Fig chutney

From our neighbours Albert and Marilou we got loads of figs! So we have decided to make a fig chutney.
The recipe is from an American foodblogger, David Lebovitz, and I've changed it a bit.

This quantity is for 500 grams; I used 1 kilo, which yields 3 jars of chutney.

Shopping list:

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 centimeters fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

120 grams soft brown sugar

125 ml (apple cider) vinegar

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 apple (optional)

100 grams raisins or other dried fruit (if using high-quality raisins, there is no need to soak them)

1.5 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 small cinnamon stick

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground cloves (I didn't have any, but star anise worked fine)

Pinch of finely ground red chili pepper or hot paprika powder

500 grams fresh figs (remove stems and cut into pieces)

How to make it:

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions, stirring constantly, until they are translucent. This takes about ten minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, except for the figs. Let the mixture simmer for about twenty minutes, then add the figs and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the figs for another five to ten minutes until they are soft and tender. Be sure to taste it along the way!

Remove the lid and cook for another five to ten minutes over low heat, stirring continuously. The chutney should now have thickened to a jam-like consistency.

Transfer the chutney into sterilized jars, turn them upside down, and let them cool.

Bon appétit!

Home made tomato tappenade

 A delicious dip, and tastier when you make it yourself.

Shopping list:

1 Jar of sun-dried tomatoes

A piece of Parmesan cheese, about 40 grams

A little basil (a few leaves)

Pine nuts (2 tablespoons roasted in a dry frying pan)

Garlic, about 2 cloves

A little pepper (I omitted salt because the cheese is salty enough)

Optionally, extra olive oil

How to prepare it:

First, roast the pine nuts; stay close by because they burn quickly... and in a dry frying pan.

Put the tomatoes in a blender/immersion blender or whatever you have; scoop them out of the jar and save the oil, as that will be added later.

Then add the rest.

Mix everything together with the oil until you have a kind of spread; taste it first before serving.

You can eat it with breadsticks, but if you run out crisps or nacho's will do the job too !

Delicious with breadsticks (but also with chips 😉) Success guaranteed!

Tagine with drumsticks

 

My Cookbook Collection

 

A Peek Inside My Cookbook Collection

People often ask me about the cookbooks that grace my bookshelf. After a recent move from the Charente to the Lot-et-Garonne, I took the opportunity to declutter and let go of several smaller cookbooks that were gathering dust. These books have thankfully found new homes, making space for the gems I truly cherish. So, let me share with you the selection that now sits proudly in my cupboard.

Super Dushi Chef by Jurino Ignacio

One of the most exciting additions to my collection is Super Dushi Chef by Jurino Ignacio. This cookbook is not just a collection of recipes; it's an experience. Ignacio has skillfully incorporated modern elements like gadgets and QR codes, making it a dynamic and interactive guide for any culinary enthusiast. It’s a fantastic resource that offers much more than just culinary instructions, providing insights into techniques and flavors that inspire creativity in the kitchen.

Couscous salade but different

Whatever you do, don't get the ready-made couscous salad they sell in supermarkets.

For 4 people, you need to buy:

Shopping list:

300g couscous

1 vegetable bouillon cube (Maggi)

1 cucumber

200g feta

200g mango *

250g roasted bell pepper **

100g walnuts (optional; I don't like them)

1 dash of olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 bunch of fresh mint

GOLDEN TIP:

Add pomegranates for a deliciously fresh and crunchy bite.

* If you cannot buy fresh peaches, then buy a tin
** If you don't have time to roast the peppers, then buy roasted peppers in a jar (it tastes great).

How to prepare it:

Heat the amount of water indicated on the couscous package in a pan and bring to a boil. Add the vegetable bouillon cube and stir until dissolved.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the couscous. Stir briefly and cover the pan. Let this sit for 5 minutes so the couscous absorbs the liquid. Then fluff the grains with a fork.

Cut the cucumber into half slices, the roasted bell pepper into strips, and the mango into cubes. Finely chop the fresh mint and also cut the feta into small cubes.

In a small bowl, combine the honey with the olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to create a dressing and then add it to the couscous and feta salad.

Now, stir the chopped vegetables, mango, mint, and walnuts into the couscous and mix well. Finally, add the feta cubes and stir gently to prevent them from crumbling too much.

You can serve the couscous and feta salad lukewarm or let it cool in the refrigerator and eat it cold.

This salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Unfortunately I didn't take a picture, but I'll give you some useful tips.

Roast a pepper on gas stove    (video)

Roast a pepper in the oven      (video)

Roast a pepper in the air fryer (video)

How to remove pomegranate seeds  (without making a mess)    (video)

Serrano ham, Charentaise melon ... and......

 ..... burrata!

An easy and delicious summer lunch or appetizer.

Shopping list:

Serrano ham (or another cured ham, whatever you like)

Charentaise melon (also known as Cantaloupe)

Burrata (the special Italian cheese)

Fresh mint leaves

And how to prepare it:

A beautiful plate can do wonders. I used a black plate for color contrast.

You can see the plating in the photo. You can also make balls from the melon, but that takes a lot of time and you'll lose some pieces of this delicious fruit.

I sliced the melon a bit thinner than usual so it lays flat.

A glass of dry white wine (everyone loves Sauvignon Blanc) makes a real statement.

Monica Galetti's Quick Tarte Tatin

Being a fan of Master Chef UK, I recently watched Chef Monica Galetti making a quick tarte tatin. As you know I do like a good tarte but not very good in making it myself, so this recipe sounded great!

She had a one-persons frying pan, but I didn't have which means more tarte ! I have put a link underneath the recipe of the video of Master Chef.

Shopping list: 

3 Apples (depending on the size of your pan)
Christal white sugar
Real butter
Frying pan with handle that doesn't melt in the oven.

How to prepare the dish:

In a frying pan (make sure that the handle can also be put in the oven and does not melt), cover the bottom with slices of butter and press down.

Sprinkle crystal sugar over it and it will caramelize in the pan.

Peel apples, remove the core, and cut them in half, i.e. into strips without cutting through the apple. (like you do with a Hasselback potato).

Place the apples on the sugar and then put (ready-made) puff pastry over it; and tuck the apples in a little. Let it 'bubble' on the stove for about 10 minutes.

Then make some slits in the puff pastry with a knife and place the whole thing in the preheated oven at 210 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Don't forget to put on your oven glove because the handle is very hot.

Allow to cool slightly and then place the tarte upside down onto a wooden board so that the caramel stays on the board and not on your counter.

Of course it is delicious with a scoop of ice cream or custard with/without a splash of cognac.

I should have used 3 apples in stead of 2 I noticed later, but furthermore it was very tasty and juicy.

The video is here: Monica's Tarte Tatin on Facebook