Cauliflower cream “verrines” with roquefort walnut crumble

Cauliflower cream "verrines" with roquefort walnut crumble 1

“Verrines” took the French appetizer world by storm about ten years ago and these days frequently show up at a French dinner parties. They are essentially little shot glasses elegantly filled with anything from gaspacho to tuna tartare. The reason I particularly affection them is because, unlike canapés, they are usually gluten free and you […]

Aperitif-style cauliflower crust pizza

Aperitif-style cauliflower crust pizza 2

I was skeptical about cauliflower crust when it became all the rage a few years ago. But when my quest for gluten-free solutions began, I finally took the plunge and was pleasantly surprised. No, it isn’t like the real thing, but it’s an interestingly tasty substitute to regular wheat-based dough and a great way of […]

“The” baby artichoke salad

Salade d'artichauts

I can count with one hand the number of times my husband and I have argued in the past 15 years. And our first – and most ridiculous – argument had to do with artichokes. Many years ago, while living in Montreal, we’d shop at the fruit and veg market every weekend. One fine day, […]

Muhammara – a really good red pepper dip

Muhammara - a really good red pepper dip

I first tried making muhammara years ago in Dubai because I wanted an alternative to hummus and didn’t know what to do with that big pomegranate syrup that had been sitting in my cupboard for 6 months. Wow, I was blown away: this spread – which is very popular in Syria but also in other […]

Rustic smoked mackerel paté

Smoked mackerel pate

I discovered this delicious little spread in the UK over the summer and couldn’t get enough of it. It’s one of these old recipes that’s made a comeback in recent years and is on a lot of restaurant menus there. So when I found smoked mackerel at Spinneys the other day, I jumped on the […]

Nectarine, goat cheese & courgette BBQ salad

Nectarine goat cheese BBQ salad

I don’t know about you gals, but after a holiday, I feel compelled to recreate some of the dishes I had while away. It’s my way of staying on vacation or at least of trying to relive some of the moments by fooling my tastebuds. In any case, expect to see some European summer inspo […]

Incredibly tasty courgette tartare

Courgette-tartare-pinenut

Not only is this little appetizer a total knock out but it’s also deceivingly easy to make. Just make sure you get good quality courgettes, and please please please don’t overcook them or they will lose their radiant green color. All the ingredients really complement each other – from the nuttiness of the parmesan and […]

Delightful summer vegetable “terrine”

Delightful ratatouille terrine

When we lived in Southern France, we had access to the most tasty and colorful vegetables – from the sweetest tomatoes and deep red bell peppers to the practically seedless courgettes and eggplants. This particular recipe, which is something between a frittata and a crustless quiche, used to show up once a week on the […]

Golden creamy corn soup

Golden corn soup

As far as I’m concerned, corn is right up there with watermelon and peaches when it comes to summer produce. This delicious creamy soup is great served hot in a big bowl with some savory scones or crusty bread (gluten free of course). It is also really nice cold, in little shot glasses and topped […]

Eggplant chèvre and roasted tomato gems

Eggplant goat cheese tomato

You may have noticed, I am having a Mediterranean food moment right now. As part of this obsession, eggplant has been a regular on my shopping list for the past couple of weeks and this particular recipe has shown up a couple of times on the dinner table. The sweetness of the roasted tomatoes paired […]