Category: Recipes
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Wild Mushroom Cassoulet with Crispy Sage
Chanterelle and cremini mushrooms are cooked into a hearty ragout and baked with aromatic white beans and herbed bread crumbs in this vegan-friendly cassoulet. This recipe requires advanced preparation – soak the beans the night before. A 3.5 quart braiser pan makes a perfect baking vessel for the cassoulet, however, any oven proof casserole dish…
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Pumpkin + Squash Gratin
As a fall enthusiast, let the cozy crisp days of fall begin! The start of October is my favourite time of year. It is when it really begins to feel like autumn. With Canadian Thanksgiving around the corner, it is the time to get back in the kitchen & crank up those ovens. I have…
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Potato Leek Soup with Salt & Vinegar Crispy Kale
When the thermometer dips, it means soup season is upon us. It’s the perfect time to have a pot of something delicious simmering away on the stove — nothing’s more satisfying, except maybe a beautiful loaf of bread. Potato leek soup, known in France as potage Parmentier, is a classic recipe made with just a…
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Peach + Hazelnut Frangipane Tart
I know many of us are sad that summer is quickly coming to an end, but there is something to look forward to towards the end of the season… peaches! Ontario (Niagara especially) is home to some of the best peach orchards in the country. We are so lucky to have these farms grace our…
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Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Fougasse
When I was a wee one, I would have my mom cut off the crusts of my bread. Like most children, I wouldn’t even consider taking a bite of my lunch if any remnants of brown remained around the edge of my sandwich, I’d discard the fat ends of pizza, and wouldn’t come within 15…
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Warm Haricots Verts & Fingerling Potato Salad
Summer is officially here & I couldn’t be more excited! The season of spontaneous road trips, endless fresh local produce & the best outdoor gatherings. The nights become longer & everyone seems more relaxed than ever. Between attending & hosting parties all season long, I love preparing traditional barbecue side dishes with a little fancy…
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Roasted Aubergine & Sun Dried Tomato Tagliatelle
Summer is just around the corner, and with it, all the fresh seasonal produce you could ever want. I look forward to this time of year when the farmers markets are bustling with activity and brimming with juicy melons, melt-in-your-mouth berries, and weighty tomatoes at every turn. While I can eat the aforementioned delights by…
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Steak frites
Steak frites, is a French classic. Ubiquitous on café and bistro menus it’s one of the first meals I seek out when I arrive in France. But did you know that steak frites is not just for adults? You may be surprised to learn that although it might seem more of an adult meal, in…
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Strawberry Almond Clafoutis
Strawberry season is here! It is time to get out the fruit baskets & go strawberry picking at your local farms. I think strawberry picking might be one of my favourite late spring & early summer actives. It is something I have done every summer, ever since I was a little kid. Aside from making…
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Roasted Blueberry Crepes
I think it is safe to say we are all ready for warmer spring days. As the winter slowly comes to an end, I start craving more fresh fruits & vegetables again. This crepe recipe takes advantage of the fresh berries that will soon be popping up at your local markets. Crepes are the perfect…
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Spring-Inspired Pissaladière
This spring-inspired pissaladière puts a modern fresh spin on a classic French dish. It’s the best of both worlds.
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Homemade croissants? Yes you can!
Croissants. Golden, flaky, buttery, delicious. But not something you make at home, right? Actually, you might be surprised to hear that there’s a pretty easy version you can make – even your kids can get involved! For years, I never even imagined making my own croissants at home because typically, croissants are made using a…
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![Provençal Soup [Soupe Au Pistou]](https://french-barn.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Winter-Provençal-Soup-Soupe-Au-Pistou-12-scaled.jpg)
Provençal Soup [Soupe Au Pistou]
Early March denotes the changing of seasonal tides, the time when we’re all too tempted to believe the old saying, ‘spring is just around the corner’. And while spring’s arrival is inevitable, here we are with snow on the ground and only a few curious buds emerging in expectation of next season. In British Columbia,…
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Choux à la Crème with Blood Orange Whipped Cream
Nothing says I love you like a sweet treat from a loved one’s home kitchen. With Valentine’s day around the corner, seasonal Choux à la Crème are a surefire way to show a special someone just how much you love them while also ticking off the essential V-day holiday chocolate box. Choux à la Crème,…
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Stovetop Coq Au Vin
When the snow is falling outside, there is nothing better then cozying up in the kitchen & cooking a comforting meal. Coq Au Vin is always at the top of my list. It is so hearty & flavourful served over creamy garlic mashed potatoes. Coq Au Vin is a traditional french dish that features a…
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Gingerbread Bûche de Noël
This season, I am sharing a modern twist on a French classic! The traditional Bûche de Noël is a Christmas dessert served in France, made of sponge cake to resemble a miniature yule log. The classic flavours include a vanilla sponge cake with chocolate frosting or a chocolate sponge cake with chocolate frosting. However, this modern Bûche…
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Apple, Cranberry & Sausage Stuffing
Because you can’t have turkey without stuffing, today I am sharing the recipe for an upscaled version of a classic. Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so it is time to roll up our sleeves & get our menu in order! Growing up, the stuffing I knew & loved only contained a few ingredients…
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Poached Pears with Cinnamon & Cardamom
I am so excited for autumn! Cue: apples, pears, pumpkins, crisp leaves & ALL the cozy spices. When we think of spiced fall desserts, the first two ingredients that come to mind are apples & pumpkins, but let’s not forget about those freshly picked pears! Pears have a similar texture to apple which means they…
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Summer Heirloom Tomato and Pistou Penne
When it comes to summer cooking, I find myself inspired to cook more simple dishes. Dishes that are inspired by what is vibrant in my garden! With the heat, less time is spent fussing in the kitchen & more time is spent enjoying the sunshine outdoors. While I love making a large batch of tomato…
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Rhubarb Pistachio Pavlova
Though I am an avid lover of the Fall and Winter seasons, there is one thing I look forward to every Spring: the arrival of rhubarb. Though many ingredients are in season during the warm months, but available year-round, rhubarb only makes an appearance in farmers’ markets this time of year. Last year we planted…
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Spring Galette
Who is ready for the spring time? This winter has been (what seems like) never ending & I cannot wait for the farmers markets to re-open again. Easter is just around the corner, so what is a better way to celebrate a new season other than an Easter inspired spinach & artichoke galette. This dish…
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Potatoes au Gratin with Haricots Verts and Prosciutto
Growing up in Southern Louisiana, comfort foods were the star of my childhood. Whether we were gathering with friends over bowls full of gumbo or court-bouillon on the weekend, making red beans and rice on Mondays, or spooning my mothers’ favorite weeknight-friendly green bean, ham, and potato stew, the bowl was the vessel and the…
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Valentine’s Brownie & Berry Trifles
When it comes to Valentine’s day, the only request I have is that it involves a lot of chocolate! The very first Valentine’s my partner Justin & I spent together, I surprised him with homemade heart shaped brownies! A lot has changed since then, but there is still not much that beats coming home to…
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Spiked Mulled Cider
As the temperatures drop & the nights get longer, there is nothing that warms me up more then a hot glass of mulled cider. There is something so comforting about sipping cider on a cold winter night over the holiday season. This drink is one of the many reasons I love the holidays. I am…
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Caramelized Shallot and Mushroom Soup with Chèvre
Let me start this out by saying the last few months of cooking have been fairly atypical for me. Because I haven’t been in a home kitchen, I haven’t even been in a land-based kitchen. I’ve been on the water, cooking from the galley of my 40-foot sailboat. This lifestyle of living aboard a boat…
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Fresh Fig Cheesecake Tart
I’ve been making cheesecake, one of my very favourite desserts, for many years. I remember the first few attempts being kitchen disasters, but eventually I found Rose Levy Brenenbaum’s recipe in The Cake Bible, which was meticulously detailed and resulted in my first beautiful and delicious cheesecake. It was rich and creamy, slightly tangy, and…
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Tartiflette
Fall. It is finally here. Time to crank up the oven & start making all our favourite cold weather comfort foods again. This summer we added a little (ok, big) addition to our kitchen; a Lacanche range. The Cormatin fits perfectly in the existing space. With the white beveled backsplash, white shaker cabinets &…
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Ricotta Gnudi with Oven Roasted Tomatoes
If you have some ricotta, a few pantry staples, and a few minutes in the kitchen, you’re on your way to some killer home-made gnudi. If the idea of making home-made pasta seems like a mission, especially in the summer (yes!), but you want some fresh pasta-like goodness to go with those summer tomatoes, try…
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Basil Peach Upside Down Cake
I pretty much wait all year for peaches to be in season! There is nothing better then biting into a peach that has been picked straight off the peach tree, ripened in the summer sun all month long. They are the juiciest and sweetest peaches of all. My grandparents had a peach tree in…
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Seared Salmon Niçoise
Niçoise is one of my favourite spring/summer salads. It originated in Nice as a simple composed tomato, anchovy, and olive oil salad. While it’s come a far far way, many will still argue that there are very specific ingredients that Niçoise should (and shouldn’t) have. I’m a free spirit when it comes to cooking and like to give myself a little…
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Swiss Meringue Chamomile Tea Cake
Happy May! If there is one holiday that stands out most to me in the Spring time, that holiday is Mother’s Day. It calls for spoiling mom with breakfast in bed, a bouquet of fresh flowers & desserts galore. Something I always loved doing as a kid as like most mothers out there, my mom deserved the…
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Gougères with Chèvre + Spring Herbs
Chives are the first sign of green that I usually see in the garden. Their perky green tips peek out of the ground as soon as the snow melts, letting us know that spring is finally here. While it takes a little while for them to grow big enough to harvest, I always associate those…
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Tourtière Hand Pies
I’ve seriously embraced making comfort food this winter, learning to bake a decent loaf of sourdough bread, making pies and pastries, and ensuring an ongoing supply of chicken or beef broth for soups and stews of all kinds. While my inner gardener is always looking forward to spring, I try to be mindful of the pleasures of winter.…
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Croissant Maple French Toast Bake
Spring is in the air! And with springtime comes blooming flowers & fresh produce we have been desperately craving throughout the cold winter months. The beginning of Spring is also Easter time. Easter isn’t just a holiday I love for the chocolate bunnies & mini eggs, but it’s also a chance for me to host an epic brunch…
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Pan-fried Gnocchi with Roasted Squash, Bacon, and Sage
I’ve never succeeded at making gnocchi from a recipe. They would usually turn out too dense and firm, or sometimes just the opposite – so soft that they would almost dissolve as I boiled them in water. I recently came across this article from The Lucky Peach. It’s a step-by-step gnocchi guide by Marco Canora, the chef at Hearth restaurant in New…
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Mussels in a Tomato Wine Sauce with Capers
Happy New Year! It may seem like half the population is sipping on a kale smoothie right now, or at least it does if you spend enough time online, but let’s not forget that it’s mighty cold in many parts of the world (feels like -20°C in my ‘hood), and that a big ol’ pot of mussels…
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Persimmon and Cranberry Tarte Tatin
Almost a decade ago my very first cast iron skillet was initiated with a tarte tatin. Actually, let’s back up. Almost a decade ago I bought my first cast iron skillet just so that I can make tarte tatin, having seen it in a food magazine, being totally smitten with the buttery caramelized apples, a light flaky pastry, and the fact…
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Chocolate Orange Layer Cake
Every year for Christmas I find myself with a chocolate orange in hand (among many other varieties of chocolate, of course). Something about the combination of chocolate & orange flavours reminds me of the winter season. The flavour combination inspired me to make this gorgeous cake for the upcoming holiday season! I utilized my classic chocolate…
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French Onion Soup
With the weather cooling down & the sun setting early, I can’t think of anything more comforting that diving into a bowl of french onion soup. The fresh bread, the gooey cheese & the rich beef stock make for comfort food at its finest! This is such a simple & minimal ingredient dish to put…
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Pumpkin Walnut Brioche
If you were to draw a Venn diagram of classic brioche, a loaf of challah, and pumpkin cinnamon buns, the bull’s eye would lie right here, with this braided pumpkin walnut brioche. I started experimenting with yeast-based egg breads after a string of failed sourdough attempts (I wasn’t even able to get past making the…
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Seared Scallops with Smoky Squash Polenta and Apple Jalapeño Slaw
It was only recently that I realized how incredibly simple and satisfying it is to enjoy scallops at home. They need not be reserved for restaurant meals or special occasions. All it takes is some fresh scallops (though frozen ones are still quite good), a really hot pan, and 5 minutes of your time. Contrary to…
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Apple Clafouti
Every year I look forward to the start of fall. The weather begins to cool, the leaves change colour & I can pull out all my favourite sweaters while sipping on some hot cider. If that doesn’t make you feel all warm & fuzzy inside, I don’t know what will! It may not be pumpkin…
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Beef and Rice Stuffed Tomatoes
I wait for tomatoes all year, abstaining from the store-bought ones for a few months before the new season brings us a local harvest, building anticipation for that first juicy slice. Recipes are pinned, cookbooks are dog-eared, and experiments are conducted (the only exception to buying store-bought in those early summer months) in preparation for…
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Eggs Benedict with Garlic Rapini
Eggs Benedict are a very special breakfast in our home, a breakfast that my husband and I make for each other on our birthdays. It started with mine a few years ago. He asked what I wanted on my special day and I wanted nothing more than to challenge him with something that I thought…
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Sweet Pea Spaghetti Carbonara
There are a few weeks in early summer, during which we can briefly indulge in fresh shelling peas. It’s not that I have anything against the frozen kind, I just want to remind you to keep an eye on when they arrive, fill a big bag of them, and enjoy the sweet and tender morsels. They’re an…
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Tartelette Aux Fraises
One of my favourite things about the start of summer time is going strawberry picking. Growing up in the Niagara region, which is full of vineyards & orchards, my grandma would always take my sisters & I to Niagara-On-The-Lake every single June to pick strawberry baskets full of fresh Ontario strawberries. It was our first outing…
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Meringue Fondants au Citron
Hi guys! It’s Gab from Artful Desperado with a new recipe that’s perfect for picnic season (or “I’m gonna stay in and watch Netflix” season, too). A few weeks ago I was in Paris tasting all sorts of pastries A: because it’s Paris and B: because I’m always interested in the old-meets-new treats that are…
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Spring Quiche
Many quiches (or quiche-like pies, I should say) were harmed in the making of this post and I’m proud to finally have something delicious for you today! I probably tested enough quiches to feed a small family for about a month, just to get it right, and while it’s not something that’s hard to make, there are…
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Creole Crab Bisque
I grew up in southern Louisiana, in a house where crab traps dangled lazily from the dock that connected our home to a large lake. When nothing else was planned for dinner, we’d haul up the traps and peer inside, hopeful we’d have several blue crabs waiting for us in the wired boxes. Occasionally, they…
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Oh Canada! Your cheese is delicious.
As you may have guessed, today we’ll be talking about Canadian cheese, but I must admit that my first trip to Paris deserves all the credit for helping me discover the simple pleasure of a fresh baguette and some really good fromage. I’ve been a life-long cheese fan, don’t get me wrong, but there was…