OUR FAVOURITE RECIPE OLIVIA AND ALEXIS

The Flavour of France Olivia and Alexis Depeille were born in Provence (south eastern France), and moved to Auckland with their two children in November 2015. They have recently opened Petite Provence at Green Gables, Mairangi Bay which stocks fragrances, soaps and other gorgeous products which are made in Provence. They also love cooking, and this month share a recipe from Provence that is popular in summertime. It’s a light dish full of flavours. It can be cooked as a starter or presented side dish to accompany a meat like a lamb or a chicken or even a white fish. CHANNEL MAGAZINE: What is your favourite recipe and where did it originate from? OLIVIA DEPEILLE: It is not an easy question, as I don’t really have one favourite recipe. I would say that it mainly depends on the season. In France, and even more in Provence, many dishes are related to a season and to a region. I love recipes originating from Alexis and Olivia Depeille. the south of France, but I also love the Choucroute from Alsace, and Raclette (melted cheese on dry meats and potatoes) from Savoie in CM: Who does most of the cooking in your house? the Alps. I also love Italian food and with a more exotic note I am a OD: I do, except the barbecue where my husband is the master! great fan of Japanese and Thai food. I am a foodie person and I love CM: Do you have any recipes that have been passed down cooking for my family and my friends. through the family? CM: Are there any secrets to making this recipe work well? OD: Yes, my grandmother was a great cook. My mum learnt from OD: Yes, prepare the terrine the day before and remove from the tin my grandma. And I learnt from my mum, who is an amazing gourmet the next day. The tomato coulis can be prepared the same day and cook, and who never spent a day without cooking. So cooking in the place in the fridge for one hour onwards. family is a passion, and naturally some “traditional’ recipes have been passed down through the family, and I hope this will continue to be CM: Why did you choose this recipe? passed down to the next generations. OD: This is a recipe from Provence where I am originated from. I love the French Provençal cooking, which is part of the Mediterranean diet. This is a light, sunshine and healthy cooking full of flavours and where olive oil, herbs, and vegetables are honoured. CM: What is it that you love about French food? OD: French food is so diversified and offers so much variety across the seasons and the regions. If you travel in France you will never eat the same thing twice. That‘s what makes French cuisine so interesting and attractive. Without saying that in France a proper and typical dinner is a three course meal + bread and cheese that we always eat before dessert! But you have to keep in mind that portions are small and that is the reason why we can always reach the end! CM: Do you have some favourite ingredients you use in your French dishes? Yes, I love using all type of herbs. OD: My favourite ones are basil, parsley and chives. I also use lots of garlic, shallots and onions which gives lots of flavour to the dishes. The ingredient I use and abuse the most is olive oil!

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Issue 73 - February 2017 www.channelmag.co.nz

Zucchini and Pepper Loaf with Tomato Coulis Ingredients: 1 kg zucchini 1 orange pepper 1 small white onion 1 garlic clove 20ml crème fraîche 1 bunch of basil 6 eggs 1 tablespoon of olive oil Salt Pepper Method: (Prepare the day before) Slice zucchinis, chop the pepper and cook with the chopped onion and garlic in a frying pan with the olive oil. The preparation must be melting. Place the preparation in a colander to remove water (if any). Mix the eggs with the creme fraiche, salt and pepper. Add the chopped basil and the zucchinis. Pour the preparation in a cake tin. Cook in a hot oven in a bain-marie for 45 minutes at 200/210 °C. Put a knife in the terrine to check if it is cooked. Remove from the tin and refrigerate overnight. Preparation of the tomato coulis: 5 tomatoes, 2 tablespoons Olive oil, 1 table spoon, Xeres vinegar, salt, pepper, basil or parsley. Remove the skin of tomatoes and mix tomatoes with herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. Place in the fridge a few hours. Serve on the zucchini terrine. You can add roasted pine nuts for a crunchy taste and some basil leaves for decoration.