Easy poached pears with chocolate

The pears are poached with a vanilla bean and a bit of sugar. Then, they are cooled down and sprinkled with shredded chocolate. This is a very easy recipe to make and will be perfect for a special event or holidays.

Easy poached pears with chocolate

Natalija
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pears
  • 750 ml water
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean cut in half longwise
  • 50 g dark chocolate
  • Some Fresh mint

Instructions
 

  • Peel the pears.
  • Cut them in half, then core.
  • In the pot, bring water to a boil with sugar and vanilla bean.
  • Add the pears and boil for 10 to 15 minutes, until they became soft but keep their shape. Remove the pot from the heat and let the pears cool in the syrup.
  • To serve, drain the pears well. Then place each half on an individual plate.
  • Sprinkle with shredded chocolate and decorate with mint.
  • You can also serve this dessert in a glass.
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Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh salad has been a fundamental part of Middle Eastern cuisine for many years. The main ingredients are bulgur, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil, the rest ingredients are fresh or marinated vegetables, olives, raisins and spices. This salad is very flexible, fell free to add more or less of any spices of your choice.

Tabbouleh Salad

Natalija
Tabbouleh Salad can be served as a main course or side dish.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g couscous
  • 200 ml boil water
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 4 tomatoes
  • 1 english cucumber or 4 small ones
  • 1 onion
  • 1 bell pepper (any color) (I used 3 mini bell peppers)
  • 1/4 bunch fresh parsley
  • 1/4 bunch Fresh mint
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Few drops tabasco sauce (optional)
  • 1 large lemon
  • 6 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, bring the water and 1/4 tsp of salt to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover tightly with a lid and remove from heat, let steam for 5 minutes. Cool it down.
  • Cut tomatoes into small pieces.
  • Peel and cut cucumber into small cubes.
  • Peel and thinly chop onion.
  • Remove seeds from bell pepper and cut into small cubes.
  • Finely chop fresh parsley and mint.
  • Place the chopped vegetables, herbs and bulgur in a mixing bowl. Add Tabasco sauce. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Mix gently. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Transfer to a serving plater or serve it as a castle (using a ring)
  • Or in a glass.
  • Or as stuffed tomatoes.
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Watermelon and Cucumber salad with Feta

This fantastic watermelon salad with cucumbers, feta cheese and onion is perfect for spring and summer. Sweet, savory and delicious salad or side dish will look gorgeous for your next BBQ party.

Watermelon and Cucumber salad with Feta

Natalija
The feta cheese is already salty, no need to add salt. Only pepper needs to be added, preferably freshly ground pepper. Make sure to leave the salad in the refrigerator long enough before serving.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 watermelon (or 1 small watermelon ) peeled and cubed
  • 1 english cucumber cubed
  • 1/2 red onion finely sliced
  • 200 g feta cheese cubed
  • 1/2 bunch of Fresh mint minced
  • 1/2 lemon (juice only)
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, gently toss all cut ingredients, drizzle with lemon juice and season with pepper. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.
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Berry Charlotte Cake

This is a famous French dessert made of ladyfinger biscuits, light mousse and topped with fresh fruits. My Berry Charlotte Cake is very easy to make, although it seems like not. The only downside to a charlotte is that it is not always easy to assemble the ladyfinger in the spring form.

Berry Charlotte Cake

Natalija
Even though the berry season is only a few months out of the year, frozen berries allow us enjoying the sweet taste of summer year round. If it is winter time or you happen to not finding any good berries at the store, use frozen ones, for the mousse and fresh ones for the decor.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 33 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g berries raspberries, strawberries or blackberries…
  • 50-70 g sugar
  • 500 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%) very cold
  • 8 g gelatin
  • 24 Ladyfingers

For decoration

  • 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • Fresh berries
  • Fresh mint optional
  • whipped cream optional

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and drain berries, add sugar and puree until smooth.
  • Pass the puree through a fine sieve, to remove all tiny seeds.
  • You will need about 1/2 cup of puree for dipping the ladyfingers. The rest pour into the saucepan.
  • Add 4-5 Tbsp of cold water to gelatin, and set it aside.
  • Place the saucepan with berry mixture over medium heat on the stove (don’t boil), remove from the stove and add gelatin. Whisk well until the gelatin is dissolved. Let it cool to room temperature. …
  • Pour the very cold heavy whipping cream into a large bowl and whisk, until the cream reaches the soft peaks stage. Do not over beat!
  • Once the berry puree is completely at room temperature, gently fold it into the whipped cream and set it aside.
  • Line the inside and walls of a springform pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap. …
  • Measure the length you need.
  • You can trim off one end of each ladyfinger.
  • Dip one side of the ladyfinger in the puree mixture. Let the excess syrup drip off, then line the ladyfingers (dipped side needs to be inside) in a tight ring, cut side down, around the spring form pan.
  • If you having trouble fitting the last ladyfinger in, you can cut it in half.
  • Pour the berry mousse into the springform. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
  • Carefully remove springform walls and plastic wrap. Transfer cake to the plate.
  • Dust with cocoa powder.
  • Garnish with some fresh berries, fresh mint, whipped cream and shredded chocolate.
  • You can decorate with ribbon, but don’t forget to remove the ribbon before cutting the cake. 🙂
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Cucumber and feta salad

This cucumber, feta, and mint salad is not only tasty but also very refreshing. It is an ideal summer meal. This salad goes very well with pita bread.

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Cucumber and feta salad

Feta cheese is naturally salty so be mindful to avoid adding too much salt.
Course Salads
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Author Natalija

Ingredients

  • 1 long cucumber diced
  • 200 g feta cheese diced
  • 1/4 bunch Fresh mint chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Some freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
  • Some olive oil

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, feta, and fresh mint. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Toss gently. Cover and let stand in the fridge for at least a half hour.

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