Eggplant with feta, mint rice & tomato sauce

For ➍ 

3 garlic cloves

5 tbs mild olive oil

10 cl balsamico

4 eggplants

1 tbs dried oregano

300 g three-color rice or nut rice

1 shallot

400 g polpa with basilic

½ tbs brown sugar

16 caper apples

200 g feta 43+ or vegan alternative

40 g fresh mint

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Squeeze ⅔ of the garlic into a small bowl and mix with ⅘ of the oil and balsamic vinegar. Halve the eggplants lengthwise, leaving the stem on. Cut the eggplants on the cut side crosswise every centimeter and place them cut side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with half of the balsamic mixture and sprinkle with the oregano. Season with pepper and possibly salt. Bake for 35 m until soft and cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions.

Chop the shallot and finely chop the rest of the garlic. Heat the rest of the oil in a small pan and fry the shallot and garlic for 2 m over medium heat. Add the finely chopped canned tomatoes, season with pepper and the brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over low heat for 15-20 m.

Cut the capers in half. Crumble the feta. Remove the leaves from the mint sprigs and roughly chop. Set aside 1 tbs mint (per 4 people) and mix the rest of the mint with the rice. Remove the eggplant from the oven. Sprinkle with the rest of the balsamic mixture and the caper apple halves. 

Serve with the mint rice and the tomato sauce and garnish with the feta, the reserved mint and some pepper.

Grilled aubergine with pomegranate & pistachio

For ➍
3 eggplants
¼ ts turmeric
1 tbs garam masala
peanut oil
3 tbs pistachios
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint
1 pomegranate
2 shallots
1 clove garlic
1 tbs sugar cubes*
3 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp pilipili

Peel the garlic and shallots. Chop finely.
Chop the coriander and mint leaves until you have 1 tbs of each.
Remove the seeds from the pomegranate.
Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots, garlic, sugar, vinegar, pilipili and 3 tbs water.
Boil for 1 m, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stir in the chopped coriander, mint and 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds.
Rinse the salt from the aubergines and pat them dry.
Mix 3 tbs oil with the garam masala and turmeric into a paste and brush the aubergine slices with it.
Heat the grill pan and fry them on both sides in beautiful, black lines.
Arrange them in a baking dish. Sprinkle with oil and continue cooking until the aubergines are soft.
Arrange the slices on a serving dish and spoon the dressing over it.
Garnish with the rest of the pomegranate seeds, mint leaves and coriander.
Sprinkle with pistachios and serve.
Serve as an opener or as a side dish at e.g. grilled lamb crown.

* Replace if necessary by honey. Or replace the wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar for a sweeter taste.

Ginger steamed cod with chilli soy sauce

For ➍
dipping sauce:
8 cl low sodium tamari or soy sauce
2 tbs rice vinegar
2 ts minced red chilli
1 ts minced garlic
1 ts sugar
cod:
1 tbs peanut oil
1 ts sesame oil
300 g baby pak choi, trimmed & halved lengthwise
170 g shiitake or crimini mushrooms, halved
1 piece (7.5 cm) ginger, peeled & julienned
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced
4 cod fillets (150-170 g each), fresh, thawed or frozen*

Thoroughly mix dipping sauce ingredients; set aside.
In a deep frying pan, sauté pak choi and mushrooms in peanut and sesame oils over medium-high heat until crisp-tender. Remove and keep warm.
Wipe pan clean. Bring 2.5 cm of water to boil; turn off heat. Place metal steamer basket in pan and open up sides. Portion ginger and ¾ of green onions in basket. Rinse any ice glaze from frozen cod under cold water; place fillets in steamer. Return water to boil; cover loosely and steam just until fish is opaque throughout, about 5 to 7 m. (Reduce cook time by half for fresh or thawed fillets.)
Serve cod over sautéed vegetables with dipping sauce; garnish with remaining green onion slices.

*Substitute pollock or sole fillets for cod, adjusting cook time for smaller fillets if necessary.

Torta alla menta soffice (soft mint torte)

For ➋➋ cm cake tin
200 g 00 flour
50 g potato starch
3 medium eggs
130 g caster sugar*
14 cl whole milk
6 cl mint syrup
8 cl peanut or sunflower seed oil
10 g baking powder
1 pinch of salt

Whip the eggs together with the sugar with the electric mixer until they are swollen and foamy.
Add the milk and the mint syrup, continuing to whisk with the whisk.
Sift the 00 flour, the starch and the yeast and place them in the bowl alternating with the seed oil.
Finally add the pinch of salt and stir.
Grease and flour a 22 cm diameter cake tin.
Bake in a static oven and preheated to 160°C for 45-50 m.
Times vary from oven to oven, check with a toothpick to see if it is cooked.
After cooking time, take out the mint cake and let it cool completely before serving.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.
Keep it under a glass jar or well protected from moisture for up to 3 days.

*If you prefer sweeter you can increase the sugar to 150 g.
The color depends on the syrup you use.
Use it as a base to fill with Nutella, chocolate or jamr.
For a gluten-free version you can replace the 00 flour with the one you commonly use or with rice flour. Check that all ingredients are gluten-free, even mint syrup.

French apple cake

For ➑
95 g household flour
¾ tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
4 large apples, preferably from a different species (Boskoop or Elstar),peeled & quartered
2 large eggs (or three small ones)
150 g sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
115 g unsalted butter, melted & cooled
3 tbs rum
20 cm cake tin

Preheat the oven to 175°C.
Butter a cake tin of 20 cm.
Mix flour, baking powder and salt thoroughly.
Cut the apple quarters in two, first lengthwise, then again, crosswise.
Beat the eggs until they are frothy with an electric blender. Add the sugar to the eggs, and beat the mixture until it is quite firm.
Add rum and vanilla extract.
Add ½ of the flour mixture, and mix it with the hand..
Add ½ of the butter, and mix it with the hand..
Repeat with the remaining flour and the butter.
Use a rubber spatula to gently mix the apples into the batter. Make sure all the apple pieces have a layer of batter on it.
Pour into the buttered springform pan, and bake for 50 m to an hour.
The top will look golden brown and a knife should come clean out of the cake.
Allow at least 10 m (up to 1 h) cooling in the form. Proceed with a knife around the inside of the mold, to loosen the cake. Place a plate on top of the cake and turn the cake onto the plate, to remove the bottom of the springform pan (it helps again with a knife to cut along the inside of the pan).
Serve warm or cold. With whipped cream if wanted. The cake can be saved for 2 days.

The so-called 'Marie-Hélène French cake recipe' was a hype throughout the world as being the best apple cake recipe ever.

Naked** lemon & olive oil layer cake

For ➊➏ cm cake
350 g all-purpose flour*
1½ ts baking powder*
1 ts baking soda*
1 ts salt*
3 large eggs*
300 g granulated sugar*
37 cl extra-virgin olive oil*
37 cl buttermilk*
2 tbs lemon zest*
¼ ts lemon extract (optional)*
2 ts vanilla extract*
frosting:
250 g unsalted butter, at room temperature*
900 g sugar*
zest of 1 lemon*
1 ts pure vanilla extract*
12 cl whole milk*
lemon zest, as needed for garnish
blueberries, as needed for garnish

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease and flour two 16 cmh cake pans.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and thick, 2 to 3 m.
Add the olive oil, buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon extract (if using) and vanilla extract to the egg mixture and mix well to combine, 1 m more.
Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, 45 s to 1 m.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 m.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter while gradually adding the confectioners’ sugar gradually. Mix until light and fluffy.
Beat in the lemon zest, vanilla extract and milk. Mix well to combine.
-
When the cakes are cool, use a serrated knife to cut the domed top off of each cake and then cut each cake into two layers. (You’ll have four layers total.)
Place one cake layer on a platter or cake stand and scoop 1 heaping of frosting on top of it. Using the spatula, spread the frosting into an even layer, all the way to the edge. Place another cake layer on top. Repeat until you’ve used all four cake layers.
Spread the remaining frosting in a thin coat on the top ( and side of the cake*). Run your spatula around the edge of the cake to scrape away any excess frosting. (You should be able to clearly see the cake through the thin layer of frosting.)
Sprinkle with lemon zest and garnish with berries. Slice and serve the cake at room temperature.

*Use half the quantities to bake a 2 layer cake for 4-6 people.
**Naked as in not overfrosted layers. You can eliminatie all outer frosting except the top.

Seasoned rice vinegar

For ➋➎ cl
25 cl rice vinegar
3 tbs sugar
2 ts salt

In a small saucepan bring rice vinegar, sugar and salt to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring, until sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside.
Use in sushi rice.

Teriyaki sauce & glace

For ➍
18 cl soy sauce
18 cl mirin (rice wine)
100 g sugar (white or brown)*
1 ts finely minced garlic (optional)
1 ts finely minced ginger (optional)

In a small saucepan bring soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic (if using) and ginger (if using) to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10 m. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Use with salmon or chicken, or rice bowl. Use to marinate** or as a glace.
To make a glaze: mix ½ tbs cornstarch with 1 tbs water. Heat sauce on medium high heat and add cornstarch water mixture. Simmer until thickened about 1 m.

*Classic teriyaki sauce is made of equal parts sake, mirin and soy sauce. It can be adjusted with some sugar, if needed.
**Most Japanese recipes, s.a. for salmon, don't marinate the fish, just brush it.

Japanese cotton soft cheesecake

For ➑
225 cream cheese (room temperature)*
10 cl milk
5 large eggs (room temperature)
¼ tbs cream of tartar (or baking soda)
60 g sugar + 60 g sugar
60 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 tbs lemon juice
30 g all-purpose flour
2 tbs cornstarch
20 cm round springform pan

Line the bottom and sides of the springform pan with parchment paper. Wrap the springform pan with several sheets of foil, sealing it completely.
Fill a large baking pan halfway with water. Place it in the oven on the lowest rack. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Separate the eggs and place the egg whites into a mixing bowl and the yolks into a measuring cup.
Beat egg whites on low speed for 30 s. Increase the speed to medium low and beat for another 30 s or until foamy. Add the cream of tartar. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the egg whites just start to thicken. Add 60 g of sugar gradually. Continue beating until the egg whites reach the soft peaks stage, approximately 3 m.
In a separate bowl, add the cream cheese and milk. Mix on low speed until creamy and smooth (approximately 2-3 m). Add the butter, 60 g sugar and lemon juice and beat for 1 m. Add the flour and cornstarch and mix for another m. Finally add the egg yolks and mix for 1 more m. Strain the batter using a sieve.
Add ⅓ of the egg whites and gently fold into the batter until mostly incorporated. Add another ⅓ and gently fold. Add the remaining ⅓ and gently fold.
Pour the batter into the lined springform pan. Spread the batter evenly into the pan and smooth out the top using a spatula. Holding the sides of the pan, gently lift and drop the pan on the counter about 6 times to remove any big air bubbles.
Place the springform pan into the water bath and bake the cake for 1 h and 10 m. Check the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. It should come out clean. Bake the cake for an additional 10-15 m to brown up the top.
Turn off oven, open the oven the door slightly and let the cake cool in the oven for 1 h.
Remove cake from the pan. Place on a plate and refrigerator for at least 4 h.
Serve with fresh fruit, fruit puree, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, etc.

*Use mascarpone instead.

See a similar video recipe.
Read about Japanese fluffy pancakes.

Pad krapow gai (Thai basil chicken)

For ➊-➋
250 g skin-on chicken thigh
2 ts oyster sauce
1 ts dark soy sauce
½ ts sugar
2 tbs vegetable oil
9 g garlic (1 very large clove), roughly chopped
5 g Thai chilli peppers (2 peppers), roughly chopped *
1 large egg 20 grams
holy basil

Remove the skin and any fat from the thighs and chop into small pieces and set aside.
Cut the thigh meat into 1 cm pieces.
Measure out the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar into a small bowl so that it's ready to add to the stir fry.
Prepare 2 frying pans, 1 for the egg and 1 for the chicken.
Put the chicken skin and fat into one pan and 2 tbs of vegetable oil into the other.
For the pan with the chicken skin, turn the heat onto medium-high and render out the fat, stirring from time to time to prevent burning.
When the chicken skin is browned and starting to crisp, turn up the heat to high and then add the garlic and chili peppers and saute until fragrant (about 30 s).
Meanwhile, turn the second burner onto high heat and heat until the oil is shimmering and hot.
Add the chicken to the first pan with the garlic and chili peppers and stir fry until the chicken is cooked through.
Break an egg into the second pan and fry, spooning some oil onto the egg to help cook the top surface from time to time.
Add the sauce mix to the chicken and continue stir-frying until the sauce coats the chicken evenly. Turn off the heat and toss the holy basil together with the chicken on the plate immediately.
Top your pad krapow gai with the the fried egg.

*: 2 Thai chillies will make this basil chicken fairly spicy, if you don't like a lot of heat, either cut back on the chillies, or smash (but don't chop) them so you can pick them out after cooking. If you want to make this crazy spicy, just add more chillies.

Grilled lemongrass chicken

For ➋-➍
4-6 chicken thighs, skin on or off
2 stalks lemongrass
40 g onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
juice of ½ lime
2 fresh red chilies, minced, (or ½ ts chili flakes, to taste)
3 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs soy sauce
2+½ tbs brown sugar

Use a food processor for this recipe.
Cut off the bulb end of each lemongrass stalk, then slice up the rest. Toss out the upper stem. Pulse to create a fragrant, watery-like paste.
Open up the chicken thighs and lay flat, preferably in a flat baking-type dish. Pour the paste over chicken, turning the pieces to get each one saturated. Use a spoon to spoon the herbs onto the tops of the chicken. Cover and marinate preferably 2-6 h.
Brush a hot grill with a little vegetable oil, then grill chicken to well done.
Plate up the chicken with a nice portion of Thai jasmine rice. And a side dish like green papaya salad.

El pagnon boregne (Borinage sugar cake)

For ➑
300 g flour
100 g butter
30 g of fresh yeast
2 eggs
pinch of salt
2 tbs granulated sugar
150 g blonde caster sugar
black coffee

Crumble the yeast in 20 cl warm water and stir vigorously. Melt the butter in the microwave.
Whisk the eggs.
Put the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour it in the melted butter, beaten egg, granulated sugar and the dissolved yeast. Mix together with a whisk into a homogeneous dough. Add salt and mix again.
Form a ball of dough and let rise for 1.5 h in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 180 ° C.
Brush the tin with butter and pour the dough in it. Let it rise for 30 m.
Make holes in the dough with your fingers, without touching the bottom. Spread the caster sugar over the dough, avoiding the edge.
Sprinkle with coffee, spread some in the holes as well.. Put in preheated oven and bake for 35 m.
Serve warm or cooled, with black coffee.

In the North of France and in the Belgian region of the Borinage, tartes au sucre (sugar cakes) are very popular as a simple and inexpensive dessert. In the Borinage and Mons this pagnon (argot for 'compagnon', French for 'company', is a traditional treat.
It is made with cassonade, a blonde or brown rough sugar, that is used in several Belgian desserts and cookies, such as speculaas and spread over pancakes, bread, strawberries... The best known is the Graeffe brand, founded in Brussels in 1848.

Meringues @ microwave

For ➍
300 g icing sugar
1 lightly beaten egg white
whipped cream (optional)
tropical fruit (optional)

Sift 300 g of icing sugar over 1 lightly beaten egg white. Stir until the mixture is a thick, pliable icing and roll into balls. Line a plate with kitchen paper.
Put 3 balls at a time on the plate and microwave them on high for 1½ m and watch as the balls balloon and puff into meringues.
When they are cool, use the meringues in desserts, for instance sandwiched together with whipped cream and sliced tropical fruit.