Artichoke and almond salad

Type of dish : Starter
To serve : 6
Preparation : 15 min
Cooking : 20 min
Budget : Reasonable
From : France
Difficulty : Medium


Ingredients :
6 good-sized artichokes
1 lettuce
75g split almonds
200g creme fraiche
50ml cider vinegar
1 bunch mixed herbs, preferably fresh
50g flour
2 lemons
Salt & pepper

Recipe :
Remove the hard outer leaves of the artichokes with a knife. Peel the head as you would a potato.
Sprinkle leaves with lemon juice.
Put a big pan of salt water on to boil.
Sieve flour into a small amount of water, and add to pot.
Add artichokes and bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain and remove chokes.
Leave to cool and slice leaves.
Arrange on serving plate, on bed of washed lettuce. Arrange leaves on top of chokes and sprinkle with almonds.
Beat creme fraiche, until thick and frothy.
Add cider vinegar and chopped herbs.
Drizzle over artichokes.



Advice :
Great with a rosé on a summer's day!

Parma ham and melon skewers

Type of dish : Nibbles
To serve : 4/6
Preparation : 10 min
Cooking : - min
Budget : Reasonable
From : Italy
Difficulty : Easy


Ingredients :
2 melons
Parma ham, cut into 1cm slices
Fresh mint leaves



Recipe :
Ball melon with a melon scoop or teaspoon.
Make kebabs alternating melon balls with mint leaves and Parma ham.
Serve chilled.




Advice :
Calories per 100g: 160

Vegetable soup

Type of dish : Starter
To serve : 6
Preparation : 25 min
Cooking : 60 min
Budget : Cheap
From : France
Difficulty : Easy


Ingredients :
2 carrots
1 turnip
1 stick celery
1 onion
3 tomatoes
1 courgette
Half a head of fennel
1 leek
1.5 litres water
Salt & pepper

Recipe :
Wash and peel vegetables.
Cut into chunks.
Pour water into a large pan and add vegetables.
Cook over a gentle heat for an hour.
Leave to cool and blend.
Reheat and serve with wholemeal bread.


Advice :
35 calories per person

Papaya with blueberries

Type of dish : Dessert
To serve : 2
Preparation : 10 min
Cooking : - min
Budget : Reasonable
From : Exotic
Difficulty : Easy


Ingredients :
1 papaya
100g blueberries
Fresh mint leaves
1/2 lemon

Recipe :
Cut one of the papayas in half.
Remove stone and flesh, leaving about 1cm on the skin. Put to one side.
Cut flesh into small pieces.
Wash and dry blueberries, then mix with papaya flesh.
Add juice from half lemon.
Take papaya skins and arrange papaya and blueberries in skins.
Chill.
Decorate with a few mint leaves just before serving.

Ratatouille

Type of dish : Main course
To serve : 4
Preparation : 20 min
Cooking : 40 min
Budget : Cheap
From : France
Difficulty : Easy


Ingredients :
500g tomatoes
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper
300g courgettes
300g aubergines
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bouquet garni
1 sprig thyme
Salt & pepper
1 pinch chilli

Recipe :
Prepare vegetables:
Peel and chop tomatoes, pepper, onion, courgette, aubergine and garlic.

Sauté onions in a little oil in a saucepan.
Add tomatoes, bouquet garni, garlic, salt and pepper.
Leave to cook gently.
Brown courgettes in a separate pan and add to other vegetables.
Repeat with aubergines.
Add thyme and chilli.
Simmer for at least 30 minutes.


Advice :
Serve with baked potatoes and salad, try melting a little camembert on the potatoes...
Recommended wines:
- Alsace: Silvaner, Pinot blanc
- Bordeaux: Entre 2 mers
- Bourgogne: Maçon

Carpaccio of salmon

Type of dish : Starter
To serve : 4
Preparation : 15 min
Cooking : 0 min
Budget : Cheap
From : France
Difficulty : Easy


Ingredients :
1 fresh fillet of salmon, boned
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lime
Dill
1 tbsp pink peppercorns (substitute mixed peppercorns if not available)

Recipe :
1. Slice fish very thinly, with a sharp knife.
2. Arrange on a large plate.
3. Sprinkle with olive oil and lime juice. Season, then sprinkle with dill.
4. Leave to chill for 10 minutes before serving.



Advice :
Chill salmon for an hour in the freezer, to make it easier to cut.
Recommended wine: Chablis

Monkfish and orange salad

Type of dish : Starter
To serve : 6
Preparation : 30 min
Cooking : 10 min
Budget : Reasonable
From : Exotic
Difficulty : Medium


Ingredients :
850g monkfish
1 fish or vegetable stock cube
1 curly-leaf lettuce
300g strawberries
60g raspberries
90g cherries
75g redcurrants
3 oranges
3 tablespoons olive oil
50g fresh ginger

For the dressing:
Juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
4 tablespoons nut oil
Salt & pepper

Recipe :
Put the fish in a pan, sprinkle with crumbled stock cube and cover with water.
Bring to the boil, leave to simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool down.
Once cool, strain fish from stock.

Wash fruit, then dry.
Spin salad.
Peel ginger, slice thinly and saute lightly in a little olive oil.

To make sauce, by combining all ingredients, mixing well.
Arrange leaves and fish on plates, decorate with fruit and slices of orange. Sprinkle with slices of ginger, drizzle with dressing, then serve.