• preparation

Dough:
Prepare the dough by combining the flour, olive oil, whole egg, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the water while kneading the dough by hand. When it is smooth and soft, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Filling:
blanch the greens from a bunch of Swiss chard for a few seconds in boiling water; drain and chop finely;
mince the onion and leeks; sweat gently in olive oil without browning;
add the chard; cook gently until the water has evaporated. Season.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the beaten egg, ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, olive oil, marjoram, and chives. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Assembly and cooking
roll out the dough in a strip about 15 cm (6") wide;
divide the filling into small mounds, about 2 spoonfuls each;
fold the dough over to cover; cut into half circles using a pastry wheel;
fry in hot oil until golden brown.

• preparation

Drain Tomatoes
1. Slice the tomatoes about ½ inch thick
2. Line wire rack and cover it with a triple layer of paper towels.
3. Space tomato slices out on your rack. Sprinkle all of the tomato slices with garlic powder.
4. Allow tomatoes to drain for around 30 minutes in total, flipping each tomato after 15 minutes.
Bread Tomatoes
1. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl whisk buttermilk and egg.
3. Using a plate, combine cornmeal, flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
4. Dip each tomato slice in buttermilk mixture.
5. Dredge in cornmeal mixture, pressing down so the cornmeal sticks to all sides of the tomato slices. Repeat the same process.
6. Place the double dipped tomato on the baking sheet with parchment paper. Repeat until all tomatoes are dipped.
Fry Tomatoes
1. Heat oil in your large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add coated tomato slices to skillet in batches and fry until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
3. Flip tomatoes and fry another 2 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
4. Transfer fried tomatoes to a platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh basil.

• preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Brush the interior of a 6-cup soufflé mold with the softened butter.
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Place on a baking sheet. Brush eggplant with a teaspoon of olive oil.
Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until eggplant is soft to touch. Remove the eggplant from the oven. Scrape away the inner pulp and discard The skin. Chop the pulp. There should be about a cup. Cover and set aside.
In a heavy saucepan heat the remaining oil. Add the onions and garlic. Cook briefly while stirring, until onions are wilted. Stir in the flour and cornstarch. Add the milk. Cook while whisking until sauce becomes thick. Tranfer the Bubbly sauce to a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and chopped parsley. Mix egg yolks, and eggplant pulp into the thick cream sauce.
Using an electric beater, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff And glossy. Do not overbeat. Gently fold into cream sauce mixture. Pour and scrape the mixture into the prepared soufflé mold.
Place on a baking sheet. Cook in the middle of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Heat marinara sauce or tomato sauce. Serve with the soufflé.

• preparation

Slice the onions in half, lengthwise. Place, cut side down, on a cutting board and slice crosswise into very thin slices.
In large non-stick skillet, combine butter, cloves, onions, thyme and salt. Cover and cook over low heat until onions are very soft, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Transfer onion mixture to a gratin dish and smooth it. The recipe can be prepared several hours up to this point. Cover and store at room temperature.
Preheat the broiler. In a small bowl, combine egg yolks and cream and whisk well. Stir in the cheese.
Pour the mixture over the onions in the baking dish. Place dish under broiler about 2 inches from the heat.
Broil until the top is sizzling and golden. Serve immediately as a vegetable course or as an accompaniment to meat dishes.

• preparation

Oil a 33 x 23-cm (13 x 9-inch) rectangular pan and line with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides.
In a bowl, combine the chickpea flour with half the broth (500 mL / 2 cups) using a whisk.
In a saucepan, bring the remaining broth (2 cups / 500 mL) and garlic to a boil. Drizzle in the chickpea paste, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes while stirring. Spread over the prepared pan in a thin even layer. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm to touch.
On a work surface, gently unmold the dough. Cut into 48 sticks, or into 4 strips crosswise and 12 lengthwise.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 cm (½ inch) of oil until the temperature reaches 165 ° C (325 ° F). Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
Fry about a quarter of the sticks at a time, about 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, turning halfway through cooking. Drain on absorbent paper. Continue with the rest of the sticks.
Eat as an aperitif with a little fleur de sel, to taste.
PESTO DIP:
For the dip, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan, then tip into a food processor. Crush in the garlic and grate in the Parmesan, measure in 60ml of extra virgin olive oil, then add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until combined but still coarse. Season to taste, and scrape into a serving bowl.

• preparation

Wash the zucchini thoroughly. Using a mandolin or a peeler, slice them lengthwise into very thin strips.
Arrange them attractively on a platter or directly on plates, rolling or folding them to create volume.
Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Add a few spoonfuls of pesto on top, scattering them over the top.
Sprinkle with Parmesan shavings and lightly toasted pine nuts.
Finish with the edible flowers for a stunning presentation. Serve chilled.

• preparation

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a 6-qt. pot. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (2 minutes before tender). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.


Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a Dutch oven or other large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and cook, swirling pan, until toasted, about 1 minute.
In a blender, combine grated cheeses with reserved pasta cooking water and cream. Blend to a creamy consistensy.

Add pasta to pot or skillet. Reduce heat to low and add blender creamy cheese mixture, stirring and tossing with tongs until sauce coats the pasta. Transfer pasta to warm bowls and serve immediately.

It's about as creamy cacio e pepe gets.
When you're serving pasta,it's nice to use tongs and then give it a twist so it's got a little personality to it !.

Maybe a little bit more cheese, grate it over top with a grating of pepper.

• preparation

To make the dressing, combine the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking as you go. Set the dressing aside.


Cook the vegetables on the stovetop. For the potatoes, place the whole red potatoes in a small saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and discard the cooking water and let the potatoes cool before cutting them into quarters.

For the green beans, blanching is best. Bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the green beans and cook for about 3 minutes, until they’re tender-crisp. Remove the beans to a bowl of ice water to cool them down.

Divide the lettuce between two salad bowls. Top each plate with half of the potatoes, beans, tomatoes, olives, hard-boiled eggs and tuna. Drizzle the salads with dressing and serve any extra dressing on the side.



Chef's notes:
The 19th century century Niçoise salad recipe as it is kept in the archives in Nice, France consists of local ingredients:
Tomatoes, Broad beans and/or small purple artichokes hearts, green Onions or radishes, local summer peppers, Basil, Anchovy, Nice black olives (small and specific to the region), Olive oil, Garlic, Salt pepper
If we want to respect in an orthodox way the model of the Nicoise salad, we should not add anything more. Forget about the grilled tuna, it was a rich thing back then, nobody ate that. You'll also notice there's no egg: at that time, the Nicoise salad was really all raw - or at least, as far as anchovies and olives go, fermented, but not cooked.
Dressing the salad: Traditionally, the Niçoise salad is laid out flat, so that all the ingredients are visible and well distributed. You should therefore take a large, slightly deep plate rather than a salad bowl.
The local garlic, which is pink, will be used to rub the plate to flavor it. Do not put the minced garlic cloves directly in the salad, it would be too strong. Place the tomatoes in quarters first, then add all the other ingredients on top and drizzle with a little olive oil (and red wine vinegar if you like). A little salt if necessary and a turn of the pepper mill, a few chopped basil leaves, and it's ready.


Nowadays, Niçoise salad has become a mix of various colorful ingredients consisting of potatoes, black olives, green beans, artichokes hearts, green onions, radishes, cucumbers, peppers, anchovies and vinaigrette dressing. Hard boiled eggs , tuna, (canned or fresh broiled and sliced) , grilled salmon pieces, or chicken are often the main proteins in the recipe.
Some people say the salad is served on a bed of lettuce and others say that tomatoes are the base. And some do not arrange the elements of the salad at all, but just toss it all together.

• preparation

For the topping, heat the olive oil in a very large saute pan and cook the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic over low heat for 45 minutes, until the onions are sweet and cooked but not browned. Toss the onions from time to time. After 30 minutes, take out the garlic, chop it roughly, and add it back to the onions.
Meanwhile, for the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. (If the bowl is cold, start with warmer water so it's at least 100 degrees F when you add the yeast.) Add 3 cups of the flour, then the salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Mix the dough on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes, until smooth, sprinkling it with flour to keep it from sticking to the bowl. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel. Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, rolling each 1 into a smooth ball. If you're only making 1 pissaladiere, place 1 ball on a baking sheet and cover it loosely with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. (If you're not using the other dough, wrap it well and refrigerate or freeze it for the next time.) Roll the dough lightly with a rolling pin, then stretch it to a 10 by 15-inch rectangle and place it on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
Spoon the onion topping onto the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border all around. Artfully arrange the anchovies and olives on top, brush the edge of the dough with olive oil, and bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is crisp. Serve hot on a cutting board.

• preparation

Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, then trim and slice the leek. Chip and chop the fennel, carrots, celery and courgettes, then pick and roughly chop the parsley leaves.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic and leek for 5 minutes.
Add the other chopped ingredients, the bay, green beans and chopped tomatoes. Drain and add the beans. Cover with water, season and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Add the pasta and simmer until cooked, adding water if the soup is too thick.
For the pistou sauce, peel and add the garlic to a pestle and mortar, pick in the basil leaves and add some sea salt. Pound until puréed, then finely grate in the Parmesan and muddle in the extra virgin olive oil to make a paste.
Serve the soup with a dollop of pistou.

The pistou sauce can also be made in a food processor or blender,

• preparation

Trim endives and separate leaves.
Arrange endive leaves, shrimp, cucumber and carrot slices on individual cold plates.
Serve with sauce.

• preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Butter a 10-inch (25-cm) cast-iron skillet.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal,flour, salt, pepper, paprika, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Thinly slice white and light green parts of green onion. Add to dry ingredients along with cheddar and stir to combine.
Reserve green onion tails.

3. In a second bowl, whisk together eggs,sour cream, milk and butter.

4. Pour over dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Scrape into prepared skillet and level. Top with overlapping slices of tomato leaving a 1-inch (2.5-cm) border all around.

5. Bake on centre rack for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out
clean. Let stand 20 minutes.

6. Sprinkle top of cornbread with flaky salt and reserved green onion tails, thinly sliced.
Cut into squares to serve.

• preparation

Toss the cherry tomatoes with some olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast them, cut side up, at 275°F for about 25 minutes. You don;t want them to dry out completely.
Chop the thyme leaves and toss with the thinly sliced white onions adding some olive oil, salt and pepper.
Put this in a large pan and cook on high for about a minute, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 25 minutes until the onion is light brown and sweet.
Mix in 1/2 teaspoon of white wine vinegar.
When the tomatoes are cooked, set them aside. Increase the oven temperature to 325F.

Make the Socca batter with your chickpea flour.
Combine 1 3/4 cups chickpea flour, 2 cups water, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt plus a grind of pepper in a bowl and whisk by hand until smooth and well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk two egg whites to soft peaks and then gently fold them into the batter. Now line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside to put your pancakes on as you make them.

Use a small 6″ pan to fry the pancakes or a regular non-stick frying pan, keeping the pancakes about 6 ” in diameter. Put a bit of olive oil in the pan, the pour the batter about 1/4 ” thick and then just wait for the bubble to start appearing on the top. Give it a flip and cook for about another minute and pop onto the parchment lined cookie sheet. Make the rest of the pancakes (4-6 total) and then put them all in the oven for 5 minutes.

Top the pancakes generously with the caramelized onion and then add the tomatoes. You can warm this in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
The crème fraîche can be served on the side.

• preparation

1. Prepare the Diplomat cream.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until slightly pale. Incorporate the cornstarch and salt.
2. Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Pour about a third of the hot milk over the egg yolks mixture. Pour the whole mixture into the saucepan over the milk. Bring to a boil while stirring. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
Pour the cream into a clean bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes then incorporate the butter while stirring. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent forming a skin on the surface. Refrigerate until chilled. Whip the cold heavy cream with vanilla pudding to medium peaks.Fold a few spoonfuls of the custard into the cream. Gradually add the rest of the custard.
3.
4. Preheat the oven to 330F (165C). Butter a baking sheet and line with parchment paper.
5. On a floured surface roll out the puff pastry dough to a rectangle of 1/10 inch (2mm) thickness.
6. Using the rolling pin transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Prick the dough with the fork and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Place another baking sheet on top to prevent the dough from puffing too much.
7. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
8. Preheat the oven to 465F 240C .
9. To caramelize the pastry, sprinkle about 1 tbsp of powdered sugar, in a thin layer over the baked pastry. Bake for few minutes using the broil function until the sugar is melted.
10. Caramelize the other side of the puff pastry too.
11. When chilled trim the edged and cut the puff pastry in 3 rectangles.
12. Assemble the millefeuille. Place one layer of caramelized puff pastry on the serving plate. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip with pastry cream. Spread pastry cream over the top and add strawberries. Place another layer of puff pastry on top of the filling. Add pastry cream, raspberries and the last layer of pastry.

Icing
9. In a bowl, combine the sugar and water. Reserve.
Glaze the top of the millefeuille.
Place the chocolate in a bowl. Melt in the microwave. Shape a small cone out of parchment paper and place the melted chocolate in it. Cut off the tip of the cone.
9. Draw straight lines on the frosting, then slide a knife in opposite directions to form marbled patterns.

13.Allow to chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight before cutting it for serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
The original Diplomat cream calls for gelatin. Adding a teaspoon of instant vanilla to the cream before whipping helps to stabilize the cream and adds a vanilla flavor.