Couscous sebha godaar (7 vegetables' couscous)

For ➍

500 g couscous

1 kg lamb (preferably with bones)* 

2 big onions 

1 tomato 

½ ts saffron 

a handful of coriander 

olive oil 

1.5 l vegetable broth 

200 g turnips 

200 g young carrots 

100 g peas 

1 zucchini 

¼ cauliflower 

100 g cooked chickpeas 

a dash of butter 

a few mint leaves

 

Heat the oil and brown the meat. Add the ringed onions. Cover.

Peel the tomato, cut into chunks and, as soon as the onions are glazed, add to the mixture.

Add some of the broth, add the coriander and saffron. Bring to a boil and cook the meat*. (For 500 g, this will take 10-15 m for the meat to heat, and another 10 m to cook).

Meanwhile, chop the vegetables in large chunks and add to the mixture, firm vegetables first.

Steam the couscous on top of the meat and vegetables. When ready, remove the couscous and mix some butter through it.

Serve the couscous on a large plate. Put the meat in the middle, and decorate with some of the vegetables, some sauce and a few leaves of mint of fresh coriander. Serve the vegetables and sauce separately.

*You might prefer to roast the meat separately, with some onions, until done and add it to the vegetables and sauce a few m before serving. While not authentic, it preserves the taste and the structure of the meat very well. Nevertheless, there should be onions to start the vegetables' and sauce preparation.

'Couscous' got its name from the Berber 'k'seksu'. It became the dish we know today in North Africa, with some regional differences in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The latter was adopted by French colonialists and introduced in France as staple food. This recipe can claim to be authentically Moroccan, and refers to the magic power of the number 7. It can be made with 7 other vegetables that taste well together. Couscous can be served with other Moroccan food like Moroccan chicken and Moroccan spiced fish, or even with wokked tilapia. Read more couscous recipes. Read a tip on cooking dried chickpeas.

Smoked salmon & pea lemon risotto

For ➋-➌ 

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 

1 small onion, finely chopped 

1 garlic clove, crushed 

200 g Arborio rice 

10 cl dry white wine 

80 cl fish stock 

1 mug (120-150 g) frozen peas, defrosted 

125 g smoked salmon 

1 lemon, zest & juice 

small bunch dill, finely chopped* 

freshly ground black pepper 

1 tbs cream cheese or mascarpone****

  

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan placed over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3–4 m, until soft but not coloured. 

 Add the rice and stir well to coat in the oil. Cook for 2 m, stirring frequently. Pour in the wine and cook until it’s almost all evaporated. 

Add a ladleful of stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed completely.** 

Gradually add the remaining stock a ladleful at a time, stirring until all the liquid has absorbed before adding more. This should take around 18–20 m. ** 

Add the peas with the final ladleful of stock and allow them to heat through.*** 

 Once the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender but still has a little bite, stir in the smoked salmon, lemon zest, juice and dill. ****

Drizzle over a little olive oil, season with pepper and serve. 

*When using dried dill, mix a heaped tbs with 1 tbs olive oil, and let it stand for 10 m. Mix with salmon, to spread the taste

**Use an alternative easier method.

***When using g the alternative, drop in the peas 5 m before the rice is ready.

****[Stir if wanted 1 tbs cream cheese or mascarpone through the lemon juice and lemon zest].

Salmon fillet with beech mushrooms & green risotto

For ➍ 

150 g white & 150 g brown beech mushrooms (shimeji mushrooms) 

4 pieces  salmon with skin

300 g risotto rice

1 l stock

1 tsp turmeric 

100 g frozen peas 

1 bunch parsley or chervil, finely chopped 

2 tbs ground Parmigiano 

1 shallot 

olive oil 

3 lumps butter 

1 onion, cut 

5 cloves of garlic, sliced 

Fry the onion and 2 cloves of garlic in the oil for a few m. Add the rice and make sure it is well mixed with the oil. Extinguish with a dash of wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Add the stock, pepper and turmeric and simmer under the lid over a low heat for 15 m. Add the frozen peas and let it cook for a further 5 m. Add the finely chopped parsley or chervil along with the cheese and the knob of butter to the rice, heat well and season if necessary. 

Cut the feet of the beech mushrooms because they are tough, but use the stems. Heat the oil and fry the shallot and 3 cloves of garlic. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 m. Add pepper and salt.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Heat the oil with the butter and fry the salmon skin side down in the pan for a few m. Brown the salmon briefly and firmly on the other side. The salmon can still be pink on the inside, but salmon that has been baked for too long is dry. 

Spoon rice in a deep plate, then dress the salmon and mushrooms. Finish with parsley, chervil and possibly violets.

Gnocchi with ricotta, Parma ham & green asparagus

For ➍

1 red onion 

1 clove garlic 

90 g Parma ham 

350 g green asparagus 

200 g (frozen) garden peas 

800 g gnocchi 

1 tbs mild olive oil 

100 g ricotta 

90 g Parmigiano Reggiano flakes

  

Chop the onion and finely chop the garlic. Cut the Parma ham into ½ cm strips. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 

Cut the bottom 2 cm of the green asparagus and cut the asparagus into 3 cm pieces. Boil the asparagus, garden peas and gnocchi 2 m. Drain in a colander, keep 50 ml of the cooking liquid (per 4 persons) and rinse under cold running water. 

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic 2 m over medium heat. Add the Parma ham and fry for 1 m. 

Add the asparagus, garden peas and gnocchi. Bake 2 m. Mix the ricotta with the reserved cooking water and stir through the gnocchi. 

Mix in the Parmigiano Reggiano. Season the gnocchi with salt and pepper.

Green pizza gorgonzola

For ➍ 

350 g frozen fine garden peas 

90 g chilled pesto 

2 zucchini 

100 g Gorgonzola piccante 

2 rolls of chilled pizza dough round and thin 

3 tbs mild olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200 °C. 

Place the peas in a bowl and pour boiling water over it. Drain in a colander. Place the peas and pesto in a tall cup and mash with the hand blender until smooth. Season with pepper and salt if desired. Use a cheese slicer to cut wide ribbons off the zucchini. Cut the crust off the gorgonzola and cut the cheese into pieces of about 2 cm. 

Roll out the pizza dough on a baking tray covered with baking paper and spread with the green spread. Divide the zucchini ribbons in a kind of loose florets over the pizza and divide the Gorgonzola over it. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Bake the pizzas 15-20 m until golden brown.

Chicken with peas, fennel & potatoes

For ➍
8 chicken legs
3 fennels
450 g (frozen) peas
2 shallots
½ lemon
A few sprigs basil
olive oil
black pepper & salt
for the baby potatoes:
1 kg baby potatoes
3 cloves of garlic
3 sprigs rosemary
olive oil
black pepper & coarse salt

Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Wash the baby potatoes (no need to peel, but cut the larger ones in half) and put in an oven dish. Add the rosemary and crushed garlic (no need to peel). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sprinkle a few sprigs of olive oil over it. Shuffle so that everything is covered with a layer of oil. Roast for 25-35 m and toss halfway through.
Heat a small splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed cooking pot or large saucepan, over medium to high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place with the seasoned side in the cooking pot or pan. Bake for about 6 ms until you have a golden brown crust. Season the other side with salt and pepper and cook for another 6 ms until you have a crispy crust here too.*
While the chicken is baking, cut the fennel into wafer-thin slices. If you have a mandolin, now is the time to use them. Keep the fennel green aside for the finish. Peel the shallots and cut into fine half rings. Place ⅙ of the fennel in a small bowl together with the shallot, lemon juice and a pinch of salt, and toss together.
Place the chicken on a plate, reduce the heat and fry the fennel in the same pan or pot for a few m. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and add a very small splash of water. Place the chicken on top and simmer under a lid for 10 m*. Add the peas and simmer for a few more m.
Mix the fennel and shallot marinated in the lemon juice with the basil leaves.
Divide among plates. Finish with the fennel green and possibly some extra leaves of basil.

*Chicken might need up to 30 m to be cooked completely on the inside!

Risotto con i piselli (pea risotto)

For ➍
6 tbs olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
200 g Arborio rice
5 dl vegetable stock
100 g cooked peas
100 g (salted) butter

Heat a little oil in a pan over a gentle heat and fry the onion until soft. Add the rice and toast for 5 m. Slowly add vegetable stock, stirring continuously. Half way through the cooking time, add the peas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Once cooked (20 m), remove from heat and stir in the butter to create a creamy texture. Taste the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Serve with the Coniglio al Vesuvio (1) the rabbit stew.

Read the tip on making a quick risotto.

Zeewolf met asperges (burbot with asparagus)

For ➍
800 g burbot fillet*
1 kg new potatoes
1 bunch of lamb's lettuce
8 white asparagus
8 green asparagus
300 g garden peas
1 dl cream**
3 dl chicken broth
150 g butter
1 tsp thyme

Peel the potatoes. Peel the white asparagus; remove from the green only the hard end.
Cook the potatoes until done. Cook the asparagus in salted water for 8 m. Cook the peas until done in the stock with the thyme. Spoon them out. Keep the stock.
Mix the peas with the cream (and possibly some stock). Season with salt and pepper.
Fry the fish fillets in a large knob of butter over a high heat for 2 m. Turn around and bake for 1 m. Turn the heat down a little and cook for another m. Season with pepper and salt.
Allow 100 g of butter to melt gently. Scoop out impurities that are coming up. Pour the clarified butter, without the sediment, into a pan
Serve the fish with the potatoes, the asparagus and the pea coulis. Pour butter clarified. Finish with tufts of lamb's lettuce.

*Or another firm fish like cod.
*Optional

Zuni Cafe pasta alla carbonara

For ➍-➎
4 or 5 thick slices (140 g) bacon, cut into small segments
5 tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 large or 5 small eggs, at room temperature, beaten
½ cup (10 cl) fresh ricotta cheese, at room temperature
450 g spaghetti, penne, or bucatini pasta
¾ cup shucked sweet English peas or mature sugar snap peas or double-peeled favas
50 g pecorino romano or pecorino sardo, grated
salt & freshly cracked black pepper

Warm the bacon in the olive oil in a sauté pan over low heat. It should gradually render a little fat, which will mix with the oil.
Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs with the ricotta.
Drop the pasta into 6 quarts rapidly boiling water seasoned with a scant 2 tbs salt. Stir, and cook until al dente.
When the pasta is about 1 m from being al dente, add the peas or favas to the water, and raise the heat under the bacon. Cook the bacon until it is just crispy on the edges but still tender in the middle. Turn off the heat, slide the pan from the heat, and swirl it a few times to cool it slightly.
Drain the pasta, shake off the excess water, and slide the pasta and peas or favas into the pan of bacon; you’ll hear a discreet sizzle. Place back on the burner (the one you used to cook the bacon, which should still be quite warm). Immediately pour the beaten eggs all over the steaming pasta, add most of the pecorino and lots of cracked black pepper, and fold to combine. Work quickly so the heat of the noodles, bacon and bacon fat slightly cooks the eggs. The eggs and ricotta will coat the pasta and form tiny, soft, golden curds.
Serve in warm bowls and offer the remaining pecorino and black pepper.

Try the original recipe. Or a Japanese fusion recipe.

Gazpacho of lettuce, garden peas & chives

For ➍
2 onions
25 g butter
1 lettuce
450 g green peas (frozen)
75 cl water
1½ chicken stock tablet
25 g chives

Chop the onions. Heat the butter in a large pan and fry the onion 3 m. Remove the leaves of lettuce. Wash and dry them and cut into strips.
Put the peas, lettuce, water and stock cubes in the soup pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 m on low heat.
Keep some chives for garnish. Cut the rest of the chives.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the chives and puree in a blender. Season with pepper and salt.
Let the soup cool for 30 m to room temperature. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 3 h.
Garnish the soup with the  chives and serve with sliced cereals bread.

Lamb & pea risotto

For ➍
400 g peas
1 onion
3 tbs olive oil
200 g Arborio rice
10 cl dry white wine
50 cl warm chicken or vegetable broth
200 g lamb
1 glove garlic
½ tbs thyme
2 tbs fresh cream*
20 g Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated*
salt & pepper

Boil the peas in hot water for 15 m.

Slice the onion. Slice the meat in strips.

Heat the olive oil. Add the onion.

Add the rice. Let it absorb the oil.

Add the white wine. Lower the heat and gradually add the broth, stirring permanently.

The last 5 m, add the peas, the crushed garlic and the meat**.

Remove from heat, add the cream* and Parmigiano*. Stir and serve.

*Optional.
**Slightly roast meat beforehand if wanted.

Read the tip on making a quick risotto.

Guinea fowl salad

For➍
1 guinea fowl
1 focaccia
⅛ cauliflower
1 beetroot
1 jar green asparagus
150 g bacon
4 eggs
1 bunch watercress
1 scallion
3 tbs green peas
8 small potatoes
2 dl corn oil
2 egg yolks
1 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs mustard
sugar
olive oil

Cut the bacon into strips. Fry until crispy.
Cut fillets of the guinea fowl and cut it into strips, season with salt and pepper and fry until golden brown in olive oil.
Cut cubes from the focaccia, season with salt and pepper and fry in oil.
Peel and wash the beets, cut into cubes and cook until al dente.
Clean the cauliflower, pull them into florets and cook until al dente.
Poach the eggs in water with salt and vinegar.
Boil the potatoes in their skins, peel and halve them. Cut the vegetables finely and mix them with the potatoes.
Make a dressing with the corn oil, egg yolks, white wine vinegar, mustard and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the vegetable salad on a plate. Top with a poached egg and a few strips of guinea fowl. Finish with the focaccia cubes, the dressing and some chopped chives.

Spring pea & ricotta torte with lemon & mint

For ➑
1 tbs unsalted butter
1shallot, finely chopped,
450 g shelled peas
salt
6 cl water or chicken stock
25 cl whole milk ricotta
¼ ts ground nutmeg
4 large eggs
4 tbs creme fraiche
4 tbs finely grated Parmigiano cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
4 tbs finely grated young pecorino cheese
2 tbs finely chopped fresh mint
2 ts finely grated lemon zest
1 ts freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 190°C. Butter a 22 cm springform pan and wrap bottom with foil to prevent any leakage.
Melt 1 tbs butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, one minute. Add peas and 1 teaspoon salt; sauté briefly to coat. Add water or stock. Cook until peas are tender and liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Transfer half of the peas to a bowl of a food processor; purée. Add ricotta and nutmeg; pulse to blend. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Transfer to a bowl. Whisk in creme fraiche, Parmigiano and pecorino cheeses. Stir in remaining peas, mint, lemon zest, ½ ts salt and black pepper.
Pour eggs into prepared springform pan. Sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese. Bake in oven until edges are golden brown and center is puffed and cooked through, about 30-35 m.
Remove and let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Summer pea soup

For ➍
250 g shelled peas (frozen)
150 g fennel, cut into small pieces, fronds apart
1 small onion, peeled & chopped
1 potato, cubed
50 cl (chicken) stock
1 tbs pastis
2 tbs sour cream
bunch of mint
freshly ground pepper
salt

Fry the onion and potato in a large soup pot. Add the peas and diced fennel.
Add the broth. Simmer for 15 m over medium heat.
Add the mint leaves. Process the soup with a mixer or robot until very fine. Rub the puree through a sieve.
Let the soup cool in the refrigerator.
Before serving, mix the pastis and sour cream into the soup. Garnish with fennel fronds.

Chilled pea soup with tarragon & radishes

For ➍
1 tbs unsalted butter
1 large shallot, finely chopped
30 cl (chicken) stock
salt & freshly ground black pepper
600 g shelled peas [unfrozen]
5 cl crème fraiche
1 ts finely grated lemon zest
fresh tarragon
sliced radishes

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent without browning, 3-4 m. Add the broth, ½ ts salt and ½ ts black pepper and simmer 2 m. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
While the stock is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the peas and cook until peas are tender, 2 to 3 m. Drain and rinse under cold water or shock in ice water to prevent further cooking.
Combine the half of the cooled stock and peas in the bowl of a food processor. Process until very smooth. Add additional stock a little at a time and process to achieve desired consistency. (The soup should be a little thick and not too runny).
Transfer to a bowl, and taste for salt and pepper. Whisk the crème fraiche and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Gently stir into the peas, leaving light traces of the cream visible. 
Carefully divide among 4 serving bowls. Garnish with snipped or whole tarragon leaves and sliced radishes.

Asparagus-stuffed eggs

For ➊➋ egg halves
6 large eggs
4 medium (green) asparagus spears*
2 ts very finely minced shallot, scallion or chives, plus a pinch extra for garnish
3 tbs mayonnaise, whipping cream, creme fraiche, sour cream and/or soft butter
½ ts smooth Dijon mustard (optional)
few gratings fresh lemon zest (optional)
salt & pepper

Hard-boil eggs. [Tip]..
Cook asparagus spears in salted simmering water until full tender, about 4 to 5 m [tip]. Drain and plunge in cold water. Drain and again and spread on towels to dry out as much as possible. Cut 1.5 cm off the tips of each spears and cut these tips lengthwise. Puree remaining asparagus. Remove the excess water from your puree by spreading it for a mi on a few paper towel layers.
Peel your eggs. Dip a knife in water before cutting each in half lengthwise for a cleaner cut. Shave a thin strip off the bottom of each so that it will not rock about in its dish. Remove the yolks and press them through a fine-mesh strainer to sieve them. Add asparagus puree, shallot or chives, mayonnaise or cream, Dijon or lemon zest (if using) and combine mixture until smooth. Season carefully with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon the mixture into each egg half, or use a piping bag with a star tip for a fancier presentation. Decorate each stuffed egg with a reserved asparagus tip, and the remaining with the extra shallot, scallion or chives.
Wrap tray in plastic and keep in fridge until ready to serve.

*Replace the asparagus purée with a purée of another spring vegetable such a artichoke hearts (choke and leaves removed, 1 should be sufficient), spinach, favas or peas. In each case you’ll want about 2 tbs drained purée per 6 whole eggs, and you’ll want to cook the vegetable until tender, blend it and drain the liquid a bit as explained below before mixing it into the mashed egg yolks. Adjust flavorings to the ingredient: artichokes go well with lemon zest and mayonnaise, peas with cream and mint.

A classic American starter from the 70's.

Peas with prosciutto & mint

For ➑
100 g fresh or defrosted frozen shelled peas
1 tbs olive oil
¼ ts freshly ground pepper
¼ ts coarse sea salt
6 mint leaves, sliced very thin in chiffonade
25 g (about 2 thin slices) prosciutto

Prepare an ice bath and get out a strainer. Cook the peas in boiling, salted water for just a few s, then drain, plunge into ice bath and drain again.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, pepper and salt. Toss the peas in the dressing. Add the ribbons of mint.
Tear the prosciutto roughly into little 2 cmh wide squares.
Gently toss prosciutto with peas.
Scoop out ½ cup servings into small cups, ramekins or bowls.

Try another small cup appetizer.

Spring vegetables' risotto

For ➍
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
50 g fresh peas
100 g green beans, chopped
2 artichoke hearts, canned, diced fine
12 green asparagus tips
2 l boiling chicken or vegetable stock
100 g butter
400 g risotto rice
salt & pepper
60 g Parmigiano cheese, grated

Melt 50 g butter in a large pan and braise the onion. Braise carrots and celery for 5 m. Add peas, green beans and artichokes.  Stir briefly over low heat. Add the rice. Turn the rice over so every grain is coated.
Add a soup ladle of broth, when absorbed, add another. Add the asparagus after 15 m.
Keep adding broth for about 20 m and stir until the rice is al dente.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add pepper and salt.
Stir in the remaining butter and the Parmigiano and serve the risotto.

Read quick risotto tip.

Spring pea purée with preserved lemon

For ➍
1 kg shelled peas (or frozen)
1 garlic clove
4 tbs parsley leaves
olive oil
salt
10 cl water
1 tbs of preserved lemon peel, chopped*
lemon juice
crushed red pepper flakes
6-8 slices of sourdough bread

Put the water in a pot. Add the peas, 1 tbs of olive oil, garlic, parsley and salt. Simmer 5 m for fresh peas, 2 m for frozen.
Drain and save the cooking liquid.
Place the peas in a food processor and process until smooth.
Scrape that puree into a bowl.
Add a tbs of chopped preserved lemon peel (you can use some of the flesh as well), a squeeze of lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and more olive oil. Mix it.
Add some of the cooking liquid to lighten it up.
Grill thick slices of sourdough bread in a very hot cast iron skillet on high heat. Use no or very little oil. Press the bread down in the skillet. Flip once.
Rub the bread with garlic and brush it with olive oil.
Top with the spring pea puree and sprinkle everything with more pepper flakes.

*You can make the same without preserved lemons and serve it on regular toast.

Gnocchi & sausage

For ➍
250 g potato gnocchi
3 smoked pork sausages, sliced*
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs butter
pinch of hot pepper flakes
½ tbs fresh thyme leaves
½ tbs fresh oregano, chopped
100 g (frozen & thawed) peas**
50 g grated Parmigiano**
salt & pepper

Prepare the gnocchi according to package instructions.
While the gnocchi is cooking, heat up a skillet with 1 tbs of butter. Add the sausage* and onions. Cook until sausage is browned and onions are soft. On medium heat, add the garlic, hot pepper flakes, thyme and oregano. Cook for 1 m or until the garlic is softened.
Drain the gnocchi, reserving a little of the cooking water. Add the gnocchi to the sausage mixture. Shake the skillet so the gnocchi don't stick. Add the peas and remaining tbs of butter. Salt and pepper to taste.
Top with cheese**. Let the cheese melt slightly before serving.
Serve with a glass of northern Italian white wine, like pinot grigio.

*Or use a dry, not too salty Italian salami, such as salamini alla cacciatora. Melt the onions first, then add the salami, which requires only warming instead of cooking. The smoked pork sausages make it taste rather Austrian.
**Optional.

Serve gnocchi with sauces like vegetables & ricotta sauce, tomato & butter sauce, Tuscan white sauce, Italian meat sauce...