Mediterranean fettucine

This tasty pasta recipe is full of healthy ingredients: olive oil, cherry tomatoes, whole wheat pasta, shallots, garlic, black olives, pine nuts, and fresh herbs. The not so healthy pancetta is used in a small quantity, like a flavouring, which was typical of the classic Mediterranean diet. This type of cuisine is shown to be the healthiest way of eating.

2 servings

Whole wheat fettucine for 2 servings

Olive oil

100 g pancetta, chopped

2 tbsp. pine nuts

1-2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp. organic black olives

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

Some parmesan shavings

Freshly ground black pepper

100 ml white wine

Basil leaves for decoration

Warm 2 tbsp. olive oil in a sauté pan over medium- high heat. Fry the cherry tomatoes and pine nuts until the tomatoes start collapsing and the pine nuts are getting a bit of colour. Stir frequently.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add  the chopped pancetta, garlic, shallot, and black olives to the pan. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Deglaze with white wine.

Meanwhile cook the fettucine al dente. Drain and add to the pan. Grind over some back pepper and mix.

Divide the pasta into 2 bowls and the pancetta- vegetable mixture around it. Sprinkle with parmesan shavings and decorate with basil.

Serve with a green side salad for a balanced meal.

Hyères: Coastal trail in Giens

 Located in the southern part of the city of Hyères, the western part of the  Giens Peninsula is much less inhabited, with rugged terrain, beautiful Mediterranean woods and several impressive cliffs. Here, the popular coastal hiking trail (le sentier littoral) circles along its shores with stunning views from many parts of the path. While admiring the scenery, it is advisable to stop as some stretches are narrow, exposed and steep.

Pines near Madgague Beach

Heading to beach from Madrague

View to north from Pointe des  Chevaliers

Western part of Giens Peninsula

Above a cliff in Giens

Giens Sugar Loaf

Point du Rabat Giens

Steep stretch of trail Giens

Like a scenery from Count of Monte Cristo Movie

Modern lamb tagine

Tagine is a cone-shaped cooking vessel from North Africa as well as the name of the stew that is cooked inside. Lamb is often cooked in tagine together with spices and vegetables. If you don’t have a tagine, you can cook this stew in a heavy pot such as Le Creuset.

Ras el hanout is the spice mix for lamb tagine. The organic French rase el hanout I am using is made of ground cumin, ginger, black pepper, fenugreek, mild red pepper, stare, clove, and cardamom. The spices can vary from one mix to another so if you cannot find rase el hanout in your shops you can make your own mix from scratch.

Lamb tagine is usually served over couscous but I have replaced it with chick peas and more vegetables. I have even included avocado strips for the presentation as inspired by a photo in a French magazine presenting new Parisian restaurants. This makes the stew healthier and more modern. The tagine is also cooked more quickly by using lamb leg instead the traditional lamb shoulder.

2 servings

2 slices of lamb leg, tranches de gigot, cut into chunks

2 tbsp. olive oil

1- 2 shallots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced 

2 carrots

1 parsnip

1 avocado 

1 jar of chick peas, about 200 g net

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. ras el hanout

½ tsp. Piment d’Espelette or other mild chilli powder

2 tbsp. raisins

2 tbsp. black olives

About 200- 250 ml chicken stock

Peel the parsnip and wash the carrots. Cut them lengthwise into thick strips and cook in water in a saucepan until soft. Drain, cover and keep warm until needed.

Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy pot and brown the lamb chunks on all sides. Reduce the heat, add the shallots and garlic and continue sautéing for about 5 minutes. Add the spices, raisins, and chicken stock and stir. Add the drained chick peas and tomato paste. Stir and cover. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Just before serving, add the black olives.

Wash and peel the avocado. Cut into thick strips. For the presentation, divide the tagine on the middle of the plates into a kind of cone-shaped heap. Divide the carrot, parsnip, and avocado strips on the heap.

Beuil: Loop hike in the Bergians Plateau

The Bergians Plateau south of the Village of Beuil offers a variety of landscapes: Alpine meadows, woods, ancient hamlets, pasture areas. Some of the old houses seemed to be secondary residences while others were permanently occupied. There’s a marked trail circling Bergians which can be reached by itineraries from Beuil, Les Launes or along an ascending trail from the D28 road.

We chose the latter option and parked next to signpost #68, our starting point. There’s a vast parking  between the road and the Cians River (huge terracotta-coloured boulders near the riverbed).

2.Above D68 road

2. To Bergians from #68

3.Verdant forest trail to #56a

4.Bergians Soutran

5.Soon after Bergians Soutran

6.Hamlets in Bergians

7.Cattle in Bergians

8.Western side of Bergians

9.Return trail forking left

10.Cians River Valley