As a young boy I was surrounded by remarkable women, including my legendary grandmother, two eccentric sisters in a magical house, an unusual art teacher who carried the world in an embroidered bag and two ladies who paid no attention to those who neglected dessert. These wizards taught me that here was no ordinary life and no ordinary meal. The simplest of foods could and should be served at the most festive tables, every bite is a grand occasion and success is a happy guest. Everything has a history, ideas come from the garden, eternal youth comes from candle light, skill comes from understanding, joy comes from confidence and every meal is a small coronation.
APPLE PECAN NUT CAKE
This mouth-watering upside-down cake is easy to make and can be served as a tea-time treat or dessert; leftovers can be added to lunch boxes the next day! In summer I use fresh mango instead of apples.
SAUCE + FRUIT:
80g butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 Golden Delicious apples
(Any other kind will do as well! Pears are great too!) )
Line bottom and sides of 23 cm springform pan with foil
Heat butter and sugar in a small saucepan
Stir constantly until sugar has dissolved
Spread sauce over bottom of pan
Slice apple into thin wedges, arrange on top of sauce
CAKE:
230g really soft butter
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup self-raising flour
100g pecan nuts, chopped
3 tbsp rum
Cream butter and sugar together in mixing bowl
Add eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt, mix well
Sift in flour and mix
Mix in pecan nuts
Spoon over apples, gently smooth top
Bake in oven at 160˚C (fan) for 50 minutes
Cover cake loosely with foil after 25minutes if browning too quickly
Remove cake from oven and drizzle with rum, let cool
Loosen the ring of the springform pan, gentle pull away foil around the sides of the cake
Place serving plate on top and turn over, gently pull away foil
Serve with fresh cream or homemade custard
LEEK + MUSHROOM OPEN PIE
This picture was taken in the kitchen in Nantes, but I had to remake it here because the ingredients are different and the standard sizes of pie dishes are different. I am happy to report that the local version turned out to be just as easy and delicious!
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (400g) defrosted
5 tbsp grapeseed oil
250g brown mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 large onion, chopped
300g leeks, roughly chopped (should be 300g after tough green parts and hard outer skin have been removed)
sea salt
175g Emmental, grated
175ml fresh cream
2 eggs
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
15g (3 heaped tbsp) finely chopped fresh parsley
leaves of 4 to 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
In large pan, heat mushrooms with 3 tbsp grapeseed oil and fry until brown and there is no more excess liquid, about 10 minutes
Lightly salt mushrooms and transfer to large mixing bowl
Add chopped onion and 1 tbsp oil to the same pan, cover partially and let simmer over low heat for 10 minutes
Add chopped leeks and 1 tbsp oil, increase heat for a minute until leeks start to simmer, lower heat, cover partially and let simmer until leeks are tender, about 12 minutes
Removef rom heat, lightly salt and add to mushrooms in bowl, let cool
Roll out puff pastry and cover bottom and sides of standard 25 cm tart dish or deeper 23cm pie dish, prick bottom with fork
(Do not remove any excess pastry until the filling is inside the pastry shell!)
Sprinkle 1/3 of cheese over bottom
Whisk together cream, eggs, pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg, parsley and thyme to make custard
Add to leek mixture, add another 1/3 of cheese and stir
Spoon mixture into pastry shell, smooth top
Sprinkle rest of cheese over, cut off excess pastry around the edge
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for 30 minutes or until golden-brown on top
Remove from oven and let cool completely
Reheat before serving, not too much, just until warm
A generous slice served with some roasted vegetables or a green salad is perfect light meal or main course
SOFT CARROT BANANA COOKIES
These can be served on any occasion, even breakfast! Not too sweet, easy to make, full of flavour, fibre and freshness.
(makes 22 to 24 cookies)
100g really soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp dark rum
2 small ripe bananas
1 medium carrot, roughly grated, then chopped
2 cups + 1 tbsp self raising flour
2 tbsp raw oats
2 tbsp granola
100g mixed nuts, chopped
200g white chocolate
Combine butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, pinch of salt, vanilla and rum in mixing bowl, use fork and mix until creamy
Crush bananas and add to mixture, mix until smooth
Mix in carrots
Add flour, mix until smooth dough forms
Mix in oats, granola and nuts
Cover dough and refrigerate for 15 minutes
Cover standard baking tray with baking powder
Roll dough into 3 cm balls
(The mixture is really soft and sticky, please resist the urge to add more flour! You can dust your hands with a little flour if needed!)
Arrange 11 or 12 balls on baking tray, bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for 12 minutes until
Remove from oven (cookies will be really soft!), let stand for at least 6 minutes
Transfer to cooling rack
Prepare and bake rest of cookies, let cool completely
Melt white chocolate over simmering water or in microwave in 20 second bursts
Drizzle over cookies
Optional: top with edible flowers or garnish with candied citrus zest
DRIED FIG + DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
A delicious, healthy and surprisingly light cake with figs, lots of fruit, citrus zest, spices and dark chocolate. No granulated sugar, no butter, no white flour! The addition of carrots and zucchini was not my idea, I saw it somewhere on a website for healthy baking, I have baked and enjoyed many successful carrot cakes and at least one wonderful zucchini cake, so the idea made perfect sense!
210g soft dried figs, roughly chopped
75g dried sultanas
60g citrus zest, roughly grated (candied zest can be used)
1/2 cup boiling water
1 banana (not overripe), mashed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
75 ml grapeseed oil
1 apple, coarsely grated
1 large carrot, coarsely grated
200g zucchini, coarsely grated
100g brown bread flour
60g almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
70g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), coarsely grated
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp cognac or brandy
2 tbsp water
fresh cherries for serving
Combine figs, sultanas and citrus zest in small mixing bowl, add boiling water and let stand
In large mixing bowl, beat together banana, eggs, vanilla and oil
Add grated apple, carrot and zucchini, mix together
Add bown bread flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, mix together
Mix in dark chocolate
Line 20cm – 22cm springform pan with baking paper, spray sides with healthy oil
Spoon batter into springform pan, cover loosely with foil and bake in oven at 160˚C (fan) for 1 hour 10 minutes
Remove foil and bake for 20 more minutes, remove from oven
Heat honey, cognac and water together, pour over warm cake and let stand to cool
Carefully remove from pan, place plate on top, turn upside down, place serving plate upside-down on top, turn once more to transfer to serving plate
Can be kept in airtight container (in a cool place) for up to 5 days
Serve with fresh cherries or berries
VANILLA RUM COOKIES WITH NUTS + PUMPKIN SEEDS
This looks like a lot of ingredients, but they are all in the kitchen, none of them are out of the ordinary, and they come together beautifully! Festive!
(makes 42 – 44 soft-centered cookies)
250g really soft butter
4 tbsp rum
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar reduction
4 heaped tbsp citrus marmalade
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup muscovado sugar
pinch of salt
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
4 cups self raising flour
1 tsp baking soda
4 tbsp raw oats
4 tbsp desiccated coconut
100g mixed nuts (no peanuts!), chopped
4 tbsp pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
4 tbsp dried sultanas, roughly chopped
Combine first 12 ingredients in large mixing bowl, mix until creamy
Add flour and baking soda, mix until smooth dough forms
Mix in oats, coconut, nuts, pumpkin seeds and sultanas
On warmer days, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes
Line baking sheet with baking paper
Roll dough into 4cm balls, place on baking sheet, about 10 at a time, gently flatten with back of fork
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for 9 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for at least 6 minutes
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely
Store in airtight container, can be stored in a cool place for 2 to 3 weeks
ORANGE PICNIC CAKE
A simple, flavourful cake based on a basic pound cake recipe. Made without any effort, served drizzled with as much orange juice or liquor as you prefer. I always imagine this cake at the centre of a rustic picnic under an enormous tree, everything eaten by hand, served on gigantic serviettes made from luxurious white fabric
150g soft butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
juice and finely grated zest of 2 large oranges
2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp baking soda
orange liqueur (optional)
Cream butter and sugar together in mixing bowl
Add egg yolks, orange juice, cinnamon and salt, mix until combined
Stir in grated zest of 2 oranges
Add flour and baking soda, mix until combined
Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form, fold into batter using a metal spoon
(It always helps to stir in 1heaped tbsp of egg white first, this loosens up the batter before the rest of the egg whites get folded in)
Line bottom of medium-sized springform cake pan, lightly grease pan with oil or oil spray
Spoon batter into cake pan, smooth top
Bake in oven at 180˚C (fan) for 40 minutes
Cover cake loosely with foil if browning too quickly
Remove from oven and drizzle immediately with juice of 1 orange
If you prefer a really moist cake, drizzle with juice of an extra orange
Let cool
When serving, if preferred, drizzle a few drops of orange liqueur over each slice
POTATO + BEAN SOUP with FRESH BASIL + PARMESAN
I found the original recipe of this unusual soup in a very old French cookbook, I have changed a few things to make it a bit more contemporary. The stock, brine from the beans and the cheese all add enough salt, no salt needs to be added. Prepare this soup just before serving, it is really simple. Even those who, like me, do not enjoy soup that much, will love this!
(6 generous servings)
1,6 l water
500ml organic vegetable stock
700g young potatoes with skins
300g small shell pasta like Orecchiette
50g fresh basil
5 cloves of garlic (I use preserved garlic)
extra virgin olive oil
1 x 400g can Cannellini beans
1 x 400g can butter beans
freshly ground black pepper
whole nutmeg
100g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
fresh parsley, finely chopped
Cut each potato into 8 small wedges
Heat potatoes, water and stock in medium to large saucepan
Cover partially with lid and let simmer for about 30 minutes until potatoes are just cooked
Add pasta with 2 tbsp olive oil, let cook for about 10 minutes until al dente (increase heat when adding the cold pasta, just until gentle cooking continues)
Stir once or twice for even cooking
During this time, finely chop basil and garlic, add 1 tbsp olive oil, use a pestle and mortar and bruise until paste (with some texture) forms
Add basil paste to soup, also both cans of beans and let simmer for 1 minute
Remove from heat, season with freshly ground black pepper, a pinch of finely grated nutmeg, stir in the cheese, spoon into bowls, drizzle with a little olive oil, garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately
STRAWBERRY, VANILLA POD + WHITE CHOC PERFUME COOKIES
Making these cookies is just as enjoyable as eating them, the combination of strawberry jam, fresh vanilla seeds, black pepper and balsamic reduction fills the kitchen with perfume!
(makes about 30 cookies)
135g really soft butter
1/3 cup sugar (1/2 cup for those who like things really sweet)
3 heaped tbsp strawberry jam
seeds from 1 vanilla pod
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp balsamic vinegar reduction
2 cups + 1 tbsp self raising flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup raw oats
1 cup chopped almonds (chopped pieces should be quite small)
120g white chocolate, roughly chopped
fresh strawberries
Cream butter, sugar, jam, vanilla seeds, black pepper and balsamic reduction together in mixing bowl
Add flour, baking soda, sea salt and raw oats, mix until combined
Mix in chopped almonds
Mix in white chocolate
Shape dough into ball, cover with plate or cloth or anything earth-friendly and refrigerate for 15 minutes
Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper
Roll dough into 3cm balls
Arrange 10 to 12 balls on each baking sheet, gently flatten with fork
Bake in oven at 170ºC (fan) for 9 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for at least 5 minutes
Use spatula and arrange warm cookies on wire rack to cool completely
Serve with fresh strawberries
FRY THE SALAD!
This is not really a recipe, just my latest obsession. I forgot how much I like fried or wilted lettuce and started using store-bought or left-over salads to make quick and delicious meals for myself or a colleague during rehearsals or long meetings. A simple Greek salad with tomato, cucumber, olives and Feta works very well!
(2 servings)
I use:
300g salad (remove cheese like Feta and keep aside)
oil (if salad does not already have a dressing)
juice of 1/2 lemon
extra fresh greens like lettuce, young spinach or herbs
a few slices of bread
good olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Toss salad with dressing or some oil and lemon juice
Add extra greens or tomatoes, anything!
Fry in airfryer (at 180) for 8 minutes
Or fry in pan until tomato skins burst
Remove from heat, sprinkle with Feta and season with freshly ground black pepper
Toast bread, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley, serve with the fried salad
FESTIVE SALAD WITH ROASTED TOMATOES AND GRAPES
Fresh greens for life, eggs for sunshine, roasted tomatoes for the prostate, Feta for snow, grapes for sweetness, this is a feast! There are no rules as far as the portion sizes are concerned, this recipe is great as part of a meal for six, as a meal on its own I would double the amount of ingredients.
DRESSING:
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp French mustard
pinch of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together the first 4 ingredients, season with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate until needed
Can be made a day or 2 ahead, bring to room temperature before serving
SALAD:
12 red cocktail tomatoes
12 yellow cocktail tomatoes
12 pink grapes
12 green grapes
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
sea salt
180g mixed salad and herb leaves
3 hard-boiled eggs
1 small red onion, thinly sliced and marinated
(Marinate for 3 hours in a few tbsp olive oil, vinegar and 2 tsp sugar)
80g Feta
Arrange tomatoes and grapes on baking tray, drizzle with grapeseed oil and bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) until skins burst, about 13 minutes
Lightly season with sea salt and let cool
Break greens into bite-sized pieces and arrange on large serving dish
Arrange tomatoes, grapes and sliced eggs on top
Top with drained onions and crumbled Feta
Drizzle with dressing just before serving
COPERNIC LEEK TART
I gave this tart this name because this is the place I first served it. Arriving in Nantes, the first craving I always have is for leeks! This year I will serve this as a first course at my early winter Christmas here and also my summer Christmas back home. The red bell pepper confetti give this dish a real festive look.
3 large leeks (375g), roughly chopped
4 tbsp grapeseed oil
2 tbsp champagne or white wine
sea salt
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 to 3 slices brioche (equal to 2 slices of commercial bread)
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
3/4 cup fresh cream
2 heaped tbsp fresh parsley
leaves of 4 sprigs of thyme
125g Gruyere cheese, grated
freshly ground black pepper
butter for greasing tart dish
Combine 2 tbsp grapeseed oil, 2 tbsp champagne and chopped leeks in pan, let cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, do not allow to brown
Season lightly with salt, transfer to a bowl and let cool
In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp grapeseed oil and chopped bell pepper, fry over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked but still a bit firm and brightly coloured, lightly season with sea salt and add to leeks
In separate mixing bowl, soak slices of bread in milk until soft, use fork to mix into paste, add eggs and cream, season lightly with sea salt and whisk with fork
Add leeks, bell pepper, herbs, cheese and some freshly ground black pepper, mix until combined
Grease tart dish generously with butter and pour in mixture, spread evenly with back of spoon
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for about 35 minutes until golden brown
Serve warm or lukewarm with a simple green salad
Can be baked up to 2 days ahead, keep covered and refrigerated
ONION, BROCCOLI + GOAT CHEESE TART, NO CRUST
A flavourful, beautiful green dish, especially on a winter’s day. Excellent as a starter or as a main course served with a simple salad of fresh rocket, oven-grilled cocktail tomatoes, salt, pepper, a few croutons and some good olive oil. When asparagus is in season, I use less broccoli and add some steamed green asparagus to this tart.
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp grapeseed oil
500g broccoli florets
sea salt
6 eggs
1/2 cup full cream milk
1/2 cup fresh cream
15g fresh parsley, chopped
leaves of 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
40g fresh rocket, roughly chopped
freshly ground black pepper
generous pinch of ground nutmeg
100g soft goat cheese
fresh herbs
extra virgin olive oil
Heat grapeseed oil and onions in small saucepan, let simmer over very low heat for 45 minutes, season lightly with sea salt, let cool
Boil or steam broccoli for a few minutes until cooked, still firm and bright green, drain of any excess liquid, season lightly with sea salt, let cool
In large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, milk and cream together
Add parsley, thyme and rocket, mix and season with 1/2 tsp sea salt, about 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and pinch of nutmeg
Add onion and broccoli to mixture
Stir half the goat cheese, crumbled, into the mixture
Grease deep tart or quiche baking dish with butter or oil
Pour in mixture, crumb rest of cheese over, gently press down to smooth top a bit, bake at 175˚C (fan) in oven for 45 to 50 minutes
(IMPORTANT: Loosely cover tart with sheet of foil after first 20 minutes of baking to avoid too much browning)
Remove from oven and let cool
(Tart can be baked up to 2 days before serving, keep covered and refrigerated)
Before serving, reheat for a few minutes in moderate oven, cut into slices, garnish with some fresh herbs and drizzle with a few drops of olive oil
BROWN RICE + LENTILS IN PROSECCO
My staple of brown rice and lentils has had many variations, this time with added tomatoes (Apparently the health benefits of cooked tomatoes are extraordinary.) and the rice and lentils being cooked in Prosecco. Serve as a main course, warm salad or accompaniment to roasted vegetables. I refrigerate or freeze individual portions to be reheated and enjoyed over time. Anyone still in the dark about the wonder of reheating and turning carbs into resistant starch: please listen to Dr Michael Mosley’s Just One Thing podcast!
(about 8 generous portions)
4 tbsp LIVE LIKE N Garlic grapeseed oil
2 medium-sized onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 cups brown rice (or a mixture of brown and wild rice)
750ml Prosecco
1 cup green lentils (drained and strained)
6 ripe medium-sized tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tsp sea salt
3 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup small frozen peas
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil or dried mixed herbs
generous pinch of ground nutmeg
3 tbsp sundried tomato pesto
freshly ground black pepper
20g fresh parsley, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
Heat garlic grapeseed oil and onions in large saucepan and stir over high heat for 1 minute
Add rice and stir for 1 more minute
Add Prosecco, lentils, tomatoes, salt, brown sugar, coriander, chilli flakes and ground cinnamon, lower heat so mixture can cook gently
Let cook, partly covered, until al dente, about 45 minutes, adding warm water when needed
(Add water little by little so that rice will not have to be strained, about 1 1/2 cups of water in total)
Remove from heat, add frozen peas, oregano, basil, nutmeg and pesto, gently stir until mixed
Season with black pepper, cover and let cool
Reheat just before serving, garnish with fresh parsley and lightly drizzle with olive oil
BANANA RUM CAKE WITH LOTS + LOTS OF PECAN NUTS
Although this cake is quite rustic, it takes a bit more effort than I usually have time for, but it is absolutely worth the while! As I do not have pregnant friends or any children in the house, I use generous amounts of alcohol.
CAKE:
125g soft butter
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs at room temperature
3 ripe medium-sized bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp dark rum
100g ground almonds
1 cup + 1 tbsp self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
75g finely chopped raw pecan nuts
2 extra tbsp dark rum for drizzling over warm cake
Line bottom of 22cm or 23cm springform pan with baking paper
Grease bottom and sides of pan with some butter or oil
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together
Beat in eggs one by one
In a separate bowl, mash bananas using a fork, stir into egg mixture
Stir in vanilla and 2 tbsp rum
Stir in ground almonds
Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, stir until combined
Mix in chopped pecan nut
Spoon into springform pan, smooth top
Bake in oven at 165˚C (fan) for 50 minutes
(Loosely cover with square of foil or baking paper after 15 minutes or if cake starts browning too quickly)
Remove from oven, drizzle with 2 tbsp rum, let cool in pan for 15 minutes, careful remove from pan, place on wire rack and let cool completely
FROSTING:
50g soft butter
100g cream cheese (remove from refrigerator 20 minutes before using)
1 tbsp dark rum
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
Combine butter and cream cheese in mixing bowl, mix until smooth
Stir in rum and vanilla
Add icing sugar and mix until creamy
DECORATION:
75g raw pecan nuts
1 tsp honey
a few miniature edible flowers
Place nuts in dry pan, drizzle with honey
Gently stir around over low heat for about 3 minutes, do not allow to darken too much
Let cool
Spoon small amounts of frosting on top of cake, gently spread to cover top of cake, do not cover sides
Decorate with roasted pecan nuts and flowers
Use a sharp knife to cut cake into thin slices
