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What’s your favorite nibble with a drink? For me, it’s olives, hands down. Happy hour can’t be happy without a bowl of olives! I very often buy marinated olives at a local store, but I like to marinate them myself, too. It’s so easy to add a personal touch to the olives you serve:

• Buy a jar of your favorite olives
• Drain and rinse under cold water
• If the olives taste “briny,” place in a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 15 minutes
• Drain and pat the olives dry
• Mix with your favorite olive flavorings (citrus zest, crushed fennel, coriander, black pepper, fresh herbs, etc.)
• Cover with olive oil and let rest at room temperature for a few hours before serving. Alternatively, you can transfer the olives back into a jar and refrigerate them for up to one week. They’ll soak up more and more flavor with each passing day!

Marinated olives are a staple you should always have in the fridge, especially around the holidays. But I’ve got another memorable idea for serving olives: fry them! Say what? Yes, fried olives are pretty much the perfect nibble to have with festive drinks. They’re crunchy and so satisfyingly meaty! You can stuff them before frying, too: preserved lemon, cheese, and almonds are all tasty options.

Today I’m sharing my favorite fried olive recipe: Fried Olives with Saffron Aïoli. The amazing crunch of this snack, in which I stuff the olives with whole toasted almonds, contrasts delightfully with the soft olive flesh and the creamy homemade mayo. I hope—in fact, I bet—you won’t be able to eat just one!

Helpful Tips for Making Fried Olives

• Pick the right olives: The best olive varieties for frying are the larger, meaty ones. Their fleshy size makes it worth the extra frying steps! In this recipe, I like to use either Spanish Gordal olives, or Italian Castelvetrano olives, both of which are super plump with a delicate texture.

• Choose pitted olives: Fried olives are much more fun to eat if you don’t have to worry about nibbling around the pit. Plus, pitting creates room for stuffing in extra flavor!

• Serve with a creamy dip: Yep, I’m vouching for homemade mayo. If you’ve never made it, don’t be intimidated: it takes two minutes to make in the blender or you can use a stick blender. The layering of garlic and saffron make this mayo extra special and flavorful. If you really don’t want to make mayo from scratch, look at the recipe notes for tips on pimping store-bought mayo.

• Make-ahead: The fried olives can be made and fried ahead of time. Let them cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a half day. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes before serving.

• Create a whole spread: These big, plumpy fried olives can be the centerpiece of a whole, fuss-free spread of snacks. Here are ideas of bites you can serve alongside the fried olives: an alternate variety of marinated olives, cheese, chips, bread, crackers, pâtés, and cured meats.

• Pour an easy drink with it: Tinto de Verano is a super easy, Spain-inspired drink that goes wonderfully with an olive-fueled happy hour. Add ice to serving glasses, fill halfway up with wine, then top up with sparkling lemonade. Garnish with lemon and orange wedges, and enjoy!

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Fried Olives with Saffron Aïoli

These crunchy, fleshy, fried olives are the perfect nibble to serve with festive cocktails. The saffron aïoli is an irresistible sidekick!

Course Appetizer, Appetizers, Snack

Keyword Aioli, Appetizer, Bites, Cocktail Bites, Cocktail Party, Fried Olives, Green Olives, Happy Hour, Mayonnaise, Saffron, Snack, Spanish Olives, Spanish Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 24 fried olives and about 1 cup (250 ml) saffron aïoli

Author Marie Asselin

Ingredients

For the Saffron Aïoli

• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
• ⅛ tsp pinch saffron, crumbled
• ½ cup neutral-tasting oil (such as canola, sunflower, or grapeseed)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp kosher salt, or fine sea salt

For the Fried Green Olives

• 24 large, fleshy, pitted green olives, such as Spanish Gordal olives or Italian Castelvetrano olives
• 24 whole toasted almonds (see note)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs (I like to use whole wheat breadcrumbs for the nutty flavor)
• ¼ cup finely grated Manchego cheese
• Canola oil, for frying

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• For the Saffron Aïoli: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and saffron and let sit for 15 minutes.
• Combine the oils in a single measuring cup.
• In a blender, or in the beaker of a hand blender, combine the lemon juice and saffron mixture, egg, garlic, mustard, and salt. With the blender running on the lowest speed, add the oil in a thin stream. The mayo will come together in seconds. Scrape down the sides if needed.

  For a thicker mayo, add up to an additional ¼ cup (60 ml) oil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• For the Fried Olives: Pat the olives dry with paper towels. Fill each olive cavity with a whole almond. Set the stuffed olives on a clean plate.
• Prepare the breading stations: combine the flour, salt, and pepper in one bowl, lightly beat the egg in a second bowl, and combine the breadcrumbs and cheese in a third bowl.
• Roll one stuffed green olive in the flour, then shake off the excess. Place the olive on a fork, then dip into the egg. Transfer the olive to the breadcrumb mixture and roll to coat all over. Set on a plate. Repeat to bread all the olives.

  For extra crunchy olives, return the breaded olives into the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture for a second layer of coating.

  Refrigerate until ready to fry.
• Add about 3 inches (7.5 cm) oil to a saucepan. Clip a thermometer to the side of the saucepan, then set over high heat and heat until the oil is hot but not smoking, to 350°F (175°C).

  Place 3 to 4 olives on a slotted spoon and carefully lover them into the hot oil. Fry until the crust is golden brown, about 30 seconds, turning them a few times so they fry evenly.
• Fish the olives out of the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat to fry all the olives.
• Serve the fried olives warm, with the saffron aïoli.

Notes

• Toasting raw almonds: Place them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, giving them a shake halfway through. Let cool completely, then use as directed.
• Shortcut saffron aïoli: Combine 2 tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon) with 1/8 tsp (pinch) saffron, crumbled, and let sit for 15 minutes. In a small mixing bowl, add 3/4 cup (180 ml) store-bought mayo. Add the lemon juice and saffron mixture, 1 large clove garlic, grated, and some black pepper. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Transfer to an airtight jar and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors infuse.

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I first tasted arancini, a classic Italian snack, during one of my first trips to Italy, but I fell truly in love with them in Sicily, where the dish comes from. In Sicily, arancini—gooey, cheesy, crispy fried risotto balls—seemed to be sold everywhere, ready to delight us at breakfast time, lunchtime, and late afternoon. Sicilian arancini are the perfect finger food: creamy rice, a variety of scrumptious garnishes, melting cheese—all of that, in a neat little fried package? I can’t think of anything else to serve with cocktails at your next dinner party.

What are arancini made of?

Arancini are made with leftover, cooled risotto. They’re often stuffed with ragu, a simple meat sauce, and a chunk of mozzarella cheese. The risotto balls are then coated in crunchy breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crisp, which reheats the risotto and melts the mozzarella cheese. The real delight of arancini resides in its textures: the contrast between the crunchy shell and the gooey center is just irresistible.

Although Sicilian risotto balls are usually stuffed with meat sauce (I like to stuff mine with homemade Bolognese sauce—so delicious!), you can keep things simple and stuff them with mozzarella or flavor the risotto you’ll be using. The best arancini I tasted in Sicily were made with pistachio risotto: it was such a luxurious bite! I also like to flavor risotto with lots of lemon zest. The sharpness of citrus is a nice contrast to the otherwise rich flavors and textures.

Probably the best arancino I ever had in Italy, stuffed with pistachios and mortadella, at Caffetteria Biancomangiare, in Ragusa, Sicily.

What does arancini mean in English?

The word arancini is a diminutive of arancia, which means “orange.” “Arancini” means “little orange,” and that’s a reference to the shape and color of the treat.

What cheeses are used to make arancini?

The gooey center of Sicilian risotto balls is mozzarella cheese. You can cut mozzarella into cubes to stuff them into arancini, or you can use mini bocconcini, which conveniently come in tiny balls that are easy to slip into cold risotto.

The risotto used to make Sicilian risotto balls is flavored with parmesan. For the best flavor,  I like to use aged Parmigiano-Reggiano.

A classic spread of snacks—complete with arancini—served for the aperitivo (happy hour) in Catania, Sicily.

How to shape arancini

Cold risotto is easy to work with. Although shaping and preparing arancini for frying involves a few steps, if you prepare your workspace properly, you’ll be able to breeze through the process.

Quick tips to shape Sicilian risotto balls without making a mess:

• Wear gloves or use plastic wrap: Working with the risotto rice can get messy. To avoid getting your hands too sticky, you can wear disposable gloves. Alternatively, set the risotto over a square of plastic wrap and use the plastic wrap to help shape the arancini balls. You can reuse the same square of plastic wrap to shape all the arancini and avoid waste.
• Use an ice cream scoop to quickly portion the risotto: Using an ice cream scoop allows you to easily create equal portions of risotto, which means the arancini balls will all be the same size. This makes for a pretty presentation, but just as importantly, it allows all the risotto balls to fry in the same amount of time.

Refer to the full recipe, below, for the entire process, but here’s a glimpse at the process of shaping Sicilian risotto balls:

1. Take a handful (about 1/4 cup/60 ml) of cold risotto and shape it into a small ball in the palm of your hand.
2. Make an indentation in the center of the ball and drop in 1 tbsp/15 ml of meat sauce, if using.
3. Drop a piece of mozzarella cheese or a mini bocconcini over the sauce.
4. Using both hands, gently work the rice so that it completely encloses the meat sauce and cheese, slowly closing your hands over the rice ball to make it perfectly round.

Can you make smaller arancini?

Traditional Sicilian arancini are quite large, about 2.5 in (5 cm) in diameter—hence the comparison with small oranges!

Bite-sized arancini are great! This works especially well when you use no stuffing: this produces a snack closer to the Roman supplì, a smaller-sized fried rice ball. Arancini and supplì are close cousins, anyway.

Bite-sized arancini make a lot of sense, especially if you plan to serve them as part of an array of cocktail finger foods. To make bite-sized arancini, I would make the risotto extra-cheesy (since you won’t stuff it with extra cheese) and create balls with about 1.5 tbsp of risotto. Adjust the frying time because bite-sized arancini will cook much faster.

Can you make fried Sicilian risotto balls if you don’t have a deep fryer?

You absolutely can. I don’t have a deep fryer and make arancini more often than I care to admit!

Making arancini without a deep fryer requires you to be extra careful: Use the largest pot you have, make sure the oil doesn’t come up higher than the lower third of the pot (you only need 3 in/8 cm of oil to fry arancini properly), and always, ALWAYS remain glued to the stove while you’ve got hot oil on it. I strongly recommend clipping a deep-fry thermometer to the pot’s side to ensure the oil remains at the proper temperature. You can buy a reliable deep-fry thermometer for less than $10—this is a small investment that will help you be safer in the kitchen.

Can you bake arancini instead of frying them?

You can bake arancini instead of frying them, but if you plan on doing so, I would recommend making bite-sized arancini instead of the traditional, larger size. Smaller arancini will bake more easily and become crisper than larger ones. Baked arancini won’t get as crispy as fried ones, but they will still be delicious.

To bake arancini, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Grease the foil with cooking spray. Roll arancini using 1.5 tbsp (22 ml) of risotto, then dredge them in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs as indicated in the recipe. Set on the prepared baking sheet, then generously spray the arancini balls with cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the arancini are golden brown. (You can broil the arancini for a minute or two at the end of the cooking time to give them more color, if desired.)

Can you make arancini ahead of time?

Yes, you can make Sicilian risotto balls ahead of time. Prepare and fry the arancini as indicated in the recipe. Transfer the fried balls to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

How to reheat arancini

It’s easy to reheat Sicilian risotto balls that have been refrigerated. Simply set the arancini on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Can you freeze Sicilian risotto balls? 

I would not recommend freezing fried or baked arancini. The freezing and thawing process could make the filling and rice too watery and cause the arancini to lose their shape and/or never return to their original crispy glory.

You can, however, prepare the risotto balls, stopping before the dredging process. Set the “naked” risotto balls on a baking sheet and freeze until hard. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.

Thaw the arancini in the fridge overnight. Dredge the arancini in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs and fry just before serving. 

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Arancini con Ragù (Sicilian Rice Balls Stuffed with Meat Sauce)

Learn how to make Arancini, the irresistible Sicilian snack: fried rice balls stuffed with meat sauce. Helpful step-by-step pictures included!

Course Appetizer, Appetizers, dinner, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Arancine, Arancini, Bolognese, Finger Food, Fried, Happy Hour, Italian Cuisine, Italian Food, Italian Recipe, Meat Sauce, Mozzarella, Risotto, Sicily, Silician Food

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 12 hours hours

Servings 12 arancini

Author Marie Asselin, FoodNouveau.com

Ingredients

For the risotto

• 2 ¼ cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 oz risotto rice  (Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano)
• 2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1 cup)
• 1 large egg

For the filling

• ½ cup leftover Bolognese sauce, or any variety of thick meat sauce
• ¼ cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 12 mozzarella cubes or bocconcini balls

To fry the arancini

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups fine, dry breadcrumbs
• 2 cups vegetable oil

To serve

• Tomato sauce, or
• Aïoli (garlic mayonnaise)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the risotto:

• In a large saucepan, bring the broth and olive oil to a boil. Stir in the rice, return to the boil, then lower the heat to keep to a gentle simmer. Cook the rice, uncovered, until al dente (tender but firm) about 12 minutes. When the rice is cooked, if there’s a bit of liquid remaining, drain it in a colander (any remaining liquid should be thick, heavy cream-like). Gently stir the rice in the colander to make sure any excess liquid drains out. Spread the rice on a baking tray and cool to room temperature. You can also refrigerate the rice for up to 24 hours at this point.
• When the rice is cool, scrape it into a large mixing bowl and mix in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the egg.

Prepare the sauce:

• Warm up the Bolognese sauce, or meat sauce of your choosing, then stir in the peas. Set aside.

Get your workstation ready:

• Set the bowl of risotto, the meat sauce, and the cheese cubes in front of you, assembly-line style. Place a baking sheet nearby to put the rice balls on as you’re making them. Take out a large ice cream scoop if you have one (it handily measures out the exact amount of rice you need for each arancini: ¼ cup / 60 ml.) Put disposable gloves on if you wish because it’s a bit of a messy business.

How to shape the arancini: 

• Take 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the rice mixture and shape it into a small ball in the palm of your hand. Make a well in the center of the ball and drop in about 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the meat sauce. Drop a bocconcini ball or mozzarella cube in the center of the sauce. Using both hands, gently work the rice so that it completely encloses the meat sauce and cheese, slowly closing your hands over the rice ball to make it perfectly round.
• Continue forming arancini with the remaining risotto and meat sauce. Once all the arancini are formed, freeze for 20 minutes. This will help them remain perfectly round as they fry.

Dredge the arancini:

• Place three shallow bowls on your working surface. Put the flour in the first bowl, whisk the 2 eggs in the second one, and put the breadcrumbs in the last bowl. Set another clean baking sheet nearby to put the rice balls on as you’re dredging them.
• Dredge one rice ball in flour to coat all sides. Tap off excess flour. Roll the rice ball in the beaten egg to coat, allowing any excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Finally, roll the rice ball in the breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to coat evenly with the crumbs. Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining rice balls.

Fry the arancini:

• If you’d like to serve the rice balls right after making them, heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) or to the lowest setting to keep the arancini warm as you fry them. Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels.
• Pour the vegetable oil into a large stockpot so the oil comes up about 2 inches (5 cm) up the sides of the pot. The size of the pot you're using may require the use of more oil; add more oil if needed to make up for the difference.
• If working WITH a thermometer: Insert a deep-fry thermometer in the oil and heat the oil over medium heat to 375°F (190°C). (If you are working without a thermometer, test the temperature as directed below.) Once the oil reaches the right temperature, keep an eye on it and adjust the heat under the saucepan to maintain a steady temperature throughout the frying process.
• If working WITHOUT a thermometer: Test the temperature of the oil by dipping a small chunk of rice in the oil. It should give off a lively but steady sizzle. If nothing happens, the oil isn’t hot enough; if the oil around the bread-crumb coating boils and sputters, the oil is too hot. Adjust the heat accordingly.
• When the oil comes to temperature: Carefully slip 2 or 3 arancini into the oil (don’t overcrowd the pot). Fry, turning as necessary with tongs or a slotted spoon, until golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove to the paper towel-lined baking sheet, keeping them hot in the oven if you like. Fry the remaining rice balls.
• MAKE-AHEAD TIPS: To make the arancini ahead of time, simply let them cool to room temperature on the paper towel-lined baking sheet after frying. Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C). Set the rice balls on a greased baking sheet and warm for 10 minutes in the oven, turning them halfway through.
• SERVING: Arancini can be served hot or at room temperature. Sicilian rice balls are wonderful served as a snack or an appetizer with tomato sauce or garlic mayo on the side, or a main course along with a hearty salad.

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The post How to Make Arancini (Sicilian Risotto Balls) appeared first on Food Nouveau.

It’s not unusual for energy levels to flag and our instinct to hibernate to rise to the surface as we go through grey and cold seasons. That’s why we need some vitamin-packed, hearty salads to boost our mood! This collection of 20 winter salads from food bloggers around the globe focuses on hearty grains, quick-cooking proteins, easy-to-find seasonal veggies, and bright, bold flavors that will keep you energized and fueled up.

Roasted veggies like those you’ll find in the Spicy Roasted Chickpea and Cauliflower or the Roasted Golden Beet Salad with Farro add flavor to winter dishes. 

Bright and zesty citrus fruits add a pop of color and zingy flavors to salads and dressings alike. You won’t be able to resist the Radicchio Orange Pecan Salad or the Citrus, Shrimp, and Quinoa Salad!

Winter salads with quick-cooking proteins like chicken, shrimp, and salmon make it easy to boost your protein intake for long-lasting fuel. Get a boost of mood-improving omega 3 oils with a flavorful Salmon Kale Salad!

Craving sunshine but only seeing gloomy skies? Channel warmer climates into your day with a healthy Taco Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing or a Chicken Gryo Meatball Salad.

Here are 20 healthy and hearty salad recipes—enough to enjoy a different one each week as we await the return of summer. Put your favorite ones on repeat!

1. Spicy Roasted Chickpea and Cauliflower Salad

by Food Nouveau 

This spicy and zesty chickpea and cauliflower salad is easy to make and ultra-versatile: enjoy it warm or cold, as is, or in a pita. Serve with hummus for an extra creamy touch!

2. Roasted Golden Beet Salad with Farro

by Barley and Sage 

This roasted golden beet salad is the perfect addition to any meal! With roasted beets, farro, goat cheese, and crunchy almonds, it’s hearty enough to serve as a meal on its own or as a side dish with roast chicken or potato leek soup.

3. Winter Squash and Farro Salad

by Windy City Dinner Fairy 

Filled with big flavors and irresistible textures, this winter squash and farro salad with a pomegranate vinaigrette will brighten your table and impress your guests!

4. Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing

by Heartbeet Kitchen 

This striking roasted butternut squash salad is tossed with warm wild rice, spinach, dried cherries, and herbs. The simple maple balsamic dressing is blended with garlic and rosemary, and it naturally soaks into the fresh ingredients, making the dish incredibly flavorful.

5. Roasted Acorn Squash Salad

by The Healthy Epicurean

This deliciously satisfying salad features perfectly roasted acorn squash, wheat berries, feta cheese, and spring greens! This good-for-you, hearty salad will keep you full and satisfied. It has so much flavor, you will fall in love with it!

6. Roasted Brussels Sprouts Pasta Salad

by Home Grown Happiness 

Healthy and delicious, this pasta salad with roasted Brussels sprouts is super quick to throw together, and it’s a great way to get your daily dose of vitamins!

7. Potato Cobb Salad

by My Kitchen Love 

This crowd-pleasing potato cobb salad is served with a delicious, homemade herb and garlic dressing. The recipe includes clever tips and tricks for easy prep and quick clean-up!

8. Radicchio Orange Pecan Salad

by Pardon Your French 

This radicchio orange pecan salad is an invigorating salad to serve over cooler months. Bitter radicchio, fresh baby spinach, juicy orange supremes, toasted pecans, and goat cheese are drizzled with a honey and Dijon vinaigrette, resulting in a delicious mix of bitter, sweet, and savory flavors. This is a colorful, hearty salad to serve over the Holidays or to enjoy as a weekday dinner on its own as well.

9. Red Cabbage, Carrot, and Kale Salad

by Vikalinka 

This colorful, hearty salad is the perfect cure for grey, rainy, or snowy days! Red cabbage, carrots, kale, and pomegranate seeds are dressed with a zesty vinaigrette that highlights delicious seasonal vegetables. As an added bonus, the salad lasts in the fridge without wilting for up to 3 days!

10. Winter Coleslaw Salad

by A Cedar Spoon 

Coleslaw shouldn’t only be served at summer potlucks! This winter coleslaw salad is the perfect salad for a big get-together, the holidays, or even a simple weeknight meal. You will love the combination of kale, radicchio, brussels sprouts, and cabbage in this slaw, which is tossed with a light lemony dressing, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and Parmesan cheese.

11. Classic French Lentil Salad

by Pardon Your French 

If you enjoy fresh, wholesome, hearty salads, this is a great recipe for your repertoire. This classic French lentil salad uses earthy, healthy Puy lentils, carrots, shallots, and herbs drizzled with a quick zippy Dijon vinaigrette. It is affordable, simple to make, and very satisfying. This is a great side dish for hosting, or as a make-ahead recipe for meals on-the-go!

12. Lentil Niçoise Salad

by Food Nouveau 

This lentil niçoise salad features a riot of colors, flavors, and textures that will keep everyone fueled up! This recipe makes an elegant brunch dish, or a fabulous dinner when your diet needs a healthy, flavorful punch.

13. Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

by Wholesome Kitchen 

Not only is this Mediterranean quinoa salad beautiful—it’s tasty and good for you too! This salad is satisfying, nutritious, and easy to make with a simple olive oil dressing.

14. Pan-Fried Halloumi Salad with Green Tahini Dressing

by From Scratch Fast 

This pan-fried halloumi salad recipe is a dynamic one-bowl meal. It features seared halloumi cheese and a creamy green tahini dressing that you’ll want to put on everything! The recipe includes a step-by-step video to show you how to pan-fry halloumi as well as helpful tips for serving this vibrant, hearty salad.

15. Marmalade Shrimp and Bacon Salad

by Food Nouveau 

This hearty, colorful salad combines juicy shrimp, salty bacon, crunchy veggies, and zesty clementines with a marmalade dressing that is guaranteed to jolt your taste buds awake!

16. Citrus, Shrimp, and Quinoa Salad

by Simple Bites 

This satisfying citrus salad combines sharp grapefruit, clementine, and lime, with shrimp, quinoa, and feta to produce a fresh and vibrant lunch. If you don’t like shrimp, you can skip it or use thin slices of medium-rare steak instead. For seafood lovers, pair the salad with fresh, seared scallops!

17. Salmon Kale Salad

by Champagne Tastes 

This salmon kale salad is a fall harvest salad made with fresh kale, apples, Parmesan salmon, roasted potatoes and green beans, and an easy tahini dressing. It’s a gorgeous, hearty salad-as-a-meal you’ll want to serve from brunch to dinner!

18. Rosemary Chicken & Roasted Grapes Spinach Salad

by Cook at Home Mom 

This unfussy but elegant grilled chicken spinach salad is topped with roasted grapes, creamy, tangy goat cheese, walnuts, and a simple balsamic vinaigrette. This recipe is a delicious alternative to a classic roasted chicken dinner!

19. Chicken Gyro Meatball Salad

by Family Style Food 

This healthy gyro salad with spiced chicken meatballs, chopped fresh vegetables, and lemony tahini dressing makes a super fresh main dish full of bright flavors and rich in proteins. Nobody’s gonna leave the table hungry with this one!

20. Healthy Taco Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

by From Scratch Fast 

This healthy taco salad features warm spiced meat (or beans!), crisp romaine lettuce, loads of toppings and a creamy cilantro dressing. It’s packed with flavor and texture and is way more delicious (and nutritious!) than the “iceberg-and-Fritos” taco salads you might have grown up eating.

The post 20 Healthy and Hearty Salads To Keep Your Energy Levels Up appeared first on Food Nouveau.

This post contains affiliate links. Full disclosure is at the bottom of the article.

Every summer when I get my hands on irrationally large quantities of colorful cherry tomatoes, I only have only one idea in mind: serving them in as many bright and flavorful salads as I can to make the most of their perfectly ripe, summery taste.

One of my favorite salads to make with cherry tomatoes is an Italian Caprese pasta salad, but several years ago, I was inspired by a simple recipe Jamie Oliver made in his Andalusia TV show, which added a Spanish twist to the classic Italian Panzanella salad. In my version of Spanish tomato salad, the addition of spicy chorizo, crumbled feta cheese, and crunchy almonds all make the dish irresistibly flavorful and textured. I like to serve the salad with crusty bread to make it a meal—and soak up all those delicious salad juices!

This Spanish tomato salad is nutritious enough to be served as a main course, though you could very well serve it in smaller portions alongside grilled meat.

Salting and resting tomatoes allow excess water to drip out and concentrate the flavor. It also takes care of the seasoning, as the tomatoes absorb only the right amount of salt. With the addition of chorizo and feta, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to add any more salt to the salad, but make sure to taste before serving and season again if needed.

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Spanish Tomato Salad with Chorizo and Almonds

This hearty Spanish tomato salad combines juicy tomatoes, salty feta, spicy chorizo, and crunchy almonds to create an irresistibly textured, flavorful dish!

Course Appetizer, Appetizers, dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Main dish, Picnics, Potlucks, Salad

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword Cherry Tomatoes, Chorizo, Easy, Easy Recipe, Feta, Feta Cheese, Make-Ahead, Picnic, Quick, Quick Recipe, Salad, Sherry Vinegar, Spanish Chorizo

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Marie Asselin

Ingredients

• 16 oz mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tsp kosher salt, or fine sea salt
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 oz thinly sliced Spanish chorizo
• 1 clove garlic, very thinly sliced
• ¼ cup minced chives or green onions
• ¼ cup mixed fresh herbs, packed (oregano, basil, marjoram and/or flat-leaf parsley)
• 1 tbsp Sherry vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ½ oz feta cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds (see note)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Place the halved cherry tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl or in the sink. Sprinkle with half of the salt, toss well, then add the remaining salt and toss again. Let rest for 15 minutes.
• In a nonstick skillet set over medium heat warm up 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the sliced chorizo and sauté until they start to crisp up, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the thinly sliced garlic clove and mix well so the garlic infuses the oil but doesn’t burn. Pour the chorizo and garlic mixture (with the oil) into a bowl and let cool.
• Toss the cherry tomatoes lightly in the colander and discard any juice that comes out of them.
• Transfer the tomatoes to a large mixing bowl, then add the remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil along with the chives, fresh herbs, and sherry vinegar. Season with freshly ground black pepper and toss to combine.
• Using a slotted spoon, add the chorizo and garlic slices to the tomato salad, then add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the garlic-infused frying oil. Toss again. (Keep any remaining garlic-infused frying oil, it’s delicious to sauté chicken or shrimp!)
• SERVING: When ready to serve, add half of the crumbled feta cheese to the salad and toss to combine. Transfer the Spanish tomato salad to a large serving plate. Sprinkle with the remaining feta cheese and chopped almonds. Serve with crusty bread to soak up all the delicious salad juices!
• STORAGE: You can make this salad up to 1 day ahead of time. Refrigerate in an airtight container. Make sure to return the Spanish tomato salad to room temperature at least 1 hour before serving.

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I’ve always thought the flavor of rhubarb is in the realm of citrus fruits when it comes to thinking of using it in desserts, but—dare I say—it’s even better, in some ways. It has a fantastic tartness that creates delicious not-too-sweet desserts much like lemon does, but it also has a crunchy heftiness that means you can use it as a filling, like you would berries.

It’s no surprise then that rhubarb does go so well with super-sweet strawberries. There are so many treats I like to make every year that combine the two: puddings, tarts, breads, compotes, even French macarons! Rhubarb and strawberry is one of those classic flavor combos that will never go out of style.

Few desserts put rhubarb front and center though and that’s a shame, in my humble opinion. Rhubarb doesn’t need to hide behind sweeter fruits to shine; it can produce memorable dishes all on its own. Among my favorite rhubarb-only desserts are Rhubarb Panna Cotta and Rhubarb Gelato—two Italian-inspired sweet endings.

But my all-time-winner rhubarb baked treats are these Orange Rhubarb Crumb Bars. Crunchy, slightly chewy, and aromatic with a jammy filling that’s just tart enough to tickle your tastebuds, these rhubarb crumb bars are delightful from breakfast to dessert.

Helpful Tips for Making Orange Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Stock up on fresh rhubarb when it’s in season

Depending on where you live, rhubarb is in season from late April to June. This is the best time to stock up and freeze extra rhubarb so you can make delicious rhubarb desserts all year long.

To freeze rhubarb, cut off the large leaves at the end of each stalk (these leaves are toxic to humans, so make sure to discard them!). Clean the stalks under cold running water, then chop them into ½ to 1-inch pieces. Pack into freezer bags and keep, frozen, for up to 1 month if stored in a refrigerator freezer, or for up to 12 months if stored in a chest freezer or any other freezer made for long-term storage.

Substitute frozen rhubarb to make these bars all year long

You can make these rhubarb crumb bars with either fresh or frozen rhubarb. When using frozen rhubarb, I like to thaw it in a colander so the excess water drips out. No need to squeeze the rhubarb; once it’s thawed to room temperature, you can simply pat it dry and add it to the recipe as instructed.

Pack the fiber in by using 100% wholewheat flour

In the crumb layers of these rhubarb crumb bars, I like to use wholewheat flour and all-purpose flour at a 50:50 ratio. I like the nuttiness wholewheat flour adds to the flavor of the bars, and I like the extra fiber and nutrients too! In my mind, this combination of wholewheat flour and oats makes it totally okay to enjoy the bars for breakfast and snacks as well as dessert 😉

You can turn the nutrition dial even higher by using only wholewheat flour, or substituting another whole grain flour such as oat flour or brown rice flour.

Substitute your favorite natural sugar

I like to make these bars with granulated maple sugar because I think maple’s incredible aroma makes the crumb layers even better and sweetens the rhubarb just perfectly. (Learn more about maple sugar.)

If you can’t find maple sugar, you can basically substitute any granulated natural sugar at a 1:1 ratio in these rhubarb crumb bars. Try cane sugar, coconut sugar, turbinado sugar (also called demerara sugar), or even date sugar. Each of these types of sugar will contribute a slightly different flavor to the rhubarb crumb bars, but all of them will create a delicious result. Try a few and pick your favorite!

No oranges? No problem

Orange and rhubarb is another of those classic flavor combinations, and in these rhubarb crumb bars, the orange not only infuses the crumb layers with its deliciously aromatic zest but its juice sweetens the rhubarb, too. For the best flavor, I encourage you to use freshly grated orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice, but if you don’t have an orange on hand, you can omit the zest and use bottled orange juice instead.

For a change, you could substitute lemon zest for the orange zest at a 1:1 ratio, but decrease the amount of lemon juice to 2 tbsp (30 ml) to make sure the bars won’t be too tart.

Put your food processor to work to create the perfect crumb in a snap

The crumb mixture in these rhubarb crumb bars comes together in the food processor in less than a minute. Not only does using a food processor make the process extremely quick and easy, but it also chops up the oats into smaller flakes and incorporates the butter without overworking it, which creates the perfect crunchy crumb.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can make the crumb mixture by hand. Simply incorporate the cold butter using a pastry cutter or a fork, and then mix in the egg with a spatula. The resulting crumb will be chunkier since the oats will remain whole, but the rhubarb crumb bars will be just as delicious.

Use the “sling” method to make the rhubarb crumb bars extra easy to unmold

Make it extra easy to remove these rhubarb crumb bars out of their baking pan by cutting two rectangles of parchment paper the width of your baking pan—one wider and one narrower—and overlapping them, letting extra paper overhangs on all sides of the pan. To unmold the bars, simply pull on this overhanging paper—and voilà! You’re done.

If you don’t want to use two sheets of parchment paper, you can simply use one large rectangle of parchment paper and fit it into the mold, creasing it in the corners and, again, letting extra paper overhang to pull out the bars later.

Refrigerate these rhubarb crumb bars in an open container to keep them crisp

Isn’t it so disappointing when crumb bars become soft, sometimes even soggy, after they’ve been stored in an airtight container for a day? I’ve got a clever solution for you: refrigerate the bars in an open container instead. Storing these rhubarb crumb bars in the refrigerator keeps them moist (they would dry up quite a bit if they remained at room temperature) and keeping them in an open container prevents the crumbs from absorbing too much moisture from the filling. This is such an easy, perfect remedy to soggy crumb bars! You can keep rhubarb crumb bars refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Do not freeze rhubarb crumb bars

Rhubarb crumb bars cannot be frozen. The bars would quite simply turn soggy after thawing. Keep extra rhubarb crumb bars in the refrigerator: they will keep for up to 1 week.

Looking for even more rhubarb inspiration?

You’ll find it in my delicious recipe collection: 25 Rhubarb Dessert Recipes for Spring. Fresh spring rhubarb is a short-lived treat that you absolutely must make the most of! Get inspired by this collection that includes cakes, tarts, crisps, preserves, and many more classic and creative rhubarb-centric dessert recipes.

Print

Orange Rhubarb Crumb Bars

These irresistible rhubarb crumb bars are filled with whole grains, sweetened with natural sugar, and infused with orange zest and juice. Enjoy them from breakfast to dessert!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, desserts, Snack

Cuisine American, Canadian, French Canadian

Keyword Crumb Bars, Crumble, Easy Dessert, Maple Products, Maple Sugar, Oats, Old-Fashioned Oats, Orange Juice, Orange Zest, Rhubarb, Spring Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Servings 24 bars

Author Marie Asselin

Ingredients

For the crumb layers

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, or substitute 1 cup (130 g)whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup granulated maple sugar, or substitute another sugar (see note)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp kosher salt (omit if using salted butter)
• finely grated zest from 1 orange
• 1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1 large egg

For the rhubarb filling

• 4 cups chopped rhubarb
• finely grated zest from 1 orange
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about ½ orange)
• ⅔ cup granulated maple sugar, or substitute another sugar (see note)
• 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper using the “sling” method: cut two rectangles of parchment paper the width of the baking pan—one wider and one narrower—and overlap them, letting extra paper overhangs on all sides of the pan.

  To unmold the bars, you’ll simply pull on this overhanging paper and be done! Alternatively, you can simply use one large rectangle of parchment paper and fit it into the mold, creasing it in the corners and, again, letting extra paper overhang to pull out the bars later.
  
• For the crumb layers: In the bowl of a food processor, add the flours, oats, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse 15 times. Scrape down the bowl and stir the mixture using a spatula, then pulse 15 times. Add the egg, pulse 15 times, then scrape down the bowl and stir the mixture again. Process for a few seconds until the dough is crumbly.
• Spoon two-thirds of the crumb mixture into the prepared parchment-lined baking pan. Using your hands, press the mixture down firmly to create the bottom crust. Set the remaining crumb mixture aside while you make the rhubarb filling.
• For the rhubarb filling: In a large bowl, stir together all the filling ingredients. Distribute the rhubarb mixture evenly over the crust. Spread the remaining crumb mixture over the rhubarb filling.
• Bake the rhubarb crumb bars for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown and juices are bubbling around the edges of the pan. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 1 hour.
• SERVING: Pull on the overhanging parchment paper to get the bars out of the pan. Slice into squares or bars and enjoy as is, or serve with vanilla gelato or vanilla Greek yogurt.
• STORAGE: To keep these rhubarb crumb bars crunchy, refrigerate the bars in an open container. Storing the bars in the refrigerator keeps them moist (they would dry up quite a bit if they remained at room temperature) and keeping them in an open container prevents the crumbs from absorbing too much moisture from the filling. An easy, perfect remedy to soggy crumb bars! You can keep the rhubarb crumb bars refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Disclosure Notice: This site is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for the site to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.

If you click on an affiliate link, I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through such links, at no extra cost to you. This helps me create new content for the blog–so thank you! Learn more about advertising on this site by reading my Disclosure Policy.

The post Orange Rhubarb Crumb Bars appeared first on Food Nouveau.

French macarons are impossible to resist. Who hasn’t walked past a patisserie or bakery and been tempted by the rainbow of macarons lined up in the window?

French macarons have crunchy, yet chewy, shells with perfect little “feet” that envelope delectable buttercream fillings in every flavor you can think of, making them an irresistible treat. They also have the added benefit of being naturally gluten-free, making them a favorite for almost everyone!

But (there’s always a but isn’t there?) they do have a reputation for being a little fussy to make at home. The truth is, they can be tricky if you’ve never made them before but, that’s why I’ve created some fantastic resources for you—so you can be a pro in no time!

NEW: French Macaron Video Masterclass

Learn how to make perfect French macarons at home with my detailed video masterclass, now available to everyone for FREE and unlimited watching! This masterclass was previously hosted behind a paywall on an educational site where THOUSANDS of students rated it 5 STARS! It’s now available to all macaron lovers worldwide, for absolutely free ❤️

My detailed French Macaron Video Masterclass is divided into 14 handy lessons that will make you a macaron expert in no time. I designed my masterclass both for novice bakers who want to learn new skills, and for experienced bakers who are seeking to master a new and impressive dessert. Let me guide you through the essential equipment you need, the important steps to follow, the techniques to master, and the potential pitfalls to avoid. You can watch the videos on your own time, start practicing, share with other budding macaron makers, and ask me questions if you encounter difficulties along the way.

I’m confident that this video class will enable you to create perfect French macarons. Watch the class now!

If you enjoy my French Macaron Masterclass, make sure to “like” it on YouTube to allow other macaron lovers to discover it. Thank you and happy baking!

Resources to Help You Make Homemade Macarons

I adore these delightful little bites and have spent years perfecting how to make them at home. If you’ve never made homemade macarons before and want to try them, I have three extremely helpful resources for you:

• How To Make French Macarons: A step-by-step tutorial packed with pictures and tips
• French Macaron Troubleshooting Guide: To help you with any issues you encounter along the way
• French Macaron Video Masterclass: There’s nothing like watching someone making macarons to learn how to make them properly—that’s how I learned over 10 years ago, and that’s how thousands of my students did too! 

Flavored Macarons

I love making flavored macarons. Nothing makes me happier than coming up with new, and sometimes surprising, flavor combinations to delight everyone who tries them.

You can make the shells and fillings with the same flavors, like my dark chocolate macarons, salted caramel macarons, or pistachio macarons. You can experiment and give the shells different but complementary flavors. I’ve done this with my pecan maple macarons and strawberry rhubarb macarons.

I also like to get adventurous and try some more interesting flavor combos like basil lime or chocolate miso. They may sound unusual but I promise they’re absolutely delicious!

Which will you try first?

15 Colorful Homemade French Macaron Recipes

1. Dark Chocolate Macarons

These Dark Chocolate Macarons are always a hit: the combination of rich and creamy ganache combined and crunchy macarons shells is just irresistible.

2. Pistachio Macarons

Pistachio macarons are a timeless classic of French pastry. Learn how to make them at home! These treats delightfully highlight the elegant bright green nut.

3. Salted Caramel Macarons

These Salted Caramel Macarons, inspired by pastry master Pierre Hermé, perfectly balance sweet and salty to create a truly memorable bite.

4. Lemon Mascarpone Macarons

These bright yellow lemon mascarpone macarons are the ultimate macaron for lemon lovers: the puckery flavor of lemon is perfectly balanced by the rich and creamy mascarpone.

5. Honey Orange Macarons

These crowd-pleasing honey orange macarons combine comforting, mellow flavors in a tiny, colorful package.

6. Clementine Macarons

These clementine macarons are a lovely way to enjoy winter’s cutest citrus fruit. They offer an incredibly aromatic, juicy flavor in a tiny package.

7. Basil Lime Macarons

These creative basil lime macarons perfectly balance sweet, earthy basil with bright, tart lime, and the resulting treat is a real conversation starter!

8. Ginger Yuzu Macarons

These ginger yuzu macarons combines the unique flavor of yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit, with ginger and white chocolate to create a memorable bite.

9. Milk Chocolate Miso Macarons

These milk chocolate miso homemade macarons combine the rich sweetness of milk chocolate with the savory saltiness of miso to produce a perfectly balanced, addictive treat.

10. Strawberry Rhubarb Macarons

These strawberry rhubarb macarons are elegant summer treats that combine two of early summer’s most popular fruits. Bursting with the juiciness of fresh strawberries and the tickling tartness of rhubarb, these homemade macarons are something to write home about!

11. Fresh Raspberry Matcha Macarons

These raspberry matcha macarons highlight the sweetness of raspberries and the earthy bitterness of matcha green tea in a lovely, well-balanced bite.

12. Milk Chocolate and Passion Fruit Macarons

Want to recreate Pierre Hermé’s Mogador macarons at home? These delightful milk chocolate passion fruit macarons are as close to the classic Parisian treat as you can get.

13. Pecan Maple Macarons

These pecan maple macarons are a tribute to maple syrup, the liquid, natural, golden syrup that gives a sweet, special touch to any dessert.

14. Hazelnut Pear Macarons

These elegant hazelnut pear homemade macarons are filled with a Frangelico-infused fresh pear filling, which also conceals caramelized diced pear. This tiny package offers complex textures and irresistible flavors that are perfect for cooler seasons!

15. Pecan & Spiced Apple Macarons

These pecan and spiced apple macarons bring all the comforting flavors of fall baking in a single bite: they taste like your favorite apple pie in a fruity, sweet package!

More Resources for Making Homemade Macarons

How to Make French Macarons: A Step-by-Step Recipe

French macarons are notoriously difficult to make, yet with the right recipe and instructions, anyone can make them. Learn how to achieve this French treat in your home kitchen!

A Macaron Troubleshooting Guide: Useful Tips and Advice to Master the French Delicacy

This French macaron troubleshooting guide contains everything you need to master the classic French treat: basic advice, countless expert tips, photos, recipes, and even access to a helpful video class!

The post 15 Colorful Homemade French Macaron Recipes appeared first on Food Nouveau.

When we hear the word meringue, our thoughts always seem to go immediately to lemon meringue pie. And who can blame us? Lemon meringue pie is one of my all-time favorite desserts! (And I make an incredibly fabulous one, if I do say so myself—there’s a link to the recipe below!)

But there are so many other ways to enjoy the sweet delights of a meringue, and I’ve got 24 meringue dessert recipes collected here to get you inspired. Who can resist a light, crunchy but chewy pavlova dressed with fresh berries or citrus fruits? Big or little, they’re perfect for spring and summer gatherings.

Meringue is a delectable way to finish off adorable cupcakes or a decadent cheesecake. You can top a lemon loaf or a creamy banana pudding or use meringue as your base for your preferred fruit curd.

Tiny, perfect meringues in an array of flavors can be packaged with a bow to make a sweet homemade gift. Or, use them to top a gorgeous layer cake or add them to the delightfully messy swirl of a colorful Eton mess.

If you want to try something a little more adventurous, make some lemon meringue ice cream, a meringue and chocolate cream sandwich or s’mores baked Alaska. There is no end to the sweet meringue desserts you can create!

1. Lemon and Olive Oil Cake with Toasted Meringue

by Food Nouveau

This tender and aromatic lemon and olive oil cake is the perfect snack, any time of day. The sweet toasted meringue topping turns the loaf into a showstopping dessert!

2. Key Lime Pie Cake

by Liv for Cake

Classic key lime pie transformed into a delicious Key Lime Pie Cake! This graham cracker cake is topped with light-as-air sweet meringue, tart key lime curd, and a crunchy graham cracker crumble. A spectacular treat for all fans of meringue dessert recipes!

3. Meringue Cake with Roasted Pears

by Zoë Bakes

This gluten-free meringue cake combines a soft cake layer with a pillowy meringue topping and aromatic roasted pears. Who needs frosting when you can have meringue instead?

4. Earl Gray Meringue Cake

by Vikalinka

The recipe for this Earl Grey Meringue Cake is something you need to have for a special occasion. Just imagine baking this beauty for someone’s birthday or anniversary!

5. Passion Fruit Meringue Cheesecake

by Zoë Bakes

What’s better than cheesecake? A meringue-topped cheesecake! This masterpiece of a cake is infused with the tart, aromatic flavor of passion fruits. It’s an irresistible cake that will leave your guests speechless!

6. No-Bake Strawberry Meringue Cheesecake

by Vikalinka

Any and all festive tables need this strawberry meringue cheesecake! This no-bake meringue dessert recipe is perfect if you are not a baker but love your sweet treats.

7. S’Mores Cupcakes

by Boston Girl Bakes

These s’mores cupcakes combine a dark rich chocolate cupcake with a graham cracker bottom and homemade toasted marshmallow meringue frosting! This meringue dessert recipe is guaranteed to disappear from your dessert table in a blink.

8. Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

by Food Nouveau

These lemon meringue cupcakes are a twist on the popular classic, zesty pie. This meringue dessert recipe will brighten any and all parties, from birthdays to showers!

9. Lemon Meringue Pie

by Food Nouveau

This Lemon Meringue Pie recipe creates a truly memorable dessert: the easy, cookie-like hazelnut crust combined with the zesty filling and creamy meringue will delight all fans of this classic dessert. Helpful tips and how-to video included!

10. Chocolate Meringue Pie

by Food Nouveau

This fluffy, dreamy Chocolate Meringue Pie will bring you to cloud nine. The sweet meringue contrasts beautifully with the bitter, creamy filling, making each bite an unforgettable delight.

11. Classic Pavlova

by The Bake School

Learn how to make classic pavlova with this meringue dessert recipe. A pavlova is a one-layer cake made from a meringue that is crispy on the outside and marshmallowy inside, topped with raspberries, lemon curd, and lots of whipped cream.

12. Mini Citrus Pavlovas

by Simple Bites

These Mini Citrus Pavlovas make the prettiest springtime dessert! You will need to prepare the mini meringue bases for several hours or the night before serving so they have time to dry. Once assembled, the pavlovas are best enjoyed at once—but let me tell you, none of your guests will complain about that!

13. Strawberry and Rose Eton Mess

by What a Girl Eats

Eton mess is an easy, traditional English dessert with crushed meringues, fresh berries, and whipped cream. This version is infused with the elegant aroma of roses. It’s the perfect meringue dessert recipe to showcase sweet summer strawberries! 

14. Cranberry Orange Eton Mess

by Simple Bites

This simple and elegant meringue dessert recipe combines soft whipped cream, crunchy meringues, and juicy fruits. This is a great holiday dessert as is, but you can also substitute your favorite, seasonal fresh fruits to enjoy it year-round!

15. Banana Pudding

by What the Fork

This simple homemade Banana Pudding topped with meringue is easy to make and it’s gluten-free! This fuss-free meringue dessert recipe will make the whole family happy.

16. Vegan Meringue Nests with Lemon Passion Fruit Curd

by Addicted to Dates

Delicious vegan meringue nests with vegan lemon passion fruit curd. These egg-free mini pavlovas are made using aquafaba and are perfect served with dairy-free cream.

17. S’mores Baked Alaska

by Liv for Cake

This S’mores Baked Alaska is a modern-day version of an old classic. This meringue dessert recipe combines a fun retro frozen dessert with your favorite campfire treat!

18. Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

by Baked the Blog

This dreamy lemon meringue ice cream is just as unexpected as it is irresistible! This meringue dessert recipe combines a velvety lemon base, crumbled meringue pieces, and swirls of tart lemon curd.

19. Merveilleux (Meringue and Chocolate Cream Sandwich Pastries)

by Pardon Your French

A Merveilleux is a French dessert that offers a flawless marriage of textures: crispy-melt-in-your-mouth meringues wrapped in fluffy chocolate cream and covered in crunchy chocolate shards.

20. Crispy Maple Meringues

by Food Nouveau

These cute bite-sized maple meringues are super crisp, but instantly melt in the mouth and release their delightful aroma. This meringue dessert recipe makes for an utterly irresistible edible gift!

21. Meringue Cookies

by BellyFull

These lovely little meringue cookies are light and airy, crisp, delicate, and perfectly sweet, plus naturally gluten-free and low-calorie. They’re so easy to make, delicious with a cup of coffee, and look beautiful on a cookie tray if entertaining. Follow these simple steps and read the tips for flawless meringue cookies every time!

22. Chocolate and Pistachio Meringue Cookies

by Frugal Mom Eh

If you are looking for a real show-stopper meringue dessert recipe then these Chocolate & Pistachio Meringue Cookies are just what you are looking for. These melt-in-your-mouth treats are dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with pistachio bits.

23. Small-Batch Chocolate Swirl Meringue Cookies

by Simple Bites

A small-batch meringue dessert recipe, these Chocolate Swirl Meringue Cookies are festive and fun. Watch them disappear from your dessert table!

24. Italian Hazelnut-Chocolate Meringue Cookies

by Familystyle Food

These irresistibly crunchy chocolate meringue sandwich cookies combine a crisp cocoa-flavored cookie with a delightful chocolate hazelnut spread. Bet you can’t eat just one!

The post 24 Meringue Dessert Recipes to Impress Your Guests appeared first on Food Nouveau.

I have yet to find anybody who doesn’t love brunch and truly, what’s not to love? Lazy late mornings that stretch into the afternoon, a smorgasbord of scrumptious sweet and savory brunch dishes, catching up with friends and family and, if we’re lucky, a lovely outdoor patio!

Brunch is known for its mix of sweet and savory dishes that run from simple and fresh to luxuriously decadent. But it’s hard to argue that brunch just wouldn’t be brunch without egg dishes.

Savory egg brunch recipes are high on my list of favorite recipes to create simply because the variety is endless. They can run the gamut from classic simplicity, like Asparagus with Gribiche Dressing, to a luxuriously decadent Croque-Monsieur Bake.

Brunch without having a dish drowning in Hollandaise sauce would be a crime and here you’ll find a foolproof eggs benedict and a mouth-watering runny egg and ham breakfast sandwich—both of which make the most of my super easy blender Hollandaise sauce. 

All the other savory brunch classics are here: quiche Lorraine, ham and egg crepes, a frittata with prosciutto and cherry tomatoes. But there are also modern eggy brunch favorites in this collection such as breakfast pizza, superfast egg tacos, zucchini bread pudding, and soft boiled egg and asparagus tartine. 

Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is!

1. Foolproof Eggs Benedict with Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Eggs Benedict is probably the gold medalist of all savory brunch recipes. If you’ve never made it at home, don’t be intimidated! My foolproof Eggs Benedict recipe contains tips and an easy blender hollandaise sauce to breezily make the popular brunch dish at home!

2. Classic Quiche Lorraine

No other savory pie is more elegant than classic Quiche Lorraine. Get the step-by-step instructions to make this elegant, rich, custardy French dish in your home kitchen.

3. Croque-Monsieur Bake

Croque-Monsieur Bake is a scrumptious, make-ahead savory brunch recipe for lovers of cheesy, gooey treats. You can easily scale up this recipe to feed a crowd!

4. Savory Buckwheat Crepes with Egg, Ham, and Cheese (Galettes Complètes)

These savory buckwheat crepes are filled with ham and cheese and topped with fried eggs to create an incredibly delicious, fabulously nutritious breakfast or brunch dish.

5. Savory Clafoutis with Vegetables and Goat Cheese

A twist on a classic French dessert, this easy and elegant savory clafoutis colorfully highlights summer vegetables. Great for brunches and picnics!

6. Breakfast Pizza from Scratch

For true pizza lovers, there’s nothing like starting your day with a breakfast pizza. Learn how to make a memorable one, from the best crust to the most scrumptious toppings!

7. Asparagus with Gribiche Dressing

Gribiche dressing is a French condiment made with hard-boiled eggs and flavorful garnishes such as cornichons and capers. This savory brunch recipe is guaranteed to wow your guests. Plus, gribiche is the perfect dressing to highlight crunchy, bright green spring asparagus!

8. Soft-Boiled Egg and Fresh Asparagus Tartine

This asparagus tartine combines thinly sliced asparagus with a runny egg and hummus to create a colorful, hearty, easy brunch dish!

9. Superfast Egg Tacos

These egg tacos come together in a snap and the recipe can easily be scaled up or down. It’s a versatile, family-friendly savory brunch recipe you can also serve for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

10. Egg, Ham, and Apple Breakfast Sandwich

This spectacular breakfast sandwich offers an irresistible combination of creamy, salty, sweet, and crunchy, bringing it to a special occasion-worthy level.

11. Zucchini and Parmesan Savory Bread Pudding

This veggie-filled savory bread pudding comes together quickly and gets even more flavorful with time. Salty parmesan makes it an irresistible make-ahead savory brunch recipe that will get your guests talking!

12. Frittata di Pane (Bread Frittata)

This cherry tomato bread frittata, or “Frittata di Pane” as it is known in Italy, is delicious warm or cool and travels well. Perfect for brunch, potlucks, or picnics!

The post 12 Scrumptious, Savory Brunch Recipes with Eggs appeared first on Food Nouveau.

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If you’ve ever traveled to Canada, you’ve most likely seen displays of maple leaf cookie boxes in airport duty-free stores and souvenir shops. They sure look like a gimmick, given the steep price at which they are sold and the fact that they bring together two of Canada’s conspicuous icons: the maple leaf, and maple syrup. It may surprise you to learn that we actually grew up eating them! You see, boxes of maple leaf cookies (made with real maple syrup!) were also sold at grocery stores for a fraction of the souvenir shop price, so those addictive treats were no more an indulgence than say, Oreo cookies. At home when I was a kid, biscuits feuilles d’érable were on heavy rotation in the lineup of cookies that took up a whole shelf in our pantry, and they were always my first choice when they did make an appearance.

Commercial maple leaf cookies:

Photo Source

While I know my parents still buy maple leaf cookies from time to time, I almost never get them from the store anymore. Instead, I make them at home! No surprise—homemade maple leaf cookies are even better than the store-bought treat. Not only is the creamy maple butter frosting bursting with maple flavor (I may or may not have eaten some by the spoonful), but the cookies, which are made with maple sugar instead of regular granulated sugar, have an incredibly appealing sablé texture that melts in the mouth.

Maple leaf cookies are not cheap cookies to make: the recipe does require a nice quantity of maple products (sugar, syrup, and butter), but the yield is impressive, especially if you make the cookies in a smaller size. Plus, I swear the result is better than any maple-flavored store-bought cookie you’ll ever buy!

Of course, you can make these cookies even if you don’t have a maple leaf-shaped cookie cutter and use any other cookie cutter you have on hand. But to me, the maple leaf shape just adds to the charm!

BONUS QUÉBEC TRAVEL TIP! If you come to Québec and want to buy maple products, skip the souvenir shop and head to a local grocery store. Most carry maple syrup and maple butter year-round, as well as maple leaf cookies too, of course (in the regular cookie aisle). They may not come in decorative containers or boxes, but you’ll get much more for your buck. You can also search for a Quebec maple producer that ships worldwide.

Maple Desserts & Treats Cookbook

Love maple? Then you need to get your hands on my Maple Desserts & Treats Cookbook! Filled with 25 maple-centric recipes, from timeless classics to modern treats, Maple Desserts & Treats is a downloadable eBook with a collection of irresistible recipes made with nature’s most aromatic sugar. Get it all in a handy, “save it everywhere” PDF format! LEARN MORE

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Homemade Maple Leaf Cookies

These Maple Leaf Cookies are bursting with flavor: the sablé cookies and the irresistible maple butter frosting melt in the mouth. Dreamy!

Course Dessert, desserts

Cuisine Canadian, French Canadian

Keyword Classic Cookies, How-To, Maple Butter, Maple Cookies, Maple Leaf, Maple Products, Maple Sugar, Québec, Québécois

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 32 cookies (varies depending on the size of cookie cutter used)

Author Marie Asselin, FoodNouveau.com

Ingredients

For the maple leaf cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated maple sugar
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Milk, for baking

For the maple butter frosting

• 1 cup maple butter (sometimes called maple cream)
• ⅓ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp kosher salt, or fine sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the cookies:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, beat the butter with the granulated maple sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the maple syrup and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• In a second bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the maple mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Using your hands, gather the dough into a flattened ball (the dough will be slightly sticky.) Cut the dough into 4 portions. Keep one portion out and wrap the remaining dough in plastic wrap.
• Set a large rectangle of parchment paper over the working surface. Lightly flour the parchment paper. Set a portion of dough over the parchment paper, then cover with a second sheet of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out the maple cookie dough to a 1/8-in (0.3-cm) thickness. (Rolling out the maple cookie dough between sheets of parchment paper will prevent the soft dough from sticking to the rolling pin and avoid adding too much extra flour to the recipe.)
• Using a maple leaf cookie cutter (or another shape of your choosing), cut out as many cookies as possible, gently transferring them to the parchment paper-lined baking sheet as you go. (An offset spatula is helpful to transfer the cookies.) The cookies can be placed close to one another on the baking sheet because they won’t spread out while baking.
• If using a maple leaf cookie cutter, you can use the dull side of a knife to trace shallow lines over each cookie in order to create a maple leaf pattern.

  Lightly brush each cookie with milk. Bake until the cookies are lightly golden on the edges. Depending on the size of the cookie cutter used, this could take between 6 and 10 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Repeat the rolling and baking process to bake all the cookies.
  

To make the maple butter frosting:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, beat the maple butter with the softened butter until fully incorporated and smooth. Add the powdered sugar and whisk on low speed until the sugar is mixed in, thenincrease the speed to medium-high. Beat until the maple butter frosting islight and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Transfer the frosting to an airtight container and keep it at room temp erature until you’re ready to assemble thecookies.

To assemble the maple leaf cookies:

• Spread a generous layer of cream filling on one cookie, then cover with a second cookie.Repeat to assemble all cookies. Eat any remaining maple butter filling by thespoonful!
• STORAGE: The assembled cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The maple leaf cookies will be crispy on their first day, and then soften a bit upon resting. Both textures are delightful, but I find the cookies to be at their very best after a 24-hour rest.
• CLEVER TIP: HOW TO PREPARE MAPLE LEAF COOKIES AHEAD OF TIME

  You can freeze the raw cookie dough carefully wrapped in plastic for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring back to room temperature 1 hourbefore rolling.

  You can also make the frosting in advance andrefrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight and bring back to room temperature 1 hour before using. Give the frosting an energetic stir before using it to fill the cookies.

This site is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for the site to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.

If you click on an affiliate link, I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through such links, at no extra cost to you. This helps me create new content for the blog–so thank you! Learn more about advertising on this site by reading my Disclosure Policy.

The post Homemade Maple Leaf Cookies appeared first on Food Nouveau.

This post contains affiliate links. Full disclosure is at the bottom of the article.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (and again): citrus fruits are the one thing that get me through winter every year. There’s no ice-cold day that peeling a clementine can’t brighten, no snowstorm that eating a slice of lemon meringue pie can’t make cozier.

When the first signs of spring start to show up in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere, usually in early March, people start sharing appealing, super fresh spring dishes that feature freshly grown veggies such as asparagus and sweet peas. Alas, in early March, winter is still firmly entrenched in my hometown. We receive so much snow every year that it takes two full months from when temperatures start to climb for tree buds to swell and tulips come out of their winter sleep. This is the time of the year when I need citrus fruits the most to lift my mood and keep me patient as I wait for spring to finally arrive where I am, too.

While in frigid January I’ll gladly indulge in rich, bold desserts such as Lemon and Olive Oil Cake with Toasted Meringue—my favorite!—and Orange Chocolate Pots de Crème, when March rolls around, I like to move on to lighter, fresh sweet and savory citrus dishes. Around this time of year, I keep these aromatic Citrus Fish Cakes continuously stashed in the fridge and freezer: they’re so flavorful and nutritious, they make the brightest weekday lunch. They’re super quick and easy to make, too, so I usually double or even triple the batch, then bake and freeze them in airtight containers. All the citrus fish cakes need to be transformed into a scrumptious lunch is an overnight stay in the refrigerator, if you want to eat them cold, or a few minutes in a warm oven, to make them crunchy again.

The perfect side dish to turn these citrus fish cakes into a complete meal is a broiled fennel and orange salad. Roasting the fennel makes it sweeter and crisp-tender, in a delightful contrast to the juicy oranges and crunchy nuts. It’s a riot of a salad, one you’ll find yourself craving, with or without the accompanying citrus fish cakes.

Helpful Tips for Making These Citrus Fish Cakes with Broiled Fennel and Orange Salad

Can I make these citrus fish cakes ahead of time?

Yes! You can cook the citrus fish cakes, let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

You can also meal prep these citrus fish cakes and the broiled fennel and orange salad, too. See my tips below to learn how to do it breezily.

Can I freeze these fish cakes?

Yes! Once the citrus fish cakes have cooled to room temperature, spread them over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until hard, then transfer the frozen citrus fish cakes to an airtight container: they’ll keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

How to meal prep these citrus fish cakes with broiled fennel and orange salad

The citrus fish cakes can be frozen (see tips above) and the broiled fennel and orange salad is sturdy, so you can meal prep it ahead of time. Here’s how to meal prep this recipe with ease:

• Broil the fennel while you prepare the fish cakes
• While the citrus fish cakes cook, transfer the broiled fennel to a wire rack to cool
• As you cook the citrus fish cakes, transfer them to a wire rack to cool as well
• While the citrus fish cakes cool, peel and slice the oranges
• Assemble the salad, except for the arugula and the nuts
• Divide the salad and citrus fish cakes between two-compartment storage containers. Top the salad portions with a good pinch of arugula and some nuts
• Seal the containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days

Can I substitute another type of fish for the tilapia?

Yes! You can substitute any type of flaky fish, such as cod, haddock, or pollock, or use a pink fish variety such as salmon or trout. Simply make sure to use an equivalent quantity (weight), cook it, then swap it into the recipe.

How to quickly and easily cook the fish to make these fish cakes

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the fish fillets side by side on the baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Bake tilapia for 10 to 12 minutes, or until you can easily flake the fish with a fork. Let the fish fillets cool completely before crumbling them and using them to make the citrus fish cakes.

You can cook any other fish variety the same way; just make sure to adjust the baking time according to the size and thickness of the fillets.

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Citrus Fish Cakes with Broiled Fennel and Orange Salad

These fresh, flavorful citrus fish cakes are easy to make, yet elegant enough to serve for brunch. The bright salad makes it a meal!

Course Appetizers, Lunch, Main Course, Main dish, Picnics, Salad, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword arugula, Basil, Breadcrumbs, Citrus, Fennel, Fish Cakes, Green Olives, Lemon, Mint, Orange Zest, Tilapia, White Fish

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Marie Asselin, FoodNouveau.com

Ingredients

For the broiled fennel and orange salad

• 1 fennel bulb fronds removed and saved for the citrus fish cakes, cored, bulb sliced
• 2½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large handfuls arugula leaves
• 2 oranges peeled and sliced (see note)
• 2 tbsp toasted almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Pinch fleur de sel or flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the citrus fish cakes

• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 12 oz cooked white fish fillets (such as tilapia), crumbled
• ⅓ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup finely chopped green olives
• ¼ cup chopped fennel fronds, basil, and mint, tightly packed
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• Finely grated zest from half an orange
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the easy citrus mayonnaise

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• Finely grated zest from ½ orange and ½ lemon
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the broiled fennel and orange salad

• Preheat oven to broil. Spread the sliced fennel over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 1/2 tbsp (8 ml) of the extra-virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 5 to 8 minutes until the fennel is crisp-tender and lightly browned. Let cool completely.

For the citrus fish cakes

• Using a mortar or a rolling pin, crush the fennel seeds. Add to a large mixing bowl, then add the crumbled cooked fish. Add the breadcrumbs, green olives, chopped herbs, green onion, orange zest, egg, lemon juice, and crushed red pepper. Mix to carefully combine the ingredients. Shape the mixture into eight 3-inch (8 cm) patties. Be careful when handling the patties because they are delicate and can break easily.
• In a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Carefully transfer the patties to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Keep warm in a low oven.

For the easy citrus mayonnaise

• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, orange zest, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Transfer to an airtight jar and refrigerate until service.

To assemble the salad

• Transfer the cooled, broiled fennel to a bowl. Add the arugula, orange, and nuts. Gently toss. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss again to combine.
• SERVING: Serve the warm citrus fish cakes with the broiled fennel and orange salad and citrus mayo on the side.
• STORAGE: You can prepare and cook the citrus fish patties up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8 minutes and serve with the salad.
• MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Notes

Peeling and chopping the oranges is the fastest way to prepare this salad, but to give it a luxurious look, you can segment the oranges instead.

How to segment oranges: First, peel the fruit with a very sharp pairing knife: cut off both the top and bottom of the orange. Stand the orange on either of the flat ends. Run the knife along the fruit from top to bottom, removing the skin and pith, leaving the flesh bare. Rotate the orange and repeat.

To collect segments, take the peeled orange in one hand, and run the knife alongside the membranes, leaving entirely bare pieces of orange behind. You should make sure to do this over a bowl and squeeze the remaining membrane to catch all dripping juices. You can use the juice in this recipe, or save it for your next smoothie or cocktail.

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If you click on an affiliate link, I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through such links, at no extra cost to you. This helps me creating new content for the blog–so thank you! Learn more about advertising on this site by reading my Disclosure Policy.

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Did you know I love citrus fruits so much I wrote an entire cookbook AND two eBooks (one sweet, and one savory) about them? I simply love cooking and baking with citrus fruits: they’re so bright, colorful, aromatic, and versatile! I experiment with them constantly, and during my first cookbook’s recipe testing process more specifically, I tasted ALL the citrus fruits that came my way. I experimented with so many flavor combinations and some of them were real revelations! The pairing of grapefruit and parmesan is one of those. It may sound unusual, but it makes perfect sense when you taste it.

This Grapefruit Fennel Salad was inspired by a classic Sicilian recipe that usually features blood oranges instead of grapefruit. I wanted to find a way to serve this salad year-round (blood oranges are only available in winter), so I was trying to find a suitable substitute. Regular oranges are slightly less acidic than blood oranges and would make the salad too sweet. I thought of grapefruit, which I thought would kick the salad’s interest levels way high. Boy, was I right! This grapefruit fennel salad would wake up the drowsiest taste buds. The combination of zesty grapefruit, mellow parmesan, and crunchy fennel is simply irresistible.

I like to add greens to the salad to make this grapefruit fennel salad more substantial and you can play with different types, depending on whether you want to add a subtle or more assertive flavor to the dish. Mâche, pea shoots, and baby spinach play a mellow supporting role, whereas watercress and arugula add a peppery, slightly bitter taste that works really well with grapefruit.

Quick ingredient note: To make the very best version of this grapefruit fennel salad, make sure to use freshly shaved, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (as opposed to pre-grated parmesan cheese). “Parmigiano-Reggiano” is a protected designation of origin and you can recognize the cheese by its beige-yellow stamped edge. The cheese has a distinct nutty flavor and a dry, brittle texture dotted with salty, crunchy bits. Once you taste authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano, you can’t go without it! It’s a bit pricey, but it keeps for a long time well-wrapped in the fridge. Plus, with such a flavorful cheese, a little goes a long way! A simple dish like this grapefruit fennel salad is the perfect way to showcase a quality ingredient like Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Savory Citrus Delights Cookbook

Love savory citrus recipes? Then you’ll love my Savory Citrus Delights Cookbook! Discover zesty variations on timeless classics, create colorful, nutritious lunches, and expand your weeknight dinner repertoire with aromatic, creative dishes the whole family will love. Savory Citrus Delights is a 16-recipe downloadable eBook that comes in a handy, “save it everywhere” PDF format! LEARN MORE

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Grapefruit Fennel Salad

Inspired by a classic Sicilian recipe, this colorful grapefruit fennel salad is the perfect combination of bright, mellow, sour, and salty.

Course Appetizer, Appetizers, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Citrus, Citrus Fruits, Easy Appetizer, Easy Recipe, Grapefruit, Grapefruit Juice, Parmesan, Parmigiano Reggiano, Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Marie Asselin, FoodNouveau.com

Ingredients

For the Grapefruit Fennel Salad

• 1 fennel bulb
• 2 pink grapefruits
• 2 handfuls of lightweight greens (baby spinach, watercress, or arugula)
• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

For the Dressing

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh grapefruit juice (see method below for instructions)
• 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, or white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• ½ tsp kosher salt, or fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• FOR THE SALAD: Cut the stalks and foliage off from the fennel bulb and set aside. Halve the fennel bulb, then cut out the tougher stem from the center of each fennel bulb half. Very thinly slice the fennel and transfer to a large salad bowl.
• SEGMENT THE GRAPEFRUITS: First, peel the fruit with a knife. Cut off both the top and bottom of the grapefruit. Stand the fruit on either of the flat ends. Run a very sharp paring knife along the fruit from top to bottom, removing the skin and pith, leaving the flesh bare. Rotate the grapefruit and repeat.
• To collect segments, hold the peeled grapefruit in one hand, positioning it over a bowl to catch dripping juices. Run a sharp knife alongside the membranes, leaving entirely bare pieces of fruit behind. Once you've collected all the segments from the grapefruit, squeeze the remaining membranes and bits of flesh to collect all of the remaining juice. (Save this grapefruit juice to use in the dressing.)
• Transfer the grapefruit segments to the salad bowl with the fennel. Add the greens.
• TO MAKE THE DRESSING: In a screw-top jar, add all the dressing ingredients. Close the jar and shake vigorously.
• SERVING: Drizzle about 3 tbsp (45 ml) of the dressing over the grapefruit fennel salad. Gently toss to coat. If desired, season with fleur de sel or sea salt flakes and additional freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle a bit more dressing over the salad. Generously garnish with some of the saved fennel foliage. Serve immediately.
• MAKE IT VEGAN: Omit the Parmigiano-Reggiano and substitute a sharp vegan cheese, if desired.

Disclosure Notice: This site is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for the site to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.

If you click on an affiliate link, I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through such links, at no extra cost to you. This helps me create new content for the blog–so thank you! Learn more about advertising on this site by reading my Disclosure Policy.

The post Grapefruit Fennel Salad appeared first on Food Nouveau.

Lemon desserts have a way of hitting that delightful note on our tastebuds where sweet and tart meet: never too heavy, never overwhelmingly sugary, and never too acidic. Just an infusion of bold and vibrant flavor that’s met with a sweetness that keeps things light and bright!

Adding a note of lemon into your cakes, breads, cookies, and bars makes them truly irresistible. It can be as simple as a bold infusion of lemon juice, a sprinkle of sunshiney zest, or a light glaze drizzled on top. For showstopper cakes and cupcakes, a luscious lemon frosting can take them over the top!

Lemon works beautifully in any dessert you can think of: mousses, puddings, candies, and frozen treats. But don’t overlook adding a little citrus to your morning pancakes or topping off a fresh scone with a dollop of lemon curd!

And please, let’s not forget pie. You all know my incredible weakness for a stellar Lemon Meringue Pie (my signature recipe is listed below). It just can’t be beat!

Pssst… If you love citrus desserts as much as I do, be sure to check out my Citrus Desserts ebook with 16 well-loved and meticulously tested citrus desserts!

Lemon Pies and Tart Recipes

1. Classic French Lemon Tart

by Food Nouveau

This elegant classic French lemon tart is deceptively easy to make and has a delightfully rich, mellow lemony flavor that pleases all citrus lovers. Tips to make foolproof shortcrust pastry from scratch included!

2. Creamy Lemon Pie with Easy Almond Crust

by From Scratch Fast

This creamy lemon pie should probably be called magic pie. The filling contains just 4 ingredients (only 3, if you count the lemon zest and juice as one!) and has no eggs or gelatin. Yet, it magically sets up into a sliceable pie with a luscious texture that you’re guaranteed to dream about.

3. Lemon Meringue Pie

by Food Nouveau

This lemon meringue pie recipe creates a truly memorable dessert: the easy, cookie-like hazelnut crust combined with the zesty filling and creamy meringue will delight all fans of this classic dessert. Helpful tips and how-to video included!

Lemon Cakes & Quick Bread Recipes

4. Glazed Mini Lemon Poppyseed Tea Cakes

by Simple Bites

These simple and elegant lemon poppyseed tea cakes have a fine, moist crumb and an intense lemon flavor. They’re the perfect not-too-sweet addition to your teatime dessert lineup!

5. Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

by Food Nouveau

These lemon meringue cupcakes are a twist on the popular classic, zesty pie. This dessert is guaranteed to brighten any and all parties, from birthdays to showers!

6. Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

by If you Give a Blonde a Kitchen

These lemon cupcakes are perfectly light and fluffy. They are filled with a bright lemon flavor that is complemented by a fluffy and sweet lemon buttercream frosting.

7. Easy Lemon Bread

by Recipes from a Pantry by Bintu

This easy lemon bread recipe is bursting with fresh blueberries and bright lemon flavor. Topped with a delicious lemon glaze, this treat promises to become your new favorite quick bread recipe.

8. Lemon and Olive Oil Cake with Toasted Meringue

by Food Nouveau

This tender and aromatic lemon and olive oil cake is the perfect snack, any time of day. Add toasted meringue to create a showstopping dessert!

9. Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

by Create Kid’s Club

This classic lemon poppyseed cake is super moist and tender, thanks to the use of Greek yogurt and buttermilk. The bright lemon flavor from fresh lemons is sure to wow your guests! This is an effortless cake that will become one of your go-to dessert recipes!

10. Lemon Ricotta Cake

by The Petite Cook

This traditional Italian lemon ricotta cake recipe is soft and spongy, made with simple ingredients. This cake contains no butter or oil, but all the rich deliciousness you’d expect from a delightful Italian lemon cake!

11. Lemon Yogurt Cake

by Marcellina in Cucina

Lemon yogurt cake is a recipe that even a child could make. In fact, for many Italians, this is the first cake they make! Enjoy a slice of this delicious, unfussy for breakfast with a coffee.

12. Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake with Candied Lemons

by Simple Bites

This Meyer lemon bundt cake is a rich pound cake, with a fine, moist crumb and an intense lemon flavor. The ingredient list is long, but the result is outstanding. A total of 4 juicy Meyer lemons are used!

13. Layered Lemon Cake

by Liv for Cake

This layered lemon cake combines luscious lemon cake layers, homemade lemon curd, and a light and fluffy frosting to create an instant classic that you need in your repertoire!

14. Lemon Zucchini Cake with a Lemon Drizzle

by Style Sweet

With layers of lightly spiced zucchini cake slathered with tangy, sweet goat cheese frosting and dripping with lemon glaze, this light and zesty lemony zucchini cake is a summer-time favorite.

15. Lemon Elderflower Cake (Copycat Royal Wedding Cake)

by Liv for Cake

This lemon elderflower cake is a breathtaking copycat version of the royal wedding cake! The lemon cake layers are infused with elderflower, garnished with lemon curd, and slathered with elderflower buttercream. A real stunner!

Lemon Cookies & Bar Recipes

16. Easy, Dairy-Free Lemon Bars

by Food Nouveau

The recipe for these easy, dairy-free lemon bars uses clever ingredients to create a better-for-you dessert that still delivers the puckery deliciousness of the original, classic treat.

17. Lemon Shortbread Cookies

by The Bake School

Learn how to make lemon shortbread cookies with this easy recipe! You will use lemon zest to make the dough and lemon juice to make the tangy glaze for a lemony cookie that everybody will love!

18. Italian Lemon Glazed Cookies

by Mangia Bedda

Italian lemon-glazed cookies are a classic treat that is prepared in most Italian households. These cookies have a soft, cake-like texture, and they are delicately flavored with lemon. A must on your holiday or family gathering cookie tray!

19. Lemon Crinkle Cookies

by Cooking for my Soul

These cute lemon crinkle cookies are so pretty and easy to make, they’re perfect for any occasion! They are tender, bright, and so soft!

20. Lemon Mascarpone Macarons

by Food Nouveau

Lemon mascarpone French macarons are the most elegant treat for lemon lovers: the puckery flavor of lemon is perfectly balanced by the rich and creamy mascarpone.

Lemon Dessert Recipes

21. Olive Oil and Lemon Panna Cotta

by Family Style Food

This silky-smooth creamy lemon panna cotta is made even more luxurious with a touch of extra-virgin olive oil and an infusion of vanilla bean.

22. Lemon Mousse

by Fresh April Flours

This traditional easy lemon mousse recipe is made with just five simple ingredients. This recipe is the perfect way to turn fresh lemons into a light and refreshing dessert!

23. Limoncello Tiramisu

by The Marble Kitchen

This easy limoncello tiramisu sings with lemon flavor that comes from both fresh lemons and delicious limoncello. Ladyfingers are soaked in a limoncello syrup and then layered with a pillowy lemon whipped mascarpone cream. Your guests will keep asking for more!

24. Easy Lemon Trifle Dessert Recipe

by BellyFull

This lemon trifle recipe is sweet, tart, light, and wonderful. Layers of homemade angel food cake, lemon curd, pudding, blueberries, shortbread cookies, and whipped cream result in a stunning presentation, but it’s so easy to make! Perfect dessert for a Sunday brunch, Easter, or any holiday!

25. Steamed Lemon Sponge Pudding

by Apply to Face Blog

Make this delightfully lemony light and fluffy sponge dessert in your crockpot (or steam in a pan) for a whole lot of easy lemon love.

Lemon Candy Recipes

26. Candied Lemon Slices

by Running to the Kitchen

Learn how to make candied lemon slices easily with just 3 ingredients. This simple method can be applied to any citrus fruit. Use as a gorgeous garnish for desserts or chop up for use in baking recipes!

27. Easy Lemon Fudge Recipe

by Life Love Liz

This easy lemon fudge recipe is a simple and super quick lemon dessert. This quick fudge is bursting with fresh and zesty lemon flavor!

28. Lemon Truffles

by Fresh April Flours

These smooth and creamy lemon truffles are full of lemon flavor and rolled in bright and sunny sprinkles. Easy-to-follow instructions will make you feel like a candy-making expert!

29. Lemon Cheesecake Bliss Balls

by Two City Vegans

These lemon cheesecake balls are creamy, light, and delicious! Naturally vegan, gluten-free, and healthy, you can feel good about indulging in this sweet treat.

Frozen Lemon Dessert Recipes

30. Lemon Basil Granita

by Champagne Tastes

This easy lemon basil granita is a frozen dessert made with a quick basil honey simple syrup and lemon juice. No ice cream maker is needed!

31. Lemon Custard Ice Cream

by The Bake School

Yes, you can make lemon-flavored ice cream with this lemon custard ice cream recipe! It’s creamy and lemony making it the perfect lemon treat all year long!

Lemon Breakfast Treat Recipes

32. Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

by Dish’n the Kitchen

These Meyer lemon poppy seed muffins are like little bursts of sunshine on a cloudy day. They’re packed full of bright lemon flavor with a secret ingredient that keeps them moist all day long.

33. Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

by The Healthy Epicurean

These fluffy, whole-grain lemon ricotta pancakes are served with a stunning berry compote you’ll want to eat by the spoonful. Easy to make, healthy, and absolutely delicious!

Lemon Preserves and Frostings

34. No Butter Lemon Curd

by Food Nouveau

This no-butter lemon curd is better-for-you, yet just as rich and puckery as the traditional treat. Learn where lemon curd comes from, how to make it, and enjoy it from breakfast to dessert!

35. Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

by Create Kid’s Club

Looking for an icing that’s less sweet and more tangy? You’ve gotta try our lemon cream cheese frosting. This delicious cream cheese icing tastes similar to cheesecake–but better! Made with lemon curd and almond extract, it’s a must-try recipe!

Citrus Desserts Cookbook

Love zesty, citrus-centric dessert recipes? Then you’ll love my Citrus Desserts Cookbook! Filled with colorful, irresistible meticulously tested dessert recipes—including cakes, tarts, breakfast treats, and delicious bars, spoonable treats, and candies—Citrus Desserts features mouthwatering photography, countless clever tips, and variation ideas to make the recipes as versatile as possible. LEARN MORE

The post Puckery & Sweet: 35 Irresistible Lemon Dessert Recipes appeared first on Food Nouveau.