Daily menu, November 13: crisp apple-celery salad, spiced sweet potato fries and chouquettes

Friday 13 November 2026 15:00 - Juliette Hess
Daily menu, November 13: crisp apple-celery salad, spiced sweet potato fries and chouquettes

This daily menu brings together fresh, crisp flavours and a petite French-style treat, making it an appealing choice when you want variety without an elaborate spread. The opening shaved celery and apple salad pairs the clean crunch of celery with juicy fruit, while a honey-lemon vinaigrette adds a lively balance of sweet, tart and savoury notes.

Next, sweet potato fries offer a comforting, colourful main dish with olive oil, cinnamon and paprika for gentle warmth. Their straightforward ingredient list keeps the menu approachable, and their savoury-spiced character contrasts nicely with the salad’s bright citrus dressing. Together, the first two dishes create a satisfying progression from fresh and tangy to rich in sweet-potato flavour.

For dessert, chouquettes with pearl sugar bring a light, delicate finish. Made from choux pastry and left unfilled, these little pastries are topped with sugar pearls and are especially suited to an afternoon coffee. From crunchy produce to warmly seasoned sweet potatoes and crisp-sweet pastry, this menu offers three distinct textures and flavours. The guide below gathers practical answers and the ingredients for preparing each recipe.

A crisp start: shaved celery and apple salad

This shaved celery and apple salad opens the menu with a fresh crunch and a bright, lightly sweet dressing. Small celery stalks, including their leaves, meet apple pieces, while lemon zest and juice bring a lively citrus note. Honey softens the acidity, and balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil round out the vinaigrette with savoury depth. A little salt brings the flavours together. It is a refreshing starter that sets up a pleasing contrast with the warmly seasoned sweet potato fries to follow.
Shaved celery and apple salad with honey-lemon vinaigretteRecipe Shaved celery and apple salad with honey-lemon vinaigrette

Using a Titan peeler, slice celery into small strips.

Warm, simple flavours in sweet potato fries

These sweet potato fries make a straightforward main dish from just a handful of ingredients. Sweet potatoes are paired with olive oil, cinnamon and paprika, creating a flavour combination that balances natural sweetness with gentle spice. The recipe’s simple approach suits a relaxed meal, while the colourful potatoes bring a comforting change of pace after the crisp, lemony starter. With no extra ingredients specified, the sweet potatoes and seasonings remain the focus. Their warm, sweet-and-spiced profile also makes a satisfying contrast to the delicate pastry dessert.
Sweet potato friesRecipe Sweet potato fries

Of the dish so easy and so simple as you can prepare fast made, that does not even take a lot of time.

Pearl-sugar chouquettes for an afternoon treat

Chouquettes are small choux pastries made with water, butter, salt, flour and eggs, then topped with sugar pearls. They use the same dough as profiteroles, but these pastries are left unfilled, so the crisp-sweet topping takes centre stage. Their petite size makes them a lovely finish to this menu or a treat alongside afternoon coffee. The ingredient list keeps the classic choux pastry elements in focus, while the pearl sugar gives each bite its distinctive sweetness and delicate crunch.
Chouquettes: choux pastry with pearl sugarRecipe Chouquettes: choux pastry with pearl sugar

Chouquettes! If you’re not familiar with them, they’re made with the same dough as profiteroles, but they’re unfilled and topped with pearl sugar. A delicious little treat to enjoy with your afternoon coffee :)

Frequently asked questions

Can the celery leaves be used in the salad?
Yes. The recipe includes the celery stalks with their leaves, so use both in the salad.

What gives the salad dressing its sweet-tart flavour?
Lemon juice, honey and balsamic vinegar provide the tangy and sweet notes, balanced with olive oil and salt.

What seasonings are used for the sweet potato fries?
The ingredients specify cinnamon and paprika, along with olive oil.

Are the chouquettes filled?
No. They are made with choux pastry and topped with pearl sugar, but are unfilled.

What ingredients make up the chouquette dough?
The recipe lists water, butter, salt, flour and eggs; sugar pearls are used as the topping.

Which dish is suited to serving with afternoon coffee?
The chouquettes are described as a little treat to enjoy with afternoon coffee.

Shopping list for the complete menu

Shaved celery and apple salad with honey-lemon vinaigrette
  • 2 small stalks of celery, with leaves
  • 1/2 apple, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • Zest of 1 small lemon, plus juice
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
Sweet potato fries
  • 2 small sweet potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Chouquettes: choux pastry with pearl sugar
  • 120 ml water
  • 50 g butter
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 75 g flour
  • 2 eggs
  • sugar pearls
Juliette HessJuliette Hess
I have been creating culinary content for Petitchef since 2017.
I love travelling and discovering new dishes, trying out new food trends and exploring new restaurants.
I’m a huge fan of pasta and noodles in all their forms ❤ from udon noodles to tagliatelle, I love cooking them and even making them from scratch!
I’m currently preparing, filming and photographing your next recipe, and I hope you’ll enjoy it!

Comments

Rate this article: