Apricot and Cardamom Muffins

Apricot season is very short, and on top of it, they tend to soften quickly after buying. So when I ended up with some that started to soften, I decided to bake some quick muffins with them.

Vietnamese Sandwich with Braised Pork Belly

Bánh mì (“bread” in Vietnamese”) sandwich is fusion at its best, as it combines Vietnamese-Asian flavors with French ones. It became a popular street food in Saigon around the 50’s, and from there its popularity spread around the world.

Angel Hair Pasta with Lobster Tail and Lemony Sun Dried tomatoes and Capers Butter Sauce

Whenever I prepare lobster rolls (click HERE for the recipe), I cook one or two extra lobster tails, to use in different dishes.
This time, I decided to use the cooked lobster in a quick and light pasta dish. I opted for a lemony butter sauce, as the lemon beautifully complements the somewhat sweetish flavor of the lobster meat, and butter, as it simply makes everything better.

Cherries and Almonds Clafoutis

Clafoutis is a simple French dessert, in which fruits are baked in a light custard. The dish is traditionally made with cherries, although there are plenty of versions with other fruits as well. As cherries season is at its peak right now, I decided to prepare it using them.

Chicken Salad with Grapes, Tarragon, Mint and Walnuts

Chicken salad is a great dish for buffet-style relaxed entertaining. It can be prepared ahead of time, and tastes even better after chilling. It is easy to serve, and it pairs well with different dishes and salads.

Banana, Blueberries and Coconut Cake

With abundance of fresh berries, I find myself buying more than needed, and, as they don’t keep well, I try to find ways to use them in baking. I often also have some overripe bananas around, so I’ve decided to combine both in the form of a tasty cake.

Beef Kebabs with Zhoug and Harissa Raw Onion Relish

Zhoug is an aromatic Yemenite hot pepper and cilantro paste, which is known all over the Middle East and the Mediterranean. It is mostly used as a condiment, but it is also added to soups and other dishes. In the dish here, I’ve decided to use it to flavor a raw onion relish, along with sweet Harrisa, a spiced North African hot peppers paste, which was served with broiled beef kebabs.

Filo Bake with Spinach, Mint and Cheeses

This tasty dish was inspired by the two others: the Greek Spanakopita, (layers of filo brushed with oil, with greens with Feta cheese filling), and the Bulgarian Banitsa dish (in which the filo sheets are rolled with feta, yogurt and eggs mixture).

Shrimps, Flowering Chives and Rice Flour Fritters

When I saw a bunch of flowering chives at the store, it immediately drew my attention. Smelling the flowers, I was expecting, probably due to their lavender color, that they would have a sweet floral smell. However, to my surprise, they had fresh onion scent, similar to that of the chives. I later learned that the flowers are edible and can be used in the same way chives is used.

Plums, Almonds and Maple Syrup Cake

When I bought some early season plums at the store, I was a bit disappointed with their flavor. As cooking, or baking, intensifies the flavor of unripe fruit, my solution was to use them in a cake. The fact that fruit cakes are my favorite, only added to the motivation.

King Oyster Mushrooms with Soy Sauce, Maple Syrup and Sesame Oil

King oyster mushrooms (also known as king trumpet mushrooms, and by other names), are large mushrooms, with plump white leg and brown cap. Unlike most mushrooms, the cap is not separated from the leg, and the leg is actually the tastier part. It has a somewhat meaty texture, often compared to abalone, or scallops, and it keeps its shape and size when cooked. Though the mushrooms are native to the Mediterranean, they are more known in Asian cuisines, especially Japanese.