Creamy Artichoke and Garlic Spaghetti

I just got back from a few blissful days spent in the Basque country where my family has a house we all reunite in once or twice a year. We spent a wonderful holiday filled with a lot, a lot of food, time relaxing in the sun and some much needed catching up. Family meals have always been a pretty central part of my family life and I can't imagine not recreating that feeling with my own family one day. Sharing a love for flavourful ingredients and satisfying meals, we feasted on the classic 'melon et jambon' - slices of cantaloupe with thinly sliced Bayonne ham -, curried mussels, slowly braised lamb with garlic haricots verts, goat cheese and tomato tarts, pear clafoutis.. and I much, much more!

All to say, that lighter meals are now in order! This pasta dish has become a classic in our house. We always have canned artichokes in our pantry and they come in very handy for these kinds of dishes. I get the ones that are marinating in oil and herbs so they are nice and tasty and needed little extra preparation. This really is a light pasta meal with only a couple tablespoons of cream, and is another one of those easy pasta dishes I can make in the time it takes the pasta to cook!

Creamy Artichoke and Garlic Spaghetti
Serves 2

Spaghetti for 2
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
4 scallions, finely sliced
1 cup of canned artichokes, drained
1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan, and extra to serve
2 tablespoons of whipping cream
1/2 lemon, juiced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, place a pan on medium heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil. Add the garlic slices and leave untouched for 2-3 minutes. Add the scallions and stir. Cook for another 2 minutes and add a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Coarsely chop the artichokes and add to the pan. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cream and stir. Add one tablespoon of the pasta water - the starch from the pasta in the water will help thicken the sauce. Drain the pasta and add to the pan. Stir so all the ingredients mix in with the spaghetti. Add the parmesan, a pinch of salt and pepper, the lemon juice and stir again. Serve immediately, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!

White Wine Clams

Cooking with seafood really marks the summer months for me. Seafood dishes tend to be lighter, bursting with freshness and are usually ready pretty quickly. This dish was supposed to be made into a seafood medley served with buttered spaghetti, but, after a day spent at the beach - nibbling at freshly purchased red berries and soaking up the sun - a very light meal was calling my name. The clams were deliciously soothing served with a couple slices of crusty garlic bread to soak up the sauce.

There really is something about the sauce that emanates from cooked clams. When you cook clams this way, they release their wonderfully fragrant flavors into the wine and create the most flavorful stock. If you don't want to use up all cooking liquid, try using some of it in risotto or with any seafood pasta dish. You really can't recreate the depth of flavor that the clams create. They're nothing like it!

White Wine Clams
Serves 4

2 pounds of Manila clams, scrubbed well
1 cup of good quality dry white wine
5 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1 handful of coarsely chopped cilantro

Remove the leaves from the thyme stems and coarsely chop. Add the thyme stems, leaves, white wine, garlic and clams to saucepan on medium heat. Cover. Bring the stock to a boil and reduce to a high simmer for about 3-4 minutes.Shack the pan being careful to secure the lid down to make sure the clams open. Place all the opened clams in your serving bowl and discard any closed ones. Discard the thyme stems and simmer the stock for another 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the sauce and pour the sauce over the clams. Add the cilantro and serve immediately with some crusty bread. Enjoy!

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

Regular readers of this blog will know that I don't do too well with spicy foods. Don't get me wrong, I want to be able to order those spicy Thai and Indian dishes - but the truth is that I just can't! I've gotten better over the years out of sheer determination but I'm not quite there yet. For that reason, I've had trouble truly experiencing good Mexican food. This next sentence might make true Mexican food connoisseurs cringe, but Chipotle really made me want to make Mexican food at home. Although a lot of their offerings are spicy, their carnitas with mild tomato salsa, a dollop of guacamole, cilantro-rice and crispy tacos are really quite amazing. I'm not a fast food lover, but in my opinion, Chipotle really delivers on flavourful food while keeping in mind the ethics surrounding meat products. The meat is naturally and sustainably raised and is absolutely delicious.

When I was completing my Culinary Arts degree at the French Culinary Institute, I lived pretty close to a Chipotle and I must admit that I was often too tired to cook for myself after a long day of intense kitchen training... so this was my initial inspiration! This recipe is different though, and features beautiful pieces of flaky halibut (Chipotle, unfortunately, does not make fish tacos!). These are a healthy and light meal for a summer night as well as a perfect party food. Lay out a plate of seasoned fish, a tangy sauce and some mango salsa and every guest can make their own taco. I use Greek yogurt to make the sauce (as a healthier option to sour cream) but feel free to use sour cream or creme fraiche.

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
Serves 4

3 medium halibut fillet
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 lime
Olive oil

Mango Salsa:
1 mango, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
1/2 lime, juice and zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil

Sauce:
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon of lime juice
1/4 cup of finely chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper

12 hard tacos, reheated in a warm oven

Generously season the fish with salt and pepper. In a pan on medium heat add a drizzle of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the fish to the pan and cook untouched for 5 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for another 5 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through. Cut the fish into cubes as soon as it's cool enough to handle and arrange on a platter with some lime slices.

For the salsa: Add the mango, avocado, tomato and cilantro to your serving bowl. Add the lime juice, zest, olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper.

For the sauce: In a small bowl, add the yogurt and fold in the cilantro and lime juice. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Serve the fish, tacos, salsa and yogurt sauce at the table and let everyone make their own taco. Enjoy!

Panzanella Salad

As the summer is in full swing, we've been enjoying more and more light meals using fresh produce, olive oil and a lot of lemon. This salad is a great Italian classic, featuring a whole lot of veggies and some crusty bread. These crusty cubes of bread are tossed with tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions and then drizzled with a citrusy vinaigrette. The bread soaks up all the flavors of the salad and makes for a hearty dish that can be used as a main meal.

When I made my way to the farmer's market a few days ago, I was looking for those beautiful heirloom tomatoes that are so succulent during the summer months. The more uneven the shape, unstructured the edges and different variations in color make for the best tomatoes, in my book. Supermarkets make us think that fruit and vegetables should be shiny, symmetrical and perfectly round but that is definitely not the way nature intended it. Getting my hands on a batch of yellow, orange, red and crimson tomatoes always makes my heart swing. To tell you the truth, I often just end up having them thinly sliced with extra virgin olive, cracked black pepper and fleur de sel - but this salad really took these to the next level.

We have moved to Toronto for most of the summer, and found this incredible little bakery in our neighborhood. I got their signature sourdough walnut bread - which worked wonders in this salad. What meals have you been enjoying in this scorching heat?

Panzanella Salad
Serves 2

2 large slices of sourdough bread
1/2 garlic clove
4 heirloom tomatoes, seeded and quartered
1/2 cucumber, diced
1/4 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup of greek olives
1/3 cup of cubed good quality feta
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Drizzle the bread slices with a little olive oil and set in a warm oven until crusty. Peel the garlic clove and cut in half. Rub the garlic on the warm bread. Cut the bread into cubes (the same size as the vegetables) and set aside.

In your serving bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives and feta. Toss in the bread cubes. In a small bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice and red wine vinegar. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper and lightly whisk. Drizzle over the salad and serve. Enjoy!

Pita Sandwiches with Flank Steak, Tomato and Avocado and Lemony Yogurt Sauce

When the weather warms up, I'm usually in the mood for lighter lunches, bursting with color and flavor that I can make pretty quickly. This was the perfect, perfect summer lunch. It allowed us to inaugurate our BBQ for the season - having been gone for a while, we hadn't used it this month yet - and to make the most of the fresh produce we got at the farmer's market. Flank steak is always a great option for a cheap and satisfying meal in my book, and for a light lunch you really don't need much. It's perfect to grill on a BBQ, is ready in minutes and is perfectly juicy. Paired with a lemony cucumber yogurt sauce and a medley of colorful tomatoes with some plump avocado, we were set for our perfect summer lunch. What great summer lunches have you been making so far this year?

Pita Sandwiches with Flank Steak, Tomato and Avocado and Lemony Yogurt Sauce
Serves 2

One 300g piece of flank steak
8 cherry tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 avocado, cut into bite size pieces
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 circles of pita bread
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup of greek yogurt
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon of olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup of seeded cucumber, finely diced

In a small bowl, add the quartered tomatoes and avocado. Drizzle with the 2 teaspoons of olive oil and two teaspoons of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Leave to marinate in the fridge while you prepare the rest.

Set your BBQ (or indoor griddle) to medium high heat. Generously season the flank steak with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the steak is just medium rare.

While the meat is resting, make the yogurt sauce. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and add the diced cucumber. Thinly slice the meat against the grain.

To make the sandwiches, lay out a piece of pita bread, add a few slices of beef, a couple spoonful of the tomato and avocado salad and yogurt sauce. Wrap the pitas. Enjoy!

Fresh Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese Cream and Oregano

Today being the first official day of the summer, it only seemed suiting to celebrate with the perfect meal for a warm sunny day. When tomatoes make their way to the farmer's market and are perfectly ripe and sweet it breaks my heart to overpower them with too many other ingredients or to cook them down. This tart is just perfect for that kind of feeling because the tomatoes stay uncooked, just lightly dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar, and lay atop a parmesan crusty dough with a goat cheese cream. Served with a simple lemony salad and a cold drink, it really is a blissful meal.

I really like flavoring doughs and this particular dough was just delicious with added parmesan. The only important thing is to really make sure that the butter is cold when you want to use it to make the dough. This will make sure that the dough has the right consistency and will form nicely. The dough is more of a crispy kind of dough but lends itself quite perfectly to the plump tomatoes and velvety goat cheese. Every summer, a couple dishes really stand out in my kitchen, and this is definitely one of those dishes .... for the time being, summer has just begun!

Fresh Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese Cream and Oregano,
Loosely adapted from Donna Hay
Serves 6

2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup of finely grated Parmesan
150g of cold butter, chopped
1 teaspoon of salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon of cold milk
5 tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of soft goat cheese
2 teaspoons of the tomato vinaigrette (red wine vinegar and olive oil)
2 tablespoons of pesto (optional)
A handful of fresh oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the flour, parmesan, butter and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 1-2 minutes or until the dough resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the egg and milk and process for 2 minutes or until a smooth dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Cut the dough in half (if making 2 tarts) and roll out between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll the dough to make two evenly sized circles, about 1/4 inch thick. The dough is quite fragile, so roll with care!

Prick pastry base with a fork and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a circle of parchment and fill with baking weights or rice. Cook for 15 minutes. Discard the paper and weights and cook for another 10 minutes or until the dough is just cooked though and lightly golden.

Place the tomato slices, vinegar, olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. In a separate smaller bowl, add the goat cheese and pesto (if using). Extract 2 teaspoons of the tomato vinaigrette and add to the goat cheese to make it creamier and less dense.

Using the back of a spoon carefully divide the goat cheese cream between the two tarts and top with tomato slices. Garnish with torn oregano leaves. Enjoy!

Curried Scallops with Almonds and Cream Sauce

First and foremost, I've finally gotten around to creating a proper Facebook group for Chocolate Shavings. If you want to receive regular updates about the site, new recipes and photos, please join here. I'm working on a couple exciting projects that I can't reveal right now but rest assured, some fun recipes are on their way!

This is a recipe I've been making for a few years and has become one of my go-to meals for easy entertaining. I think I speak for a lot of us when I say that no matter how much you cook and love being in the kitchen, we have all had that moment of panic where you're having people over and you have absolutely no idea what to make. This dish has become an easy remedy to that problem. A little curry flavor, some plump sauteed scallops and a touch of cream .. and the whole dish is ready in minutes.

I really love cooking with scallops (as I do with shrimp) for that very reason: it's a fast way to create an elegant dinner suitable for any occasion. I usually serve this dish with couscous (to which I add some lemon juice, raisins, almonds and parsley), a simple olive oil potato puree or with a simple arugula salad as presented here. I hope you get to give this a try.

Curried Scallops with Almonds and Cream Sauce
Serves 4

16 scallops
3 tbl of good quality mild curry powder
1 shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup of slithered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup of heavy cream
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Lightly season the scallops with salt and pepper. Place the curry powder in a small plate and lightly toss each scallop in the curry powder, shaking off excess.
In a small pan on low heat, add a good drizzle of olive oil and the diced shallots. Cook until the shallots soften (about 5 minutes). Turn the heat to medium and add the scallops. Cook for 2 minutes, gently flip them over and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Turn the heat back to low and add the cream with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add half of the almonds and the lemon juice and stir. Immediately transfer to your serving platter. Top with the leftover almonds. Enjoy!

Pea, Mint and Feta Orzo

I have a newfound love for orzo. Regular readers of Chocolate Shavings will know that I absolutely love simple pasta dishes. I've developed most of my pasta recipes to take no longer than the pasta takes to cook. This minty, lemoney spring orzo does just that - it' s light celebrates the warmer weather (although we haven't really been seeing much of the beautiful spring days just yet) and makes these wonderful peas come to life.

I'm leaving for a month-long trip to London in a couple weeks, with an interesting food project ahead - stay tuned to hear more about it, and come along for the ride as I discover the great London eats. I've started making a list of restaurants, markets and specialty food stores to visit, but I'm definitely up for any advice from the locals!

In the meantime, enjoy the flowers starting to bloom and a good, healthy dose of minty orzo.

Pea, Mint and Feta Orzo
(for 2)

Orzo for 2
3 shallots, finely diced
2 green onions, finely diced
1 cup of frozen peas
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup of cubed feta
10 mint leaves coarsely chopped
1 good handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Cook for orzo according to package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, set a pan on low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced shallot and green onion and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the shallot mixture on low heat, making sure it doesn't burn. Keep the shallots cooking during the cooking time of the pasta.

When the pasta has 5 more minutes to cook, add the frozen peas to the pasta water.

In your serving bowl add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, zest and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Once the pasta is cooked, add the drained orzo and peas directly in the serving bowl. Fold in the cubed feta and Parmesan, and top with the mint leaves. Drizzle with a little olive oil, add some cracked pepper and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Baked Eggs with Potatoes and Pancetta

This recipe is really an easy dish idea that you can adapt depending on what you have on hand. Today, it was fingerling potatoes, crispy pancetta, a hint of cream and some Parmesan cheese. Serve it with a simple green salad and dinner is served!

These are the types of meals I never get tired of. When all deadlines seem to pile up at the same time, the one thing I try never to take out of my schedule is a home-cooked meal. It really does give you that extra boost of energy, recharges your batteries and relaxes you in the process. I guess the kitchen really is therapeutic in that way - it's the one place where most of your worries momentarily disappear leaving you with a wonderfully comforting homemade meal.

Baked Eggs with Potatoes and Pancetta
Serves 2

2 eggs
2 tablespoons of heavy cream
6 cooked fingerling potatoes
1 tablespoon of finely diced pancetta
2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan
A small handful of finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Preheat your oven to 400F. Take out 2 individual-sized ramekins. Dice the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Place a pan on medium heat and add the finely diced pancetta. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the pancetta is just cooked and crispy. Remove from the heat and drain excess fat using paper towels.

Divide the potatoes, pancetta and cream between the ramekins and spread into an even layer. Crack an egg into a small bowl and pour over the potatoes and pancetta. Do the same for the 2nd ramekin. Season with a little salt and pepper (not too much as the pancetta and Parmesan are quite salty). Top with the Parmesan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the egg is just set. If the yolks start cooking faster than the whites, cover with aluminum foil until the eggs are set. Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley. Enjoy!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Drizzled Honey and Lemon

Sorry for my lack of posts in the past couple days folks, but I've been really busy! Every year around this time, for some reason, times starts to fly by. It seems like yesterday I was wondering around Soho and waiting for new years to make its way and now, it's February already and I have an never-ending list of To-Do's - which is always a good excuse to get over-priced notepads to jot down things down and hang them on the fridge (where else would I never forget to look?), although, that's quite besides the point! Being uber busy isn't a bad thing really, especially since I've always been the type to be most productive the more there is to be done.. it's a sort of adrenaline thing, really.

All to say, that I have been cooking, and haven't forgotten you, just trying to manage my time! This buttermilk chicken was a weekend treat, well worth the time it took to brine the chicken. Thank you Thomas Keller! The chicken was moist and flaky and the fried coating perfectly seasoned and crisp. I'm definitely no expert on fried chicken (not exactly a Parisian's girl Saturday night ritual!) but it was delicious. We served it with a fresh spinach salad with roasted almonds, and drizzled honey and lemon over the fried deliciousness. It was quite the treat!

Let me say a few words about Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc. First off it's really, really a beautiful book. It's one of those coffee table books you can pick up at any time of the day and read just to learn more about the cooking process. The text is beautifully written and will echo in the minds of everyone who has a true passion about cooking. The explanations are clear and honest and meant to make us all better cooks, at home. A lot of what Keller writes is a shortened version of what I learned at culinary school, which makes me smile because it reminds me of the first time I stepped into a professional kitchen, and how utterly clueless, excited and nervous I was. The recipes are really written for the home cook to improve, learn from his/her mistakes and have fun in the kitchen. My only problem is that the book is quite hefty and not that easy to have next to you in the kitchen especially if you like keeping books out of the kitchen war zone!


Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Drizzled Honey and Lemon
Adapted from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc
Makes 24 Pieces

Brine:
24 cups water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
18 bay leaves
30 unpeeled garlic cloves, smashed
3 tablespoons of whole black peppercorns
5 large fresh rosemary sprigs
1 1/2 bunches fresh thyme sprigs
5 lemons, halfed
3 3 1/2 pound chickens

Frying:
6 cups all purpose flour
5 tablespoons garlic powder
5 tablespoons onion powder
4 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 teaspoons coarse kosher salt plus additional for serving
6 cups buttermilk
12 cups peanut oil (for deep-frying)
Fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs (for garnish), deep-fried 30 seconds

Brine: Bring all brine ingredients to a boil in large pot (except the chicken). Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve salt. Cool completely. Chill the brine until cold, about 2 hours.

Rinse chicken; add to brine, pressing to submerge. Chill at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain chicken and pat dry, removing any herbs or spices sticking to the skin. Cut each chicken into 8 pieces and lay on parchment-lined baking sheet for about 2 hours or until completely dry. Make sure the chicken is completely dry before frying or the water will spatter in the oil and it can be very dangerous!

Frying: Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix first 6 ingredients and 4 teaspoons coarse salt in large bowl. Place buttermilk in another large bowl. Dip each chicken piece in flour mixture to coat; shake off excess. Dip pieces in buttermilk, coating completely, then dip into flour mixture again, coating thickly (do not shake off excess). Place chicken on prepared sheets.

Pour peanut oil into heavy large pot. Attach deep-free thermometer to side of pot and heat oil over medium-high heat to 320 degrees Fahrenheit and 330 degrees Fahrenheit. Working in batches of 4 pieces at a time, add leg and thigh pieces to oil (use splatter screen to protect yourself from hot oil). Adjust heat as needed to maintain temperature. Fry until cooked through and skin is deep golden brown, turning once using wooden spoons, about 10-13 minutes. Using wooden spoons, transfer chicken to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with course salt.

Add breast pieces to oil and fry until cooked through and skin is deep golden brown, turning once, about 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with course salt.

Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Serve with a good drizzle of honey, a squeeze of lemon and fried rosemary. Enjoy!

Fondue Bourguignonne

I went skiing this weekend and hadn't gone for almost 6 years. The last time I went I was an innocent high school student and had never lived anywhere else but in France. A lot, a lot has changed since then, although hitting the Quebec slopes again brought back some of those memories. I used to ski in Switzerland for a week a year, take in the nice fresh air and indulge in the outdoor sports I had very little of during the year in Paris. It was total bliss. Skiing, of course, was always rewarded by our favorite ski foods. Raclette has to be my ultimate favorite (amazing gooey cheese served over potatoes, cured meats and cornichons) and the best way to spend a cold night in the mountains. A close second has to be Fondue Bourguignon, an easy dish to make at home during the year.

Here is my basic recipe along with two sauce ideas (that I should thank my mother for!). My mother is the queen of homemade mayonnaise. She has been whipping up homemade mayonnaise for years and has never even thought of having a jarred mayonnaise in the house. Neither have I, I must add! It is so easy to make and the end result is really worth those extra minutes in the kitchen. Here are two of the recipes my mother and I usually make for fondue, as well as adding a few flavored mustards and aioli.

Fondue Bourguignonne
Serves 6-8 people
3 pound piece boneless beef sirloin or tenderloin, cut into bite-size cubes
4 cups of canola oil
Place the oil into the fondue pot on medium heat. Make sure the fondue is never more than 2/3 full. Serve with the cubed meat and dipping sauces.

Herbed Mayonnaise
1/2 cup of mayonnaise (my recipe for homemade mayonnaise found here)
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of grainy mustard
1 tablespoon of drained capers, roughly chopped
5-6 cornichons (French pickles) finely diced
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Place the mayonnaise in a small bowl. Fold in the parsley, mustard, capers, cornichons and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Marie Rose Sauce
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
3 tablespoons of ketchup
Place the mayonnaise in a small bowl. Fold in the ketchup. Adjust with extra ketchup if needed.

Boeuf Bourguignon - or Red Wine Stewed Beef

Boeuf bourguignon is one of the main dishes of France's culinary heritage - one of those dishes that has been made by generations and generations each with its own tweaks. Stewed meat was always a classic in my family's Parisian kitchen, and making this in my kitchen sends me back to those nice family dinners.

The bottom line is that boeuf bourguignon is extremely cheap to make, the only difficult part being the wait for it to be done while the sweet smell of simmering wine and tender beef takes over your kitchen! Stewing meat is one of the cheapest cuts of meat there is - the idea being that the labor is on you to cook it slowly! As any good stew starts off, it's about searing the meat (which takes a few minutes), and then basically mixing the beef with aromatics and liquid (good red wine and stock).

In Julie and Julia, Julie Powell makes boeuf bourgignon sound rather dramatic. She forgets it in the oven while she falls asleep and the result is a big, big burnt mess. When Oliver and I were heading home from the market with our stewed meat, vegetables, and wine we were laughing about the scene and how it was made out to be so much more tedious than it actually was. I don't know if Julia Child got offended by our gentle mockery or if we were just unlucky, but after an hour of cooking time, when Oliver was taking our Creuset pot out to check on the meat, our oven rack tilted and half of our stewing liquid flooded the oven. That set us back a good half hour, the oven was a boozy mess but thankfully we had more Chianti wine and the meal turned out great anyway.

I used Julia Child's recipe, with a few tweaks, served the meet over whole wheat buttery herbed parpadelle and it was the perfect Sunday night meal.

Blue Cheese, Tomato and Steak Sandwich

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for the perfect lunch. For me, it's always a tight balance between not going overboard (no one wants to fall asleep after too big a lunch) but still finding that perfect satisfying boost of energy for the afternoon to come. As all good Parisians, I have a special soft spot for baguette. You may see it in movies (with the added beret and the red wine bottle) but it doesn't make it any less true. The french need their espresso and their baguette to even begin to think that's it's a decent food day. The only problem with baguettes is that they don't last very long. The best is to eat it the day it was made. You might be able to get a second day out of it, but the first is really the better option. However, the good news is that the bread freezes amazingly well. Cut the baguette into smaller sections, tightly wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. The day you want fresh tasting bread, let the baguette come back to room temperature in the oven and you're good to go.

This sandwich could very well be my new favorite lunch. It's simple, lighter than your regular steak sandwich (no mayo) and absolutely delicious.

Blue Cheese, Tomato and Steak Sandwich
Recipe (for 2)
1/2 baguette
1 clove of garlic
1 medium-sized steak
6 yellow cherry tomatoes
1 small handful of baby arugula
1/4 cup of crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoon of grainy mustard
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Cut the baguette in half and cut again lengthwise. Drizzle with olive oil and set on the grill for a few minutes, until just crisp. Remove from the heat and rub each side with the peeled garlic clove. Reserve.

Bring the steak to room temperature, pat dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Set on a grill on medium high heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until the steak is just medium rare. Set to rest to let the juices in the meat redistribute. Once the meat has rested (about 10 minutes), slice the meat on the bias.

Cut the tomatoes into thin slices. Spread the mustard on each sides of the baguette. Add the slices of steak to the bottom side of each piece of bread. Top with the crumbled blue cheese, a few slices of tomato, some arugula and press with the top slice of bread to close. Enjoy!

Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Red Peppers, Peas and Scallions

A nice cold noodle salad ranks pretty high on my list of perfect summer food. It's an easy salad to put together, and it can be prepared several hours before serving. I've been pretty busy lately with several projects and in those times the go-to meals are always the ones I turn to. This salad is versatile (you could use different peppers, mango, slithers of cucumber or grilled chicken if you don't have red pepper or peas) and you could also serve it warm. I served it with a medium rare sliced steak which made for a really nice meal.

For me, summer is all about traveling and eating great food with great company. With those ideals in mind, I am headed to San Francisco very soon. San Francisco would probably be the one place on the West Coast that I could picture myself living in. Being quite fair skinned and not the best camper when it's really warm, San Francisco was the perfect choice for a birthday celebration trip. I will be making the - in my opinion mandatory - trip to Alice Walters' Chez Panisse and have a list of restaurants, bakeries and taco joints I can't wait to try out. Life is good!

Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Red Peppers, Peas and Scallions
Recipe (serves 4)

2 teaspoons of low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce
Buckweat soba noodles for 4
1/2 cup of cooked peas
1 small red pepper, finely diced
2 large scallions, finely minced
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
Canola oil

In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and fish sauce. Reserve.

Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain, and lightly drizzle with some canola oil to prevent the noodles from sticking. Reserve and let cool.

Transfer the cold noodles to your serving bowl. Add the diced red peppers, scallions, peas and sesame seeds. Dress with the soy marinade and stir. Serve cold or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Oyako Don

I've always had a soft spot for Japanese cuisine - it's healthy, uses wonderfully fresh ingredients and is bursting with flavor and color. I think it all started when I tasted sushi for the first time in high school. I remember trying to get my parents to appreciate it as much as I did, with little success. My mom is happy with a chirashi at lunch sometimes now (she really likes raw salmon) but I never got them to appreciate much else. I guess there's something about raw fish that doesn't appeal to everyone - much like my love for beef tartare that has given me some strange looks in the past in North America. But my sushi journey continued nontheless - from soft shell crab sushi rolls a couple years ago in Sydney to scallop sashimi from one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Montreal. Good sushi is expensive though, that's a given. A lot of sushi places in Canada try to sell you on the cheaper stuff, but I really don't like it. The cream cheese and sun-dried tomato sushi I've seen is just not my thing... neither is most of the mayonnaise-based rolls with very little fish. So, it turns out that I have been spending more than advised on really good sushi.

Ordering Oyako Don is a great option for those times when you can't spend too much on sushi rolls. You can indulge on a few pieces of sushi as an appetizer, and get a comforting bowl of Japanese rice with sweet mirin-licked onions, tender chicken and egg. The taste of this dish is so very unique - it's sweet and salty, with layers of flavor coming from dashi stock, soy sauce and mirin. It's really, really delicious. Oliver and I tried to make it at home a few times, and I think we've come pretty close to what we get at the restaurant. And the best part? It's ready in 20 minutes (I guess that sounds a little Rachel-Ray like, but you get the point).

Oyako Don (serves 4)
2 cups of sushi rice, cooked
1 white onion, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup of dashi stock
2 teaspoons of mirin
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 pinch of brown sugar
4 chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
2 green onions, sliced
3 eggs, beaten

Heat a little vegetable oil in pan on medium heat and add the onions. Add the dashi, mirin, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 7-8 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add the chicken. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes - stirring a few times. Add the green onions and stir. Pour the beaten eggs over the chicken and onion mixture in an even layer. Cover and cook until the egg is just set.

Serve over Japanese rice. Enjoy!

Yogurt Spiced Chicken with Cilantro and Lime

If you're like me, you're always looking for the perfect lunch or light dinner. I'm always looking for new ways to cook with chicken breast to make it flavorful; truth be told, a lean piece of chicken breast without the skin and bone can often be quite bland. Marinating the chicken in spiced yogurt for a couple hours packs the chicken with flavor as well as tenderizes the meat.

This recipe was perfected by Oliver who was inspired by an old Indian cook book my mother found in a remote village in India while traveling a couple years ago. The book eloquently describes yogurt as "the diplomat of Indian cuisine. It is often there, but in the background, seeing that things go smoothly; it is sweet, but - at times - slightly sharp".


Yogurt Spiced Chicken with Cilantro
2 skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of plain yogurt
1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of grated ginger
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons of curry powder
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 lime
1/4 cup of sour cream
A handful of cilantro, coarsely chopped
Naan bread

Toast the seeds in pan (without oil) and toss until fragrant. Then, grind the spices until you obtain a powder. Mix the yogurt, spices, ginger, garlic, curry powder salt and pepper in a bowl. Cut the chicken breasts into bite size cubes and add to the yogurt mixture. Toss to coat all the pieces, cover with plastic wrap and marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Remove the chicken from the bowl, shaking off any excess marinade. Place the chicken on the grill sheet that goes in your oven, and place a an aluminum-lined sheet below (marinade will drip down as it cooks). Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Turn your oven to broil and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and just cooked through.

Serve with warmed Naan bread, a dollop of sour cream, a good drizzle of fresh lime juice and garnish with a small handful of cilantro. Enjoy!

Tomato, Parsley and Pine Nut Stuffed Squid

After using pine nuts for the pine nut and almond tart I made last week, I used the leftover nuts to make stuffed squid. I had never had stuffed squid and am glad to have discovered a new way to enjoy it. I am used to using squid in various summer salads as well as in pasta dishes but this was a great way to enjoy it as an appetizer or a light meal. I made a pine nut, tomato and herb stuffing but you could really use anything you think would pair well with squid.

The squid sort of looks like mini rockets ready to launch.. but I can assure you that it was delicious!

Tomato and Pine Nut Stuffed Squid
(for 4)
4 squid, discard tentacles
2 tomatoes
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons of pine nuts
2 teaspoons of drained capers
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Gently wash the squid and thoroughly dry. Lightly score both sides. Reserve.

Seed the tomatoes and cut in small cubes. Finely chop the pine nuts, capers and parsley. Put the tomatoes, pine nuts, capers and parsley in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix.

Stuff the squid with the tomato mixture. Turn your grill to medium high heat. Lightly season the outside of the squid with and place on the hot grill. Grill for 3 minutes on each side, lightly pressing down on the squid to get nice grilled marks. Serve atop of crusty bread and garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

Beef and Pepper Fajitas with Orange Salsa

This is just a simple fajita recipe I came up with when I was working on summer recipes a couple weeks ago. I am by no means an expert on Mexican cuisine, but this is my easy interpretation of beef and onion fajitas. I served it with a nice and fresh orange salsa which really made the dish great for those warmer summer days.

Beef and Pepper Fajitas with Orange Salsa(serves 4)

1 pound of strip loin, cut into thin strips
1 small red pepper
1 small yellow pepper
1/2 onion
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of chili powder
A handful of fresh coriander
8 flour tortillas

Orange Salsa:
1 orange, diced
1/4 red onion, finely diced
1/2 lime, juiced

Make the orange salsa. Mix the oranges, red onion and lime juice and reserve.
Add the cumin and chili powder to a bowl and mix. Rub the beef strips with the mixture and reserve.
Cut the onion and peppers into thin strips. In a sauté pan on medium heat add a good drizzle of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for about 10 minutes or until the pepper have softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the beef strips and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the meat is just cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Warm up the tortillas in a cast iron pan on medium heat (2-3 minutes). Add the beef mixture, a small handful of coriander leaves and roll the tortillas. Serve warm and garnish with a spoonful of the orange salsa.

Classic Pad Thai with Chicken and Tofu

Every now and then, I like to indulge in a take-out meal. Some days, the fridge is empty, or you don't have the time or the motivation to cook, and so reaching for the delivery menu is a guilty pleasure, even for a culinary school graduate!

One of my favorite indulgences is Pad Thai, that perennial workhouse of take-out Thai places: I've always felt that it was a bit of a shame that this light, tangy, dry noodle dish was only mostly enjoyed from a carton with disposable chopsticks. So, tonight I pulled out the massive Hot, Sour, Salty Sweet cookbook that has sat untouched on my coffee table for far too long, and adapted this recipe, which worked quite well. It was quick to make, full of flavor and less greasy that most ordered-in versions.

Classic Pad Thai with Chicken and Tofu (serves 4)
Banh Pho Rice Noodles 1/2 lb or enough for 4 people
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 cup of cubed, firm tofu
3 eggs
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of Fish Sauce
2 tablespoons of Tamarind Paste, soaked in 2-3 tablespoons of warm water for 10 minutes
1/2 cup bean sprouts
4 spring onions, green and white parts roughly chopped

To Garnish:
One handful of chopped coriander
1/2 cup crushed peanuts
1 lime, quartered

Prepare all of the ingredients before you start cooking, as the stir fry process goes quite quickly. Soak the noodles in warm water for 20-25 minutes prior to cooking. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and mix in a bowl with the sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the fish sauce and soy sauce. Strain the tamarind mixture and add it to this bowl as well. In a third bowl, beat the three eggs lightly and reserve.

Heat a wok on medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the garlic. Stir fry for about a minute or just until the garlic browns. Add the chicken and allow it to sear for about 30-seconds, and stir fry for an additional 1-2 minutes to cook. Add the tofu cubes and sear them as well for 1-2 minutes. Pour over the egg mixture and allow it to set for 2-3 minutes. Carefully break up the egg with a wooden spoon. Remove the egg and chicken mixture from the wok and reserve.

Rinse the wok and place back over high heat. Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil, and, when it is hot, add the drained noodles. Allow them to fry for about a minute. Add the tamarind and soy sauce mixture and stir. Add the bean sprouts and green onions and stir the mixture for another 30 seconds. Add back the chicken and tofu, cook for another couple minutes and serve with coriander, peanuts, and lime wedges. Enjoy!

Grilled Caesar Salad

We've all ordered the classic Caesar Salad when in the mood for the perfect light-ish lunch, haven't we? As the days are getting warmer, the sun shining longer and our outdoor barbecues begging to be used, why not try something a little different?

Grilling lettuce is one of those easy tricks to turn a simple Caesar salad into a real treat. The charred romaine becomes slightly caramelized when grilled and adds wonderful flavor to the dish. Homemade dressing just puts this over the top. This is my way to welcome Spring, what's yours?

Grilled Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing (serves 4)

2 small romaine hearts
¼ cup of croutons
4 strips of bacon
2 tablespoons of shaved Parmesan
Dressing:
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon of anchovy paste
1 small garlic clove, smashed into a paste
¼ cup of olive oil
¼ cup of grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground pepper
To make the dressing, add the egg yolk, mustard, anchovy paste and garlic in a bowl. Whisk until the mixture looks homogeneous. Slowly add the oil, continuously whisking. Make sure that the oil gets well incorporated. Add the Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Reserve.
Cut the bacon in small strips and sauté on medium high heat. You don’t need to add oil to the pan as the bacon has enough natural fat. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the bacon is nice and crisp. Place the bacon strips on paper towels to soak up excess fat. Reserve.
Set your barbecue or indoor grill to medium high heat. Cut the romaine hearts in half, vertically. Grill the romaine hearts (placing the inside of the romaine down) for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set on your serving platter. Add the croutons, bacon strips and shaved Parmesan and drizzle with the dressing.