The freshness of the cucumber and the bite of Boursin cheese in this smoked salmon roll will hit all of your taste buds.
Cucumber Bites With Boursin Cheese And Salmon
If you are not familiar with Boursin™ cheese or you don’t have any, don’t worry. A good substitute for Boursin is Philadelphia cream cheese or farmer cheese with some garlic and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 english cucumber
- 8 thin smoked salmon slices
- 90 g Boursin cheese
- some fresh dill (optional)
- 2 pinches paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the cucumber into slices (1/2 cm). Cut each slice of smoked salmon in half lengthwise (smaller than your cucumber slice).
- Spread 1tsp of Boursin™ cheese on each salmon strip and roll it up.
- Top each cucumber slice with a salmon roll. Insert a wooden stick down the center to keep everything together. Garnish with finely chopped fresh dill and paprika. Serve at once or keep refrigerated until needed.
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This post was posted in Appetizers
Puff Pastry-Wrapped Shrimps
The reason I love making Puff Pastry-Wrapped Shrimp so much is the simple ingredients. And because I almost always have frozen shrimp and puff pastry left in my freezer!
Puff Pastry-Wrapped Shrimps
Ingredients
- 20 medium peeled shrimps
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Season shrimp with salt, pepper and seasoning.
- Roll out the pastry dough and cut into 1 cm wide strips.
- Starting at the top, wind one pastry strip around one shrimp, slightly overlapping the pastry and ending just before the tail. Repeat with each shrimp.
- Place shrimp onto the baking sheet. Beat the egg in a small bowl with a fork, to make egg wash. Brush the shrimp pastry with egg wash.
- Bake for about 12 min, or until golden brown. Do not overcook.
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This post was posted in Appetizers, Puff Pastry
Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles
Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles is one delicacy that no one can refuse. The roasted hazelnut compliments the rich cacao powder. Store the truffles in container in the fridge for up to 5 days, but they will disappear from the fridge a lot faster, trust me on this.
Chocolat Hazelnut Truffles
If you don’t have hazelnuts, feel free to use almonds, cashews, walnuts or any other nuts you like. Just don’t forget to roast them in the oven before making the truffles. Fresh nuts taste way better.
Ingredients
- 150 ml heavy whipping cream
- 200 g dark chocolate (60-70% cacao)
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 30 g hazelnuts
- 2 Tbsp cacao powder
Instructions
- Bring the heavy cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips. Wait 1-2 minutes until chocolate melts.
- Add butter and whisk until smooth. Place it in the frizzer for about 2 hours, until firm enough to roll.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the nuts in an even layer on the baking sheet, and roast it for 10-15 minutes. Stirring every 3 minutes. Check the nuts. You are looking for the color to be a few shades darker. When the nuts are browned and smell nutty, remove from the oven and transfer onto a plate. Cool it and clean from the flakes. I like my truffles extra tiny, so I cut each hazelnut in half. You don't have to cut them if you are making large truffles.
- Use a teaspoon or small cookie scoop to portion the ganache, hide one hazelnut inside each piece, roll the balls between hands, until smooth and place on a plate.
- Roll in cacao powder.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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Pureed Pea Soup
Pureed soups are wonderful way to enjoy vegetables. Plus you don’t have to go grocery shopping in order to make this soup. You can find all the ingredients that you’ll need in your pantry. Use any meat you have in your fridge. And same with peas, use any peas you have, it can be frozen, canned or fresh.
Pureed Pea Soup
It takes a lot less time to make this soup, compare to regular soups. All you have to do is chop up the vegetables into chunks, and don't worry about cutting them perfectly, soup will be blended anyway.
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 200 g chicken fillet
- 1 onion
- 5 potatoes
- 400 g frozen peas (or canned)
- 1,5 L water
- salt and pepper to taste
- some sour cream
Instructions
- Cut chicken into small pieces. Peel and chop onion(half-moon). Peel and cut the potatoes in quarters.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil, add chicken and cook until beginning to golden brown. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, constantly stirring.
- Add the potatoes and cover with water. Bring to a boil.
- Add frozen or canned peas(drained). Bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Puree the soup with blender until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add some water.
- Divide soup into bowls and top it with sour cream.
- If you have some extra time, you can make a design on your soup. For this you will need to transfer the sour cream into the small ziplock, cut the tiny hole in the corner(1-2 mm) and use your imagination . 😉
This post was posted in Soups
Duchess Potatoes
Duchess potatoes (Pommes de terre duchesse) are a French classic recipe made from mashed potatoes with butter and egg yolks. Using a pastry bag, mashed potatoes are formed into roses and baked in the oven until golden brown.
The dish looks very elegant and is served as a side dish for meat, fish or vegetables.
Duchess Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg potatoes
- 200 g butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A little (on the tip of a knife) grated nutmeg (optional)
- 4 egg yolks
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes, cut into pieces and boil in salted water. Once the potatoes are cooked (pierce the potatoes with a knife or fork to check), immediately drain the water.
- Mash hot potatoes into a puree, adding butter. Salt, pepper and add nutmeg.
- Add egg yolks and mix very well. Puree should be soft and without lumps.
- Preheat oven to 200C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper or a silicone mat.
- Transfer the puree to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the roses of the desired size onto a baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, for about 10 minutes.
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This post was posted in Main Dish
Easy Apple Cake
Delicate and full of apples easy to make cake. Recipe is very similar to famous Russian Apple Sharlotka but with a little of olive oil and baking powder. Must try!
Easy Apple Cake
Take sour apples for this recipe.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 200 g sugar
- 150 g sifted flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 big apples Granny Smith
- 1 tsp confectioner's sugar (facultatif)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Grease and flour a round cake pan or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar. Add flour and baking powder. Mix well, then add oil and mix last time.
- Peel and dice apples into small pieces. Lay out the apples on the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the batter over the apples.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until а knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool then transfer to plate.
- Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.
This post was posted in Desserts
Lemon Shells Stuffed With Ice Cream
Refreshing chocolate and lemon treats, served in the natural lemon shells. If you wish to serve them in a la cafe gourmand style, use small lemons, surprise your friends.
Lemon Shells Stuffed With Ice Cream
It will be easier to work with lemon sorbet and chocolate ice cream if you remove it from the freezer 3 minutes before.
Ingredients
- 6 lemons
- 1 (300 g) lemon sorbet
- 1 (300 g) chocolate ice cream
Instructions
- Cut off the top of the lemon. Hollow out each lemon by using a teaspoon. Remove juice and flesh, but be careful not to puncture the lemon skin.
- Spoon some lemon sorbet into shells and press firmly with teaspoon. Fill the rest of the lemon with chocolate ice cream.
- Place stuffed lemons in the freezer with the hats on top. You can serve this fancy dessert in as little as one hour, or when the lemon shells are completely frozen.
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Tomato Tart
Who said that tarts are only for dessert? Fill a square of puff pastry with colorful mosaic of tomatoes, cheese, Dijon mustard, herbs de Provence. Then surprise your friends or family with this savory piece of artwork.
Tomato Tart
This mediterranean tart is a must make. You can make it with tomatoes of the same or different size, of different colors and different varieties. The most important thing is that they are ripe and flavorful. Perfect dish for small crowds.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 1-2 Tblsp Dijion mustard
- 5-6 tomatoes
- 30 g shreaded cheese (parmesan)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- herbs de provence (optional)
- couple basil leaf (optional)
Instructions
- Cut tomatoes into thin (0.5 cm) slices. Put them in a single layer on paper towel. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. On the floured piece of parchment paper roll out the puff pastry and poke all over with a fork, to release the steam while baking.
- Evenly spread with dijon mustard.
- Arrange the tomatoes on top. Fold the edges of dough.
- Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with cheese and herbs.
- Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for about 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through and the cheese is softening and colouring at the edges.
- Cut the tart into quarters, garnish with fresh basil and serve.
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Cherry clafoutis
This is my favorite cherry clafoutis recipe — a delightful take from the classic version that I’ve adapted with my own twist. With cherry season in full swing, this simple yet irresistible dessert is the perfect way to enjoy summer’s sweet bounty!
Cherry clafoutis
Here’s the classic version of cherry clafoutis made with pitted cherries. I recommend removing the pits — it’s much easier to eat that way!For a more elegant presentation, you can bake it in small molds or ramekins.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 100 g sugar
- 110 g flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 450 ml liquid cream (35%)
- 150 ml milk
- 1 cuillère a soupe liquid vanilla
- 600 g pitted cherries (griottes)
- Bit of sugar for the mold
- Bit of butter for the mold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven (210°С/ 410°F).
- Mix the eggs and the sugar
- Add milk and liquid cream. Mix.
- Add vanilla.
- Add flour and salt. Mix well one more time.
- Generously butter the baking dish(es) and sprinkle them with sugar.
- Spread the pitted cherries over the bottom of the molds.
- Pour in the clafoutis batter. The cherries should remain visible.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes. Baking time depends on the size of the molds.
- Serve warm or cold. In my opinion, it tastes better cold.
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This post was posted in Desserts
Puff Pastry Swirls With Smoked Salmon
What could be better with puff pastry than sour cream and smoked salmon? Kids and adults will really appreciate these savory small appetizers. The best part is, they are very simple to make. All it takes is spreading the filling onto the puff pastry, rolling it up, cutting it into rolls and bake.
Puff Pastry Swirls With Smoked Salmon
You can cut the puff pastry sheet in half and make two rolls, but this is only if you want to make them super tiny.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- A bit of dill fresh or dried
- ground black pepper to taste
- 200 g smoked salmon slices
Instructions
- Roll the puff pastry out with rolling pin into 1/2 inch thick square. Spread the sour cream on the top. Leave about 1cm around the edges. Sprinkle with tiny chopped dill.
- Arrange the smoked salmon evenly on top of the puff pastry sheet.
- Starting at one end, roll the pastry up as tightly as possible.
- Tightly cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. It will be much easier to cut cold roll.
- Preheat the oven to 380 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With a very sharp knife, cut the roll into 1 cm slices.
- Remove the plastic wrap and transfer them to the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15 -20 minutes until the “snails” are puffed and golden.
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This post was posted in Appetizers, Puff Pastry