Author: Valérie Aubry

Roasted root vegetables with mascarpone
Easy dishes, Easy to prepare, France, Potatoes, Side dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian & vegan dishes, Winter recipes

Roasted root vegetables with mascarpone

Why are root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, turnips, celeriac, rutabaga etc. such a powerful source of nutrients? Because they are grown into the ground, far away from any natural light, and for this reason they store inside themselves the vitamins and minerals necessary to their growth. Furthermore the root vegetables naturally carry few […]

Spanish beef stew with red wine & cinnamon sauce
Beef, Easy dishes, Easy to prepare, Potatoes, Rice, Spain, Stews, Winter recipes

Spanish beef stew with red wine and cinnamon

This Spanish beef stew with red wine and cinnamon sauce is totally mouthwatering. As often in the Spanish cuisine, the sauce for the stew is made with a mix Spanish and Arabic spices, which gives its special taste that surprises and delights at the same time. This is a perfect recipe for dinner with friends, family […]

Roast chicken with Mediterranean vegetables
Chicken, Christmas meal, Courgettes, Easy dishes, Easy to prepare, France, Grilled, Main Dish, Potatoes, Single dish, Summer recipes, Winter recipes

Roast chicken with Mediterranean vegetables

Roast chicken is the typical family meal which is made when the whole family or good friends are gathered together. Served with vegetables cooked in the sauce or boiled, I like giving a little bit of a twist by adding some lemon, aromatic herbs such as thyme or sage, and a little ginger and couscous […]

Vegetarian Kale soup, with sweet potato and carrot
Appetizers, Easy dishes, Easy starters, Easy to prepare, France, Main Dish, Potatoes, Soup, Vegetables, Vegetarian & vegan dishes, Winter recipes

Vegetarian kale soup

After Christmas and its huge meals, we generally appreciate a few weeks of light, healthy and easy to prepare food to sweep away the previous excesses, which makes soup a very successful option. My favourite winter soups are the pumpkin curry soup with sweet potato and the sautéed vegetables soup but I always like to […]

Baked Hasselback potatoes with raclette cheese
Christmas meal, Easy dishes, Easy to prepare, France, Gratins, Main Dish, Potatoes, Side dishes, Single dish, Vegetables, Vegetarian & vegan dishes, Winter recipes

Raclette Hasselback potatoes

What are Hasselback potatoes? The name sounds complicated but it is just the name of the hotel where those baked potatoes were invented. It is a simple recipe for an elegant and original side dish that allows infinite modification. Those stuffed potatoes could easily become a classic of your kitchen! To prepare the potatoes, cut them […]

Spanish chorizo and chickpea stew
Easy dishes, Potatoes, Spain, Stews, Winter recipes

Spanish chorizo and chickpea stew

My most recent summer holidays was in Asturias, a region of North Western Spain famous for its beautiful landscape and great food, and on several occasions we enjoyed one of the traditional dishes over there, the Asturian poté. This Asturian stew is made with typical regional ingredients such as the the collard greens, a cabbage called “Berza”a […]

Lentil salad flavoured with fresh coriander & cardamom
Appetizers, Easy starters, Easy to prepare, France, Lentils, Salads, Side dishes, Summer recipes, Vegetarian & vegan dishes

Lentil salad flavoured with fresh coriander & cardamom

This lentil salad is surprisingly fresh and spicy at the same time, thanks to the herbs and seasoning which blends perfectly with the mildest flavour of lentils. Cardamom seeds are commonly used in  Asian cuisine, especially in India where they come from, and they bring a lemony hint to the salad. This recipe comes from […]

Colourful beetroot and carrot salad with feta
Appetizers, Easy starters, Easy to prepare, France, Salads, Summer recipes, Vegetables, Vegetarian & vegan dishes

Colourful beetroot and carrot salad with feta

This new beetroot and carrot salad recipe has been quite successful this summer. I invented it mixing the ingredients I had in my fridge one night: carrots, raw beetroot, a few salad leaves and red peppers, feta and eggs. Sprinkled with basil and seasoned with the honey and mustard vinaigrette, the result is very surprising. […]

Meatball gratin with courgettes & mozzarella
Beef, Courgettes, Gratins, Greece, Lamb, Single dish, Summer recipes, Vegetables

Meatball gratin with courgettes & mozzarella

I am a huge fan of gratins for their variety of tastes and their simplicity to make. For summer I found a lighter way to replace the traditional recipe with béchamel sauce by a combination of vegetables, mozzarella and Meatball gratin which is clearly more enjoyable when the temperature outside is 100º F (35ºC). This gratin […]

Caprese tart with tomatoes, pesto and mozzarella
Appetizers, Easy dishes, Easy to prepare, Fast Food, France, Italy, Savoury pies, Summer recipes, Vegetarian & vegan dishes

Caprese tart with pesto and mozzarella

This very simple caprese tart is perfect for a successful, quick and easy-to-make meal. It takes only five minutes to prepare if you use a pesto sauce from a pot, and the tart is very good like that. If you have 10 more minutes, it worth making a home-made pesto sauce: the flavours of basil, […]

honey and mustard vinaigrette
Appetizers, Basics, Easy starters, Easy to prepare, France, Salads, Summer recipes, Vegetarian & vegan dishes

Honey and mustard vinaigrette

Salad dressing is a big deal in France because good vinaigrette can really make the difference for a damn good salad. What is the secret to making great vinaigrette? Apart from a good olive oil and balsamic vinegar, the most important thing is to add ingredients that provide a strong and sweet touch at the […]