Well after about one month of no blogging, and taking a break from it, I had to come back to my old life simply because I am starting to miss it. I apologize for disappearing this way, without really no explanation. I want to send a big thanks to everyone who sent me wonderful little message asking how I was doing. That really brightened my dark days. There are truly wonderful bloggers out there whose kindness really touched me. One more time, Merci infiniment to all of you who got in touch with me and to all of you who kept reading my old posts.

I hope no one thought I was some kind of lunatic (in French lunatique, means moody) who just disappears without leaving any trace. I felt somehow overwhelmed and unmotivated and busy with some other projects and just wanted to take a little break from the blog world.

I hope everyone out there is doing marvelously, happy and in good spirit!

I have always loved octopus, but it seems like little by little, I am really getting addicted to it. Isn’t this a weird addiction? Oh well, I think we all have a weird attachment to something in particular, don’t you think?

I got somehow inspired by the Japanese cooked spinach dish, I believe it’s called ohitashi, but here I used chards instead. Chards have a stronger flavor than spinach but I really like them with octopus. The dense octopus meat goes perfectly well with the leafy texture and flavor of the chards. The whole dish being enhanced with a citrussy and ginger dressing. This is a simple dish, with true flavors that would be perfect as a seafood tapas.

The Chinese market I go to sometimes, have cut and pre-cooked octopus, so you don’t have to buy a whole one, that is perfect for small portions.

Ingredients for 4

• 400 g octopus
• 4 bunches chards

For the vinaigrette

• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp shoyu
• 1 tbs orange juice
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Remove stems from chards. Add chards to boiling water. Cook for about 7 minutes, then drain and let it cool. When completely cooled, squeeze extra water with your hands and form a small oval shape ball.

Cook octopus until soft (about one and a half hours) or if you use pre-cooked octopus, just place it in boiling water and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Slice each tentacle in about 2mm thick slice and place  it on top of each chard ball.

Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients together, mix well and spoon some of it on top of the octopus and around the spinach.

Yes spring is on its way, well some days it feels like summer, then the following day the rain keeps pouring but I just want to believe spring is coming (never under estimate the power of denial), so I am starting to eat and experiment more salads dishes to get in that mood..but to be honest, it’s especially because my diet has been lacking raw leaves lately.

As much as I love San Francisco, I miss the four seasons, and not the two seasons of summer and winter like in some areas of the East Coast. The four seasons with four different climates, therefore a more gradual change of vegetation and variation of garde-robe (wardrobe). Here you go from wearing boots to wearing sandals, which is somehow radical, there is no springs clothes. It makes things easy at least.

This salad is not necessary “springy” nor “summery” since it doesn’t have any seasonal vegetables, but it’s very fresh and has a great combination of textures. The addition of edamame in salads is always a big pleasure, their delicate crunchy bites is delightful, and more so with a ginger-lime vinaigrette. I love to use avocado oil when combined with ginger, it’s as fruity as olive oil but not as strong and enhances the dressing without drowning the dish due to the powerful flavor of the ginger.

The other characteristic of this salad is that the shrimps and langoustines are mixed with the spinach while hot, so the spinach leaves get entangled with the seafood and become semi-cooked and lukewarm, therefore absorb the vinaigrette much better. Lukewarm spinach salads are my favorites.

Ingredients for 2

• 10 medium size shrimps
• 10 langoustine tales
• 1.5 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup edamame, shelled
• 1 inch ginger root, peeled and grated
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbs avocado oil
• cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the vinaigrette, mix lime juice, avocado oil, ginger, cayenne, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir all ingredients well.

Saute shrimps and langoustines tales in hot olive oil, add salt and pepper. Drain olive oil.

Mix edamame with spinach, add hot seafood to the spinach and vinaigrette. Toss well and serve.

After a beautiful and sunny day, we are back to the grisaille, which literally translates to “greyness”, the good thing about this type of weather is that you can stay home and cook. hat would be the positive thing. I have really never experienced the San Francisco summer, and it can be overwhelming if you need the natural light to enhance your spirit. This summer has been quiet in terms of business, but it will pick up in the fall. Usually in summer I am in Europe, visiting my family but this year I will probably go home a little later.

What about a nice tartine of salmon enhanced with lots of various fragrant herbs on a slice of toasted baguette? It will color your day. It surely did color mine.

The first time I made those toasts, I used smoked salmon instead of fresh, on small toasted baguette as an amuse-gueule or amuse bouche as they would say in the US, and everyone loved it. You can use either fresh salmon or smoked, depending on what you feel like. I put it on toasted bread but you can serve it on a plate, and on top of a mâche salad and with a slice of bread on the side. You can play with it. It’s very versatile.

For 4 medium size tartines

• 1 salmon fillet
• 4 slices of Italian country bread, toasted
• 1 tsp capers, chopped
• 1 tsp chives, chopped
• 1 tsp tarragon, chopped
• 1 tsp cilantro chopped
• 1 tsp red bell pepper, finely chopped
• chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tbs red onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp strong Dijon mustard
• 1/2 lemon juice
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Broil salmon under broiler. When cooked all the way through, remove and shred in medium size pieces and place in a mixing bowl. For the dressing, add olive oil and all other ingredients and mix well. Add on top of salmon, adjust with salt and pepper. Toast a slice of baguette and add salmon on top.