Where to eat in Paris

1. Le Cafe Baron :  What to order --- Pizza Primavera (tomate, tomates cerise, mozzarella, courgettes, oignons, ricotta, origan et huile d'olive au basilic).



Pizza Primavera



2. Bistro 121 : What to order --- Carpaccio de saumon marine au gingembre et l'aneth; Poelee d'escargots a la moelle de boeuf, copeaux de parmesan; Supions poeles, risotto a l'encre de seiche et chorizo piquant; Tagine de cabillaud et legumes aux epices orientales, fine semoule aux raisins secs; Tarte Tatin.



Carpaccio de saumon

 

Poelee d'escargots a la moelle de boeuf




Supions poeles



 Tagine de cabillaud et legumes



Tarte Tatin

3. La Bastide Odeon : What to order --- Tartare de dorade et saumon aux herbes at capres, vinaigrette de crustaces; Dos de saumon roti, beurre blanc, jeunes poireaux caramelises et patissons; Tartelette au chocolat "Valhrona", caramel au lait et glace capuccino!!!



Tartare de dorade et saumon





Dos de saumon roti




Tartelette au chocolat "Valhrona"

4. Publicis Drugstore : What to order --- Barre Caramel, Chevre, Saumon, Baguette...



Barre Caramel

 5. Auberge de Venise : What to order --- Mozzarella di Bufala; Linguine alle Vongole; "Cafe gourmand" (baba au rhum, tiramisu, and panna cotta with cherries).

Mozzarella di Bufala



Linguine alle Vongole





"Cafe gourmand"

 6. Angelina Bakery : What to order --- Lemon curd tart and chocolate tart!



Lemon curd and Chocolate Tarts



7. Goumard : What to order --- Spicy monfish and gambas Bio, veggie tagine; Walnut cake, mashed quinces, and vanilla gelato.



Spicy monfish and gambas Bio, veggie tagine



Walnut cake, mashed quinces, and vanilla gelato

8. L'Alcazar --- Ceviche (sea bass, mango, avocado, and green apple); Wild pollack, pan-sauteed mushrooms with spinach and a foam; Chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream. 



Sea Bass Ceviche

 Wild pollack, pan-sauteed mushrooms with spinach



Chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream



9. Kube at Murano Hotel : What to eat --- Saumon Tartare; Cabillaud roti and legumes de saison; Citron tartelette & fruits rouges, silver on the top :)

 

Saumon Tartare





Cabillaud roti and legumes de saison

Citron tartelette & fruits rouges

10. Cuisine L' E7 : What to order --- Gravlax; Fillete de gallo a la plancha, brotes de espinacas y shiitake, emulsion de yuzu; Mousse de castana en filloa crujiente, helado de avellana y caramelo blanco.

Gravlax

Fillete de gallo a la plancha

Mousse de castana en filloa crujiente

11. Glou : What to order --- "Dorade" fish with root vegetables puree, wine sauce, roasted sweet potatoes, and a type of oysters; 100 % Aubrac tartare --- raw steak, chopped to perfection, served with herb salad and fingerling sauteed potatoes; Creamy homemade cheesecake with raspberry coulis :)

"Dorade" fish with root vegetables puree

100 % Aubrac tartare

Creamy homemade cheesecake

12.  Le Clou de Fourchette : What to order --- A delicate carpaccio de betteraves anciennes & chevre frais a l'huile de noix; Dos de saumon a la plancha, risotto au parmesan; Cabillaud & lentilles cuisinees aux oignons & lard fume; Mi-cuit au chocolat pur Caraibe, creme anglaise and glace Cappucino. Excellent, chef!

 

A delicate carpaccio de betteraves

Dos de saumon a la plancha, risotto au parmesan

Cabillaud & lentilles cuisinees aux oignons



Mi-cuit au chocolat pur Caraibe



13. Brasserie d'Europe (Charles du Gaulle) : What to order --- Grilled Salmon and Haricots Verts.



Grilled Salmon and Haricots Verts





Special Weeknight Meals

My favorite place on earth is the dinner table. Every day, I am looking forward to sit down with my husband and enjoy a homemade meal. Sometimes I serve pizza, sometimes I grill a nice fish fillet. But when I am on a mood to try a new recipe, our wonderful dinner time gets even better. Here are some creative ways to serve dinner to your loved ones. The first plate is Beef and Butternut Squash Tagine, served with whole wheat couscous. Tagine is a Moroccan dish, which is always fragrant and spicy. I used crushed red pepper for a little heat and sirloin steak, which is a tender, juicy cut of meat. We enjoyed this meal with "Baguala" Malbec wine from Argentina (2008). The wine was full-bodied with notes of blackberries and it made a perfect match for lovely dinner. 



Beef and Butternut Squash Tagine



Pork Cutlets are perfect for quick dinners. They are very thin, so I grill them in less than 4 minutes. I sprinkle them with Herbs de Provence (a mixture of dried herbs, such as rosemary, lavender, basil, oregano, marjoram, and others) for a boost of flavor. I served them over roasted-garlic buttermilk mashed potatoes and pepper salsa. This pepper salsa tastes so good on top of the creamy potatoes and salty pork, because it has a touch of balsamic vinegar for a little sweetness. I can't wait to have our dinner tonight! It is always sooo good.



Provencal Pork Cutlets with Pepper Salsa



Romantic brunch!

Make this meal with someone you love. The star of the menu is a chicken breast stuffed with roasted garlic and feta cheese. Succulent baked polenta triangles and slow-roasted tomatoes complete the main dish. A show-stopping parsnip and carrot cream soup, served with ciabatta roll and pine nuts, is the perfect beginning. Let's do brunch again, are you coming?

Carrot and Parsnip Cream Soup



Garlic and Feta Stuffed Breast with Polenta Squares and Slow Tomatoes



Fancy picnic ideas

These dishes can be make ahead and they are perfect for picnic in the park or lunch at work. I prepare two healthy lunches each morning and pack them in glass containers. I love to take to work stylish and interesting lunch! So, here I share with you some options. My husband totally loves creamy dressings. So, to indulge him, I often make buttermilk-yogurt-mayonnaise dressing and pour it over orzo salad. The dish is complete, because I also add black beans, corn, grilled chicken breasts, diced tomatoes, and ricotta salata. Ricotta salata is my new favorite. It is almost like feta cheese, but less salty!



Creamy Orzo, Black Beans, and Corn Salad



One of the best protein-packed grains is quinoa. This Peruvian staple is good for you and tastes good as well. I usually cook it in chicken broth, then add tomatoes, red peppers, chicken, and ricotta salata cheese. The lemon vinaigrette gives a tangy zing to the salad. Remember, simplicity is the key to success. The whole point is to have something in your lunchbox that you are looking forward to enjoy :)

Protein-Packed Quinoa Salad

Finally, my Cuban Rice Salad (inspired by the "moros y cristianos" dish). I cook some red and white long-grain rice and then add cannellini beans (but I have tried with black, pinto, and kidney beans and they all work perfectly here), cubed chicken, feta cheese, and avocado. The dressing features balsamic vinegar and cumin! So simple yet sophisticated lunch!!!



Cuban White Beans Rice Salad



Prix-fixe lunch at home

When we were travelling in France, we used to order the prix-fixe lunch or the "menu du jour". I really enjoy this idea, because you have a complete meal and a surprise, all in one. In addition, the wine (sometimes included) makes the lunch an affair to remember! Here, I show you a similar French-style lunch, served in casual setting. An asparagus cream soup served with parmesan biscuit. So earthy and vibrant. The main course, my favorite risotto: fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, leeks, and sage. The leeks become so sweet when cooked for a long time. The salty prosciutto is there to create a nice contrast and here you have it: prix-fixe lunch at home!

Asparagus Cream Soup with Parmesan Biscuit





Fresh Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Leek, and Sage Risotto (1)





Fresh Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Leek, and Sage Risotto (2)



Bake sale



The following are baked goodies that I have created from scratch. I use mostly organic ingredients! These are great items for a bake sale. Pear and Pecan Muffins are very moist, because of the diced Bosc pear that I mix in the pecan batter. I eat them for midmorning or midafternoon snack. They are also good travelers (in fact, I took them to San Antonio!).



Pear and Pecan Muffins

 My Silmat is one of my favorite weapon in the kitchen. It makes baking much more easier, because nothing sticks to it! Here, I baked Almond Butter Snickerdoodles. The brown sugar gives them color, the cinnamon adds some spicy note, while the almon butter, the cream cheese, and the butter provide creaminess. Lovely, lovely snack!


Almond Butter Snickerdoodles (1)





Almond Butter Snickerdoodles (2)

 One of the best ways to use leftover raisins is in my Classic Raisin Scones. These are buttery, not too sweet, a little crunchy on the top, and what can I say more: DELICIOUS!



Classic Raisin Scones (1)



Classic Raisin Scones (2)

Each week I buy plenty of bananas. They are very healthy and good for people who exercise daily. Therefore, sometimes I have leftovers and transform them in banana bread. This bread is very soft and nutty. You can eat it by itself or with peanut butter for a classic combination.

Basic Banana Bread (1)





Basic Banana Bread (2)



Ricotta is not only used for pasta and pizza. I love to make this Ricotta, Olive Oil, and Lemon Muffins. They are tipical for Tuscany and I believe the combination of olice oil and lemon is just fabulous. They taste like mini-cheesecakes. I put some demerara sugar on top and it pops in your mouth...

Ricotta, Olive Oil, and Lemon Muffins

A bakery has to have also rolls and breads. So, I often bake these brioche rolls. They are a little time-consuming, because the dough has to rise overnight in the refrigerator. However, the result is perfect. They are made with eggs and butter and therefore, they have yellow color and flaky texture.

Bakery Style Brioche Rolls

Finally, my new creation is the Parmesan Buttermilk Biscuits. It turns out that my husband likes biscuits a lot, so I have been improving my skills in the past months. Look, my efforts are worthy: flaky, gorgeous, perfect buscuits!

Parmesan Buttermilk Biscuits