Avocado banana bread

For ➍

250 g flour 

100 g sugar 

1 ts baking powder 

1 ts baking soda/sodium bicarbonate

½ tsp salt 

3 small bananas, very ripe 

120 g low-fat Greek yogurt 

2 ts vanilla extract 

2 eggs 

1 avocado, peeled & pitted

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a cake tin (23 x 13 cm) with baking paper.

In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda/sodium bicarbonate and salt.

Mash the bananas with a fork in a medium bowl. Beat in the yogurt, vanilla extract and eggs. Mash the avocado until smooth and make sure there are no chunks left.

Beat the avocado into the banana mixture, add to the flour mixture and stir well to form a thick batter. Pour the batter into the cake tin. (Add sliced banana for decoration).

Bake in the oven for 65 m, until a skewer in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a rack.

When using not ripe enough bananas, bake them 20 m on a baking tray lined with baking paper in the oven at 150 ° C if you want them very ripe, or 30-40 m if they need to be overripe.

Pesce in cartoccio (Italian fish parcel)

For ➍
4 whole fish (400 g each), cleaned & scaled*
8 tbs (10 cl) dry white wine
1 ts sea salt
1 ts freshly ground black pepper
parchment paper**
battuto:
1 large white onion, cut into thin strips
2 tbs fresh fennel fronds, chopped
2 fennel bulbs, cored & cut into thin strips
2 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 tbs (10 cl) extra-virgin olive oil
2 untreated lemons, sliced

Combine battuto ingredients in a large bowl.

Cut four large pieces of parchment paper** long enough to cover length of fish, and fold each in half lengthwise.

Spoon battuto on bottom halves of parchment. Put slices of lemon on top, or chop them in the battuto. Place one fish against the crease of each parchment piece, drizzle with white wine, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put slices of lemon on top, or chop them in the battuto. Cover with fennel fronds.

Fold the parchment at the bottom corner over itself. Continue folding over the previous fold to create a pleat and allow for the paper to be sealed tight. When you have formed a half circle and reached the opposite end of the crease, tuck the paper under the last fold. Place on a large baking sheet.

Bake at 180°C for 20 to 25 m or until the fish is cooked through*. Carefully tear paper** open, allowing steam to escape.

Serve with fresh pasta like cavatelli.***

*Use 4 large fish fillets (200 g each) instead, like seawolf. Adjust cooking time to 15-20 m at 200°C, (or 25 m according to thickness of the fish).
**Use aluminum foil instead.

***Use microwave baked spring potatoes, sprinkled with sea salt instead.

A battuto is a mix of vegetables and herbs that can be used to make a sauce, a stew or a soup. One of the first cookery writers to mention the dish was the great Elizabeth David in her Italian Food. She gives no full recipe, just the method and an ample suggestion of battuto. In fact, the battuto can be made of almost anything, even oranges. (The typical Ligurian battuto, a pine nut sauce for pasta, is not suitable for fish... Read the basic Roman battuto recipe or the one used for the Lazio minestra col battuto alla romana.)
Read more on fish in a parcel: Japanese seafood & vegetables, Moroccan spiced fish, fish & fennel, Burmese steamed fish, chicken or fish with lime & peppers, chicken or fish with basil & tomatoes.
Read more Elizabeth David recipes: roasted peppers, lettuce & almond salad, chicken & rice salad, poaching an egg.

Chicken with fennel & lemon

For ➍
600 g skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 tbs olive oil
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced & rinsed clean
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
20 cl chicken stock
4 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs sugar
15 grape tomatoes (or 200 g tomatoes, chopped)**
salt & pepper
pasta

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large skillet and add chicken. Sauté on medium heat for 3-4 m on each side. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add fennel, garlic and onion to skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5-8 m until fennel is translucent. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, sugar and lemon peel and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the (grape) tomatoes. Simmer for 5 m, adding chicken to pan for last m to heat through, until fennel and chicken are tender.
Serve with hot cooked pasta.

*Or juice  grated zest of 2 lemons.
**Use 3 large carrots, 3 sticks celery, washed & sliced instead. Add after 1 m. Add fresh oregano to enhance the taste.

Read more citrus fennel combination recipes.
Read the chicken cooking tip.

Sweet & savory chicken

For ➏
1.5-2 kg chicken
1 small lemon or clementine
several sprigs fresh rosemary
1-2 large yellow onions
3-4 whole firm fruits such as apples, pears, or quince
500-1000 g firm or crisp vegetables such as carrots, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, or garlic cloves
olive oil
butter
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 220°C. Set a rack in the lower-middle of the oven.
Remove the chicken from its packaging and thoroughly pat it dry. Place the lemon or clementine inside the cavity along with the whole rosemary sprigs, and truss the legs together.
Create a bed of fruits and vegetables in a roasting pan to raise the chicken off the bottom. Chop the onions and a few pieces of fruit into rings, and scatter them over the bottom of the pan. If you're using asparagus or carrots, lay them side-by-side on top of the onions in the center of the pan. Sprinkle the vegetables and fruit generously with salt and black pepper.
Set the chicken on top of the bed of fruits and vegetables. Roughly chop and scatter any remaining fruits and vegetables around the chicken.
Drizzle the chicken and all the fruits and vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Set a few pats of butter atop the chicken.
Place the chicken into the oven and immediately lower the oven temperature to 200°C. Roast for 1 to 1½ h, until the vegetables are cooked, chicken's skin is golden, and the chicken registers 75°C in the thigh.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let the chicken rest for 15 m before carving.
While you're waiting, toss the vegetables with the pan juices and transfer to a serving bowl. If desired, make a simple gravy with the leftover bits in the pan.
Serve while the chicken and vegetables are warm.
Leftovers will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Spiced lamb with pomegranate salad

For ➋
1 garlic clove
a pinch coarse sea salt
1 ts black peppercorns
1 ts coriander seeds
1 ts smoked paprika
a drizzle of olive oil
2 lamb steaks
pomegranate salad

Crush the garlic with a pinch of salt using a pestle and mortar. Add the black peppercorns, coriander seeds and paprika. Add 2 tbs of olive oil, till you have a rough, loose paste. Baste the lamb steaks with the spice mix then set aside for at least 15 m, longer if you can.
Lay the steaks on a hot barbecue to ensure a charred crust and leave to cook for approximately 10 m, turning them occasionally.
When the lamb is cooked, season generously with some coarse sea salt and serve with the  pomegranate & cucumber salad.

*Or try a slow cooking recipe.

Pomegranate & cucumber salad

For ➋
1 whole cucumber
seeds from ½ pomegranate
a few sprigs mint

Chop the cucumber into neatish chunks and put in a serving bowl. Remove the seeds from half a pomegranate, avoiding any of the white pith. Scatter over the cucumber. Finally tear over the cooling mint and toss together.
Serve wth grilled or marinated lamb or chicken

More pomegranate salads: pomegranate,endives & feta, pomegranate, tomatoes & garlic, warm lamb salad with pomegranate & mint, pomegranate & quinoa salad, Friuli winter salad, pomegranate fruit salad

Twin Peaks cherry pie

For ➑
crust:
125 g flour
125 g butter
10 cl ice water
filling:
75 cl pitted sour cherries
25 cl water
250 g sugar
4 tbs cornstarch
¼ ts salt

Mix flour and butter with fork. Add ice water. Mix with your hands. When blended, roll into ball and refrigerate overnight. To roll out: flour both rolling pin and flat surface, split ball in two, roll out ½ to fit a 32 cm pan and ½ for lattice.

Strain cherries (yields 50 cl juice). Taste for sweetness, more/less sugar may be needed.

Add 25 cl water to make 75 cl juice.

Dissolve cornstarch in 25 cl juice, stir with whip.

Combine 50 cl of juice, 200 g of sugar, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.

Add cornstarch mix, cook until clear, about 5 m. Remove from heat, stir in rest of sugar (blend thoroughly). Pour mixture over cherries, fold with wooden spoon, cool (stir mix while cooling to prevent scum from forming on top).

Pour mix in pie shell. Top completed pie with lattice crust.

Bake at 220°C for 35-40 m.

Serve with a mug of strong black coffee.

Cherry pie was the recurring comfort food in David Lynch's cult television series Twin Peaks' cafe.

Cinnamon apples @ microwave

For ➋-➍
2 apples, peeled, cored & sliced
1 ts cinnamon

Place apples and cinnamon in a microwave safe bowl and stir until apples are coated with cinnamon. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top to let the steam escape. Place in the microwave and cook on high for 1 m.
Remove apples from the microwave and carefully remove the plastic cover. Stir apples and re-cover. Cook for 1 m longer.
Serve. Add a blotch of ice-cream, if wanted.

Medaillons de porc aux pommes (pork tenderloin with apples)

For ➍
500 g pork tenderloin, fat trimmed
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
¾ ts rubbed sage (or dried thyme or rosemary)
½ ts salt
¼ ts ground black pepper
1 tbs butter
1 tbs light olive oil
1 large onion, cut into medium strips
2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into wedges
pinch of ground cloves

Slice the pork crosswise into 4 medallions. Place the pork medallions in a small dish and pour the apple cider vinegar over the meat. Allow the pork to marinate in the vinegar for 10 m, turning the meat over halfway through the marinating time.
Pat the pork dry on both sides and sprinkle all the surfaces with the sage, salt and black pepper. Heat the butter and oil together in a large skillet set over high heat. Add the medallions to the pan and allow them to cook, without moving them at all, for 4 m. Carefully flip them over, and allow them to cook, without moving them, for an additional 4 m.
Check the pork medallions for doneness, and continue cooking them for an additional 1 to 2 m if they appear too pink in the center. Remove the cooked pork medallions to a plate and cover them loosely with foil to keep them warm.
Add the onions to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 5 m, until they begin to brown. Add the apples and cloves to the skillet and continue cooking the mixture, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 m, until the apples have just turned tender.
Arrange the onions and apples on serving plates, slice the pork, if desired, and arrange the pork over the caramelized onions and apples. Serve immediately.

Potatoes clafoutis

For ➍
500 g potatoes
2 apples
2 slices gingerbread
breadcrumbs
butter
3 eggs
4 tbs cream
pepper & salt
nutmeg
cinnamon

Cut the potatoes and apples into slices. Cut the gingerbread into cubes. Mix potato, apple and gingerbread with salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon.
Divide the mixture into a buttered baking dish and cover it with a mixture of 3 eggs and 4 tbs of cream.
Sprinkle crumbled bread crumbs and butter flakes and cook the dish for 1 h in a 150 °C preheated oven.

Zombie cocktail

For ➊
1 measure* dark rum
1 measure* white rum
1 measure* old rum (optional)
½ measure* apricot brandy**
2 measures* pineapple juice
½ measure* lime juice
2 ts powdered sugar***
cocktail cherry & pineapple wedge

Add all the ingredients into a cocktail mixer with ice and shake, then pour into a hurricane glass. Spear the pineapple and cherry onto a cocktail stick and place on the edge of the glass.
Finally add a straw.

*1 measure would be 3 cl.
**Use orange curaçao instead.
***Use a (grenadine or cinnamon) syrup instead.

The Zombie, also known as skull-puncher, is a cocktail with an extremely high alcohol content (1 Zombie equals 3-4 average cocktails, hence the Zombie name). It is made of fruit juices, liqueurs, and various rums. The first recipe seemed to have had 3 different kinds of rum, lime juice, falernum, Angostura bitters, Pernod, grenadine, and a combination of cinnamon syrup and grapefruit juice. It was invented by Donn Beach of Hollywood's Don the Beachcomber restaurant in late 1934. It became popular at the 1939 New York World's Fair. It survived as a trendy cocktail at tiki Hawaiian style parties of the 40's and 50's.

Fennel & beet salad

For ➍ 

6 medium-sized beets
2 fennel bulbs
1 large grapefruit
walnut oil
lemon juice
salt & pepper
100-120 log goat cheese
coriander or tarragon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Wash the beets and cut off the root. Place beets root-side-down in a glass baking dish filled with 2 cm water. Cover with foil and roast for 30-40 m or until the beets are tender. Remove beets from the oven and allow them to cool.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Cut the fennel into thin strips and blanch for 2-3 m. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Once the beets have cooled, discard the skins and cut them into matchstick sized pieces.
Mix 1 part grapefruit juice with two parts walnut oil. Add lemon juice depending on the acidity of the grapefruit. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Toss the beets and fennel together in a large bowl and drizzle with the grapefruit vinaigrette*. Serve on top of slices of goat cheese.

*If using dark-colored beets, slice them into rounds and serve them under a pile of the fennel and light-colored beets. If tossed together, the dark beets will color the whole salad an unappealing shade of pink.
**Eventually, add some coriander or tarragon.

Beets and goat cheese are natural allies.

Solomillo de cerdo ibérico con salsa de naranja al Pedro Ximénez (Ibérico pork sirloin in orange sauce)

For ➍
2 (Iberico) pork sirloins
2 tbs oil
10 cl Pedro Ximénez*
marinade:
2 tbs oil
juice of 2 oranges
zest of 1 (untreated) orange
2 tbs soy sauce
2 ts vinegar
salt & cayenne pepper
caramelized onion:
2 onions
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs oil

Mix the ingredients of the marinade together. Season the meat. Marinate the meat for 12 h in the mixture in the refrigerator.

Remove the sirloins from the marinade. Drain. Put aside until they have reached room temperature.

Slice the onion into rings.

Heat the oil and brown the meat on both sides.

Remove from pan, cover on a plate.

Add marinade to cooking juices. Reduce for 10 m over a hot flame. Add the Pedro Ximénez and bring to a boil, mixing in all the pan juices.

Meanwhile, gently fry the sliced onions with the oil and sugar, until caramelized.

Cut the pork into slices and serve with the sauce and caramelized onion.

*Or sweet sherry or Malaga wine.

The cerdo Ibérico is the famous 'black pig' living in the hills of Andalusia and Extremadura, and fed with acorns. It is also used to produce pata negra, taking full advantage of the fat streaks.
The grape variety Pedro Ximenez grows mainly in the Montilla Moriles region, around Cordoba. It is also the name of an almost black, sweet noir des blancs wine. In the past, it has been the base for sherry varieties (a-montilla-do...) and Malaga wines, but is now gaining a place for itself, replacing Banyuls with dark chocolate or blue cheese.

Fennel & blood orange salad

For ➌
4 tbs hazelnuts or walnuts
1 medium-large fennel bulb, leaves and stems trimmed off
salt & freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
2 large blood oranges (or any orange* or grapefruit*)
1 small shallot, peeled and cut into paper-thin slices
10 mint leaves
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 ts lime zest

Place nuts in dry skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, to toast. Let cool. If using hazelnuts, roll them around in a dishcloth (or, if cool enough, in your hands), discarding any loose skins. Coarsely chop nuts. Set aside. (Add some walnut oil for toasting*).
Slice about 1 cm from bottom of fennel and discard. Slice fennel very thinly on a mandoline, or with a knife, starting with flat bottom side. Toss in serving bowl with salt, pepper and lemon juice. (Add a drop of Pernod)*.
Trim all peel and pits from oranges. Holding peeled fruit over bowl containing fennel, use sharp knife to cut sections from membrane and let them drop into bowl. Squeeze remaining membrane over bowl to sprinkle salad with remaining juice, and discard membrane. Add shallots, mint leaves, olive oil and reserved nuts and toss gently. Sprinkle with lime zest.
Serve a a salad or as a side dish to smoked salmon or grilled fish fillets.
Leftovers can be served a day later.

*Optional.

The fennel trick here is to shave it thinly and toss it with lemon juice and salt, it’s licorice vibe is neutralized, leaving just the refreshing part.

Asure (Noah's pudding)

For ➍
125 g barley or pearl barley (or a grain product like Ebly)
4 tbs rice
75 g sugar
1 ts vanilla extract (or 1 small package vanilla)
1 tbs custard powder (or 125 g drained chickpeas)*
water
8 dry apricots, soaked in water overnight, cut in pieces***
4 dry figs, cut in pieces***
4 tbs ½ cup raisins***
2 tbs cup walnuts, crumbled, for garnish

Boil the barley and rice in separate pans. Drain.
Mix barley, rice, chickpeas* and other ingredients*** (except walnuts), add some water**, and let cook for 30 m. Stir occasionally.
Pour into a large service bowl or individual serving bowls and let cool for 2 h.

*When using custard powder, mix it with 2 tbs of warm milk. Use Turkish asure powder instead. Adjust the sugar, as the asure powder is very sweet. Or use chickpeas to thicken.
**Any amount you see fit: the lesser, the thicker the pudding will become.
***Save some of the fruit to garnish the pudding.

This recipe is one of the oldest and best known desserts of Turkish cuisine. It is traditional to give some away to friends and family, and stems from a popular Middle East legend, echoed in the Bible. The feast is still repeated every year by the Islamic community. The recipe uses the age-old habit of making sweets with beans and cereals (instead of modern sugar) and dates back from at least the Ottoman times.
...5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, Noah was king of the city of Shuruppak. His was a trade empire, and he built a large trading ship. At that time, there was a raging flood and rainstorm. He and his family loaded animals, grain, fruit and beer on board. The rain continued for 40 days. Afterwards there was no land in sight for 7 days. They ran out of drinking water and since the sea was salty, they had to resort to drinking beer. They eventually landed on Mount Ararat, still one of the most spectacular sights on earth, now bordering the Armenian region of Turkey, close to the Iranian border. As a celebration for their survival, Noah made a pudding out of some cereals, dried beans and fruits for his family...
The image shows an old etching of Mount Ararat and the Lake Van.

♥︎Stewed fennel with carrots & orange

For ➍
2 ts olive oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ts dried rosemary, crumbled
1 strip orange zest
½ ts salt
1 bulb fresh fennel with stalks
500 g carrots, trimmed, peeled, cut into 0.5 cm slices
5 cl/4 tbs orange juice

Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add onion, garlic, rosemary, orange zest, and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is lightly browned and very soft, about 8 m.
Cut stalks from fennel bulb and thinly slice stalks. Cut bulb in half and remove core. Cut bulb into 1 cm thick wedges.
Add fennel, carrots, and orange juice to skillet, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cover skillet tightly and simmer until carrots and fennel are tender, 15 to 20 m.
Serve with a mild-tasting fish such as cod, haddock, or halibut.*

*For a main course, spoon over brown rice, or whole-wheat noodles or pasta.
*Or serve as a salad or at room temperature.
*Can be kept 2 days in the fridge.

Sopa de lima (lime chicken broth)

For ➏
2 limes
6 tortillas
1 chicken breast
6 chicken livers*
1 red onion, finely chopped**
8 garlic cloves
6 lime slices
chopped coriander
corn oil (or peanut oil)
1.5 l water***
a pinch of salt

Quickly sautée garlic until brown in oil.
Slice tortillas into strips and fry them until golden. Place them on paper towels to absorb oil.
In a large pot, fry the onion**, add 1.5 l of water****, add the salt, chicken livers*, garlic and chicken breast. When the chicken is cooked, shred the chicken breast and chop the liver* into small pieces. Strain the broth through colander.
Add the shredded chicken and chopped livers* to the broth, and the juice of 2 limes.
Serve with some coriander and a slice of (grilled) lime.

*Replace livers with a second chicken breast or with chopped bacon. Braise bacon and add at the end.
**Add a few chopped tomatoes and a seeded chopped chilli, and let cook for 20 m with the fried onion. Then add other ingredients.
***Or chicken broth.

This classic of Yucatan supposedly dates from Mayan times.

Thai bananas in coconut milk

For ➋
3 bananas
20 cl coconut milk
1 tbs granulated sugar
a pinch of salt

Peel the bananas and chop into 5 cm segments.
Heat the coconut milk with the sugar and salt until the sugar dissolves.
Add the banana pieces and cook gently for 5 m.
Divide the mixture into small bowls.

Raw shaved asparagus salad

For ➍
350 g large very fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 daikon or white raddish, peeled
2 carrots, peeled
12 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
2 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbs white-wine vinegar
½ ts mustard
3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper

Using a vegetable peeler, peel long, thin slices of asparagus into a bowl. Cut ends of both the carrots and radish on a slight bias, and peel thin strips of each into the bowl with the asparagus. Toss together. Sprinkle with mint.
In another bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar and mustard. While continuing to whisk, drizzle oil into the bowl until well combined; season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle vinaigrette over the vegetables and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Try another shaved asparagus salad.  Read tip on cooking asparagus.

Agnello con salsa di rafano (Piedmontese roast lamb with horseradish sauce)

For ➏
1 kg rack from a young lamb
½ leek, finely sliced
1 rib of celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
4 leaves fresh sage
1 sprig of rosemary
75 g unsalted butter
3 tbs olive oil
450 g renette apples
50 g freshly grated horseradish
2 tbs sugar
3 dl good broth
15 cl red wine vinegar
salt & pepper

Begin by peeling and coring the apples.
Preheat your oven to 180° C. Dot a baking dish with the butter and drizzle the olive oil over it. Set the lamb into the dish and sprinkle the chopped vegetables and herbs around it. Season the lamb with salt and pepper, cover the dish, and roast the lamb for about 40 m. Baste it with pan juices every now and again.
In the meantime prepare the sauce. Blend the apples with the horseradish, sugar and vinegar, adding sufficient broth to make a liquid sauce.
When the meat is fork-tender, slice it.
Arrange the slices in a deep heatproof serving dish. Spoon the applesauce over it, heat the dish through in the oven, and serve it.