Carrot Flan was inspired by a recipe in Cuisine et Vins of France. Easy to make and perfect for a light lunch with a green salad

This recipe is definitely for chocolate lovers! An adaptation of Jean-Andre Charial’s chocolate mousse (mousseux au chocolate, craquant au grue de cacao, crème glacée au caramel) for home cooks. This is a slightly simplified version of Charial’s chocolate mousse that does not lose any of its deliciousness in the translation. Almost …

In Nice, where this main course salad gets its name no chef would ever dream of serving a Warm Salad Nicoise. However, in my part of Provence, the dish is perfect when the weather isn’t. The ingredients (tuna, olives, eggs, peppers and anchovies) are the same as the traditional cold version of this salad

Rhubarb (rhubarbe) may not be something that jumps to mind as typically Provencal. However, it is actually fairly common to find this vegetable during the springtime at local markets and some grocery stores. Make this tart and tingly, double-crust rhubarb pie over perfumed soap.

Oeufs Mimosa (Mimosa Eggs) years ago in Marseille when my cousin placed a large, resplendent platter of Oeufs Mimosa on the dining table. The traditional recipe is unbelievably simple:

They prepared several delicious dishes for the evening, but these Eggplant Cakes in a Tomato Pesto Sauce were my favourite. You can serve this recipe as an appetizer, the first course for a dinner party or even at lunchtime with a green salad. Think of this as a savoury cake. Once the eggplant is cooked, simply combine with the rest of the ingredients and bake. The dish can be served with the pesto sauce (below), a tomato sauce or combine the two for a rich flavour experience.

Marseille Fish Soup – Soupe de Poissons You will want to make a big batch and freeze what you don’t eat. Making fish soup at home can be a very messy, labor-intensive process.

The pink colour for the waffles is healthy it comes from beets, which also adds a lovely, subtle flavour. Choose sandwich fillings to suit your tastes – vegetarian, meat lovers, grilled veggies, basil pesto, ricotta or goat cheese and few greens.

Ramp Pasta Made like Pate Nicoise: In Nice, they often make green gnocchi (Pate Nicoise) that simmers in the broth for the last 30 minutes. This year I tried something new, I made a classic Pate Nicoise (see recipe at the bottom), using wild ramps in place of the more traditional Swiss chard, and the results were stunning.

Admittedly not everyone can manage a weekday dinner party with an hour (maximum) to prepare the meal before your guests arrive…but I like that sort of challenge. However, to be able to pull it off you need to be organized. After many years of entertaining, there are several tips I can …