Tajine of chicken, carrots & cumin

For ➍
600 g chicken fillet, cut into 4 cm cubes
250 g carrots, cut into sticks
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tbs olive oil
1 tbs salt
1 tbs ground cumin
½ ts ground black pepper
½ ts cinnamon powder
½ ts ground coriander
¼ ts ground nutmeg
1 glass water
2 tbs chopped flat parsley
2 tbs finely chopped fresh coriander
¼ ts ground cumin

Put the oil, onion, garlic, herbs and salt in a tajine dish (if necessary replace with ordinary or cast iron frying pan with a well-closing lid).
Place the container on medium heat.
Add the cubed chicken, carrots and 2 tbs of water after a few m.
Put the lid on the pot or pan and simmer for 30 m on a low heat. Check now and then if there is enough cooking liquid. If not, add a little water.
Finish when the chicken and carrots are cooked, with leaves of flat parsley, coriander and cumin.

Oeufs en cocotte (eggs in pots)

For ➍
150 g crème fraîche
salt & freshly ground black pepper
pinch nutmeg
handful of chopped dill
4 free-range eggs
red lumpfish roe
small sprigs of dill

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Season the crème fraîche with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
Place a heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche in the bottom of a ramekin, followed by a little dill.
Crack an egg on top, add a second tablespoon of crème fraîche and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Repeat with three more ramekins.
Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour enough lukewarm water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 15 m or until the egg yolks are set to your liking.
If you like, finish each serving with a ts of red lumpfish roe and a sprig or two of dill.
Serve it with plenty of crusty bread.

*If you like, you can add chopped mushrooms, ham, smoked salmon or cherry tomatoes after the crème fraîche, or a spoonful of pipérade.
You can also throw in almost anything savoury you find in your fridge. Try swapping the dill for parsley, basil or coriander, or spice things up with a dash of Tabasco or chilli sauce.

Tabbouleh

For ➍
15 g medium bulgur wheat (optional)
30 g fine bulgur wheat (*)
400 g ripe tomatoes
6 spring onions
2 lemons, juice only
½ ts ground black pepper
½ ts ground allspice
½ ts ground cinnamon
½ ts ground coriander
¼ ts ground nutmeg
¼ ts ground cloves
¼ ts ground ginger
175 g flat-leaf parsley
45 g mint
5 tbs olive oil
2 tbs pomegranate arils (optional)

Preheat the oven to 140°C if using the medium bulgur wheat. Rinse the fine bulgur wheat in cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well in a sieve and put in a bowl. Fluff up with a fork.
Rinse the medium bulgur, if using, in boiling water, drain well, spread out on a baking tray and put in the oven for 20 m. Fluff up with a fork when done.
Meanwhile, finely chop the tomatoes and finely slice the spring onions and add both, plus juices, to the wheat. Add the juice of 1½ lemons. Mix the spices together well, and add 1 ts to the bowl.
Douse the herbs in cold water, chop most of the stalks off the parsley, and then take a small bunch, gather together on the board and slice it as finely as you can. Repeat with the rest. Pick the leaves from the mint and do the same, being as gentle as possible.
Add the herbs to the bowl along with the oil, season and toss well. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or spice mix to taste.
Scatter with the pomegranate and toasted bulgur, if using, just before serving.

*Use couscous instead. Adapt cooking method.

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.