eat in my kitchen

At the moment I can enjoy the best strawberries, their juices are like a honey-sweet nectar, so satisfying that you could just nibble them as they are, pure and without any distracting addition. I have done that excessively but now it’s time to get a bit playful with this summery fruit.

As summer is nearing, I like to simplify my recipes, less ingredients, less work but still the ultimate enjoyment while I’m sitting at the open window with a glass of pinky rosé wine in front of me and someone nice to chat with. Now is the time for easy, light nibbles, like good bread and cheese, fresh herbs, raw fruits and vegetables, and aromatic olive oil – pure, natural tastes.

When my mother was here a couple weeks ago, I did some recipe tasting for my book. All those different dishes and flavours in my kitchen called for a break for my taste buds when I had some time off. I felt like a juicy ciabatta sandwich, so I whipped some chèvre with a little lime zest, spread it voluptuously on the oily bread and covered this picture of a perfect summer sandwich with strawberries and fresh basil. Before I tried the first bite, I wasn’t sure if the combination of cheese and citrus would be a bit much, but there was no need to worry, they are a perfect match. And when I offered it to my mother, who isn’t as obsessed with citrus as I am, she liked it, to my surprise, just as much as I did!

This sandwich has been featured by Food52!

Strawberry and Lime Chèvre Ciabatta Sandwich with Basil

For 6 open sandwiches you need

fresh ciabatta bread 6 small slices
fresh chèvre (or any other soft goat cheese) 200g / 7oz
heavy cream 4 tablespoons
lime zest 1/4 teaspoon, plus a little more for the topping
strawberries, quartered, 150g / 5 1/4oz, plus 6 fruits cut in half for the topping
fresh basil leaves a small handful, for the topping

Whisk the chèvre, heavy cream and lime and adjust to taste. Add more cream if necessary, the texture should be smooth and thick. Divide the cheese between the bread, top with strawberries (quartered plus 1 fruit cut in half for each slice) and sprinkle with lime zest and basil. Enjoy!