Women cooking in the traditional way on the island of Malicolo — using open fires, earthen ovens and ingredients foraged directly from the surrounding jungle. Vanuatu is one of the Pacific’s most remote and culturally diverse archipelagos, comprising over 80 islands and speaking more than 100 languages. Its cuisine is simple, rooted in the land, and deeply connected to nature.
Bissap: Hibiscus Flower Tea from West Africa
Bissap is a very popular drink in West Africa, Egypt, Sudan, and many other countries around the world. It is made from dried hibiscus flowers, also known as “Roselle flowers,” which are boiled in water with sugar and sometimes spices.
A Brief History of Bissap
The history of bissap dates back centuries, when it was used medicinally for its diuretic and refreshing properties. Over time, this drink became a staple in West African cuisines and has since been exported to many other countries. Bissap is often served at celebrations and ceremonies, particularly at weddings and religious festivals.
In addition to its refreshing taste, bissap is rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and minerals. It is often consumed cold in summer and hot in winter, making it a versatile drink for all seasons.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried hibiscus flowers (Roselle)
- 2 liters water
- 200g sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the dried hibiscus flowers under cold water.
- Bring the water to a boil in a large pot.
- Add the hibiscus flowers and let them simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Strain the liquid through a fine sieve, discarding the flowers.
- Add sugar while the drink is still hot and stir until dissolved.
- Add vanilla extract if using.
- Let cool, then refrigerate. Serve cold over ice with fresh mint.
Bissap can be kept refrigerated for up to one week. You can also add a splash of ginger juice or lime for an extra zesty flavor!
5 Tips to Make Your Chili Con Carne Even More Flavorful
Chili con carne is a dish traditionally associated with Mexican cuisine, although it is believed to have originated in the border region between Texas and Mexico in the 19th century. The name “chili con carne” literally means “chili with meat.” The dish is made with ground beef, onions, peppers, garlic, chiles, tomatoes, and red beans, along with a variety of spices such as cumin, coriander, and paprika. Traditionally, the dish is slow-cooked in a cast iron pot to allow the flavors to develop.
5 Tips to Make Your Chili Con Carne Even Better
- Use quality meat — Choose a mix of ground beef and diced chuck for a more complex texture. Brown the meat in batches to develop a good crust before adding other ingredients.
- Toast your spices — Briefly toast cumin seeds, dried chiles, and other whole spices in the pan before grinding. This unlocks their essential oils and intensifies the flavor.
- Low and slow — Patience is key! A chili that simmers for 2-3 hours (or even overnight) is incomparably better than a rushed version. The flavors meld together beautifully.
- Add dark chocolate or coffee — A small square of dark chocolate or a tablespoon of strong espresso deepens the richness of the sauce without making it taste sweet or bitter.
- Balance the acidity — A pinch of sugar or a splash of lime juice at the end can brighten and balance all the deep flavors. Taste and adjust before serving.
Serve your chili with rice, cornbread, or warm tortillas. Top with sour cream, grated cheddar, and fresh cilantro for the full experience!
Eggs in Red Wine Sauce (Œufs en Meurette)
La meurette is nothing more than this classic Burgundian sauce — a slow-reduced red wine sauce also used in the region as a cooking base for fish and certain meats. This sauce is the centerpiece of what is perhaps one of Burgundy’s most beloved traditional starters: eggs poached in red wine sauce.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 8 fresh eggs
- 1 bottle of Burgundy red wine (or any full-bodied red)
- 200g smoked lardons (bacon pieces)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 200g button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley)
- Salt and pepper
- Toasted bread slices, to serve
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, sauté the lardons, onion, and garlic in butter until golden. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Pour in the red wine and add the bouquet garni. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces slightly.
- Meanwhile, bring a separate pot of lightly salted water to a gentle simmer. Add a splash of vinegar. Crack each egg into a cup and gently slide into the simmering water. Poach for 3-4 minutes until the white is set but the yolk is still soft.
- Remove the bouquet garni from the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- To serve, place a toasted bread slice in each bowl, top with a poached egg, and generously ladle the red wine sauce over the top. Serve immediately.
Chef’s tip: Use the best quality red wine you can — since it’s the heart of the sauce, it makes a real difference. A good Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône works beautifully.
Country Chicken with Livarot Cheese and Melted Apples
Our country chicken with Livarot cheese and melted apples is the perfect recipe to end the season in style. It’s a free-range chicken cut into pieces, golden-browned in butter, braised in apple cider with melted apples and finished with Livarot — a rich, creamy cheese from Normandy.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 free-range chicken, cut into pieces
- 4 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced
- 1 Livarot cheese (or substitute with Camembert)
- 300ml dry apple cider
- 200ml crème fraîche
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Fresh thyme and bay leaf
- Salt, pepper, and nutmeg
- Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. In a large skillet, brown them in butter on all sides until golden. Set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté the shallots until soft. Return the chicken, add the cider and herbs, and braise covered on low heat for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the apple slices in butter with a pinch of sugar until soft and golden.
- Remove the chicken from the pan. Stir in the crème fraîche and let the sauce reduce for 5 minutes. Add the Livarot (rind removed, cut into pieces) and stir until melted.
- Return the chicken to the pan with the apples. Warm through for 5 more minutes and serve with steamed potatoes or crusty bread.
Baked Eggs with Foie Gras
To prepare delicious baked eggs with foie gras, you don’t need to be a professional chef. This dish is pure delight — easy and quick to prepare. The combination of fresh foie gras and eggs is an absolute treat, especially served warm as a starter for a special meal.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 8 fresh eggs
- 100g fresh foie gras (or foie gras terrine)
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- Salt, white pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg
- Fresh chives, finely chopped
- Toasted brioche or country bread, to serve
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly butter 4 ramekins.
- Cut the foie gras into small cubes and divide among the ramekins.
- Break 2 eggs into each ramekin. Add 1 tablespoon of cream per ramekin.
- Season with salt, white pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.
- Place the ramekins in a baking dish filled with hot water (bain-marie) and bake for 12-15 minutes until the whites are just set but the yolks remain runny.
- Sprinkle with fresh chives and serve immediately with warm brioche or toasted bread.
Lyonnaise Salad with Dandelion Greens and Lardons
Lyonnaise salad is a traditional dish from Lyon, France — one of the world’s great culinary capitals. This classic salad is a feast for the eyes and the palate, combining bitter frisée lettuce, crispy lardons, poached eggs, and a warm shallot vinaigrette.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 head of frisée lettuce (or dandelion greens), washed and dried
- 200g smoked lardons (or thick-cut bacon)
- 4 fresh eggs
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Croutons (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- Fry the lardons in a dry pan until crispy. Set aside but keep warm. Use the rendered fat to cook the shallots until soft.
- Make the vinaigrette: whisk together mustard, vinegar, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in the shallots and warm lardons.
- Poach the eggs in barely simmering water with a splash of vinegar for 3-4 minutes.
- Toss the frisée with the warm vinaigrette. Divide among plates. Top each portion with a poached egg. Add croutons if desired.
- Serve immediately while still warm — this is a salad that should not wait!
The secret to a great Lyonnaise salad is the warm dressing — it lightly wilts the bitter greens and creates a beautiful contrast with the runny egg yolk.
Stuffed Tomatoes with Chaource Cheese and Lardons
These stuffed tomatoes with Chaource cheese and lardons make for an elegant yet simple French-inspired starter. Chaource is a soft, creamy cow’s milk cheese from the Champagne region of France — similar in texture to Camembert but milder and slightly tangy.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 4 large, firm tomatoes
- 1 Chaource cheese (or substitute Camembert or cream cheese)
- 150g smoked lardons
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- Fresh thyme and basil
- Salt, pepper, olive oil
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Slice the tops off the tomatoes and carefully scoop out the seeds and pulp. Season the insides with salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Fry the lardons and shallots together until golden. Remove from heat and mix with the Chaource cut into small pieces, fresh thyme, and black pepper.
- Spoon the filling into the tomatoes. Replace the tops as lids.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes are tender and the filling is melted and golden.
- Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm as a starter or light meal.
Spritz – Viennese Butter Shortbread Cookies
Les Spritz sont un type de biscuits fabriqués avec de la farine, du beurre, du sucre et de la vanille. C’est une pâtisserie typique de Vienne et d’autres cultures d’Europe centrale. Elle est souvent considérée comme un symbole de Noël.
Ingrédients :
Pour environ 30 pièces – Préparation en 15 minutes – Pour une cuisson de 15 minutes
- 1 œuf battu
- 120g de beurre pommade
- 50g de sucre glace
- 150g de farine
- 1 pincée de zeste de citron confite
- Quelques gouttes d’extrait de vanille
Préparation :
Etape 1 : Préchauffer le four à 180°C.
- Hacher finement 1 c à c d’écorce de citron.
- Placer le beurre dans un saladier.
- Ajouter le sucre glace, le zeste de citron et l’extrait de vanille.
- Fouetter 1 minute au batteur électrique pour obtenir une crème onctueuse.
- Ajouter petit à petit, toujours en fouettant, l’œuf battu, puis la farine en pluie.
Etape 2 : Tapisser une plaque à pâtisserie de papier sulfurisé.
- Verser la préparation dans une poche à douille munie d’une douille étoilée. Disposer la pâte en rosace de 3 cm de large en les espaçant.
- Enfourner pour 15 minutes.
- Laisser refroidir sur la plaque.
On adore ! god smag!
Petite astuce : Réunissez 2 biscuits en les collant avec 1 cuillère à soupe de pâte à tartiner au citron pour le thé, ou au chocolat pour le goûter.
A découvrir aussi : Spéculoos fait maison
Scarpaccia (Italian Grandmother’s Zucchini Cake)
Ce gâteau, appelé scarppacia est typique de la Toscane (Italie). Il peut être servir en entrée ou en dessert toute l’année. La scarpaccia est préparé principalement avec la courgette.
Un gâteau moelleux et délicieux parfait en été, la saison où les courgettes sont abondantes! Il est meilleur servi à température ambiante.
Ingrédients :
Pour 6 personnes – Temps de préparation 20 minutes – Cuisson 45 minutes
- 250g de petites courgettes
- 1 gros œuf
- 15 cl (environ 10 cuillère à soupe) de lait
- 100g de sucre
- 200g de farine
- ½ sachet de levure chimique
- 3 cuillère à soupe d’huile d’olive
- Sucre glace pour la décoration
Préparation :
Etape 1 : Couper les courgettes bien lavées en quatre dans sa longueur, puis en fines lamelles.
Etape 2 : Fouetter l’œuf avec le sucre.
Etape 3 : Ajouter l’huile et le lait.
Etape 4 : Incorporer la farine et la levure.
Etape 5 : Préchauffé le four à 180°C.
Etape 6 : Verser la pâte dans une moule rectangulaire tapissé de papier sulfurisé.
Etape 7 : Enfourner environ 40 minutes : le gâteau doit sortir juste blond.
Etape 8 : Laisser tiédir avant de démouler.
Etape 9 : Saupoudrer de sucre glace.
Etape 10 : Couper en carrés et server tiède ou à température ambiante.
Buon appetito!
Variante du scarppacia :
Avec des pignons, la scarppacia est parfois enrichi de pignons. Ajoutez-en environ 60g dans la pâte juste avant de la verser dans le moule.
A découvrir aussi : chichi fregi
Vietnamese Beef Pho Soup Recipe
Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is Vietnam’s most beloved soup — a fragrant, clear broth with rice noodles, tender beef, and fresh herbs. Though it takes time, the depth of flavor you achieve is absolutely worth it. This is comfort food at its most sophisticated.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 500g beef bones (knuckle and marrow)
- 300g beef brisket or chuck
- 300g flat rice noodles
- 1 large onion, halved and charred
- 1 piece fresh ginger (5cm), charred
- 3 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- Salt and sugar to taste
Toppings
- Thin slices of raw beef (for cooking in the hot broth)
- Bean sprouts, fresh lime wedges, chili slices
- Fresh basil, cilantro, and green onions
- Hoisin sauce and sriracha
- Blanch the beef bones in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse. This removes impurities and ensures a clear broth.
- Char the onion and ginger directly over a flame or under the broiler until blackened. This adds a smoky depth.
- Place bones in a large pot with 3 liters of cold water. Add the charred onion, ginger, and all spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for at least 3 hours (longer is better).
- Add the brisket in the last hour. Cook until tender. Remove, slice thinly, and set aside.
- Strain the broth. Season with fish sauce, salt, and a pinch of sugar.
- Cook the rice noodles per package instructions. Divide among bowls. Add brisket slices and a few raw beef slices. Ladle the very hot broth over the top (the heat cooks the raw beef).
- Serve immediately with all the fresh toppings on the side.