Jam Shortbread or Jam "Sablés "

INGREDIENTS 

100g of butter 
100g of Sugar 
1 egg 
250g of  flour
50g of almond powder
1/2 tsp of baking powder  
Jam for filling 
Icing sugar for decoration 

RECIPE 

Mix the softened butter and sugar with a fork. Add the egg a and mix well to incorporate all together. Stir in flour, almond powder and baking powder always using the fork . with  your hands  put  the dough together anf form a ball . 

 

Put an hour in the fridge and then lower the dough with a roll to a thickness of 3 mm. cut into small shapes and make a  hole in the half of the shapes. Place on a sheet of baking paper. bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 150 ° oven. cooking time may change depending on the ovens and depending on the thickness of the biscuits.

Remove the cookies and cool on a wire rack. spread of the  jam over  the full shortbread on the side which was in contact with the baking paper. Sprinkle the shortbread  with a hole pattern  with icing sugar and place on the ones that are covered  with jam.

 

Leek veloute

INGREDIENTS 

A bunch of leeks 
1 potato 
1 carrot 
Aromatic ( parsely, basil etc) 
1 liter of chicken broth 
salt pepper nutmeg 
2 tsp  of cream cheese
2 tsp of  sour cream 

RECIPE 

Cut the leeks into pieces (root but also the green stem) and the potato into cubes Saute them in 1 cs of olive oil without coloration. Add the aromatics and the chicken broth. Bring to boil.

Cook for  20 to 30 minutes, then put in the blender , add the two portions of cheese and mix until you obtain a creamy texture. Filter the soup through a sieve . Replace the soup into the pan and place over  heat, add the salt, the pepper, sour cream and the nutmeg. serve hot and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and some pitachios.

Zucchini and parsley velouté

INGREDIENTS

5 zucchini
Half a bunch of parsley (leaves only)
1 potato
1 medium onion
Aromatic herbs
1 liter of chicken broth
salt pepper nutmeg
2 ts of cream cheese
2 ts of sour cream

RECIPE

Cut the onion into strips and potato in cubes and saute them with 1 ts of olive oil  without coloration. Add the zucchini, the aromatic herbs and the  parsley. let it cook for 3 minutes then add the  chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Cook about 20 to 30 minutes, then put in the blender, add the cream cheese and mix until you obtain  creamy texture. Put the velouté in  a  saucepan over low heat, add the salt, pepper, sour cream and the nutmeg. stir for some minutes,  serve hot and garnish with parsley or mint or basil leaves. 

Vietnamese beef spring rolls

INGREDIENTS (for 12-15 spring rolls)

400g ground beef
1 medium onion
3 dried black mushrooms
1 handful of soy bean sprouts
2 carrots rapped
1 green pepper
2 cloves of garlic
Rice Vermicelli
Fresh coriander
10 Rice Cakes
Soy sauce
Fish sauce (nuoc mam)

RECIPE

Start by soaking in warm water the black mushrooms and rice noodles for about 30 minutes.Chop the onion, the garlic and  the green pepper and place in a large bowl, add the meat and the chopped cilantro, the  carrots, the soy bean sprouts, rice noodles drained and cut  and sliced ​​mushrooms . add salt and pepper, put 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1tbsp fish sauce and mix well  with your hand .

Making spring rolls: take a rice cake, soak in warm water for a few seconds, then place it on a damp cloth and cut into two pieces. Place the stuffing on the rounded side of the rhalf rice cake, fold the edges and roll up tightly  to prevent stuffing from going out  during frying. Brush the edge with egg white to seal the spring roll.  Fry the rolls for 8 to 10 minutes, the oil should not be  very hot. Serve with sweet and sour sauce and some salad.

Italian Gnocchi with pistachio pesto and mushrooms

INGREDIENTS
Gnocchi
2 large potatoes
1 egg yolk
150g flour (more or less depending on consistency)
chopped basil  or parsley leaves
Salt / pepper
A bunch of fresh basil
Pistachio Pesto
100g of pistachio
50g of  parmesan
Olive oil (about 10cl)
2 cloves of garlic
Sauce
20 cl of creme fraiche
200g of fresh mushrooms
A pinch of nutmeg

RECIPE

Start by cutting potatoes into thick slices without removing the skin. Make steam until they become soft. Remove the skin and mash the potatoes with a fork . Add the egg yolk, the basil or parsley, 3/4 of the flour, salt and pepper. Mix together and add flour if necessary to get a soft dough that does not stick to your fingers.

Cut the dough in several portions. On a floured surface, roll each portion into a very thin sausage shape  , then with a knife cut 2cm pieces . press the top of each piece  with the back of a fork . Do the same till you finish all the  dough.

Pistachio pesto: in a robot put the basil, the garlic, the Parmesan cheese , the olive oil, half the pistachios and mix well to obtain  a paste. add the remaining pistachios and mix again making sure to keep whole pieces for crunchy texture . Add more olive oil if necessary.

Cook the gnocchi in a large pan with boiling water ,   they are ready when they rise to the surface of the water. take them out of the pan with a slotted spoon and put on a plate.

Sauce: In a pan, put the sliced mushrooms  to fry for 3 minutes with some  butter, add the cream, 3 tablespoons of pesto and a pinch of nutmeg. transfer the gnocchi to the pan and stir well . serve immediately with additional tablespoon of pesto in the center.

Rocket (arugula) and pomegranate salad with honey vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

A tray of rocket  (arugula)
Half of a pomegranate
Dried Fruit: pine nuts, hazelnuts and pistachios
1 tsp honey
3cs olive oil
Juice of half a lemon (a little lemon or quarter of a large lemon)
Salt and pepper

RECIPE

Wash the rocket with water two times, changing the water every time. Put the dried fruit in a roasting pan and stir  for a few minutes, during this time take of the grains of pomegranate. Prepare the vinaigrette: Mix honey, lemon and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. put the vinaigrette over the arugula and toss well to coat all the leaves; Put the salad in the serving plate, scatter on top of the dry fruit salad and pomegranate seeds. (Do not mix or all the seeds and dried fruit will stay in the bottom of the dish)

Pumpkin pie

INGREDIENTS

1 medium pumpkin
1 egg
15cl of cream
200g of cream cheese  of ricotta
half a vanilla bean (or extract)
1 tsp cinnamon
150g Sugar
1tbsp cornflour
a pie crust 

RECIPE

Peel the pumpkin and empty of all seeds. cut into small dice and put to cook in a pan with the sugar for 20min . this cooking method will allow the pumpkin caramelize while baking it.

cook the mixture and  stir often  till all the  water evaporates. Blend the caramelized pumpkin flesh to obtain a smooth texture. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, the ricotta or the cream  cheese, the egg, the cinnamon, the cornstarch and vanilla. Add the pumpkin and mix well.

In small ramekins, place the crust and bake it for 5minutes. Guet it out of the oven add  the pumpkin filling  and bake around 20min. let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.