Sunny ratatouille ricotta starter

Ratatouille is the ultimate Southern French summer side dish. It’s important to cook each vegetable separately and combine them only at the very end – otherwise you will end up with a goopy watery stew, which you definitely want to avoid. Because it is a little time-consuming, I usually make a big batch and use […]

Decadent burrata, tomato & tapenade in a shot glass

As I continue my series of easy summer appetizers, here’s one that I made using last week’s leftover tapenade. Burrata is so deliciously rich and creamy it makes a scoop of Hagen Dazs feel light. Serving it in a shotglass however, somehow makes this indulgence a lot more reasonable, which is why I am a […]

Gone-in-a-flash bresaola rocket and ricotta rolls

Every single time I make these  little gems, I get asked for the recipe, so here it is. They are not just a gluten-free gal’s best friend at a party, but also the host’s ultimate ally because they are a cinch to assemble and make ahead of time. Bresaola is really easy to find here […]

The ultimate summer caviar

To me, tapenade screams of summer. It’s what I call the Provencal man’s caviar. Just the thought of this herbed olive paste reminds me of my first summer in the south of France, where I saw it served as an appetizer on every restaurant terrace alongside a glass of rose, perhaps a Pastis or a […]

Insanely good cornmeal-crusted spinach feta quiche

For all of you gluten-free quiche-loving gals out there, this is for you. This polenta crust is tasty and very easy to put together: heat it, mix it,  press it down, that’s it. I strongly recommend you use good quality medium grind instant polenta – I buy this one at Eataly in Dubai Mall and sometimes use […]

Celeriac “rice” with decadent porcini mushroom ragout

Celeriac – otherwise known as celery root – is a vastly underrated and underused vegetable despite its unique taste and texture. The “rice” is a good alternative to carbs and also a change from its cauliflower counterpart, which can be hard to digest for some people (cauliflower contains mannitol, which is an alcohol sugar part […]

Jewel-like spring rolls

Spring rolls are just the best appetizer for crowds and once you get over the learning curve of rolling them up (see tips at end of recipe and this video), the sky is the limit when it comes to fillings. From the classic prawns/veg to the more unusual pomegranate/duck confit, you can really use all […]

Cashew cheese avocado canapes

I discovered the avocado-cashew cheese combination when post-workout brunching with a lovely friend in Abu Dhabi. Despite my good manners, I was just eating one after another and couldn’t stop. This is my attempt at recreating it. Cashew cheese is something a lot of vegans use to replace the real thing because it contains nutritional yeast, […]

Fancy pants sunchoke puree with rocket hazelnut pesto

I was first introduced to sunchokes, otherwise known as Jerusalem artichokes, when I was living in France. Over there, these artichoke-tasting little roots are called “topinambours” and they are often made into a puree or a creamy soup. In this one, I add a fresh rocket hazelnut pesto, which I sort of hijacked from Yotam […]

Rillettes de thon

Rillettes de thon is a French tuna-based dip commonly served in summer on toast or with veggies as an appetizer. It traditionally calls for canned tuna blended with some cream cheese and chives but I find that the addition of capers and lemon zest bring your taste buds to a much higher place. And like […]