The Kitchen / La Cuisine

My trip to Algeria was about spending time with my family and friends, soaking up the sun, the blue sky and the sea; introducing my daughter to her origins, to my country, to my continent, to the place where her dad and I first met, to her cousins, her big and diverse family. Our trip was about love, fun and food.

We were six under the same roof. Every morning, my daughter would run down the stairs and into the kitchen to jump into my father's arms before sitting on his lap and take a sip from his coffee. My mother would already be wrapped in her apron doing important things like sweating some onions or dicing some vegetables. Breakfasts were toasts, caak, croissants, pastries, for the brave souls, which I am not, and m'semmen for special days and weekends. Mornings were laid-back, evenings were lingering with tea and sweets at 6PM and chocolate and dates at 12AM. My husband then joined us, followed by my sister, her husband and her three kids. We were then twelve under the same roof. There was no need to turn on the heating and no room to feel lonely. Some of us enjoyed spending time in the family room, others, like myself, snuggled in my parents bed watching cartoons with the kids. But the kitchen was where we all came together. It was in the kitchen where we laughed, argued, ate delicious meals, relaxed, danced, teased one another, where my daughter had her first earrings, where twice a week I ironed my father's shirts, where my sister nursed her one month old son, where my father reads his newspapers, where my husband had his first roasted lamb's tail and where I covered my eyes to avoid seeing such things as people eating lamb's tail.

But let's not talk about animal parts today. I'll leave it for later, for the brave souls. Today I want it to be special. As you have always been so nice to me, I want to share with you a recipe I should have told you about a while ago, as it is my favorite of all. I believe if I had one last meal, this dish would be on my table no doubt about it. This is my mother's spicy greens with bulgur.

Originally, the recipe calls for a variety of greens called khoubiz or bakool , which is found growing wild in the fields of North Africa. It tastes like a cross between arugula (rocket leaves) and watercress, with a hint of acidity, and there is no real equivalent for it here in the US. After experimenting, with fair results, with spinach, arugula, Tuscan kale, dandelion, I've had the best luck with the combination of spinach and arugula. It may not be much to look at, but when you have cumin, turmeric and red pepper flakes mingling with bulgur and spinach and arugula, the fusion is irresistible. Even for those who pretend detesting spinach, or any greens for that matter. (I have a friend who wouldn't eat anything with a green color and he absolutely loves this dish)

The spices and the cloves of garlic are pounded using a mortar and pestle to extract as much aroma before adding the resulting paste to the "sweaty" onions. As you pour the stock over the lovely ochre colored onions, restrain yourself from dipping your bread, or your fingers, as the sauce gets ready for the bulgur. At the end, steamed spinach and arugula join the party; a party that took half an hour to put together and will take half the time to gulp down. It's exquisite, I assure you. It's even exquisite the following day straight from the fridge, sitting on the countertop with a piece of bread in one hand and orange soda in the other. Every bite brings with it a part of home and my mother's kitchen into my own kitchen.

Thank you, mama!

My mother's Spicy Greens with Bulgur (Tchicha bel Khoubiz)

Recipe: Serves 4
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tsp cumin, freshly ground
- 1 tsp red chili pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
-1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp fine bulgur
- 1 spinach bunch
- 1 arugula bunch
- 1 tbsp cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- Salt, Black Pepper

Wash the spinach and arugula. Drain off the excess water and put them in the basket section of a steamer. Cover and steam over simmering water until the greens just start to wilt, but still have their vibrant green color, about 5 - 7 minutes. When cold to handle, squeeze the water out of the greens and chop roughly. Set aside.

In a pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook on a medium heat until translucent but not brown, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, pound the garlic with turmeric, cumin, and pepper flakes to a paste using a mortar and pestle. Add the garlic paste to the onions and stir to incorporate. Add The tomato paste and the stock and bring to a boil. Add the bulgur and stir again. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook covered until the bulgur is tender, about 15 minutes, depending on the variety of your bulgur.

Uncover the pan and add the steamed greens and the herbs to the sauce. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes and then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

The dish keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days, although I never recall keeping it longer than one day.

La recette épicée des épinards au bulghour de ma mère

In Français Please: Pour 4 personnes
- 2 c.s d'huile d'olive vierge
- 1 oignon moyen, finement haché
- 3 gousses d'ail
- 1 c.c de cumin, fraichement moulu
- 1 c.c de poivre rouge du chili
- 1/4 c.c de curcuma
- 1 c.s de tomate en conserve
- 2 c.s de boulghour
- 500ml de bouillon de volaille ou de légumes
- 1 bouquet d'épinard
- 1 bouquet de roquette
- 1 c.s de coriandre, grossièrement hachée
- 1 c.s de persil, grossièrement haché

Laver les épinards et la roquette. Essorer le plus de liquide possible et les faire cuire a la vapeur jusqu'à ce que les feuilles commencent a "fondre" mais tout en gardant leur belle couleur verte, environ 5-7 minutes. Essorer l''exces d'eau et hacher grossièrement les herbes. Mettre de cote.

Dans une poêle, chauffer l'huile d'olive. Ajouter l'oignon et laisser cuire jusqu'à ce qu'il devienne transparent, mais sans qu'il caramélise, environ 5 minutes. Entre temps, a l'aide d'un mortier réduire les gousses d'ail et les épices en une pate. L'ajouter aux oignons et tourner a l'aide d'une cuillère en bois. Ajouter la tomate en conserve et le bouillon. Porter a ébullition puis verser les graines de bourghoul en pluie sur le bouillon. Réduire le feu, couvrir la poêle et laisser les graines cuire, environ 15 minutes. Découvrir la poêle et ajouter les épinards, roquette, persil et coriandre. Remuer encore avec la cuillère en bois et donner un autre bouillon avant de retirer du feu, environ deux minutes. Gouter et assaisonner de sel et poivre noir si nécessaire. Servir.

Ce plat se garde bien au frais pendant deux jours, mais j'avoue ne l'avoir jamais garder plus d'un jour dans mon frigo car il est irrésistible.

A Symbol Of Hospitality / Un Symbole D'hospitalité

You might know couscous as the “instant dish”, the package of grains you grab at the end of the week when your fridge is seriously empty and you go down the pasta aisle at the supermarket dragging your feet and your cart looking for a quick fix for tonight’s dinner.
You read the directions on the back of the package. It says something like: "Don’t read this, please! Run! It’s full of baloney and the directions will ruin this couscous and your dinner, too.

In other parts of the world (Especially in Algeria and Morocco) Couscous is a staple, an omnipresent dish that we serve on both happy and sad occasions.
The word couscous (called “Taam" in Algeria, “seksu” in Morocco, “kousksi” in Tunisia and “Maftoul” in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine) is derived from the Berber word “seksu”, meaning well rolled, rounded.

There are as many couscous recipes as there are cooks: the couscous can be served with vegetables, all kind of seasonal vegetables, with a meat stew, with fish (whole fish, big chunks of white grouper, patties of sardines…etc) with olive oil, with butter, with honey, with preserved butter, with a poultry stew, savory and sweet, “royal” style with vegetables, meat and merguez sausage, or it can be served sweet with dried fruits, nuts and cinnamon, also known as “Seffa”.

Seffa is a popular beloved couscous dish where grains of couscous are generously coated with sweet butter and gently tossed with raisins (or any dried fruits available), nuts and a dust of warm cinnamon. It’s genius!
It is served at engagement parties, just after the exchange of the engagement rings, on weddings, during Ramadan, at funerals (usually made by neighbors in mounds and mounds to feed the mourners). Seffa is also served to a guest who comes to your house for the first time (I’ll make it up for you, Shayne and Christine!) After being offered courses after courses, the guest is honored with a bowl of Seffa, a symbol of welcome, hospitality, and to fully satiate him.

Seffa is also very popular during Rural Fairs and banquets where pounds and pounds of couscous are made for days by the finest cooks in the village and shared with the whole village to celebrate the end of a good harvest, or to wish for a better harvest for the next year.

Seffa is traditionally served in a big salad-bowl like called “zlafa”, made of wood or ceramic, set in the middle of a circular table for people to gather around. Each and everyone given a spoon would have to eat only from the nearest part of the couscous that is in front of him. It is considered very rude to “make a hole” in your part of the couscous then go to your neighbor’s “territory” and dig another hole just because he has more raisins than you do. It’s worst than the double dipping rule!

Despite being called a sweet couscous, it isn't considered as a dessert and it’s not utterly sweet since the sugar isn’t mixed into the couscous but is rather served separately in a small plate for people to add.

Other Couscous Recipes:
- Green Peas and Golden Raisins Peas
- Couscous with Lamb and Vegetables Stew

Seffa: Dried Fruits and Cinnamon Couscous

Recipe: Serves 4-6
- 1lb plain couscous
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup dried apricots, sliced
- ½ cup dates, pitted and sliced
- 1 handful of slivered almonds
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ stick salted butter (or unsalted), diced
- Superfine sugar or brown sugar to serve.

Rinse the couscous in a colander under running water. Drain it well and invert into a bowl. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a big pot of water to a boil. Fluff the couscous by rubbing it between your hands. Put the couscous in the steamer insert of your couscoussier, (if you don’t have a couscoussier, use a large metal colander that will fit tightly above the pot). Place it over the boiling water, without touching the water, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 30 minutes or until the couscous feels dense when you tap it gently with your hand.

Remove the couscous from the boiling water and invert it into a large bowl (don’t turn off the heat). Add salt, oil and one ladle of the boiling water and let it stand for about 10 minutes.
Without burning your fragile hands, rub the couscous between your hands to break up any lumps. At this point, if you taste the couscous, you will find it rather dry and uncooked. Add one ladle of boiling water at a time, and continue rubbing the couscous between your hands, until the grains feel soft to your tongue. It usually takes me two to three ladles of boiling water to have a soft, melt in your mouth couscous.

Rinse the steamer, or the colander, and grease it with some oil or butter. Put a layer of couscous in the steamer, then a layer of raisins and dried apricots and dates, and another layer of couscous. We want the dried fruits to steam and plump up perfectly without being mushy. Place the steamer over the boiling water again and steam for another 25-30 minutes.

Turn the couscous out, with the raisins, dried apricots and dates, into the large bowl and add the butter. Stir using a wooden spoon until the butter has melted, then use your hands to fluff the couscous and break up any lumps.

Serve the couscous as shown in the photo with the cinnamon sprinkled in stripes down the mound and the slivered almonds scattered over the top. Serve hot. Serve the sugar in a small bowl on the table for you and your guests to add to the couscous.

Saha Taamkoum! (Enjoy the couscous!)

Seffa: Couscous aux Fruits Secs et a La Cannelle

In Francais Please: Pour 4-6 personnes
- 450g de couscous
- 1 c.c de sel
- 1 c.s d’huile vegetale
- 150g de raisins secs
- 100g d’abricots secs
- 75g de dattes, dénoyauté et coupées en tranches
- 1 petite poignée d’amandes effilées
- 1 c.c de cannelle en poudre
- 50g de beurre
- Sucre fin ou sucre brun pour servir

Rinser le couscous, l’égoutter et le mettre dans un bol. Laisser secher au moins 15 minutes.
Entre temps, remplir votre pot de couscoussier d’eau et porter a ebullition. Frotter les graines de couscous entre vos mains pour les separer et mettre le couscous dans la partie superieur du couscoussier. (Si vous n’avez pas de couscoussier, vous pouvez utilisez une grande passoire en fer qui se tienne fermement sur une casserole). Mettre sur l’eau bouillante et laisser cuire sur feu doux environ 30 minutes.

Retirer le couscous du feu, mais sans eteindre le feu,et le transvaser dans une grande bassine. Ajouter le sel, l’huile et une louche d’eau bouillante. Laisser reposer 10 minutes.

Commencer a remuer le couscous doucement et sans bruler vos petites mains. A ce stade, si vous goutez quelques graines de couscous, vous remarquerez qu’elle sont pas tout a fait cuites. Frotter les graines de couscous entre vos mains et ajouter l’eau bouillante petit a petit jusqu’a ce que le couscous vous soit doux et fondant sur votre langue. J’ai besoin d’environ deux a trois louches pour avoir un couscous tendre et fondant.

Rinser le couscoussier des graines restante et le graisser avec une matiere grasse (beurre ou huile végétale). Verser e moitié du couscous puis les fruits secs et puis le reste du couscous. Remettre sur le pot d’eau bouillante et cuire encore 25-30 minutes.

Remettre le couscous et les fruits secs dans la bassine et ajouter le beurre. Mélanger a l’aide d’une cuillere en bois, puis avec vos mains.

Servir le couscous comme sur la photo: en dome avec la cannelle en bordures et les amandes effilées parsemée sur le dessus. Servir de suite. Servir le sucre dans une petite assiette a coté du couscous pour vous et vos invités.

Bon Appétit!

Follow My Directions / Suivre Mes Instructions

“Honey! You are being redundant. They are going to think that you are a couscous freak!”
I know I am being redundant and that I already talked about this subject in great detail before, but it just drives me crazy to see people on TV soaking couscous instead of steaming it!
Why steaming it instead of soaking it?
Well, we want to allow the grains of couscous to cook evenly without overcooking it or undercooking it. This is not the place for “al dente”.

Three words for an authentic homemade couscous dish: Steaming, Rubbing and Coating.

Steam your couscous in a couscous pot if you are a “couscous freak” like me, or a simple steamer lined with a chesecloth will work. No lid will be needed and the water shouldn’t touch the couscous.
Don’t be afraid to rub your couscous between your hands since it is the best and only way you will need to achieve this melt in your mouth texture that couscous is known for.

After steaming your couscous, don’t forget to finish it by coating it with butter, vegetable oil or olive oil while continuously rubbing it between your hands. This will help it keep its moisture and softness and will definitely convince you to throw the package directions away.

Green Peas and Golden Raisin couscous

Recipe:

- 1 ½ cup couscous
- ½ cup green peas
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- 6 mint leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt

Follow this recipe to prepare the couscous. Steam the green peas and golden raisins together until they are both tender. After coating the couscous with olive oil, mix in all the remaining ingredients by using your hands or a wooden spoon. Serve immediately.

Couscous aux Petis pois et Raisins Secs

In francais please:

- 300g de couscous
- 125g de petis pois
- 50g de raisins secs
- 6 feuilles de menthe, ciselees
- 1 c.s de pignons de pin, grilles
- 3 c.s d’huile d’olive
- Sel

Suivre cette recette pour la preparation du couscous. Faites cuire les petits pois et les raisins a la vapeur ensemble jusqu’a ce qu’ils deviennent tendres. Apres avoir enduit votre couscous d’huile d’olive, melanger tous les ingredients restants au couscous en utilisant vos mains ou une cuillere en bois. Servir aussitot.

Un Bouquet d'Orecchiette / Orecchiette Bouquet

Few weeks ago, Lili asked bloggers to come up with a recipe that will complement her beautiful homemade Orecchiette. She was nice enough to let us choose between making our own pasta and buying it from the store. I opted for the second option. Not that I am lazy, It just that I couldn’t wait to try this pasta that I have never had before.
After thinking and looking for some inspiration in the market and in my archives, I decided to make Orecchiette with Swiss chard, bok choy, a sweet and lemony leeks sauce and some fried calamari rings to serve. What I loved about this pasta is how delicate it is and how the leeks sauce was able to coat the pasta without spoiling its shape.
Now tell me, in order to honor Orecchiette, how would you dress this cute little pasta?


Orecchiette with greens, leeks sauce and fried calamari rings:

Recipe: Serves 6
- 1 Lb orecchiette pasta
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 medium leeks, white parts only sliced.
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tbsp parsley leaves
- 8 large Swiss chard leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1 bunch of Bok Choy, leaves chopped
- 1 Lb squid, cleaned and cut in rings
- 1 tbsp diced ginger
- 1 tbsp of lime juice
- 1 garlic, diced
- 1 tbsp minced cilantro
- 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- Salt, pepper
- Oil for frying
- Roasted hazelnut oil.

Marinate the calamari rings with the limejuice, ginger, garlic, and cilantro, salt and pepper for 1 h. Toss the calamari in panko and fry until golden brown. Keep the calamari rings warm in a preheated 200F oven.
Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a pan. Add the leeks and cook until softened, about 10 min. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest and parsley and bring to boil. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Meanwhile cook the orecchiette pasta until it’s almost al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water. Set the pasta aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan. Add the Swiss chard leaves, the bok choy leaves; cook over high heat until wilted. Add the pasta, leek sauce and the reserved pasta cooking water, stirring and tossing until it all gets blended, About 5 min. Season to taste. Serve immediately. Top the pasta with fried calamari and drizzle with some roasted hazelnut oil.




Orecchiette avec herbes, sauce au poireaux et anneaux de calamar frits.

In francais please: Pour 6 personnes
- 500g d’ orecchiettes
- 4 c.s d’huile d’olive
- 3 poireaux moyens, coupes en morceau
- 225ml de bouillon de poulet
- 1 c.s de jus de citron frais
- ½ c.c de zest de citron
- 1 c.s de feuilles de persil
- 8 larges feuilles de cardes, ciselees
- 1 bouquet de bok choy (chou chinois), cisele
- 500g de calamar, netoye et coupe en anneaux
- 1 c.s de gingembre, hache
- 1 c.s de jus de citron vert
- 1 gousse d’ail hache
- 1 c.s de coriandre hachee
- 250g de panko (chapelure japonaise)
- Sel, poivre
- Huile pour frire
- L’huile de noisette

Assaisoner les anneaux de calamar de sel et de poivre. Les faire mariner dans le jus de citron vert, le gingembre, l’ail et la coriandre pendant 1 h. Enduire les calamars sans les rincer de panko et faites frire jusqu'à ce qu’ils soient dores. Garder les calamar au chaud dans un four chauffe a 100C.
Entre temps, faites chauffer 2 c.s d’huile d’olive dans une poele. Ajouter les poireaux et cuire jusqu'à devenir fondant, environ 10 min. Couvrir de bouillon de volaille, jus de citron, zest de citron, feuilles de persil et porter a ebulitions. Transvaser le tout dans un mixer et mixer le tout pour obtenir une sauce lisse. Entre temps, faire cuire les pates jsuqu’a ce qu’elles soient presque al dente. Recuperer 50 ml de l’eau de cuisson pour plus tard. Egoutter les pates et mettre de cote.
Faites chauffer l’huile d’olive restant dans une poele. Ajouter les cardes, les feuilles de bok choy et faites cuire sur grand feu en remuant sans arret, environ 5 min. Ajouter les pates, la sauce de poireaux et l’eau de cuisson des pates et melanger doucement pour bien impregner les pates sans abimer leur forme. Assaisoner selon le gout. Servir tout de suite avec les anneaux de calamr au-dessus et un filet d’huile de noisettes.

Lasagne pour couples branchés / Lasagna for hip couples

Sometimes I forget that I am a mommy.

Last Saturday, my husband and I decided to go to Starbucks for a coffee (Hot chocolate for me). It was a beautiful day, so we went to the one in Rochester, a city not too far from where we live. Since I had some posts that I didn’t have time to publish on my blog, I wanted to take my laptop with me. My husband told me that it wasn’t such a good idea because my daughter wouldn’t let me work peacefully on it. I taught: “yeah, maybe you’re right; I’ll just take a book to read then”

I really wanted to be like one of those hip young people with their laptop, their I pods and their Money Magazine, trying to be submerged by their screen while checking every person who passes by. I wanted to browse the internet while sipping my hot chocolate in front of the big fireplace. I wanted to try my wireless connection that I didn’t have the opportunity to try outside of my house. I wanted to be “hip”.
But I forgot that I have never seen those people trying to be hip with a seven months old baby. I forgot that my daughter loves my laptop so much that she would lick the screen to know how it tastes like.

Let me just say that it was a good idea that I didn’t bring my laptop with me and that I even didn’t have the time to read my book; that it stays the whole time on the table between my hot chocolate mug and a baby bib. My, so anticipated relaxation time was cut short by a bored baby who wanted to swing the whole time from my arms to her father’s; plus a going back and forth to the bathroom to wash her toy that she throws on the floor more that I can count and add to this whole "baby adventure" a dirty diaper. I guess I am not that hip girl that I used to be anymore.

Back home, after feeding her, bathing her and putting her in her crib for a nap, I had to recover my confidence, so I made this “gourmet” lasagna with salmon, portabella mushrooms and rosemary. The rosemary gives this woody taste that goes very well with the mushroom and the fish; and the creaminess of the béchamel sauce balances the strong character of each ingredient. You can top the lasagna with some toasted pine nuts for the crunch.


Salmon, Mushrooms and Rosemary Lasagna

Recipe:
- 4 giant Portabella mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tbsp butter plus 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1lb of salmon filet
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 7 ounces Ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups Béchamel sauce
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 6 sheets of lasagna
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Boil the lasagna according to the package directions. Drizzle with some olive oil, separate them with your hands and Set aside.
Sauté the mushroom in the butter until cooked, tender and until all of it water has evaporated. Set aside.
Sauté the salmon in the olive until golden brown on each side, about 3min on each side, it depends on the thickness of the fish. Crumble the fish with a fork into small pieces. Set aside.
Beat the eggs and mix them with the ricotta and the rosemary leaves finely chopped. (Keep some extra leaves to top the dish).Season the mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.
To assemble the Lasagna dish, grease a 6 inch square baking pan with butter and spread ½ cup of béchamel sauce on the bottom. Layer two lasagna sheets, some béchamel sauce, ½ of the mushrooms and ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. Layer two others lasagna sheets, the remaining béchamel sauce, half the salmon and top it with another ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. Layer the remaining sheets, the ricotta mixture, the remaining mushroom, and the remaining salmon and top it with the parmesan cheese and the reserved rosemary leaves.
Cook the dish in a preheated 375F oven for 30 min. Let stand 15minutes before cutting.



Lasagne de Saumon, Champignons et Romarin

In francais please:
- 4 gros cepes, finement eminces
- 30g de beurre plus 1c.c d’huile d’olive
- 450g de fillets de saumon
- 1c.s d’huile d’olive
- 200g de Ricotta
-2 oeufs entiers
- 500ml de sauce Béchamel
- 1 branche de romarin
- 6 feuilles de lasagne
- 100g de Parmesan râpé
- Sel, poivre

Faites cuire les lasagnes selon les directions du paquet. Verser un peu d’huile d’olive après cuisson et separer les feuilles de lasagne avec vos mains.
Faites sauter les champignons dans le mélange beurre, huile d’olive jusqu’a ce qu’ils deviennent tendres et jusqu’a ce que ce le liquide se soit evapore. Mettre de cote. Faites cuire le saumon dans de l’huile d’olive jusqu’a ce qu’il devienne dore des deux cotes, environ 3min de chaque cote, cela depends de l’epaisseur du poisson. Mettre de cote.
Battre les oeufs et les melanger a la ricotta et les feuilles de romarin hachees. Reserver quelques feuilles non-hachees pour plus tard.
Pour assembler le plat, Beurrer un moule carre (environ 15cm) et mettre au fond environ 50ml de sauce béchamel. Disposer 2 feuilles de lasagne, une couche epaisse de sauce béchamel, la moitie des champignons et un peu de parmesan rape. Disposer 2 autres feuilles de lasagne, le reste de la sauce béchamel, la moitie du saumon et du fromage rape. Disposer les dernieres feuilles de lasagne, le mélange de ricotta, le reste de champignons, le reste de saumon, le reste de parmesan rape et les feuilles de romarin reservees auparavant.
Cuire dans un four prechauffe a 180C pendant 30min. Laisser reposer 15min avant de couper.

Le nid de Fettuccine / Fettuccine nest

It’s not even summer, it’s not even spring, it’s not even sunny and yet I am starting to look for recipes that are light, refreshing and easy to make. Believe it or not, even though I like Pasta, and except for Pasta Bolognaise, I don’t like drenching them in heavy sauces of all kinds. You feel full by having two bites of it.
With this dish and the colors on it, I hope bringing the warm weather sooner than expected. Apparently, according to the latest, so publicized book “the secret” if you want something and wish for it very hard you can have it without any problem. The result: It’s windy and cloudy outside. I guess I should wait; it may take a little longer than I expected. At least it was spring in my kitchen and in my white, plain plates.

Recipe:
- ½ lb fettuccine
-2 chicken breasts, sliced
-2 green onions, minced
-6 asparaguses
-2 lemons
-1tsp sugar
-1 mango, diced
- Olive oil
-1 tbsp Poppy seeds
- Salt, pepper

In a baking sheet, coat the asparaguses with 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 min in a preheated 375 F oven.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Cook the chicken slices in 1 tbsp olive oil until golden brown and remove from the pan. In the same pan, put the green onions and the juice of the 2 lemons with the sugar and let reduce on high heat until the sauce coat the spoon. Slowly pour in the olive oil, mixing with a wire whisk until the sauce starts to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper, and add the pasta, the chicken and the sliced asparaguses. Stir well. Remove from the pan and stir in the mango and the poppy seeds. Bon appetit



In francais please:
-200g fettuccine
-2 blancs de poulet, coupes en lamelles
- 2 oignons verts, eminces
-6 asperges
-2 citrons jaunes
-1 morceau de sucre
-1 mangue, coupee en des
-huile d’olive
-1 c.s de graines de pavot
- Sel, poivre

Dans un plat allant au four, enduire les asperges d’une c.s d’huile d’olive, assaisonner de sel, poivre et saupoudrer d’une c.s de parmesan rape. Faire cuire dans un four prechauffe a 190C pendant 20min.
Cuire les pates selon les directions de la boite.
Faites sauter les lamelles de poulet dans 1c.s d’huile d’olive jusqua ce qu’elles soient bien dorees, puis retirer de la poele et mettre de cote. Dans la meme poele, mettre les oignons, et le jus des citrons jaunes avec le sucre. Laisser reduire sur grand feu jusqu’a ce que la sauce nappe la cuillere. Verser alors ,doucement, l’huile d’olive tout en fouettant jusqu’a ce que la sauce monte legerment. Saler, poivrer et y ajouter les pates, le poulet et les asperges coupes en trois sur la longueur. Bien melanger. Hors du feu, avant de servir, ajouter les des de mangue et les graines de pavot. Bon appetit

Le couscous du Vendredi / Friday's couscous

We are Friday, my mom called me: "what are you doing for lunch today?" she asked - couscous, I replied.
It's not every Friday that I make couscous, even though M wouldn't mind, but in North Africa (where I am from) most families eat couscous on Fridays. It's part of the culture. Couscous, in Arabic "taam", which translates literally: "food" is the signature dish of this region. There are many ways to prepare couscous: Savory, with meat and vegetables. With fish or sausage, or sweet with dried fruits, nuts, honey, spices and sugar.

The most popular version is the couscous with lamb and vegetables stew. Now, when it comes to preparing the couscous, let me say something very important: if you want an authentic couscous forget preparing it by just adding water (That's what the directions on the box would ask you), because you will never get the same texture and taste.
The right way to prepare couscous is to steam it in a couscous pot (couscoussier) twice. It sure takes more time than just pouring water over it but it's so much worth it. For this recipe, I always use plain couscous .

Lamb And Vegetable Stew Couscous

Recipe:
to prepare the couscous, rinse the couscous with a little bit of water.Drain the excess liquid and let stand for 15 min. The couscous will become sticky.Try to get it to it's grainy aspect by mixing it with your hands in a circular motion.Meanwhile start boiling some water in the bottom part of the couscous pot. Steam the desired amount of couscous (I used one pound)in a couscous pot: the couscous on top, for about 15-20 minutes until you will feel that the couscous became a single block when touching it slightly. Without turning the heat off, remove the top of the couscous pot and add to the couscous 1tsp of salt, 1tbsp of oil and one ladle of hot water from the bottom of the couscous pot. Let it stand for about 10min and invert the couscous into a large bowl. Start mixing it with your hands by rubbing them together in a circular motion. Then, slowly add some hot water, always from the bottom of the couscous pot, to the couscous. Mix it all together carefully and add more water until you will feel the couscous soft on your hands and on your tongue. But, be careful to add too much water.

Put it back on the couscous pot and let it cook for another 15min until you can see the steam coming from the couscous.Invert it back again into the bowl and add 4 tbs of butter. Let it melt on the couscous ,and when the couscous is cool enough to handle, mix it rubbing your hands together in a circular motion.

For the lamb and vegetables stew, you need:
-1lb lamb(shoulder or leg)
-3 little onions (each one sticked with one clove)
-2 carrots
-2 zucchinis
-2 turnips
-2 tomatoes
-1 celery
-1/2 cup of chickpeas (soaked in water for 10 hours)
-3 cups of water or vegetables broth
-some threads of saffron
-1tbsp of tomato paste.
-salt, pepper and 1tsp cumin.

Saute the meat in a little bit of oil until well browned .Add the onions and all the vegetables.pour in the liquid ,the saffron , the tomato paste , salt, pepper and cumin. Cover with a lid and cook for 30min. Serve the couscous with the vegetables on top, the meat around and pour the stew to suit your taste.

Couscous au Mouton et Legumes

In francais please:
Pour preparer le couscous (j’ai utilise 500g de couscous) , laver-le avec un peu d’eau ,puis l’egouter. Mettre de cote pour 15min. Entre temps remplir le couscoussier d’eau et le mettre a bouillir. Le couscous, vous le verrez , deviendra collant . Frictionner-le entre vos mains pour qu’il redevienne granuleux. Mettre le couscous dans le haut du couscoussier et laisser cuire environ 20 minutes ou jusqu’a ce que le couscous forme un bloc quand vous le toucher legerment de vos mains. Enlever le couscous du feu et mettre desssus 1c.c de sel, 1c.s d’huile et 2 louches d’eau que vous aurez recupere du bas du couscoussier.Laisser le couscous de cote sans le renverser pendant 10min. Transvaser le couscous dans un grand bol et commencer a y ajouter tout doucement de l’eau du couscoussier .Frictionner le couscous entre vos mains pour bien l’impregner. Rajouter de l’eau jusqu’a ce que le couscous devienne doux au toucher et leger quand vous le goutez. Remettre le couscous dans son couscoussier et faites cuire une deuxieme fois pour 15min. Le remettre dans le bol et y ajouter 4c.s de beurre. Laisser le fondre dessus puis, commencer a le melanger avec vos mains quand le couscous aura un peu refroidit.

Pour le bouillon d’agneau aux legumes, il vous faut:

-450g d’agneau(gigot ou epaule)
-3 petits oignons (chacun pique d’un clou de giroffle)
-2 carottes
-2 courgettes
-2 navets
-2 tomates
-1 cote de celri
-700ml d’eau ou de bouillon de legumes.
100g de pois-chiche trempe dans l’eau la veille.
-Safran
1c.s de tomate en conserve
-Sel,poivre et 1c.c de cumin

Faire dorer la viande dans un peu d’huile. Ajouter les oignons, les legumes entiers, le safran , la tomate en conserve, le cumin et sel poivre. Couvrir d’eau et laisser cuire pendant 30 ou jusq’a ce que la viande et les legumes soient cuits. Servir le couscous dans une assiette, les legumes dessus, la viande autour et mouiller de bouillon a votre gout.