QUICK SUMMER BITES

What is more appropriate then biting through a crostini (aaah.. those Italians strike again!) and sipping on a glass of wine under the sun? At this time of the year, I find crostinis to be perfect to nibble on and absolutely love that with just a few slices of bread, the range of flavours you can mix and match are quite endless.. from savoury to sweet. I know I have some personal favourites: anything with roasted eggplants usually is right up my alley. I'm also very much of a cheese based crostini person- especially if you top it off with loads of arugula. But what I'm really loving right now is fennel. It's an ingredient I usually associate with fish dishes, but in the summer I fall in love with it's crunchy texture and how it smells so refreshing with that distinctive anise-liquorice scent.



That's why here I've used it in combination with goat cheese, roasted tomatoes and lots of dill & olive oil.



I like to roast my tomatoes until they're slightly burnt on the edges. It gives them that je-ne-sais-quoi...

These ''little bites'' were a pleasure to enjoy. And most certainly simple to make. Here's how:

Recipe for Goat Cheese, Fennel & Roasted Tomato Crostini, ready in a snap!:

Your favourite choice of bread- sliced. French baguette, ciabatta, sourdough bread... pretty much anything goes!

Goat cheese (soft)

Tomatoes, cut into quarters & roasted

Fennel, chopped

Extra Virgin Olive oil

Dill

Salt & Pepper

Grill your slices of bread and drizzle with good quality extra virgin olive oil. In the meantime, heat some olive oil in a pan and saute the chopped fennel for 2-3 minutes. Then add the roasted tomatoes, add lots of dill, season with salt & pepper and mix everything gently. Add slices of goat cheese on the grilled bread slices, spread lightly, drizzle some olive oil and grill in the oven for two minutes. Finally, top off with a generous chunk of the fennel-tomato mixture. Bite in, enjoy!

ORANGE-WHISKEY PRAWNS & CALAMARI

It's hot, very hot right now. Summer has kicked in full mode and although I absolutely love cooking and spending time in the kitchen, in this sizzling heat the only thing I want cooking is food and not myself! So something quick, easy and most importantly- something that bursts with flavours- is just what I'm looking for. And I happen to be in the mood for a dish that involves some type of seafood and that can all be prepared in one large pan... in less then fifteen minutes. Am I asking for too much? Does that sound too good to be true? I guess not... and the proof are these prawns and calamari rings in a luscious orange-whiskey sauce. I stumbled accross this recipe in a cookbook by one of my favourite chefs Gordon Ramsay, and then improvised at home. Top them off with lots of herby cilantro goodness, enjoy with a glass of white wine and you're set! By the way, talking about wines, I must say that year after year I am consistently impressed with the quality of white wines from New Zealand.  The Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs in particular. If you're usually sipping on a Chardonnay from France or a Pinot Grigio from Italy, try something different next time (hint hint: from New Zealand)- you'll be pleasantly surprised!

These lovely prawns will turn pink once cooked!

Freshly squeezed oranges will add that lovely citrusy fruity flavour to the dish (I even like to include a bit of the pulp)

You can make this with just prawns...or just calamari...but it's always nice to have a bit of both!

Just before serving, I like to add sprinkle even more chopped cilantro- in addition to what was used while cooking this dish!

Recipe for Orange-Whiskey Prawns & Calamari (makes 2-3 servings):

300 gr / 10 oz prawns

300 gr / 10 oz calamari rings

1 large orange, juice of

A generous dash of whiskey

Handful of cilantro, fresh & chopped

Garlic, chopped

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

In a large pan, add the olive oil and garlic and place on a stove on medium/high heat. If you're a garlic lover like me, then go crazy and include lots of it! Add the prawns and calamari, cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Then add the orange juice, reduce heat to medium and cook for another 2 minutes. Now it's time for the whiskey- when adding this, remove the pan from the heat just to be on the safe side (you don't want big flames all of a sudden!) I like the whiskey flavour to really come through- but it's best to taste and add more as you go to adjust to your personal preference. Continue to cook for just a few more minutes until the sauce has reduced and finish off with the chopped cilantro, salt & pepper. Enjoy quickly while it's still hot!

AFTER A YEAR OF GOING SILENT...HERE'S MY FLUFFY, CREAMY, FRUITY COMEBACK...

Wow it has been almost a year since I haven't posted anything on here! What a long silence...but let me explain because a LOT has happened in between. First of all, I've made a big move...to the other side of the pond- or should I say- the Atlantic ocean! Yes, I've left Paris and am now living in the U.S on the East Coast, minutes from amazing New York City. With that said, let me wish my fellow Americans a belated happy Fourth of July!

The fireworks last night were magical to watch, and I'm lucky enough to live seconds away from the Hudson river, so had the night to enjoy bursts of colourful and animated sparks in full glory. Having now been here for almost a full year, I get the impression that there's almost always a reason to celebrate something in this city with fireworks or a parade. It's entertaining indeed!

So yes, this big move pretty much explains my silence... settling in, getting all the paperwork done, adjusting to a new culture, fast paced lifestyle, eating my way through NYC and discovering everything else this amazing city has to offer, and in between travelling to new places (Mexico City, Sao Paulo) and more familiar places (Paris, Nice & Montreal)...but most importantly, trying to adjust to a new oven, stove, measuring things in cups and setting my oven to fahrenheit temperatures was alone a daunting adventure...so you get the picture, I've been busy!

Oh, and how can I forget! I've also had some of my recipes published in a lovely cook book, alongside other talented bloggers, appropriately entitled "Foodies of the World", you can click here to check it out! Hurrah for me, yay!

So it was just a matter of time (a long time I admit) to get back on Swirl & Scramble...and looks like the time has come.

To mark this return, what better then a delicious recipe that is not only easy peasy to make, but adds a sweet note to these wonderful summer days... mini-angel cakes drizzled with a lemon-honey syrup (feel free to add champagne if you're feeling naughty), topped off with a rich mascarpone based frosting and slices of ripe apricots and crushed pistachios... how does that sound?

Here's my advice: use your favourite, trusted, tried and proven angel cake recipe. Make it big, make them bite size small. Cut some lemons in half, squeeze them with your hands in a deep pan, add lots of honey and boil until transformed into a luscious rich syrup. Poke your angel cakes with a fork, drizzle with the lemon & honey syrup...and drizzle some more!

Mix some mascarpone, cream cheese, sugar and honey in a bowl. Don't feel guilty if you're not being precise, it's okay to eyeball measurements sometimes! Test the sweetness and consistency along the way...sometimes it's nice to be spontaneous. For a posh twist, sprinkle some edible gold dust for a glistening frosting.

Top off the angel cakes with a generous layer of the mascarpone frosting, add juicy wedges of ripe apricots and finish off with crushed pistachios...

And for the final step... bite in for goodness sake! Indulge, sit under the sun, and eat every bite of this fluffy creamy fruity treat. Enjoy, and don't feel the least bit guilty!

Happy to be back...and I promise to share more kitchen adventures soon!

x

Marianna



WHAT WOULD LIFE BE IF...

... the Italians would had never came up with risotto? Seriously- I thought about that for a second and all I felt was this big empty crushing hole in my heart (and a growl in my stomach too).  All I can say is that humanity would had missed out on something if we never knew of the existance of risotto. Civilization would had collapsed (ok maybe I'm exxagerating there) and my life would had not been the same.
So let's start the praising:

There are so many reasons why I love risotto- first and foremost, it's delicious in a euphoric heavenly way. I have yet to meet someone who does not appreciate this dish. Secondly, it's super versatile. Risotto opens up to an array of tastebud preferences- you can flavour it in almost any way you like and accompany it with fishes, meats, lamb, or go vegetarian if you prefer. You can even match it up with every season of the year, how cool is that- risotto primavera anyone? Thirdly, it's a delight to make. Yes it is- don't be intimidated! You just need to set some time aside and make sure you serve it immediately so it doesn't dry up and turn into a block of rice. Other then that, all the smells and sounds and textures... I love every single bit of making risotto!

Anyway, with that said, risotto tends to be one of those dishes I make if I have a ''fancy looking dinner'' planned out because it looks good and therefore makes you look good in front of your guests! Not too long ago, I coupled it up with daurade fish and lots of green things: asparagus, kaffir lime leaves, coriander...

Risotto dries up quickly- so make sure you serve it immediately! This is the texture I had just before serving:

There is a really great visual guide to making basic risotto on Serious Eats- check it out!

Since I had some parmesan left over, I shaved off some large slices, sprinkled them with black sesame seeds and baked in the oven until they became crisps. They made some great accessorizing to the dish!

And last but not least, eat with your eyes first! I plated the risotto over some pea puree which added both colour and taste to the dish.

What are your favourite risotto based dishes? I'd love to know!

A THOUSAND LAYERS OF SUMMER

I have to say, mille feuille is one of those desserts that I enjoy eating but that I also truly enjoy making. The fantastic thing about the mille feuille is it's versatility- why stick to the classic recipe when you can play around with ingredients and flavours? Here in Paris, it is common to find each patisserie display an innovative presentation around this iconic dessert.

Like with risotto, I find that mille feuille should match each season of the year, and with strawberries being the fruit-to-eat these days, it was easy for me to make my decision in the kitchen. Plus, I had gone strawberry picking so I used up a basket of fresh goodies straight off the farm! Pure bliss!

To make it, you will need of course puff pastry. You can either make it from scratch or buy a ready made roll, but the important thing is to have it bake between two baking trays. You can place the puff pastry on the baking tray, cover it with parchment paper and sandwich it with another baking tray- this will allow the dough to remain flat yet maintain it's crispiness.

Bake them for 20 mins at 200C, remove from oven and sprinkle with icing sugar before baking once again at 160C for 10 to 15 minutes so that it caramelizes. You end up with one side that is shiny and another that is matte.

Let the puffies cool then spread a layer of your garnish. You can go with either a custard-based stuffing or something more creamy- I prepared a mixture of whipped cream, mascarpone, sugar and some rose water.

A lil'sprinkle of pistachios

Then the wonderful strawberries

And for some glamour, I brushed on some culinary gold dust in a pink/red colour

There you have it, strawberry mille feuille with undertones of crushed pistachios and a rose flavoured creamy mascarpone filling!

It was delicious, and I can't wait to try out the long list of flavours and fillings to experiment with for my next mille feuille sessions!

You can also now find this dessert featured on Saveur!

BASBOUSSA- OR THE ULTIMATE QUICK FIX FOR A SUGAR HIGH

You may have noticed (or may not have noticed, if you're new here- welcome in that case!) that many of the recipes on my blog are Middle Eastern. Everything has a reason of course- in this case it would be because part of my origins are from that part of the world. Countries like Syria or Lebanon boast with glorious culinary specialties, especially when it comes to my favourite part of any meal- dessert. For instance, I had featured a post on the famous ''knafeh bil jibne'' not too long ago, which is a very popular sweet treat in Levant countries. However, Egypt (to me it's part of the Middle East even if it's on the African continent! you can of course agree to disagree!) is not what I would consider a country famous for it's sweets, wouldn't you say? I mean of course, it has a tremendous pride in it's version of falafels, but desserts? Could you name one on the top of your head? If not, then let me introduce you to one of my all time favourites: basboussa. Now many will argue on it's name or origin, but this will always be the case for Oriental recipes. Every country will claim that it is the inventor of this dish or that dish and names can vary across the region. Take the most common example- who invented hummus? falafels? shawarma? These kind of questions can result in never ending debates, I assure you! So it's best to avoid them and just focus on enjoying the delicious food instead- best advice I can give :)

I used a cake mould- but note that this is not the common way to make basboussa.

Back to basboussa- this is maybe one of the most loved desserts in Egypt, and the best versions I have ever tried are the ones made in Egypt. The only thing missing would be a big warning sign on it as it's terribly addictive. I mean, ridiculously addictive. Something to do with it's buttery yet crumbly texture and it's uber-sweetness, and that each bite literally melts in your mouth like an icecube on a hot pan and yet even after a second, third, dare I say fourth serving, you still feel like you haven't eaten anything! Dangerous stuff I tell you!

Basboussa has a very crumbly texture, but that is part of it's charm!

On the upside however, it is one of the easiest sweets to make- it seriously takes five minutes to prepare. FIVE MINUTES! All you need is fine semolina, butter, milk, shredded coconut, and sugar! Five key ingredients, five delicious minutes. Need I say more?

Recipe for Basboussa

(note that there are many different versions of this recipe and each country has it's own name for this dessert. The version below is a common Egyptian recipe)

200gr fine semolina

100gr sugar

100gr grated coconut

150gr milk

100gr butter

Almonds (optional, for decoration. It is important however that they be either blanched full almonds or slivered blanched almonds)

For the syrup:

2 cups water + 2 cups sugar + 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

*In this case, a cup = a drinking cup (approx 300-400ml in size). Just fill up the cups with the ingredients, no need to weigh or use proper measuring cups for the syrup.

Preheat oven to 200C. Melt the milk and butter together. In a bowl, mix the fine semolina, sugar and grated coconut. Then add the milk and butter on the dry ingredients- mix well. Pour mixture into a baking tray, top off with almonds, and bake for 30 minutes. Check to see if ready- it should form a beautiful golden crust. If necessary, extend baking time for another 10 minutes.

While the basboussa is in the oven, prepare the syrup by boiling the water and sugar together on high heat. When it reaches it starts bubbling, let it continue boiling for 5-10 minutes so that it becomes a thick syrup. At the end, add the orange blossom water. Set aside.

Once the basboussa is baked and out of the oven, immediately pour the syrup gently and slowly over. Let cool for at least an hour- when it's hot it will be too difficult to slice up.

EGGLESS TIRAMISU

A while back when I wrote up my honey gelato recipe, I mentionned that I had an issue with eggs in desserts and that, one day, I would eventually explain the reason for that.  Here is the situation: I don't mind the use of eggs in desserts (what else would justify all the delicious cakes I've been eating my whole life?) as long as I can't taste an ''eggy taste'' in it. I don't know how to describe what an ''eggy taste'' is, but I know that if I sense it in a dessert, then I can't have another bite. It's not an allergy to eggs (because I do eat foods that contain them) but it's a strong dislike to the taste of eggs. I guess that's the best way to explain it! That would also explain why I haven't had an omelette, boiled or poached egg or whatever-egg in the last, hmmm, 10 years more or less. Sounds crazy? Maybe. But everyone has a different reaction to tastes and foods, and I thought it would be good to get this egg confession off my chest once and for all :)

Anyway, now with that cleared out... my dilemna was how do I continue enjoying one of my favourite desserts ever- the eggy tiramisu? With all the respect I have to Italian culinary traditions, most of the time I end up making tiramisu without eggs. I had read recipes that called for gelatine, but I don't like using gelatine unless it's absolutely necessary.

Basically, my eggless tiramisu keeps all the espresso, savoiardi, marsala and cocoa goodness, but keeps out the zabaglione- which is instead simply prepared by mixing whipped cream, mascarpone, sugar and marsala.

I admit, I have fooled people with this eggless tiramisu before. People still find it delicious and there are usually requests for second servings. It's not till only after all is eaten and done that I admit it's eggless and no one has hated me for that yet :)


Recipe for Eggless Tiramisu:

500ml liquid cream (20% fat minimum), cold and refrigerated
250gr mascarpone, at room temperature
100gr sugar
100ml Marsala
25-30 savoiardi (or ladyfingers)
Cocoa

For the coffee dip:
400 ml espresso coffee + 4 teaspoons sugar
(this might make more then what you end up using, but it's better to have more then too little)

Whip the cream until it has a thick consistency. If possible, try to whisk it in a cold bowl that has been placed in the freezer for a couple of hours prior to usage. Then add the mascarpone and sugar, whisk gently- you just want it to make sure the ingredients are well mixed. Gradually add the marsala, mix gently and briefly. Place mixture in fridge.
Line up half of the savoiardi onto the base of your container, pour over the coffee dip (or you can dip the savoiardi into the coffee before placing into container- as you prefer). Spread a layer of the cream mixture, repeat procedure with a second layer of savoiardi and cream mixture. Sprinkle with cocoa and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.

CHERRY MAHLEPI MUFFINS

The sun is out, the flowers are in bloom, and absolutely gorgeous cherries are for sale (so of course I did not come back empty handed!) what a perfect day you may say! *Sigh* Why can't life always be that simple?

I was of course going to enjoy some of the cherries I brought back home on their own, scrumptiously raw and sweet, but I also felt like using them in some muffins. I have been in fruity muffin moods lately...maybe because the thought of waking up to a cup of coffee and a muffin studded with some summer fruits was something I didn't want to just be dreaming about at night- but waking up to it too.

But... cherry muffins? That sounded so...blah...bland? So I thought that maybe adding a touch of mahlepi to the batter could spark some muffin magic and make it intensely cherrylicious. In effect, mahlepi is the seed kernel of a sour cherry variety. In our family, we have used ground mahlepi in many traditional bread and cookie recipes and it always adds a unique flavour... it is said that it has the taste of bitter almond and cherry...but to me it is a  truly mysterious taste- in a good way of course- and in all honesty, I really wouldn't know how to describe it. So my only suggestion is, if you aren't familiar with mahlepi, you'll never know what you're missing out on unless you give it a try!

This is what ground mahlepi looks like (below). The funny thing about mahlepi is that it doesn't really smell like anything, unlike other spices, but a small teaspoon of this just bursts with fragrance once baked!

And it would come to form a lovely duet with some cherries:

Yes, my muffin paper moulds did not fit...but sometimes you have to work with what you have! What I really wanted to show actually was the sprinkle of brown sugar on the muffin batters before popping them into the oven.

While they baked, I came accross a beautiful zebra-ish rose in the garden...thought I would share :)

And there they were, cherry mahlepi muffins -for real- so I no longer have to dream about coffee and fruity muffins for breakfast!

Recipe for Cherry - Mahelpi muffins:

makes 6 large muffins or 12 small muffins

2eggs

100gr butter, softened

100gr brown sugar + some for sprinkling at the end

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon rosewater

130gr flour

1.5 teaspoons ground mahlepi

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

Cherries, unpitted, diced

Preheat oven to 180C. In a bowl, mix the eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla and rosewater. Then add the flour, mahlepi, baking powder and salt. Mix well until batter is smooth. Add the diced cherries and mix the batter gently with a wooden spoon or spatula. Fill up muffin moulds up 3/4 full, sprinkle some brown sugar on top and bake for 20 minutes at 180C. Once baked, let cool and enjoy

STUCK WITH LEFTOVERS...

I found myself in a situation that I know quite well and that definately was not a first for me- being stuck with leftovers. Especially leftovers that do not have a very long shelf life. This time around it happened to be mushrooms (champignons de Paris to be precise) and mint, and I absolutely had to use them up- I would feel guilty throwing them out! Fortunately, mushrooms and mint are lovely ingredients but I was lacking inspiration...when miraculously - or you was it destiny!- my mother gave me a ring and proposed that I match it up with cabillaud (cod) or go with a vegeterian pasta dish. Then I thought to myself...but why do either / or? Why not do both? Besides, now that mother mentioned it, I do indeed remember very well having tasted her suggestions in the past- she had made these before and they were delicious.

What was especially appealing was the idea of matching up cabillaud with a ton of fresh mint, mushrooms, lemon, garlic...amongst other things, as it really gives a lovely flavour boost to the fish. I admit, cabillaud is not my preferred type of fish as I tend to find it quite bland in taste. So it needs a very flavourful cookup in my opinion.

This is very quick and easy to make. You just need to pan sear the cabillaud with some olive oil, lots of lemon and garlic, break it into little pieces and then throw on top sliced mushrooms and chopped mint leaves. And of course, season with salt!

For a vegeterian option, this is absolutely delicious. A mixture of pasta, mushrooms, mint, olive oil, some garlic, feta and toasted pinenuts.


Recipe for the cabillaud (cod) with mushrooms & mint:
Cabillaud filets- no bones, no skin
Olive oil
Garlic, chopped
Mushrooms, sliced
Mint leaves, chopped
Lemon, juice of

Heat some olive oil and garlic in a skillet pan. Sprinkle cabillaud filet with salt and transfer to skillet. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, then break into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the mushrooms, lots of lemon juice and mix everything on high heat- allow any liquids to evaporate. Add the mint leaves at the very end, mix well one last time and season if necessary.

Recipe for pasta with mushrooms & mint:
Pasta, already boiled (preferably penne or a short pasta)
Olive oil
Garlic, chopped
Mushrooms, sliced
Mint leaves, chopped
Feta cheese, crumbled
Pinenuts, toasted
Salt & Pepper

In a deep pan, heat the olive oil with the garlic, then throw in the pasta. When you boil the pasta, try to boil it 1-2 minutes less then recommended time as it will continue to ''cook'' in the next steps. Add the mushrooms and mint, season and mix well. When serving, top off with some crumbled feta cheese and toasted pinenuts.