Quick and zesty gaspacho
As delicious and refreshing as it may be, I never used to get excited about making the well-known Spanish gaspacho, because flash-boiling the tomatoes, skinning and seeding them felt a little too tedious and labour-intensive to make a cold soup, you know? Especially since it mostly ends up being just an appetizer when we make […]
Exquisite salmon and green apple “rillettes”
In winter, classic duck rillettes spread on toasted sourdough canapés are my jam, but once summer rolls around, I prefer something lighter. Last year, you may remember I posted my favorite tuna rillettes recipe. This year, I introduce you to it’s hoity toity cousin, the salmon Granny Smith ones. The fish is perfectly balanced by […]
Genius sweet potato fries
The first time I tasted sweet potato fries was in a vintage diner that made amazing-tasting grease-ladden junk food: juicy cheesy burgers, perfectly-coated onion rings, hand cut fries, real ice cream milkshakes, old fashioned floats, etc you get the drift. Anyway, needless to say, their sweet potato fries were absolute perfection. Of course, they were […]
Moorish calamari with chickpeas and chorizo
The minute I tasted this mouth-watering dish at a friend’s house the other night, I knew I was going to have to attempt recreating it at home. And I did. Twice. Because it was that good. Adding chorizo to anything will make you feel like you’re eating at a lively tapas bar in the streets […]
Bring-me-back-to-Greece sautéed calamari
While calamari often conjures up images of battered, deep fried rings served with tartare sauce as an appetizer, it is actually extremely versatile. In fact, I prefer it lightly grilled or sautéed and served as a light hot summer night dinner. It takes absolutely no time to make and always transports me back to an […]
Refreshing feta herb hummus
Hummus is a regular feature on our dinner table. I love my original recipe, but I’ve also jumped on the colorful hummus trend bandwagon and experimented adding other ingredients to it. I’d be lying if I said all of them were a success but so far, I’ve posted my favorites. It all started with beetroot, […]
Savory herb “kuku” crêpes
These gorgeous green savory crêpes can easily be eaten plain because they’re so flavorful; but I usually spread some savory fillings and serve them either for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They are also a fantastic appetizer for a crowd. I like to use a variety of fillings depending on my fridge inventory: fresh goat cheese, […]
My gravlax
I love a good gravlax but when it comes to actually making this Swedish specialty, it falls in the same category as sourdough, yogurt and pickles: it takes days to be ready. So it’s rarely on our dinner table. But with Dubai’s current hot and steamy weather, I’ve been wanting to cut down on time spent […]
Marvelous crispy “socca fries”
Socca is a large chickpea flour pancake that’s very popular in the beautiful Southern French city of Nice. It’s usually served as a snack on a paper plate, with a generous dusting of pepper and often accompanied by a glass of rosé. Our whole family loves socca and it’s literally the first thing we sink […]
Pretty halloumi tartine with apricot-tomato topping
I love savory tartines. They have the elegance of a canapé but are as satisfying as a sandwich. This particular one was created out of serendipity the day I met CheesyCarla, a delightful Dubai-based cheesemaker who uses milk from the Deena Farm and Dairy to craft the most delicious organic products. Her succulent creations range from yogurt […]