Ingredient: fine sea salt

Speculoos

This cookie has seduced the non-cinnamon loving population of France. It will seduce you too.

Irish Brown Bread

You’ll love this nutty, whole-meal bread. You can get wholemeal from King Arthur
And if you don’t have buttermilk on hand you can make an excellent facsimile by adding 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice to each 1 cup (250ml) whole milk. Let it sit for 15 minutes and voila!

Avocado, Cherry and Chive Salad

This simple salad surprises everyone! Make this while cherries are still in season!

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: wine or cocktail glasses,
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: simple

Salade Niçoise

ASTUCES: if you us tuna in the salade, use either canned albacore, or the quantity of fresh tuna you like. i suggest 12 ounces; 400g. Sear the whole fresh piece first on each side, season with salt and pepper and let cool. Then, thinly slice the seared tuna and arrange it atop the salad after you’ve tossed the other ingredients together. Don’t use anchovies if you’re using tuna.

Braised Spring Vegetables

Late spring is a perfect moment in the life of vegetables. Peas, carrots, potatoes and onions are brand new, filled with tender, sweet flavor, the juiciest and most flavorful they will be all year. This dish, which is topped with a fresh lettuce that melts gently into it, is a celebration of spring, ideal to serve with roasted meats or fish.

Couscous

ASTUCE: Pay careful attention to these pearls of wisdom, as they will ensure perfect couscous:
*The directions urge you to proceed gently, so please do. As you use your fingers and palms, urge rather than rub the liquids and fats into the couscous, very lightly, very gently.
*It is very important that the couscous steams uncovered. If it steams covered, condensation falls from the cover onto the grain causing lumps and making it soggy.
*Wrap a towel around the seam of the steamer to make sure steam doesn’t escape into the atmosphere.
*If you do not have a couscous steamer, you may use a traditional, two-part steamer.