Provence… land of sun, olive groves, lavender and multicoloured flowers, an aperitif with friends or the singing of cicadas…
It is also a land of scents and flavours that awaits you on your plate.
The authentic taste of French southern cuisine is a favourite amongst the finest gourmets.
Aromatic creations exude spices and seasonings, regional dishes will light up your kitchen and awaken your taste buds. Here are a few recipe ideas to make the cicadas sing in your kitchen while you wait for your holidays…

HOME MADE TAPENADE
A cocktail snack to enjoy in your own way: on a crust of bread, with raw vegetables…

• 200 g of pitted black olives
• 5 anchovy fillets in oil
• 8 small capers
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Finely chop the ingredients
Mix with the olive oil
 

AЇOLI

• 2 kg of salted cod (or fresh cod)
• 20 carrots
• 20 potatoes
• 2 cooked beets
• 500g French beans
• 10 hard-boiled eggs
• 5 artichokes
• 1 bay leaf

Garlic Mayonnaise

• 20 cloves of garlic
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons water
• ½ litre olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preparation
Poach the cod 10 mins in simmering water with 1 bay leaf after desalting it (if you are using fresh cod do not desalt).
Boil the vegetables and eggs (20 mins for French beans, 30 mins for carrots, potatoes and artichokes, 10 mins for the eggs).
Keep the vegetables warm in a big steamer basket.
Meanwhile:
Mash 20 garlic cloves in a mortar then salt.
Add the 2 egg whites, stir.
Add to this preparation a few spoonfuls of olive oil in a dribble while always mixing in the same direction (as for a mayonnaise) then add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of water while still stirring. Continue with the rest of the olive oil.
Keep refrigerated.
Serve the vegetables (carrots, potatoes, French beans), the hard-boiled eggs, the beets in a large serving dish with the fish and aïoli separate.

PISTOU SOUP

• 1 stick of celery
• 150 g of white and red beans
• 2 carrots
• 200g French beans
• 2 potatoes
• 2 courgettes
• 1 kg peeled tomatoes
• 10g of basil
• 30g garlic (half bulb)
• 11 tablespoons olive oil
• 230g of small pasta

Dice the carrots, courgettes, celery stick, potatoes.
Let them sweat for a few minutes with a tablespoon of olive oil.
Add the French beans cut, the shelled white and red beans and a peeled tomato.
Moisten with water, salt and pepper.
Let cook a good hour, put the small pasta to boil and leave simmering for about 20 minutes, stir from time to time.
During this time prepare the pistou.
In the mortar, mash first the basil, then the garlic cloves and the peeled tomatoes.
Whisk in about ten tablespoons of olive oil.
Add this mixture to the soup and let the flavours blend covered for about a ¼ hour.
Can be served with parmesan, red cheese or gruyere according to taste.