Blueberry Vinaigrette

Summer is officially here and blueberry season is in full swing. We love eating them for breakfast, snack and dessert!

Using blueberries in a salad dressing may sound unusual but it's a creative way to sweeten a traditional mustard vinaigrette. Try pouring it over mixed greens, berries and sliced almonds. Simple and delicious!

Makes  about ½ cup

• ½ cup fresh blueberries = 75 g de myrtilles fraiches
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar = 1 cuillère à café de cassonade
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar = 2 cuillères à soupe de vinaigre rouge
• 1 small shallot, diced = 1 petite échalotte, coupée en morceaux
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard = 1 cuillère à café de moutarde forte
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice = 1 cuillère à café de jus de citron
• Salt & pepper, to taste = sel et poivre
• ¼ cup olive oil = 60 ml d'huile d'olive

Place the blueberries, sugar, vinegar, shallot, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor (fitted with the metal blade). Process for 45 seconds. Then, while running, slowly add the olive oil. When all combined, transfer to a small bottle or pouring dish.

You can use the vinaigrette right away or keep it in the fridge for up to a week. If so, let it come back to room temperature for 15-20 minutes and shake well to re-emulsified (add a little bit of water if the dressing seems too thick).

Roasted Greek-Style Potato Wedges

Summer comfort food at its best! These are perfect with my Greek turkey burgers.

Makes 4 servings

• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges = 4 grosses pommes de terre Russet (environ 250 gr chacune)
• 1/3 cup olive oil = 80 ml d'huile d'olive
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice = 2 cuillères à soupe de jus de citron
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano = 2 cuillères à café d'origan
• 1 glove garlic, minced = 1 gousse d'ail, émincée
• Salt & pepper, to taste = sel et poivre
• 1/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth = 80 ml de bouillon de légumes ou de poulet

Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C.

Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss potatoes wedges with olive oil mixture and spread on a large baking sheet. Pour broth around the potatoes. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper.

Roast until tender and golden brown (about 30-40 minutes), turning once or twice with a spatula.

Cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Frosting

Woohoo! I just got one year older wiser! And what would a birthday be without a cupcake? I was told you're not supposed to bake your own birthday (cup)cake(s) but I really wanted to try something different and I wasn't going to find anything “from scratch” at the store or in a box. So I went looking online for ideas and ended up creating my own coconut/lime cupcake/frosting recipe. The coconut flavor is perfectly sweet without being overpowering and the lime frosting adds a nice tang.

This treat is the perfect summer cupcake: it tastes like a day at the beach!

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened = 85 g de beurre, ramolli
• ¾ cup sugar = 150 g de sucre
• 1 egg + 2 egg whites = 1 oeuf entier + 2 blancs d'oeuf
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour = 150 g de farine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 cuillère à café de levure
• Pinch salt = une pincée de sel
• ¼ cup (packed) sweetened shredded coconut = 35 g de noix de coco râpée
• ½ cup light coconut milk = 120 ml de lait de coco (allégé)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract = ½ cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille

For the frosting:

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened = 40 g de beurre, ramolli
• 1 lime = 1 citron vert
• 1 cup powdered sugar = 120 g de sucre glace

Preheat oven to 350 °F / 180° C.

 

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg whites, beating well after each addition.

 

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and shredded coconut (dry ingredients) in a medium bowl.

Mix coconut milk and vanilla extract (wet ingredients) in a separate bowl.

 

Add dry ingredients to sugar/butter mixture, alternating with wet ingredients. Mix until combined, scraping sides of the bowl a few times.

 

Line standard muffin tins with 12 cupcake paper liners. Pour batter, filling each about 2/3 full.

 

Bake cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: zest the lime with a microplane grater, then cut in half and juice it. Combine butter, half the zest and 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons fresh juice in a medium bowl. Beat with mixer until well blended. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Spread about 2-3 teaspoons of frosting onto each cupcake and sprinkle with remaining zest. Enjoy!

Note: this is enough frosting to spread a thin layer on each cupcake. Flavor-wise, you do not need more but if you wish to pipe the frosting with a 1M tip, you will need to double the recipe.