 jours avant, préchauffer le four à 180°C. Déposer sur une plaque allant au four et chemisée de papier cuisson les poivrons entiers et lavés. Les laisser cuire jusqu’à ce que la peau noircissent. Les retirer du four et les laisser refroidir. Retirer la peau (elle doit partir trsè facilement), enlever les pépins et la tige. Mettre les poivrons dans une passoire dans l’évier jusqu’au lendemain.

Couper alors les poivrons en lanières. Les mettre dans tupperware ou un bocal avec l’ail, le céleri, le persil, le vinaigre et l’huile. Mettre au frigo jusqu’au lendemain.