L’Aïoli:

This is THE typical dish from Provence (South East of France Region) and my absolute favorite summer dish. It reminds me of my childhood, because growing up in Provence we ate this often in the summer. This is a sauce made of garlic and olive oil, served with codfish, boiled summer vegetables and hard boiled eggs. It’s simple but so yummy. This is the perfect dish to share with friends and family together, during a beautiful summer day in the shade of the olive tree with a glass of Rosé.

The name Aïoli comes from the Provence Dialect (Provençal) “Ail”, which means garlic and “Oli” for oil. It has to be made by hand, using a mortar and pestle to achieve the best taste and the right consistency. This sauce is the emblem of the Mediterranean cuisine. Now have fun making it and Enjoy! Bon Appétit!

Ingredients For The Sauce:

6 Garlic cloves

Olive oil

1 Teaspoon of salt

1 Egg yolk

1 Lemon

Other Ingredients:

(Serves 4-6)

2 pounds Codfish (1 filet per person)

2 Potatoes per person

1 Egg per person

2 Carrots per person

Half a pound of Green Beans

Half a Beet per person

a quarter of Fennel per person

Half a Cauliflower

Instructions:

Prep the cod and boiled the eggs and vegetables the night before you plan to cook. I use a pressure cooker to boil the vegetables. Sprinkle cod all over with sea salt.
Cook cod: Rinse cod to remove salt. Simmer until flakey about 15 minutes. Place on a platter.
Make the Aïoli: Peel the garlic and remove the germ. Place it in a mortar and using a pestle grind the garlic. Add the salt and egg yolk continuing to grind, but also moving in circular motions. Drizzle in the olive oil in a very slow steady stream, while moving the pestle in circular motions. Keep pouring the olive oil very slowly and mixing in circular motions at the same time, until you get a thick sauce. Add the juice of one lemon and keep whisking until combined. You want to have the pestle stands straight in the middle of the sauce without falling. This is the sign of a good aioli. It takes concentration and skill to make it well.
Tip if you fail the pestle test: add a boiled potato to the mixture to make it thicker.
Serve: Place all the boiled vegetables and boiled eggs in a big serving dish. Serve the Aioli separately in the mortar. The cod is served on a separate platter. Don’t forget the Rosé! Santé! :-) (Cheers!)

Salade Niçoise:

This is one of my favorite salads during the summer. I tend to make it for dinner.

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

2 Green Peppers

6 Medium-Size Tomatoes (Tomatoes on the Vine)

8 Medium Radishes

2 Green Onions

4 Eggs

1 Can of Tuna (I buy the Solid White Albacore Tuna in water no salt added at Trader Joe’s)

Canned Anchovies (Cento Flat Fillet Anchovies in Olive Oil, 2 ounces at Trader Joe’s )

Black Olives

Instructions:

Start by boiling your eggs for 10 minutes. After you’ve dropped the eggs, cut the green peppers and tomatoes into small pieces, then slice the radishes in half and chop them again in half one more time. I prefer large pieces of radish for the tasty texture and dimension it adds to the dish. But that’s up to you, make thin slices if you prefer. Your eggs should be ready and you will cut them into small pieces. Once cut, add the tuna and hard boiled eggs in your salad bowl. Sprinkle chopped green onions and place the anchovies on top of the salad. Finish by adding a few black olives.

Seasoning:

I use extra virgin olive oil and squeeze the juice of a quarter of a lemon then I add salt and pepper. Very simple!

Quiche Lauriane:

This is my version of Quiche Lorraine! It’s a lighter version with bacon instead of ham and there is no dough. It’s the perfect summer lunch. You can eat it cold too and pack it for a day at the pool or beach! I serve it with a green salad.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

5 Eggs

500ml Milk

1 cup of Flour (120g)

12 oz Uncured Bacon (340g)

100g Shredded Gruyère Cheese ( I buy the Trader Joe’s Shredded Swiss Cheese & Gruyère Cheese)

Instructions:

Place all the ingredients except the bacon and cheese in a blender to mix. Slice the bacon into small pieces and grease your baking pan with butter. Lay the bacon out on the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture from the blender in the baking pan and add the cheese on top. Do not mix it. Bake for 40 minutes at 410°F (210°C).

Ratatouille Niçoise:

This is the well known dish from Provence. We serve it with fried eggs or fish in my family.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

3 Medium-Size Tomatoes

2 Green Peppers

2 Eggplants

3 Zucchinis

3 Onions

1 Clove of Garlic

1 Garnished Bouquet made with Bay Leaves, Rosemary and Thyme

3 big spoons of Olive Oil

Salt + Pepper

Instructions:

Peel the skin of the tomatoes and remove the seeds, cut the tomatoes into medium-size pieces. Peel the zucchinis and eggplants and cut them into round thin slices. Cut the green peppers into long thin slices. Peel and chop the onions. Add the olive oil to a large pot and cook the onions over low heat until they take on a golden hue. Add the tomatoes and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring with a wooden spoon. Add salt, pepper and the finely mashed garlic. Then add the zucchinis, eggplants, green peppers and the garnished bouquet. Cover the pot and let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

Pissaladiere:

This is another dish from Provence: an onion tart made like a pizza. It’s a great appetizer and the perfect hors-d’oeuvre for a summer aperitif.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

1 Kg of Onions (2.2 lbs): 2 1/2 big onions or 5 small/medium onions.

Olive Oil

Pizza Dough: combine 250g of flour (2 full cups) 3 big spoons of olive oil, salt and add warm water gradually while you mix the flour. It’s easy and quick to make your own pizza dough!

Instructions:

Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and cook onions for 3 minutes just to soften them and get them translucent. Once your dough is ready, spread the dough on your pizza pan lined with parchment paper, then add the slightly cooked onions. Some people add anchovies and black olives. I personally prefer without, but it’s up to you. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 30 minutes.