Tomato confit is a foundational element in my cooking. It features in many of my recipes. I love how tomato flavours intensify and sweeten after long, slow cooking. Slow-roasted tomatoes add wonderful tastes to almost everything, from lamb, chicken, and fish to pasta. As a consequence, they find their way …

In reality, cooking with lavender isn’t au fait with the locals, but used with subtlety and restraint, the perfume of Provence pairs perfectly with the more traditional native ingredients – garlic, honey and oil – for this simple dressing. Serve with lots of bread for scooping up the juices. This …

This recipe is so easy. It’s hardly a recipe, but I must share it as tomato season in Provence is almost upon us, and these blistered cherry tomatoes are a perfect summer side dish. When you join a cooking class at Laurel in Fontvieille, we will make several dishes, including …

A gratin or gratinée in French is typically a side dish served in an oven-proof casserole pan. The term comes from gratter (to grate); most of the time, these are savoury recipes with a crispy cheese and breadcrumb topping. However, there are recipes for sweet gratins as well. Gratins are …

Let me start by saying this is not eggplant parmesan. Yes, it has eggplant and includes Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it is not the dish you might expect. This side dish is delicious in every season. Serve hot in the fall and winter and at room temperature in other months. The eggplant …

It is the height of tomato season, and I cannot get enough of their bright red deliciousness. I will sometimes buy a couple of pounds from one vendor at the farmers market, then see more at another stall and buy them, too. Yes, I have even bought from three different …

The Eastern part of Provence had long been Italian, so it would be no surprise that tomato mozzarella would be a summer dish often served in restaurants from Avignon to Nice on the French Riviera. Below is my easy recipe for the perfect summer salad – Tomato Mozzarella. Add local …

Staring at piles of heirloom tomatoes at a summer market in Provence will convince you that this fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) is native to the region. However typical tomatoes are today, according to Britannica, the plant’s origins lie in South America, arriving only in the early 16th century to …

Since 2010, the Kershaw family, Emma, her husband Chris and their son Louis have lived in the Languedoc-Roussillon. The family settled in the Corbières wine region, one of the largest AOCs in this part of France. Passionate about gastronomy and terroir they chose the foothills of the Pyrenees to establish …

It is common to find petits farcis, stuffed vegetables, on menus in Provence during the fall and winter months. Residents of Nice claim this dish as a local creation, part of the traditional Niçoise culinary repertoire. My versions of stuffed zucchini and baked tomatoes are suitable for vegetarian diets. These …