Mini Pavlovas with Berries

Pavlova is a meringue based dessert, which is the Pièce de résistance of any dinner party. Pavlova is named after the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova who was the first ballerina to tour ballet around the world.. She was also famous for her love of pastries and different jams, which she explored on her journeys. The meringue of Pavlova is light and airy, similar to the graceful movements of a ballerina. Crispy crust of Pavlova, topped with rich whip cream and fresh berries is a heavenly treat to anyone who loves elegant, light but satisfying desserts. I like to top my plated dessert with a light dusting of powdered sugar, which creates another thin layer of flavour and it looks like the first snow on colourful berries...

Ingredients:

Pavlovas: 4 egg whites, at room temperature, 1 cup of fine baker's sugar, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest.
Berries: 1 cup fresh raspberries, 1 cup fresh blackberries or blueberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.

Directions:

 

Pavlovas: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until thick, about 2 minutes. With the machine on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the salt, cream of tartar and lemon zest. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drop 8 (1/2) cupfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Using the back of a spoon make a 1 1/2-inch diameter well in the center of each meringue. Bake for 2 hours. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely in the oven for 2 hours.

Berries: In a small bowl, toss together the berries, sugar and lemon juice. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Assembly: Put the meringues on small plates and spoon a dollop of rich cream into the wells. Top with the berries and serve.

Tomato Napoleon

In the world of food the term “Napoleon” usually refers to a layered flaky pastry dessert, filled with sweet creamy custard. It can also describe any dish that is made of different layers. Tomato napoleon is one of the easiest appetizers to put together. It is also one of the most beautiful and elegant hors d'oeuvres you can offer to your guests. Created by Chef Ricardo Larrivée, this dish is light, succulent and incredibly flavourful. The natural sweet flavour of tomatoes mixed with a spicy bite of chives, fragrant basil and crispiness of crystallized fleur de sel, creates a perfect balance of flavours and textures. Tomato Napoleon and chive vinaigrette both contain vibrant natural colours so serving it on a simple white plate can make the dish look considerably more appetizing…

Ingredients:

Chive Dressing: 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup minced fresh chives, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot, 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 pinch Salt and pepper.

Basil Oil: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup fresh basil, 1 clove clove garlic, peeled.
Napoleons: 2 slices bacon, 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) thick, cut into small pieces, 4 tomatoes of various colours (yellow, red, orange, black [kumato]), cut into 1-cm (1/2-inch) slices, fleur de sel.

Directions:

Chive Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Basil Oil: Place all the ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Strain and set aside.
Napoleons: In a non-stick pan, brown the bacon. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Lay the tomato slices on a baking sheet. Brush generously with chive dressing. On 4 plates, arrange the tomato slices in uneven stacks, alternating the colours. Drizzle with basil oil. Sprinkle with bacon bits and fleur de sel. Season with pepper.

Emanuela Pires on Daytime Toronto, Rogers TV

Salade Niçoise

Salade Niçoise must be one of the best known salads in France. It is as beautiful as the region of Côte d'Azur (“Azure coast”) where the salad originated. It is a perfect starter for any dinner party because it has something for everyone. Different textures, flavours and aromas come together in a perfect blend of colour and taste. Over the years, Salade Niçoise has adopted many variations of preparation but no matter which ingredients you add or take out, it always tastes amazing. Here is something you can do to add an additional layer of flavour to your Salade Niçoise. Rub the plate with a halved clove of garlic before plating your salad. It will give your salad a delicately piquant touch.

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette: 1/2 cup lemon juice, 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 medium shallot, minced, 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves, 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves, 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Salad: 2-3 cans of tuna in oil, 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and either halved or quartered, 10 small new red potatoes, 2 medium heads Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces, 3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths,1 small red onion, sliced very thin, 8 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise, 1/4 cup niçoise olives, 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and/or several anchovies.

Preparation:

Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. Bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside. While potatoes are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on a serving platter. Mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture on the lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in a mound at edge of lettuce bed. Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste; arrange in a mound at edge of lettuce bed. Arrange hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in mounds on the lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.

French Crêpes

Crêpes are considered to be the national dish of France. They originated in Brittany (Northwest of France). Crêpes are satisfying, easy to make and the creative culinary possibilities are endless. Crepes can be sweet (crêpes sucrées) or savoury (crêpes salées). Unless you are making a traditional Crêpe Suzette, you can experiment with the filling of your crêpes as much as your heart desires.  My favourite must be savoury crêpes with piquant cheese, mushroom and ham filling. I like to top them with a warm béchamel sauce or some crème fraîche.

Ingredients:

 

3 eggs, ½ tsp salt, 3 cups of milk, 2 cup of flour, touch of baking soda, 3 tbsp melted butter, ½ cup of water.

 

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl whisk together all ingredients. Beat until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side.



With Food Network's star Anna Olson, host of Fresh and Sugar.

Spinach Dip in a Bread Shell

This recipe was given to me by my lovely friend Nada, who is a fabulous cook and a great hostess. Besides an amazing symphony of flavours, this rustic dish offers guests an amazingly warm experience; it brings them together to enjoy this savoury dip served in a bread shell. I like to add an extra gourmet touch to this dip by crumbling some blue cheese on top and letting it melt into a warm mixture of the filling. I serve it as an appetizer with small pieces of bread for dipping and few slices of lemon and lime in case my guests enjoy an extra squeeze of it. 

Ingredients:Frozen chopped spinach, 1 cup of sour cream, 1 cup of mayonnaise, ½ cup of green onion, 1tsp. Parsley flakes or a small bunch of fresh parsley, lemon or lime juice to taste, ½ tsp. Seasoned salt, round crusty bread.

Directions:Mix all ingredients together. Cut the top from round loaf. Remove bread from inside shell, leaving 1 inch thick. Reserve removed bread for dipping. Fill with dip. Wrap in foil. Preheat your oven to at 300 F and bake for 2 hours.