Summer Cuisine Part 1

What I enjoy most about French cuisine is the respect for using seasonal fruits and vegetables. Its good for your health because there is less need for chemical usage as well as being good for the environment.

So what's in season right now in France as well as the rest of the Mediterranean? Too much to discuss in one blog entry...so today we're going to pay hommage to the artichoke. Rich in fiber and vitamines, the artichoke is a spring/summer vegetable. We can fricasse it with lemon and parmesan, stuff it with riccotta cheese, serve it in a tart with marinated mushrooms covered in a pastry shell or even just add it to a seafood salad with shrimp, calamari and of course plenty of olive oil.


















Here are an easy recipe that I suggest:

Creamy Chive Artichoke

Four servings
10 min preparation time
25 min cooking time

Ingredients:

4 Big artichokes
1 Lemon
3/4 cup of fresh cream
1 Bunch of Chives
Salt & pepper

Preparation:

1. Rince the artichokes and cut off the outer leaves. Let boil for 25 min.
2. Mix the cream, the juice from half of the lemon and chopped chives. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain the artichokes and let them cool.
3. Take off the leaves from the center and fill it with the cream and chive mixture. Serve immediately.