French Potage

 Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1 leek, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 small potato, peeled and diced
1 small turnip, peeled and diced
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1 tomato, chopped
1 bay leaf
thyme
salt and black pepper, to taste

Cook leek and garlic in the oil. Add carrot and cook until leeks are slightly caramelized. Add the remaining vegetables and herbs. Add water until the vegetables are covered and simmer until all the vegetables are tender, adding more water as needed.

Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chervil or creme fraiche. 

Earl Grey Lavender and Blueberry Bread

 Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons earl grey tea

1/3 cup yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lavender extract

1-1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon earl grey tea, ground
1 teaspoon lavender, ground

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 heaping cup blueberries
1 teaspoon cornstarch

powdered sugar

In a saucepan, heat the milk and steep the tea. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine yogurt, sugar, oil, vanilla, and lavender. Add the milk reserving about two tablespoons of it. Add the dry ingredients. Then fold in vinegar and blueberries tossed with cornstarch. 

Transfer to a loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Whisk the remaining milk with powdered sugar to make a glaze. When cake is cooled, drizzle with the glaze and garnish with more blueberries. 

Summer Ceviche

 Ingredients:

1 cup fresh lima beans
zest and juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt, to taste
1 green onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
kernels from 1 ear of corn
1 nectarine, cut into wedges
1 cucumber, quartered
1 avocado, diced
1 orange bell pepper, finely julienned
heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
cilantro, chopped

Toss all ingredients and serve chilled.

Pkhali

 Ingredients:

50 grams baby spinach
1 cup walnuts, toasted
1 small clove garlic
a few leaves of cilantro
a handful of parsley
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek powder
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste

1/4 small onion, chopped
pomegranate seeds

Steam the spinach and squeeze the liquid out. Transfer to food processor with remaining ingredients. Process until it reaches a doughy consistency. Stir in the onion.

 Roll them into golf ball sized balls. Flatten the top so it is concave and top with pomegranate. Serve with bread.

Pomelo Salad

 Ingredients:

1 pomelo, shredded into small chunks
3 tablespoons fresh coconut, finely shredded
3 tablespoons peanuts, chopped
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 lime leaf, thinly sliced
1 lemongrass, finely minced
a handful of mint leaves
a few leaves of cilantro, roughly chopped

1 birds eye chili, seeded and thinly sliced
juice of a lime
1 teaspoon vegan fish sauce
1 teaspoon agave

Combine salad ingredients and dressing ingredients separately and toss together before serving.

Sesame Water Chestnut Salad

 Ingredients:

1 cup water chestnuts, sliced and quartered
1 cup snap peas, halved
1 cup cucumber, sliced
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green onion, chopped
a handful of cilantro, chopped
woodear mushrooms, sliced (optional)

2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
sesame oil
garlic powder
ginger powder
3 tablespoons agave
juice from 1 lime
black sesame seeds

Combine salad ingredients and dressing ingredients. Toss them together before serving. Optionally, top with fried wonton.

Broccoli and Zatar Soup

 Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
a pinch of cumin
a pinch of coriander
1 small yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
1 large head of broccoli
vegetable stock
salt and black pepper
a handful of fresh zatar

tahini sauce
pine nuts, toasted
parsley, chopped
zatar seasoning

Cook the onion and garlic in the oil and add the seasonings then potato and broccoli along with the stock. Simmer until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a blender with the zatar and blend until smooth. 

Ladle into bowls and drizzle with the tahini sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the garnishes over it.

BLT Pasta Salad

 Ingredients:

bow tie, bell, or shell pasta, cooked to al dente
romaine lettuce, shredded
tomato, diced
bacon, cut into small pieces
ranch dressing
barbecue sauce
black pepper

Toss salad ingredients with the dressing ingredients and serve chilled.

Sulu Kofte

 Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
vegetable stock
2 roma tomatoes, diced
passata
a small handful of rice
1-1/2 cup chickpeas
meatballs
salt and black pepper, to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
dried mint

Cook onion in the oil. Add the paprika and stir until fragrant. Add stock, tomatoes, and rice. Bring to a simmer and add chickpeas, meatballs, and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until meatballs are cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in lemon and mint.