Between the terrine and the dip, this tuna and pepper Tapenade is perfect as an aperitif for dipping celery stalks or carrot sticks, grilled toast…
Tuna and pepper Tapenade
Ingredients
- 160 g canned tuna (drained)
- 1/2 red pepper
- 1/2 yellow pepper
- 150 g cream cheese (Philadelphia style)
- Salt and black pepper
- Few drops Tabasco™ (optional)
- A bit chopped parsley
Instructions
- With a fork, work the tuna and cheese in a bowl.
- Cut the pepper in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and filaments.
- Cut the peppers into small cubes and add them to the bowl. Add salt, pepper and mix well.If you want a spicier tapenade, add a few drops of Tabasco™.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an half hour.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
For a nice presentation:
- Line small bowls with cellophane. Fill with the tuna terrine and pack well into the bowl.Invert onto a serving plate and remove the bowl (and cellophane!) to obtain a small dome. Decorate as you wish.
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This post was posted in Appetizers
Pickled Cabbage
For my version of pickled cabbage, cabbage and carrots are marinated with vinegar. This is an easy recipe and ready to eat the next day!
Pickled Cabbage
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb cabbage
- 3-4 carrots
- 1 head of garlic
- 4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup 6% vinegar
Instructions
- Cut, core and shred cabbage finely.
- Peel the carrots and grate.
- Peel the garlic and cut each clove into 4 pieces.
- Place vegetables in a mason jar.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, boil water with salt, sugar and olive oil. Remove from the heat and add vinegar.
- Pour hot marinade over the cabbage and let it cool completely.
- Cover with tight lid and store it in the refrigerator. Cabbage will be ready in 12 hours.
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This post was posted in Salads
Pumpkin Soup
French recipe for a silky and smooth Pumpkin Soup with two main ingredients. Healthy, colorful, and easy to make. If you have a blender, you have to try this recipe as soon as pumpkins are in season.
To impress your guests, serve this soup in individual pumpkins.
Pumpkin Soup
This soup is delicious and silky even without any cream. I add very little, just to make it look beautiful.
Ingredients
- 2 leeks (white part only)
- 1 medium pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin (about 1.5 kg)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Some heavy whipping cream or sour cream (optional)
- Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley) to garnish
Instructions
- Wash and chop the leeks.
- Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half horizontally. Scrape the inside of the pumpkin clean with the spoon or ice cream scoop (you can use the seeds for another recipe).
- Peel and cut into regular cubes.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook and stir leeks until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add pumpkin cubes and cook for 5-7 more minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Transfer the veggies into a large pot. Add just enough water to cover them, and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Simmer about 15 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Add a little more boiling water if the soup is too thick. Taste for flavor, and feel free to add more salt or pepper.
- Serve hot, with sour or heavy whipping cream and fresh herbs.
For a special presentation:
- Cut off the top of a small pumpkin and scrape the inside.
- Before adding the soup, heat the pumpkin for few minutes in the oven, then add the hot soup and serve immediately.
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This post was posted in Soups
Fried mushrooms with sour cream
Here is a hearty vegetarian dish with mushrooms, onions and sour cream. That’s all you need for this pan-fried mushrooms.
Fried mushrooms with sour cream
This dish can be served with boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes or rice.
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 500 g button mushrooms (or portobello mushrooms)
- 10 g butter
- 2 Tbsps olive oil
- 200 ml sour cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley)
Instructions
- Prepare the mushrooms. If they are not too dirty, do not wash them, but simply wipe them with a damp cloth. If you decide to wash the mushrooms, do it quickly so they are not saturated with water.
- Thoroughly dry the washed mushrooms with a paper towel.
- Slice the mushrooms.
- Peel the onion and garlic, then finely chop them.
- Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a pan. First, sauté the onion over medium heat.
- Then add the garlic (if garlic is added to the pan with the onion, it will fry too quickly and start to burn).
- Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add the sour cream.
- Mix well. Add salt and pepper. Keep on the heat for another 1 to 2 minutes, and it's ready.
- Delicious with mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta. Don't be lazy and sprinkle with fresh herbs: it will be even more tasty and appetizing on the plate.
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This post was posted in Main Dish
Roasted Pumpkin Wedges
Roasted pumpkin wedges are a simple and healthy dish that pairs well with fish and meat. This recipe is easy as pie and requires just basic ingredients like pumpkin, salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil and some fresh herbs.
Roasted Pumpkin Wedges
Ingredients
- 4 wedges of a big pumpkin
- 1 clove of garlic
- salt and black pepper
- Some olive oil
- Some fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro or scallions)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390F (200С). Line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Wash the pumpkin thoroughly, cut into two parts and remove seeds with a spoon.
- Cut the pumpkin into wedges. Keep in mind that this kind of pumpkin doesn’t need to be peeled. Season the wedges with salt and pepper. Next, mince or grate finely some garlic. Coat the wedges with a mixture of olive oil and garlic.
- Place the wedges on the baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes (depending on the kind of pumpkin and wedges size). When the wedges are soft, remove from the oven. Make sure they are not overdone.
- Sprinkle the roasted pumpkin wedges with fresh herbs and they’re ready to be served!
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This post was posted in Main Dish
Tomato Mozarella
What could be more delicious than a ripe summer tomato paired with authentic Italian mozzarella made from the milk of black buffaloes? This is a perfect snack for warm days when you don’t feel like spending time at the stove.
Tomatoes Mozzarella
Enjoy this simple and refreshing dish!
Servings 2 people
Calories 2kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large, flavorful tomato
- 1 large ball of mozzarella (from buffalo milk)
- A few fresh basil leaves
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- A drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Slice the tomato into wedges, removing the stem. Arrange the slices beautifully on a plate. Place the ball of mozzarella in the center. Lightly season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add a few fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil. Done!
Nutrition
Calories: 2kcal
This post was posted in Appetizers
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
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.
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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This post was posted in Salads
Tuna stuffed tomatoes
Here is my recipe for tuna-stuffed tomatoes with mayonnaise. Choose small-sized tomatoes if you want to make an appetizer out of this recipe, and cherry tomatoes to serve as an appetizer.
Tuna stuffed tomatoes
Choose small-sized tomatoes if you want to make a starter out of this recipe, or cherry tomatoes to serve as an appetizer.
Ingredients
- 180 g canned tuna drained
- 1 hard-boiled egg peeled
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- 4 small-sized tomatoes or 24 cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Mash the tuna using a fork.
- Grate the egg (or crush it with a fork).
- Mix the tuna with the egg and mayonnaise.
- Drizzle with lemon juice.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cut the tops off the tomatoes to form a lid. Hollow them out without damaging the skin.
- Stuff the tomatoes (with the tuna mixture) and close the lids.
- Cherry tomatoes take longer to stuff, but they will make an impression at a party. 😉
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This post was posted in Appetizers
Prunes with prosciutto
The prunes are wrapped with thin slices of Italian raw ham, the prosciutto. Easy to prepare and quick to cook!
Prunes with prosciutto
It is possible to cook the prosciutto prunes in a pan but it is better and easier to prepare them in the oven.
Ingredients
- 7 thin slices prosciutto
- 20 prunes pitted
- 20 tooth picks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 240°C (thermostat 8) and cover a baking tray with baking paper or aluminum foil.
- Cut the prosciutto slices into thirds lengthwise.
- Wrap each prune with a slice of prosciutto.
- Secure with a wooden skewer (tooth pick).
- Place the bites on the baking sheet and cook in the oven for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
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This post was posted in Appetizers
Gluten Free Banana Muffins
These Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins are moist and absolutely delicious. This is an excellent way to use your ripe bananas and make an excellent dessert that everyone will love.
I substitute all purpose flour by almond flour so they are gluten free! Brown sugar gives a beautiful amber color. A must-try dessert…
Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins
I like to use brown sugar, it gives a beautiful color and a caramelized taste but this recipe can by made with white sugar too.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 200 g brown sugar
- 2 pinches salt
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 50 g unsalted butter melted
- 280 g almond flour
- 120 g chocolate chips (60%)
- 120 g chopped walnuts (or other nuts)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 370 degrees F. Grease muffin cups with butter or line with paper muffin liners.
- Stir eggs, brown sugar and salt.
- Mash bananas with a fork and mix them with egg mixture.
- Stir almond flour and mix until smooth.
- Add melted butter.
- Then chopped nuts and chocolate chips. Mix well.
- Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 25-30 minutes.
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