After the euphoria and the excess of the Super Bowl,”Life” continues…  For those of you who anticipate with joy the firsts buds of spring, I have a delicious vibrant  and green powerhouse entrée disguised as an innocent salad; It goes like this…

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups of arugula
• 4 leaves of romaine, chopped
• A handfull of green beans, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3 scoops of Mozzarella di Buffala or the equivalent in bocconcini cheese
• 3 tablespoons of Le Grand’s Garden or 4 Nuts and Cheese Pesto
• 3 green onions, chopped
• Olive oil to taste
• Lemon juice to taste
• Salt & pepper

PREPARATION

• Toss all the ingredients (except the cheese) together, season to taste
• On a plate, place the Mozzarella on the side and top with  Pesto
• Arrange salad in the middle

INGREDIENTS for 1 cracker

• 1 cracker
• cocktail bocconcinis
• 1 slice of tomato
• 1 slice of provolone cheese
• Enough Le Grand Pesto of your choice to cover the cracker

PREPARATION

• Spread the Pesto on the cracker
• Add a slice of tomato
• Cut the bocconcini in 2 and lay on top
• Cover with the slice of provolone
• Grill until golden!

It's time for all the intellectuals of the nation to come together in a massive celebration! For the occasion I have prepared this delicious Pesto dip, just to get the ball rolling…

INGREDIENTS

• 7 oz sour cream or plain yogourt
• 4 tablespoon Le Grand’s Garden or 4 Nuts & Cheese Pesto
• 3 tablespoon fresh & minced cilantro
• 2 tablespoon of spanish onion
• 2 tablespoon of fresly squeezed lime juice

 PREPARATION

• Mix all of the ingredients gently and regfrigerate until serving.

You've been sitting there for hours glued to your screen and you've lost track of time, but your stomach did not and now, BIG PANIC you're hungry, but don't want to take too long to eat because your work is fascinating! Maybe it is as boring as income tax… You still need to recharge your batteries in 20 minutes though…

Been there and this is what I did!  A tasty pizza loaded with lots of vegetables just nicely warmed but still vibrant and fresh!

Don't worry, after this little délice, you will be nourrished, but your brain will be sharp and your body quiet!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 naan bread or pizza bread 
• 1/3 of minced red pepper
• 1/4 of avocado sliced
• 1/2 endive minced
• 1 cup of baby spinach
• 2 slices of mozzarela or other cheese
• 1 green onion, minced
• 2 tbsp (30ml) of Le Grand's 4 Nuts and cheese Pesto or Garden Pesto
• Pepper to taste

PREPARATION

• Spread the naan bread or other support with pesto
• Follow with the avocado and the rest of the ingredients and top with cheese
• Grill for about 7 minutes or untill the cheese looks like a sunset…

Christmas is almost here. Menus are beeing planned, turkeys are bought and we are ready to celebrate in a grand way… Let's not forget our precious salad, this version is far too exquisite to play second fiddle to some ham…

INGREDIENTS

• 7 oz (200g) of arugula
• 1 orange cut in bite size pieces
• 2 oz (56g) of soft goat cheese cut in bite size pieces
• 2 oz (56g)  of crushed pistachios
• 2 oz (56g) of dried cranberries
•  
• VINAIGRETTE
•  
• 5 tbsp (75ml) of olive oil
• 3 tbsp (45ml) Le Grand's Garden or 4 Nuts & Cheese Pesto
• 1 tbsp (15ml) of balsamic vinegar

PREPARATION

• Lay the arugula in a bowl
• Add the orange, goat cheese, pistachios and cranberries
• In a small bowl combine the ingredients of the vinaigrette and mix well
• Add to salad and toss 

INGREDIENTS serves 4

• 1/2 celeri stalk, minced
• 1/2 radiccio, minced
• A handful of gratted mozzarela
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• A few mint leaves minced

VINAIGRETTE

• About 4 on (100ml) of good olive oil
• 3 tbsp (45ml) of Le Grand’s Garden Pesto
• The juice of a lemon
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

PREPARATION

• Mix the ingredients of the vinaigrette and top this delicious and simple salad

It’s always spring with this kind of salad, but in Quebec it’s wise to add a little protein… just in case its snows!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 container of cherry tomatoes cut in 2 or 4 (how sharp is your knife?)
• 5 to 10 bocconcini pearls
• 5 slices Prosciutto ham, cut in bite sizes or the equivalent in bacon

• 2 cups arugula
• 3 tbsp (45ml) Le Grand’s Garden Pesto or 4  nuts and cheese  Pesto
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil
• 3 green onions, finely chopped

PREPARATION

• In a bowl mix the pesto, the oil and the green onions
• Add the rest of the ingredients in a salad bowl and top with the sauce
• Mix very delicately and let the flavours mingle a few minutes before serving

Remarks

Too much ham (nitrites and the rest…) too often in the kids lunch motivated me to make this pork roast. It’s delicious and surprisingly affordable for something of this caliber.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Pork roast
• 10 garlic cloves (cut in slivers)
• Curry or Garam Masala
• Le Grand’s Lemon Confit Sauce ( or any of Le Grand’s sauce will shine in this role!)
• Sea Salt

PREPARATION

Heat up the oven @ 200F

With a knife, make small incisions in the meat and insert the garlic

In a pan roast some Garam Masala over a very fine layer of sea salt

When the Garam Masala or Curry starts to release its fragrance, roast the pork on both sides for a couple minutes

Remove from pan and spread the Lemon Confit sauce or any Le Grand’s Sauces!

Cook slowly for 2 hours

Garnish with chives or anything green, but chopped finely

Play some Bob Dylan!

All you need -besides love- is…

INGREDIENTS  for 2

• About 8 leafs romaine lettuce (or your favorite one)
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 or 3 Tbs (30-45 ml) Le Grand’s Garden Pesto
• A drizzle of your favorite olive oil
• Lemon juice, a few drops or more to taste
• Maybe a little bit of sea salt?

RECIPE /GUIDELINES

• In a bowl mix the Pesto, the olive oil and the lemon juice
• Spread on the salad and toss
• Open a bottle of wine, it’s wednesday after all