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2006-04-13T01:03:00.000-07:00

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Seabass with saffron sauce and Samphire

2005-10-10T22:52:00.000-07:00

The Samphire is a succulent, smooth, much-branched herb, woody at the base, growing freely on rocks on the sea-shore moistened by the salt spray. Best picked between May and September. Usually served with butter and/or with fish plate. Boil them in unsalted water for approximately 5 minutes.

Ingredients: 2 sea bass fillet, clams to guarnish, butter Ingredients for the sauce: pinch of fresh saffron, 1 Tbsp flour, 300ml milk, butter

Melt a bit of butter in a saucepan and fry the sea bass 3/4 minutes each side.

In another small pan, prepare the sauce by melting a bit of butter. Add milk, flour, saffron and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil, then cook for approximately 5 minutes until thick.

Serve the seabass with a bit of sauce, clams opened in a covered saucepan, and samphire previously boiled in water.

Pine nut, hazelnuts and honey tart

2005-10-06T22:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for the dough: 150gr flour, 80ml olive oil, 1 pinch salt, 30gr caster sugar, 20gr Ener-g (or 1 egg), 80ml cold water (only if you use Ener-g), 1 or 2 Tbsp cold water (if you use eggs) Ingredients for the filling: 40ml olive oil, 75gr caster sugar, 1 Tbsp honey, 20gr Ener-g (or 1 egg), 80ml water (only if you use Ener-g), 65gr ground hazelnuts, 20gr flour, 1 pinch salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 100gr pine nuts

To make the pastry put the flour, salt, oil and sugar into your food processor. Mix until it resembles fine crumbs. Keep mixing and add the Energ (or eggs), and water accordingly if you are using Energ or not. Process until the dough comes together. Wrap and chill for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime prepare the filling, using the processor mix. Add oil, sugar, honey, Energ (or eggs), water (only if you are using Energ), ground hazelnuts, flour, salt and baking powder.

Mix for a couple of minute until you get a smooth cream.

Heat the oven at 190 C (375 F)

Lightly coat a loose-based flan tin with oil, with your fingers, work the dough inside towards the edges to form the borders.

Spoon in the filling and spread with a spoon smoothing the surface. Bake for 10 minutes.

Genly remove it from the oven and scatter the pine nuts on top of the filling. Bake for another 15 minutes and thats it!

Note: although no chocolate or cocoa is in the ingredients of this tart, it tastes of chocolate nevertheless. Hazelnuts must remind me of Nutella, I dont know, but its interesting! :)

Soufflè Valisa

2005-10-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Here we are! I have called this Soufflè Valisa, in honor of the Euro Blogging by Post and especially for Valisa, who sent this cumin cheese. It was about time for me to try making soufflè and now that I had received this cheese I thought the time was right! The result is what you see and the cumin really gives a different taste. For me it has to be served as a main course for the high content of cheese, but if your stomatch is stronger you can eat it as a side dish! ;-)

Ingredients: 125ml milk, 35gr flour, 25gr butter, 50gr cumin cheese, pinch of nutmeg, 2 eggs yolk, 3 eggs white. Four the sauce: 100gr cumin cheese, 30ml milk, pepper.

Before you start, make sure you have all your ingredients ready and the right amount of soufflè dishes. Coat them lightly with butter and sprinkle with a bit of flour so that the soufflè won't stick.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour and cook for a few minutes, wisking to eliminate lumps. Add cold milk and nutmeg and keep whisking until you get a soft cream. Let it cool for a few minutes then add the eggs yolk, grated cheese and eggs white previously well beaten until stiff and creamy.

Fill your soufflè dishes for 3/4 and bake at 200 C for 25/30 minutes until golden brown.

For the sauce simply melt the cheese with some milk, add pepper and make sure the cheese doesn't stick to the pan until you get a soft cream.

Instead of milk you could use cream but that is up to you and the cheese you use. Serve the soufflè with a bit of sauce and there you have it! Note: The Soufflè has to be served almost immediately to avoid losing the puffy shape, also avoid cold hair to avoid the "relaxation" effect! ;-)

Euro Blogging by Post comes from Valisa!

2005-09-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

Ah! I really dont know where to start this from! It has arrived and its here and its beautiful!! First of all I would like to thank you Valisa for what you sent and how you sent it. I have to say it feels like Christmas has arrived today, just much better than Christmas!

I always think that cooking for someone or giving food to someone is infact an act of love and that is how I felt today, loved by someone I didnt even know the exsistence before and really made my day!

But lets see what's inside :

- volkoren koek. Dutch classic for breakfast good with eat or just plain.

- another Dutch classic Valisa says. chocolate and fruit flavour, can be eaten with bread or use on sweets. (hmmm ideas..!)

- a packet of mie konde noodles!

- little brownies with walnuts and almond that Valisa made with her own hands and a box of chocolate and almonds shortbread! (Already tasted as well and delicious too!)

- chrysanthemum chinese tea (which I never heard of it before, looks very interesting!)

- home made apple chutney! (cant wait to try this one)

- Dutch cumin cheese (Oh god! never had this one either, I have got an idea for tonight already :-)

- and last but not least, a lovely chinese cute little box of beauty powder. Very similar to borotalco, at least it smells like so and its not for eating! :D , though it looks lovely and Lisa spotted my asian addiction as well. I am styding japanese and soon I will be able to read whats written on the cute box too ;-)

- mixed Dutch sweets.

Well as you can see its all good. I will talk about the ingredients more as I try to figure out what to make out of them !

Thanks again to Andrew for this lovely idea and for the coordination. xox

You can visit Valisa's blog at http://lekkertje.blogspot.com

Fagottino with Provolone cheese

2005-09-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: provolone cheese dolce, fillo pastry, honey, walnuts, leek to tie, butter

Brush the fillo pastry with melted butter. Put a bit of provolone cheese in the middle of each.

Make a little bag and close it with leek. Bake at 200 C (390 F) for 4 to 5 minutes until the cheese melts and the little fagottino gets brown. Decorate with honey and walnuts and serve hot or the cheese will become hard and it wont be as soft as it should.

This is good eaten as an appetizer or after an important main course.

And my parcel goes to...

2005-09-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

Nathalie from Cabbage and Kings!

At the very last minute Andrew kindly managed to "squeeze" me in the Euro Blogging by Post. My parcel is in the post already travelling to Nathalie but I am not revealing any of the content. Surprise!

Hope she will like it. I am a bit nervous as I dont know Nathalie but I hope to have guessed some of the ingredients! We shall wait and see ;-) Meanwhile I will wait for mine to arrive !

The Ingredient Edition 2 - Euro Blogging by Post

2005-09-23T00:30:00.000-07:00

How do you fancy a mystery food parcel from another cooking-blogger? Join in with the second edition of Euro Blogging By Post and culinary delights aplenty will squeeze themselves through your letter box at the end of the month. This months 'theme' in the loosest sense of the word is going to be 'cupboard raid' - delve into the back of the cupboard for an unused ingredient (opened or neglected!) and the recipient is to make a dish using it. You should of course include more immediately edible items and here we are looking for 'something fruity something autumnal'. Last time all the participants were very generous; if you wish to garner some inspiration of what to send read the write-up over on spittoon. If you wish to take part there are a few criteria - You must have a weblog in which to write-up what you send and what you receive (and the dish you make form the 'ingredient') - You must be resident in Europe (or be an honorary resident bestowed on by me) - You must commit to making/packaging and posting a parcel to someone else by the end of the month

To join in just email Andy with your full postal address and url of your weblog. You can give details of food allergies and dislikes too if necessary. And that's it! Deadline for participating is the 24th September. You will receive details of where to send your parcel to over that weekend and should endeavour to post it off the following Monday.

For more information, please visit Spittoon Extra and good luck! :-)

Temporarely closed for holidays

2005-09-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

from 16th to 20th September See you soon! :)

Coconut and Pistachio Muffins

2005-09-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 300gr flour, 400ml soya milk, 150ml vegetable or olive oil, 100gr sugar, 20gr Ener-g (or 1 egg), 1 grated lemon rind , 50gr desiccated coconut, 50gr chopped pistachio nuts

Pre heat the oven at 180 C (350 F). In a bowl mix flour, sugar, ener-g, lemon rind, coconut and pistachio nuts previously chopped.

Mix well then add oil and slowly the milk until smooth.

Pour into muffin containers or your favourite pan and cook for 45 minutes. Let it cool and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Lemon and poppy blue seeds cakes

2005-09-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 180gr flour, 1 Tbsp baking powderd, 60gr Ener-g (equal 3 eggs), 170gr sugar, 150ml vegetable or olive oil, 250ml water, 2 bio lemon, 1 Tbsp poppy blue seeds, 1 pinch salt

Pre heat the oven at 180 C (350 F). Wash the lemons and grate the skin. Squeeze the lemons and put the juice aside. In a bowl mix all dry ingredients. Flour, baking powder, Ener-g, sugar, grated lemon and poppy seeds.

Mix well and then add oil, juice of lemons and water. If the mixture is too dry, add some more water until you get it smooth.

Mix well and then pour the mixture into muffin containers without filling them too much (approx. 2 Tbsp each) so that they dont grow big during the baking. Bake for 45 minutes let it cool and sprinkle with fine caster sugar.

p.s. if you decide to use eggs, do not add water.

Note: this must be the best lemon cakes i have ever had. If you like the taste of lemon this will surprise you! Especially if you use organic lemons.

Fusilli with wild fennel, pine nuts, tuna and capers

2005-09-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for 2 : 300gr fusilli, 1 tuna can in oil or water, 1 little bunch of wild fennel, 50gr pine nuts, 1 Tbsp capers, 1 garlic clove, 1 small onion, half glass dry white wine, dried or fresh hot cilly, oil, salt

Wash the fennel and boil it in salty water for about 4 minutes. Drain it and chop it finely. Keep the water aside as it will be used later.

Chop onion and garlic and fry gently in a saucepan with a couple of Tbsp of oil. Add the fennel, capers and pine nuts. Let it cook for a few minutes then add the tuna and the white wine. Let it evaporate by turning the gas mark a bit higher. Add a bit of salt, dried chilly and a bit of water. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Cook your pasta in the same water you cooked the fennel in. Drain and add it to the sauce to mix it well with it.

Serve immediately and Buon appetito!

Note: for a Vegan/Vegetarian version, just remove the tuna ;)

Hazelnuts and Walnuts Muffins

2005-09-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 300gr flour, 200gr sugar, 6 Tbsp unsweetneed cocoa powder, 2 Tbsp baking powder, 40gr chopped hazelnuts, 40gr chopped walnuts, 1 pich salt, 500ml water, 190ml vegetable or olive oil, 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp vanilla extract

Pre heat the oven at 180 C (350 F). Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl first (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, hazelnuts and nuts finely chopped with a mixer). Add then the oil, vinegar, vanilla and water. Mix all well together until smooth.

Pour the mixture into muffing containers and bake for 40/45 minutes.

*Inspired by the Bakingsheet

Bananas and hazelnuts cake with raspberry cream

2005-09-11T07:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for the cake: 2 bananas, 40gr chocolate cips, 40gr hazelnuts, 180gr flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 120ml vegetable oil, 120gr sugar, 40gr Ener-g (or 2 eggs), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 240ml soya or rice milk

Ingredients for the raspberry cream: 150gr tofu, 100gr sugar, 100gr raspberry, soya or rice milk as needed.

Pre heat the oven at 180 C, 350 F. Chop the hazelnuts with a mixer and blen d the bananas with a fork or with the mixer until smooth.

In a bowl mix all dry ingredients. Hazelnuts, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, Ener-g, sugar. In another bowl mix the banans with the oil and vanilla and mix this with the dry ingredients. Add milk and blend all ingredients together. Finally add the chocolate cips and stir.

Pour into a grased baking pan for 45, 50 minutes and serve with raspberry cream. To make the raspberry cream simply blend all the ingredients together in a mixer and add milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. It should infact be like a cream and taste delicious :-)

Nota: keep the cream refrigerated until you have to serve it.

Tofu and walnuts Ravioli

2005-09-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for the dough: 300gr flour, 60gr Ener-g (equal 3 eggs)

Ingredients for the filling: 150gr tofu, 50gr walnuts, 15 basil leaves, 10 mint leaves, olive oil, salt

Drain the tofu from its own water, put it in a bowl and smash it with a fork. Crash the walnuts with a mixer along with mint and basil and add this to the tofu. Adjust with salt and let it rest while you prepare the dough.

Mix the flour and Ener-g. Add enough water and work the dough until it becomes soft and elastic. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Have your pasta machine ready to get a few sheets of thin pasta. Use number 5 on your machine.

Cut approximately 8cm squares from the sheets and put about 1 tsp of filling in each. Fold them in a triangle and push well the borders in order to avoid the filling to slip out while cooking. Have a big saucepan ready with boiling salty water. Add the ravioli and let it cook counting 3 minutes from when the water starts boiling again. Dress it with a simple tomato sauce made by frying a bit of garlic in oil and canned tomatoes. Garnish with fresh mint and serve immediately.

Note: the heart has come out there absolutely by chance, but it must mean something! :)

Yellow Pumpkin Gnocchi

2005-09-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 700gr pumpkin flesh, 20gr Ener-g (equal 1 egg), 100gr white flour, 60gr grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg, sage, salt, pepper, olive oil as needed

Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seed and the skin. Mix the flesh in a mixer and cook it for about 5 minutes to let the water in excess evaporate.

Let it cool and add the Ener-g (or 1 egg), the grated cheese and the flour bit by bit, stirring continuously.

Pay attention there, as you need as much flour as the water contained in the pumpkin. So remember that the dough has to become firm but not hard. Add or stop adding flour accordingly. Adjust with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Boil some water in a large saucepan and add a bit of salt. (approx 1 Tbsp). Pre-heat the oven at 200 C (390 F). Take an oven safe tray and grease it with a little bit of oil.

With a spoon, gather a bit of the compost, as much as to make a 4cm gnocco. Put them into the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes starting counting from when the water is boiling again. Arrange them into your tray and continue boiling gnocchi until the dough is finished.

Add grated cheese on top, fresh sage and olive oil. Cook them in the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese has melt. Serve immediately :)

Note: you can prepare this dish a day before or the evening before your guests arrive. Just add the cheese only when you intend to eat it.

Shark and Sea Spinach salad

2005-09-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 4 shark's steaks, mixed lettuce leaves, some cherry tomatoes, sea spinach, 1 garlic clove, salt, pepper, oil

Sea spinach are very much similar to the normal spinach but a bit bitter and more salty. They can be found especially near the sea side. I have them in the garden which is infact very close to the sea. Shark is typically available frozen as steaks and fillets.

A simple way to cook it then is to cut the steaks into cubes and roast them with a little bit of oil and crushed garlic. Let it cook at least for 5 minutes until brown.

In the meantime prepare the salad with the cherry tomatoes, add oil and a pinch of salt. In a non-sticky pan, cook the sea spinach with a tiny bit of water until soft and tender, but do not overcook them. They should result crispy.

Lay the salad on a plate, add the shark on top and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Distribute the sea spinach beside and there you have it.

Coffee pastries

2005-09-07T05:18:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 200gr white flour, 110ml vegetable oil, 40gr sugar, 1 tsp soluble decaf coffee, 40gr Ener-g (equal 2 eggs), 1 tbsp baking powder, fine powdered sugar for decoration

In a bowl mix sugar and Ener-g with 80ml of water. Work the mixture with a fork until it becomes soft and creamy without lumps. Add coffee, flour, baking powder and oil. Work again until you it gets soft and homogeneous. Take two spoons and a put a bit of the compost in one of it. Help yourself with the other spoon, working the compost to create a drop-shaped pastry. Repeat until you get the right shape. No hurry, it just takes a bit of practice and time. Arrange the drops on a oven tray covered with oven paper or slightly oiled. Cook in a pre heated oven for 15 minutes at 180 C. (350F)Leave it to cool and decorate them with fine powdered sugar. You will get about 12 pastries that will be eaten in about 12 seconds!

;-)

Pumpkin preserve

2005-09-07T01:57:00.000-07:00

The garden is full of yellow pumpkins and soon it will be as well of red ones. Preserving its a useful way to not waste vegetables or fruit and enjoy them during winter time...

Ingredients: 1kg pumpkin flesh, 1 pinch ground cinnamon, half tsp chopped ginger, 1 pinch powdered cloves, 1 pinch grated nutmeg, 6 tbsp lemon juice, 1kg jam sugar

Cut the pumpkin flesh into cubes and pass through a mincer using the finest disk. Stew the minced pumpkin in a pan with a small amount of water if necessary and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir then the cinnamon, ginger, powdered cloves, nutmeg and lemon juice.

Sprinkle in the jam sugar and bring everything to the boil, stirring continuously. Boil for 5 minutes or until it has reached the consistency you like.

Fill the sterilized jars and seal straighaway turning the jars upside down until completely cold.

Store in a dark and cool place and put in the fridge after opening.

Note: this preserve goes well with game dishes.

Candied Ginger

2005-08-27T02:28:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 350gr fresh ginger, 225gr sugar, 120ml water Place the ginger in a saucepan, cover with water and boil for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain, let the ginger cool and peel it. Cut the ginger into approx. 5mm slices.

In a heavy-based saucepan, dissolve the sugar in 120ml of water and cook without stirring over a low heat for about 15 minutes until the mixture becomes syrupy.

Add the ginger slices and continue to cook gently, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the ginger sticking, until it has absorberd the syrup.

Remove the cooked ginger slices, place them on a wire rack and leave to cool.

Eat in the morning to give you energy, with tea or just when you feel like :)

Pickled mushrooms

2005-08-25T01:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 250ml white vinegar, 150ml water, 1 tsp salt, 1 red chilli, 2 tsp ground pepper, 250gr shiitake mushrooms, halved if large

Bring the vinegar and water to a simmer. Add the salt, chilli, pepper and mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Sterilize the preseving jar and drain until dry. Transfer the mushrooms, together with all the liquid to the jar. Seal and leave for at least 10 days before serving.

Note: it is a good idea to dress the mushrooms with olive oil when serving, to temper the sharpness of the vinegar. Serve as an appetizer or as part of a buffet lunch.

Chocolate and mint vegan cake

2005-08-03T01:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 3 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 6 tablespoons unsweetned cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt, 5/6 fresh finely cutted mint leaves, 2 cups of water, 3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons of essence vanilla

Preparation time: 15 min

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients first. (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and mint). Once the mixture is even, mix in wet ingredients. (oil, vinegar, vanilla). Continue mixing until you obtain an even batter with no lumps. Pour into a cake pan and bake for approximately 40-45 minutes. Yummy with vanilla ice cream or just on its own ;-)

Dreaming:

Seeing chocolate in your dream means that you may be indulging in too many excesses and need to practice some restraint.

Garlic in oil

2005-07-24T01:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients: 300gr fresh peeled garlic, 2 rosemary branches, 500ml water, 2 tbsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 150ml white wine vinegar, 24 ground black pepper grains, 500ml olive oil Clean the garlic one by one. Wash the rosemary branches and let it dry completely. Boil water with salt, sugar and vinegar. Cook the garlic for 5-10 minutes. Drain and dry on kitchen paper. Put the garlic into sterilized jars with the ground pepper and rosemary. Cover with oil and close the jars storing them in a dark and cool place for at least 2/3 weeks before eating. Store in the fridge or in a cool place after opening. Garlic can be used into salads, like an appetizer, with cold or hot meat dishes. You can also use the oil to flavour other dishes. from the book "Ricette per il Corpo e per l'Anima" by Eve Landis