Cooking food I love is my biggest passion. Our kitchen reminds me of a temple, plates covered with fruits and vegetables, brightening the room with all the bold colours. Inspiration comes from my past food memories. I’ll have a sudden idea, a craving for a taste. That’s when I get driven to create le plat du jour (dish of the day). You just can’t beat … Continue reading Yellow chicken, Yellow wine
Some of my most delicious childhood food memories are linked with Shanghai. Growing up in Hong Kong, my family had a lot of Shanghainese friends with whom we would often feast on amazing meals from their region. I have such a soft spot for Shanghainese style cuisine. The food is all about slow cooking, seasonal and fresh ingredients braised in rice wine, vinegar, soy sauces … Continue reading Hong shao pork, fava bean fritters & tea eggs
Blanquette de veau (veal stew) is what I call the mother of all French dishes. It’s the ultimate French home cooked meal, so traditional, bourgeois yet simple. Ever so often, when I go to the butcher, I have a natural inclination to say, ‘Michel, prepare me some veal for a little blanquette de veau please’. I like to have the necessary ingredients available at all … Continue reading Blanquette de veau
There are days when I just don’t know what to make for lunch or dinner. One thing I know for sure is that whatever it is, I will most likely add red wine and butter to the meal. These two ingredients will turn anything into a special something. It’s the sauce, the gravy, the juices that make everything taste better. For me, this is the … Continue reading Roast sausages with fennel
Today’s lunch was all about indulging. For me January is a month of promise and possibility but often it is also wet and cold, so what better way to sizzle it up than with a hot peppery steak? When you add an exquisite cognac cream sauce and pommes allumettes french fries, you’ve reached pure happiness. That’s what matters, really. After all, there’s nothing wrong with … Continue reading Black pepper steak with cognac cream sauce & pommes allumettes
Confit de canard (duck confit) is one of my ‘can’t live without’ dishes. If I am in a bistrot, I will almost certainly order it, and it’s the first dish I prepare for my friends when they come for a stay. It’s so French, so tasty, crispy, served with roast potatoes, salad and a good bottle of Médoc wine. I can’t think of a … Continue reading Confit de canard revisited
To feast on fine delicacies, drink champagne and be merry – that’s how I want my end of year dinner to be. New year’s eve is the perfect time to shine, looking back on the year, starting a new fresh one with a few good (I hope!) resolutions. I especially love week-end family lunches. Everyone’s appetite is more enthusiastic, spending hours at the table if … Continue reading Here’s to the days ahead
I just can’t shake off that Christmas spirit. As soon as December 1st arrived, the kids opened their chocolate Advent calendar and I started unpacking the Christmas ornaments stored in the attic. I had been eyeing the packed boxes for weeks, patiently waiting for the right moment. I couldn’t wait to meet our old friends again, the ballerina that Mia refuses to part with after … Continue reading Caramelized beetroot tarte tatin
There are meals that leave a mark, forever engraved in your mind. Years ago, I had lunch at Le Dôme in Paris, a seafood restaurant in the 14th arrondissement. I had coquilles Saint-Jacques (scallops), pan-fried in a lemon butter sauce. But the main attraction was the side-dish, the endives (chicory). They were so delicious, the semi-bitter taste of the vegetable melted in my mouth, catching … Continue reading Autumn vegetable tarte tatin
Ever since I made the ‘escargots à la Bordelaise’, an improvised recipe given to me by my lovely snail farmer friends, I have been longing to make it again, with or without snails. The rich succulent sauce, filled with bits of sausage meat, red wine and fragrant shallots filled my mind with so many ideas. Last week-end, it was a perfect occasion to start using … Continue reading Rigatoni à la Bordelaise with cèpes
