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.