Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Homemade pesto

I absolutely adore pesto. But the storebought variety leaves me cold. So, once again I have to say that a homemade product is so much better then what you buy on a shelf in the supermarket. And speak of easy and quick. I make a big batch and keep it in the refrigerator for up to tow weeks. Just make sure you cover it with a layer of olive oil. It never lasts that long though. We use a lot of pesto ; with pasta, on sandwiches, on toasted pannis, with tomatoes and burrata, with salads, soups… just about eveywhere. This recipe makes about one cup of pesto.

Recipe

  1. 60 g fresh washed and dried basil leaves
  2. 60 g finely grated parmesan cheese
  3. 50 g pine nuts
  4. 1 large clove of garlic
  5. olive oil to taste (about 100 ml)
  6. 5 ml lemon juice
  7. Salt and pepper
  • Add the basil leaves, parmesan cheese, garlic and pine nuts to a blender and blend.
  • Add the olive oil and blend to a pulp, not smooth like a sauce.
  • Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper.
  • Transfer to a container and taste for seasoning.
  • Add a layer of olive oil, cover with a lid and store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 1 cup of pesto

Pinch of salt.

  1. Store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
  2. Add to ice cube tray and store in the freezer. Take as many ice cubes of pesto as you need and defrost. Can be stored for a month.
  3. Use parsley or arugula instead of basil.
  4. Omit the lemon juice, which might add decoloration to the pesto.
  5. Use on sandwiches, in salads, with tomato and burrata or mozzarella, on pizzas, toasted paninis.
Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Mussels with white wine and cream (mariniére)

I love mussels and mu favorite is “moules mariniéres”, mussels in wine and cream. It is so quick to make and so delicious, we eat it often. The best time to eat mussels is from july to january. These mussels are from la baie du Mont-St-Michel. I dont give exact quantities, taste and add as you go along.

Moules mariniéres(mussels with white wine and cream)

Recipe:

  • About 1kg mussels
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • knob of butter
  • olive oil
  • 1 lemon for zest and juice
  • glass of dry white wine
  • cream to taste
  • salt and pepper
  • fresh dill chopped
  1. Put the mussels in a large bowl with water and salt and leave for 5 minutes. Wash and rinse under cold water, pull out the beard and discard any open and broken mussels.
  2. Chop the onion and garlic and add to a big casserole.
  3. Add olive oil and a knob of butter, and sauté the onions and garlic until translucent.
  4. Add the glass of wine and some freshly squeezed lemon juice to the onions and leave to cook for about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the mussles, cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes or until the mussels have all opened up completely.
  6. Add the cream, turn off the heat and scatter the chopped dill and lemon zest over the mussels.
  7. Season and serve the mussels immedately with bread to mop up the juices and a glass of white wine.

Serves 4

Pinch of salt:

  1. The saltwater before rinsing helps to remove sand from the mussels.
  2. Discard all broken mussels and those that are already open.
  3. Dont cook the mussels too log to avoid them being tough and rubbery. Check on them, it takes only 3-5minutes.
  4. Replace the dill with fresh parsley.

Baguette for the delicious cream sauce

Scatter with freshly chopped dill

Mopping the sauce with some fresh, crusty baguette.