Butternut Squash Soup, Velouté de Courge
This time of year, a wonderful winter butternut squash soup can make an ordinary evening at home, quite extraordinary. 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed. 2 cups of chicken stock 2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp allspice Salt if needed (depends if your chicken stock is salted) Coat the squash cubes with olive oil, and bake in 180º Celsius (350º F) for 40 minutes, or until golden. Take the squash seeds, clean them and coat in olive oil an
Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin
A tomato Tatin is an upside down tart of caramelized tomatoes. The process of caramelizing tomatoes is one where cooking them increases the intensity of their flavor, making them very flavorful and an exaggerated version of a basic tomato. INGREDIENTS Pastry crust 8 tomatoes cut in half, drained of liquid and seeds A few sprigs of Rosemary 2 clove of garlic finely sliced 1 tsp Sea salt 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar 1 tbsp of light brown sugar 2 tbsp tablespoons of extra virgin o
Plum tart with Almonds
A proper plum tart can be the right mix of tart and sweet, and that balance makes it a perfect way to end a meal. 12 Ripe plums Classic pastry crust 2 tablespoons of almonds StartFragment 4 eggs 60 gms sugar 100gm flour 1/4 cup milk 60 gm melted butter Halve the plums and place cut side up onto the pastry crust. Mix the eggs, sugar, milk, flour, and butter, then pour on top of the plums Bake in oven at 180º for 30-50 minutes, add the almonds (last 10 minutes sprinkle additio
Provençal Sea Bream, Dorade
Our oh so chic and beautiful friend Valérie from Paris, was visiting and decided to make us a simple elegant meal. Given that we have an amazing fishmonger down the street, and we are less than an hour from Marseille, the availability of amazing seafood is really quite wonderful. She decides on Sea Bream, which is Dorade in French. The recipe is simple because the fishmonger (poissonier) provides the fish clean and ready to be cooked, and the rosemary is bountiful in the gard
Winter Truffles...the wait is over
Finally the winter truffle is here from Provence, the Tuber Melanosporum, yes this is the beautifully pungent black truffle that will transform any dish you make. Truffle in waiting...first I placed the truffle in with a few eggs so that it flavors them over night. I also decided to try placing a truffle with fresh made butter together for a night, given that butter
absorbs the flavor beautifully. The best way to enjoy truffles is with a simple recipe. Home made fettuccine p
