Halloween is just around the corner and I thought it was a good time to explain the difference between the Calamari Squid, Cuttlefish and Octopus, often used for creepy Halloween recipes.There is a lot of confusion on what is a squid, what part of a squid is calamari, what is squid ink pasta and where the black ink comes from. So I decided to dedicate this post to clarify some of these mysteries. What is the difference between Squid and ...
Lime Sorbet with Vodka is the perfect refreshing ending of a Summer dinner with friends. Whether you are serving seafood or meat, this smooth and citrus sorbet will leave a fresh and clean taste in your mouth making the after dinner a pleasant ending. Very easy to make, it will be ready in the freeze to…
This fish pie is an inspiration from an Irish fish pie I had in Howth, near Dublin. The fish was fresh just brought into harbour by the fishing vessels and a Mediterranean flavour was added to the fish pie. So here it is: a mix of Atlantic fish salmon, cod, prawns and scallops fish pie with a Mediterranean twist. Howth…
The wild mushroom chanterelle season starts late August in the Mediterranean forests, and there are many easy chanterelle recipes to enjoy their earthy flavour. Chantarelle are called Gallinelle in Italian and Girolle in French. Chanterelle mushroom is less known than porcini mushroom. While porcini have been over-picked, it is easier to find chanterelle wild in…
The typical pumpkins gnocchi are served with a butter and sage sauce, but as Thanksgiving is next week I would like to suggest a festive sauce made with brown butter, cinnamon and walnuts. Vegan and no sugar! There is no egg and no ricotta in these gnocchi, so they are perfect for a vegan Thanksgiving…
Gratin dauphinoise is my favourite French comfort food, creamy potatoes gratin topped with grilled gruyère cheese. This is an easy potatoes gratin recipe I make using the microwave and the flavour is amazing. I prepare the dish earlier and grill it just before serving it. (if you are interested in my favourite kitchen appliances, you can find…
Magret de Canard sauce a l’Orange may seem like a complicated dinner, however, it is not difficult to make. This week is La Semaine du Goût® here in France, and according to the travel website Expedia, the French have voted the Magret de Canard as their favorite dish. The technique to cook the magret is…
Fried pasta is not even a recipe; it is what we, Italians, do when we have pasta leftover and don t want to cook anything. Fried cooked pasta is a classic in Itay and very popular with children. When we were children, my mother used to make it for us when they had guests coming…
Making Italian gnocchi from scratch is not difficult, in this step by step video I show how to make two different versions of gnocchi: fluffy and small gnocchi and firm and larger gnocchi. Watch the video below and you will see how easy it is. Why two versions of gnocchi? Depend on how you want to serve them…
These rice stuffed tomatoes are a classic Italian recipe, they can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before dinner. They are a great option for vegetarian, celiac and even vegan as the cheese is an optional ingredient. The rice to use is Carnaroli rice, which is the same type of rice used for risotto….
This healthy cod recipe is a classic here in Italy, the cod cooks in the oven for 20 minutes over a thin layer of potatoes and onions. It is very easy to make and it is perfect for the Summer as it cooks quickly in the oven. You can use either cod or haddock, both…