Cauliflower Puree

Ingredients:

1 head (1 3/4 pounds) cauliflower

3 potatoes

1 cup water or vegetable stock, preferably homemade

2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Coarse salt, freshly ground pepper and some nutmeg

Cooking instructions:

Chop the cauliflower and the potatoes in cubes. Boil the water/vegetable stock with a pinch of salt, but not too much because the idea is to steam the vegetables. Put the vegetables in the boiling water. Cover the pot with the cover. After 10-12 minutes they’ll be ready. Drain the water. Put the vegetables in a blender. Add some butter, milk and/or heavy cream. Mix it well – the texture has to be very soft and silky. Add some more salt, pepper and the secret ingredient – a pinch of nutmeg. Put the mixture on the warm stove for 1-2 minutes and if it necessarily – add some more butter. Bon appétit!  

  

Raw Prune Coconut Bonbons

For my precious friend Rebecca :)

 

Ingredients for 30 tablespoon-sized bonbons:

½ cup chopped pitted prunes (or dates)

½ cup raisins

½ cup walnuts

½  teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon honey

2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Pinch of lemon zest

1/4 cup coconut oil, preferably unrefined

Instructions:

Put the prunes (dates) and raisins in the blender. Add the walnuts too. Blend the dry fruits, walnuts, and the half of unsweetened shredded coconut. The mixture should be chunky. Meanwhile warm the coconut oil in a small bowl until the coconut oil is liquid. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, honey, and cocoa oil. Combine all the ingredients. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or more, until the mixture is consistent. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls. The heat from your hands may slightly melt the surface of the balls, but the entire ball should not melt. If the rolling is too messy, the bonbon mixture may need more chilling time. Return the bonbon mixture to the refrigerator for 5 or 10 minutes more and then try rolling again. Place the bonbons onto a pan or sheet of parchment paper. Refrigerate for a few minutes to firm up the bonbons if desired. Roll or gently press the bonbons in unsweetened shredded coconut. Can be served chilled or at room temperature. Store in a box in the refrigerator.

Shrimp Avocado Verrine

Ingredients:

2 avocados

300 g of fresh prawns, peeled

1 lime

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 pinches cumin

Dill

Cooking instructions:

Start by boiling the prawns. Chop the prawns quite chunky, but leave a handful aside for decoration. Put the chopped prawns in a bowl. Chopped the onion finely and stir with the diced avocados. Add the olive oil and lime juice. Next add some salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Mix all the ingredients. Pour the mixture into cocktail glasses. Decorate with some prawns and finely chopped dill.

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes - drained

1/4 cup tahini

1 roasted red pepper

1 clove garlic

The juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Basil for decoration

Cooking instructions:

Puree the chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, tahini, roasted red pepper, garlic, lemon juice and oil in a food processor adding more oil if necessary to bring it to the consistency that you like. Add some salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Decorate with a few basil leaves.

Provencal Tomato Soup with Green Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped  

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 large carrot, grated

1/2 cup uncooked short-grain rice

½ cup frozen green beans

1 jar tomato sauce or 1 can diced tomatoes

3 cups water, or more as needed

2 cups vegetable broth  

Salt and pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, minced 

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

Basil and Bulgarian cheese for decoration. 

 

Cooking instructions:

Start by heating the water. Put the olive oil and add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot; cook and stir vegetables until they begin to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Add the frozen green beans. After 5 minutes add the rice. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Stir in the freshly chopped oregano. Decorate with some basil and diced Bulgarian cheese and serve. 

Pecan Plum Coffee Cake

 

Ingredients:
1 ¼ raisins and pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
1 cup black coffee

6 teaspoons butter, melted
½ cup sugar

1 M-size egg, beaten
orange zest
1 ¾ cups cake flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 pinch of nutmeg.

Cooking instructions:

Soak the raisins and pitted prunes in the coffee for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a 20 cm loaf tin. In a big bowl mix butter, sugar, egg and orange zest. Meanwhile in another bowl combine all the flour, baking powder and spices together. Slowly pour the coffee mixture and keep stirring until smooth. Stir well and pour into the prepared baking tin. On the top add the raisins and the pitted prunes. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack. Flip the cake while it’s still hot and drizzle with the topping. To make the topping, place the sugar and butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, stir in the water and nuts and drizzle over the cake.

French Far Breton

Far Breton is a traditional cake or dessert from the Brittany region in France.

2 cups whole milk

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

5 tablespoons salted butter

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2-3 cups pitted prunes

2 tablespoons rum

Preheat the oven to 430 F (220 C). Mix the eggs with the sugar and add the sifted flour. Stir in the rum. In a microwave, melt the butter and add it to the mixture. Salted butter works better - otherwise you can add a pinch of salt. Slowly pour the milk and keep stirring until smooth. Place the pitted prunes in a ceramic pan and pour the mixture over them. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 F. Bake for another 30 minutes until the filling is firm and the top rises and gets browned. Let the cake cool completely before serving.

 Bon appétit!