We all know there are some recipes that make you feel at home, that make you think a while to the past. We do all have our Madeleine!

I have a lot, some that bring me back to my childhood because of their flavor, taste. Like the candied fruit cake that remind me of my grand mother. A recipe can make you remember of people you care or cared about, a place you loved to be, to go, some particular moment you enjoyed alone or you shared with some others.

Food has something magic. A smell, a flavor will bring you back to some holidays, to a place, to people you were with. Thinking about your meal, peparing the food will bring you the same thing. And if it’s not to awake some past feelings, baking or cooking a new recipe, a new ingredients will always leave you a souvenir, even the worst recipe or meal you ever had.

This recipe is coming from my friend Krishna, the same one that gave me the recipe of Le Moelleux au chocolat de Marine. She prepared it for the barbecue we had every year at the end of the oceanology classes. She prepared it at my place before we left for the dinner.

She was actually desperate in my kitchen, asking for some instrument or spice that I did not have. Yes, before having kids I was not that crazy about cooking. I just had my minimal.

« Est ce que tu as un presse ail? » (« do you have a garlic press? »)

« …non.. »

With her indian roots a garlic press was her minimum, not mine. I am still using the one she offered me after that, like I still have the glasses she left me after she did Caipirinha!

This taboulé is made with quinoa, feta, lime, fresh erbs and shrimps (if you can find it use the brown shrimps). It’s refreshing, full of flavors and do not esistate on the fresh erbs. The first time I did it I just had some coriander, but the next time I added tarragon and chives. Delightful!

Tabbouleh with quinoa

• 200-300 g quinoa
• 1 clove garlic
• small cubes of feta cheese (adapt quantity according to your taste)
• 200 g shrimps (brown shrimps if you can)
• 1 small cucumber, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• fresh herbs (cilantro or parsley, tarragon, chives …)
• 1 lime squeezed
• a little olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Cook the quinoa in the steamer (like rice), after having it well washed.
2. Prepare a vinaigrette with lemon juice and olive oil, fresh herbs …
3. In a bowl mix all ingredients and keep aside one hour in the fridge at least. Eat fresh!

Taboulé de quinoa

• 200-300 g quinoa
• 1 gousse d’ail
• petits cubes de féta (quantité à adapater selon vos gouts)
• 200 g de crevettes grises
• 1 petit concombre coupé en dés
• 1 poivron rouge coupé en dés
• herbes fraiches (coriandre ou persil, estragon, ciboulette…)
• 1 citron vert pressé
• un peu d’huile d’olive
• Sel, poivre

1. Cuire le quinoa dans le cuiseur vapeur (comme le riz), après l’avoir bien lavé.
2. Préparer une vinaigrette avec le citron pressé et l’huile d’olive, les herbes fraiches…
3. Dans un saladier mélanger tous les ingrédients et réserver une petite heure au frais. Manger bien frais!

The first time I prepared the caponata it was one of my last dinners in Liège before I moved to Italy. We did a barbecue from 4 pm to late at night. Friends came, some arrived really really late because they were stuck on the highway coming back from Ostende, on the seaside  (at a Roman scale it is like being stuck on the Cristoforo Colombo coming back from Ostia after a day of farniente!). Almost 4 years ago. I remembered we did tons of sangria, bought tons of beers (we did not drank it all, I brought back here), prepared tons of salads, crumbles, desserts… Nice time. Then friends left, I left… the end of an era!

But let’s be more « terre à terre« . The caponata is an sicilian dish, made of eggplants, olives, tomato sauce, celery, capers, basil and onion. Some recipes also include pine nuts. It is better prepared in advance as you have to eat it cold. So a fresh summer dish. I got the recipe from Elle à Table, the book. I did it 2 or 3 times since that day, and it seems to be appreciated by my italian jury.

I would suggest to take long eggplants (like the one in the picture). The bigger ones have more seeds and a little bitter.

For those that are following me I stop from now with the italian version. The recipes in italian will be available in another website, soon.

Caponata

• 5 eggplants
• 2 onions
• 250 ml tomato sauce
• 4 small celery stalks, cut into 1cm large
• 80 g pitted green olives
• 3 tbsp capers in salt
• 100 ml apple vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• Olive oil
• Basil
• Pepper
• Optional: pine nuts

 

1. Wash eggplant, cut into 3-4 cm cubes and sprinkle with coarse salt. Let drain for at least half hour. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and dry them with a absorbent paper (or towel) to take out a maximum of liquid.
2. In a large pot, pour olive oil and cook the eggplants. Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on absorbent paper.
3. Rinse thoroughly capers with cold water
4. Peel and chop onions. Fry them in the pan. When they were lightly colored, add remaining ingredients (except basil and pine nuts!). Cook for 15-20 mins. Add eggplants. Mixand simmer for 10-15 mins on very low heat.
5. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve well chilled (at least 2 hours in the fridge) with basil and pine nuts (optional).

 

Caponata

• 5 aubergines
• 2 oignons
• 250 ml de coulis de tomates
• 4 petites branches de céleri coupées en tronçons de 1cm
• 80 g d’olives vertes dénoyautées
• 3 c. à s. de capres au sel
• 100 ml de vinaigre de pomme (ou de vin rouge)
• 1 c. à s. de sucre en poudre
• Huile d’olive
• Basilic
• Poivre
• facultatif: pignons

1. Laver les aubergines, les couper en dés de 3-4 cm et les saupoudrer de gros sel. Laisser dégorger une bonne demie heure. Les rincer abondamment à l’eau froide et les essorer dans un torchon (ou essui) afin de faire sortir un maximum de liquide.
2. Dans une sauteuse, verser un peu d’huile et y cuire les aubergines. Les retirer avec une écumoire et les placer ensuite sur du papier absorbant.
3. Bien rincer les capres.
4. Eplucher et émincer les oignons. Les faire revenir dans la poele. Quand ils ont blondi, ajouter le reste des ingrédients (sauf basilic et pignons!). Laisser cuire 15-20 mns. Ajouter les aubergines. Mélanger et laisser mijoter pendant 10-15 mns à feu très doux.
5. Rectifier l’assaisonement si besoin est. Servir bien froid (minimum 2 heures au frigo) avec du basilic ciselé et des pignons (facultatif).

Don’t they look like nice and good these chards? This beautiful green and red. I could not resist as soon as I saw them at the farm. We name them bette in french. I remembered a day at my grand mother when I was a child. I was eating at her and asked what we will have for lunch and she answered me:

« des bettes »

but actually bette sounds like bete (beast).  At that time I was much more familiar with the world of insects than with the one of vegetables. My first reaction was to wonder why we were eating spiders or cockroaches.

It is also like that dinner last year. I was cleaning some topinambours (Jerusalem artichokes). Jack as always was observing me busy in the kitchen. He started that period of passion for dinosaur. He looked at the Jerusalem artichoke and told me

« mamaaaaaan!! regardeee des pieds de dinosaures » (mummy, look! it is some dinosaurs feet)

Since then I always think about that when I get some Jerusalem artichoke.

After Christmas, New year’s eve and all dinners we had around, I needed a break with a lot of vegetables, simply prepare and cooked. Just dress up with lemon juice and olive oil.

Chard with lemon and olive oil

Quantities will depend on your appetite and taste

• chard
• lemon
• olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Clean the beets: Cut off ends of stems and wash thoroughly in cold water. Drain.
2. Cook the chards in a high pan.
3. Season the chard with lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Bettes au citron et huile d’olive

les quantités variant selon votre appétit et gout

• bettes
• citron
• huile d’olive
• sel et poivre

1. Nettoyer les bettes: couper l’extrémité des tiges et les laver abondamment dans l’eau froide. Egoutter.
2. Les cuire dans un fait tout.
3. Assaisonner les bettes avec du jus de citron et de l’huile d’olive. Saler, poivrer et servir aussitot.

Bietole con limone e olio d’oliva

gli ingredienti a seconda del vostro appetito e gusto

• bietola
• limone
• olio d’oliva
• Sale e pepe

1. Pulire le bietole: Tagliate le estremità dei gambi e lavare accuratamente con acqua fredda . Scolare.
2. Cuocere in una pentola.
3. Condire le bietole con succo di limone e olio d’oliva. Aggiungere sale e pepe e servire immediatamente.

It’s so, so, so cold today! And it is a busy day for me. I am working at my macarons that are getting a little success here and working for the association of Rome Accueil. Did I ever spoke about that to you? I guess not yet. Well it is a association that welcome french speaking people coming to Roma. We do not have the vocation to find people an appartment, a house keeper or whatsoever, but we propose a lot of activities (visits, lunch, cooking lessons, italian classes… and so and so and so) just to help them to get a new friends group, to be a little bit less lost. It helped me a lot my first year here. My italian was not that good, I did not have any friends, I was pregnant and had the real need to be in contact with people from my country, having the same culture background (that I spoke about it already, the culture shock!). Now I am on the other side, I am in charge of people moving him in my neighbourhood. We will meet soon at some coffe meetings (at my home or another guest). And I am too responsible of the bebe groupe (funny no?). It is a nice meeting group of new moms and their babies. We share our babies experiences… mainly about which pediatrician they could see, where to get that…

Right now I am waiting that little Joséphine wakes up to give her her lunch. I love to see her face when she is trying new flavors. Most of the time her first reaction is like that I would give her some lemon to eat. She twisted on her chair and contorts her face!

Before I leave you with that warm recipe of carotts and coriander (a good mix, adapted from Fresh&Fast a book of Marie-Claire) I invite you to go check at my pictures (can I?). You remember I talked to you about that best picture contest « le végétal dans l’assiette » organized by the FIPC and 750g.com Well I posted 3 pictures on the FB account of 750g.com If you join the group (you click on I like on the top page of their FB account) then you can see at my pictures and could eventually vote for them (I like button) and even commenting it (thank you!). The 10 most commented pictures will be in final. 10 others will be selected according to a jury. Among the 20 of them the best food picture will be awarded. A lot of foodbloggers have already join the contest that promises to be a big challenge for the jury who will have to choose the nicest picture!

Have a nice day!

Carrot and coriander soup

• 1 liter of chicken or veal broth
• 1 large bunch fresh coriander
• 50 g salted butter
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 400 g carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes

1. Put the broth over low heat with 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander.
2. In a pan melt butter and add onions and garlic crushed. Let cook onions until get white. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add carrots to the broth. Simmer for 40 minutes.
4. Mix everything and serve with remaining chopped coriander.

Soupe carottes et coriandre

• 1 l de bouillon de poulet ou veau
• 1 gros bouquet de coriandre fraiche
• 50 g de beurre demi sel
• 2 gousses d’ail
• 2 oignons hachés finement
• 400 g de carottes pelées et coupées en petits cubes

1. Mettre le bouillon sur feu doux avec 2 c. à s. de coriandre ciselée.
2. Dans une poele faire fondre le beurre et ajouter les oignons et l’ail écrasée. Faire revenir jusqu’à ce que les oignons blanchissent. Ajouter les carottes et laisser cuire pendant 5 minutes en remuant de temps en temps.
3. Ajouter les carottes au bouillon. Laisser mijoter pendant 40 minutes.
4. Mixer le tout avant de servir avec le reste de coriandre ciselée.

Zuppa di carote e coriandolo

• 1 litro di brodo di pollo o vitello
• 1 mazzetto di coriandolo fresco
• 50 g di burro salato
• 2 spicchi di aglio
• 2 cipolle, tritate finemente
• 400 g di carote, sbucciate e tagliate a cubetti

1. Mettete il brodo a fuoco basso con 2 cucchiai di coriandolo tritato.
2. In una padella sciogliere il burro e aggiungere le cipolle e l’aglio schiacciato. Soffriggere le cipolle fino a bianco. Aggiungere le carote e cuocere per 5 minuti, mescolando di tanto in tanto.
3. Aggiungere le carote al brodo. Fate bollire per 40 minuti.
4. Mescolare il tutto e servire con il coriandolo rimasto tritato.

I already talked to you about Françoise et ses tartes. It is not possible to taste them here yet. But the good thing is that on their website they put the keys ingredients of their pies. One seemed interesting to me:

« carrot, apple and cheese???!! » said le centurion quite sceptical! « Yes! I am sure it’s gonna be good » I answered

So I tried. I did not have anymore curry so I exchanged it with turmeric…it could have been another spice, but this one came to my mind. I tried to figure out what could be the best way to bake it, the best proportion of the different ingredients.

And I baked it (and baked it again… yesterday).

First bite…and second, and then the whole piece of pie, and then the 3 of us (a friend M. was with us for lunch) have eaten 3 quarter of the pie. Just the decency kept us to eat it all, after all we had already eaten the crostini with mozzarella di Buffala and the beetroot salad. We had an apple pie with ice cream as dessert, some delicious cannoli that M. brought us and some macarons with salted butter caramel to go with coffee… could it be a little bit too much?

My parents in law tasted it the day after and just loved it. Yes it is like that here my recipes have to be approved, eaten, by the whole family.

This pie is unbelievable. I do not know quantities in the original one, but believe me, bake it, and you will do it again, and again…and again!

Thank you Françoise!

Bon appétit!

Carrots, apple and goat cheese pie

• 1 roll of puff pastry
• 160 g carrots
• 1 green apple (Granny)
• 50 g salted butter
• 2 cloves garlic
• 160 g goat cheese (the yul log type)
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 150 ml liquid cream
• 2 eggs
• pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180 ° C.
2. Peel the carrots and apple. Grate.
3. In a pan, melt butter. Add turmeric and garlic. Heat for 30 seconds.
4. Add grated carrots. Allow to heat 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the grated apple.
6. Heat for 5 minutes over low heat.
7. Beat cream and eggs. Pour 80 g of goat cheese. Whisk thoroughly to homogenize the mixture. Add some pepper.
8. Spread the dough in a dish. Add carrots and apple.
9. Crumble over the remaining goat cheese.
10. Pour cream + eggs.
11. Bake for 30 minutes.

Tarte carottes, pomme et chèvre

• 1 rouleau de pate feuilletée
• 160 g de carottes
• 1 pomme verte (granny)
• 50 g de beurre demi sel
• 2 gousses d’ail
• 160 g de fromage de chèvre (type buche de chevre)
• 1 c. à s. de curcuma
• 150 ml de crème fraiche liquide
• 2 oeufs
• poivre

1. Préchauffer le four à 180°C.
2. Eplucher les carottes et la pomme. Les raper.
3. Dans une poele, faire chauffer le beurre. Ajouter le curcuma et l’ail. Laisser chauffer pendant 30 secondes.
4. Ajouter les carottes rapées. Laisser chauffer 1-2 minutes.
5. Ajouter la pomme rapée.
6. Laisser chauffer pendant 5 minutes sur feu doux.
7. Battre la crème et les oeufs. Y ajouter 80 g de fromage de chèvre. Bien fouetter pour homogénéiser le mélange. Poivrer légèrement.
8. Etaler la pate dans un plat. Déposer le mélange carottes+pomme.
9. Emietter dessus le reste de fromage de chèvre.
10. Verser la crème+oeufs.
11. Enfourner pour 30 minutes.

Torta di carota, mela e caprino

• 1 rotolo di pasta sfoglia
• 160 g di carote
• 1 mela verde (Granny)
• 50 g di burro salato
• 2 spicchi di aglio
• 160 g di formaggio di capra (buche de chevre*)
• 1 cucchiaio di curcuma
• 150 ml di panna liquida
• 2 uova
• pepe

1. Preriscaldare il forno a 180 ° C.
2. Sbucciate le carote e mela. Le grattugiare.
3. In una padella, fate sciogliere il burro. Aggiungere la curcuma e l’aglio. Riscaldare per 30 secondi.
4. Aggiungere le carote grattugiate. Lasciare sul fuoco 1-2 minuti.
5. Aggiungere la mela grattugiata.
6. Riscaldare per 5 minuti a fuoco basso.
7. Sbattere la panna e uova. Versare 80 g di formaggio di capra. Frullare accuratamente per omogeneizzare la miscela. Aggiungere un po’ di peppe.
8. Stendere la pasta in un piatto. Versare le carote e mela.
9. Sbriciolate il formaggio di capra rimanenti.
10. Versare la crema + uova.
11. Cuocere in forno per 30 minuti.

*si trova alla Coop…