Alain Coumont - Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook

Contents
Introduction
Breads
Breakfast
Tartines
Soups
Salads
Sharing
Desserts
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Perhaps it’s no surprise that I ended up founding a place like Le Pain

Quotidien: I was born into a family of cooks. My mother’s parents owned a
restaurant in my hometown of Huy, near Liège in Belgium. My father trained
as a chef before joining the family business, a grocer’s shop. My grandfather
would visit local farms with his horse and cart, collecting butter, cheese,
honey, eggs and all kinds of fruits and vegetables—anything he could sell in
town.
Pastry was my way into the world of food. When I was two or three years
old, my aunt Simone would let me watch while she made her dough. Every
Saturday, she baked a dozen tarts and every Sunday, the entire family came
over to eat them.
Like my father, I went on to study at the hotel school in Namur, France. On
graduating, I wrote to the ten best chefs in France and in 1982, I found myself
working as a pastry chef for Georges Blanc. A line in my resumé had caught
his eye: I had worked for Schevenels, the best pâtisserie in Liège.
In 1987, I opened my own restaurant in Brussels, Le Café du Dôme. I

remembered the sourdough bread made by Poilâne in Paris, but as it was still
difficult to guarantee a regular supply from France at that time, I started
baking my own bread. Le Pain Quotidien is the result of the simple
observation that any serious bread oven, however small, produced too much
“daily bread” for my restaurant alone.
Inevitably, a cook who becomes a baker never forgets his first love. And that
is how on 26 October 1990, Le Pain Quotidien was born as a bakery with a
communal table, where you could eat from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., seven days a
week.
In the autumn of 1990, our first menu featured a handful of tartines, including
a local Brussels specialty, an open sandwich topped with fromage blanc,
thinly sliced radishes and green onions. There were also two salads and a few
pastries—a chocolate mousse cake, a lemon tart, a pecan tart—but no
croissants.
When we opened our first “boulangerie kitchen” in Manhattan in January of

1997, we stayed true to our Belgian origins while also taking into account the
eating habits of our new host country—that is to say, we began serving eggs
for breakfast. Soon after, fresh fruit salad started appearing on the menu and
four years later, in Beverly Hills, we made our first granola.
Working in California at this time also made us aware of the growing interest
in vegetarian options and the demand for organic produce. Today, much of
the produce we serve throughout the world is certified organic and sourced
locally whenever possible, and we make sure to offer a range of meat-free
and vegan dishes.
Over the years, it has been fascinating to observe how the same basic idea—a
bakery with a kitchen table—is changed and enriched by local preferences.
By opening up to other countries and other food cultures, we have learned
delicious new recipes and made them our own: in England, we expanded our
range of desserts; in Brazil, we learned to make pão de queijo (see page 30),
a gluten-free cheese bread, and in Spain, we cannot imagine breakfast
without pan con tomate (see page 60).
This book takes our basic idea one step further: simple, wholesome and
sustainable food, to share with your friends and family around your own
kitchen table.
Bon appétit!
Alain Coumont
Breads
Baking sourdough bread at home
Before you bake sourdough for the first time, it’s worth familiarizing yourself
with a few guidelines that will help you achieve good results.
Choose your ingredients wisely

Buy the best unbleached organic flour you can get. It has more flavor and is
also better for you, as the bleaching process removes nutrients. For consistent
results, use spring or still mineral water, as the fluoride and chlorine added to
tap water will inhibit the growth of the natural yeasts you want to cultivate.
Natural sea salt is preferable to rock salt, which is much more heavily
processed.
Measure your ingredients
To achieve the best results in baking, it is important to be accurate, and the
most accurate way of measuring your ingredients is to weigh them carefully
at every stage, as professional bakers do. This is why we suggest weighing
water, for example, instead of using more traditional volumetric
measurements, and why we recommend using more precise grams instead of
ounces, if possible. If you’re going to get serious about baking, it’s worth
buying a digital kitchen scale.
Get the temperature right

It’s important for your ingredients to be at a warm room temperature of 75–
80°F (25–27°C), so put them in a warm place for an hour beforehand if
necessary.
Be patient with your starter
A starter (or “levain”) is a culture of natural wild yeasts and lacto-bacteria
that forms the basis of a sourdough bread. As well as being a leavening or
raising agent, it also adds flavor. Developing the culture for a sourdough
starter from scratch takes 10 days and the process can appear wasteful, as it
involves a large amount of flour being added and growing culture discarded.
Once you have successfully made a starter, you can keep feeding and
refreshing it. Keep it in a plastic container in the fridge and feed it once a
week. The starter needs to breathe, so make sure to leave the lid open
slightly, or pierce it with a knife. Never take more than one-third of your
starter, and always feed it by replacing the quantity you have taken away: if
you remove 100 g (3½oz) of starter, refresh it with 100 g (3½oz) of flour and
60 g (2oz) of water.
Some recipes, such as the Five-grain fruit bread on page 20, call for a
different type of starter known as pâte fermentée or “old dough.” This is a
complete dough (flour, water, salt and yeast) that is allowed to ferment for at
least 4 hours and up to 24 hours prior to making the final dough. It’s an easy
way to add a complexity of flavors to your bread.
To make pâte fermentée, place 60g (2oz) cool filtered or spring water in a
large mixing bowl and dissolve 10g (⅓oz) fresh yeast or 3g ( oz) active dry
(fast-action dried) yeast. in the water. Add 100g (3½oz) strong white bread
flour and mix until combined and a dough begins to form. Knead the dough
for 2–4 minutes, until it comes together. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and
cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel and set aside at room
temperature for 4–24 hours.
Help your dough rise

The dough will continue to develop its structure as it rises. We recommend
using a linen-lined rising (proofing) basket, as it will gently hold the shape of
a loaf—a bowl can be too rigid. Liberally dust the linen with flour to prevent
sticking, then cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel and
leave it to rise in a warm, draft-free place –near a radiator, in a warming
drawer or airing cupboard, on top of your stove or another appliance that
generates ambient heat. The longer the dough rises, the more acidic or “sour”
the flavor becomes, so leave it for longer than suggested in the recipe if you
prefer a stronger taste. The cooler the environment, the more time your dough
needs to rise.
Shape your bread
Dust the work surface and your hands with flour before you start shaping
your loaf. A wooden surface is best, as it limits heat transfer and the surface
tension helps create shape. Avoid placing the dough on a cold metal surface,
as it can “shock” the bread.
Bake your dough when it’s ready

When ready to be baked, the dough should feel soft and a little pillowy to the
touch—when you press it with your finger, the indentation should fill back
out slowly. If indentations spring back immediately, you will need to wait a
little longer; but if they stay sunken in, you’ve waited too long—the dough is
overfermented and should go into the oven as soon as possible.
Use a baking stone

A baking stone is perfect for rustic-style loaves. Look for a heat-resistant
stone slab (a pizza stone is ideal) or tile, about 1 ½–2 inches (4–5cm) thick.
Preheat your baking stone with your oven, so that it reaches the desired
temperature before you place your loaves onto it. Once your loaves are in
place, the baking stone will quickly pass its heat through the dough. This
creates “oven spring”—the initial period when the gases in the loaf rapidly
expand and give it volume before the crust begins to form.
Make sure the oven is hot enough
Baking your bread at the correct temperature is vital to achieve a consistent,
high-quality result. The initial heat is crucial, because nearly all breads
typically make up most of their volume in the first third or half of their
baking time. When preheating the oven, try setting it to 50°F (10°C) higher
than called for in the recipe, then, when your bread is in the oven and you
have shut the oven door, turn down the temperature by 50°F (10°C). This will
compensate for any heat loss that may have occurred while the oven door was
open and allows for the bread to get the initial heat it needs to achieve the
desired volume.
Create steam in your oven
Creating steam in your oven is a fundamental part of the process to develop
the sourdough loaf’s characteristic dark, chewy crust. In a dry oven, the crust
forms quickly, making the loaf airtight and preventing the gases inside the
bread from escaping. But these escaping gases help form the airy cavities in
the bread, guaranteeing its elasticity and relative lightness. Steam (or
moisture) in the oven helps prevent the crust from drying out and keeps it
permeable for longer—until the loaf has reached its optimum size. It also
conditions the texture of the inside of the loaf, known as the crumb.
To create steam in a home oven, preheat an ovenproof dish such as a
casserole dish or a roasting pan at the bottom of your oven. When the dough
is ready, place it on top of your preheated baking stone, but before closing the
oven door, throw a handful of ice cubes on to the casserole or baking sheet
and quickly shut the oven door. The ice will evaporate and create a rush of
steam, just like the steam injection in professional bakers’ ovens. The steam
will dissipate naturally. This is a more effective and safer method than
placing a pot of boiling water in the oven or spraying the baking stone and
loaf with cold water.
Eat your bread at its best
Sourdough bread ripens as it cools, developing more flavor, so let it rest for a
few hours before serving. Some breads, such as flutes (see page 22), are best
eaten on the day they’re made—they don’t keep well because of their large
surface area and relatively thin crust. A large loaf, howerver, will mature and
mellow over three or four days. Its texture becomes firmer, making it easier
to slice thinly for toasting.
Sourdough starter
To develop the culture for our sourdough starter, we use a mixture of two
flours: whole rye flour, which has a higher percentage of fermentable sugars
for the yeast than wheat flour, and all-purpose (plain) flour, which is low in
protein but high in starch, which in turn means more nutrients to feed the
yeast. Building a starter takes time and initially there is a lot of waste, but this
is the nature of the process—and the results are worth the effort.
Phase 1 (days 1–10): Developing the culture
Day 1
75g (2½oz) whole rye flour
75g (2½oz) all-purpose (plain) flour
100g (3½oz) water
Days 2–10
250g (8oz) culture
250g (8oz) all-purpose (plain) flour
150g (5⅓ oz) water
Phase 2: Making the sourdough starter
Day 11
295g (10⅓oz) culture
490g strong whole wheat (wholemeal) or white bread flour
320g (17¼oz) water
10g (⅓oz) salt
Day 1: Start by developing the culture. Mix the flours and water until
thoroughly combined, then cover and let stand for a full 24 hours at room
temperature. You should see the mixture rise and small bubbles will appear.
It is now a culture.
Days 2–10 : Combine the ingredients, then cover and let stand for 12 hours at
room temperature. Repeat every morning and evening, using 250g (8oz) of
the previous feeding’s culture and discarding the rest. You want to see an
increase in the number of small bubbles on the surface. After each feeding,
the starter will continue to rise.
Day 11: Now begin to make the sourdough starter. Knead all the ingredients
together for approximately 5 minutes. Transfer the starter to a bowl and let
rest, covered, for 5–24 hours—it needs to ripen before it is usable, just like a
camembert cheese that starts off chalky and becomes smoother, more yellow
and slightly runny as it matures.
Once you get to the 24-hour mark, however, you must repeat the previous
step for the starter to continue to be a viable culture: discard all but 250g
(8oz) of the starter and mix it with 250g (8oz) flour and 150g (5⅓oz) water.
Feedings can be stretched up to 48 hours if the starter is kept in the
refrigerator.
Sourdough bread
This sourdough loaf is the basis for many of our favorite tartines.
Makes 1 loaf (500g/1lb)
250g (8oz) stoneground whole wheat (wholemeal) flour

175g (6oz) filtered or spring water
70g (2½ oz) Sourdough Starter (see page 14)
6g (¼ oz) fine sea salt or table salt
Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl or a mixer fitted with the
dough hook. Knead or mix on low speed for 3–5 minutes, until thoroughly
combined, then knead or mix on medium–high speed for another 2–3
minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Remove the dough and lightly oil the bowl, then replace the dough and cover
loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel. Set aside to rise (prove) at
room temperature for 1½ hours. Set a timer at 15-minute intervals. At each
interval, remove the dough from the bowl and knead for 10 seconds, 5 times
in total. The dough should now feel light and airy.
Place on a lightly floured work surface. Flatten the dough into a square about
3 inches (8cm) thick. Pick up each corner and pull it back into the middle so
that the four corners meet. Repeat, folding the corners into the center again
and sealing them in the middle to prevent them from springing back.
Place the dough in a linen-lined rising basket dusted with flour, keeping the
seam facing upward. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel and allow
the dough to rise at room temperature for 3–4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (230°C/gas mark 8), with the baking stone in place
and an ovenproof dish at the bottom of the oven. Once hot, carefully remove
the stone from the oven and turn the dough out of the basket onto it, seam
side down. Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour. Score the bread using
a sharp knife, then return the stone to the oven. Throw a handful of ice cubes
into the ovenproof dish and quickly shut the oven door. Bake for 35–45
minutes or until the loaf has a golden brown crust and sounds hollow when
tapped. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Country bread
We like to use and old-fashioned oval Belgian loaf pan for this bread, but a
standard rectangular loaf pan will work just as well.
Makes 2 loaves (480g/15oz each)
100g (3½oz) Sourdough Starter (see page 14)

2g ( oz) fast-action dried yeast
250g (8oz) strong white bread flour
250g (8oz) stoneground whole wheat (wholemeal) flour
350g (12⅓oz) filtered or spring water
10–13g (⅓–½oz)fine sea salt
Put all the ingredients except the salt in a large mixing bowl or a mixer fitted
with the dough hook. Knead or mix on low speed for 2–3 minutes, until
thoroughly combined, add the salt and mix for another 1–2 minutes, then
knead or mix on medium–high speed for another 3–5 minutes, until the
dough is smooth and elastic.
Remove the dough and lightly oil the bowl, then replace the dough and cover
loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel. Set aside to rise (prove) at
room temperature for 1½–2 hours. Set a timer at 15-minute intervals. At each
interval remove the dough from the bowl and knead for 10 seconds, repeating
5–7 times, depending on the rising time.
Liberally flour the insides of two 8½x4½x2½ inch (500g/1lb) loaf pans. Turn
the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 equal pieces.
Flatten the dough with your hand, then fold down the top third and seal the
join with your fingertips. Fold over the remaining third, rolling the dough
into a log, and seal as before. Repeat the process in the other direction, taking
the fold to the bottom edge, and seal. Then use your hands to roll each log to
the length of the pan, then place inside, seam side down. Cover loosely and
set aside to rise at room temperature for 1½–2 hours.
and an ovenproof dish at the bottom of the oven. Place the loaf pans onto the
baking stone. Throw a handful of ice cubes into the ovenproof dish and
quickly shut the oven door. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until the loaves sound
hollow when tapped. Let rest in the pans for a few minutes, then turn out onto
a wire rack to cool completely.
Five-grain fruit bread
Made with golden sultanas and seeds, this bread tastes great with cheese.
Makes 4 loaves (about 475g/15oz each)
340g (12⅓oz) golden raisins (sultanas)

60g (2oz) flaxseed (linseeds)
30g (1oz) pumpkin seeds
90g (3oz) sesame seeds
90g (3oz) sunflower seeds
560g (19¾oz)strong white bread flour
100g (3½oz) rolled (porridge) oats, plus 120g (4oz) to finish the loaves
165g (5¾ oz) Pâte Fermentée (see page 12)
10g (⅓oz) active dry (fast-action dried) yeast
12g (⅓oz) fine sea salt
550g (19⅓oz) cold water
Place the golden raisins (sultanas) and seeds in a bowl and cover with water.
Soak for about 20 minutes, then drain.
Place the flour, oats, pâte fermentée, yeast, salt and water in a large mixing
bowl or a mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead or mix on a low speed for
about 2–3 minutes, until thoroughly combined, then knead or mix on
medium–high speed for another 3–5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and
elastic. Add the raisins and seeds and knead or mix on low speed for 2–3
minutes, until thoroughly combined.
Remove the dough and lightly oil the bowl. Replace the dough and cover
loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel. Set aside at room temperature
to rise (prove) for 1 hour.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and divide into 4 equal
pieces. Fold the edges of a piece of dough into the center, creating a seam,
and turn the dough seam side down. Start pulling the surface of the dough
taut and tucking the edges underneath, and continue until the dough forms a
smooth, tight dome. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Cover and let rest for
20 minutes at room temperature.
Reshape the dough into oval loaves, as before. Brush with cold water, then
roll in the oats and place on baking sheets lined with nonstick baking
parchment. Cover loosely and let rise at room temperature for 1–1½ hours.
and an ovenproof dish at the bottom of the oven. Slash the top of the dough
using a sharp knife and slide the baking sheet swith the loaves onto the stone.
Throw a handful of ice cubes into the ovenproof dish and quickly shut the
oven door. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire
rack to cool completely.
Nut & raisin flutes
To enjoy these flutes at their very best, eat them on the day they are made.
They’re delicious split in half and spread with butter.
Makes 5 flutes (140g/5oz each)
100g (3½oz) raisins

90g (3oz) hazelnuts
225g (8oz) all-purpose (plain) or whole wheat (wholemeal) flour
165g (5¾ oz) water
110g (3¾oz) Sourdough Starter (see page 14)
5g (⅙oz) fine sea salt or table salt
1.5g ( oz) fresh yeast (or half this amount of active dry yeast)
Place the raisins in a small bowl, cover with water and soak for about 20
minutes, then drain.
Toast the hazelnuts in a nonstick skillet or frying pan in a single layer for 2–3
minutes—you want the nuts to take on aroma but not too much color.
Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
Place the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl or a mixer fitted with
the dough hook. Knead or mix on low speed for about 3–5 minutes, until
thoroughly combined, then knead or mix on medium–high speed for another
2–3 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Add the raisins and nuts and knead or mix on low speed until incorporated.
Lightly flour a work surface, then turn the dough out and divide into 5 equal
pieces. Dust the dough lightly with flour, then then use your hands, fingers
spread wide apart, to roll it out into a flute shape, about 10 inches (25cm)
long. Transfer the flutes to a baking sheet lined with nonstick baking
parchment paper and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel.
Set aside to rise (prove) at room temperature for 1½ hours.
Preheat the oven to 450°C (fan 230°C/gas mark 8), with the baking stone in
place and an ovenproof dish at the bottom of the oven. Slide the baking sheet
of flutes on to the baking stone. Throw a handful of ice cubes into the
ovenproof dish and quickly shut the oven door. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or
until golden brown and the sides are fully cooked. Transfer to a wire rack to
cool completely before serving.
Seeded rolls
Feel free to experiment—try different shapes or using a mixture of seeds.
Makes 8 mini baguettes (120g/4oz each) or 16 rings/rolls (60g/2oz each)
1 quantity Country Bread dough (see page 18; follow the recipe to the end of
the first prove)
30g (1oz) poppy seeds
50g (1¾oz) sunflower seeds
50g (1¾oz) pumpkin seeds
To make mini baguettes, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape the
dough into logs. Take the top third of a log, fold it down and seal with your
fingertips. Take the folded section, fold down by another third and seal.
Repeat, taking the fold to the bottom edge, and seal. Cover and set aside to
rest for 15 minutes in a warm, draft-free place. To shape into baguettes, use
your hands to roll out to a length of about 8 inches (20cm). To make rings,
cut a baguette in half and join the two ends, pinching them together to seal.
To make rolls, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Fold the edges of a
piece of dough into the center, creating a seam, and turn the dough over so it
is seam side down. Start pulling the surface of the dough taut and tucking the
edges underneath, and continue until the dough forms a smooth, tight dome.
Cover and set aside to rest for 15 minutes in a warm, draft-free place. To re-
form into rolls, repeat the shaping steps above.
Place the seeds on 3 separate plates. Carefully brush the tops of each
baguette, ring or roll with water, then gently roll in one of the plates of seeds.
Carefully place the baguettes/rolls/rings on a baking sheet lined with nonstick
baking parchment paper and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dish
towel. Set aside to rise (prove) at room temperature for 20–30 minutes.
and a baking sheet at the bottom of the oven. Slide the baking sheet of
baguettes onto the stone. Throw a handful of ice cubes onto the baking sheet
at the bottom of the oven and quickly shut the oven door. Bake for 15–20
minutes or until the baguette crusts are golden brown. (Rolls take about 16–
18 minutes; rings about 14–18 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool
completely before serving.
Live the slow life
In many ways, making your own bread from scratch goes against the very
nature of the modern world, where faster is always better.
A certain amount of patience is required when you make sourdough bread,
letting the starter ferment for days and then the dough rest for hours before
you shape your first loaf. The process can seem daunting—and the early
stages can look unpromising—so you have to make a leap of faith. Given
enough time and attention, your initial mixture of flour, salt and water will
turn into a sourdough starter and form the basis of any number of wholesome,
homemade loaves. Take things slowly, and your trust will be rewarded.
Some people like to describe Le Pain Quotidien’s cuisine as “slow-fast food”.

Our long-standing commitment to baking our own sourdough bread embodies
our love of the slow life.
Life is good in the slow lane. Grow vegetables in your garden and give them
a chance to ripen to perfection. Take the time to bake your own bread. Live
simply, and embrace the slow.
Grissini
Perfect with an apéritif, these grissini are simple to make and full of flavor.
Serve them with a small bowl of fruity olive oil for dipping.
Makes 24
150g (5⅓oz) stoneground whole wheat (wholemeal) flour

150g (5⅓oz) strong white bread flour
180g (6oz) ice-cold water
6g (¼oz) baking powder
20g (¾oz) fresh yeast, crumbled, or 6g (¼oz) active dry (fast-action dried)
yeast
1 tbsp granulated sugar
For the grissini seasonings:

1 tbsp curry powder
1–2 tbsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp algae flakes mixed with 1 tsp spirulina
Preheat the oven to 475°F (240°C/gas mark 9).

Place all the ingredients except the seasonings in a large mixing bowl or a
mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Knead or mix for 20–30 seconds,
until the ingredients are fully incorporated and you have a dry dough that
comes away from the sides of the bowl.
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, then set 1 aside for plain grissini and
use the remaining 3 to make the flavored grissini. Place each ball of dough
separately in the bowl or mixer with one of the seasonings: curry powder,
rosemary or algae and spirulina. Mix each piece for 10–15 seconds, until the
flavoring is thoroughly combined, then reshape into a ball. Clean the bowl
well between each seasoning.
On a lightly floured work surface, flatten the 4 balls of dough, then carefully
stretch each out into a 5 inch (12cm) square. Cut each square into 6 strips of
equal width. Dust the dough lightly with flour, then use your hands, fingers
spread wide apart, to gently roll each strip out out into a log. Each log should
be roughly the same length and diameter.
Transfer the grissini to a baking sheet lined with nonstick baking parchment
paper, then bake in the oven for 8–10 minutes, until very pale golden.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before
serving.
If you prefer crunchier grissini, you can dry them out in a very low oven set
at 275°F (140°C/gas mark 1) for 4 hours.
Pão de queijo
Made with tapioca flour, these Brazilian cheese rolls are great for those
avoiding gluten. For an even more pronounced cheese flavor, you could use a
mixture of grated Parmesan and Gruyère cheese.
Makes 12 (100g/3½ each)
110g (4oz) Parmesan cheese, grated

220g (7¾oz) feta cheese, crumbled
250g (8z) whole (full fat) milk
70g (2½oz) vegetable oil
12g (⅓oz) sea salt
120g (4oz) egg (about 2 large eggs)
450g (1lb) tapioca flour
6g (¼oz) baking powder
Preheat the oven to 325 F°C (170°C/gas mark 3½).
Place all the ingredients except the tapioca flour and baking powder in the
bowl of a food processor. Mix for 15 seconds, then add the flour and baking
powder and mix for another 20 seconds, until the mixture is thoroughly
combined and smooth. It should come away from the sides of the bowl. You
can you also mix this dough by hand in a bowl. It’s best to use a strong
wooden spatula, as the dough is very sticky.
Lightly grease a 12-cup (hole) nonstick or silicone muffin pan. Divide the
mixture evenly between the cups—about 100g (3½oz) of mixture should go
into each cup. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, until pale golden.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Pão de
queijo are always eaten warm, or slightly warm.
Fougasse
Bring a taste of the Mediterranean to your table with this Provençal–style
flatbread topped with olives, rosemary and sundried tomatoes.
Makes 3 fougasses (320g/11¼ oz each)
1 quantity Country Bread dough (see page 18; follow the recipe to the end of
the first rising/prove)
4 black olives, pitted and halved
4 green olives, pitted and halved
3 sprigs of rosemary, leaves only
4 sundried tomatoes in olive oil, coarsely chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
3–4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Fold the edges of a piece of dough into
the center, creating a seam, and turn the dough over so it is seam side down.
Start pulling the surface of the dough taut and tucking the edges underneath,
and continue until the dough forms a smooth, tight dome. Repeat with the
remaining pieces. Set aside to rest for 15–20 minutes, loosely covered with
plastic wrap (clingfilm) or a damp dish towel.
Line a baking sheet with nonstick baking parchment paper and flour the
paper. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and stretch each into
an oval shape, about ¾ inch (1.5–2cm) thick, then transfer to the prepared
baking sheet. If you have difficulty stretching the dough to the desired
thickness, cover again and let rest for another 5-10 minutes.
Brush the top of the fougasses with water and sprinkle with the olives,
rosemary, sundried tomatoes and onion. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a
damp dish towel and set aside to rise (prove) at room temperature for 30–40
minutes.
and an ovenproof dish at the bottom of the oven. Flatten the loaves again and
liberally brush with olive oil to prevent the topping from burning. Slide the
baking sheet with the loaves onto the baking stone. Throw a handful of ice
cubes into the ovenproof dish and quickly shut the oven door. Bake for 18–22
minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire
rack to cool completely before serving.
Brioche
You don’t need special fluted brioche pans to make these breakfast buns.
Makes 12 individual brioches (60g/2oz each)
350g (12⅓oz) strong white bread flour

40g (1⅓oz) whole (full fat)milk (or water)
170g (6oz) egg (about 3 large eggs)
40g (1⅓oz) granulated sugar
8g (¼oz) fine sea salt
8g (¼oz) active dry (fast-action dried) yeast
105g (3¾oz) cold unsalted butter, diced (If your butter is too warm, it will
melt instead of being incorporated into the dough)
For the egg wash (glaze):

60g (2oz) egg (about 1 large egg)
20g (¾oz) granulated sugar
4g ( oz) fine sea salt
Place all the ingredients except the butter in a large mixing bowl or in a mixer
fitted with a paddle attachment. Knead or mix on low speed for 2–4 minutes,
until the dough has come together. Knead or mix on medium–high speed for
2–4 minutes, until the dough is slightly smooth and elastic.
Continue to knead or return the mixer to low speed and begin adding the
butter, 1 teaspoon at a time, kneading or mixing well between each addition,
until the butter is fully incorporated (this will take 10 minutes by hand and 5–
10 minutes in a mixer). Remove the dough and lightly oil the bowl before
replacing the dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel
and set aside to rise (prove) at room temperature for 30 minutes, then
refrigerate for 4–24 hours before use. Cooling the dough makes it easier to
handle.
When ready to use, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide
into 12 equal pieces. Fold the edges of a piece of dough into the center,
creating a seam, and turn the dough over so it is seam side down. Start
pulling the surface of the dough taut and tucking the edges underneath, and
continue until the dough forms a smooth, tight dome. Cover loosely and set
aside to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Reshape the dough, as before. Flour or grease a 12-cup (hole) muffin pan and
place each brioche into a cup. Cover loosely and set aside to rise at room
temperature for 30–45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/gas mark 5). In a small bowl, whisk
together the ingredients for the egg wash, then use to brush the top of each
brioche, being careful not to let it pool around the sides or it will prevent the
dough from rising. Bake for 16–20 minutes, until dark golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cramique
This brioche loaf is a Belgian breakfast specialty. Cramique is usually
decorated with pearl sugar—a very coarse type of sugar that is also used to
give Belgian waffles their characteristic caramelized exterior.
Makes 1 loaf
1 quantity Brioche dough (see page 34; follow the recipe up to the point
where the dough has been refrigerated)
125g (4oz) golden raisins (sultanas) or raisins,
125g (4oz) pearl sugar (a type of coarse European sugar designed for baking)
or cane sugar cubes chopped into lentil-size pieces
For the egg wash (glaze):

60g (2oz) egg (about 1 large egg)
20g (¾oz) granulated sugar
4g ( oz) fine sea salt
Grease and flour a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (900g/2lb) loaf pan. Turn the dough out
onto a lightly floured work surface and set aside 500g (1lb) of the dough (the
remainder can be used to make Brioche rolls, see page 32, or frozen for up to
2 weeks for use later). Roll out the dough using a lightly oiled rolling pin (the
dough is quite sticky so this prevents it from sticking so much) into a
rectangle about 3 times the length of your loaf pan and about ¾ inch (1.5cm)
thick.
Sprinkle the golden raisins (sultanas) and pearl sugar over the center third of
the dough, then fold the top third down over the middle third and finally
bring the bottom third up to meet the top edge of the dough and seal the
edges. Roll the dough to the length of your loaf pan and place the dough
inside the pan, seam side down.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel and set aside to rise
(prove) at room temperature for 1½–2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/gas mark 5). In a small bowl, whisk
together all the ingredients for the egg wash, then use to brush the cramique,
being careful not to let it pool along the sides, as it will prevent the dough
from rising. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until dark golden brown all over. Let
rest in the pan for 2 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool
completely before slicing.
Breakfast
Strawberry jam with thyme
Homemade treats aren’t just for leisurely Sunday breakfasts, especially if
they are as quick and easy to make as this one: a jar of fresh jam will brighten
up your breakfast table any day of the week.
Makes 1¼ cups (14oz/400g)
2 cups (10oz/300g) strawberries, hulled and halved, or quartered if large

1½ cups (10oz/300g) superfine (golden caster) sugar
juice of ½ lemon
1 sprig of thyme
Start by sterilizing the jam jars. Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C/gas mark
½). Wash the jars and their lids in hot, soapy water, rinse thoroughly and
place in the oven for 10 minutes while you prepare the jam.
Meanwhile, place all the ingredients in a saucepan with a heavy bottom.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar,
then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, or until the jam
has thickened to a sticky consistency.
Remove the pan from the heat, lift out the thyme sprig, then pour the jam into
the warm sterilized jars and seal with the lids.
Store the jam in the refrigerator and use within a month.

Fig jam
It’s delicious spread on fresh, crusty bread first thing in the morning, but fig
jam is a wonderful accompaniment for savory snacks later in the day, too—
try it with cheese and nuts.
Makes 1¼ cups (14oz/400g)
1½ cups (10oz/300g) dried figs, cut into quarters

¼ cup (1oz/25g) dried or ⅔ cup (2oz/50g) fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup (7oz/200g) superfine (caster) sugar
1¾ cups (13fl oz/400ml) water
juice of 1 lemon
Start by sterilizing the jam jars. Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C/gas mark
½). Wash the jars and their lids in hot, soapy water, rinse thoroughly and
place in the oven for 10 minutes while you prepare the jam.
Meanwhile, place all the ingredients in a saucepan with a heavy bottom.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15
minutes, or until the jam has thickened to a sticky consistency, stirring
continuously to break up the fruit and dissolve the sugar.
Remove the pan from the heat. Using a handheld blender, blend the jam until
the skins have broken down and the jam is smooth.
Pour the jam into the warm sterilized jars and seal with the lids.
Store the jam in the refrigerator and use within a month.

Morning detox banana split
This dish is packed with goodness: goji berries are full of antioxidants, and
spirulina—a type of alga—is high in protein. The dehydrated sprouted
buckwheat needs a little forward-planning, but it’s worth it.
Serves 1
1½ cups (9oz/250g) raw buckwheat groats

½ cup (4oz/125g) soy yogurt
1 small banana, just ripe
1 tbsp goji berries
1 tsp dried wild blueberries
1 tsp spirulina flakes
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp canola (rapeseed) oil
1 tsp acacia honey
1 sprig of mint (optional)
To make the dehydrated sprouted buckwheat, start by soaking the buckwheat

in 2 cups (17fl oz/500ml) of cold water for 5 minutes. Drain and let sprout in
the strainer or sieve at room temperature for 2 days, rinsing the buckwheat
every morning under cold running water.
Set the oven to its lowest temperature. Rinse the sprouted buckwheat
thoroughly under cold running water, then shake well. Repeat this process
twice more. Spread the buckwheat out in a thin layer on a baking sheet lined
with nonstick parchment paper and place in the oven for about 4 hours, or
until the buckwheat is dry and crispy, leaving the oven door propped open
slightly. Stored in an airtight jar, the dehydrated sprouted buckwheat will
keep for a few days.
To assemble the dish, pour the yogurt into a bowl. Place the whole banana on
top of the yogurt, then sprinkle with the goji berries, dehydrated sprouted
buckwheat, blueberries, spirulina and turmeric. Drizzle with the canola
(rapeseed) oil and honey and top with the mint sprig, if liked.
Chia seed porridge with orange & yogurt
Rich in protein, essential fatty acids and fiber, chia seeds are harvested from
Salvia hispanica, a herbaceous plant native to central Mexico that was as an
important food source of the Mayans and Aztecs.
Serves 2
4 tsp chia seeds

½ cup (4fl oz/125ml) blood orange juice
1 tbsp agave syrup or acacia honey
2 blood oranges, peeled
½ cup (4oz/125g) soy or plain (natural) yogurt
Put the chia seeds, blood orange juice and agave syrup into a bowl and mix
together. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until the
chia seeds have absorbed all the liquid.
Using a sharp knife, segment the oranges by cutting away the pith and
membrane so that only the flesh remains.
Divide the chia mixture between 2 bowls, add the blood orange segments and
top each portion with half the yogurt. Serve immediately.
Oatmeal omega-3 berry boost
Old-fashioned, steel-cut oats take longer to cook than rolled porridge oats,
but the nutty flavor is worth the wait. Oats reduce “bad” cholesterol, as do
flax seeds (linseeds), which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Serves 4
2½ cups (1 pint/600ml) water

1½ cups (5oz/150g) old-fashioned (Irish steel-cut) oats or rolled (porridge)
oats
4 cups (1lb 2oz/500g) mixed berries (such as blueberries, strawberries,
raspberries, black currants, gooseberries and blackberries) and cherries
4 tbsp agave syrup or acacia honey
To serve:
1 cup (8fl oz/245ml) soy milk
4 tbsp flaxseed (linseed) or canola (rapeseed) oil
2 tsp flaxseeds (linseeds)
Place the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then sprinkle in the oats.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20–25
minutes, or until the oatmeal thickens, stirring occasionally. Set aside for at
least 1 hour to let the old-fashioned (steel-cut) oats absorb all the liquid. If
using rolled (porridge) oats, follow the package directions.
Meanwhile, place the mixed berries and agave syrup in a saucepan over high
heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and set
aside.
To serve, pour the soy milk into the cooked oatmeal (porridge) and reheat for
5 minutes, stirring regularly. Divide the oatmeal and the berry mixture among
4 bowls and stir to combine, then drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over each
serving and sprinkle with the flaxseeds (linseeds). Serve immediately.
This dish is great for making ahead in larger quantities, because the cooked
oatmeal can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days: just add ¼ cup (2fl
oz/60ml) soy milk per portion, reheat and add berries, oil and flaxseeds to
serve. If you want to freeze the oatmeal, quickly cool the oats as soon as
they’re cooked by pouring them into a large, shallow dish. Divide the cooled
oatmeal into portions according to your needs, then store in sealable plastic
freezer bags or freezerproof containers. The frozen oats will keep for up to 3
months.
Chia seed & banana muffins
These muffins are as versatile as they are delicious: serve them for brunch on
the weekend, pack one in a lunchbox for school or work, or grab one for
breakfast on the go.
Makes about 15 muffins
4 small ripe bananas (10oz/275g peeled weight), mashed

1 cup (8oz/250g) soy yogurt
⅔ cup (5oz/150g) canola (rapeseed) or soy oil
¾ cup (6fl oz/175ml) agave syrup
3 eggs
½ tsp table salt
1 tsp vanilla sugar or liquid vanilla extract
1⅔ cups (7oz/200g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1⅔ cups (7oz/200g) chia seeds
For the topping:

chia seeds
1 banana, sliced on the diagonal
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/gas mark 4). Line a muffin pan with 12–15
paper muffin liners or cases.
Put the banana, yogurt, oil, agave syrup, eggs, salt and vanilla sugar into a
bowl and mix to a smooth purée using a fork. Add the flour and baking
powder and stir until just combined—be careful not to overmix or the
muffins won’t be as light and airy. (You can also use a stand mixer with a
paddle attachment: put the bananas into the bowl first and paddle briefly to
eliminate any lumps, add the liquids and sugar and process for 30 seconds,
then add the flour and baking powder and process for another 15 seconds.)
Stir the chia seeds into the mixture using a spatula and let stand for 20
minutes.
Pour the batter into the muffin pan, filling each liner to the top, then top with
chia seeds or slices of banana. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until risen
and golden. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire
rack to cool completely.
Lime & coconut French toast
This zesty, Thai-inspired recipe is a refreshing twist on traditional French
toast. You could also serve this as a dessert, accompanied by slices of fresh
mango or an exotic fruit sorbet.
Serves 2
1 egg, beaten
scant 1 cup (7fl oz/200ml ) coconut milk
½ tsp freshly grated lime rind
1 tbsp superfine (caster) sugar
4 slices Five-grain Fruit Bread (see page 20), about ¾ inch (1.5cm) thick
1 tbsp unsalted butter
To serve:
confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar)
freshly grated lime rind
Place the egg, coconut milk, sugar and lime rind in a shallow dish. Soak the
slices of bread in the mixture, turning 2 or 3 times to absorb all the liquid.
Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Once the
butter is foaming, add the bread slices and cook for 2 minutes on each side,
until golden brown.
Serve 2 slices of toast per portion, sprinkled with the sugar and lime rind.
Buckwheat pancakes with chestnut purée
These pancakes are great if you’re trying to avoid wheat but can’t resist a
special breakfast treat. Completely gluten-free, buckwheat has a distinctive,
nutty taste that blends well with other non-wheat flours.
Serves 4–6
1½ cups (6oz/175g) buckwheat flour

¾ cup (4oz/125g) rice flour
⅓ cup (2oz/50g) chestnut flour
2¼ tsp (¼oz/1 2g) active dry yeast (fast-action dried yeast)
1½ cups (12fl oz/350ml) whole (full-fat) milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp canola (rapeseed) oil
sunflower oil, for frying the pancakes
To serve:
1 cup (8oz/250g) chestnut purée
⅔ cup (5oz/150g) crème fraîche
Mix the flours and yeast together in a mixing bowl, then make a well in the
middle. Pour in the milk, then add the eggs, salt, sugar and canola (rapeseed)
oil, whisking continuously to create a thick batter. These flours—particularly
the buckwheat—are more absorbent than wheat flour, so you may need to
add another tablespoon of milk. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to let the
yeast start bubbling and the starch cells in the flours swell.
Heat about 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil in a large nonstick skillet or frying
pan over medium heat, brushing off the excess with paper towels before
frying the pancakes. Drop a large spoonful or ladleful of batter (depending on
the size you want your pancakes to be) into the pan to make thick pancakes.
Cook 3–4 pancakes at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Cook the
pancakes for 2–3 minutes on each side—when you see bubbles forming on
the surface, they are ready to be flipped over.
Keep the pancakes warm in a low oven while you finish cooking the
remainder. Serve immediately with the chestnut purée and crème fraîche
spooned on top.
To make a fruity version of these pancakes, stir a handful of blueberries,
sliced strawberries or pitted cherries into the batter just before you start frying
your pancakes.
Eat organic
How can we reconcile gastronomy, economy and health? That’s not only a
question that drives our work every day at Le Pain Quotidien, it’s something
to consider every time we prepare a meal at home.
Eating organic is part of a healthy lifestyle, and we are committed to offering

as many organic products as we can, beginning with the organic flour we use
to bake our bread. Choosing ingredients of organic origin is not only good for
our bodies, it’s also good for the future of our world: the more the market for
organic products grows, the fewer pesticides will be dumped into the
environment.
Find out where your food comes from and how it is produced: read labels
carefully and ask questions at the farmer’s market or at the meat counter. As
consumers, we all have the power to make a difference with the choices we
make, so choose wisely.
Tunisian-style oatmeal
Not everyone likes their first meal of the day to be sweet, so try offering this
dish as a savory alternative for a weekend brunch—perfect for those who
prefer their oatmeal with a hint of harissa rather than honey.
Serves 4
1½ cups (5oz/150g) old-fashioned (Irish steel-cut) oats
For the Tunisian topping:

1 tsp harissa
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tomatoes, diced
2 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced
⅓ cup (¾ oz/20g) finely chopped flat leaf parsley
The evening before you want to serve this dish for breakfast, place 2½ cups
(600ml/1 pint) water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the oats in
immediately and simmer for 1 minute. Cover the saucepan, let cool, then
place in the refrigerator overnight.
The following morning, pour 1 cup (8fl oz/250ml) of water into the oatmeal
(porridge) and reheat on low, stirring occasionally with a spatula to loosen
the oats. Serve slightly al dente to retain the unique texture of the oats.
Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the Tunisian topping in a small bowl.
Divide the warm oatmeal among 4 bowls, then spread a quarter of the
Tunisian topping over the top of each serving and serve immediately.
Pan con tomate
Also known as pa amb tomàquet, the simple, fresh national dish of Catalonia
is often eaten at breakfast. Make it in the summertime, with the ripest of
tomatoes and aromatic young garlic.
Serves 2
½ sourdough baguette
1 garlic clove, halved
2 firm heirloom (heritage) tomatoes such as cœur de bœuf or rose de Berne,
coarsely grated
sea salt (optional)
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Cut the baguette in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 2 pieces. Toast the
bread in a toaster, grill (griddle) pan or under a hot broiler (grill). While still
hot, rub the toasted baguette with the cut side of the garlic.
Spread the grated tomatoes (which should be a thick purée) over the toasted
bread. Sprinkle with salt to taste and drizzle with olive oil.
Goat cheese & asparagus frittata
Make the most of the all-too-short asparagus season by starting your day with
some fresh stalks of this most tender of vegetables. This dish is substantial
enough for a light lunch, too—serve it with bread and a salad.
Serves 2
6 asparagus spears (or 3 baby zucchini/courgettes, cut in half lengthwise)

4 eggs
4 tbsp light cream (single cream) or half-and-half
4 large cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp thinly sliced tarragon leaves
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tsp thyme leaves
2½oz (65g) firm crottin de chèvre (goat cheese), cut into ¼ inch (4–5mm)
slices
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C/gas mark 7). Snap off the ends of the
asparagus spears to remove the tough, woody part. Whisk the eggs and cream
together in a bowl, then stir in the tomatoes, tarragon, salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof baking dish, skillet or frying pan for which
you have a lid, then add the asparagus, garlic and half the thyme. Cover and
sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes, until softened, then remove from the
heat.
Pour the egg and cream mixture over the asparagus, lay the goat cheese slices
on top, then sprinkle with the remaining thyme. Transfer the frittata to the
oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the frittata is
golden brown. Serve hot.
Fried eggs with chorizo
There are days when only a restorative plate of spicy, chili-spiked eggs and
smoky chorizo sausage will do, preferably washed down with a large cup of
strong black coffee. It’s guaranteed to make you feel better.
Serves 2

2 tbsp thinly sliced scallions (spring onions)
½ garlic clove, sliced
½ tsp smoked chili powder
5 thin slices of chorizo sausage, cut into thin strips
1 small green chile, seeded and finely sliced into 8 strips
½ tsp thyme leaves
4 eggs
sea salt and black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or frying pan, add the scallions
(spring onions), cover the pan and sauté over medium heat for 3–4 minutes,
until softened, then add the garlic, chili powder, chorizo, green chile and
thyme. Cook for another 2–3 minutes to let the chorizo release its oils and the
garlic to brown.
Crack the eggs over the top and cook over medium–high heat for about 1
minute or until cooked to your liking. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Tartines
Hummus & curried cauliflower tartine
Roasting cauliflower with spices brings out the very best in this vegetable—
the golden, crispy florets are irresistible. Like broccoli, cauliflower contains
compounds that may help fight damaging toxins.
Serves 4
For the curried cauliflower:

½ cauliflower, washed, dried and broken into very small florets
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 sprig of thyme, leaves only
sea salt
For the hummus:

1⅔ cups (13oz/400g) canned chickpeas, drained (reserve the liquid)
2 tbsp tahini
juice of ¼ lemon
1 pinch of sea salt
To serve:
4 slices of Sourdough Bread (see page 16)
1 scallion (spring onion), chopped
Start by making the curried cauliflower. Preheat the oven to 425°F

(220°C/gas mark 7). In a bowl, toss the cauliflower with the spices, thyme
leaves and olive oil, mixing well. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and roast in
the oven for 10–15 minutes, until lightly brown on top. Remove from the
oven and set aside to cool.
Place all the hummus ingredients into a food processor or use a handheld
blender to process until smooth. If necessary, use a little of the reserved
chickpea liquid to thin the mixture to a smooth purée. Refrigerate for at least
30 minutes.
To serve, spread the hummus on the bread and top with the curried
cauliflower. Sprinkle the scallion (spring onion) on top and drizzle with the
olive oil.
Herbed soybean spread with tofu
Making soybean spread from scratch is easier than you think: all it takes is a
little patience, as the soybeans will need time to ferment. Paired with tofu and
tarragon, this spread makes a great vegan tartine.
Serves 4
For the fermented soy:

2⅔ cups (1lb 2oz/500g) yellow soybeans
10½ cups (4pints/2.5 litres) water
1½ tbsp Guérande gray sea salt or table salt
For the herbed soybean spread:

1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp tarragon, basil or cilantro (coriander) leaves, plus extra to serve
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 cups (17fl oz/500ml) extra virgin cold-pressed canola (rapeseed) oil
For the marinated tofu:

1 tsp harissa (we use Les Moulins Mahjoub)
3½oz (100g) firm tofu, cut into 2 x ¼ inch (4 x 0.5cm) sticks
To serve:
For the fermented soy, place the soybeans in a saucepan, add the water, then
bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for
45 minutes, until tender.
Remove from the heat, let cool for 10 minutes, then add the salt. Mix well,
replace the lid and set aside at room temperature for 3–4 days. Transfer the
soybeans and their cooking water to a sterilized jar (see page 40), seal tightly
and refrigerate.
To make the herbed soybean spread, put scant 1 cup (7oz/200g) of the
fermented soy and 4 tablespoons of its liquid into a food processor or
blender. Add the garlic, tarragon, turmeric and canola (rapeseed) oil and
process until you have a smooth purée. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
before serving.
For the marinated tofu, place the harissa in a small bowl and mix with a
tablespoon of water to dilute it slightly. Add the olive oil and whisk
vigorously, then add the tofu and mix together gently, covering the tofu with
the marinade.
To serve, spread the herbed soybean spread on the slices of bread, then top
with the marinated tofu and a few tarragon leaves. Serve immediately.
Labneh, herb & cucumber tartine
Commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking, labneh is a cheese-like type of
strained yogurt. You can can easily prepare a version of it at home—spread it
on bread instead of cream cheese.
Serves 2
⅔ cup (5oz/150g) labneh or homemade strained yogurt

¼ cucumber, thinly sliced and then cut into matchsticks
8 mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves
4 cherry tomatoes, cut into chunks
To make strained yogurt yourself, simply line a strainer or sieve with muslin
or cheesecloth and place over a small bowl. Pour 1 cup (8oz/250g) plain
(natural) yogurt with a 3.5 percent fat content into the lined strainer, bring
together the edges of the cloth to form a bundle and tie it with string. Drain in
the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, but ideally overnight. Squeeze the
bundle every few hours to get rid of the excess liquid, then squeeze again
tightly before using.
Spread the labneh on the bread. Sprinkle with the cucumber, mint and
cilantro (coriander), then divide the tomato pieces between the 2 portions.
Season with salt and black pepper and serve immediately.
Toasted Camembert, walnut & fig tartine
Walnuts and cheese are a classic pairing, but the fruity note added by the fig
jam makes this tartine particularly satisfying. And healthy, too—the fats in
walnuts are thought to reduce hardening of the arteries.
Serves 1
1 slice of Sourdough Bread (see page 16)

1 tbsp Fig Jam (see page 42)
3oz (75g) ripe Camembert or Brie, cut into ¼ inch (5–6mm) slices
4 walnut halves, roughly chopped
black pepper
Preheat the broiler (grill) to a high setting.

Lightly toast the bread. Spread the fig jam on top, cover with the Camembert
and then sprinkle the walnuts and a little black pepper over the tartine. Place
under the broiler for 3–4 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt. Serve
immediately.
Asparagus & ricotta tartine
The fresher the ricotta or fromage frais you use for this tartine, the sweeter
the taste. The same goes for asparagus—its delicate but intense flavor starts
to fade as soon as it is picked, so eat it on the day you buy it.
Serves 2
4 asparagus spears, cut in half lengthwise and sliced on the diagonal into 2–
2½ inch (5–6cm) pieces
2 pinches of sea salt
⅔ cup (5oz/150g) ricotta or fromage frais
½ tsp thyme leaves
black pepper
Preheat the broiler (grill) to a high setting. Place the asparagus in a shallow
dish with the olive oil and salt. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
Lightly toast the bread. Spread the ricotta on the toasted bread, then add the
asparagus, sprinkle with the thyme leaves and season with black pepper. If
your ricotta or fromage frais is too runny to spread, you can drain it for 2–3
hours in a strainer or sieve lined with muslin or cheesecloth first.
Place under the broiler for 2–3 minutes, without allowing the asparagus to
brown; you’re just aiming to heat it through gently. Serve immediately.
Eggplant, mozzarella & tomato tartine
Familiar from countless Italian recipes, these classic Mediterranean flavors
are just as delicious on a slice of bread as they are in a pasta dish.
Serves 2
3–4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 eggplant (aubergine), cut into 8 thin wedges
sea salt
2 slices of Sourdough Bread (see page 16) or rye sourdough bread
1 ball of buffalo mozzarella, about 4oz (125g), thinly sliced
4 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
a few small sprigs of rosemary
black pepper

Heat a nonstick skillet or frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the
eggplant (aubergine) and a little salt and gently sauté over medium heat for
about 3–4 minutes, until softened and golden brown. Remove from the heat
and drain on paper towels.
Lightly toast the bread. Divide the eggplant between the slices of toast, then
place the mozzarella and tomato on top. Sprinkle over the rosemary sprigs
and season with salt and black pepper.
Sprinkle a few drops of olive oil over each tartine, then transfer to a baking
sheet and bake in the oven for 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the
vegetables are warmed through.
Goat cheese, pear & honey tartine
Pear may not be an obvious topping for a tartine, but it works well with the
honey and the slightly tart goat cheese. We use small cheeses from the Loire
Valley, known as crottins, but you can use any firm goat cheese.
Serves 2

2 firm crottins de chèvre, about 4oz (125g) in total, thinly sliced horizontally
2 firm pears (such as Conference, Bartlett or Williams), sliced horizontally
into very thin (⅛ inch/2mm) slices
2 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1 tbsp honey, clear
Lightly toast the bread. Lay the cheese and pear slices alternately on the
bread, overlapping them slightly, then sprinkle with the thyme and season
with salt and black pepper.
Place under the broiler for about 4 minutes or until the cheese begins to
brown slightly. Remove from the heat and drizzle with the honey. Serve
immediately.
Join the table
When we were looking for furniture to fit into the long, narrow room of our
first bakery in Brussels, we found an old wooden table in an antique market.
It was perfect: long enough to accomodate a constantly changing cast of
characters, narrow enough to encourage conversation. It was the kind of table
that brought to mind the conviviality of family meals in the countryside,
when everyone gathers around the kitchen table to share food, tell stories and
catch up on the day’s events.
Good food tastes even better in good company. We went against the trend in
restaurant design at the time, but to us, it just felt right: our “kitchen table”
encourages interaction, it provides a place for a group of friends to relax, a
place for our guests—even if they are perfect strangers—to enjoy good food
together. Your table at home can do all those things, too. Take a seat and
linger for a while.
Spicy shrimp & avocado tartine
The fresh, zesty flavors of marinated seafood and the rich, creamy taste and
texture of perfectly ripe avocado—a match made in heaven.
Serves 2
10 shrimp (prawns), cooked and peeled

2 cherry tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 tsp thinly sliced jalapeño pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped scallion (spring onion), green part only
¼ garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
sea salt
juice of 1 lime
1 avocado, just ripe, peeled and pit (stone) removed
1 lime, peeled
Cut the shrimp or prawns in half across their length and then their width if
they are very large.
Put the shrimp into a bowl with the tomatoes, jalapeño, scallion (spring
onion), garlic and cilantro (coriander). Season with salt, then add half the
lime juice and mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for
10 minutes.
Mash the avocado flesh with a fork together with the remaining lime juice.
Spread the avocado on the bread slices, then top with the shrimp mixture.
Using a sharp knife, segment the lime by cutting away the skin and pith.
Place the lime slices on top of the shrimp mixture and serve immediately.
Smoked salmon & celeriac tartine
Crisp celeriac remoulade, made with homemade mayonnaise, is the perfect
foil to the richness of warm smoked salmon.
Serves 2
For the mayonnaise:

1 egg yolk
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp cold water
scant ½ cup (3½fl oz/100ml) rapeseed oil
scant ½ cup (3½fl oz/100ml) olive oil
For the celeriac remoulade:

7oz (200g) celeriac, peeled 1–2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tbsp Mayonnaise (see above)
sea salt
2 slices of Sourdough Bread (see page 16) or rye sourdough bread

5oz (150g) thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 1–1½ inch (2–3cm) strips
black pepper
a few sprigs of dill, chopped
½ lemon, sliced, each slice cut in half
To make your own mayonnaise, put the egg yolk, mustard and salt into a
small bowl and whisk together using a small balloon whisk or electric hand
whisk. Add the vinegar and water and whisk until well combined.
Combine the oils in a jug, then slowly add to the egg yolk mixture (about a
teaspoon at a time) and whisk constantly, until the mixture thickens and you
have a smooth mayonnaise. To make the mayonnaise in a food processor
simply blend all the ingredients except the oils until well combined, then
slowly pour in the oils in a steady stream.
Preheat the broiler (grill) to a medium setting.
To prepare the celeriac remoulade, julienne or very finely grate the celeriac,
place in a bowl and immediately add the lemon juice, which prevents the
celeriac from turning brown. Mix the crème fraîche and mayonnaise (if your
mayonnaise is very firm, add a few drops of water to lighten it; the sauce
should just cling to the celeriac and not be runny), then add to the celeriac
and mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste.
Lightly toast the bread, then spread with the remoulade. Lay the smoked
salmon strips on top but don’t cover the entire slice of toast. Place under the
broiler for 2–3 minutes or until the salmon is heated through. Serve
immediately, topped with a sprinkling of black pepper and a few sprigs of
dill. Serve the slices of lemon alongside the tartines.
King crab & egg salad tartine
Even if you don’t live near the sea, you can make this simple but impressive
recipe at a moment’s notice, at any time of the year, thanks to the
convenience of ready-cooked frozen crab.
Serves 2
7oz (200g) fresh or frozen cooked king crab claws

2 eggs
2 tbsp Mayonnaise (see page 86)
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
2 tsp chopped dill
6–8 tarragon leaves
Soak the crabs claws in a bowl filled with plenty of cold water for 10
minutes. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle boil. Add
the eggs and boil for 8 minutes, then drain and run under cold water to cool.
Drain the crab thoroughly, then crack open the claw shells using a hammer or
mallet. Gently remove the meat from the shells and cut into thin slices.
Peel the hard-boiled eggs, chop coarsely and transfer to a small bowl. Add
the mayonnaise, chives and dill and mix gently, then spread over the slices of
bread. Top with the crab and the tarragon, and serve immediately.
Herring & salmon roe tartines
Also known as red caviar, salmon roe brings a taste of the ocean to these
Scandinavian-inspired tartines, while the pink peppercorns add bite.
Serves 4
4 salted smoked herring fillets, about 2oz (50g) each

1 cup (8fl oz/250ml) milk
1 cup (8fl oz/250ml) water 2oz (50g) salmon roe
3 tbsp chopped chives
3 tbsp chopped dill
2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
⅔ cup (5oz/150g) crème fraîche or sour cream
4 slices of rye sourdough bread
1 tbsp pink peppercorns, ground
To serve:
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 sprig of dill
Desalt the herring a day in advance. Place the herring fillets in a shallow dish.
Mix the milk and water and pour the liquid over the herring, then cover the
dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, drain the herring fillets, rinse them well under cold running
water, then pat dry. Slice the fillets on the diagonal into ¾ inch (1.5cm) strips
and place in a small bowl.
Mix together the chives and dill, then stir half the herb mixture into the bowl
of herring strips and mix the other half with the salmon roe. Add the parsley
to the salmon roe.
Spread the crème fraîche over the bread, then cover 2 slices with the herring
mixture and 2 slices with the salmon roe mixture. Sprinkle the pink
peppercorns over the herring, then serve immediately with the lemon wedges
and dill sprig.
Beet caviar, caper & wild salmon tartine
There is nothing remotely fishy about beet caviar, but here it serves a similiar
function to its piscine inspiration, adding flavor and color.
Serves 4
For the beet caviar:

3 cups (13oz/400g) diced cooked beets (beetroot)
about 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ garlic clove, chopped
about 1 tsp sea salt
For the wild salmon:

12oz (350g) frozen wild Alaskan salmon fillet, skin removed
2 tbsp finely chopped shallot
2 tbsp wild mountain capers in sea salt, chopped
about 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
juice of ½ lemon
4 drops of Tabasco sauce
½ tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
black pepper
To serve:
slices of lemon

Start by making the beet (beetroot) caviar. Place all the ingredients into a
food processor or use a handheld blender to blend to a smooth purée.
Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Place the frozen salmon on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake in the oven
for 18–20 minutes or until cooked through. In this recipe, the salmon should
have a grainy texture, so we cook it longer than is strictly necessary in order
to dry it. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a bowl, mix the remaining salmon ingredients using a fork. Flake the
salmon into the bowl and mix gently.
To serve, roll the beet caviar into small balls. Spread the salmon mixture over
the bread slices, then nestle the beet caviar balls among the salmon. Serve
immediately with the lemon slices.
Pea, pancetta & radish tartine
Topped with young, crunchy radishes, this bright green tartine tastes as fresh
and spring-like as it looks. The pancetta gives it an additional burst of rich,
savory flavor.
Serves 2
For the pea hummus:

1 cup (5oz/150g) shelled fresh peas or frozen petit pois, defrosted
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp olive oil
black pepper
To serve:
4 very thin slices of raw pancetta (very dry), or fried, if preferred
4 radishes, cut into thin slivers
8 mint leaves, finely chopped
4 tbsp shelled fresh peas or frozen petits pois, defrosted
For the pea hummus, put the peas, tahini, olive oil, salt and black pepper into
a food processor or use a handheld blender to blend in short bursts of 10–15
seconds, until you have a smooth purée.
To serve, spread the pea hummus on the bread, then top with the pancetta,
radishes, mint and peas.
Ham & cheese tartine inside out
This unconventional “sandwich” breaks all the rules. Cut into bite-sized
pieces, it makes a wonderful, eye-catching canapé at parties.
Serves 2
2 tbsp (1oz/25g) butter, softened

1 slice of Sourdough Bread (see page 16), about ¼–½ inch (8–9mm) thick
1 slice of cooked ham, about 5oz (150g), about ¼ inch (8mm) thick
1 slice of young Gouda, about 5oz (150g), about ¼ inch (8mm) thick
To serve:
Small gherkin pickles
Pickled green chilies in vinegar
Wholegrain mustard
Place the slice of cheese on a cutting board. Spread half the butter on one side
of the bread, then place the bread on the cheese, buttered side down. Butter
the other side of the bread, then lay the slice of ham on top. Cut away the
crusts, leaving a perfect rectangle, then cut into small triangles or fingers.
Serve immediately with the gherkin pickles, chilies and mustard alongside.
Comté soufflé tartine
Produced in the Jura Massif region of France, Comté is a mountain cheese
with rich, nutty flavors. The wheels of cheese are matured for at least 120
days—for a stronger taste, use a 12-month Comté cheese.
Serves 1
1 egg
¾ cup (3½oz/100g) grated Comté cheese
4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1oz/25g)
2 tbsp milk
1 pinch of sea salt
1 pinch of black pepper
1 slice or rasher of unsmoked bacon or pancetta, ⅛ inch (2mm) thick
1 slice of Sourdough Bread (see page 16), crusts removed

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg, Comté, Parmesan, milk, nutmeg, salt and
black pepper until well combined. Be careful not to add too much salt,
because the cheeses are already salty. Add a little more cheese if the mixture
is too runny. Once thick enough, spread the mixture on the bread, then lay the
bacon on top.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 5–7 minutes, until the
bacon is cooked and the cheese mixture is golden brown and puffed up. Serve
immediately.
Corn, jalapeño & goat cheese tartine
Piquant without being too hot, this recipe contains just enough jalapeño
pepper to wake up your taste buds.
Serves 2
For the tomato salsa:

1 tomato, diced
½ onion, finely chopped
½ garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves
juice of 1 lime
1 slice smoked bacon, chopped

4 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tsp finely chopped jalapeño pepper
finely grated rind of ¼ lime
½ cup (3oz/75g) canned or fresh sweet corn (about ½ cob of corn)
2½oz (65g) young, soft goat cheese or feta cheese, diced
10 cilantro (coriander) leaves, coarsely chopped
Preheat the broiler (grill) to a medium setting.

For the tomato salsa, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix
well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can infuse.
In a small saucepan, combine the bacon, crème fraîche, garlic, jalapeño and
lime rind with 1 tablespoon of water. Place over low heat and bring to a
gentle simmer. Simmer for 1 minute, then add the sweet corn. Remove from
the heat.
Spread the corn cream onto the bread. Divide the goat cheese among the
tartines, then place under the broiler for 3–4 minutes, until the cheese is just
beginning to melt. Remove from the broiler and sprinkle with the cilantro
(coriander). Serve immediately with the tomato salsa alongside.
Pork loin tonnato tartine
In Italy, creamy tonnato sauce—made with mayonnaise and tuna—is
traditionally served with veal, but it works just as well with roast pork.
Serves 4
1 tbsp wild mountain capers in sea salt

8oz (250g) roasted pork loin, chilled and thinly sliced
finely grated rind of ½ lemon
For the tonnato sauce:

1 tbsp wild mountain capers in sea salt
scant ½ cup (3 ½fl oz/100ml) water, at room temperature
⅔ cup (5oz/150g) Mayonnaise (see page 86)
⅓ cup (2oz/50g) canned tuna in oil
¼ garlic clove
4 drops of Tabasco sauce juice of ¼ lemon
Start by making the tonnato sauce. Soak the capers in the water for 15
minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water, then place in a
blender with all the remaining sauce ingredients. Blend for 15–20 seconds or
until you have a smooth sauce.
Soak the capers for the topping in cold water for 1 minute, then drain. Spread
a thin layer of sauce on each slice of bread. Arrange the pork slices on the
bread without overlapping them. Using the back of a spoon, dot the pork with
more sauce, then sprinkle with the capers and lemon rind. Top each tartine
with a few sprigs of parsley and serve immediately.
Pumpkin hummus & merguez tartine
This is a tartine for autumn and winter, with spicy sausage and silky roast
pumpkin to warm you up on a crisp, chilly day.
Serves 4
1½lb (750g) pumpkin, peeled and cut into 4 wedges

4 garlic cloves
4 lamb or beef merguez sausages
2 tbsp tahini
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch of cumin
sea salt
4 slices of stale (1–2 days old) Sourdough Bread (see page 16)
To serve:
4 sprigs of flat leaf parsley
½ lemon, sliced, each slice cut in half
Cut out a 24 x 8 inch (60 x 20cm) rectangle of nonstick parchment paper.

Place the pumpkin wedges in the middle of the rectangle together with the
garlic cloves. Fold the paper over to make a bundle and staple the edges to
make it as airtight as possible, then place the bundle on a baking sheet and
roast in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool
for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the merguez in a baking dish and cook in the oven for 25
minutes.
Transfer the pumpkin and garlic to a food processor or blender, then add the
tahini, olive oil, cinnamon, cumin, and thyme. Season with salt, then blend
until you have a smooth purée.
To serve, slice the merguez diagonally into 6 pieces. Spread the warm
pumpkin hummus on the bread, then top each tartine with 6 merguez pieces,
a sprig of parsley and some lemon slices. Serve immediately.
Lamb & rosemary mayonnaise tartine
The best thing about roasting a joint of meat for lunch or dinner is finding the
cold leftovers in the refrigerator later, perfect for a quick snack. You can mix
up some herbed mayo in a minute or two.
Serves 2
For the rosemary mayonnaise:

1 sprig of rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
black pepper

7oz (200g) roasted leg of lamb, chilled and thinly sliced
4 black Greek olives, pitted and sliced
4 cherry tomatoes, sliced
To make the rosemary mayonnaise, place the mayonnaise in a medium bowl

with the rosemary and mix vigorously using a small whisk, then add a
sprinkling of black pepper.
Spread a thin layer of the herbed mayonnaise on the bread, then place the
lamb slices on top. Dot a little more mayonnaise onto the lamb, then divide
the olives and tomatoes among the tartines. Serve immediately.
Piquant beef tartine
There are many versions of sauce gribiche, which is a kind of coarse
vinaigrette. This one is our favorite—you could even serve it as a dip.
Serves 4
For the boiled beef:

10oz (300g) beef chuck or silverside
1 carrot, unpeeled
1 onion, unpeeled, halved
1 celery stick
1 leek, green part only
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
½ tsp whole black peppercorns
1 clove
8 coriander seeds
about 2 tsp sea salt
For the sauce gribiche:

1 hard-boiled egg
⅔ cup (5oz/150g) Mayonnaise (see page 86)
3 small gherkin pickles, finely diced
1 tbsp wild mountain capers in sea salt, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped shallot
1 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tsp finely chopped tarragon leaves
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
black pepper
To serve:
2 cups (3½oz/100g) lettuce, shredded
12 gherkin pickles, halved lengthwise
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into 6
As the boiled beef needs to infuse overnight, start preparing this dish the day
before you want to serve it. Place the beef in a flameproof casserole dish with
all the remaining ingredients and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over
high heat, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface, then reduce the
heat as low as possible. Cover and cook very gently for 3 hours. To check
whether the meat is cooked, prod it using the tip of a small knife – it should
feel tender and there should be no resistance as the knife goes in. Remove
from the heat, replace the lid and set aside to cool for 1 hour at room
temperature, then refrigerate overnight in the broth.
For the sauce gribiche, cut the egg lengthwise into thin slices using an egg
slicer or very sharp knife, then turn it 90 degrees and repeat. Transfer the
chopped egg to a small bowl and gently toss with the remaining sauce
ingredients.
To serve, drain the beef thoroughly and discard the broth, then chop coarsely.
Spread a small amount of the sauce gribiche on the bread, cover with the beef
and the lettuce, then spoon some more sauce on top. Serve immediately with
the gherkin pickles, egg and any remaining sauce alongside.
Soups
Curried leek soup
Milder and sweeter than onions, leeks are a great base for this light summer
vegetable soup. This recipe is particularly useful if you find yourself with a
glut of young, home-grown summer squash.
Serves 4
4–5 cups (14oz/400g) leeks, trimmed, cleaned and finely sliced

3 cups (12oz/350g) diced zucchini (courgettes)
4 cups (1¾ pints/1 liter) water
1½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp mild curry powder
To serve:
1 small zucchini (courgette), cut into ⅛ inch (3–4mm) ribbons using a
mandolin or vegetable peeler
canola (rapeseed) oil or butter
toasted bread
Put the leeks and zucchini (courgettes) into a saucepan with the water, salt
and curry powder. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 12 minutes, until the
leeks are tender. Remove from the heat and use a handheld blender to purée
until smooth.
To serve, reheat the soup gently, then ladle it into 4 bowls. Divide the
zucchini ribbons among the bowls, then drizzle with canola (rapeseed) oil.
Serve immediately with toasted bread, either drizzled with oil or spread with
butter.
For an extra decorative effect, serve this soup topped with “spaghetti”: use
the comb blade on a mandolin or cut the zucchini (courgette) into ribbons and
then slice them into thin strips using a very sharp knife.
Gazpacho
This variation on the classic summer dish was created by Pascal Lorange, one
of Le Pain Quotidien’s former chefs. Made with perfectly ripe tomatoes, this
“salad soup” deserves your very best olive oil.
Serves 4
1 medium red bell pepper, or 2 ½ oz (70g) of roasted piquillo peppers from a

jar
2oz (50g) sourdough baguette, cut into small pieces
1¼ cups (½ pint/300ml) cold water
3 tomatoes, peeled and diced (if fresh tomatoes are not in season, use
13oz/400g of canned plum tomatoes)
1 cup (3½ oz/100g) peeled and diced cucumber
½ red onion, cut into quarters
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
To serve:
4 ice cubes
3 radishes, finely sliced
8 thin slices of cucumber, cut into matchsticks
1 scallion (spring onion), green leafy parts only, finely sliced
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
Start by roasting the bell pepper. Preheat the oven to 400F°C (200°C/gas
mark 6). Place the whole pepper on a baking sheet and roast for about 30
minutes, until the skin is blackened and blistered. Remove from the oven and
place inside a plastic bag or cover with a damp cloth and let cool slightly,
then peel, seed and cut the flesh into thin strips. Set aside ⅓ cup (3oz/70g)
pepper strips. Any leftover roasted pepper will keep in the refrigerator for up
to 24 hours.
Place the baguette pieces in a large mixing bowl with the water and let soak
for 1 hour.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl, including the roasted pepper
strips. Using a handheld blender, purée the soup until smooth, then cover and
place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to let the flavors mature and
develop.
To serve, chill 4 bowls. Stir the soup well, then divide it among the chilled
bowls and place an ice cube in each one. Divide the radishes, cucumber and
scallions (spring onions) among the bowls, then drizzle with the olive oil and
serve immediately with the lemon wedges. For a more substantial meal, the
gazpacho can be served with slices of toasted baguette and guacamole.
Carrot, olive & fennel seed soup
Also known as split olives, “cracked” olives are olives that have been gently
crushed before curing to maximize absorption of the marinade. Their
exceptional flavor adds depth to this sweet carrot soup.
Serves 4
2lb (1kg) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

16 cracked green olives or standard green olives, pitted
2 slices (2oz/50g) stale Sourdough Bread (see page 16), torn into small pieces
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
5¼ cups (2¼ pints/1.25 liters) water
2 tsp sea salt
To serve:
12 cracked green olives or standard olives, pitted and halved
12 sprigs of dill
Place all the soup ingredients apart from the olive oil in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover the pan with a lid, lower the
heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Remove
from the heat and remove the bay leaf. Blend the soup using a handheld
blender, then add the oil and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if
necessary.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the olives and a few
sprigs of dill. Serve immediately.
Parsnip & parsley soup
They may not be as pretty, but parsnips contain more vitamins and minerals
than their cousin, the carrot. They are particularly rich in potassium, and
make a luxuriously smooth and silky soup.
Serves 4
1lb 2oz (500g) parsnips, peeled and sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp sea salt
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
Place the parsnips, garlic, water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over
medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 7–8 minutes, until the
parsnips are soft but not breaking up.
Pour two-thirds of the soup into a separate saucepan and keep hot. Stir the
parsley into the remaining third of hot soup, then use a handheld blender to
purée until smooth. Return to the heat and reheat gently.
To serve, ladle the plain soup into bowls, then add the parsley-flavored soup
to create a marbled effect.
Icy pea & cucumber soup
Before you’ve even tasted the first spoonful, the wonderful color of this
chilled soup will already help you feel cool, calm and refreshed.
Serves 4
4 cups (1¾ pints/1 liter) ice-cold water

1½ cups (5oz/150g) cucumber, peeled and sliced
1⅓ cups (7oz/200g) frozen peas
½ garlic clove
pinch of fresh or dried savory or a mixture of dried thyme and dried mint
2 tsp sea salt
3½ slices (3½oz/100g) stale
Sourdough Bread (see page 16) without crusts, torn into small pieces
To serve:
⅓ cup (3½oz/100g) cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
⅔ cup (4oz/100g) fresh peas
4 tbsp heavy cream (double cream) or cottage cheese
Put half the water and all the remaining ingredients into a blender or food
processor. Blend for about 1 minute, until you have a smooth, liquid
consistency. Add the remaining water and blend for another 3 seconds.
Transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for
20 minutes.
About 30 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup, chill 4 bowls until
icy cold by placing them in the freezer. Mix the soup well (water has a
tendency to separate from other ingredients in solution), then pour into the
chilled bowls. Divide the cucumber and peas among the bowls, then top each
serving with 1 tablespoon of the cream.
Chickpea, turnip & lemon soup
Even in the depths of winter, when no fresh, local produce is available, you
can brighten up storecupboard staples and root vegetables with North African
sun, courtesy of a preserved lemon.
Serves 6
1 cup (6oz/150g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, or 2 cups (14oz/400g)

rinsed and drained canned chickpeas
2 turnips, peeled and diced
½ preserved lemon, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
black pepper
First, cook the chickpeas. Drain the soaked chickpeas, rinse well and place in
a saucepan with enough cold water to cover them. Bring to a boil over
medium heat, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes, until tender,
then remove from the heat and drain thoroughly.
Place the chickpeas, turnip, preserved lemon, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, cumin,
salt and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then
reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are
soft but not breaking up.
Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Pour half the
soup into a large bowl, then use a handheld blender to purée until smooth.
Add the olive oil and lemon juice and mix well. Pour the blended soup back
into the saucepan and reheat gently, then stir in the parsley and some black
pepper. Serve immediately.
Mashed pumpkin soup
This soup contains pumpkin in all its contrasting forms and textures, from
hearty mash and crunchy seeds to pumpkin seed oil, which has an intensely
nutty taste and is high in healthy unsaturated fatty acids.
Serves 4
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1¾ lb 12oz (750g) pumpkin, peeled and cut into large chunks (about 7 cups)
5¼ cups (2¼ pints/1.25 liters) water
2 tsp sea salt
To serve:
black pepper
6 tbsp pumpkin seeds
4 tbsp virgin pumpkin seed oil
Sourdough Bread (see page 16)
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion, garlic, thyme and
bay leaf. Cover the pan and sweat over medium heat for 4 minutes, until
softened. Add the pumpkin, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and
cook over low heat for 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft and beginning to
break up, then remove from the heat. Using a vegetable masher, mash the
pumpkin into a lumpy soup, then check the seasoning.
To serve, divide the soup among 4 bowls, season with black pepper, sprinkle
with the pumpkin seeds and drizzle 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seed oil over
each serving. Serve immediately with sourdough bread.
Onion broth with thyme & feta
This soup is all about unexpected contrasts: the tangy, crumbly feta cheese
works beautifully with the soft, silky caramelized onions in their hot broth.
Serves 4

4 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp superfine (caster) sugar
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tsp sea salt
black pepper
1–2 tsp wine vinegar
4oz (125g) goat or sheep milk feta, crumbled
Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish, then add the onion and garlic. Sprinkle
with the sugar and cook over high heat until the onions brown and caramelize
but do not burn.
Add the water, thyme, bay leaf, salt and a little black pepper. Bring to a boil,
then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until the onions are
soft. Stir in a splash of wine vinegar. Serve immediately in soup plates,
sprinkled with the crumbled feta.
Stewed leek & potato soup with farmhouse butter
There is something deliciously decadent about dropping a spoonful of sweet
butter into a bowl of this otherwise simple, frugal soup. In spring, you can
make it using wild garlic, which is softer on the palate.
Serves 4
½ stick (2oz/50g) salted farmhouse butter

4 leeks, trimmed, cleaned, thickly sliced on the diagonal
2 garlic cloves (or 4 wild garlic cloves), sliced
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
4 firm potatoes (such as Yukon gold, Maris Piper or Desirée), peeled and cut
into ¼ inch (5mm) dice
3 cups (1¼ pints/750ml) water
1 tsp sea salt
½ stick (2 oz/50g) unsalted butter, to serve
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks, garlic, thyme
and bay leaf, cover the pan and sweat over low heat for 4–5 minutes or until
the leeks are soft and shiny. Add the potatoes, water (if you prefer a slightly
thicker soup, use only two-thirds of the water) and salt, increase the heat to
medium, and bring to a boil, then cook for 7–8 minutes, until the potatoes are
tender.
Serve the soup hot, adding 1 tablespoon of butter to each portion just before
serving.
Eat less meat
These days, we are all aware of the benefits of a plant-based diet. Not only is
eating less meat better for us, it’s good for the planet: the “land footprint” of a
steak dinner is between six and nine times greater than that of a tasty plate of
vegetables.
When my daughter Ines was born, I decided to try eating vegan for a year.
This experiment made me realize how difficult it is to eat this way when you
are away from home—when it comes to offering dishes suitable for vegans,
not all restaurants are equally welcoming.
My interest in finding a lighter style of cooking and eating helped shape my
path as a chef, but the trigger to go vegan came later, in Los Angeles, where I
had observed the demand for a different way of eating. We now make our
granola with agave syrup rather than honey, for example, but it’s not our goal
to convert the whole world to veganism. However, I think it’s healthy for
everyone to be an occasional vegetarian, at least. Try adding some delicicous
new meat-free dishes to your repertoire—you won’t miss a thing.
Mussel soup
Fresh mussels are sustainable, good value and easy to cook. Potatoes add
body to this soup, saffron turns it a rich shade of gold and a generous dollop
of homemade aioli makes for a sublime finishing touch.
Serves 4
For the aioli:

1 egg yolk
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, mashed to a fine purée
1 pinch of saffron threads, turmeric or curry powder
½ tsp pastis
scant 1 cup (7fl oz/200ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp water
2lb (1kg) fresh mussels

½ cup (3½fl oz/100ml) dry white wine
black pepper
2 cups (11oz/300g) peeled and diced firm potatoes
1 celery stick, finely sliced
1 leek, white part only, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
6 cups (2½ pints/1.5 liters) water
1 pinch of saffron threads
1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
toasted bread, to serve
Start by making the aioli. Put the egg yolk and salt into a mixing bowl and
whisk together, or place in a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add
the mustard, vinegar, garlic, saffron, pastis and Tabasco and continue
whisking or processing until just combined, then slowly add the olive oil—
just a few drops at a time—to thicken the aioli to a mayonnaise consistency.
Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
To prepare the soup, soak the mussels in plenty of cold water for 30 minutes.
Scrub them clean, then remove the beards (the fibrous clump attached to the
mussels). Discard any mussels that are cracked, broken or remain open when
tapped. Drain the mussels in a colander and rinse well.
Place the mussels, wine and a little black pepper in a large saucepan over
high heat. Cover and cook for 3–4 minutes or until the mussels have opened
(discard any that haven’t), giving the pan a good shake at least once. Remove
from the heat as soon as the shells have opened and transfer to a bowl. Strain
the cooking juices through a fine strainer or sieve. Let the mussels cool, then
remove from their shells.
Place the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the potato, celery, leek,
garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Mix well, then cover with a lid and sweat for 3
minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften without coloring. Add the
water, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the saffron, the cooked
mussels and their cooking liquid, and simmer over low heat for 5–8 minutes.
Sprinkle with the parsley, then serve immediately with the toasted bread and
aïoli.
Vongole, seaweed & ginger soup
Just like leafy greens grown on dry land, seaweed is full of vitamins and
minerals, but it’s also a great source of vegetable protein. And of course the
salty, savory flavor of this sea vegetable is perfect with clams.
Serves 4
1lb (500g) clams

¾ inch (1.5cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 tbsp dried seaweed (such as dulse)
sea salt
To serve:
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
12 sprigs of dill
juice of 1 lemon
black pepper
Wash the clams thoroughly before cooking. Scrub them clean under cold
running water, then discard any that are cracked, broken or remain open
when tapped. Rinse well and drain in a colander.
Put the clams into a large saucepan over high heat. Cover and cook for 3–4
minutes or until the clams have opened (discard any that haven’t) and
released their juices, giving the saucepan a good shake at least once during
the cooking time. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Strain the
cooking juices through a piece of cheesecloth or muslin or a paper filter. Set
aside 12 clams in their shells, then let the remainder cool before removing
them from their shells.
Rinse the saucepan, then pour in the water and strained clam cooking juices.
Add the ginger and seaweed, then bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
Taste and add salt, if necessary.
To serve, divide the reserved clams in their shells and all the shelled clams
among 4 bowls and pour the seaweed and ginger stock over them. Sprinkle
with the chives and dill sprigs, and add a splash of lemon juice and some
black pepper to each bowl. Serve immediately.
Watercress & cauliflower soup
Cauliflower gives this quick and easy soup its creamy texture. It also delivers
all the health benefits associated with eating cruciferous vegetables, while the
watercress is packed with antioxidants.
Serves 4–6
5¼ cups (2¼ pints/1.25 liters) chicken stock

1 cauliflower (about 1½lb/700g), broken into florets
1 bay leaf
2 tsp sea salt
1 bunch of watercress
2 slices (2oz/50g) stale or 2½ slices (2½oz/70g) fresh Sourdough Bread (see
page 16), without crusts, torn into small pieces
black pepper
If you’d like to use homemade chicken stock, put 10 chicken wings in 5¼

cups (2¼ pints/1.25 liters) water with a few coarsely chopped vegetables (1
small carrot, ½ leek, 1 onion and 1 celery stick, for example), a few sprigs of
parsley and some peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
Strain through a fine strainer or sieve and discard the vegetables. Otherwise, a
good store-bought stock will work just as well.
Place the stock in a saucepan along with the cauliflower, bay leaf, garlic and
salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes or until the
cauliflower is soft but has not broken up. Remove from the heat and discard
the bay leaf.
Put the watercress and bread into a mixing bowl and pour over half the soup.
Blend the mixture using a handheld blender until roughly puréed, then pour
the mixture back into the saucepan and stir to combine. Check the seasoning,
then reheat gently and serve piping hot.
Lamb broth with cucumber & mint yogurt
Cooked gently over a low heat, lamb shank becomes meltingly tender—
perfect for an elegant, restorative broth.
Serves 6
1 lamb shank, about 1lb (500g)

1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1 turnip, peeled and cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled and cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
8½ cups (3½ pints/2 liters) water
4 tsp sea salt
To serve:
1 cucumber, cut into thin strands or “spaghetti” (see page 112)
plain (natural) yogurt
a few sprigs of mint
black pepper
Put all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
Boil for 3–4 minutes and skim off the froth that forms on the surface, then
reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 1½–2 hours, until the lamb is
tender and almost falling off the bone, then remove from the heat.
Remove the shank from the stock, then pass the stock through a fine strainer
or sieve into a clean saucepan (discard the vegetables) and keep hot. Taste
and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Shred the lamb meat from the bone.
To serve, divide the shredded lamb meat among 6 soup bowls. Gather the
cucumber strips into 6 bundles and add one to each bowl, then pour over the
hot stock and add a tablespoon of yogurt. Finish with a few mint sprigs and a
grinding of black pepper. Serve immediately.
Salads
One-minute carrot & lemon salad
As the name suggests, this salad is super-quick to make. It is therefore best
left until the last minute: prepare it just before you want to serve it in order to
retain the sweetness and crunch of the carrots.
Serves 4 as a side dish or appetizer
4 carrots, peeled, julienned or finely grated

juice of ½ lemon
3 pinches of salt
black pepper
Place the carrot in a salad bowl and mix with the oil, lemon juice and salt.
Mix gently, season with a little freshly ground black pepper to taste and serve
immediately.
Raw Jerusalem artichoke, walnut & chestnut salad
It may not look the part, but the knobbly Jerusalem artichoke is a member of
the sunflower family. Delicious served raw, its sweet, nutty flavor
complements the walnuts and chestnuts in this winter salad.
2oz (50g) pancetta, finely chopped

½ cup (2oz/50g) walnuts, chopped
10 cooked chestnuts or fresh chestnuts (about 3½oz/100g), blanched, peeled
and chopped
1 scallion (spring onion), chopped
1 Boston, Little Gem or romaine lettuce, leaves separated
2 tbsp white wine or sherry vinegar
1 pinch of sea salt
1lb 2oz (500g) Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and very finely sliced
Place the pancetta and walnuts in a nonstick frying pan or skillet and sauté
over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the chestnuts and sauté for 2 minutes,
then add the scallion (spring onion) and sauté for another 2 minutes, or until
golden, then remove from the heat.
Put the lettuce leaves in a large salad bowl. Add the olive oil, vinegar and salt
and toss gently, then add the Jerusalem artichokes. Pour the warm pancetta
mixture over the salad and serve immediately.
Monday detox salad
This salad will help you recover from the weekend’s excesses and start the
new week as you mean to go on. A mix of seeds and spices, the gomasio is
used like a condiment, adding texture and flavor to the salad.
For the gomasio:

4 tsp pumpkin seeds
4 tsp flaxseeds (linseeds)
4 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp seaweed flakes
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp dried chili
½ celeriac (10oz/300g), peeled and julienned or finely grated

4 carrots (8oz/250g), peeled and julienned or finely grated
1 firm zucchini (courgette; 7oz/200g), julienned or finely grated
1 trimmed fennel (7oz/200g), finely sliced
2 cups (7oz/200g) finely sliced green or white cabbage
2 cups (7oz/200g) finely sliced red cabbage
2 cups (1½oz/40g) arugula (rocket)
To serve:
1 avocado, peeled, cut into quarters
2 tbsp dehydrated sprouted buckwheat (see page 44)
extra virgin cold-pressed canola (rapeseed) oil
Start by making the gomasio. Put all the ingredients into a food processor and
process in short bursts until you have a medium-coarse, crumbly mixture.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
For the salad, place the celeriac, carrot, zucchini (courgette), fennel, cabbages
and arugula (rocket) in a large bowl with 4 tablespoons of the gomasio and
mix well. Store the leftover gomasio in an airtight jar.
To serve, finely slice each avocado quarter into a fan shape. Divide the salad
among 4 serving plates, sprinkle with the buckwheat, then drizzle 2
tablespoons of canola (rapeseed) oil over each serving and top with an
avocado fan. Serve immediately.
Soba, cauliflower & blood orange salad
The creamy ginger sauce gives this salad a real lift. This dressing works just
as well with other dishes, like the roasted vegetables on page 186.
Serves 4
For the creamy ginger sauce:

½ red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
¾ inch (1.5cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated
2 tsp soy sauce
5 tbsp white wine vinegar 2 tbsp cashew butter
1 tsp brown miso
4 tbsp extra virgin cold-pressed canola (rapeseed) oil
4 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp sea salt
5oz (150g) soba noodles

2 blood oranges
1 small Romanesco cauliflower, broccoflower or broccoli, cut into small
florets
1 scallion (spring onion), finely sliced
2 sprigs of flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Start by making the ginger sauce. Place the onion, garlic and ginger in a
small bowl with the soy sauce and vinegar. Stir and let marinate for 10
minutes.
Whisk the cashew butter into the marinade, then slowly add the miso, oils
and salt, whisking continuously, to produce an emulsion.
To cook the soba, bring 8 cups (3½ pints/2 litres) of water to a boil. Add the
noodles and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4–6
minutes, depending on the thickness of the noodles, stirring occasionally, or
prepare according to the package directions. Drain in a colander, then rinse
under cold running water to remove any starch and prevent clumping.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the rind from half an orange, cut it into very
thin strips and set aside. Peel and segment both oranges by cutting away the
pith and membrane so that only the flesh remains.
Divide the cauliflower among 4 serving bowls, then nestle the orange
segments among the florets. Take a quarter of the noodles and, using a fork,
twist them to form a nest to place on top of the vegetables. Repeat for the
remaining servings. Pour generous amounts of the ginger sauce on top and
sprinkle with the scallion (spring onion), parsley and orange rind. Serve
immediately.
Celeriac, goji berry & turmeric salad
As well as turning food a beautiful shade of yellow, turmeric has anti-
inflammatory properties. Now considered a superfood, nutritionally rich goji
berries have been in eaten in China for many centuries.
2 tbsp crème fraîche or Greek yogurt

½ tsp ground turmeric
½ celeriac (10oz/300g), peeled and julienned or very finely grated
2 tbsp goji berries
2 tbsp finely chopped scallion (spring onion)
Put the crème fraîche, mayonnaise and turmeric into a bowl, season with 2
pinches of salt and 2 pinches of black pepper, then add the celeriac and mix
well.
Divide the salad among 2 bowls, then sprinkle with the goji berries and
scallion (spring onion) and serve immediately.
Endive & pear salad with mustard vinaigrette
Known as witloof (white leaves) in Flanders and chicon in the French-
speaking part of the country, endives (chicory) are 100 percent Belgian—just
like Le Pain Quotidien.
3 heads of Belgian endive (chicory), trimmed

2 cups (3½oz/100g) mache (lamb’s lettuce), leaves separated
2 firm ripe pears, cored (stems intact) and cut into quarters
⅔ cup (3½oz/100g) crumbled Roquefort cheese (or other blue cheese, such as
Stilton)
For the vinaigrette:

3 tbsp wholegrain mustard
Remove 20 leaves from the endive (chicory) heads, then wash and dry
together with the mache (lamb’s lettuce). Arrange 5 endive (chicory) leaves,
tips pointing upward, around the edges of 4 soup plates or bowls. Using a
sharp knife, slice 4 of the pear quarters into a fan shape, leaving them joined
at the stem end and add to the plates, joined end pointing upward.
Slice the endive (chicory) cores into ¼ inch (5mm) disks and place in a
mixing bowl. Slice the remaining pear quarters crosswise into thin strips and
add to the bowl. Add the mache (lamb’s lettuce) and Roquefort and mix
gently, being careful not to crush the cheese.
To make the vinaigrette, place the mustard and oil in a small bowl and whisk
vigorously to produce an emulsion.
To serve, spoon the salad into the soup plates to sit on top of the endive and
pears, then drizzle with the vinaigrette.
Brussels sprouts carpaccio
For a fresh, summery take on Brussels sprouts, serve them raw with goat
cheese. Brussels sprouts belong to the brassica family, and this salad is
dressed with canola oil, also part of the brassica clan.
10oz (300g) Brussels sprouts

2 crottins de Chavignol, crottins de chèvre or other firm goat cheese, about
4oz (125g) in total
sea salt
6 tbsp extra virgin cold-pressed canola (rapeseed) oil
Remove the first two layers of leaves from the Brussels sprouts and set aside
12 dark green “good” leaves. Finely slice each sprout horizontally using a
mandolin or very sharp knife.
Spread the sliced Brussels sprouts out on 4 serving plates, top with the
reserved “good” leaves and then scatter with fine shavings of the cheese.
Sprinkle with sea salt, then drizzle the canola (rapeseed) oil over the salad.
Serve immediately.
Warm goat cheese salad
Grilled chèvre and salad leaves is a classic combination, but we like to dress
it with Liège syrup. This dark, sticky paste is made in Belgium by stewing
apples with pears in a copper pot over a wood fire.
Serves 4
4 tbsp Liège syrup or honey

3 slices of Sourdough Bread (see page 16), cut into 12 triangles or disks
4 firm crottins de chèvre (about 2½oz/65g each), sliced into 3
4 handfuls of mixed salad leaves (about 7oz/200g)
For the vinaigrette:

2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
In a small bowl or jug, mix the Liège syrup with scant 1 cup (7fl oz/200ml)
of hot water to obtain a thinner consistency (if using honey, leave plain).
Place the goat cheese slices and bread triangles on a baking sheet and put
under the broiler for 2–3 minutes. Once the bread triangles are toasted on one
side, turn over and toast the other side. The goat cheese should now be
melting and slightly brown on top. If not, leave under the broiler for another
1–2 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the mixed salad leaves in a salad bowl. In a small bowl,
whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together, then toss with the salad.
To serve, divide the salad among 4 serving plates, put the slices of goat
cheese on the toast and place 3 slices on top of each serving. Pour a thin
stream of Liège syrup over the salad and serve warm.
Eat raw food
Sometimes, we all need a bit of a detox: we originally created our Monday
detox salad in New York City as a sort of cure after a long summer weekend
that involved a few too many drinks around the barbecue.
Made with fresh, raw ingredients, the detox salad is packed with antioxidants.
It also happens to be vegan, but that’s just an extra little benefit: this dish is
about offering and making healthy choices. Raw food is, by its very nature,
living, enzyme-rich food, as cooking destroys important microorganisms
found in fresh vegetables, including the enzymes that aid digestion.
By choosing the right ingredients you can do yourself some good. The right
food can be good for soul as well as the body—there is pleasure to be found
in the sweetness of a crunchy young carrot. Every now and then, give your
stove the day off.
Chicken liver & shallot salad
Feeling tired? This simple but sophisticated salad is a great pick-me-up,
thanks to the iron-rich liver. The balsamic vinegar glaze adds a mellow note,
while the caramelized shallot lends depth of flavor.
Serves 4
For the caramelized shallots:

8 shallots (7oz/200g), peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp superfine (caster) sugar
For the chicken livers:

12oz (350g) chicken livers, cleaned and trimmed
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
To serve:
4 Boston or Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated
12 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
black pepper (optional)
Start by caramelizing the shallots. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet or
frying pan over medium heat, add the shallots and sauté, stirring
occasionally, until the shallots begin to turn golden. Sprinkle with the sugar,
then turn up the heat to help them caramelize. As soon as the shallots start to
brown, turn the heat down and continue cooking on low until completely
softened and caramelized. This will take about 10 minutes. Remove from the
heat and set aside to cool.
For the chicken livers, heat the butter in a nonstick skillet or frying pan over
medium–high heat. Once it starts to foam, add the livers and season with salt
and pepper. Cook for about 4–5 minutes, until brown and crisp on the outside
but still pink on the inside. Add the vinegars and let bubble for 1 minute,
stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze,
then remove from the heat.
To serve, toss the lettuce, tomatoes and caramelized shallots together in a
bowl, then divide among 4 serving plates. Top with the chicken livers, cut in
half. To give this dish extra bite, grind generous amounts of black pepper
onto the chicken livers. Serve immediately.
Yellow beet & chicken salad with ranch dressing
Like all root vegetables, beets taste wonderful when roasted. Their sweet
earthiness works beautifully with the fresh, tangy dressing. If you can’t find
yellow beets, use the more common purple varieties instead.
Serves 4
4 yellow beets (beetroot)

2 handfuls of mixed salad leaves, such as arugula (rocket) and mache (lamb’s
lettuce; about 3½oz/100g)
½ roasted chicken (about 8oz/250g), with skin, sliced
For the dressing:

½ cup (4fl oz/125ml) flat-free yogurt
1 crottin de Chavignol or other firm goat cheese (about 2½oz/65g), diced
¼ garlic clove, chopped
black pepper

Scrub, rinse and dry the beets (beetroot). Brush with the olive oil and place in
a roasting pan. Cook for 40–50 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the
variety of beet and how fresh they are; check them as they cook and lower the
temperature if they start to color too fast. As a general rule, beets are ready
when the skin expands and comes loose, but you can also test them by
pricking them with a knife—they should feel tender. Remove from the oven
and set aside to cool.
Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender and
blend until smooth.
To serve, lay a bed of salad leaves in the center of 4 serving plates, then top
with the chicken and beets. Serve with the dressing alongside.
Celery, fennel, orange & duck salad
Duck ham is made according to a traditional French recipe by curing duck
breast in coarse sea salt. You may have to seek out a specialty retailer, but
we’d highly recommend doing so—the flavor is fantastic.
1 head of white celery, leaves removed

2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed (fronds reserved), cut into very thin slices
2 oranges, peeled
3½oz (100g) duck ham or cured smoked duck breast, thinly sliced or coarsely
diced
Remove the outer celery sticks, keeping only the celery heart. Using a
mandolin or very sharp knife, slice the heart into very thin slices—no thicker
than a penny—and place in a large shallow bowl with the fennel.
Using a sharp knife, segment the oranges over a bowl, cutting away the pith
and membrane so that only the flesh remains. Add the segments to the celery
and fennel, then mix the orange juice that collects in the bowl with the oil and
a little salt and pepper.
Toss the orange vinaigrette with the salad, then add the duck ham. Serve
immediately.
Liégeoise salad
This warm salad of new potatoes, green beans and endive, served topped with
fried bacon, onions and egg, is a Belgian specialty. Hearty and comforting,
it’s a complete meal in a bowl.
Serves 4
1lb 6oz (600g) firm new potatoes, peeled and halved

5 cups (1lb 2oz/500g) fine green (French) beans
2 heads of Belgian endive (chicory), trimmed, leaves separated
2 cups (3½oz/100g) mache (lamb’s lettuce)
8 slices smoked bacon (about ⅛ inch/3mm thick), diced
1 onion, sliced
black pepper
2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and chopped
Steam the potatoes for 15–20 minutes, until tender, then drain and set aside.
Blanch the green (French) beans in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then
drain and set aside.
Arrange the endive (chicory) leaves, tips pointing upward, around the edge of
a large serving bowl and place the mache (lamb’s lettuce) in the bottom of the
bowl.
In a nonstick skillet or frying pan, melt the butter and sauté the diced bacon,
until golden brown. Add the onions and sweat, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Add
the vinegar and bubble for 1 minute, stirring and scraping the bottom of the
pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze.
Add the potatoes and green beans to the pan and season with pepper. Pour the
warm mixture over the salad leaves, sprinkle over the chopped egg and serve
immediately.
Sharing
Roasted carrots & spirulina cream
This dish is a celebration of contrasts, bringing together earthy orange roots,
roasted for maximum flavor, and a microalgae dip—a feast for the eyes.
Spirulina is a great source of vitamins, minerals and plant enzymes.
Serves 4
4 carrots, unpeeled, scrubbed
For the spirulina cream:

½ cup (3½fl oz/100ml) water
3 tbsp spirulina flakes
¼ garlic clove, finely chopped
5 tbsp cashew butter
Put the carrots into a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 15 minutes or
until they start to brown, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F
(180°C/gas mark 4) and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Remove
from the oven and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the spirulina cream by putting all the ingredients except the
cashew butter into the bowl of a small food processor or blender. Blend for
20 seconds, then let stand for 2 minutes. Blend again for 10 seconds, add the
cashew butter and blend for 10–15 seconds, until the texture of the cream is
very smooth and silky. Transfer the cream to the refrigerator, because the
sugars in cashew nuts can start to ferment if the cream is kept at room
temperature, giving it a bitter flavor.
When ready to serve, cut the carrots on the diagonal into thin slices and serve
with the spirulina cream alongside.
Three vegan dips
One thing these dips have in common is that they are gluten-free. To make
this an entirely gluten-free dish, serve them with rice cakes. Add some
crudités, and you have a substantial snack.
Serves 4
For the green pea spread:
1 cup (5oz/150g) frozen baby green peas (petits pois), defrosted

2 tbsp cashew butter
1 tsp fresh savory leaves
1 tsp chopped sage leaves
¼ garlic clove, chopped
1 pinch of salt
½ tsp black pepper
For the hummus:

1⅔ cups (13oz/400g) canned chickpeas, drained (reserve the liquid)
4 tbsp tahini
¼ garlic clove
2–3 tbsp lemon juice
1½ tbsp mineral water
1 pinch of sea salt
1 pinch of freshly ground
black pepper
To serve:
Herbed Soybean Spread (see page 70)
Rice cakes
For the green pea spread, put all the ingredients into a blender. Blend in short
bursts until you have a thin purée. Refrigerate until needed.
For the hummus, put all the ingredients into a blender. Blend in short bursts
until you have a thin purée that is easy to spread. Refrigerate until needed.
Serve the spreads with gluten-free accompaniments, such as rice cakes or

vegetable crudités.
Roquefort & walnut dip with crostini
Blue cheese, nuts and fruit bring out the best in each other, so it makes sense
to serve this nutty Roquefort dip with thin slices of pear as well as raisin-
studded toasts.
Serves 8
8 slices Five-Grain Fruit Bread (see page 20), at least a day old
2 firm pears (such as Conference or Williams), cored and thinly sliced
For the Roquefort & walnut dip:

⅔ cup (3½ oz/100g) Roquefort cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp coarsely chopped walnuts
5 tbsp light (single) cream
black pepper
Preheat the oven to 225°F (110°C/gas mark ¼).
To make the crostini, use a serrated knife with fine teeth to cut the bread into
very thin slices (slicing bread as thinly as possible is easier if the bread is
slightly stale). Transfer to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for at least 45
minutes, until crispy and golden.
To make the dip, place all the ingredients in a bowl and gently mix together
using a spoon until well combined, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve the dip as an appetizer with the crostini and the pear.
Mocha & caper butter with crostini
Coffee, capers and Tabasco sauce may strike you as the unlikeliest of taste
combinations, but this savory, herby dip tastes wonderful spread on toasted
slices of our five-grain fruit bread.
Serves 6

1 tbsp warm water
2 tsp instant coffee granules
¼ clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped tarragon
1 tbsp wild mountain capers in sea salt, finely chopped
1 stick (3½ oz/100g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
4 slices of Five-Grain Fruit Bread (see page 20), toasted
Pour the Tabasco and warm water into a small bowl. Add the instant coffee
granules and whisk to dissolve.
Pour the coffee mixture into the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic,
tarragon, capers and butter and blend to a smooth consistency. Pour into a
ramekin or ramekins and transfer to the refrigerator to cool and set. Serve
with the crostini.
Brown rice risotto with nuts & herbs
You can choose any fresh nuts that you like for this dish—just make sure
they are raw, not roasted, as heat has a detrimental effect on the healthy fats
that nuts contain.
Serves 6
½ cup (3oz/75g) raw cashew nuts

½ cup (3oz/75g) raw almonds
½ cup (3oz/75g) raw sunflower seeds
1¾ cups (12 oz/350g) Camargue or short-grain brown rice
sea salt
5 tbsp extra virgin canola (rapeseed) oil
1 cup (2oz/50g) flat leaf parsley
1 tbsp tarragon leaves
10 large basil leaves
1 cup (2oz/50g) watercress, stems removed
Soak the cashews, almonds and sunflower seeds in 4 cups (1¾ pints/1 litre)
of cold water for at least 2 hours. Soaking the nuts means they will have bite
without being dry.
Put the rice into a saucepan and cover with 4 cups (1¾ pints/1 litre) of water.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 1½ teaspoons of salt,
mix well and cook for another 10 minutes or until the rice is tender but still
has a slight bite.
Put the oils, herbs and ½ teaspoon of salt into a blender or food processor and
blend until you have a thin purée.
Transfer the rice to a heated serving bowl. Drain and dry the nuts and
sprinkle on top, then pour over half the herb purée and serve the remainder
alongside.
Quinoa & grilled vegetables with tomato sauce
Quick and easy to prepare, quinoa makes a great accompaniment to many
dishes—treat it like rice or couscous. A seed rather than a grain, however,
quinoa is also gluten-free and a complete protein.
Serves 4
For the tomato dressing:

5oz (150g) tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 sundried tomatoes, sliced
2 basil leaves
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup (6oz/175g) quinoa

1½ cups (13fl oz/375ml) water
2 zucchini (courgettes), cut on the diagonal into ½ inch (1cm) slices
sea salt
12 cherry tomatoes
olive oil, for greasing the ramekins
Preheat the broiler (grill) to a high setting or preheat a ridged grill (griddle)
pan until hot.
Start by making the tomato dressing. Place all the ingredients in a food
processor or blender and blend for 30 seconds, then let stand for 3–4 minutes
to allow the sundried tomatoes to rehydrate. Blend again for 30 seconds to
obtain a smooth, thin purée.
Put the quinoa and water into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, cover and
simmer for 12 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Lightly season the zucchini (courgettes) with salt, transfer to a baking sheet
and place under the broiler or onto the grill pan for 10 minutes or until lightly
browned. Repeat this process with the cherry tomatoes.
To serve, lightly oil 4 small ramekins and fill with the quinoa, pressing it
down gently. Turn each ramekin out onto the center of a serving plate.
Arrange the grilled vegetables around the quinoa, then drizzle the dressing on
top or spoon onto the plate. This dish can be served either hot or warm.
Chili sin carne
No one will miss the meat in this dish, and the accompaniments make it easy
to adjust to everyone’s taste and preferences.
Serves 4

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
7oz (200g) firm tofu, diced
1 tbsp brown or barley miso
1¾ cups (14oz/400g) canned peeled plum tomatoes
1 cup (7oz/200g) drained, canned red kidney beans
½ cup (3½ oz/100g) drained, canned white kidney beans
½ cup (3½ oz/100g) drained, canned chickpeas
⅔ cup (3½oz/100g) drained, canned corn kernels (sweetcorn)
For the accompaniments:

1 celery stick, finely sliced
½ red onion, chopped
½ cup (3½ oz/100g) crème fraîche
½ jalapeño pepper, sliced
2 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander)
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1 lime, cut into small pieces
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the carrot, celery, garlic, herbs, spices
and salt and sweat over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are
softened. Add the tofu and miso. Break up the plum tomatoes, then add them
to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
Mix all the canned beans, chickpeas and corn in a bowl, then add them to the
pan. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until the sauce is thick and slightly
reduced.
Meanwhile, make the accompaniments by preparing 3 bowls of the following
mixtures: red onion and celery; crème fraîche, jalapeño and cilantro
(coriander); avocado and lime.
Divide the chili sin carne between 4 bowls and serve the accompaniments
alongside.
Trofie pasta with parsley & Parmesan
Trofie is a type of twisted pasta from Liguria. This region of Italy is also the
home of pesto, and the two are often served together. While it’s also fresh,
green and herby, this pasta sauce is made with parsley, not basil.
Serves 4
For the parsley purée:

1 large or 2 small bunches of flat leaf parsley, stems removed and leaves
coarsely chopped (about 8oz/200g)
scant ½ cup (3½fl oz/100ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
about 1 tsp salt
1lb 2oz (500g) trofie pasta or other short, dense pasta shape such as penne,
farfalle or spirelli
½ tsp dried chili
¾ cup (2oz/50g) freshly grated Parmesan, to serve
To make the parsley purée, put all the ingredients in a food processor and
blend in short bursts until you have a smooth, thin purée.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package directions,
then drain well. Return the pasta to the pan and stir in the chili and the
parsley purée, mixing well. Serve immediately in warmed bowls, sprinkled
with the grated Parmesan.
Roasted eggplant & soba noodles
You could perhaps think of this dish as an Asian-style salad: the roasted
vegetables and noodles are served cold, drizzled with a dressing that is
flavored with ginger, miso and soy sauce.
Serves 4
2 tbsp brown miso

2 tbsp water
4 long, thin eggplants (aubergines), cut lengthwise into 5 or 6 wedges
6oz (150g) soba noodles
1 tomato, diced
1 quantity of Creamy Ginger Sauce (see page 148)
1 lemon, cut into wedges

In a cup, mix the miso with the olive oil and water to dissolve the miso.
Using a pastry brush, coat the cut sides of the eggplant (aubergine) wedges
with the miso mixture, then transfer to a baking sheet and bake in the oven
for 20–30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set
aside at room temperature.
To cook the soba, bring 8½ cups (3½ pints/2 litres) of unsalted water to a
boil. Add the noodles and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer
for another 4–6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the noodles. Stir
occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other. Drain in a
colander, then rinse under cold running water to remove any starch and
prevent the noodles from clumping.
To serve, divide the eggplant wedges among 4 serving plates. Lay the cold
noodles over the top, then sprinkle with the diced tomato and drizzle over the
creamy ginger sauce. Serve with the lemon wedges.
Vegetable lasagna
Serves 6
For the celeriac:

1lb 2oz (500g) celeriac, peeled and coarsely grated
½ clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 pinch of thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
For the leeks:

5 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and thinly sliced
For the mushrooms:

6½ cups (1lb/450g) button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp porcini mushroom powder
For the ricotta:
¾ cup (7oz/200g) ricotta
3 tbsp fromage frais or Greek yogurt
1 cup (3oz/75g) grated Parmesan
12 lasagna noodles (sheets)
Start by cooking the celeriac. Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the
remaining ingredients to the pan and sweat over medium heat for 5–8
minutes, stirring regularly with a spatula, until softened. Remove from the
heat, transfer to a bowl and set aside, then use the same saucepan for the
leeks. Heat the oil in the saucepan then add all the remaining ingredients for
the leeks and sweat over medium heat for 5–8 minutes, until softened.
Remove from the heat and set aside.
To cook the mushrooms, heat the oil in a skillet or frying pan, then add the
mushrooms and cook over high heat for 5–10 minutes, until golden brown
and reduced in size by half. About half way through the cooking time, add
the remaining ingredients. Remove from the heat and set aside.
For the ricotta, mix all the ingredients in a bowl using a fork, season with
black pepper and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/gas mark 4). Line the insides of a 9 inch
(23cm) square ovenproof dish with a large piece of nonstick parchment paper
brushed with oil, leaving a wide overhang of paper around the rim, then
spread a layer of lasagna noodles (sheets) over the bottom. Spread an even
layer of celeriac, about ½ inch (1.5cm), over the pasta, then top with a second
layer of pasta. Do the same with the mushrooms, followed by a layer of leeks.
Cover the leeks with a final layer of lasagna and spread the ricotta mixture
over the top.
Fold the sides of the paper up over the ricotta to prevent it from drying out,
then bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes. Uncover the top of the lasagna after
25 minutes of baking, to color the ricotta. If necessary, place the dish under a
hot broiler (grill) for a few minutes. Serve immediately.
Vegetable pot-au-feu
It’s true, there are lots of vegetables to chop for this dish—but you cook them
all in one pan, which saves time later. Pesto, wholegrain mustard or harissa
all work well served as a condiment with this satisfying stew.
Serves 4
4 baby carrots, peeled and cut into quarters

4 small turnips, peeled and cut into quarters
1 small parsnip, peeled and cut into quarters
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and cut into thick slices
8 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
4 small onions, halved
¼ celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks
8 garlic cloves
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
10 coriander seeds
1 clove
1 tbsp sea salt
8½ cups (3½ pints/2 litres) water
3 cups (20oz/600g) drained, canned lima beans (butter beans)
extra virgin olive oil, to serve
To make sure the vegetables cook evenly, try to cut all the pieces to the same
size.
Put all the ingredients except the beans into a large saucepan and bring to a
boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15
minutes. Add the beans and simmer for another 10 minutes, until the
vegetables are tender.
Serve in shallow bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Keep it simple
At Le Pain Quotidien, we like the idea of keeping things simple: take a slice
of sourdough bread and top it with your favorite ingredients—perhaps some
smoked salmon, a piece of Comté cheese or slices of perfectly ripe tomato.
The choice depends on the time of year, and on where you happen to be.
In every country, there are wonderful ingredients to discover, like the

amazing selection of dates on offer in Kuwait or Dubai—true treasures of the
desert. We love the apple and pear syrup that is a specialty of Belgium’s
Herve region, the sundried tomatoes from the Mahjoub family farm in the
Tunisian town of Tebourba, the mozzarella di Bufala produced by the
Caseificio delle Rose, a dairy in Campania, southern Italy ...
Local, seasonal ingredients are fresher on the plate, with a smaller carbon
footprint. Serve them without fuss to enjoy them at their very best. Wherever
you live, seek out and cherish your own local treasures. You never know
what you might find.
Pearl barley paella
As this dish is based on dry goods and canned seafood, you can shop for it in
advance or turn it into a storecupboard stand-by, perfect for unexpected
guests. You can use fresh or frozen mixed seafood, too.
Serves 6
1 cup (7oz/200g) pearl barley sea salt

1 pinch of saffron threads or ground turmeric
2 cups (13oz/400g) drained, canned red kidney beans
1 cup (7oz/200g) canned chopped tomatoes
9oz (275g) canned clams, drained
8oz (250g) jar mussels, drained
5oz (150g) jar cockles, drained
3oz (75g) drained, canned octopus or 3½oz (100g) drained, canned squid
pieces
1½oz (40g) cured chorizo, thinly sliced
1 tsp garlic powder
½ cup (2½oz/75g) frozen peas (optional)
black pepper
1 lemon, sliced
Put the pearl barley in a saucepan, cover with plenty of water and bring to a
boil over high heat. Cover and boil rapidly for 25–30 minutes or until the
barley is tender. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the saffron about 10 minutes
before the end of the cooking time. Drain well and keep hot.
Place the kidney beans, tomatoes, seafood, chorizo, smoked paprika and
garlic powder in a casserole or Dutch oven over low–medium heat. Cover
with a lid and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until piping hot. Add the
cooked barley, then let simmer for 3–4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper
to taste. Place the peas in a strainer or sieve and rinse under hot tap water for
30 seconds or until defrosted and warmed through. Scatter the peas over the
paella and serve immediately with the lemon slices.
Sardines with jalapeño & herbs
We like to serve these spiced-up sardines in the can because it looks great,
particularly if you can find a cool, old-fashioned-looking can. There’s
nothing wrong with having fun with your food.
Serves 2
¼ ripe tomato, diced

1 scallion (spring onion), finely chopped
½ celery stick, finely chopped
½ tsp diced jalapeño pepper
1 bunch of dill, finely chopped
1 sprig of cilantro (coriander), finely chopped
sea salt
4oz (125g) cans of sardines in olive oil, drained (leave the sardines in the
can)
To serve:
2 slices Sourdough Bread (see page 16) or rye sourdough bread, toasted
extra virgin olive oil
½ lime, cut into wedges
Place all the ingredients except the sardines in a small bowl and mix well,
seasoning to taste. Spoon the mixture over the sardines in the can.
Serve the sardines with the toasted bread drizzled with olive oil, accompanied
by the lime wedges.
Squid, broccoli & sausage orecchiette
This type of pasta gets its name from its resemblance to little ears—the
Italian for ear is orecchio. It is best eaten with thick sauces like this one,
containing chunks that are about the same size as the orecchiette.
Serves 4
8 squid, cleaned and trimmed

½ cup (4fl oz/125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs of thyme
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
sea salt
8 oz (250g) luganega sausages (an Italian fennel sausage)
13oz (400g) orecchiette pasta
1¾lb (800g) broccoli, cut into small florets
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Preheat the broiler (grill) to a hot setting.

Cut the squid bodies into rings and place in a bowl with the tentacles, 2
tablespoons of the olive oil, the thyme, garlic and paprika. Season with salt,
mix thoroughly, then transfer to an ovenproof dish and spread evenly. Prick
the sausages all over with a fork and add to the dish. Place the dish under the
broiler for about 10 minutes or until the squid is golden and crispy and the
sausages are cooked through. Turn the squid and sausages occasionally so
that they cook evenly. Once cooked, cut the sausages into 1–1½ inch (3–4cm)
lengths.
Cook the orecchiette in salted boiling water until al dente or according to the
package directions. Add the broccoli 1 minute before the end of the cooking
time. Drain, then transfer to a large nonstick skillet, frying pan or wok. Add
the remaining oil, the calamari and sausages, fennel seeds and parsley. Sauté
on high heat for 2–3 minutes, tossing the mixture to combine. Serve
immediately.
Mediterranean bites
Great party food: eat these with one hand, hold your drink in the other.
Serves 4
For the red pepper sauce:

4 red bell peppers
½ garlic clove
½ tsp sea salt
For the stuffing:

10oz (300g) chicken breast, diced
½ onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove
1½ tsp sea salt
1 cup (4oz/125g) pine nuts
pinch of cumin
pinch of ginger
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of ground star anise
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp black pepper
½ bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ bunch of cilantro (coriander), finely chopped
2 red bell peppers, halved and deseeded

1 medium eggplant (aubergine), thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large zucchini (courgette), thinly sliced lengthwise
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil sea salt
To make the red pepper sauce, place the bell peppers in a large saucepan of
boiling water for 4 minutes, then drain, cut in half and seed. Transfer the bell
peppers to a blender along with the remaining ingredients and blend until
smooth. The sauce should be quite runny, so add a little hot water and blend
again if necessary. Pass the sauce through a fine strainer or sieve, then check
the seasoning and set aside.
To make the stuffing, put the chicken into the bowl of a food processor
together with the onion, garlic, oil and salt. Process for 10 seconds, until the
chicken is roughly ground (minced). Be careful not to overprocess or you will
end up with a purée. Transfer to a bowl, then add the remaining stuffing
ingredients and mix to a smooth consistency. Chill in the refrigerator for at
least 10 minutes until firm.
Heat a broiler (grill) or ridged grill (griddle) pan. Once hot, grill the bell
peppers until the skin blisters, then remove from the heat. Cover the bell
peppers with a damp cloth and let cool slightly, then peel and cut the flesh
into 4 long slices.
To make the Mediterranean bites, spread a tablespoon of the stuffing over

each vegetable slice. Roll up tightly and secure with a toothpick or cocktail
stick. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or frying pan over medium
heat. Once hot, put the stuffed vegetable rolls into the skillet, season with salt
and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side or until the stuffing is cooked through
and the vegetables are golden brown. You may need to cook them in batches
and keep the cooked rolls warm in a low oven. Meanwhile, gently reheat the
sauce in a small saucepan. Serve the warm Mediterranean bites with the
sauce alongside.
Meatballs with beans
The creamy mustard sauce is perfect with these chicken and veal meatballs.
Tender and delicious, black beans are high in antioxidants.
Serves 6
1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 celery stick, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
scant ½ cup (3½fl oz/100ml) milk
2 eggs
2 cups (7oz/200g) dried breadcrumbs (without crusts)
12oz (350g) chicken breast, diced
12oz (350g) ground (minced) veal
all-purpose (plain) flour, for dusting
2–3 tbsp olive oil
3 cups (20oz/600g) drained canned black beans
2 tbsp finely chopped chives, to serve
For the mustard sauce:

1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
⅔ cup (¼ pint/150ml) white wine
1 tbsp brown miso or 1 beef bouillon (stock) cube
1 cup (7fl oz/200ml) crème fraîche
5 tbsp Dijon mustard
5 tbps wholegrain mustard
1 tsp fresh chopped tarragon
To make the meatballs, place the onion in a food processor with the celery,
garlic, thyme and parsley. Chop up in a few short bursts, then transfer the
mixture to a large bowl. Add the milk and eggs, then the breadcrumbs. Mix
well and set aside.
Place the chicken in a food processor and blend until you have a coarse
ground meat (mince). Add the chicken to the onion mixture with the veal,
nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of salt and some pepper. Gently mix together and chill
in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Remove from the refrigerator and shape the mixture into 2 inch (4–5cm)
balls. Cover a plate with flour and lightly roll the meatballs in the flour. Heat
the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or frying pan, then cook the meatballs
over medium heat for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden brown all over,
then remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Return the skillet to the heat.
To make the mustard sauce, add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Sauté for
1–2 minutes, until golden, then add the wine and simmer for 1 minute,
stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze it.
Add the miso, crème fraîche, mustards and tarragon. Add salt and pepper to
taste, then mix thoroughly using a spatula. Bring the sauce to a boil, then
cook and reduce a little, until the consistency is thick enough to coat the back
of the spatula. Add the meatballs to the pan to reheat them, covering them in
the sauce. Once heated through, spoon the meatballs into the center of a
serving dish, spread the black beans around the outside, then sprinkle with
the chives. Serve immediately.
Pancetta fried rice & wilted greens
As well as having a more intense, nutty flavor, red and brown rice contain
more fiber and nutrients than white rice. Packed with protein, eggs are also a
good source of Vitamin D—essential for strong bones.
Serves 4
1 cup (7oz/200g) Camargue red rice or short-grain brown rice

sea salt
4 eggs
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp dried chili
3½ oz (100g) pancetta, cut into ½ inch (1cm) slices
8oz (250g) mixed greens (such as arugula, rocket, broccoli, parsley,
watercress, spinach or chard), coarsely chopped
grated Parmesan or pecorino, to serve
Pour the rice into a saucepan and cover with 2 cups (17fl oz/500ml) water.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt,
mix well and cook for another 10 minutes or until the rice is tender but still
has a slight bite. Drain and set aside.
Bring another saucepan with 6½ cups (2½ pints/1.5 litres) water and 4
tablespoons of salt to a boil (cooking eggs in salty water makes them easier to
peel). Add the eggs, bring back to a boil and cook for 5½ minutes—the yolks
will still be slighty runny. Drain the eggs, let them cool for 5 minutes, then
gently remove their shells. Keep the eggs warm by placing them in a
saucepan filled with hot water (about 120°F/50°C).
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet, frying pan or wok, then add the
garlic, chili and pancetta and sauté over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the
greens and sauté for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the rice,
mix thoroughly and sauté for another 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously.
Check the seasoning and add salt, if necessary, then remove from the heat.
To serve, drain the eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Divide the rice among 4
warmed serving dishes, and top each portion with 2 egg halves. Serve
immediately.
Belgian endive gratin
A soothing blanket of thick, velvety cheese sauce can transform the most
humble of ingredients into a luxurious winter supper. The salty ham goes
particularly well with the crisp, slightly bitter Belgian endive.
Serves 6
12 heads of Belgian endive (chicory), trimmed

2–3 tbsp water
6 thin slices of cooked ham, halved crosswise
For the Mornay sauce:

3 cups (1¼ pints/750ml) milk
½ stick (2oz/50g) unsalted butter
½ cup (2½ oz/65g) all-purpose (plain) flour
¾ cup (3½oz/100g) grated Emmental cheese
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/gas mark 6). Place the endives (chicory) in
a flameproof casserole with the butter, water, sugar and 3 pinches of salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the endives
with a disk of nonstick parchment paper, cut to fit inside the dish, to help
retain the steam and prevent the endives from burning. Alternatively, you
could cover the endives with an upturned plate that is slightly smaller than
the casserole. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool
for 10 minutes. Place the endives upside down in a strainer of sieve to let all
the liquid drain.
To make the Mornay sauce, heat the milk in a small saucepan until it comes
to a gentle simmer, then keep warm over very low heat. Melt the butter in a
saucepan with a heavy bottom over low–medium heat, being careful not to let
it brown. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously with a
whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Gradually add the hot milk, whisking
continuously, until the sauce is completely smooth, then simmer for 5
minutes to let it thicken. Remove from the heat, then add salt, pepper and a
pinch of nutmeg, then stir in the cheese, mixing thoroughly with a spatula.
Keep the sauce warm over very low heat, stirring regularly.
Wrap a piece of ham around each endive, then arrange in a gratin or shallow
baking dish and pour over the hot Mornay sauce. Bake in the oven for 25–30
minutes, until the top is bubbling and golden brown. Serve immediately.
Tartiflette with ham
According to Christian Millau, the French food writer, tartiflette was invented
in the 1980s by producers of Reblochon cheese in the French Alps to boost
sales. If only all sales gimmicks tasted this good.
Serves 4
4 thin slices of cured ham, such as Ardennes, Bayonne or Serrano

1¾lb (750g) baby new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
8oz (250g) Reblochon or Fromage de Savoie, thinly sliced
2 small onions or shallots, thinly sliced
Place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted boiling water and cook for 10–15
minutes or until cooked through (they should still be a little firm). Drain, then
use to line the bottom of a baking dish, in a single layer.
Lay the Reblochon slices on top of the potatoes, then sprinkle with the onion.
Place under the broiler for 6–8 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is
golden and bubbling.
Season with salt and pepper, lay the ham slices on top and sprinkle with the
chives. Serve immediately.
Macaroni gratin
Prepared in individual portions rather than in one large dish, this is a great
way to serve a family favorite. Extra-long pasta looks particularly good on
the plate, but short Macaroni gratin will be just as tasty.
Serves 4
10oz (300g) long, thick macaroni pasta

¾ cup (2oz/50g) Parmesan or
¾ cup (3½ oz/100g) Gruyère, grated
7oz (200g) thinly sliced cooked ham, cut into ½ inch (1.5cm) strips
6 chives, chopped
For the white (béchamel) sauce:

2 cups (17fl oz/500ml) milk
¼ stick (1oz/30g) butter
⅓ cup (1½oz/40g) all-purpose (plain) flour (plain) flour
⅓ cup (3½oz/100g) crème fraîche
freshly grated nutmeg

Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water according to the package
directions. Drain, then lay the tubes side by side on 4 large ovenproof serving
plates.
For the white (béchamel) sauce, heat the milk in a small saucepan until it
comes to a gentle simmer, then keep warm over very low heat. Melt the
butter in a saucepan with a heavy bottom over low–medium heat, being
careful not to let it brown. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring
continuously with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Gradually add the
hot milk, whisking continuously, until the sauce is completely smooth. Add
the crème fraîche and continue whisking for 3 minutes. Remove from the
heat, then add salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg, or to taste. Keep the sauce
warm over very low heat, stirring regularly.
Put the plates of macaroni in the oven for 4–5 minutes to warm the pasta.
Remove the plates from the oven and switch your oven to a hot broiler (grill)
setting.
Cover the macaroni with the white sauce, sprinkle with the grated cheese,
then put the plates under the broiler until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Remove from the heat and top each portion with strips of ham, then sprinkle
over the chopped chives. Serve immediately.
Merguez with carrots & chickpea purée
The spicy, piquant merguez sausage gives this dish a taste of North Africa.
For a little extra heat, dilute some fiery harissa paste with a few drops of extra
virgin olive oil to serve as an accompaniment.
Serves 4
For the chickpea purée:

4 cups (28oz/800g) drained, canned chickpeas (reserve the liquid from 1 can)
1 tbsp cumin powder

4 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp water
4 lamb or beef merguez sausages
4 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley, to serve
Start by making the chickpea purée. Set aside 20 chickpeas for serving, then
place the remainder in a food processor with all the other purée ingredients,
including the reserved liquid, and blend until you obtain a smooth purée.
Transfer the purée to a small saucepan and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet or frying pan. Add the carrot, onion and
garlic and sauté over medium heat for 5–8 minutes, until golden brown. Add
the thyme, bay leaf and water, then cover and simmer on very low heat for 5
minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, put the sausages onto a baking sheet and broil for 5–6 minutes,
turning them after 3 minutes to cook them evenly. Remove from the broiler
and keep warm until ready to serve.
While the sausages are cooking, gently heat the chickpea purée over medium
heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper to
taste.
To serve, divide the carrot mixture among 4 heated serving plates. Place a
dome of chickpea purée in the middle and top with a sausage. Sprinkle over
the chopped parsley and reserved chickpeas and serve immediately.
Figatellu with lentils, cabbage & chestnuts
Figatellu is a Corsican pork liver sausage flavored with garlic, but you don’t
have to live on a Mediterranean island to try this dish: you can use any good
cured pork sausage instead.
Serves 6
1¼ cups (8oz/250g) green puy lentils

3 cups (1¼ pints/750ml) water
2 lapsang souchong tea bags
sea salt
2 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
½ green or white cabbage, coarsely chopped
14oz (400g) cooked chestnuts
1lb 6oz (600g) cured figatellu sausage or other type of cured pork sausage,
such saucisson sec (soaked in water overnight before cooking), cooking
chorizo or good fresh Italian sausage with fennel seeds
extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Put the lentils into a saucepan with the water and teabags. Bring to a gentle
simmer over medium heat and cook for 15–20 minutes or until the lentils are
tender. Add salt toward the end of the cooking time. Drain, then set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a casserole or Dutch oven, then add the onion, garlic,
thyme, bay leaf and a pinch of salt and sauté over high heat for 2–3 minutes,
stirring continuously. Add the cabbage, then stir in scant ½ cup (3½fl
oz/100ml) of water and the chestnuts. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat
to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the cabbage is tender but still
has a slight bite.
Meanwhile, put the sausage into a saucepan, cover with hot water and bring
to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, simmer for 20 minutes or until softened,
then remove the sausage from the pan and reserve the cooking liquid.
Cut the sausage into 2–3 inch (5–7cm) lengths, then add to the cabbage
mixture together with the lentils. Pour a ladleful of the reserved sausage
cooking liquid over the top, then cover and reheat until piping hot. Serve
immediately.
Meat loaf in a loaf
Baked in a hollowed-out loaf of crusty sourdough bread, this meat loaf is a
real crowd pleaser. It will make a fantastic pièce de résistance for your next
party—just add a fresh green salad and some condiments.
Serves 12-14
1 wheat sourdough cob loaf, about 5lb (2kg)

1 carrot, peeled
1 celery stick
1 onion
2 garlic cloves 2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups (17fl oz/500ml) milk
3 eggs
10 sundried tomatoes, cut into thin strips
1¾lb (750g) ground (minced) pork
1lb 2oz (500g) ground (minced) beef
1⅔ cups (5oz/140g) freshly grated Parmesan
1 sprig of thyme
½ tsp allspice
4 tsp sea salt
black pepper
To serve:
Dijon mustard
gherkin pickles
mixed green salad
Cut a 1–2 inch (3–4cm) lid off the top of the loaf. Scoop out the soft insides
and set aside 5 cups (8oz/250g).
Put the carrot, celery, onion and garlic in a food processor and process until
finely chopped, or chop very finely using a sharp knife. Heat the olive oil in a
saucepan, then add the vegetables and sweat over medium heat for about 10
minutes, or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Tear the reserved bread into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Stir in the
milk and eggs and mix thoroughly. Let the bread soak for 5 minutes, then add
all the remaining ingredients and the softened vegetables. Knead the mixture
by hand until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined, then use to fill the
hollowed loaf. Replace the bread lid, transfer the loaf to a baking sheet and
bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. After 20 minutes of cooking, cover
the loaf with a sheet of foil to prevent it from burning.
To check whether the loaf is cooked, lift off the lid and pierce the center of
the meat filling with the tip of a sharp knife or a skewer. Carefully touch your
lips with the blade—it should be piping hot.
Remove the loaf from oven, then let stand for 15 minutes to rest the meat.
To serve, cut the loaf into slices and serve with Dijon mustard, gherkin
pickles and a mixed green salad.
Desserts
Pink grapefruit & turmeric granita
This is a frozen treat for adults: tangy, refreshing and not too sweet. It’s also
a dessert you shouldn’t feel guilty for indulging in, as pink grapefruit is high
in vitamins and turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties.
Serves 4
2 cups (17fl oz/500ml) pink grapefruit juice

4 tbsp agave syrup
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1–2 pinches of black pepper
1 pink grapefruit, peeled
2 strawberries, halved
Pass the pink grapefruit juice through a fine strainer or sieve into a bowl or
jug. Using a handheld blender, blend the juice with the agave syrup, turmeric
and black pepper until smooth. Taste the mixture to check the sweetness. The
mixture should taste quite sweet because the sweetness will be dulled on
freezing. If not sweet enough, add more agave syrup and blend again. Pour
the mixture into a shallow freezerproof container and place in the freezer for
at least 8 hours, together with 4 glass serving dishes.
Using a sharp knife, remove all the pith and skin from the grapefruit, then cut
into 8 thin slices (crosswise) or quarters.
Remove the container from the freezer. Using a fork, scrape the surface of the
frozen mixture to break up the crystals and produce the granular texture
characteristic of a granita, dipping the fork in warm water from time to time.
Serve in the frozen serving dishes with 2 slices of grapefruit and half a
strawberry per portion.
Baked apples with dried fruits & spices
What could be more comforting than the aroma of warm spices wafting from
the kitchen? Stuffed with nuts and fruit, these apples are a treat on their own,
or you can serve them with some vanilla ice cream.
Serves 4
4 tbsp unsalted almonds

4 firm eating apples, such as Pippin, Jonagold, Egremont Russet or Belle de
Boskoop
12 Agen prunes, pitted and thinly sliced
2 pinches of cinnamon
1 pinch of ground clove
2 tbsp acacia honey
finely grated rind and juice of ¼ lemon
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/gas mark 4). Toast the almonds in a
nonstick skillet or frying pan over medium–high heat until they brown
slightly, then immediately transfer to a bowl, otherwise they will continue to
cook in the heated pan.
Slice off the top part of the apples, just below the stems (keeping the stems
intact) and set aside. Use a wide corer to remove the cores.
Combine the remaining ingredients with the toasted almonds in a bowl and
mix well, then use this mixture to stuff the apples. Replace the apple tops,
then place on a baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown and soft. Check on the
apples during baking: if they are browning too quickly, cover them with
aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving (or
serve at room temperature).
Chia & coconut pudding
This creamy, vegan-friendly pudding tastes wonderful served like panna
cotta, with a decorative selection of soft summer fruits and a puddle of jewel-
bright passion fruit sauce.
Serves 4
5 tbsp chia seeds

1¾ cups (14fl oz/400ml) canned coconut milk
For the passion fruit sauce:

10 passion fruit, halved, pulp and seeds removed
4 tbsp agave syrup
To serve:
A selection of seasonal soft fruits (such as blueberries, raspberries,
blackberries, cherries, red currants, kumquats and gooseberries)
In a bowl, mix the chia seeds with the coconut milk for 2 minutes using a
wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into 4 round dessert or pudding molds or
ramekins (about 4 inches/10cm in diameter)—or a selection of molds of
smaller sizes. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until completely set.
To make the passion fruit sauce, place the passion fruit in a small saucepan
with the agave syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately
reduce the heat to very low and cook gently for about 5 minutes or until the
sauce coats the back of the spoon.
Turn out the chia and coconut puddings onto 4 serving plates. Drizzle with
the passion fruit sauce and serve with your choice of fruit.
Pears in red wine
A beautiful bowl of ruby-red pears poached in wine with spices and citrus
fruit is an elegant ending for any dinner. This dish is prepared a day in
advance, so you can devote all your attention to the main course.
Serves 6
6 firm pears (such as Bosc or Conference), cored, cut into quarters

½ unwaxed lemon, thinly sliced
½ unwaxed orange, thinly sliced
1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns
4¼ cups (1¾ pints/1 litre) full-bodied red wine (such as Languedoc, Côtes du
Rhône or Cabernet Sauvignon)
½ cup (3½oz/100g) superfine (caster) sugar
4 sage leaves
scant ½ cup (3½oz/100g) sour cream or crème fraîche, to serve
Put all the ingredients apart from the sour cream in a saucepan, making sure
the pears are covered with wine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then
reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 5–10 minutes or until the pears are
tender to a knifepoint. The cooking time will vary depending on the ripeness
of the fruit. Remove from the heat, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Serve the pears in bowls or soup plates with a little of the cooking liquid and
2 tablespoons of sour cream. If you prefer something a little lighter, you
could serve the pears with cottage cheese, either straight from the container
or drained through a fine strainer or sieve for 2–3 hours.
Brown rice pudding with berries
Infused with the warm aromas of vanilla and turmeric, this golden rice
pudding is the perfect accompaniment for berries of all types. You can serve
it with a compote of winter fruits when berries are not in season.
Serves 4–6
1¼ cups (8oz/250g) Camargue or short-grain brown rice

3½ cups (1½ pints/850ml) water
2 cups (17fl oz/500ml) soy milk
½ cup (7oz/200g) agave syrup
1 small pinch of ground turmeric
1 vanilla bean (pod), split in half, seeds scraped out
2–3 cups (10oz/300 g) seasonal berries (such raspberries, strawberries,
blueberries, blackberries, gooseberries), to serve
Put the rice and water into a casserole dish. Bring to a boil over medium heat,
then cover, reduce the heat to very low and cook for 45–50 minutes, stirring
occasionally, until the rice is tender.
Add the soy milk, agave syrup, turmeric and vanilla bean (pod) and seeds.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook for another 20
minutes, stirring constantly, until the pudding is creamy and the rice is
cooked through. Remove from the heat, lift out the vanilla bean, then pour
the pudding into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely
before transferring to the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Serve the pudding
cold with the berries.
Plum & quinoa cakes
These delicious little cakes are gluten-and dairy-free. Quinoa flour can be
used as a substitute for wheat flour in many desserts—just make sure to
reduce the quantity by half, as it is highly absorbent.
Serves 6
2 eggs
4 tbsp grapeseed oil, plus extra for greasing the tins
4 tbsp extra virgin cold-pressed canola (rapeseed) oil (if you prefer a more
neutral flavor, use grapeseed oil instead)
4 tbsp soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅔ cup (4oz/125g) superfine (caster) sugar
4 tbsp quinoa
1 cup (4oz/125g) ground almonds
¾ cup (3½oz/100g) quinoa flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
9 plums, pits (stones) removed, halved
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/gas mark 4). Using a wooden spoon or
electric mixer, blend the eggs and oils to form a smooth emulsion (like
mayonnaise), then add the soy milk, vanilla and sugar. Add the remaining dry
ingredients and continue mixing until you have a smooth, thick frangipane
batter (if it’s dense and dry, add a little more milk to loosen the mixture).
Grease 6 dessert or pudding molds (about 4 inches/10cm in diameter) using a
little grapeseed oil. Cover the insides of the molds with the quinoa, then tip
them upside down to remove any excess.
Transfer the frangipane to a pastry (piping) bag fitted with a plain tip (nozzle)
and fill the molds, dividing the mixture evenly among them. Place 3 plum
halves on top of the frangipane, then place the molds on a baking sheet and
bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes or until the plums look a little shriveled
and the frangipane is golden and feels firm to the touch. Remove from the
oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate. Serve
slightly warm or at room temperature.
Apple, olive oil & lavender cake
The lavender honey gives this cake a fresh, slightly floral aroma, but you can
try using different types of honey in this recipe to subtly vary the flavor—
chestnut honey will add a nutty, more rustic note.
Serves 4–6
4 cooking apples (such as Granny Smith or Bramley), peeled, cored and cut
into 8–10 chunks
5 tbsp all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
⅔ cup (¼ pint/150ml) lavender honey
2 sprigs dried lavender
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/gas mark 4). Grease and line an 8 inch
(20cm) cake pan with nonstick parchment paper, then place the apple pieces
inside. You can make 4–6 individual mini-cakes, if you prefer.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, olive oil, baking powder and 2 of
the eggs, then pour the batter over the apples. Bake for 20 minutes, then
remove from the oven. Increase the oven setting to 400°F (200°C/gas mark
6).
Whisk the remaining 2 eggs with the honey, then pour this mixture over the
cake. Return to the oven and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until golden
brown and the tines of a fork inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and turn out onto a plate while still warm.
Serve warm with cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, if liked.
Banana pastis pie
Once you’ve tried the combination of banana and pastis, you will find
yourself making this easy pie over and over again: the anise flavor of the
pastis cuts through the sweetness of the caramelized bananas.
Serves 4
9oz (230–250g) sheet ready-to-bake rolled puff pastry

3 firm bananas, peeled and cut into ¼ inch (5mm) slices
juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp finely grated lemon rind
2 tbsp pastis
¾ cup (3½ oz/100g) superfine (caster) sugar
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/gas mark 6). Spread the puff pastry out on
a baking sheet, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Put the bananas into a bowl with the lemon rind and juice, pastis and sugar
and mix gently, then let rest for 5 minutes. Spread the banana slices evenly
over the bottom of the puff pastry, leaving about ½ inch (1.5cm) clear around
the edge and keeping back some of the banana marinade to use later. Transfer
the pie to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Brush the remaining marinade
over the bananas and bake for another 5–10 minutes, or until the pastry is
golden brown and crisp and the bananas are lightly caramelized.
Crêpes Je t’aime
Say “I love you” with a plate of gorgeously pink, fruity pankcakes. For a
special occasion—or a special someone—you can go the extra mile, and cut a
pancake into a heart shape.
Serves 4 (makes 8 pancakes)
For the fruit compote:

10 juicy strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters
1 banana, sliced
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced 4 tbsp superfine (caster) sugar
scant ½ cup (3½fl oz/100ml) milk

3 eggs
1¼ cups (5oz/150g) raspberries or frozen raspberries if not in season
¾ cup (3½ oz/100g) all-purpose (plain) flour
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1–2 tbsp peanut oil
Start by making the fruit compote. Put the fruit and sugar into a small
saucepan, cover and cook over high heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring
occasionally with a spatula, until the fruit starts to collapse and soften, then
keep warm while you make the pancakes.
For the pancake batter, place the milk, eggs and raspberries in a bowl and
whisk using a balloon whisk or blend in a food processor on a low speed until
you get a smooth consistency. Pour through a strainer or sieve to remove the
raspberry seeds. Add the flour and sunflower oil and whisk or blend again
until smooth.
Lightly grease a nonstick skillet (frying pan) using an oiled piece of paper
towel, then place over medium heat. Pour a thin layer of pancake batter into
the pan and cook very lightly to retain the rich pink of the pancake, then flip
over and cook the other side. Keep warm in a low oven while you repeat the
process until the remaining batter is used.
Place 2 pancakes each into 4 warmed bowls and pour in the fruit compote.
Fold the pancakes back onto themselves and serve immediately.
Grow your own
Nothing makes us feel more connected with the planet we inhabit than
growing our own food. Take a closer a look at a clump of earth and you will
notice that it is teeming with life.
Voltaire’s Candide had only one wish: “Let us cultivate our garden.” This is a
sentiment I can get behind. I’m lucky enough to live in a part of the world
where I am able to grow many different kinds of fruits and vegetables, which
can be washed, sliced and served for lunch a few minutes after being picked.
We must work with nature rather than against it whenever we can: we are all
responsible for playing an active and meaningful part in cultivating and
supporting the life in our gardens and beyond. Whether your outdoor space is
large or small, nurturing your own edible plants will bring great rewards.
Start with a pot of basil or parsley on your kitchen windowsill, and take it
from there.
Ines’s cookies
The flavor and texture of these cookies are fantastic. They spread a lot during
baking, so why not celebrate their differences by topping some with a piece
of nougat, for extra sweetness, and leaving others plain.
Makes 25
1 stick (3½oz/100g) unsalted butter, chilled

2¾ cups (12oz/350g) all-purpose (plain) flour
packed 1¾ cups (12oz/350g) light brown or muscovado sugar (for paler
cookies, use half brown or muscovado sugar and half superfine or caster
sugar).
1 pinch of ground ginger
1 pinch of ground clove
1 pinch of ground cardamom
1 pinch of cinnamon
¾ inch (1.5cm) piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 pinch of table salt
1½ tsp baking (bicarbonate of) soda
2 eggs
5oz (150g) Montelimar nougat, cut into chunks
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C/gas mark 2). Line 2 baking sheets with
nonstick parchment paper. Put the butter, flour, sugar, spices, fresh ginger,
salt and baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) into a food processor and process
for 30 seconds. Add the eggs and vinegar and process for another 15 seconds.
The dough should be smooth and not too soft.
As the dough will be little sticky, it’s easiest to make these cookies using a
small ice-cream scoop. Place equal-sized balls onto the lined baking sheets,
spacing them 4–6 inches (10–15cm) apart and dipping the scoop in hot water
between each ball. Flatten the balls by pressing them down with moistened
fingertips to a height of about ½ inch (1cm), then press a piece of nougat into
the middle of each cookie. If you prefer your cookies to be slightly less
sweet, omit the nougat, or make a mixture of the two types of cookie. You
can also roughly roll out the dough and cut out shapes using cookie cutters—
the shapes will get a little blurry around the edges, but they will taste just as
good.
Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. The cookies should still be slightly soft and
chewy when removed from the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Stored
in an airtight container, the cookies will keep for up to a month.
Canelés de Bordeaux
The ideal canelé is golden-brown, shiny and crisp on the outside and like a
softly set custard on the inside. Using copper molds gives canelés their
perfectly caramelized crust, but silicone molds are also available.
Makes eighteen 1½ inch (3.5cm) canelés
1 cup (8fl oz/250ml) whole milk

¼ stick (1oz/25g) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing (if using copper
molds)
¼ tsp sea salt
1 vanilla bean (pod), split in half, seeds scraped out
⅔ cup (4oz/125g) superfine (caster) sugar
½ cup (2½oz/65g) all-purpose (plain) flour
3 egg yolks, very lightly beaten
2 tbsp rum
For the molds:

¼ stick (1oz/25g) unsalted butter
1oz (25g) beeswax
Note: To keep copper molds in good condition, don’t wash them between
each use; simply wipe clean with a damp cloth to remove excess wax and
greasy residue.
Place the milk, butter, salt and vanilla bean (pod) and seeds in a small
saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, then immediately remove
from the heat and let cool slightly.
Combine the sugar and flour in a mixing bowl. Place the egg yolks in a
separate bowl, then pour over the warm milk. Add this to the flour and stir
gently to combine, then stir in the rum. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24
hours and up to 48 hours before using, leaving the vanilla bean in the batter.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/gas mark 6). To prepare new copper
molds, brush with melted butter and beeswax and put in the oven for 1 hour,
then let cool. If using silicone molds, place in the freezer for 1–2 hours before
baking.
Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C/gas mark 7). Remove the
vanilla bean from the batter, then stir and transfer to a small bowl or jug.
Lightly grease copper molds with butter. For silicone, use the melted butter
and beeswax mixture.
Pour the batter into the molds, leaving a ½ inch (1cm) gap at the top. Place
copper molds on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then lower the
temperature to 400°F (200°C/gas mark 6) and cook for another 15–20
minutes. If using silicone, set the oven to 475°F (240°C/gas mark 9). Bake
for 25 minutes, then lower the temperature to 400°F (200°C/gas mark 6) and
bake for another 15–20 minutes.
Tap the molds to release the canelés. Let cool completely on a wire rack and
eat within a few hours of baking.
Speculoos tiramisu
Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, speculoos tastes like Christmas in
Belgium, but these thin, crunchy cookies will bring a warm, spicy twist to
this classic Italian dessert at any time of the year.
Serves 6–8
4 eggs, separated
¾ cup (5oz/150g) superfine (caster) sugar
1lb 2oz (500g) mascarpone cheese
4 warm ristretto espresso coffees, or 1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in scant ½
cup (3 ½fl oz/100ml) hot water
2–3 tbsp Marsala or Amaretto
8oz (250g) Lotus caramelized cookies (speculoos) or ginger cookies such as
gingersnaps
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy. Place
the mascarpone in a large bowl and use a fork or whisk to fluff it up, then
pour in the egg yolk mixture and mix until well combined. In a separate
bowl, whisk the egg whites to form stiff peaks, then gently fold into the
mascarpone mixture.
Place the coffee and Marsala in a shallow dish. Take 6 serving dishes (about
1 cup/8fl oz/250ml each), then dip a cookie into the warm coffee mixture and
start lining each dish with a single layer of cookies. The cookies should stay
crunchy. Spread a 1 inch (2.5cm) layer of the mascarpone cream over the
cookies. Place a second layer of soaked cookies on top, then spread over
another layer of cream. Repeat this twice more. Finally sprinkle the tiramisus
with a layer of cocoa powder using a fine sifter or sieve. Refrigerate the
tiramisus for at least 4 hours before serving.
Chocolate tart
This deliciously chocolatey tart deserves a place in your repertoire: it’s crispy
on top, like a brownie, and wonderfully soft and moist on the inside, like
chocolate mousse.
Serves 6
7oz (200g) bittersweet dark chocolate, 60–70 percent cocoa, buttons or very
finely chopped squares
1¾ sticks (7oz/200g) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (10oz/300g) superfine (golden caster) sugar
6 eggs
¾ cup (3½oz/100g) all-purpose (plain) flour
Preheat the oven to 350F° (180°C/gas mark 4). Line a 9 inch (23cm) tart pan
with buttered nonstick parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate by placing it in a bain-marie (a heatproof bowl set over a

saucepan of gently simmering water) or in the microwave. Add the butter,
stirring it in using a spatula, until well combined.
Using a food processor or handheld electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on
a high speed until pale and fluffy, then fold in the melted chocolate mixture
and finally the flour.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, then bake in the oven for 20–25
minutes, until the top is firm and crisp and the inside has the consistency of
chocolate mousse.
Serve cold or at room temperature.

Caramel & chocolate ganache tart
With its rich, intense flavors, this dark chocolate tart makes a glamorous
dessert. The glossy layer of hazelnut caramel finishes it off beautifully.
Serves 8
For the pastry (makes enough for 2 tarts):

2½ cups (10oz/300g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1¾ sticks (7oz/200g) unsalted butter
1¼ cups (5oz/150g) confectioners’ (icing) sugar
grated rind of ¼ lemon
½ cup (2½oz/65g) slivered (flaked) almonds
1 pinch of table salt
1 egg white
For the dark chocolate ganache:

⅔ cup (¼ pint/150ml) heavy (double) cream
4oz (125g) semisweet dark chocolate, around 64 percent cocoa, finely
chopped
For the caramel:

packed ¾ cup (5oz/150g) dark brown or muscovado sugar
⅔ cup (¼ pint/150ml) heavy (double) cream
½ tsp table salt
5 tbsp hazelnut butter (unsweetened)
To make the pastry, put all the ingredients except the egg white into the bowl
of a mixer with a paddle attachment. Process for 1 minute to produce a
crumbly, sandy dough, then add the egg and process for another 10–20
seconds. Form the dough into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C/gas mark 3). Lightly grease a 6 inch
(15cm) springform cake pan. Place half the pastry between 2 sheets of plastic
wrap and carefully roll it out to a thickness of ¼ inch (4–5mm), then line the
cake pan. Rest the pastry in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Cover the pastry with a large sheet of nonstick parchment paper and fill with
ceramic pie weights or baking beans. Bake for 25 minutes until the pastry is
pale golden and dry, then lift out the paper and weights and bake for another
10 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Set aside to cool in the pan.
To make the ganache, place the cream and chocolate in a small saucepan over
low heat. Whisk continuously, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is
smooth, then remove from the heat. Pour into the pastry shell and refrigerate
for 1 hour.
To make the caramel, place the sugar, cream and salt in a heavy saucepan
over low–medium heat. Whisk until smooth, remove from the heat and stir in
the hazelnut butter. Let cool slightly, then pour the mixture over the ganache.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature.
Le Pain Quotidien Boulangerie Kitchens offer a home from home for people
to enjoy authentically delicious food in a friendly and convivial ambience.
We strive to ensure every LPQ has a certain je ne sais quoi that combines a
welcoming, elegant simplicity with relaxing congeniality. Our menu features
wholesome food with an emphasis on seasonal and sustainable ingredients,
and we are committed to maintaining artisan skills and traditions, with Alain
Coumont’s incomparable handmade bread as the pièce de résistance.
Our people are always personable and considerate in taking care of our
discerning guests, and ensuring a most pleasurable sensory experience every
time they visit an LPQ.
Bon appétit!
Visit us at www.lepainquotidien.com
Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook
by Alain Coumont
and Jean-Pierre Gabriel
First published in Great Britain in

2013 by Mitchell Beazley, an imprint
of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd,
Endeavour House,
189 Shaftesbury Avenue,
London, WC2H 8JY
www.octopusbooks.co.uk
An Hachette UK Company
www.hachette.co.uk
Copyright © Octopus Publishing

Group Ltd 2013
Text copyright © PQ Licensing SA
and Creative Communication SCRL
2013
Photographs copyright © Creative Communication SCRL 2013
The authors have asserted their moral rights.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the
prior written permission of the publishers.
ISBN 978 1 84533 748 3
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
Set in Chronicle Deck & Display
Publishing Director
Stephanie Jackson
Art Director
Jonathan Christie
Illustrator
Abigail Read
Production Manager
Peter Hunt
Project Editor
Alex Stetter
The publishers would like to thank Signe Johansen, Imogen Fortes and
Theresa Bebbington for their contributions to this book.
The authors would like to thank Nathalie Danis, Benjamin Gaspart,

Jacqueline Kacik, Sarah Balancier, David Bywell, Anna Boisture, Clotilde
Goupil de Bouillé, Kaegan Welch and Michael Aldridge.
Le Pain Quotidien, the Le Pain Quotidien logo, LPQ, PQ, Welcome to our
Bakery and Communal Table and the unique look and feel of Le Pain
Quotidien stores are among the trademarks of PQ Licensing, SA.

Alain Coumont - Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook

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Alain Coumont - Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook

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Contents

Perhaps it’s no surprise that I ended up founding a place like Le Pain

In 1987, I opened my own restaurant in Brussels, Le Café du Dôme. I

When we opened our first “boulangerie kitchen” in Manhattan in January of

Choose your ingredients wisely

Get the temperature right

Help your dough rise

Bake your dough when it’s ready

Use a baking stone

Phase 1 (days 1–10): Developing the culture

Phase 2: Making the sourdough starter

Makes 1 loaf (500g/1lb)

250g (8oz) stoneground whole wheat (wholemeal) flour

Makes 2 loaves (480g/15oz each)

100g (3½oz) Sourdough Starter (see page 14)

Makes 4 loaves (about 475g/15oz each)

340g (12⅓oz) golden raisins (sultanas)

Makes 5 flutes (140g/5oz each)

100g (3½oz) raisins

Makes 8 mini baguettes (120g/4oz each) or 16 rings/rolls (60g/2oz each)

Some people like to describe Le Pain Quotidien’s cuisine as “slow-fast food”.

150g (5⅓oz) stoneground whole wheat (wholemeal) flour

For the grissini seasonings:

Preheat the oven to 475°F (240°C/gas mark 9).

Makes 12 (100g/3½ each)

110g (4oz) Parmesan cheese, grated

Makes 3 fougasses (320g/11¼ oz each)

Makes 12 individual brioches (60g/2oz each)

350g (12⅓oz) strong white bread flour

For the egg wash (glaze):

For the egg wash (glaze):

Makes 1¼ cups (14oz/400g)

2 cups (10oz/300g) strawberries, hulled and halved, or quartered if large

Store the jam in the refrigerator and use within a month.

Makes 1¼ cups (14oz/400g)

1½ cups (10oz/300g) dried figs, cut into quarters

Meanwhile, place all the ingredients in a saucepan with a heavy bottom.

Store the jam in the refrigerator and use within a month.

1½ cups (9oz/250g) raw buckwheat groats

To make the dehydrated sprouted buckwheat, start by soaking the buckwheat

4 tsp chia seeds

2½ cups (1 pint/600ml) water

Makes about 15 muffins

4 small ripe bananas (10oz/275g peeled weight), mashed

For the topping:

1½ cups (6oz/175g) buckwheat flour

Eating organic is part of a healthy lifestyle, and we are committed to offering

1½ cups (5oz/150g) old-fashioned (Irish steel-cut) oats

For the Tunisian topping:

6 asparagus spears (or 3 baby zucchini/courgettes, cut in half lengthwise)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the curried cauliflower:

For the hummus:

Start by making the curried cauliflower. Preheat the oven to 425°F

For the fermented soy:

For the herbed soybean spread:

For the marinated tofu:

⅔ cup (5oz/150g) labneh or homemade strained yogurt

1 slice of Sourdough Bread (see page 16)

Preheat the broiler (grill) to a high setting.

3–4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/gas mark 6).

2 slices of Sourdough Bread (see page 16)

Preheat the broiler (grill) to a high setting.