♥︎Tray bake of giant beans with ratatouille vegetables & pistou

For ➍

2 cans giant white beans (400 g each), rinsed & drained

2 red onions, peeled, cut into 8 wedges each

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 eggplant, in pieces

1 zucchini, in pieces

4 small tomatoes on the vine, each cut in 4 wedges

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tbs rosemary needles, coarsely chopped

1 red chilli pepper, in rings

pinch chilli flakes

salt pepper

4 tbs olive oil

For the pistou*:

80 g pine nuts

40 g basil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

10-12.5 cl olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200 °C.

Put the beans, all the vegetables, the garlic, rosemary, chilli pepper and chilli flakes, four tablespoons of olive oil, a good pinch of coarse salt and a pinch of pepper in a bowl and toss. Divide the mixture over two baking trays lined with parchment paper.

Slide the baking trays into the oven and roast for 45-60m, until the vegetables are tender and the beans are just a little crunchy. Switch the baking plates halfway through, so that they both receive the same amount of top and bottom heat.

For the pistou, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until they are nicely browned. Set aside 12 basil leaves. Place the rest of the basil leaves, garlic and half the pine nuts in the bowl of the food processor and pulse a few times. Then, while the machine is running, pour in as much oil as needed for a runny sauce in a trickle. Taste and season the pistou with salt and pepper.

Transfer the beans and vegetables to a serving platter. Sprinkle over the rest of the pine nuts and the reserved basil leaves. 

Serve the pistou separately.

*Pistou is the Provencal version of Italian pesto. It's basically the same sauce without Parmigiano.

Fresh tuna & salade niçoise (French Riviera salad)

For ➏
400 g green beans, trimmed
750 g small potatoes
vegetable oil for brushing
20 g drained bottled capers
400 g lettuce (2 heads), leaves separated & large ones torn into pieces
1 bunch cherry tomatoes
100 g small brine-cured black olives
4 hard-boiled large eggs, quartered
3 tbs fresh parsley & basil, finely chopped
750 g (2,5 cm thick) tuna steaks*
ice-bowl with ice-cubes
20-25 cl (or 10 tbs for the salad +10 tbs for (optional) extra) salade niçoise dressing**

Cook beans in boiling salted water 3 to 4 m. Transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Add potatoes to boiling water and simmer 15 to 20 m, then drain. Halve potatoes while still warm (peel if desired) and toss with 2 tbs dressing in a bowl, then cool.
Prepare grill for cooking.
Brush tuna with oil and season with salt and pepper, then grill on lightly oiled rack, uncovered, turning over once, until browned on outside but still pink in centre, 6 to 8 m in total. Let tuna stand for 3 minutes, then break into large pieces. Put tuna on a large platter and drizzle with 2 to 3 tbs dressing and top with capers.< Add potatoes to platter with tuna. Drain beans and pat dry. Toss beans in bowl with 1 tbs dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss lettuce in bowl with 2 tbs dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss tomatoes in bowl with 1 tbs dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Arrange olives and eggs on platter and sprinkle salad with parsley and/or basil. Serve salad with remaining dressing on the side.

*You can do a light salad without the tuna. If you must, you can use canned tuna. If you prefer fully cooked tuna, try the marinating tuna recipe.
**Or try a lemon & mustard vinaigrette.

The salade was named niçoise by tourists, and originally meant a typical salad of the region, consisting mainly of tomatoes and olive oil. It became popular in the 60's, when scarcely clad, tan-hungry tourists from all over Europe were drawn to the French Riviera. The discussion thrives on about the original recipe of la sallada nissarda, mainly omitting green beans and potatoes from the now widely spread recipe.
The city of Nice is only a part of France since 1860. Before the treaty, it went its own way, mostly with Sardinian and Italian allies and influences, tough it was occupied by French (and Spanish) armies before. The Italian freedom fighter Garibaldi, born in Nice, tried to make it a part of Italy.
Picture in salade niçoise dressing shows the fishing nets on the beach of late 19th century Nice.
Read more Provençal recipes: salade niçoise dressing, Provençal garlic sauce, old-fashioned salade niçoise, Saint-Tropez (Provençal) chicken.

Borlotti with garlic & olive oil

For ➏
2 kg fresh borlotti beans, shelled, or 1kg frozen or dried (soaked overnight if dried)(or use cannelini)
3 plum tomatoes, quartered
10 large unpeeled garlic cloves
8 large (or 16 small) fresh sage leaves
18 cl extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Combine beans, tomatoes, garlic, sage and oil in a medium pot. Add cold water to cover by 1 cm (about 40 cl). Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered and adding water as needed to keep beans submerged. Cookuntil tender, 35–45 m for fresh or frozen and up to 1½ hours for dried. Skim any foam from the surface. Season with salt, pepper, and more oil, if desired.
Beans can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool in cooking liquid; cover and chill. Return to room temperature before serving.
Serve beans warm or at room temperature.

English chicken casserole

For ➍
2 tbs vegetable oil
8 chicken thigh fillets
6 shallots, peeled & quartered
2 carrots, peeled & sliced thickly
110 g white mushrooms, cleaned & thinly sliced
8 new potatoes, scrubbed & quartered
1 l chicken stock
1 tbs roughly chopped flat parsley leaves, plus leaves for garnish
12 black olives, stoned
2 tbs crème fraîche
bread

Heat a large oven-proof casserole over a medium heat being careful not to make it too hot or the oil will smoke. Add the oil to the casserole and raise the heat slightly until hot but again, not smoking.  Add 4 of the chicken thighs and turn the thighs constantly in the hot oil until browned all over. Remove from the pan, place on kitchen towel to drain and keep to one side. Repeat this with the remaining 4 thighs.
Once the thighs are browned, to the hot pan add the quartered shallots,  sliced carrots, sliced mushrooms and the quartered potatoes . Stir thoroughly to make sure all the vegetables are covered with the oil.
Return the browned chicken thighs to the casserole,  pour the chicken stock over. Cover the casserole with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 20 m on a medium heat, the casserole should be bubbling but not boiling fiercely.
Add the parsley and olives, cover again with the lid and cook for a further 15 m or until the potatoes are tender, when pierced with a sharp knife.
Remove from the heat the casserole from the heat, stir in the cream, garnish with the parsley leaves.
Serve with crusty bread, a must for mopping up the lovely juices.

*Change the herbs to tarragon which is a classic herb for chicken.
Remove the olives and crème fraîche, adding canned borlotti or haricot blanc beans instead.
Keep the olives but remove the crème fraîche and add a can of drained chopped tomatoes.

Goat cheese, green beans & walnuts

For ➋
150 g fresh goat cheese roll
150 g fine green beans
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs walnut halves, toasted
marinade:
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs walnut oil
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, squashed flat
1 ts fresh thyme leaves
1 ts coriander seeds, cracked
1 ts fennel seeds

Cut the goats' cheese into thick slices.
For the marinade, combine all the marinade ingredients (olive oil, walnut oil, shallots, garlic, thyme leaves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds) together in a bowl. Pour the marinade over the goats' cheese slices, cover, and leave for a few hours or overnight, turning once.
The next day, drain the goats' cheese and reserve the marinade, discarding the garlic.
Top the beans. Cook in simmering salted water for 5 m. Drain.
Toss the beans in 1 tbs of the reserved marinade and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the beans on two dinner plates.
Preheat the grill to medium. Transfer the goats' cheese to a sheet of foil and place under the grill for 2 m, or until just melted. Divide between the 2 plates, add 2 tbs of the marinade. Decorate with the toasted walnuts.
Serve with fresh toast.

Grilled salmon & fennel salad

For ➍
400 g salmon, with skin*
2 medium fennel bulbs, with stalks & fronds
100 g (or 1 can) cannellini beans**
salt & black pepper
garlic powder
olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
(rice wine) vinegar

Cut stalks off fennel, reserving the fronds. Cut the bulbs in half.

Coat the fennel with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Do the same with the salmon. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the seasoned salmon.

Grill the fennel and the salmon on a preheated grill, brushing occasionally with olive oil.

After everything has been turned once or twice, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over everything. Continue cooking until fennel is slightly soft and has dark grill marks, and salmon is cooked through.***

Let everything cool a bit, before slicing fennel into pretty thin strips, and flaking the salmon off the skin.

Place into a bowl together. Add rinsed beans. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice and a bit of vinegar, and season with salt, pepper and white pepper. Toss gently.

Serve with crusty bread.****

*With skin, it's easier to grill the fish.
**Or other white beans. When using dried beans, cook them separately. (Use 40 g dried beans, they will double in size when cooked). You could use cooked green beans. Or leave the beans out.
***Salmon steaks of 2.5 cm thick would need 5 m for each side on medum, when the grill is hot enough to scar the flesh. Sliced fennel of 2.5 cm thick would need 5 m to grill, then 5 m to become sweet. A trick is to microwave the fish, about 1 m per 100 g, stop before completion, then grill the fish for 2 m each side.
****Or put it away and eat it cold the next day.

Read a similar recipe: seared salmon with fennel salad.

Tuna & sun dried tomatoes & white beans salad

For ➍
200 g can tuna in olive oil, drained & flaked*
1½ tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove
5 tbs extra virgin olive oil
400 cl can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
5 tbs oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained & sliced**
4 tbs finely chopped red onion
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley or basil

Whisk lemon juice, garlic, ¼ ts salt, and ⅛ ts freshly ground pepper in bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil.

Add beans, tuna, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors, about 2 h.

Remove from refrigerator about 30 m before serving.

Serve at room temperature as a main course, or as a salad bar antipasto.

*Replace with 200 g sliced salami, or cold roasted chicken.
*Use broiled fresh tuna steaks instead.
**Grill sliced Roma tomatoes for a few m, with some salt. Sprinkle with olive oil.

Read tip on drying tomatoes in the oven.

Duck's delight

For ➋
3 tbs peanut oil
2 duck chest fillets with skin, 150 g each
200 g green beans
300 g broccoli
1 Spanish pepper
½ clove of garlic
40 g cashew nuts
3 tbs light Japanese oyster sauce
3 tbs sesame oil
5 tbs dry white wine or sake*
salt & black pepper
3 ts thickener(**)
2 sprigs coriander

Heat peanut oil in wok. Braise chests with skin down for 4 m. Turn and bake for another 3 m.

Slice the chests thinly and put aside.

Clean and cut beans, broccoli and pepper.

Squeeze garlic over bowl.

Add oyster sauce, nuts, sesame oil, white wine* and sliced chests.

Add salt and black pepper.

Shred coriander.

Mix thickener with 1 tbs water.**

Heat 2 tbs of formerly used oil.

Add mixture and wok for 5 m.

Add thickener and cook for another m.**

Serve and garnish with coriander.

Serve with white rice, cucumber and green tea. Dry white wine optional.

*Optional.
**Optional. Cook for 1 additional m when not used.

Cappesante arrostite (roasted scallops with green beans & orange sauce)

For ➍
12 scallops
200 g green beans
10 cl fresh orange juice
50 g leek
1 bay leaf
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

Tear the leek into broad threads. Fry them quickly in some oil.

Trim the beans, wash and boil for 15 m in salted water, drain and cool them in iced water.

Clean the scallops*, roast with a little olive oil in a skillet over high heat very quickly, salt and pepper.

Pour the orange juice and the bay leaf in a pan. Reduce to about half on medium heat.

Remove from heat, whip the oil in. Adjust with salt and pepper.

Sauté the green beans in a pan with a little oil.

Put in a deep dish with the roasted scallops and top with the orange sauce.

Serve immediately, with threads of fried leek.

Serve the cappesante arrostite con faglioni e salsa all'arancia with a glass of dry Italian wine.

*Without removing the coral, if you like.

Read tip on cooking scallops.

Klondike baked salmon

For ➍
4 (Alaska) salmon fillets (thawed)
2 tbs mustard
2 tbs butter, melted
1 tbs honey
4 tbs fresh bread crumbs
4 tbs finely chopped pecans or walnuts
2 ts chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Blend mustard, butter and honey in small bowl. Set aside.

Mix bread crumbs, nuts and parsley in another small bowl. Set aside.

Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Place on non-stick or spray-coated baking sheet or broiler pan. Brush salmon with mustard-honey mixture. Pat bread crumb mixture onto top surface of salmon. Bake for 10 m per 2.5 cm of thickness, or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serve with side dishes like green beans or cinnamon applesauce.

The Klondike river, in Canada, near the Alaskan border, is best known for the famous gold rush in the 1890's, which spread to the Alaskan peninsula. Before there was gold, there were fish. Fish have supported the people of Southeast Alaska as long as there have been people. In 1878, fish canning came to Alaska. The Alaska salmon is considered one of the best in the world. It is now shipped frozen, and still canned as well.
Picture shows the Lynx brand wrapper.

La sallada nissarda (salade niçoise)

For ➏
10 tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, sliced
200 g small broad beans, boiled
12 small artichokes, thinly sliced
2 green peppers, thinly sliced
6 small onions or scallions, thinly sliced
6 basil leaves, chopped
1 clove of garlic
3 hard boiled eggs, quartered
12 anchovies
100 g black olives
6 tbs olive oil
pepper & salt

Slice the garlic, rub a large salad bowl with it.

Put tomatoes, beans, artichokes, peppers, onions, anchovies and eggs in the bowl.

Make a dressing with 6 tbs of olive oil and the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper.

Put in the refrigerator for at least 1 h.

Add the cucumber just before serving, otherwise it will make the mixture too moist.

Serve as an entrée with some good bread, or as a side dish for grilled fish (or white meat or chicken).

The 'original' version of the salade niçoise, or at least a recently established agreement between Nice restaurants on historic ingredients and preparation, cutting the potatoes and green beans of the widely popular recipe, as it was written down by Escoffier.
Picture shows a fragment of a Berthe Morisot painting of the late 19th century Nice beach, accommodating tourists.
Read more Provençal recipes: fresh tuna & salade niçoise, salade niçoise dressing, Provençal garlic sauce, Saint-Tropez (Provençal) chicken.

Cuban bean soup

For ➏
500 g dry red kidney beans, soaked overnight, rinsed & drained
2 medium onions, cubed
1 whole medium garlic, crushed & peeled
2 tbs grape seed oil
2 l hot water
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 medium sweet red bell peppers, cubed
2 ts smoked paprika
3 large bay leaves
1 pinch Cayenne pepper or other chili powder
1 ts dried oregano
sea salt to taste
2 handfuls of freshly chopped coriander
lemon/lime wedges to serve
fresh bread to serve

Fry onions and garlic in oil until translucent on the bottom of large pot.

Add chopped peppers and fry some more.

Add water, then add beans, vinegar, hot water, smoked paprika, chili powder, bay leaves and oregano.

Bring the soup to boil over large fire, let it bubble for a while, then reduce the fire, cover and simmer for about 2,5 h.

Mash beans in the soup with potato masher, season with salt and cook 10 m longer.

Remove from fire, stir in coriander.

Serve with lemon/lime wedges on the side and some fresh, crunchy bread.

Kesksou belfoul (couscous with veal meatballs & broad beans)

For ➍
400 g fresh broad beans, cut
ground ginger
1 ts saffron
4 onions
400 g veal meat, minced*
5 slices of bread
1 bush of parsley
2 bushes of coriander
1 egg
1 ts cumin powder
1 ts cinnamon
2 tbs pistachio nuts (not salted), peeled/pistachio kernels**
salt & black pepper

Grate 2 onions, chop the parsley and 1 bush of coriander. Soak 5 slices of bread in water or milk. Press them dry. Mix onions, parsley, bread, meat, egg, ½ ts of cumin, 1 ts of cinnamon, 2 tbs of pistachio nuts**, salt & pepper. Roll the meatballs with wet hands.

Cut 2 large onions. Heat oil in the lower part of the couscoussière (or a deep skillet like a steamer). Add onions, black pepper, 1½ ts of ginger, 1 ts of saffron, 1 bush of coriander and salt. Sauté on low fire. Add 2 l of water (or enough to contain meatballs and beans).

When the broth is boiling, put in the meatballs. Boil for 20 m.

Put the couscous*** on top in the steaming pan. Cover.****

After 10 m, add the broad beans to the broth. Cover.

When ready, put the couscous on a plate.***** Decorate with meatballs and beans.

Serve broth in a separate bowl.

*Use chopped veal instead of meatballs. Cut into chunks, add to the onions, and braise. Add 2 l of water.
**Use pine nuts instead.
***Moisten couscous the traditional way before steaming, or use precooked. Remove couscous when ready.
****Or: steam couscous in another steamer or, when using precooked, add some of the broth to moisten the couscous.
*****Mix ½ tbs of butter through the couscous.

The secret ingredients of these meatballs are pistachio nuts. Native to Persia, their cultivation was spread by the Islamic conquest of the Mediterranean, and used in luxurious sweets. They add an unexpected taste and crunchy bite to the meatballs.

Tiger prawns & kadayif

For 12 tiger prawns
50 g kadayif
12 tiger prawns, shelled*
melted butter

Preheat oven at 180°C.

Roll the kadayif around the prawns until fully covered.

Bristle with the butter.

Bake for 12 m. Put a moment under grill.

Serve with a salad of greens, and a dip sauce made of white cheese, herbs, pepper, and mustard seeds.

*Use chicken filets instead, cut into 6x3 cm chunks. Rub with beaten egg before putting the kadayif around the pieces. Bake in heated oil for 4 m. Serve with steamed soya beans and greens. Add a sauce of yoghurt and chives.

Kadayif (or kadaïf) is vermicelli-like, shredded phyllo dough, used in the Balkan and Arab countries, mainly for pastries.

tip: Dutch oven & slow cooking times

A Dutch oven has the advantage of using one pot from start to finish—you can sear proteins in the same pan you use to braise. When using a Dutch oven, you can braise on the stovetop or in the oven. If you choose the stovetop, you will need to stir occasionally and check the heat under the burner to make sure the bottom of the pan isn’t burning or sticking. For that reason, prefer braising in the (fan) oven at 140º to 160ºC.
Chicken: 1 to 1 1/2 h in a Dutch oven; 2 h high setting in slow cooker
Cubed meat (lamb, beef or pork): 2 to 3 h in a Dutch oven; 2 to 3 h high setting in slow cooker
Whole shanks or larger cuts: 3 to 4 h in Dutch oven; 4+ hhigh setting in slow cooker (the larger the cut, the more time required)
Beans: Soak in cold water overnight. Cook 1 to 2 h in Dutch oven; 2 to 3 h high setting in slow cooker
Note: To use a slow cooker’s more gentle low setting, cook for about twice the amount of time you would on high.
For large cuts, try this trick: place a piece of foil under the lid of the Dutch oven so that the liquid doesn’t over-reduce. Consider turning large roasts about 2/3 through the cooking time to make sure both sides are equally tender. Check the meat as it cooks; add more liquid if needed. Or, add more water at the beginning of cooking, and you can reduce it in the oven or on the stovetop once the protein is done.

tip: steaming vegetables

approximate steaming times

• Artichokes Steam whole artichokes 25-40 m Season with extra virgin olive oil and lemon zest
• Asparagus Whole spears, thick spears peeled lightly 7-13 m Serve with quince jam, cranberry jam, olive oil combined with lemon zest, or olive oil combined with sesame seeds
• Asparagus Cut into 2-inch pieces 4-7 m Season with olive oil combined with lemon zest or sesame seeds
• Green beans, Whole beans 6-10 m Season with garlic
• Wax beans, wax Whole beans 6-10 m Season with garlic
• Beetroot, small or medium-sized Whole, unpeeled beets scrubbed clean; peel off the skins after steaming 35-50 m Season with fresh thyme
• Beet greens Cleaned and coarsely chopped 7-9 m Drizzle with olive oil
• Broccoli Trimmed stalks 8-12 m Season with olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, lemon juice, lime juice, or balsamic vinegar
• Broccoli Trimmed stalks split in half or florets 5-7 m Extra-virgin olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, lemon juice, lime juice, or balsamic vinegar
• Brussels sprouts Whole, trimmed 8-15 m Season with fresh thyme
• Brussels sprouts Trimmed and halved 6-8 m Season with fresh thyme
• Cabbage Cut in wedges 6-10 m Lemon or lime juice
• Carrots Cut into 0.5 cm thick slices 7-10 m Season with honey combined with cinnamon or ginger
• Carrots, baby Whole baby carrots 10-12 m Season with honey combined with cinnamon or ginger
• Cauliflower Florets 5-10 m Lemon or lime juice
• Celeriac Cut into 0.5 cm thick matchsticks 5-7 m
• Celery stalks Cut into 1,2 cm thick slices 4-9 m Season with seeds
• Corn on the cob Whole, husks removed 7-10 m Homemade chicken or vegetable stock
• Daikon radishes Peeled and cut into chunks 8-12 m Season with fresh herbs
• Endives Cut in half lengthwise 5-10 m Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice
• Fennel bulbs Cut crosswise into 1,2 cm slices 8-10 m Season with olive oil and basil (or lemon)
• Jerusalem artichokes Peeled or scrubbed; sliced 5-8 m Serve with arugula or fresh herbs such as chives or parsley
• Jerusalem artichokes Whole tubers, peeled or scrubbed 20-25 m Serve with arugula or fresh herbs such as chives or parsley
• Kale Trimmed 4-7 m Drizzle with olive oil and crushed garlic
• Kohlrabi Peeled and cut into 1,2 cm cubes 5-8 m Toss with parsley and olive oil
• Leeks Trimmed, cut in half 5-8 m Season with your favorite vinaigrette
• Okra Fresh whole okra, trimmed 6-8 m Season with lemon/lime juice and parsley, or with sauteed scallions
• Onions, pearl Whole onions, peeled 8-12 m
• Parsnips Peeled and cut into 1,2 cm slices 7-10 m Season with fresh herbs such as oregano or parsley
• Peas, green Fresh, shelled peas 2-4 m Season with fresh herbs (such as mt) or lemon juice
• Peas, sugar snap Whole pea pods, trimmed 5-6 m Season with fresh herbs (such as mt) or lemon juice
• Potatoes, all Peeled or scrubbed clean, cut into 1,2 cm slices 8-12 m Toss with fresh parsley, rosemary or dill
• Potatoes, new Whole, scrubbed clean 15-20 m Toss with fresh parsley, rosemary or dill, or with chopped red onions
• Radishes Whole radishes, trimmed 7-14 m Season with chopped scallions or chives
• Scallions Cut into ½-inch slices 3-5 m
• Spinach Cleaned, whole leaves 3-5 m Season with olive oil and garlic, or sesame seeds
• Squash, butternut Peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 7-10 m Season with honey, lemon juice, and rosemary
• Turnips Cut into 1/2-inch cubes 8-12 m Season with olive oil and fresh herbs
• Turnip greens Cleaned and coarsely chopped 4-6 m Season with olive oil and garlic
• Sweet potatoes Cut into large chunks 8-12 m Season with honey and lemon juice
• Swiss chard Coarsely chopped leaves 3-5 m Serve with chopped fresh tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, olive oil and pepper
• Zucchini Cut into 2.5 cm slices 5-8 m Season with olive oil, lemon/lime juice, and fresh herbs (such as thyme or rosemary)

It is also possible to steam bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, tomatillos, and garlic; however, other cooking methods, such as roasting, may be better suited to retain their texture and/or bring out their flavor.