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.
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.
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
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.
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
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
Baked eggplant slices
The eggplants are cut into slices and roasted with salt, pepper and olive oil.
Eggplants with garlic are delicious whether served hot or cold, which is why they can be prepared in advance.

Baked eggplant slices
Ingredients
- 2-3 eggplants
- 1-3 cloves garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3-4 Tsp olive oil
- Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the broil setting.
- Wash the eggplants and slice them into 0.7 cm thick rounds. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Season with salt, pepper, and brush both sides with olive oil.
- Cook under the broiler for 15-20 minutes. Flip to the other side.
- Cook for another approximately 10 minutes.
- Peel the garlic, grate it using a fine grater (or crush it). Then spread it over the eggplant rounds before they cool down.
- Serve hot or cold, sprinkled with parsley or coriander. Add slices or wedges of tomato if desired.
Zucchini Salad
A delicious and very simple way to consume raw zucchini. You will love this salad drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil.

Zucchini Salad
Ingredients
- 2 zucchinis washed
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- 1/2 lemon (juice)
- A trickle olive oil
- Salt and pepper from the mill
- A bit grated cheese (parmesan)
- A few leaves parsley finely chiseled (optional)
Instructions
- Cut both ends of the zucchinis. Using a mandoline or a vegetable peeler, slice them lengthwise into long, thin slices.
- In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil.
- Place the zucchini slices in a dish, pour the sauce over them. Add salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately, or chill first in the refrigerator. Add fresh herbs just before serving.
Tuna Rice Salad
Very nourishing and yet simple to make salad from canned tuna, rice, corn, avocado, eggs and tomatoes. No mayonnaise! This salad always comes to my mind when I have leftover rice.

Tuna Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 2 hard boiled eggs peeled
- 1 can (150 g) tuna in its own juice drained
- 100 g fully cooked rice
- 1 avocado
- 1 can whole kernel sweet corn drained
- 2 medium tomatoes cut into 6-8 wedges
- 1/4 red oinon peeled and cut in half-moon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- Green onion or fresh dill minced
Instructions
- In a nice big serving plate, mash tuna using a fork. Add rice and stir to combine.
- Cut the avocado in half, using a sharp knife, slice through the avocado lengthwise until you feel the knife hit the pit. Remove the pit and dice avocado into cubes.
- Add avocado, corn, tomatoes, and red onion. Carefully mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil.
- Slice eggs into quarter. Arrange them on top of the salad. Garnish with green onion.
Creamy Zucchini Soup
This deliciuos Creamy Zucchini Soup is extremely easy to cook. Only three main ingredients: zucchinis, onions and milk.

Creamy Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 5 zucchinis
- 3 onions
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and ground pepper
- 300 ml water
- 300 ml milk (2%)
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 1 tsp mix of herbs de Provence
- Few pinches of paprika for serving
Instructions
- Peel and chop onions.
- Peel and chop garlic.
- Cut the zucchinis.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil, add onions and garlic. Cook until golden, while stirring constantly.
- Add zucchinis, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
- Add water, milk and heavy cream. The level of liquid should just cover the veggies. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the herbs of Provence and simmer about 20 minutes.
- Puree the soup with blender until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add some milk or heavy cream. Bring to a boil once again and remove the pan from the heat. Taste the soup, and add salt and pepper accordingly.
- Serve the creamy soup and don’t forget to sprinkle with paprika or decorate with fresh herbs.
French Buckwheat Crepes with Mushrooms
Prepare buckwheat crepes and garnish them with this delicious, simple mushroom and sour cream combination. A French favorite!
Find other recipes on this site: the buckwheat crepes or the version with ham and cheese.

French Buckwheat Crepes with Mushrooms
Ingredients
Buckwheat Crepes (for 12 galettes)
- 250 g buckwheat flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 350 ml water
- 350 ml milk
- 2 eggs
- 50 g melted butter
Filling (4 servings)
- 1 onion peeled and minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 400 g mushrooms cleaned and sliced or 2 jars of canned sliced mushrooms
- 150 ml sour cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix buckwheat flour with salt, milk, water, and eggs together. Add melted butter and whisk until you get a smooth batter. Cover with plastic and and let rest for at least 2 hours. When you are ready to cook the crepes, stir the batter before frying each crepe.
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil add onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
- Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Add the sour cream, mix well, and cook for another few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Heat a lightly buttered nonstick skillet. Add 1/4 cupful batter to skillet and immediately tilt to fully cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer. Cook for a few seconds until the surface isn’t liquid.
- Without flipping the crepe, place 2-3 Tbsps of mushroom’s filling in the center. A 10-15 seconds later, as the crepe seems to be ready, carefully lift the sides with a spatula and fold them to form a square, or triangle.
- Carrefully transfer the crepe from the pan to tha plate, and serve quickly.
Chickpea Salad with Feta Cheese
The chickpea Salad with Feta Cheese is a very simple salad, composed of canned chickpeas and feta. The tomatoes and bell peppers are not necessary, but provide more flavor and vitamins, as well as a vibrant color.

Chickpea Salad with Feta Cheese
Ingredients
- 400 g (1 can) garbanzo beans drained
- 150 g feta cheese cubed
- 15 cherry tomatoes, or 2 medium tomatoes sliced
- 1 bell pepper cored and sliced
- 1/2 red onion cut into thin slices
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- Fresh or dried herbs (cilantro, chive, dill) chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon (juice only)
- 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a salad bowl, mix the chickpea, feta, tomatos, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and herbs.
- Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with freshly pressed lemon juice and olive oil. Serve right away or keep it in the refrigerator.