Col de Cerise above Le Boréon
In September 1943 over a thousand Jews escaped from Saint-Martin-Vésubie to Italy using the ancient mountain passes. The mountain pass of Cerise above Boréon was one of the routes used. Already in the 15th century, this route was used to collect the salt tax from the area above Nice to the County of Savoy.
The hiking trail from Le Boréon to Col de Cerise is inside the Mercantour National Park. The vertical ascent is about 1050m and duration 5 hours. French guides grade the tour as “sportif” but the trail itself is technically easy. It’s just the long ascent that may take its toll.
Map: Vallée de la Vésubie TOP 25 no 3741 OT.
Music courtesy of Sabrina Malheiros “Sintonia”(Instrumental) New Morning De Luxe Edition; Far Our Recordings.
My best rabbit recipe
Rabbit meat is lean and delicate, a bit like chicken. It needs to be simmered an hour in a heavy casserole, my trusted Le Creuset is super for this.
2 servings
- 2 rabbit legs (cuisses de lapin)
- 5-6 spring onions,
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tasty tomatoes
- 100 ml white wine
- Juice and zest of ½ orange
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 bay leaf
- A sprig of rosemary or thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Black olives
- Fresh basil leaves to decorate
Have you tried cooking en papillote? (Chicken breast in a parcel)
- 2 skinless chicken breasts
- 2 nice slices mozzarella
- 4 extra thin slices of Parma ham
- 2 mandarins or clementines, peeled and thinly sliced
- 60 ml white wine
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Black pepper, freshly ground
- Fresh basil leaves or chopped parsley
Preheat the oven to 210 ⁰ C.
Ascent to Mont Pelat 3050 m
Porridge breakfast before a long hike
- Porridge made with 200 ml rolled oats, 300 ml low-fat milk (1.5 % fat).
- Cover the oats with milk. Cover the porridge bowl and microwave on medium setting for about 3 minutes. Serve with a sliced banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Make a small fruit salad with a sliced banana and an orange.
- Drink 200 ml orange juice and a cup of milk coffee made of 100 ml coffee and 100 ml warmed low-fat milk.
- Increase the amount of porridge by making it with 300 ml rolled oats and 400 ml low-fat milk. Serve the porridge with a sliced banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Keep the amounts of fruit salad and drink the same.
Duck breast with figs and quatre-epices
- 1 duck breast
- 6- 8 nice figs
- 1 tbsp runny honey, pref. lavender honey
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp quatre-épices
- Freshly ground black pepper
- About 200 g green beans (frozen Bonduelle Le Haricot Vert Extra-fin is super!)
- Finely chopped parsley to decorate
Wash and dry the figs. Cut them into quarters. Make cuts in the fatty side of the duck breast. Heat a frying pan and fry the duck breast 5 minutes on both sides, starting with the fatty side. Discard the fat and reduce the heat to the minimum. Sprinkle the quatre-épice on the duck breast and continue cooking for 10 minutes, turning once. Cook the green beans and keep warm. Remove the duck breast from the pan and keep warm under foil. Pour the honey into the pan and gently cook the figs for about 4 -5 minutes. Turn them once so that they are well coated with the honey. Remove them from the pan and divide on the plates. Pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and mix with the remaining quatre-épices. Slice the duck breast and divide on the plates. Grind a little black pepper over the slices. Divide the green beans on the plates. Drizzle the vinegar sauce over the duck slices and decorate with parsley.
Ascent to Tête de la Boulière
Map: IGN 3540 ET Guidebook in French: Les Guides Randoxygène/Haut Pays.
Music courtesy of: Sabrina Malheiros: “Brisa Mar” (Instrumental) New morning De Luxe Edition; Far out Recordings.
Roasted sardine fillets
Sardines are a good source of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. In Nice supermarkets you can often buy fresh sardine fillets. The following recipe makes a healthy and carefree lunch.
- 8- 10 sardine fillets
- 1 tomato, cut into small pieces
- Juice of ¼ lemon
- About 1 tbsp olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Finely chopped parsley
- Lemon wedges to serve
Preheat the oven to 210 ⁰ C (roast).
Line a small baking dish with baking paper. Wash the sardine fillets under running cold water to remove any lingering scales. Dry the fillets with kitchen paper and arrange them in the baking dish. Grind a few rounds of black pepper and press a little lemon juice over them. Cut a tomato in small pieces and scatter over the sardines. Sprinkle with olive oil.
Roast for about 15 minutes. Decorate with parsley. Serve with a green salad and French dressing, and good whole wheat bread to mop up the baking juices.
I don’t need to add any salt because the natural saltiness of the sea fish is enough for us. You can sprinkle a little salt at the table, if you need to.
Baked Daurade
- 2 cleaned and scaled daurade, about 300 g each
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 tsp Piment d’Espelette (mild chilli powder)
- Lemon slices to serve
Preheat the oven to 200 ⁰ C.
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