With summer on its way, here’s a starter that always has a place among my fresh salads: raw artichoke, sliced into a carpaccio and simply dressed.

Pretty little Italian amaretti scented with orange blossom water that are a hit with coffee, and a great recipe for using up your egg whites.

This velvety fava bean and spinach soup makes a nice change from the usual flavors. A simple recipe for rainy winter days.

A rich, flavorful creamy soup of zucchini scented with bay leaf and topped with a swirl of goat cheese cream!

A creamy cauliflower soup, comforting and quick to make for weeknight dinners.

A rich, velvety broccoli soup that pairs beautifully with stronger cheeses like blue cheese, gorgonzola or shavings of cheddar.

Here is a recipe for tuna tartare with mango, very fresh and full of flavor. It is always a big hit and is perfect for an appetizer served in small glasses or as a pretty starter.

If you’ve spent any time on Pita & Chocolat, you’ve probably noticed that I love fish tartares. I’ve already shared my tuna tartare with mango and my pani puri with tuna and salmon tartare. Today I’m adding a newcomer to the collection, with a fruit that makes a nice change. What I love about this kind of starter is that it’s simple, festive and beautiful on the plate all at once.

An easy dessert that feels like rice pudding, but made with coconut cream and tapioca pearls (called perles du Japon, “Japanese pearls”, in France). These little pearls are used in desserts, sauces and soups, mainly because they’re an excellent thickener.

Here is a very easy summer recipe. It’s perfect for a last-minute aperitif, a picnic, or as a topping for a thin tart with tapenade and red mullet.

An easy, flavorful roasted tomato soup, perfect for using up ripe tomatoes and a nice change from Caprese salad.

Tom kha gai is a wonderfully flavorful, exotic soup made with chicken, spices and coconut milk that I make every year when winter comes. It’s mild and spicy at the same time, a real treat. I discovered it years ago at Izaaki, a restaurant that no longer exists but that I loved. It’s the kind of soup you’d go out to a restaurant for, except now you can make it at home!

A pretty green vegetable soup, with no potatoes. A vitamin-packed bowl that’s rich in fiber. The secret to a really velvety texture is not to add too much of the cooking liquid, so you get a soup that’s flavorful and smooth.

It’s soup season, so today I’m sharing a traditional French onion soup, comforting and indulgent. It’s excellent and calls for only a handful of ingredients.

A staple of Japanese starters, miso soup is a light, soothing and comforting soup made with miso paste, seaweed and tofu. Here is a deliciously fragrant vegan version, made without dashi.

Here is a flavorful, simple way to make homemade fish soup, served with rouille sauce. If you’re not in the habit of asking your fishmonger to set aside the heads and bones for you, it’s time to start! Top this soup with the fish of your choice, steamed and added just before serving.

Who said soups were boring? Here’s an easy butternut squash soup. It’s comforting, filling and packed with vitamins, perfect for fall and winter. Vegan and parve when made with vegetable stock.