Post Type ArchivesRecipes

Quick Hummus

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At every apéro in France, you can be 100% sure there’ll be a hummus can somewhere. It is so popular that you’ll easily find it highlighted in the refrigerated section of your closest Monoprix or Carrefour, usually with a dozen varieties -spicy, without garlic, with red bell pepper, carrot hummus, you name it. 

I myself bought my fair share of ready-made hummus. Truthfully, it comes in handy ; yet no matter the brand nor quality, it’s always been a disappointment, taste and texture-wise.

After a bit of research, I had already found a way to make decent hummus within 15 minutes. By that time I wanted a greener version -I love my herbs ! That is why I developed a Quick Green Hummus recipe, with chickpeas and green peas.

But classics are popular for a reason. A few days ago, I had a craving for real hummus. Without funny peas nor exotic veggies nor herbs. 

I quickly adapted the recipe, which is therefore exquisitely simple –5 ingredients besides your cupboard essentials ; 15 minutes needed.

There are only 3 simple steps in this recipe : 

  • Gather your ingredients. Peel your garlic & remove its germ (3mn) ; 
  • Remove your chickpeas’ skins. Pour your chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water, and stir with your hands, slightly rubbing them as you go without crushing them. This will remove most of the chickpeas’ skins effortlessly ; they will float towards the surface (5mn) ; 
  • Blend your ingredients (7mn).

I must apologize though to my Middle eastern people, because such a recipe is not perfectly authentic ; the real way to go would be to you to cook dry chickepeas instead of using canned ones, as the taste is better ; or, as a shortcut, to cook canned ones 20 minutes to make them overcooked, resulting in a softer texture. If you have a bit of extra time, definitely do one or the other ! The end result would be even creamier. But I didn’t feel the need here, as the taste and texture remain amazing, all for the time it takes to cook pasta. 

The only extra step I am willing to put here besides blending it all together, is to remove the chickpeas’ skins. I find that it truly helps in achieving a less grainy texture. You could forgo this step if you want an even quicker recipe, as it won’t affect the end taste ; in this case, I recommend using a tbsp more tahini or olive oil, and a tbsp more of water.

No need for a blender by the way ; a food processor is perfect here. 

That’s all ! You won’t go back to store-bought, trust me !

Quick Hummus – Recipe

Ingredients, process – Advice & key points

  • Tahini : This ingredient is key in achieving a creamy, silky texture for your hummus. Many Westernized recipes don’t include enough tahini ; some Israeli ones go as far as putting equal amounts of tahini and chickpeas. Taste as you go, but I recommend at least 4 tablespoons here. 
  • Using ice cubes will help in achieving that creamy texture ! If you don’t have any, just replace them with cold water.
  • Fyi, this recipe yields a very large bowl of hummus! Vastly enough for 6 voracious eaters -more likely 10 regular portion sizes.
    • If you want an apéro-sized bowl, halve the recipe ! 
    • I would still advise you to make the whole recipe -I use leftover hummus in wraps and sandwiches, which is always positively yummy. 

How to serve your Quick Hummus

  • Toppings : My favourite toppings for my Hummus are the following :
    • actual chickpeas,
    • olive oil (most important topping imho),
    • sumac
    • and paprika.
  • What to eat your Hummus with ? The crowd’s favourites often are :
    • small pieces of pita bread, or any other type of bread available ;
    • carrot sticks (their sweetness pairs perfectly with hummus).

But you can definitely get creative and use red bell pepper strips, celery strips, radishes, crackers…

Now let’s apéro ! 

Easy Red Curry Ramen

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Red curry ramen with fresh noodles, cabbage, browned chicken and cilantro

Noodle soups are one of the greatest pleasures in life, but they tend to be very time-intensive – think Spicy Szechuan Beef Soup, or classic ramen that take around 10h to be done and dusted. 

Well, not this one ! I wouldn’t ever post a bland noodle soup, as noodle soups are close to a religion to me. With a decent curry paste and a good broth, this Red Curry Ramen tastes just like one that’s been on the stove for hours, while you actually need 15 minutes to put it together ; all you need to do is to : 

  • Heat up some red curry paste with coconut milk 
  • Add broth ; let it simmer 10 minutes 
  • Meanwhile, blanch your veggies, cook your noodles
  • Assemble with any leftover meat and herbs you want !

The bright orange broth tells you all you need to know : the depth and intensity of flavours, the spice-rich broth, and the milkiness of coconut are right here in front of you, demanding to be savoured. You don’t even need toppings : some noodles, some broth, and you’re good to go. I do recommend a touch of veggies though, which give a nice contrast texture-wise. 

Granted, this is not an authentic recipe ; but it respects the Thai masterclass principles on balance, with a broth that is given contrast and depth of taste with the fish sauce, soy sauce and lime addition, and some freshness with cilantro.

If you’re willing to prep your own curry paste and broth, some time and work is needed, I admit ; the good knews is, you can put individual portions of those items in your freezer ; and whenever you feel soupy, you whip up a banging soup in a matter of minutes.

But even if you use ready-made curry paste and broth, you will be very happy with this recipe. 

Easy Red Curry Ramen – Recipe

Ingredients – Where to find them

For some ingredients in this dish (like the red curry paste if you don’t make it yourself, or fish sauce and ramen), you might need to visit an Asian store :

  • If you’re in Paris :
    • your could go to the K-mart near Opera (there are several others K-marts, check on Google) ;
    • you can also go to Tang Frères in the 13th (they have other stores in Paris but be careful, some are small, this one is large) or Paris Store in the 10th ;
    • ever since I moved to the 18th, I’ve been going to XP 16 or Chen Market, but those shops are slightly smaller, especially XP16, and you might not find everything you need. 
  • If you’re in France :
  • For my foreign friends : I bet you can easily find some Asian shops around you or online, but if you can’t, message me with your location and I will try to find it for you !

Recipe – Advice & key points

  • Do buy coconut milk in cans ; this way, you’ll have a coconut cream solidifed on top that you can use to initially cook your red curry paste.
  • Careful, depending on your curry paste and the amounts you’re using, this soup can turn out very spicy. If you don’t like the heat, don’t use more than a tablespoon for two !
  • If possible, use my recipe for the Thai clear pork broth, but it’s still fine if you use a ready-made chicken broth.
  • Use your imagination (and the current contents of your fridge) to pick your toppings !
    • Having leftover chicken, pork, beef, tofu ? Now is the time to use it ! 
    • A hard-boiled egg or a soft-boiled egg is a top pick if you don’t have another protein-or even in addition to the protein. 
    • Any veggie laying around would do ;
      • Come winter, my personal preference here would be some type of cabbage -any kind.  
      • In summer, grilled eggplants, peppers or zucchinis would be sublime ! 
  • Ideally, I recommend making your own curry paste. If so, I don’t recommend making it on a weeknight ; make your curry paste over the week-end, for example, then you’ll have plenty to store in your freezer for anytime you feel like curry-ing.
    • If using store-bought, it’s perfectly good too ! My two top picks would be the Maeploy and Namjai curry pastes. The Aroy-D brand is also great, plus it is vegan !
  • I recommend buying proper pre-cooked ramen for this recipe. It should look like this (possibly yellower for some brands), and is shelf-stable (so not even in the refrigerated section) : 

Zoom image

Let’s get soupy!

Green Lasagna (with Swiss Chard and Zucchini)

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Green Lasagna (with Swiss Chard & Zucchini)

A few weeks ago, I started craving ricotta & spinach lasagna after watching a mouth-watering video on Instagram. Yet I was frustrated because this was off-season, and I couldn’t bring myself to make it. 

I tend not to remain frustrated, food-wise, for long. 

The gears in my mind started turning, as usual, at nightfall, when I was tossing and turning in bed. Green lasagna. That was what I wanted. With cheese. Ain’t nobody said spinach was needed specifically ! Nor ricotta. 

I was only a few google researchs away from my solution : the beloved Swiss Chard.

Swiss chard is at its best between May and October, which makes it perfect for your springy or summery cravings. Earthy, slightly bitter when raw, like Spinach, it turns mild and sweet when cooked, especially the leaves. It needs to be cooked a bit longer than Spinach, especially because of its fibrous stems. 

To remove any remaining bitterness, I decided to combine Swiss Chard with Zucchinis. When I settled on zucchinis, I thought : Goat Cheese ! Yay ! I could taste this great pairing in my mouth, and couldn’t wait to give it life. 

I was left dumbfounded by the fresh, fragrant yet generous taste of this lasagna dish ; you’d think it quite plain, with mostly, well, greens, but it was quite the opposite. The herbs used –mint, basil, chives and oregano– were instrumental in bringing that fragrance and freshness, aided by the bright acidity goat cheese and lemon provide. The richness of the creamy béchamel and the Pecorino romano leaves you craving for more after each mouthful.

Green Lasagna with Swiss Chard and Zucchini (Veggie) – Recipe

Ingredients – Pieces of advice

  • You can either pick fresh lasagna sheets or dry ones.
    • If choosing dry ones, you’ll need to cook them 10mn longer, and to make sure your béchamel is liquid enough. Then it works great ! 
  • If you’re feeling lazy, you can replace swiss chard with frozen spinach, which saves quite a bit of prep time. You simply thaw them, squeeze them well, and slice them up roughly. That’s it !
  • You don’t need a fancy goat cheese log for these lasagna ; I used a supermarket one, and it worked well. 

Off to your kitchen now !

Note : This happens to be a vegetarian dish, and I have never thought of it as such -I assure you your omnivore friends will be equally thrilled by this wonder !  

Pan con Tomate 2 ways (Veggie / Cured Ham)

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Pan con tomate two ways - one with feta cheese and slices kalamata olives, one with cured ham

If you want to get my heart in 3 words, forget about I love you : I have 3 much sweeter words in mind.

Pan. Con. Tomate.

As I failed to understand younger, less is more. This dish is one of the most satisfying summer dishes I know. A true summer dish, with aromatic summery produce. A dish you won’t mind making even when it’s 40°C outside.

And such a dish is made within 10 minutes.

  • First, grate your tomatoes
  • Meanwhile, toast some bread
  • Add olive oil, basil, salt to your tomatoes
  • Rub garlic on your bread
  • Spread your tomato mixture on your bread
  • Add toppings (if any).

This beautiful dish does not need any topping. You could spread your tomato mixture to your bread and call it a day : it will still be the most amazing 5-mn open-faced sandwiches you’ve ever had.

Yet I simply felt like playing around with my pan con tomate. I started picturing olives and feta cheese on top of this beauty, and I knew I had to attempt this version.

But I do love the traditional ones, too. Pan con tomate y jamon (with cured ham) is iconic in Catalonia ; could my humble veggie version compare to this one ?

Spoiler alert ; it could. I was truly amazed to see how I instantly felt the superiority of the veggie version over the ham version. I’m no vegetarian, but I keep discovering how easy it is to favour, as much as possible, veggie-based dishes ; and how easy it is to make those veggies shine, when you give them the same consideration you would to meat. Quality is of the essence, as well as a bit of research on traditional cooking techniques and recipes -with a great many number of dishes that are naturally vegetarian.

Pan con Tomate 2 ways – Ingredients

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • The amounts listed make around 10 small to medium toasts, which serve 5 as an appetizer, or 2-3 as a main.
  • It goes without saying but : use quality, in-season tomatoes ! This is truly a summer dish, where the tomato taste must shine.
  • Basil and garlic are optional, but highly, highly recommended.
  • If you don’t own a toaster (which I find quite handy), you can use :
    • a pan on medium-high heat, and toast your slices 1-2 minutes per side ;
    • an oven on grill mode if you prep a large batch ; broil for 1–2 minutes per side on high ;
    • if you own a gas stove, using tongs, hold the bread directly over a gas flame for a few seconds on each side, moving it constantly to avoid burning.
  • You can use any bread you have on hand -just not industrial bread, please ; a fresh loaf from your local bakery is needed.
    • I ask my baker to pre-slice the bread, as I find it much handier.
    • I always keep a sliced bread loaf in my freezer. Then I have some whenever I like ; simply toast a slice or two straight from frozen, and there you go !
    • If you can find rustic bread, this would the most traditional type for Pan con Tomate.
  • Feel free to play around with Pan con Tomate toppings !
    • The most typical are either cured ham, anchovies or cheese.
    • Feel free to have others, or none at all ! It will be de-li-cious anyway.

Let’s get it done !

Authentic Bun Thit Nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Vermicelli)

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Bun Thit Nuong : Vietnamese rice vermicelli with grilled pork in a lemongrass marinade, Do Chua, cucumbers, salad

Us Westerners all know and love Bo Bun (actually Bun Bo, or “rice vermicelli with beef”), especially with the crunchy spring rolls addition on top. In summer, you can see this rice noodle salad all over Vietnamese restaurants’ tables.

If you want an authentic taste though, you need to try instead the Bun Thit Nuong. This is 100% authentic Vietnamese street food, eaten all over the south (especially Saigon).

It usually consists of:

  • Cold vermicelli noodles
  • Grilled pork (thịt nướng), sometimes beef or chicken
  • Fresh herbs, Do Chua (pickled carrots/daikon), cucumber
  • Scallion oil
  • Nuoc Cham (fish sauce dressing)
  • Optional: spring rolls (chả giò) on top ; crushed peanuts.

I admit that I used to love eating a good Bun Bo, but that was before discovering Bun Thit Nuong. It’s almost the same kind of realization as when you go to Italy for the first time and try a real tonnarelli alla Carbonara ; within seconds you realize what you’ve been missing on, and you cannot go back.

Two adjustments here make a world of difference : the grilled pork, with its rich lemongrass-based marinade ; and the Nuoc Cham, when homemade, that packs a real punch and brings this simple salad to the next level.

As always with Vietnamese recipes, the balance between sugary, savoury and tangy is on point : the marinade is pungent with dark soy sauce, vinegar and heaps of aromatics, but the adequate use of honey and sugar offset any excess strength. Similarly, the Nuoc Cham kicks ass with its vinegar, lime and fresh chilies, but the sugar rounds it all out.

In my opinion, you don’t even need spring rolls here ; the flavours from the pork and the Nuoc Cham are more than enough to get a meal that makes your day. If you love spring rolls though, add some ! It’s still authentic by Vietnamese standards -simply not an automatic addition.

Authentic Bun Thit Nuong – Recipe

Ingredients – Where to find them

Most ingredients for this dish might require you to visit an Asian store, but you shall find them easily as they remain quite basic Asian pantry items (dark soy sauce, fish sauce (Nuoc Mam), scallions, birds’ eye chilies).

  • If your Asian store doesn’t have a fresh veggies aisle, you might have a tad more trouble finding Daikon for your Do Chua ; simply replace it with pink radishes.
  • Can’t find traditional Vietnamese herbs (perilla leaves, Thai basil, Vietnamese cilantro) ? Replace them with a mix of mint, basil and classic cilantro.

Recipe – Advice & key points

  • I recommend using pork shoulder (échine de porc, for my French friends) for this recipe, as it has a nice muscle to fat ratio resulting in a satisfying tenderness. You can use pork belly instead if you wish !
  • You will need to have some Do Chua and Nuoc Cham ready for this recipe. You can get them both done within 30 minutes ; don’t let it discourage you !
    • I recommend doubling the amount of water for your Nuoc Cham in this recipe.
  • For best results, I recommend marinating your pork overnight (+8 hours), but no more than 24 hours, or your pork might start to toughen.
    • Can’t wait overnight ? Try to let it marinate at least 4 hours !
  • If you can grill your pork over charcoal, or any other grill, definitely do it ! “Nuong” means “grilled” in Vietnamese. The pork is traditionally grilled, giving it a smoky, caramelized crust. My recipe simply provides an alternative for those who can’t barbecue indoors.

Off to the kitchen now !

Couscous Salad with Feta

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Veggie couscous salad with feta cheese, cucumber, radishes, peas

On a busy day, I came home and checked out my fridge. Leftover cucumber, cilantro, chilies and feta cheese from veggie tacos making. Damn. A sad salad seemed to be incoming. Or a Deliveroo.

Do not, however, understimate the power of a well-stocked pantry and freezer ! On days like this, they can save your supper. Green peas ? Always in the freezer. Semolina ? Check. Lemon ? Always one lying around.

And just like that, within 15 minutes, dinner was on the table ; not a sad one, mind you. My companion truthfully kept going on how tasty it was.

The process was easy peasy :

  • Pour warm water on your semolina, and wait 10mn ;
  • Blanch frozen peas ;
  • Slice up your greens (at least cucumber/radishes, shallots/onions + cilantro/mint) ;
  • Mix it all together with olive oil and sharmoula/green harissa ;
  • Serve and top with feta cheese !

The feta cheese is essential here, giving a true generosity to this fresh, pleasant couscous salad. It’s an amazing no-cook dish to have up your sleeve on those days when it’s too hot out there ; or when even putting a kettle on the stove seems too daunting. Plus, there’s almost no dishes to be done ! Yay !

Couscous Salad with Feta – Recipe

Ingredients – Where to find them

Those ingredients are easy to get from your typical grocery store, and for those which aren’t, you can easily skip them or replace them !

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • Don’t want to make a Sharmoula ? Replace it with green harissa – this is what I initially did, and it worked wonders.
    • Green harissa is quite mild and we don’t use much here. If you don’t like it spicy, just remove the green chili pepper instead !
  • Optional : Add 1 tsp of curry powder to get some additional depth of taste.
  • Feel free to play around with the ingredients used !
    • Replace the veggies with what you have on hands ! You could use either cucumber or radishes, or replace them with red bell pepper ; or, replace shallots with onions or green onions, and so on.
    • Go for what feels right for you when it comes to herbs ! I find that cilantro and mint work really well here, but chives would be fine too.
  • I really recommend frozen peas instead of canned peas ; they are significantly better texture-wise and don’t get overly mushy.

Come now, let’s get your hands dirty !

Merguez Sandwich (Spicy sausage sandwich)

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Merguez sandwich with harissa, mayo and green chili pepper condiment

I’ve had this one too many times to count. The guest of honour of any students’ barbecue, of so many festivals : I give you, the Merguez sandwich !

You can’t make it any simpler ; the classic version is the following :

  • Grab a baguette,
  • Spread mayo generously,
  • Top with two barbecued merguez,
  • and devour !

This Merguez sandwich is usually accompanied by french fries -or with fries straight into the sandwich. If you’re lucky, the place could even offer a harissa spread. Harissa plus mayo = heaven.

But why a Merguez sandwich in France ? As you guessed, it originates from North Africa (particularly Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco). It became widely popular in France during the 20th century, especially after waves of immigration from former French colonies in North Africa. These communities brought their culinary traditions with them, including merguez.

Over time, the merguez sandwich became a street-food staple in:

  • French markets and festivals
  • Snack bars and kebab shops
  • Barbecue culture (“grillades”), especially in southern France.

In terms of popularity in France, the Merguez sandwich is neck and neck with the Sausage sandwich. Same idea, but usually with a mustard and mayo spread. Yum.

See the simplicity of it ? No topping, no veggie at all. You won’t easily find a recipe on the internet, because it’s basic. But still tasty as hell ; I’d grab either sandwich any day.

I decided to make a slightly more elaborate and personal version of this sandwich I love, by including a green, chili-based condiment. This one is for my spicy lovers : between the spiced merguez itself, the harissa paste, and my chili-based condiment, you’re in for a ride. A very pleasant, kick-ass ride. The vinegary condiment, besides its heat, brings a much needed acidity that offsets the fat from the Merguez and mayo. The cilantro also adds a touch of freshness –and seriously, could we possibly make an oriental sandwich without cilantro ? I think not !

Merguez Sandwich (Spicy sausage sandwich) – Ingredients

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • You should either be able to find merguez in your usual grocery stores in France, or at specialty butchers or Middle Eastern/North African grocery stores if you’re in the US or in the rest of Europe.
    • If you can barbecue them, definitely do ! If not, pan-fried merguez will be super tasty anyway.
  • If you cannot find fresh baguette, use frozen ones !
    • You can also replace it itwith a Sub Roll, Hoagie Roll or Ciabatta Roll, depending on when you live.
    • Turkish Pide or Flatbread would also work great !
  • Pickled chili peppers are optional ; replace them with 1/2 fresh green chili pepper and one more teaspoon vinegar.

Let’s sandwich !

Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad

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Salmon pasta salad with mozzarella, cucumber, tomatoes, red onions and basil

I apologize in advance to all my Italian friends ; this is not an authentic pasta fredda from your nonna. 

It does respect the basics, yes -no mayo nor cream ; a simple olive oil and lemon dressing ; lots of fresh basil, and protein only used sparingly.

But smoked salmon is nothing Italian.

I get it. I still like this version very much ; I find it to be a fresher take on the prosciutto version, extremely pleasing for when it’s scalding hot outside. In France, the weather recently reached 38°C ; I therefore declared pasta salad season officially open !

For pasta salads as in all things, less is more. Still, simple dishes need to be executed properly : here are my tips for a great pasta salad : 

  • Use decent olive oil ! 
  • Don’t decide to thinly dice your cucumber/tomatoes/onion here. You won’t be able to grab them with your pasta using your fork. You will be pissed. 
  • Textures matter. Pasta salads can be on the softer side ; by adding cucumber, you bring forward a much needed crunch.
  • Put your veggies in the fridge at least 10mn once they’re cut : this salad will be tastier when everything is properly fresh. 
  • Don’t skip the basil. Fresh basil is a huge flavour booster here. 
  • Don’t forget the salt. A large pinch is needed for 2 servings. 

Salad bar who ?! ME is the salad bar. 

Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad – Recipe

Ingredients – Where to find them

Here, no issues should arise in finding them ! 

Ingredients – Advice & key points

Not much to say here ; it’s a straight-forward salad!

  • Don’t make this pasta salad in winter ! Tomatoes are just tasteless and so would the salad be.
  • Feel free to switch herbs ! Use wild garlic when in season, or chives, even though the taste would be less intense.  
  • I recommend using quality smoked salmon if you can, with indications of a responsible farming process.
  • If making this salad ahead of time, do not put salt nor add dressing to the part you’re saving for later. You need to add it last minute.

All set ? Let’s make this Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad !

Wild Asparagus, Tomatoes, Sharmoula

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Asparagus, cherry tomatoes, sharmoula

I already told you Sharmoula was the secret for the tastiest fish tagine. But we also need recipes for those many nights when you have neither the time nor the will to wait almost 2 hours for dinner.

Wild Asparagus, Tomatoes, Sharmoula is just this : a bold veggie, healthy weeknight recipe. It is as lazy as it gets, and guaranteed to be on the table within 30 minutes :

  • Whip up a quick Sharmoula (10 minutes)
  • Start cooking your rice
  • Halve your cherry tomatoes & mix with Sharmoula
  • Pop in the oven
  • Add wild asparagus
  • Finish baking
  • Serve on top of rice. Tadam !

No trick, no complication and no mess in the kitchen. The only flavour key resides in the Sharmoula, that perfectly pairs with tomatoes for an acidic kick, which is then calmed by the nutty, grassy wild asparagus.

This is one of the many ways to enjoy fresh, homemade Sharmoula. I will post other tasty Sharmoula-based recipes, so stay tuned !

Wild Asparagus, Tomatoes, Sharmoula – Recipe

Ingredients – Where to find them

Those ingredients are quite easy to get from your typical grocery store, and you can easily replace some !

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • Get your Sharmoula recipe here.
  • Warning : This is a seasonal recipe. I recommend making it in late spring, to get your hands on tasty wild asparagus and cherry tomatoes.
    • If you can’t find wild asparagus, replace them with classic asparagus ! Simply cut them into chunks & add ~5 more minutes of cooking time.
  • When in winter or summer, feel free to play around with the ingredients used !
    • In winter, if you’re not wary of the double-carbs thing  -I know I’m not !, I’d recommend a carrot-potato version ; of course, adjust the cooking time accordingly ;
    • In summer, I’d gladly make a red bell pepper-potato or red bell pepper-zucchini version.

Come now, let’s massage these veggies !