Food, travel and photography

Category: World cuisine

THE LEBANESE LEMON LENTIL SOUP

THE LEBANESE LEMON LENTIL SOUP

I fell in love with Lebanese cuisine over 15 years ago in Brussels. It’s delicious, endlessly varied, fragrant, colorful, and festive. This vegetarian soup is a delight—I tasted it at my friend Roua’s, who kindly shared the recipe with me.

BREAD PUDDING AND BOURBON SAUCE

BREAD PUDDING AND BOURBON SAUCE

I brought this delicious recipe back from a trip I took to Wilmington, North Carolina last summer. We have to thank Perry for sharing it. Everyone, from friends to family, loves her bread pudding. So, she makes it as often as she can and everyone 

Vichyssoise Soup

Vichyssoise Soup

I rediscovered this American starter recipe in London. This delicious soup may be served chilled as well as hot! For the record, this very simple recipe (an inspiration from our French Potage Bonne Femme) was added to the Ritz-Carlton restaurant menu between WWI and WWII. 

PINEAPLE CARPACCIO

PINEAPLE CARPACCIO

Only 2 ingredients, a good bread knife, that’s all you need to make this light and exotic dessert in no time! Thank you, Marcela, for this wonderful idea.

RED PEPPERS WITH GENUINE HALLOUMI AND CHOPPED CHERRY TOMATOES TOPPING

RED PEPPERS WITH GENUINE HALLOUMI AND CHOPPED CHERRY TOMATOES TOPPING

Halloumi cheese originates from Cyprus, it is white, it is quite stiff, and strangely makes your teeth grind. I love it! It is made of goat and ewe milk. I like to have it sliced and grilled, often with grilled vegetables, salad, olives, citrus fruits, 

UPSIDE DOWN RED ONION PIE

UPSIDE DOWN RED ONION PIE

I love my Delhaize Supermarket magazine. It is filled with great ideas and often features delicious recipes: I never forget to get the latest copy when staying in Brussels. Surprisingly, I even found this upside-down Red Onion pie recipe, which I had discovered a few 

BLACK PUDDING SPICED WITH BANANAS & CINAMMON COOKIES

BLACK PUDDING SPICED WITH BANANAS & CINAMMON COOKIES

This dish is ideal when you don’t have much time but wish to impress your guests with an exotic unique delight. Moreover, it’s quick and easy to make. Served with a large green or mixed salad on the side, it stands as a main course 

FRESH BEETROOT, COCONUT MILK, GINGER & LIME SOUP

FRESH BEETROOT, COCONUT MILK, GINGER & LIME SOUP

My friend Karin has a gift for introducing me to fanciful and delicious recipes. I love it! This velouté releases all its flavours once it has been mixed. It’s easy to warm up and to freeze as well.

Limonana (Middle Eastern Mint Lemonade)

Limonana (Middle Eastern Mint Lemonade)

Limonana, also called Lemon & Mint Lemonade in the Middle-East, is very popular in Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and Jordan. There are so many versions! It is sipped during lunch, at bars on the beach, and grabbed on the go on a hot day. I’m sharing 

New York cheese cake

New York cheese cake

I started appreciating this dessert when I was living in Philadelphia. This is now one of my favorite desserts. There are so many cheese cake recipes, all of them delicious, but more or less easy to digest… This cheese cake is absolutely delicious, but I 

Avocado Féroce

Avocado Féroce

This exotic dish from the French West Indies is essential to the traditional culinary experience when traveling around the Islands. It’s made of salted cod fish, avocado, and cassava flour.

Beef bo būn

Beef bo būn

This Asian dish is a rice vermicelli and stir-fried beef mixed salad with optional pork spring rolls. Be ready to provide chopsticks to your guests.

Sweet potato and red pepper thaï soup

Sweet potato and red pepper thaï soup

Teresa, who is a pharmacist as well as a nutritionist, has a fascinating and wonderful personality. She is the generous-type and I do thank her for sharing this recipe with us. I love the way she cooks: it is simple, tasty and always healthy. Teresa 

Roasted cabbage with olive tapenade

Roasted cabbage with olive tapenade

A delicious and crunchy recipe made in USA. The kind of simple dish that comes as a good surprise and that you can’t wait to replicate at home… many thanks to Chloé for sharing.

Alicante paella

Alicante paella

For a proper storage of your Paella pan between two paella dinner parties, I advise you to rub in some olive oil with a paper towel on the inner part of your pan. That way, your pan won’t rust.

Pickled carrots and whipped feta dip

Pickled carrots and whipped feta dip

This is a British recipe to which I made a few changes to suit my personal taste. Very easy to prepare, you just need a five-hour marinating time for the carrots. With a food processor, the dip will be ready in no time.

Pine nut lamb keftas, dried barberry and chili

Pine nut lamb keftas, dried barberry and chili

Sabrina Ghayour, a Persian chef, lives in the United Kingdom and is known for preparing easy, delicious and colorful recipes. Her books have become great references for Persian cooking in the past few years. I love her cooking and I was very touched by her extreme kindness 

Christmas Toffee Barbara’s way

Christmas Toffee Barbara’s way

This is Barbara’s very own special recipe for Christmas Toffee. Believe me: it’s a killer! This is perfect as a homemade treat. It was a nice and delicious experience to watch Barbara make this delicious candy.

Forbidden Black rice with Gorgonzola and Speck

Forbidden Black rice with Gorgonzola and Speck

Brigitte is an outstanding cook as well as a great photographer. I took this picture myself, but I must admit that I am not as talented as she is! Do take a look at “Popote et Fleur de Sel”, her website, and check it up 

Prawn Indian Curry

Prawn Indian Curry

With red chilies, the sauce has a nice red color and the taste is spicier. With green chilies (as shown on the picture), the dish has more flavor and you can taste the coconut cream better. It’s a matter of personal touch … This recipe 

Persimmon goat cheese and roasted hazelnuts salad

Persimmon goat cheese and roasted hazelnuts salad

Choose firm and crunchy fuyu persimmons for this recipe as their pulp will not be too juicy. This variety is crunch, sweet, and best for salads.Thank you, Hélène, for sharing this delicious starter. Hélène’s French recipe website is now running under the name “Minute Papillotte”. 

Caribbean coconut pudding

Caribbean coconut pudding

This is my mother-in-law’s Caribbean coconut pudding family recipe! I must say it is very sweet, but it is an absolute delight. When I make this pudding, I use small individual custard cups or small bowls.

Vegetable chutney

Vegetable chutney

Using chutney is common in Great Britain, but this condiment originates from India. I do love this sweet and sour dressing made of fruits, vegetables, sugar, vinegar, and spices.

Moroccan style eggplant wraps

Moroccan style eggplant wraps

I forget who gave me this delicious recipe a long time ago but after making some changes along the way, this is my own version of this irresistible recipe! Many thanks anyways to my unknown contributor! 

Makis

Makis

These Japanese rolls are made of sushi rice seasoned with rice vinegar and a variety of ingredients held together in nori seaweed. One of my family’s favorites!

Beef Fatayas

Beef Fatayas

This Senegalese recipe is also called “pastel” and originally comes from Lebanon. Lebanese people call them “sambousiks”, and Argentines also love these tiny savory beef pastries and call them “empanadas”.

Chinese fried rice

Chinese fried rice

Simple to make, this delicious and easy to make recipe is one of my teenage years-favorites … thanks, Chantal, for this and for your appetizers I shared on my site too!

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

This cake is famous and a classic in England and in the US. Thank you Raphaël for this precious recipe. It’s moist, perfectly spiced and the best part is the topping!

Lamb pear and prune tajine

Lamb pear and prune tajine

This recipe originating from Northern Africa is absolutely delicious and frankly easy to make. You may even give it a personal touch by adding almonds, pine nuts, or a little bit of honey, as the ingredients and spices differ from one region to another.

Cullen Skink

Cullen Skink

Cullen is a small town in Northeast Scotland and the home of one of Scotland’s most famous dishes, Cullen Skink. It is a hardy soup and traditionally made with Finnan haddock (smoked haddock), potatoes, and leeks. It may be served with nice and thick buttered 

Gary’s grilled ribs

Gary’s grilled ribs

We tasted the ribs in different sauces before finding the right recipe that comes directly from North Carolina. The ribs are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside…Mmmmm! Obviously, we eat them with our fingers and can eat them pretty much anywhere! Thanks 

Karin’s crab meat and brandy o’gratin

Karin’s crab meat and brandy o’gratin

If you use light cream the dish turns out perfectly too. Karin likes to use chunks of crab rather than crumbs… As a starter this quantity is for 6 to 7 guests. As a main dish it serves 4 to 6 people.

STEPHANIE’S FRENCH CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ

STEPHANIE’S FRENCH CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ

Stéphanie, who is a great cook and who is used to organising large dinner parties, managed to convince me to make this fantastic recipe. Use one of your nice terrine dishes as it will be served on the table.

Severine’s banana cake

Severine’s banana cake

Although this sweet cake is a classic, there is a large variety of banana cake recipes. Severine’s is just one of  the countless ways to make it. You may also try Karin’s recipe. I love it too!

Beef tataki my way

Beef tataki my way

I usually serve this beef tataki dish with grilled mushrooms and zucchini, Japanese rice or a green salad.

cheeseburger my way

cheeseburger my way

This dish is from California and its recipe was inspired by a small recipe book I love named: Jordan Feilders’ California Canteen. Special thanks to him and his team. This recipe served with my Quinoa almond and feta cheese salad is a best seller!

Courgette & Stilton velouté

Courgette & Stilton velouté

This is a very simple and light soup. You’ll need a blender and if you have a Thermomix it will be ready in 20 minutes!

vanilla cheesecake with blueberry compote

vanilla cheesecake with blueberry compote

Being individual make a great simple dessert for a dinner party. You can find mini cheesecake pans on the internet. You have nearly 24 mini cakes with this recipe.