When a traditional recipe just won’t do…

Many cooks will go to great lengths to please their loved ones, and I certainly do the same for my husband Marc. After all, one of the greatest rewards is for people to relish the food you serve them.

And as it happens, my husband Marc hates ratatouille – a most unfortunate thing, since I personally adore it! However, he does love all the individual ingredients in the beloved Provençal dish: tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, zucchini and eggplants (well… maybe not so much eggplants). His only real objection is to the texture of the soft, soggy veggies.

So why not grill the vegetables instead of stewing them? Voilà… grilled ratatouille! And for a savory bite, I sprinkle fried capers on top of the sauce just before I serve it – incredibly addictive!

Serve as a snack, a side, a main course… or even for brunch!

This ratatouille is massively flavorful and superb on its own with crusty bread slices. But it also makes a fantastic side vegetable with grilled chicken or fish. For a main course, serve it with toasted couscous. And for brunch, spoon it over fried or poached eggs. However you serve it, always drizzle it with a fruity, robust extra virgin olive oil.

Here’s to ratatouille… in all its forms!

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Wine Pairing: Provence, Ventoux AOC red with grilled ratatouille

A Provençal red from Ventoux AOC feels right at home with this grilled ratatouille. These wines are blends of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Carignan. They are juicy and have good acidity, red fruit aromas and a hint of spice – beautiful with the dish. Alternatively, pour a Grenache (Garnacha) from Catalonia in Northeastern Spain.

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Ingredients

• For the grilled vegetables

• 1 red bell pepper – quartered and seeded

• 1 yellow pepper – quartered and seeded

• 2 young zucchini (about 8″ long) – stem-ends trimmed and cut lengthwise in 3/8″ slices

• 1 medium eggplant (1 lb) (455 g) – stem-end trimmed and cut lengthwise in 3/8″ slices

• 3 tablespoons grapeseed, canola or olive oil

• fine sea salt to taste

• For the ratatouille

• 3 lbs (1.4 kg) very ripe tomatoes – peeled, seeded (seeds strained and juices reserved, about 2/3 cup) or 1 – 28 oz (800 g) can whole, peeled plum tomatoes plus 1/4 cup spring water3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium Vidalia or sweet onion – peeled and cut in 1/4″ pieces6 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely sliced

• 6 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely sliced

• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper to taste (lots of it!)

• 1 oz (30 g) basil leaves (2 cups loosely packed) – large leaves torn in half

• For the garnish

• 1 recipe fried capers

• extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

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Directions

• Preheat a charcoal, gas or electric grill to high. Place the red peppers and zucchini and eggplant slices on a jelly roll pan and brush lightly on all sides with the oil. When the grill is ready, place the vegetables directly on the grill and cook until grill marks appear. Turn the vegetables and grill the other side until grill marks appear. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with the salt and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cut in 3/4″ pieces and set aside.
• Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they’re coarsely chopped. Set aside.
• Heat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and onions. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until the onions are golden-brown, stirring from time to time. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for 1 minute only, stirring continuously and taking care not to brown the garlic. Add the chopped tomatoes and reserved tomato juice (or water if using canned tomatoes), stir well and bring to a boil. As soon as the sauce reaches boiling point, reduce heat to medium/medium-low. Slow-simmer uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes until the sauce is thick, stirring from time to time. Add the salt, pepper and basil. Stir well and continue to simmer until the basil has wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool for about 10 minutes, then stir in the grilled vegetables. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve the ratatouille warm or at room temperature (depending on the dish you’re serving it with). Sprinkle with the fried capers and drizzle with the olive oil just before serving. (See introduction and Viviane’s tip for suggestions.)
• Cook’s note: The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Warm the sauce over medium heat, until just warm. Do not bring to a boil or it will lose its texture.

Viviane’s tip

One of my favorite ways to eat this ratatouille is with toasted couscous. It makes a super-delicious main course, and the toasted couscous (which only takes minutes to make) is incredibly flavorful with the sauce. Check out my Spanish chickpea stew recipe for instructions on how to make toasted couscous.

Wild ramps make the best pesto… ever!

Ramp pesto is pretty special… after all, you can only enjoy it when ramps are in season, and that’s only for a few short weeks every spring. So this recipe had to be special, too… highlighting the delicious pesto as much as possible. And for that, the recipe needed to be unfussy, yet I wanted it to be totally luxurious.

So I chose to toss the pesto with Cavatelli and fresh fava beans. The Cavatelli is the ideal pasta shape for the sauce – the grooves scoop up the pesto to make every bite as flavorful as can be, while the petite pasta doesn’t overwhelm the sauce. As for the fresh fava, their wonderful greenness is a perfect complement to the pesto. Plus they make the dish lighter and more nutritious.

I must say that my goal was achieved… every forkful of this pasta is a delight.

Ramps not in season? Try these pestos

• Basil pesto
• Arugula pesto

Wine Pairing: Viognier with cavatelli & ramp pesto

A Viognier, with its luscious mouthfeel and blossomy aromas, is perfect for this pasta. The full-bodied wine works well with the richness of the pesto, while its honeysuckle and herbal flavors are a natural match to the delicately flavored ramps and fava beans.

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Ingredients

• For the fava beans

• 1 teaspoon sea salt for blanching the fava beans

• 2 lbs (905 g) fava bean pods – shelled (2 cups shelled fava beans)

• For the pasta

• 1 tablespoon sea salt for the pasta water

• 12 oz (340 g) Cavatelli (Gemelli or Orecchiette are good substitutes)

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 recipe ramp pesto, basil pesto or arugula pesto

• 1/4 cup reserved pasta water

• finely grated Reggiano Parmesan

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Directions

• Fill a bowl with cold water and several ice cubes and set aside. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the salt and fava beans, pushing them down so that they are submerged in the boiling water. Boil for 2 minutes if the beans are small, or up to 4 minutes for large beans. Drain and transfer to the ice-water bath. Once cooled, remove the outer skin of each bean and set aside.
• Cook’s note: The fava beans can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
• Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the salt and pasta. Boil pasta until al dente and drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the water. Transfer the cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add the fava beans and salt and stir until well blended. Add the pesto and a splash of the reserved cooking water. Stir again until well blended and add more reserved water if needed. Spoon into pasta bowls, garnish with the Parmesan and serve.

What is cassoulet?

Cassoulet is a richly flavored bean stew with origins in southern France… and what a satisfying and delicious pot of beans it is! Here I’ve created a vegetable cassoulet that’s as creamy as can be, and brimming with the aromas of fresh herbs and vegetables.

But to me, what makes cassoulet so special is the petite, pale-green flageolet beans. Their sweet flavor and soft texture are simply addictive. Here the tender beans are slow-simmered with a mirepoix of vegetables and served with crunchy sourdough croutons – the perfect contrast to the creamy dish.

A vegetarian cassoulet recipe that even your carnivore friends will love… and it’s quicker to make too!

Since this cassoulet is made without the large selection of meats that usually goes into the traditional dish, it doesn’t need to be cooked both on the stove and then in the oven. This vegetable cassoulet is simmered on the stove only, making it a much less time-consuming endeavor.

So here’s to a hearty vegetable cassoulet… a bowl full of goodness!

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Wine pairing: Languedoc-Roussillon, red blend with vegetable cassoulet

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Ingredients

• For the beans

• 2 1/2 cups dried flageolet beans – soaked in spring water for at least 12 hours

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 2 large garlic cloves – skinned and left whole

• 1 bouquet garni – 2 rosemary sprigs, 2 sage sprigs, 12 thyme sprigs, 6 parsley sprigs and 2 bay leaves tied tightly with kitchen stringFor the croutons

• For the croutons

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 5 slices sourdough country bread – cut in 1/2″ cubes (5 cups)

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• For the cassoulet

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large Vidalia or sweet onion – skinned and cut in 1/4″ pieces

• 1 leek – green leaves trimmed 3” from top, halved lengthwise, thoroughly rinsed and cut in 1/4″ slices (2 cups)

• 1 celery rib – cut in 1/4″ pieces (3/4 cup)

• 2 large carrots – peeled and cut in 1/4″ pieces (1 1/4 cups)

• 3 medium parsnips – peeled and cut in 1/4″ pieces (1 1/2 cups)

• 4 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped

• 1 – 15 oz (425 g) can whole, peeled plum tomatoes – coarsely puréed (use a food processor)

• 4 to 5 cups reserved cooking liquid from the beans

• 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons sea salt to taste

• freshly ground black pepper to taste (lots of it!)

• extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley as garnish

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Directions

• Drain the soaked beans. Place in a large pot and add fresh spring water to cover the beans by 2″ (read about the importance of water when cooking beans by clicking here). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, skim the foam and add the oil, garlic and bouquet garni. Stir well, reduce heat to medium/medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are tender. (Depending on the freshness of the beans, this will take between 20 and 40 minutes.) Discard the bouquet garni and garlic and drain the beans, reserving all the cooking liquid. You should have about 8 cups of cooked beans.
• Cook’s note: The beans can be used immediately or refrigerated in their cooking liquid for up to 5 days.
• To make the croutons – Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet to medium-high heat and add the oil and bread cubes. Toss until well coated with the oil. Then reduce heat to medium/medium-high and sauté the bread cubes until golden-brown and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes, tossing frequently. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, toss well and transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
• Cook’s note: The croutons can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onions and leeks and sauté for about 4 minutes until softened and translucent, stirring from time to time. Add the celery, carrots and parsnips and sauté another 6 to 7 minutes until golden. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute only, stirring continuously so the garlic doesn’t brown. Add the puréed tomato, the cooked beans, 4 cups of the reserved cooking liquid from the beans, and the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium/medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 35 to 40 minutes until the juices have thickened. Stir the beans a couple of times throughout the cooking to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Adjust the seasoning and add a bit of reserved cooking liquid if needed. Let the cassoulet stand for 10 minutes before serving. Spoon the cassoulet into bowls. Sprinkle with a few croutons, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with the balance of the croutons on the side.
• Cook’s note: The cassoulet can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month (completely thaw at room temperature before re-heating). Add a bit of liquid to the beans before re-heating, as they will absorb most of the liquid while they sit.

Viviane’s tip

This cassoulet is simple to make, but prepping the ingredients does take some time. So I suggest you cook the beans and make the croutons a day ahead. This way, making the cassoulet will be less time-consuming… and you can focus all your attention on cutting the mirepoix!

A lunch (or dinner!) that every cheese lover will adore

What is it about melted cheese? Just about anything oozing with melted cheese tastes delicious – like melted mozzarella on a pizza; sweet, nutty asiago in a luscious mac & cheese; or earthy fontina in an unbearably sinful fondue with chipotle and tequila.

But perhaps the simplest recipe – the most adored of all – is the grilled cheese sandwich. When prepared with a crusty bread and stuffed with a cheese that melts to perfection, it is essentially irresistible.

Here, this beloved sandwich takes on a gourmet twist. The secret ingredient: garlic confit!

A spread of poached garlic makes this gourmet grilled cheese irresistible

When garlic is gently poached in olive oil, it becomes sweet, with a subtle flavor. The cloves become so soft that you can spread them on your toast – or in this case, in your grilled cheese sandwich. Pair the mellow garlic confit with zingy baby arugula and a nutty, pungent aged cheddar, gruyère or fontina, and every luscious bite is mouthwatering.

For lunch, serve this grilled cheese with a simple leafy green salad. For a casual dinner, dress it up with a side vegetable like these hand-cut sweet potato fries or these grilled potatoes with rosemary, garlic and coarse sea salt – a meal that every cheese lover will want to devour.

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Wine pairing: Cabernet Franc with garlic confit grilled cheese

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Ingredients

• 8 thin slices rye country bread

• 1/4 cup olive oil from Garlic confit

• 8 oz (225 g) aged Cheddar, Gruyère, Fontina or Manchego – coarsely grated

• 2 large handfuls baby arugula (4 oz) (115 g) (or regular arugula coarsely chopped)

• fine sea salt to taste

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup Garlic confit cloves

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Directions

• Place 4 slices of bread on a cutting board and brush with the olive oil reserved from the garlic confit. Turn slices around and spread the grated cheese on the non-oiled side. Top each slice with a heap of the baby arugula. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the garlic confit on the other 4 slices of bread. Place the garlic confit slices on top of the slices with the arugula and press firmly to seal the sandwiches. Brush the top of the sandwiches with the balance of the oil.
• Heat a large heavy-bottomed frying pan to medium-high heat. Add the sandwiches, reduce heat to medium/medium-high, and sauté 4 to 5 minutes until golden-brown. Flip the sandwiches and continue to sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until golden-brown and the cheese has melted completely. Serve piping hot.

Whenever I work on a recipe, my focus is always on coaxing as much flavor as possible out of the ingredients I’m cooking with… and these refrigerator pickles are literally bursting with flavor!

The beets are kept raw for maximum crunch

Here raw beets are sliced super-thin and pickled with fresh ginger, toasted coriander seeds and whole peppercorn. Because these pickles are not cooked in any way, the beets retain their crunchy texture – making them not only super-flavorful, but also incredibly refreshing to the palate.

Make a batch, then enjoy for weeks to come

It takes only minutes to assemble the pickles, and they’ll happily live in your refrigerator for several weeks. (It’s a joy to have them on hand at a moment’s notice!) They can liven up salads and sandwiches, and they make a delectable condiment. But they’re also delicious as a finger food or nibble. Whichever way you end up serving them, I know these colorful and flavorful pickles will thrill you.

Here are more delectable pickles

Pickled cauliflower with fresh turmeric and curry leaves

Pickled asparagus with pink peppercorn and mustard seeds

Pickled shallots with fresh thyme

Potatoes and leeks: a classic combination that’s impossible not to love! They also make for one of the most universally loved soups.

A low-calorie version of this classic soup, but still so creamy!

The classic potato-leek soup, though, has a mind-boggling amount of heavy cream in it. So in this version, I omit the heavy cream altogether and replace it with a dollop of crème fraîche. The soup turns out much lighter in both calories and texture, while the delicate flavor of the Yukon Gold potatoes is allowed to shine. But that’s not all… I also love to dress it up with parsley pesto crostini and a drizzle of white truffle oil.

This luscious soup is always a hit at my dinner parties, and for good reason: it smells heavenly, looks gorgeous and tastes even better!

Served cold, this soup closely resembles the French favorite Vichyssoise

Note: Here I serve the soup warm. But you can also serve it chilled, as a Vichyssoise. See “Viviane’s tip” below for instructions.

Inject a little excitement into this classic finger food

Olives – those supremely flavorful little packages – have become a stand-by in most households. Indeed, a bowl of olives is the finger food of choice at dinner parties. Olives are now so common, it’s easy to take those gems for granted.

So it’s no surprise that a bowl of olives is always on my coffee table whenever friends come over for dinner. But since I always like to coax a bit more flavor out of things, I want my bowl of olives to bring some excitement – and even a little surprise – to my guests.

Meaty and warm, these are not your usual olives!

This recipe certainly fulfills both objectives. Biting into these meaty, warm olives is such an unexpected sensation that everyone always stops in their tracks and marvels. The olives turn out to be mellower when warmed, and their flesh literally melts in your mouth. Meanwhile, the pan-fried rosemary contributes its irresistible herbal-pungency to make the whole experience quite delightful.

So here’s to the olive and to the endless pleasure it gives us all!

The intoxicating fragrance of lavender…

Several years ago, my husband and I went for a vacation in Vaucluse, in the heart of Provence. Exploring the small backroads of the sun-drenched countryside soon became our favorite activity. On one such drive we stumbled upon fields of lavender. As the air filled with the intoxicating fragrance, we rolled down our windows to breathe in as much as we could.

To my delight, we also found a lavender farmer who had set up shop right in the center of a nearby village, selling dried lavender bunches of all sizes. I purchased enough of them to fill an entire suitcase, and wondered how I would clear customs undetected! But I was drunk off the scent of lavender, and ready to take a chance.

…captured in a stunning homemade lavender syrup!

As it turns out, I had no problems with U.S. customs. I arrived home inspired not only to hang sachets of the gorgeous blossoms in every closet, but also to cook with them. Since then, lavender has made an appearance in several of my recipes – like this lavender-infused honey that’s incredibly delicious drizzled over Greek yogurt or gelato; my own Herbes de Provence blend, dried every fall using the herbs in my garden… and today’s lavender syrup!

Here the fragrant syrup is served with fresh figs and an irresistibly light, lemony cheesecake. This heavenly dessert never fails to transport me back to the stunning lavender fields of Provence.

A wonderful alternative to the classic tomato sauce with basil

I love to make this sauce at the peak of summer, when my herbs are thriving – chopped together and sautéed before the tomatoes are added, they infuse the sauce with their magical aromas. The sweet onions bring depth to the dish while accentuating the tomatoes’ natural sweetness.

A spaghetti sauce that moonlights as a side vegetable

You can serve this sauce with pasta, of course… but it’s also delicious with polenta, as a side vegetable served with grilled fish or chicken, on top of pizza or in this mouth-watering Provençal gratin.

I think it’s time to make sauce!

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Ingredients

• 2 oz (55 g) fresh herbs (a mixture of parsley, thyme, winter savory, rosemary and oregano)

• 3 lbs (1.4 kg) very ripe, meaty tomatoes (beefsteak or heirloom) – peeled, seeded (seeds strained and juices reserved)

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large Vidalia or sweet onion – peeled and cut in 1/4″ pieces

• 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

• 4 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped

• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt to taste

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Directions

• Remove the leaves of the herbs from their stems and place on a cutting board. Hold the leaves in a tight bundle and finely slice. Then coarsely chop the herbs. You should have 1/2 cup of chopped fresh herbs.
• Place the tomatoes in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. For a more textured sauce, crush the tomatoes by hand. Transfer to a bowl. Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onions and chili pepper flakes. Stir well and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until the onions are golden-brown, stirring only from time to time. Add the garlic and herbs and continue sautéing for about 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic releases its flavor and the herbs have wilted, stirring continuously. (Make sure not to brown the garlic, or it will become bitter.) Add the chopped tomatoes and reserved tomato juice and bring to a boil. As soon as the sauce reaches boiling point, reduce heat to medium/medium-low. Slow-simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes to 1 hour (depending on how watery your heirlooms are) until the sauce has thickened and the juices have evaporated, stirring from time to time. Add the salt, stir well and either transfer the sauce to a bowl to cool or proceed with your recipe of choice.
• Cook’s note: Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Viviane’s Tip

If making several batches of the recipe, decrease the total olive oil by a third and increase the cooking time by at least 30 minutes for each additional portion. Example: If you multiply the recipe 3 times, use 9 lbs tomatoes (4.1 kg), 2/3 cup oil and simmer the sauce for 1 hour and 40 minutes to 2 hours. All other ingredients in the recipe can be multiplied exactly 3 times. Last, but not least, you’ll need to increase the heat as it’ll take more heat to keep a good simmer going with this much sauce. I do not recommend making more than 3 batches at a time, though, as the tomatoes will cook for too long and lose their flavor.

This is my New World take on spaghetti aglio e olio, the legendary pasta dish!

A few years ago, my husband and I savored a plate of spaghetti aglio e olio while dining in the equally legendary Venetian restaurant, Locanda Montin. The dish was so simple: no parsley or cheese thrown on top. The pasta was tossed with fruity olive oil, garlic (loads of it), red pepper flakes and salt – nothing more. We ordered a bowl to share. Within 5 minutes we’d devoured every strand of spaghetti, so we ordered a second bowl. When our server came around to see if we wanted to order dessert, we ordered a third bowl!

Needless to say, we’ve never forgotten the experience or the taste.

This New World version of spaghetti aglio e olio is as simple as the original, but it’s spiced up with jalapeño peppers instead of red pepper flakes. As the jalapeños pan-fry, they become mellow, smoky, sweet; infusing the oil and the pasta with all their spunkiness.

A word of warning when making jalapeño pasta…

Make sure to test your jalapeños before you make this recipe. (Taste the tip of one pepper and it’ll give you an idea of its strength.) I find most commercial jalapeños fairly mild, but now and then you come across some that are quite fiery!

So here’s to spaghetti aglio e olio’s new incarnation – a bowl of pasta that might be zen-like, but that is undoubtedly memorable.