Gratin de chou-fleur

Boil a pot of salted water. Wash the cauliflower and separate it or cut it into small bunches. Boil them for 8 minutes, check with a fork that they are cooked but not soft. Strain well and place in a flat ovenware.

While the cauliflower cooks, start the Bechamel sauce:

Melt a tablespoon of butter or oil, when hot add 1 tablespoon of flour and cook for a minute. Slowly add some milk while stirring constantly so the sauce thickens without chunks. when all the milk is used, let it thicken a little more and add salt pepper and grated cheddar.

Pour the sauce on the cauliflower, mix a little and cover the surface with a cup of grated swiss cheese.

Broil until a cheesy golden crust has formed but be careful not to burn it, it goes fast!

I cauliflower

2 cups milk

1tbsp butter or oil

1 tbsp flour

1 cup grated cheddar

1 cup grated swiss cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Soupe de légumes

Quick, healthy and cheap!

Chop into bite size chunks the carrots and saute them in olive oil in a large skillet at medium heat, while they brown and you stir them occasionally, keep chopping the potatoes that you add to the skillet, then the turnips, the garlic and the celery, finish with the leeks, let the veggies saute 10 minutes while you boil I liter of water in an electric kettle or in a pan. Add the boiling water to the veggies and keep the heat medium until the soup boils, add the salt, pepper and spices to taste. Cook another 15minutes or until you can put a fork through a carrot. Serve with butter, grated cheese or sour cream if you want or as is with or without bread. It should serve 4 and tastes even better the next day.

2 potatoes, 2 turnips, 2 celery branches, I leek and 4 garlic cloves. Salt, pepper, italian herbs

Note: If the vegetables are organic, they is no need to peel them, just wash them well especially the leeks that has earth stuck inside the leaves sometimes. You can also purée the soup for a different presentation.

Tomato salad Chilena

Cut several medium sweet summer tomatoes into wedges (cut of the center top button) and remove the liquid and seeds

Add 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh parsley.

Add 1/3 of a red onion sliced thinly

Add salad dressing

Carrot salad

Peel and shred 4 large carrots

Mix with salad dressing made with lemon juice instead of vinegar

Add 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh mint or parsley.

Celery root salad

Peel and shred I large firm celery root

Mix with salad dressing, 1 tbsp of mayonnaise and 1tbsp of Dijon mustard

Add chopped parsley

Beet Salad

Get 2 large or 3 medium beets

Cut in quarters, boil in salted water until soft enough to pierce with a fork.

Drain water and let them cool off

Peel with your fingers, the skin comes right off

Cut in ½ inch slices

Add salad dressing of your choice

Sprinkle chopped parsley

You can also add candied pecans or walnuts, arugula and crumbled goat cheese.

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Cucumber salad

Peel 2 cucumbers

Slice (fairly thin)

Add 1 tsp or more of salt,

Mix well.

Let the slices render water for ½ hour or more

Drain (if too salty for you: rinse and drain)

Add salad dressing of your choice (yogurt and fennel is good)