♥︎Quiche without pastry

For ➍

2 sweet potatoes, finely mandoline sliced

bag baby spinach

4 eggs

2 tbs Greek yoghurt or whipped cottage cheese

1 clove garlic, crushed

100 g smoked salmon

100 g fresh goat cheese or 1 goat cheese slice

olive oil

salt & pepper

Spread thin slices of sweet potato in a pie dish to make a good base. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in a preheated oven at 200°C for 10-15 min until edges are lightly golden.

Whisk the yoghurt, garlic, salt and pepper

Pour over the sweet potato. Divide the spinach over the dish. Add pieces of smoked salmon and crumbled goat cheese. Place in a preheated oven at 200°C for 30 min.

Serve with green salad.

♥︎Grilled tuna with green beans, lemon, garlic & eggs

For ➍

1 tbs olive oil*

300 g green beans

4 tuna steaks, 220 g each & 3 cm thick

1 tbs extra virgin oil

2-3 eggs

2 cloves of garlic

lemon (finely chopped zest of a lemon)

Hard boil the eggs in 10 m, peel them and rub them through a sieve.

Clean the beans and cook them until al dente.

Shock them in ice water and then drain them well.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic in it.

Add the beans and heat well.

Season with the lemon zest, pepper and salt and carefully mix in the finely ground eggs.

Keep warm.

Rub the tuna steaks with extra virgin olive oil and grill them for about 5 m.

Season with pepper and salt afterwards.

Serve with the beans and southern sauce of your choice.

*or vegetable fat

♥︎Fat-free apple cake

For ➑

3 eggs

1 tbs cold water

150 g granulated sugar

1 sachet vanilla sugar

3 apples

dash of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 175°C hot air. Separate the eggs and first beat the egg whites until stiff together with a spoonful of cold water and the vanilla and granulated sugar (I only added these when the egg whites were almost stiff). Then add the three egg yolks and continue mixing for a while. Then sift the flour and fold it into your batter.

Peel 2 apples, cut them into small pieces and mix them with the lemon juice. Fold them into your batter as well. Place baking paper on the bottom of a springform pan. Lightly grease the edges. Pour the dough into the baking pan. Peel the third apple. Cut into slices and arrange on top of the cake. Bake until the cake skewer comes out dry, about 45-50 m.

apple,cake,dessert,egg,lemon,flour,

♥︎Egg clouds with pancetta, thyme & oregano

For ➍

80 g pancetta*

4 eggs

2 sprigs of thyme

1 ts oregano

2 tbs olive oil

pepper & salt

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Beat the egg whites until foamy with the thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover an oven tray with baking paper and spoon 4 mounds of meringue onto it. Make a well in each meringue and carefully pour in the egg yolks. Sprinkle with the finely chopped pancetta and place in the oven for 8 m.

Drizzle the eggs with a dash of olive oil and serve. Finish with arugula or another fresh herb if desired.

*Replace the pancetta with smoked turkey bacon or smoked salmon for a heart-friendly version or with spicy chorizo for an extra spicy version.

Cucumber sandwich with egg salad

For ➍ 

½ cucumber

8 slices of bread (rye bread)

egg salad:

8 cool hard boiled eggs (10 m boil)

3 tbs mayonnaise*

1 ts grain mustard

1 lick white wine vinegar

1 small bunch of chives

1 small bunch of dill

black pepper from the mill

salty

Finely chop the cold peeled eggs and place in a bowl. Finely chop chives and dill. Mix together with the rest of the ingredients under the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. If the egg salad is too dry, stir in an extra tbs of mayonnaise.

Cut the cucumber into thin slices (use the mandoline). Cover the sandwiches with the egg salad, finish with the cucumber.

*for a lighter sauce, replace 1 or 2 tbs mayonnaise with low-fat yoghurt

Easy cotton cheesecake

For ➑

255 g white chocolate 

225 g cream cheese, room temperature*

6 large eggs, separated, room temperature

20 cm round (springform) pan

Preheat oven to 175°C°. 

Line bottom and line sides of a 20 cm cake pan with buttered or oiled parchment paper. Or make the paper wet to avoid fat. Center the pan on a large piece of foil and fold foil up over the sides to prevent water from entering pan.

Place white chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and heat in microwave in 20-s intervals (or Break the chocolate into pieces and place it in a large bowl. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water (60°C).  Add the cream cheese and melt them together, stirring occasionally, until melted.  Let cool slightly, then add yolks and stir to combine.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, whip egg whites in another large bowl until stiff peaks form. Add a small portion of egg whites to chocolate mixture and stir just until lightened. Gently fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Place pan in a baking dish or roasting pan and add warm water to reach halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake cheesecake until set, 40–45 m. Turn oven off and leave pan in oven 15 m, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Remove cheesecake from pan, transfer to a platter, and chill until cold, at least 4 h or up to overnight.

Serve with some fruit.

*variant smaller version with 200 g cream cheese, 225 g white chocolate, 5 eggs

Easy cotton cheesecake (small)

For ➍-➏
3 eggs, room temperature
120 g white chocolate
120 g cream cheese, softened, room temperature

15 cm round (springform) pan

Preheat the oven to 170°C. 

Separate the eggs. Place the whites in a large bowl and keep them in the refrigerator in preparation for the meringue.
Break the chocolate into pieces and place it in a large bowl. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water (60°C). Add the cream cheese and melt them together. Remove the bowl from the double boiler. Let the mixture cool down. Add the egg yolks, and mix well.
In a large bowl, whip egg whites with an electric mixer until firm peaks form (to make a meringue). 
Add  ⅓ of the meringue into the cream cheese batter and blend well with a spatula. Then add the rest of the meringue ½ at a time and mix well.
Rub some oil/butter on parchment paper to prevent cracking.  Or make the paper wet to avoid fat. Line the round cake pan with the parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and drop the pan lightly on the counter to raise the air bubbles out of the batter.

Place the cake pan on a baking tray. Pour some hot water into the baking tray. Bake at 170°C  for 15 m, at 160°C for 15 m, then stop the heat and bake with the remaining heat for 15 m.
When it is done, place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool completely. 

/Brush with apricot jam syrup, add whipped cream and/or dust with powdered sugar if desired. Or serve with some fruit./
Serve immediately or chill in the fridge before serving. Cake will slightly harden in the fridge, so leave at room temperature for a few m before you serve.

Almond & banana bread

For ➓ servings

1 tbs coconut oil

3 eggs

120 g almond flour

2 ripe bananas *

1 tbs baking powder

1 tbs cinnamon

1 pinch sea salt

50 g almonds, roughly chopped

3 tbs raisins (or dried cranberries, blueberries ...)

2 tbs almond flakes

Preheat the oven to 180 ° C.

Mix the eggs with the almond flour, bananas, baking powder, cinnamon, a pinch of salt and melted coconut oil in a blender or food processor.

Drain the batter from the blender / food processor, add the nuts and raisins (or dried cranberries) and mix well with a spoon.

Grease the cake tin (or use a silicone baking tin). Put everything in the cake tin, sprinkle the almonds on top and bake about 40 m in the preheated oven. Prick the bun with a wedge to see if it is cooked. The wedge must be dry. If the bun becomes too dark, cover it with baking paper.

* Replace if necessary. 1 banana by 3 tbs apple sauce

Fluffy omelet with asparagus

For ➍

225 g asparagus, rinsed & tough ends snapped off

8 large eggs, separated

120 g shredded sharp cheddar cheese

6 cl milk

65 g all-purpose flour

½ ts cayenne or paprika

½ ts salt

1 tbs butter

Cut asparagus into 2-3 cm lengths. In a  pan over high heat, bring 25 cl to a boil. Add asparagus and cook until bright green and just tender when pierced, about 2 m. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix egg yolks, 4/5 of the cheese, milk, flour, cayenne, and salt until well blended. Stir in asparagus.

In another large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Spoon about a quarter of the whites into yolk mixture; stir to combine. Scrape yolk mixture into bowl with remaining whites and fold together gently just to combine; do not overmix.

In an  ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat, melt butter; swirl pan to coat. Pour in egg mixture and smooth top with a heatproof, flexible spatula. Cook until edges appear set and dry and bottom is browned (loosen edges with spatula to check), 7 to 8 m.

Transfer pan to oven and broil 10-12 cm from heat until omelet is puffed, set, and lightly browned, 3 to 5 m. Sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese; broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 1 m longer. 

Serve at once from pan, spooning onto plates. 

Asian variant:

225 g asparagus, rinsed & tough ends snapped off

8 large eggs, separated

250 g scallions, chopped

6 cl miso stock

65 g all-purpose flour*

½ ts salt

1 tbs butter

Cut asparagus into 2-3 cm lengths. In a  pan over high heat, bring 25 cl to a boil. Add asparagus and cook until bright green and just tender when pierced, about 2 m. Drain, rinse with cold water. 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix egg yolks, flour, scallions and salt until well blended. Stir in asparagus.

In another large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Spoon about a quarter of the whites into yolk mixture; stir to combine. Scrape yolk mixture into bowl with remaining whites and fold together gently just to combine; do not overmix.

In an  ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat, melt butter; swirl pan to coat. Pour in egg mixture and smooth top with a heatproof, flexible spatula. Cook until edges appear set and dry and bottom is browned (loosen edges with spatula to check), 7 to 8 m.

Transfer pan to oven and broil 10-12 cm from heat until omelet is puffed, set, and lightly browned, 3 to 5 m. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 1 m longer. 

Cottage cheese pancakes

For ➋

100 g oatmeal

200 gr cottage cheese

4 eggs

butter or oil for frying

fruit such as banana or maple syrup for the finishing touch

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a whisk.

You can also blend or blend all ingredients with a stick blender for a smoother batter.

Preheat a pan over medium heat. Heat some oil or butter in the pan.

Fry the pancakes, using a large tablespoon of dough at a time. The dough is quite thick, so spread it out with the back of your spoon.

Bake the pancakes 2 m on one side, and then another 1 m on the other side. Finish the pancakes with some fruit of your choice or a drizzle of maple syrup.

Pancakes with oatmeal, bananas, coconut & cottage cheese

For ➋

50 g finely grated coconut

50 g oatmeal

2 bananas

200 g cottage cheese

4 eggs

1 pinch of salt

coconut oil or butter

coconut flakes

maple syrup

Roast the oatmeal and grated coconut in a dry pan over medium heat, until the coconut turns light brown and smells like it all over the kitchen, after about 3 m. Place in a mixing bowl and then roast the coconut flakes for finishing. Mash 1 banana and add to the toasted oatmeal and grated coconut along with the rest of the ingredients. Mix into a firm batter.

Melt a little bit of coconut oil or butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bake the pancakes about 2 m on each side, count on a large tablespoon of batter per pancake. Depending on the size of the pan, you can bake several pancakes at the same time. *

The dough is fairly thick, so spread it out a bit with the back of a spoon for wider pancakes. If you want nice, round pancakes, spoon the batter into a greased cutter or cooking ring.

Stack the pancakes and finish with banana slices, the toasted coconut flakes and a good dash of maple syrup.

* Or put the dough in circles on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 12 m at 200 ° C. Then brown in a frying pan.

Easier recipe with 100 g of oatmeal, without banana and grated coconut.

Tamagoyaki (Japanese layered omelet)

For ➍
6 radishes
1 scallion
8 eggs
1 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs dashi
1 ts mirin
salt
oil for baking

Clean the radishes. Cut them into thin slices first and then into thin strips. Clean the spring onion and chop it finely. Place the radish and spring onion in cold water. Beat the eggs with soy sauce, dashi and mirin. Stir the mixture smooth and add a little salt if desired.
Brush a large non-stick frying pan or a roasting pan with an oil-dipped brush*. Heat the oil - don't let it get too hot! - and pour so much of the beaten eggs into the pan that the bottom is covered with a thin layer. Let the egg set and roll it up using two spatulas.
Slide the roller up against the edge of the pan. Brush the pan again with a brush dipped in oil, pour some of the egg mixture back in and let it set. Roll out the first roll to the bottom edge of the pan and roll it up again with the new layer.
Continue like this until the egg mixture has run out and a thick roll has formed. Slice the still warm roll or wait for it to cool.
Drain the radish and spring onion, sprinkle with salt and place on the roll.

*Japanese cooks use a rectangular iron pan.

Caprese skillet eggs

For ➍
2 tbs olive oil
60 g (½ cup) chopped onion
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
½ ts salt
½ ts pepper
4 large eggs
120 g (½ cup) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
5 (¼ cup) mixed chopped fresh basil, oregano & chives*
toasted sliced pane Pugliese or ciabatta

Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 m. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have softened and released their juices, about 5 m.
Use a spoon to make 4 wells in the tomato mixture and crack an egg into each one. Cover pan and cook until whites are firm and yolks are just starting to set, about 2 m.**
Sprinkle with cheese and cover again to melt cheese slightly, about 1 m. Add some freshly baked bacon or ham if wanted.
Sprinkle with herbs and serve with toast.

*Use a mix of basilicum pesto (and fresh basilicum) instead.
**Use poached eggs instead.

Foam omelet with chestnut mushrooms & red onion

For ➋
1 tbs liquid baking product or butter
½ red onion, in half rings
1 sprig of thyme, only the leaves, or ¼ ts dried thyme
125 g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
3 eggs, split
2 scallions, in rings

Heat the baking product and fry the onion rings for about 4 m. Add the thyme and the mushrooms and stir fry for a few more m. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with a few tbs of water and spoon the mushroom mixture through it.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff with some salt. Carefully spoon this through the mixture.
Pour this mass back into the same frying pan and let it cook slowly with the lid on the pan for about 5 m.
Turn the omelet over using a flat plate and cook for another 5 m.
Cut the omelet into 4 points and serve immediately. Delicious with a salad and potatoes from the oven as a main dish and with some bread as a lunch dish.

*You can also add strips of ham or smoked chicken.

Irish carrot cake

For +/- ➓ servings
250 g self-raising flour, sieved
250 g sugar or substitute e.g. zusto
1 pack vanilla sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
400 g finely grated carrots
4 eggs, separated
15 cl cooking oil

Beat egg whites with vanilla sugar to foam. Add sugar/zusto and mix until creamy.
Add egg yolks, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, oil and baking powder.
Mix in the flour and the carrots.
Grease a spring or cake tin with oil. Bake 60 m at 180 ° C.
Decorate with icing sugar or coat the cooled cake with a cream frosting: mix 1 box of Philadelphia cheese, 50 g butter, 100 g icing sugar, 1 pack vanilla sugar.

Chawan mushi (Japanese savoury custard)

For ➋
2 fresh eggs
20 cl cooled fish stock (add some sake (or sherry) & a dash of soy sauce)
1 shiitake, torn
6 large prawns, peeled*
2 tbs of parsley

Beat the eggs with a fork.

Add soup stock a little at a time while stirring the eggs.

Place the filling in individual earthenware cups. Pour in the mixture of egg and soup stock.

Cover with parsley.

Boil water in a steamer. Turn the heat down to medium. Place the cups in the steamer. Steam for 12 m.

*Or 200 g fresh white fish. Or a parboiled chicken breast, use with chicken stock.

The custard-like chawan mushi is a classic Japanese dish.
To add taste to the dish, fry or wok the ingredients, except the eggs.
You could pour water in a wok, with a divider for a larger cup. Heat the water with wok lid closed. When hot, put the cup with the ingredients in the wok and steam for about 15 m.
Try the similar Chinese steamed eggs or a modern fusion recipe.

Steamed eggs with prawns, mushrooms & scallops

For ➍
3 eggs
40 cl stock
½ ts salt
1 tbs rice wine
50 g prawns, shelled
10-15 g dried scallops, soaked in warm water until soft, tear into small pieces*
3 shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
5 cm knob of ginger, shredded
spring onion/scallion, shredded

Beat 3 eggs with salt and rice wine, then add in the stock.

Use 1 big or 4 small soup bowls to steam the eggs. Place half of prawns, mushrooms and dried scallops in the bowl(s).

Pour the egg mixture slowly into the bowl(s).**

Heat up a steamer or a wok, half filled with water. Put the bowl(s) into the steamer, lower the heat and let it cook for 10 m. The egg custard should be wobbly.

Carefully place the remaining prawns, mushrooms and dried scallops on the surface of the egg custard. Let it steam for another 3-5 m until the egg custard is cooked.

Serve with shredded spring onions and ginger.

*Use fresh or thawed scallops instead.
**If bubbles appear, straighten with a piece of paper.

Versatile versions of steamed eggs are a common dish in Chinese households. It can include almost anything: minced pork, fish slices or clams, pig's intestines or duck liver.

Try the similar Japanese chawan mushi.

Salade niçoise with maatjes

For ➍ 

4 maatjes (marinated herring fillets)
4 eggs
200 g extra fine princess green beans
250 g cherry tomatoes (or sun-dried tomatoes)
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 bunch scallions
600 g new potatoes
100 g black olives
1 tbs fine sugar*
4 tbp olive oil
4 sprigs fresh thyme
pistou with 4 sprigs of basil**
salt and pepper
dressing:
250 g natural yogurt
2 tbs old-fashioned mustard
5 tbs olive oil
⅓ bunch flat parsley**
pepper & salt
4 sprigs oregano

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Clean the spring onions and cut the baby potatoes into 2. Peel the peppers and cut them into strips.
Cover the oven plate with baking paper and arrange the potatoes on top, with the cutting edge down. Prick holes in the cherry tomatoes with a knife and add them, together with the spring onions, the olives and the bell peppers. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, dust with sugar and sprinkle with thyme and oregano. Bake for 25 m and allow to cool.
Remove the tops of the beans and boil them for 5 m in salted boiling water. Scare them in ice cold water.
Dip the eggs in boiling water. Depending on their size, drain them after 7 to 8 m of cooking time and let them scare in cold water.
Make the dressing: mix the finely chopped parsley** with the other ingredients.
Peel the eggs and cut into 2. Arrange the grilled vegetables and beans on the plates or in a large bowl. Add the eggs, the maatjes and the basil.
Sprinkle with a little dressing and serve.

*Optional.
**Or mix the parsley and the yogurt with the hand blender, instead of chopping finely.

French Japanese cheesecake

For ➍ cakes
180 g milk
260 g Philadelphia cream cheese
240 g egg yolk
4 g zest of lime
80 g patisserie flour (T45)
80 g potato starch
530 g egg white
160 g granulated sugar
butter

Heat the milk with the Philadelphia, add the egg yolk and the lime zest.
Sift the flour and the potato starch, stir into the milk mixture. Beat the egg whites with the gradually added sugar into meringue. Gently stir it into the milk preparation.
Butter 4 small baking tins, sprinkle with flour. Fill each dish with 400 g of the batter, bake for 90 m at 140°C.
Remove from the mold, immediately cover with kitchen foil.

A variation on Japanse cheesecake by French chef Yannick Alléno.
Classic Japanese cheesecake recipes here.

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.