We often think that gastronomy is too rich, too complicated and that the meals of starred chefs are endless. In truth, chefs are the great ambassadors of freshness, short circuits, variety, balance and, increasingly, simplicity. Proof by 3.

The new naturo chefs have built their careers around the principles of "healthy" nutrition. They are often even first naturopaths, nutritionists, dieticians and concoct recipes to accompany their patients on the road to healthy eating. They are sometimes at the helm of well-known restaurants, sometimes at those of young addresses, or at the head of restaurants in health establishments such as thalassotherapy or thermal spa centers. In the latter, their mission is clearly to make people want to eat healthily! But, and this is even more exciting for our taste buds, the chefs of great restaurants increasingly haveClean Eating in their skin. And for good reason: they favor fresh , short circuits, pamper small producers, respect balance and, even when they resort to frying, it is without excess and with acid-base balancing in mind. Three chefs each offer you a recipe to concoct this summer, until the Indian summer and its beautiful sunny days of September. The selection was naturally made around fish and vegetables full of sunshine. To your shopping bags and to your stoves!

1- The Clean Eating recipe by Pierre Gagnaire, 3* chef of the Parisian restaurant that bears his name.

Saint-Germain grey sea bream fillets, leek fondue with chives,

Devil sauce.

Preparation: 20 min
Cooking: 30 min

Market for 8 people:

• Fish and garnish:
• 8 fillets of gray sea bream, 140g to 160g each, boneless
• 4 large leeks, thinly sliced
• 150 g flour
• 3 beaten eggs
• 150 g white breadcrumbs
• 4 tbsp chopped chives
• 100 g fresh butter
• 40 g olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Devil's sauce (optional)

• 80 g chopped shallots
• ½ tsp. mignonette pepper
• 100 g of white wine
• 50 g sherry vinegar
• 200 g of unthinned veal juice
• ½ tsp. potato starch diluted in water
• 80 g tomato flesh, skinless and seedless, cut into 0.5 cm cubes
• 1 tbsp. chopped tarragon
• 40 g butter
• Salt

Method

1. Fish
   Season the sea bream fillets. Coat them flesh side down in flour, then in beaten eggs and finally in white breadcrumbs, set aside.
2. Leek fondue
   In a large enough saucepan, sweat the leeks with 40 g of butter, season, cover the saucepan and leave to stew until the leeks are very soft, about 20 minutes.
3. Devil sauce
   In a saucepan, place the shallots, pepper, white wine and sherry vinegar. Heat and reduce the liquids almost to dryness. Moisten with the veal juice, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, salt lightly. Thicken the sauce with the cornstarch, stirring well with a whisk.
4. Add the tomato and tarragon , bring back to the boil, smooth the sauce by incorporating, with a spatula, off the heat, the very cold butter in small pieces. Adjust the seasoning. Set aside in a bain-marie.
5. Finishing
   Cook the sea bream fillets in a pan with a mixture of butter and olive oil, starting with the breadcrumbs side for 3 to 5 minutes depending on the colour. Turn the fish over and finish cooking on the skin, basting constantly. The aim is to have crispy skin and breadcrumbs.
6. Dressage
   Mix the chives with the leeks, arrange them on 8 flat plates. Place the fish on its side and pour the devil sauce around it to finish.

Excerpt from Les copains d'abord, 80 easy and friendly recipes, by Pierre Gagnaire (Editions Solar)

Why is it clean?

In this recipe, we stock up on monounsaturated fatty acids with sea bream, which contains good quantities and promotes good cardiovascular health . This fish also contains 9 amino acids, which play a major role in the formation of digestive enzymes, skin and bone tissues and hormones. Leeks are rich in fiber and vitamin C, which is excellent for the immune system and good iron absorption. The fish/leek duo also offers a nice acid-base balance. The same goes for fresh herbs, which are also rich in vitamin C, chlorophyll (antioxidant) and vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting.

Our Clean Eating +++ tip : Want a sauce? Replace the veal juice and white wine with a dash of vegetable cream, emulsify.

2- The Clean Eating recipe by Yoni Saada, chef at Bagnard in Paris, a quality street food canteen with Mediterranean accents - voted project of the year by Gault & Millau

Eggplants stuffed with bruccio, anchovies & pine nuts

4 people
Preparation 20 min
Cooking 25 min

Market for 4 people:

• Mini eggplants 12 pieces (or eggplants 2 pieces)
• Spring onions 2 pieces
• Garlic 2 cloves
• Tomato concentrate 15 g
• Pine nuts 10 g
• Bruccio 100 g
• Egg 1 piece
• Mint 20 leaves
• Thyme 2 sprigs
• Basil small leaves 3 branches
• Olive oil
• Salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 6).
2. Cut a hat off the mini eggplants, score the flesh with a knife, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme and salt, then bake with the hats for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Peel and chop the spring onions and garlic , brown them in olive oil in a frying pan, then add the tomato puree and pine nuts.
4. Once the pulp of the eggplants is very soft , remove it with a spoon without damaging the skin of the vegetables. Cook them in a saucepan with a little olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes to dry them out.
5. Mix the roasted onions and garlic, the eggplant pulp, the bruccio, the chopped mint and the egg.
6. Stuff the mini eggplants with this mixture, put the caps back on and brown in the oven for a few minutes.
7. Serve hot with fresh basil.

Excerpt from La Grande Bleue, by Yoni Saada, head of Solar publishing.

Why is it clean?

Yoni says that eggplant, a tasty and meaty vegetable, low in calories, rich in vitamins, fiber and minerals, is one of the emblems of Mediterranean cuisine. Eggplant is the ideal ally in the fight against excess pounds. Low in sodium, rich in potassium and water, it is a great purifier of the body. It is even recommended in cases of cystitis or other urinary tract infections. Its high fiber content makes it a natural booster for intestinal transit. Rich in antioxidants and beta carotene, it is the vegetable for beautiful skin par excellence. Its iron makes it a perfect vegetable in cases of anemia and a little energy slump.

We love anchovies for the quality of their proteins and fatty acids, but also for the vitamins A, D and B in which they are very rich. A little fish that is a friend of the heart!
Brocio, or brocciu, this emblematic cheese of Corsica is made from sheep's or goat's whey, heated to 80° to which a little whole milk is added. It is rich in calcium, vitamin A and proteins.

This recipe, orchestrated around eggplant, includes many virtuous ingredients . In addition to anchovies and broccoli, there are onions (anti-cholesterol and digestive), mint (digestive), pine nuts (rich in good fatty acids, phosphorus, iron, potassium and magnesium), garlic (antiseptic), tomato (its lycopene, anti-free radical is an ally of vision), egg (and its contribution in essential amino acids, sorts of building blocks of the body, inseparable from cellular life). This mix offers a balanced and complete combination very appreciated by lovers of healthy Mediterranean cuisine.

Our Clean Eating +++ tip : add a mini portion of rice or bulgur to make it a more fortifying meal at lunchtime, for example in the event of an afternoonsports session.

3- The Clean Eating recipe from Thierry Marx, starred chef, at the helm of the Mandarin Oriental in Paris.

Zucchini Flower Fritters

For 4 people
Preparation: 5 min
Cooking: 10-15 min

Market for 4 people:

• 16 zucchini flowers
• 3 eggs
• 250 g flour
• 33 cl of iced water
• Peanut or rapeseed oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

Prepare the batter. Beat the eggs, then pass them through a sieve.

1. Add the flour and mix.
2. Add 1 pinch of salt and the very cold water , then mix until you get the texture of a pancake batter.
3. Dip the zucchini flowers in the batter , then fry them in (new) peanut or rapeseed oil at 150 C.
4. Leave them for 2 to 3 minutes , until the donuts are golden brown and crispy.
5. Place them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
6. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Excerpt from Chefs’ Dishes at Home! published by Solar

Why is it clean?

Even if we talk about "frying", it is a very controlled step that does not let the vegetable soak up fat. The zucchini flower is not only pretty, it is very rich in vitamin C and carotenoids, this antioxidant that gives it its orange color. The zucchini flowers are dipped in egg, a source of protein, choline (in the yolk), which contributes to the proper functioning of the brain, vitamin A, D, E, B, lutein (the antioxidant in the egg yolk).

Our Clean Eating +++ tip: pair this dish with a green salad, whose alkalizing role will compensate for the acidity of the frying, even if it is light.