Tag Archives: food photography

Zucchini and Mushroom Risotto

Posted on by
1

My sister Hala, who also loves cooking and dinner parties, was telling me that Risotto is not a popular dish in Lebanon. I don’t know how true is this, but I know that I only love it when served immediately. This is one of the dishes that can’t be successfully cooked in advance, which makes it difficult to consider serving when I have guests for dinner.

It’s so easy to make a good risotto, but make sure that you choose short-grained plump rice, such as Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano.

The only way to make risotto is to stand over it until cooked. DO NOTHING else! Not really evident in my case where Axel is shoving her head between my knees to carry her and Kaia is constantly asking me to come and play with her and Polly Pockets. The hot stock is added little by little until rice is soft and creamy. This will take you around 20 – 25 minutes, for this amount of time at a hot stove, it’s really worth to use the appropriate rice.

Risotto can be combined with any vegetables you like or also seafood. The best risotto I ever had was cooked with champagne instead of wine, and used asparagus instead of zucchinis. I didn’t have any asparagus today and didn’t want to open my pricey bottle of champagne:), but I do recommend that you try it.

Zucchini and Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 large yellow zucchini
  • 250g fresh mushrooms sliced
  • Pinch of Sea Salt

To make the rice

  • 250g Arborio rice
  • 25g Unsalted butter
  • 1 Onion, minced
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 750ml Vegetable stock, hot (preferably home made)
  • 25g Parmesan, shaved
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

 1. In a medium saucepan, place the mushrooms and the zucchinis with olive oil and sweat until cooked. Season with salt.

2. In a separate heavy bottomed pan, heat the butter and add the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and transparent. Add in the rice and cook, for 2 minutes.

3. Mix in the wine to the softened onions and cook until the liquid has evaporated off.

4. Pour in 1 cup of the stock to the onions and rice and cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until liquid is almost absorbed. Repeat this process until rice is thick and creamy; the rice should still have some chew to it. Season to taste.

5. If the rice is still hard do not add water. It has to be cooked with additional stock.

6.Once the rice is cooked, mix in the vegetables and add Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

7. To finish drizzle with olive oil (optional)

Delightful Rose Cakes

Posted on by
Reply

I have this baking pan, which I love from NordicWare, it makes Rose Cakes. Charming! Kaia is also crazy about it and would do me anything, including going to bed early, just to help me baking a cake in this special pan.

The below recipe came with the pan, I type it in here for you to try it. It can also be made in a regular muffin pan as well, so go ahead and take your chances. Alternatively you can buy the pan online it’s worth every penny!!


Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 cup butter

• 5 eggs

• 3 cups flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 1/4 cups milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry jam, divided in 2 portions

• Icing sugar (optional)

Cooking Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 325 degrees F / 180 degrees C.

2.    Grease and flour pan well.

3.    In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter and mix well.

4.    Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.

5.    Add remaining ingredients except jam and mix well, scraping bowl occasionally.

6.    Fill individual cups 2/3 full.

7.    Spoon half the jam (this recipe makes 2 batches) on top of the batter, dividing evenly between the cups.

8.    Gently swirl jam into the top of the batter, using the tip of a knife.

9.    Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean; cool 10 minutes in pan; turn out and continue to cool.

10. Bake second batch.

11. Dust with icing sugar if desired.

Makes 24 cupcakes

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Posted on by
1

I just got back from Tuscany and Italian food is all I think of. From the moment I woke up this morning I knew that spaghetti was going to be for lunch. I’m craving for something fresh and light but not a salad. This recipe uses fresh parsley and spring onions perfect for days when temperature reaches 32°C! It’s quick and easy to cook, yet so unbelievably tasty! Thank you Zeina S. for the inspiration since we tasted it at yours it became one of our favorite pasta dishes. Superb!

Garlic Shrimp Pasta 

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of Spaghetti
  • 500g pre-cooked shrimps, deveined and tails removed
  • 4 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Olive Oil, to taste
  • 4 sprigs of Spring onions, chopped
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped roughly

Directions

  1. Cook spaghetti according to directions on package. I like to add salt, olive oil and oregano in the water.
  2. In a large skillet, sauté garlic and shrimps in oil for about 5-7 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Add lemon juice and set aside.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and sauté the cherry tomatoes for about 2 minutes.
  4. Drain spaghetti and return to the saucepan and toss with a little oil. On a low heat, add shrimps and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in spring onions for about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and parsley and stir for 1 minute.
  5. Transfer to a bowl, and serve immediately.

Lebanese Lentils and Rice Pilaf

Posted on by
3

I love lentils! Whether yellow, red-orange, green, brown or black, they’re all delicious. Lentils are rich with proteins and make fantastic dishes from all around the world. Lebanese Mjadra, Indian Khichdi, Egyptian Kushari, Peruvian Tacu Tacu, Cuban Sopa de Lentejas, French Salade de Lentilles, mmmm… delectable flavor!

I know many of you are online every day eager to venture in new recipes, but sometimes it’s a good change to just cook a classic dish!

Few days ago, I cooked lentils and rice pilaf AKA Mdar-dara.

“To all my Lebanese friends, I know what you’re thinking, Mdar-dara!!! I must be out of my mind to share this recipe hahaha. It’s like teaching an American how to make a coleslaw salad”.

It took me back to a simpler time where pulses were almost part of any meal I eat. Scrumptious, with nothing fancy needed. All ingredients were readily available. My pantry is never out of lentils, rice or onions!

There’s so much flavor in this recipe, and it’s healthy! It’s frequently served with yogurt and a green salad. I sometimes crown it with caramelized onions instead of fried ones, because I love this sweet taste with yogurt.

This is a great recipe I know my kids will eat. It’s inexpensive, nutritious and easy to prepare.

Enjoy:)

Lebanese Lentils and Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dried brown lentils, sieved out, washed, rinsed
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp cumin (optional)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Olive oil, to taste
  • Plain yogurt, to serve

Directions:

1. In a frying pan heat 4 tablespoons of oil and sauté onions until soft and beginning to golden brown.

2. Transfer half of the onions to a large saucepan, add the lentils, 3 cups of water, salt and bring to boil. Cook for 15 minutes.

3. Stir in rice. Add 2 cups of water and season with spices.

4. Reduce heat. Cover and cook about 15 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender.

5. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and top with the remaining onion.

6. Serve chilled plain yogurt on the side.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin

Posted on by
4

Dad can combine any 3 vegetables to his delicious béchamel sauce and make a palatable gratin. The secret for a delightful gratin is fresh vegetables. Try always to choose fresh ingredients over frozen and use rich cheese on the top.

Before long kitchen became my place to unwind, I once bought a cooking book on vegetables and sampled few recipes. I fondly remember Serge eating my first gratin made with cauliflower and carrots! Gratifying!

Gratin is easy to make and my daughters Kaia and Axel love it. Fortunately, a way to make them eat their veggies;-)

Broccoli and cauliflower gratin

Ingredients

  • 250g (8oz) broccoli
  • 250g (8oz) cauliflower
  • 30g (1oz) butter
  • 30g (1oz) flour
  • 500ml milk (full fat or skimmed milk)
  • 50g (2oz) Gruyère, grated
  • 50g (2oz) Cheddar, grated
  • Parmesan, to taste
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pinch of grated nutmeg

Directions

1. Steam the broccoli and cauliflower until just tender.

2. To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to make a smooth paste. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Season it with salt, pepper and nutmeg. When the mixture begins to bubble and thicken, remove from heat.

3. Now coat an oven dish with a thin layer of the white sauce then arrange the vegetables in an oven dish and sprinkle with salt and parmesan cheese.

4. Top with the rest of the white sauce and cheeses. Bake at 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4) for 30mn.

New York-Style Crumb Cake

Posted on by
Reply

Shopping on 5th avenue is not the only thing I love about New York City, but also muffins, scones and cakes. Since it’s a food blog, I will have to skip the shopping tips and trends of the week news and put you on the fast track to sweet tooth news flash.

To all the cakes lovers out there, NYC is your haven!

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I find a pleasure in the morning instead of having it at the hotel, to go out, walk Manhattan streets and stop by one of my preferred cafes to have my granola berries breakfast with a cinn raisin bagel (shortening of cinnamon-raisin bagel) and a cupcake or a slice of cake take away.

Nothing tastes as delicious as homemade New York-style crumb cake fresh from the oven, especially if prepared the old-fashioned way. Paired with home made berries jam and sprinkled with fine crumbles and icing sugar. Mmmmm, luscious!

Get ready to be transported to a fluffy bliss with this stylish cake recipe.

New York-style crumb cake

Ingredients

Crumble:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ sticks / 150g unsalted butter, melted

Cake:

  • 2 and a half cups of flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 and a half stick of unsalted butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • Icing sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Grease a baking pan.

3. Make the crumb topping: In a bowl, combine together flour, cinnamon, sugar and salt. Pour warm melted butter over mixture and rub with your fingers to make medium and large clumps.

4. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

5. In a separate bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternating with sour cream until well combined.

6. Pour batter in the baking pan and sprinkle the crumbles evenly.

7. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the skewer inserted into the centre of the cup cake comes out clean.

8. Transfer to a wire rack and wait until cool.

9. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

Try it with a touch of jelly. Once you pour the batter in the baking tray, spoon the jam over it and finish with sprinkling the crumbs.

Quiche with Bulgarian cheese and Thyme

Posted on by
1

Before I got to know the following recipe of quiche, I never did a quiche in my life. For me quiche was spinach and ricotta! And as much as I love shortcrust pastry, spinach and cheese, this COMBO wasn’t my favorite.

Until one day my charming-sweet-smart neighbor Eliane (can’t say else coz she’s gonna be around for a long time hihihi) introduced me to her Quiche with Bulgarian cheese and Thyme. Her recipe had magical powers with immediate effect:)

There was something about this quiche that fascinated me. The addition of the fresh thyme made it fragrantly delicious. The blend of the creamy, crumbly Bulgarian Feta cheese with Mozzarella and Emmenthal made the flavor really kind of hard to describe. I couldn’t wait until I tried it. It sure earned me big smiles from my hubby and guests!!

Ever since, I make more quiches in celebrations. It’s easy, delicious and a crowd pleaser!

I stayed true to Eliane’s recipe, it takes no time to prepare and your friends will ask for the recipe! I did!

“Eliane you have all the credits on this one, and now that I mentioned your name three times can I count on you to host Kaia for a play date while am in Saint-Tropez this week?;-)


Ingredients

  • 1 pack of Shortcrust pastry or “Pâte brisée”
  • 200 gm Sheep Bulgarian cheese unsalted, broken into pieces (A.K.A Bulgarian feta)
  • 100 gm  grated Emmenthal cheese
  • 100 gm grated Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup fresh cream
  • 2 tbsp of sesame

Cooking Directions

Before you cook the crust as instructed here-below, compare it with the directions on the pack.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll out dough on floured surface to 32cm round. Transfer to 25 diameter tart pan. Press to form double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork.

2. Crumble the Bulgarian cheese on the crust. Put fresh ground pepper and salt.
3. Arrange the fresh thyme over the white cheese, followed by the Emmenthal cheese and Mozzarella.
4. Pour the cream and sprinkle with sesame.
5. Place tart pan on oven rack.
6. Bake quiche until crust is golden about 30 minutes. Transfer quiche to rack; cool 10 minutes.

WARNING!!! Contains Inappropriate Photos!

Posted on by
5

Banoffee Pie is one of my favorite sweets! Full of all things naughty, banoffee pie tastes amazing.

But before I pass you the recipe, I’d like to apologize to all those who are on a strict diet, to all those who are trying hard to fit in a smaller size of jeans, to chicks aiming for a flat belly this summer, to all my friends who are in the middle of their Vela Smooth sessions and to all those who are cutting on carbs. For all the rest, I hope you try this British classic dessert cause it’s irresistible! 🙂

I admit it’s a sweet dessert, a little bit too sweet than other desserts, the reason why I prefer to do it in a small glass /verrines and to decorate it with dark chocolate.

Banoffee stands for Banana+toffee, these 2 ingredients must have exchanged vows once upon time …and I lived happily ever after.

Banoffee Pie Verrine Style

Ingredients

  • For the base: 60g butter, melted
  • 250g digestive bicuits
  • For the caramel: 100g butter
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 1 can of Condensed Milk
  • For the topping: 4 bananas, sliced
  • Cocoa Powder, to dust
  • Chocolate curls, to decorate
  • Whipping Cream (optional)

Preparation

  1. Place the biscuits in a plastic bag and crush using a rolling pin. Transfer to a bowl and add the melted butter and stir. Divide the mixture into 12 small glasses and press into an even layer. Chill the base while you make the filling.
  2. In a non-stick saucepan place the butter and sugar. When the butter melts and the sugar dissolves add the condensed milk and stir continuously. Bring gently to the boil. As soon as it thickens, remove from heat and allow to cool.
  3. Spread the caramel on the biscuit base evenly and chill for about 1 hour or until firm.
  4. Slice the bananas, dust liberally with cocoa powder and layer over the caramel. Finish with whipping cream and some grated chocolate. Serve.

Banoffee MilkShake

Posted on by
Reply

My baby girl is also a foodie and loves playing “restaurant” insisting on serving me real food that she can prepare alone. A Banoffee Shake is a gem on Kaia’s list, because she knows I love bananas and (almost) doesn’t require any of my assistance to make it.

It’s simple, sweet and refreshing! Cheers:)

Kids and Family Version

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
  • 250ml / 1 cup milk
  • 2 scoops vanilla fudge or caramel ice cream
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp honey (optional)
  • Grated chocolate and banana slices, to decorate

Preparation

1-    Place in the blender bananas, milk, ice cream and lemon juice.

2-    Process for 30 seconds or until smooth.

3-    Sweeten with honey if desired.

4-    Pour into glasses and decorate with grated chocolate and banana slices.

Alcoholic Version

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
  • 250ml / 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp banana liquor
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Grated chocolate and banana slices, to decorate

Preparation

1-    Place in the blender bananas, yogurt, ice cubes, sugar, liquor and lemon juice.

2-    Process until smooth and creamy.

3-    Pour into glasses and decorate with grated chocolate and banana slices.

P.S. The riper the fruit is, the sweeter the taste.

Strawberries Va-va-voom!

Posted on by
7

Rocket leaves (arugula), Parmesan cheese and strawberries. Really, what’s not to love about that?

I mixed up all 3 ingredients, sprinkled little salt, drizzled oil and balsamic vinegar and my lunch box is ready!

I’m sue you all had in your life rocket leaves salad with Parmesan, mushrooms, tomatoes or bresaola, but did you try it with strawberries or blue berries? Delicious!

I have a photo shoot today and the schedule is tight. A quick light salad to munch on is an enjoyment on my little break. See you later!

Rocket Salad with Strawberries and Parmesan

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of rockets leaves
  • 12 strawberries, hulled and chopped [or blueberries]
  • Shaved parmesan, to taste
  • Sea salt, to sprinkle
  • Olive oil, to drizzle
  • Balsamic Vinegar, to drizzle

Preparation

Mix all ingredients, rocket leaves, berries and Parmesan. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with oil and vinegar.