Summer outside | Recipes for a festive happy hour

Cake with olives, ham and mozzarella

Yield: 4 servings

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 125 g (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
• 3 g (1/2 tsp) sea salt
• 8 g (1/2 tbsp.) baking powder
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 100 ml (3/8 cup) whole milk
• 75 g (1/3 cup) brown butter (lightly coloured)
• 125 g (1/2 cup) eggs (about 4)
• 25 g (11/2 tbsp.) gray shallots, chopped (1 or 2 shallots)
• 75 g (7/8 cup) grated mozzarella
• 50 g (1/3 cup) pitted and crushed green olives
• 75 g (1/2 cup) prosciutto-type ham, cut into small pieces
• 30 g (2 1/2 tbsp.) chopped capers

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
• In a mixer, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and lemon zest.
• Add the milk, brown butter, eggs and mix slowly.
• Still stirring, add the shallots, cheese, olives, ham and capers.
• Pour into a 15 cm × 30 cm (6 in × 12 in) rectangular non-stick cake pan and bake for 45 minutes.
• Leave to rest before unmolding.

Crispy fennel, feta and clementines

Yield: 4 servings

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes

Ingredients for the salad

• 2 fennel bulbs
• 4 clementines
• 120g (1 cup) feta
• Salt to taste

Ingredients for the vinaigrette

• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) soy sauce
• 10 ml (2 tsp) honey
• 10 ml (2 tsp) wasabi
• 20 ml (4 tsp) yuzu (or lemon) juice
• 5 ml (1 tsp) sesame oil
• 25 ml (5 tsp) vegetable oil
• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) sour cream

Preparation

• In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the vinaigrette to obtain a smooth and homogeneous sauce.
• Remove the branches from the fennel bulbs and save a few leaves for serving. Using a mandolin, slice the bulbs very thinly.
• Add them to the large bowl, season with salt and toss to coat them well with the vinaigrette.
• Leave to stand for ten minutes (the fennel will soften under the effect of the salt and the vinaigrette).
• Meanwhile, peel the clementines and separate the segments. To book.
• Mop the feta well and place it in a small food processor to grind it into a powder (this step can be done with your fingers, but the result will be a little coarser).
• The assembly is very simple: the fennel impregnated with vinaigrette in the base, segments of clementine arranged randomly and the feta powder sprinkled on top. Garnish with a few fennel leaves.

Mimosa eggs with crispy chicken skin

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) chicken skin
• 10 large eggs
• Juice of 1 lemon, divided
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) mayonnaise (homemade or from the market)
• Salt to taste
• Crushed pepper to taste
• Green onion, if desired

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment (or waxed) paper.
• Lay the chicken skins on the baking sheet, cover them with a second sheet of parchment (or waxed) paper and another baking sheet (to keep the skins flat). Bake for about 20 minutes or until the skins are golden brown and crispy. Place them on absorbent paper and set aside.
• Meanwhile, put the eggs in a pan and pour cold water halfway through the pan. Add half the lemon juice and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook for 12 minutes. Remove the hot water from the pan and pour cold water over it to stop the cooking. Peel the eggs, leaving them in the water (it’s easier that way).
• Cut the eggs in half, remove the yolks and put them in a bowl. Using a fork, mash the yolks, add the mayonnaise and the rest of the lemon juice and mix well to obtain a smooth preparation. Season to taste. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a fluted tip. Reserve in the fridge.
• Put the egg whites on a large plate or serving platter, open side up, and fill them with the egg yolk filling. Sprinkle with crushed chili and top with crushed chicken skins. Add small pieces of green onion, if desired.

Note: Don’t have chicken skin on hand? It is possible to replace it with small pieces of bacon as in our photo.