Before the people of Marseille begin rioting, I am not claiming this is the ultimate, classic version of bouillabaisse. The famous dish was traditionally a simply stew created by Marseillaise fisherman, in the south of France, to use up fish they could not sell. It has since become the a star dish in many top restaurants where they make it using a fish stock created by simmering various fish, shellfish & fish bones in a large pot. The contents of the pot are then blended & pa

Ah! My favourite soup on planet earth. I cannot get enough of it! This Thai coconut chicken soup is bursting with flavour & incorporates the sour, sweet, salty & spicy notes that are so typical of Thai food. At times, I cannot find fresh lemongrass but my local Asian store sells finely shredded frozen lemongrass which works just as well. Simply add 2 tbsp, which of course, is perfectly edible when shredded so finely. However, it is important to note that if using fresh lemong

This classic British starter remains one of the country's favorite starters. Cold prawns slathered with tangy Marie Rose sauce... it is simply delicious & a perfect, easy starter to impress your family & friends. 2 Servings Ingredients: 250gr cold, cooked prawns, shells removed 200gr mayonnaise 1 tbsp ketchup 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp tabasco Juice of 1/2 a lemon S&P 2 handfuls of iceberg lettuce, finely sliced Instructions: Simply whisk together the mayonnaise, ketc

This incredible vegan recipe came about this week as I was rummaging through my freezer, taking an inventory of what remained in vegetables I had froze from our vegetable garden this summer. I had quite a bit of blanched, frozen chard to use up so I decided to create a quick lunch today, using lentils and the remainder of a bottle of chipotle sauce I had found in the fridge. I created a simply aioli at the end by combining mayonnaise & chipotle sauce, which really added a spa

This beautiful dish is from the Basque region, on the south west coast of France, near the Spanish border. Because of its location, the Basque region was for centuries part of a well known spice route which is how the famous Piment d'Espelette arrived there. Since they have continued to produce this amazingly smoky chilli powder that has become a favorite with chefs worldwide. The name of this recipe means 'from the pot' & it is a rustic fisherman's stew, made to keep them go

This Christmas was the first time I have cooked any type of duck. For this recipe I used a young duck, which we call 'Canette' here in France. It doesn't yield very much meat but it is a real delicacy. Tender & delicious slow cooked with cider, apples & winter spices. This dish pairs wonderfully with roasted potatoes; even better if they cooked with a little duck fat. 4 Servings Ingredients: 1 whole duck (roughly 1.2kg) 2 onions, finely chopped 4 sweet apples, cored & quarter

This classic dish is quick & easy to make for a weeknight dinner. The gravy can truly be described as comfort food & this dish is perfect paired with freshly mashed potatoes & green beans. 4 Servings Ingredients: Olive oil 24 meatballs (roughly 600 grams) 4 tbsp butter 4 tbsp flour 60cl hot beef stock 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp Dijon mustard 15cl cream Pepper Chopped parsley, to serve instructions: Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs t

This recipe is from Aveyron in the South of France, situated between Montpellier & Toulouse. It is a simply, easy dish to make that has the perfect balance for a healthy lunch with lots of chard greens, eggs & sausage meat. It pairs well with a side salad. 2 Servings (6 farçous) Ingredients: The dark green leaves of 3 white chard stalks, roughly chopped 1/2 onion, roughly chopped 1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 100gr sausage meat 2 eggs 40gr f

This is a great way to add a twist to a pasta dish by incorporating fish. If you are not a fan of tuna, you can replace it with mackerel, sardines or even prawns. This dish is from the south west of France, specifically the Basque region, where the famous 'piment d'espelette' chilli powder is from. Its unique, smoky flavour is unrivalled by any other chilli though, if you really cannot find it near you, you can replace it with hot chilli powder or cayenne pepper. Although jam

This unique, tangy dish is from Alsace, in the north east of France. Being a region that borders Germany & Switzerland, its cuisine is heavily influenced by these two countries. Because of this, we are so lucky for their amazing culinary contributions to French cuisine. From Choucroute Garnie (a winter favourite here in France: sauerkraut with sausages, salted meats, charcuterie & boiled potatoes) to Flammekueche (similar to a pizza but with cream, lardon & onion toppings) &

This recipe is incredibly easy to make & it is a 1 tray recipe, making it a quick solution for a week night dinner. 4 Servings 800gr new potatoes 2 red onions, cut into quarters 2 courgettes, cut into chunky cubes 2 tbsp olive oil 4 chicken breasts 2 tbsp honey 1 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard Juice of 1 lemon 250gr cherry tomatoes S&P Instructions: Heat oven to 180c for fan assisted ovens & 200c for traditional ovens. Parboil potatoes for 10 minutes & then allow to drain wel

This beautiful pesto dish combines so many flavours & ingredients that I absolutely love. Is there anything better than a comforting bowl of pasta on a rainy autumn day? For this pesto I will be using almonds instead of pine nuts. It is a great alternative & can be bought whole & blended, or already blended to a fine powder. The latter will yield a smoother texture though I personally prefer the first option, as I like the extra crunch that freshly blended almonds give the di

Also known as 'drunken noodles', this Thai dish was given this name as it is a rather spicy dish that is often eaten at the end of boozy nights out. It has a real kick to it and is perfect accompanied by a chilli sauce called Sambal Oelek, which you may be able to find at your local Asian store. 4 Servings Ingredients: 4 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp water 3 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 6 tbsp oyster sauce 2 tbsp peanut oil or sunflower oil 400gr rice noodles 5 cloves of garlic,

This beautiful dish originates from Russia & is a great idea for a week night dinner, as it only takes 15-20 minutes to make. It is also very easy to convert it to a vegan dish by simply increasing the quantity of mushrooms to 700gr, & although I used oyster mushrooms for my dish, you can use a variety of different mushrooms to make it even more interesting. For the vegan version, simply add the flour to the mushrooms followed by vegetable stock, and the rest of the ingredien

A 'timbale', in French cuisine, is a baked dished that is enveloped in a crust, be it pastry, breadcrumbs, or in this case, slices of aubergine. What a great way to add extra vegetables to a pasta dish! 4 Servings Ingredients: 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped 250gr minced beef or veal 10cl white wine 30cl tomato sauce 1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste 2 tsp oregano 1 tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder 2 bay leaves 20

Its that time of year when stews & soups are the perfect meal to warm your cockles. I was inspired to create a Mexican style stew combining typical ingredients used in Mexican cuisine & a spicy kick from a Chipotle based chilli sauce. This smoky chilli truly has a unique flavour that will make any dish stand out. I served this stew with rustic buttered bread, grated cheddar, jalapeno chillies & an alternative version of guacamole. 4 Servings Ingredients for the Stew: 1 large

This marvellous, classic stew from England brings out all the best of British cuisine and is a dish that falls perfectly into the 'comfort food' category. In England, they traditionally use an ingredient called 'suet' when making the dumplings. Suet is made from the hard, white fat that surrounds the kidneys of sheep or cows &, historically, has been a common ingredient in many sweet & savoury dishes in British cuisine. Being that I live in France, suet is not an ingredient I

This healthy bread is a great breakfast option for adults & children alike. It can be eaten as it is or with a thin layer of jam. 1 Loaf Ingredients: 2 eggs 50gr sugar 3 ripe bananas (the riper, the better!) 130gr Greek yogurt 210gr flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tbsp chocolate chips 50gr raw oats Instructions: Heat oven to 180c for fan assisted ovens & 200c for traditional ovens. In a large bowl, beat the eggs & sugar together for 2 minutes. Peel the bananas & mash with a fork.

It makes me wince when people chop off the stalks or base of a broccoli and discard it. I absolutely love this part of broccoli. Simply remove the rough outside layer and you will find smooth, much softer flesh inside that is tasty and perfect for stir-fries. This recipe is easy to make & packed with goodness. It is great as a side dish with teriyaki salmon (you can search for this recipe in the search box above). You can even add noodles & chicken for a 1 wok meal. Simply b

This is a French classic that is known worldwide and this is the traditional recipe, though there are many simpler versions out there that yield great results without as many steps. One thing I would recommend you do not skip is the overnight marinade, as this really tenderises the meat & adds deep flavour to the dish. I have added to end of this page, a simpler version you may like to try if you are short on time or patience, though I cannot guarantee it will be as good as t