Garlic & Herb Bread (Ultra Soft)
👥 Serves: 6
⏱️ Prep time: 15 min (baking: 30–35 min)
Ingredients
🍞 Sandwich bread (or small brioche loaf): 500 g
🧄 Garlic: 4 cloves (≈ 12 g), finely minced
🧈 Butter: 120 g (softened)
🌿 Parsley: 10 g, finely chopped
🌿 Dill (or chives): 6 g, finely chopped
🧂 Salt: 1/2 teaspoon (≈ 3 g)
⚫ Black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
🧀 Cheese (such as mozzarella or Emmental): 80 g, small cubes (optional but delicious)
Method (very detailed)
1️⃣ 🔥 Preheat
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2️⃣ 🧄🔪 Prepare the garlic
Peel and finely mince the garlic (the finer it is, the more it flavors the bread without noticeable chunks).
3️⃣ 🥣🧈🌿 Make the herb butter
In a bowl, mix the softened butter + garlic + parsley + dill + salt + pepper until smooth and fully combined.
4️⃣ 🔪🍞 Slice the bread
Cut slits into the bread every 2 cm without slicing all the way through (the loaf should stay intact at the bottom).
5️⃣ 🧈🧄 Fill
Spread the herb butter into each slit (use a small spoon).
Add a few cubes of cheese into some of the slits if using.
6️⃣ 🧻🥖 Wrap
Wrap the bread in aluminum foil (this keeps it extra soft).
7️⃣ ⏱️🔥 Bake
Bake for 25 minutes wrapped.
Then open the foil and bake an additional 5–10 minutes to brown the top.
8️⃣ ✅🔪 Serve
Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve warm.
Tip to Make It Easier
🧈 Quick butter in 2 minutes: grate the garlic directly into the butter using a microplane instead of mincing.
Ingredient Swap
🌿 Dill → 🌿 Chives (6 g): milder flavor with a classic “bistro-style” taste.
Cooking Tip
🔥 Soft inside, crispy outside: 25 minutes wrapped in foil + 5–10 minutes unwrapped is the perfect combination.
Lemon & Herb Vinaigrette
👥 Serves
4 people (≈ 1 bowl, for 1 large salad)
⏱️ Time
Prep: 5 min
🧺 Ingredients
🫒 Olive oil — 60 ml
🍋 Lemon juice — 25 ml
🍋 Lemon zest — 1 g
🌿 Parsley (or mixed chopped herbs) — 5 g
🧂 Salt — 2 g
🌶️ Black pepper — 2 pinches
👩🍳 Method (very detailed)
1️⃣ 🍋🔪 Zest the lemon
Finely grate a little 🍋 zest (only the yellow part) and set aside.
2️⃣ 🍋🥄 Juice the lemon
Squeeze the 🍋 to obtain 25 ml of juice (strain if you prefer a smoother dressing).
3️⃣ 🥣🧂🌶️ Dissolve salt and pepper
In a bowl, pour in the 🍋 juice. Add 🧂 salt and 🌶️ pepper, then mix for 10 seconds — the salt dissolves better before adding the oil.
4️⃣ 🫒🌀 Emulsify
Slowly drizzle in the 🫒 olive oil while whisking (or stirring vigorously with a spoon). The vinaigrette will become slightly thick and glossy.
5️⃣ 🌿✨ Add herbs & zest
Stir in the 🌿 chopped herbs and 🍋 zest. Mix once more.
6️⃣ ✅🥄 Taste and adjust
Taste and adjust: add a pinch of 🧂 if needed, or a little more 🍋 juice if you prefer it tangier.
🧠 Tip to Make It Easier
✅ No whisk needed: put everything in a small jar with a lid and shake for 10 seconds for a perfect emulsion.
🔁 Ingredient Swap
♻️ 🍋 Lemon juice → 🍎 Apple cider vinegar (20 ml): milder and fruitier flavor.
🔥 Cooking Tip
🔥 No cooking required.
For a more aromatic version: gently warm the 🫒 olive oil (lukewarm, not hot), then add the 🍋 juice and 🌿 herbs off the heat to release their aromas.
🧈 Herb Butter Cubes
👥 Serves: 6 (as a side)
⏱️ Prep time: 10 min
🔥 Cook time: 0 min (+ 1 h chilling)
🛒 Ingredients
🧈 Unsalted butter: 200 g
🌿 Fresh herbs (parsley/chives): 15 g
🧄 Garlic: 6 g (1 small clove) (optional)
🧂 Salt: 2 g (adjust to taste)
⚫ Black pepper: 1 g (adjust to taste)
👩🍳 Method (very detailed)
1️⃣ 🧈 Soften the butter: leave it out 15–20 min beforehand to reach a spreadable consistency.
2️⃣ 🔪🌿 Chop the herbs: finely mince so the flavor is evenly distributed in each cube.
3️⃣ 🔪🧄 Crush the garlic: grate or press it to avoid large pieces (optional).
4️⃣ 🥣 Mix: in a bowl, work the butter with a spoon, then add herbs, salt, pepper (and garlic). Mix until uniform with green flecks throughout.
5️⃣ 📦 Pack: place the butter into a small square mold (or container), pressing down to remove air and smooth the top.
6️⃣ ❄️ Chill: refrigerate for 1 h (or 20 min in the freezer) until firm.
7️⃣ 🔪🧊 Cut: unmold and slice into small, even cubes.
8️⃣ 🫙 Store: keep the cubes in the fridge in an airtight container (perfect for topping meat, pasta, or vegetables).
⚡ Tip to Make It Easier
🧻 Spread the butter on plastic wrap, roll into a log, then slice: perfect portioned cubes without a mold.
🔁 Ingredient Swap
🌿 Fresh herbs ➜ replace with dried herbs (5 g) if that’s all you have (flavor will be stronger, so use less).
🔥 Cooking Tip
🔥 To use on meat or fish: place 1–2 cubes on the hot food right after cooking, off the heat. Residual warmth melts the butter, creating an instant, glossy sauce.
Rosemary Olive Oil
👥 Makes: 1 bottle (≈ 250 ml)
⏱️ Prep time: 10 min
🔥 Cook time: 0 min (infusion)
Ingredients
🫒 250 ml olive oil
🌿 2 sprigs rosemary (≈ 10 g)
🧄 1 garlic clove (≈ 5 g, optional but very flavorful)
Method (very detailed)
1️⃣ 🧼🌿 Rinse the rosemary quickly, then dry thoroughly with paper towels.
👉 Important: there should be almost no moisture remaining.
2️⃣ 🫙✨ Sterilize the bottle: pour boiling water inside, let sit 1 min, then empty and let the bottle and cap dry completely.
3️⃣ 🔪🧄 Slightly crush the garlic clove with the flat side of a knife (optional) to release its aroma.
4️⃣ 🌿🫙 Place the rosemary sprigs (and garlic if using) into the bottle.
5️⃣ 🫒🫗 Pour the olive oil into the bottle until full. Tap gently to release air bubbles.
6️⃣ 🧊⏳ Infuse:
- 48 hours for a light, fragrant oil
- 5–7 days for a stronger, more pronounced flavor
Store away from light.
7️⃣ 🧴✅ Optional: strain for a clear oil using a small sieve or coffee filter, then reseal.
⚡ Tip to Make It Easier
Use very dry rosemary (store-bought or air-dried for 24 h): the oil infuses faster and keeps longer.
🔁 Ingredient Swap
🌿 Rosemary ↔ Thyme: replace with 10 g thyme for a milder, Mediterranean-style oil.
🔥 Cooking Tip
🔥 To enhance the aroma even more: warm the oil gently for 2–3 min over very low heat (do not boil), remove from heat, add the rosemary, and let it infuse while cooling. This intensifies the flavor.
Lemon & Herb Vinaigrette
👥 Serves: 4 (≈ 1 small bowl)
⏱️ Prep time: 5 min
🔥 Cook time: 0 min
Ingredients
🍋 1 lemon (≈ 30 ml juice + 2 slices + a little zest)
🫒 60 ml olive oil
🌿 8 g fresh chopped herbs (parsley/chives)
🌶️ 0.5 g red pepper flakes (optional)
🧂 2 g salt
⚫ 1 g black pepper
Method (very detailed)
1️⃣ 🍋🔪 Slice 2 lemon rounds and zest a little (a few thin strips). Then squeeze the lemon to get about 30 ml of juice.
2️⃣ 🥣🧂 In a bowl, combine lemon juice + salt + pepper (and chili flakes if using). Stir for 10 seconds to dissolve the salt.
3️⃣ 🫒🫗 Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking (or shake in a small jar) until the dressing slightly thickens.
4️⃣ 🌿✨ Add the chopped herbs and lemon zest. Stir for another 5 seconds.
5️⃣ 🍋🌼 Place the lemon slices into the vinaigrette to gently infuse. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
⚡ Tip to Make It Easier
Method with a jar: put everything in a small lidded jar, shake for 15 seconds = perfect emulsion, no whisk needed.
🔁 Ingredient Swap
🍋 Lemon ↔ Apple cider vinegar: replace the juice with 25 ml apple cider vinegar for a milder vinaigrette.
🔥 Cooking Tip
No cooking required: for a rounder flavor, gently warm the olive oil for 10 seconds (just lukewarm, not hot) before emulsifying — this “opens” the herb aromas.
Homemade Basil Pesto
👥 Serves: 4 (≈ 1 small jar, 180–200 g)
⏱️ Prep time: 10 min
🧺 Ingredients
🌿 Fresh basil — 50 g
🧄 Garlic — 1 clove (≈ 5 g)
🫒 Olive oil — 80 ml
🧀 Parmesan (or Grana Padano) — 40 g
🌰 Pine nuts — 30 g
🍋 Lemon juice — 10 ml
🧂 Salt — 2 g
🌶️ Black pepper — 2 pinches
👩🍳 Method (very detailed)
1️⃣ 🌿💦 Prepare the basil
Rinse 🌿 the basil quickly, then dry very well (paper towels or clean cloth). The drier it is, the greener and thicker your pesto will be.
2️⃣ 🌰🔥 Toast the pine nuts
Toast 🌰 the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove as soon as they are lightly golden.
3️⃣ 🧄🔪 Prepare the garlic
Peel 🧄 the clove, cut in half, and remove the germ if desired (milder flavor, easier digestion).
4️⃣ 🥣🧄🌰 Blend the base
In a food processor, add 🧄 garlic + 🌰 pine nuts. Pulse until sandy in texture.
5️⃣ 🌿➕ Add the basil
Add 🌿 basil and pulse again. Scrape down the sides as needed to fully incorporate.
6️⃣ 🫒🌀 Add the olive oil
While blending slowly, pour 🫒 olive oil in a thin stream. The sauce becomes smooth and glossy.
7️⃣ 🧀🍋 Finish with cheese and lemon
Add 🧀 Parmesan + 🍋 lemon juice. Blend just a few seconds (to preserve flavor and avoid overheating the pesto).
8️⃣ 🧂🌶️ Season
Add 🧂 salt and 🌶️ pepper. Taste and adjust: add a bit more 🧀 for cheesiness or a drizzle of 🫒 olive oil to loosen the texture.
🧠 Tip to Make It Easier
✅ Without a processor: crush 🌿🧄🌰 in a mortar (or with a pestle) then gradually add 🫒 and 🧀 — even more intense flavor.
🔁 Ingredient Swap
♻️ 🌰 Pine nuts → 🥜 Cashews (30 g): more economical and very creamy.
🔥 Cooking Tip
🔥 For pasta: just before serving, mix the pesto with 2–3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water (starch = ultra creamy sauce).
