Author Archives: Valerie Kuster

Purple Matters!

Purple Kale Salad_mainIf colour means anything let purple take control. It’s always interesting to see what happens if you let a colour decide on the dish. Obviously, make sure the other ingredients go well with it. This one is colorful and tasteful like a dynamite!

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

Bunch of purple kale
Bunch of palm cabbage
1 Radicchio
1 Beetroot
2 Purple carrot
2 Spring onions
1Celeriac
1 Avocado
3 x3 cm Ginger
Black sesame
Rice vinegar
Sea salt
Ground pepper

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Bake the beetroot, or use pre cooked beets. Pre-heat the oven to 200c, rub the beets in some olive oil and wrap in foil. Toss them in the oven for 1 hour, depending on their size. Take out and let cool in the foil. Once cool enough to handle, remove their skin and cut in segments, set aside.

2. Was and discard the kale in cold water. Transfer to a pan and blanch in just boiled water for 20 seconds, finish with cold water. Squeeze out all the water, drop in a bowl and fluff with a fork.

3. Peel the carrot and ginger cut in in the carrot strips and the ginger in matches. Heat up a wok, add some sesame oil and fry the ginger for a minute or 2. Save 1/4 of the carrot strips and add the rest to the ginger and stir fry for another 3 minutes. Take out and set aside.

4. Finely slice the spring onion, slice the celeriac, grate a lemon and finely chop the red pepper. Add tot the carrot/ginger mixture and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Purple Kale Salad_done

The Almighty Miso Soup

almighty miso soupStock up on some miso paste and kombu, wack it in your freezer and you are 30 minutes away from a quick miso, all year round. Miso is easy to adjust and fits with summer and winter ingredients. The soup, back in the days named misoshiru is high in minerals and protein, so slurp away I would say!

[highlight]INGREDIENTS [/highlight]

Kombu, 5×5 cm cut in strips
handful shiitake
1 cup spinach or palm kale
1 small broccoli
1 carrot
2 or 3 shallots
2 big tablespoons miso paste
bunch celery leaves
soy, if desired
sea salt
ground pepper

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Cut a sheet of kombu into small strips and drop them in a pan with plenty of water, about 1.5 liter, bring to a boil. This will be your stock.

2. Whilst the stock is warming up thinly slice the shallots and carrot. Tear the shiitake and spinach leaves and cut the broccoli in small roses.  Reduce the heat and drop all the ingredients, but the spinach leaves, in the soup, simmer for 10 minutes.

3. When the vegetables  are softened spoon in the miso paste and stir until the paste is completely dissolved. Add the spinach leaves to the soup and bring to taste with salt,  pepper and perhaps some drops of soy sauce. Be carefull it doesnt become too salty. When the soup is done  add the celery leaves and serve in bowls.

* You can serve the soup with kale chips! Wash as small bunch of kale, discard the core and chop it in small bits. Toss with some olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and transfer to a baking tray. Bake in a low temp oven (60c) for up to 15 minutes, or until crisp but not burned!

finished miso

Punk Kale Salad

Punk Kale salad

Kale is the thing to eat now in cities like London and New York, spiced up in a salad or as side. Here in Holland kale is a popular winter number, originally mashed up with potatoes. Our urban Rooftop in Rotterdam was overloaded with the green stuff and since the weather was still not cold enough to long for that steamy pot of mash I came up with a salad, new style. Believe me, this will make you want to skip winter altogether…

INGREDIENTS
serves 4
5 to 6 bunches of kale
mint leaves
a mix of sultanas and raisins
dried apricot
red onion
roasted and salted almonds

Dressing:
1 tp lemon juice
2 ts  honey
1 ts horseradish
2 ts oil
3 ts cider or white wine vinegar
mixed ground pepper
course sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS
1.Pre-heat the oven to 180 C, remove the outer skin from the onion, chop in 4 and wrap in foil. Throw in the oven for up to 20 minutes. Remove, let it cool, segment the onion and set aside.

2. Soak the sultanas and raisins in water for 20 minutes and drain, set aside.

3. Remove stalks from the kale, chop roughly and wash under cold water. Drop the kale in the sink and pour boiled water on top, stir for 20 seconds, drain and splash with cold water. Squeeze out all the water, drop in a bole and fluff with a fork.

4. Chop the apricots and almonds, set aside.

5. Prepare a dressing by whisking together all the dressing ingredients.

6. Mix kale with onion, sultanas, apricots, almonds and toss. Pour the dressing over the kale, mix well and serve. Awesome as a side dish with veggie fries or as a lunch salad.

Kale salad-done

Freshhhhh Pasta

19_Pasta Ravioli_mainWhat do you do when you are given a pasta maker? I took it out of the box, looked at the stylish design and put it on display. I ignored it for some days and then took the handsome Italian under my arms. ” Let’s make pasta.”  The thing is, you need to take some time to master the skills. Once you got it its quick and easy to make fresh pasta. I had made ravioli once before with an Italian friend. Her work desk was swept clean and covered in flower, eggs and another handsome pasta machine. In no time she had produced simple clean sheets of dough that we filled with different cheeses and ate with just some oil, black pepper and  fresh basil.

This time I also made rectangles and filled them with a mushroom mixture. She will be proud of me!

[highlight]INGREDIENTS [/highlight]

Fresh pasta dough
Filling:
Olive oil
10 to 12 abalone mushrooms
2 garlic cloves
2 rosemary twigs
150 g parmesan cheese
coarse sea salt
ground pepper

[highlight] INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Follow any recipe for fresh pasta dough and turn into rectangles of 6x4cm.

2. After I made the pasta strips I prepared the filling.

3. Get the frying pan hot and put in a splash of oil.

4. Add your mushrooms and rosemary and toss for up to three minutes, then add grated garlic and when slightly golden add some grated cheese. Finish with some salt.

5. On one half of the pasta strip place a teaspoon of filling, lightly brush the pasta with water. Fold the other half of the pasta over and pinch it carefully so its closed and all the air is out.

6. Drop the cushions into a large pot of salted boiling water and cook for roughly 3 1/5 minutes.

7. Gently remove them from the pan and season with olive oil, fresh basil salt and pepper. Grate cheese on top and serve with a simple tomato rocket salad and cold crisp glass of white wine. Winter or spring, this dish brings in the sun everyday!

19_Pasta Ravioli_making2   19_Pasta Ravioli_done 19_Pasta Ravioli_done2

 

ARTICHOKE AND JAM-PACKED CHICORY

rtichoke_Chicory saladNot one that you will spot on your plate everyday, or listed on a menu. A first recollection as a child: “is it a cactus?” A giant green sunflower?” Will I find a frog in the heart?”

Mediterranean kids did not ask such questions, they where familiar with artichoke. It is in the warmer countries where they grow but it where in fact the Dutch who introduced it to England. To get to the heart you nibble the fleshy leaves first, they are taster of what to expect from the hidden gem inside. Not to mention it looks great on a plate.

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

1 yellow carrot
2 artichoke
2 red chicory
1 Lemon
handful golden raisons
150 g cottage cheese
300 g couscous
table spoon honey
mixed nuts
olive oil

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Preheat the oven to 200 c

2. Mix couscous with chilli flakes, olive oil, juice of half a lemon and cover with boiling water so there is about 1 cm above the line, let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

3. Swell the raisins, shave the carrot and roughly chop the nuts and add to the couscous.

4. Cut the chicory at the roots, gently wash the separate leaves and dry them. Fill the leaves with a spoon full of the couscous mixture and place in a lightly buttered oven dish. Finish each leaf with a teaspoon of cottage cheese, a drop of honey and pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is slightly golden.

5. To prepare the artichoke, cut of the tips of the leaves. Add a slice of lemon to the boiling water and steam the artichoke for 25 to 35 minutes or until the outer leaves can be easily pulled off.

6. Drizzle some olive oil over the artichoke, add a pinch of salt and fresh black pepper and serve like a flower with the baked chicory. A simple green, tomato salad goes nicely on the side.

Loaf_artichoke salad_done                       Loaf_artichoke salad_done2

Flower & Broad Bean Salad

Broad bean flower salad_main

So here is proof that flowers are not only pretty things to look at, they can be the eye candy for your   dish too. Now don’t start picking any flower you come across, check first what’s growing in your garden.  Our rooftop here in Rotterdam still grow flowers and its november! This palette was based on flavours that go so well together. Rainbow beet with punchy black tomatoes and fresh broad beans. The flowers bring in a colour punch and give a slight lavender taste, awesome..

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]
serves 4

200g podded broad beans, about (1kg unpodded weight)
300 g mixed cherry tomatoes
2 (rainbow) beets
1 garlic
little bunch of edible flowers
bunch of rocket salad
50 g hazelnuts
honey
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
ground pepper

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Preheat the oven to 180 c. Peel off any excess paper around the edges of the garlic. Cut the top part off, sprinkle with a little salt and oil and wrap in foil. Toss in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
2. Clean the beets, rub with some oil, wrap in foil and toss in the oven with the garlic for 40 minutes.
3. Boil a pan of water, add the broad beans and boil for 2-3 mins. Drain and plunge into iced water, leave to cool a little before removing the skins.
4. Cut the  the tomatoes in quarters and put aside.
5 .Once the beets are cooled, remove the skin and cut in slices.
6. Cut the garlic in two or 4.
7. Whisk the honey, olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper into a dressing.
8 Toss together the rocket, tomatoes, beets and broad beans.
9. Place the garlic on top, drizzle with some dressing and scatter chopped walnuts and flowers on top.
10. Serve with some Indian naan bread or on its own.

Broad bean flower salad_02   Broad bean flower salad_plate

Mashed up mash!

Mashed up mash_main

Its great to mash things up. Throw in some other chopped up bits and you’ll have a delicious mess. Its so easy and the thumbs always go up.  

The sweet potato is well shaped to be mashed and whilst it was summer I picked the super healthy chard as a side kick. Pink was sort of the theme color here so I chose beets, red spring onions and salmon for extra toppings. Result? They are a smashing team!  

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]
serves 2

2 sweet potatoes
2 chard stems
1 beetroot
1 bunch of red spring onions
200 g smoked salmon
50 g parmesan cheese
olive oil
sea salt,  mixed ground pepper

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Peel and roughly chop the sweet potatoes, Steam for 5 minutes or until soft.

2. Rub the beet with a little olive oil and wrap in foil,  bake in the oven for one hour. Skip this step if you use pre cooked beets. Let it cool, remove the skin en chop in small cubes.

3. Wash and shred the chard in thin strips.

4. Mash the sweet patato with a drop of olive oil, grated parmezan cheese, ground pepper and sea salt.

5. Gently fold in the beet and shredded chard to one mixture. Put the lid on to keep it warm.

7. Grill the salmon in its own oil in a hot grill pan and then shred. Continue to grill the spring onions

8. Divide the mash over the plates and serve with the salmon and spring onions. Now indulge and scrape the pan!

14__Mashed up mash_post  14__Mashed up mash__post3  Mashed up mash__post

 

Wild garlic pancakes

wild garlic pancakes_mainWhere the wild things are? Everywhere! but the fantastic wild garlic can be picked mainly in spring time. So something to look forward to then, its almost winter now.
But the pancakes are easy peasy and why not change the wild garlic for chives or another herb. Basically, use the season ingredients and this way we can have 4 variations. But because spring is my favourite season I am kicking off with this one

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

makes 16 pancakes

250g plain flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp groundnut or sunflower oil
200ml boiling water
4 tbsp roasted sesame oil
50g wild garlic, finely chopped
garden peas
groundnut or sunflower oil, for frying

Mushroom ragout:
mixed mushrooms
garlic
tomato paste
red wine
thyme
spring vegetable stock

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1.Place flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the oil and water and mix well using a wooden spoon or spatula to a soft sticky dough. Place on a lightly floured working surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it start to get to sticky. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and rest for 20 minutes.

2. Lightly dust the working surface with more flour and roll the dough into a long sausage shape and cut with a knife to divide into 16 pieces.

3. Steam or quickly boil the peas in 2 minutes

4. Place a piece of the dough cut side down and roll it out to a rough 10 cm circle with a rolling pin. Brush the surface liberally with sesame oil and scatter over the chopped wild garlic and garden peas. Start rolling the dough to form a sausage, pinch both ends to sealed in the wild garlic and sesame oil. Lightly flatten the roll and then roll it up again from one end like a snail. Press lightly to sealed the end.  Set aside while you repeat with the rest. Cover with a clean kitchen towel again and rest for another 20 minutes.

5. In the mean time start your mushroom ragout. Roughly tear and chop your mushrooms. Add some thin sliced garlic to a hot pan and fry in little oil. Then add the mushroom and gently stir for a few minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, thyme, red wine and leave to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the stock and stir well, leave for 20 minutes so all the flavours are enhanced. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer gently.

6. Place each roll flat on a lightly floured work surface and press down with the palm of you hand to flatten and roll to a 10 cm circle with a rolling pin. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with the rest of the rolls. Stack each pancakes between sheets of baking paper to stop them from sticking.

7. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and brush with some groundnut or sunflower oil. Add 2-3 pancakes at a time. Fry for 2-3 minutes before turning and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove and drain on some kitchen paper. Keep warm in a low oven while you repeat with the rest of the pancakes. These are best serve immediately straight from the pan with the mushroom ragout.

wild garlic pancakes_done3  wild garlic pancakes_done2  wild garlic pancakes_done

 

Baked Beetroot

Baked Beetroot

Because beets are the most versatile vegetables. They are so fantastic in whatever form or shape:  baked, steamed, mashed or in fluid. Throw them in the oven wrapped in foil for an hour or so and you will get such a juicy thing. Mash it with sweet potato or turn it into a juice with avocado, celery and apple. Beetroot is rock and roll in the kitchen!

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

4 mixed beetroot and their greens
200 g smoked salmon
100 g goat cheese
soya cooking cream
1/2 avocado
small handful olives
pistachio nuts
sea salt
ground pepper
2 tablespoons dutch apple syrup
vinaigrette
200 ml extra virgin olive oil
50 ml tarragon vinegar
musterd
capers
2 tablespoons honey
sea salt

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C. Remove the greens from the beets by twisting, dont cut!

2 .Wash the beetroots and wrap individually in foil and bake them in the oven: small beets take one hour, big ones up to 2 hours. They have be soft,  check by squeezing a little. Let them cool, peel off the outer skin and shave or cut in thin slices. If you use pre-cooked beets so can slice them straight away.

3. Mince the salmon and finely chop 1/4 of the avocado. Mix well and add seasoning. Cover and put away in the fridge.

4. Prepare the vinaigrette:  Blitz together the vinegar, mustard, honey olive oil and little salt until one smooth sauce. Do you have fresh basil? Add and blitz as well. Stir in the capers.

6. In a little saucepan warm up the cream, when it start to boils take of the heat and whisk in crumbled goat cheese and if you have blue cheese to a slight stiff substance.

7. Wash and tear the beet greens and mix with other leaves like rocket or.

8. Slice the remaining avocado, halve the olives and mix them with the salad leaves.

9. Remove the salmon from the fridge

10. Pile a firm amount of salad on your plate. Use a cooking ring to make your salmon tartar. Then make your beetroot tower with the cooking ring. Alter layers of beetroot with the cheese cream, start and finish with beetroot slices, make sure you carefully lift the ring.

11. Warm up the syrup and drop a spoonful of melted syrup on top of the tower. Drizzle vinaigrette over your salad and a little on the salmon and serve up!!

 

Baked Beetroot_result_done  Baked Beetroot_result_done_03  Baked Beetroot_result_done_02

SWEET POTATO CROQUETTES

Sweet Potato CroqsIt is a habit to revamp a traditional recipe by substituting the main ingredient with a surprising alternative. Potato croquettes..an old fashioned side snack that you will find in the old-school buffet dinners. Next to the almost grey looking Brussels sprouts and ever overcooked carrots. Brrr, they gave me the shivers. 

Nevertheless, I had decided to make a new style of croquette.
Earlier in the week I had made mash and veggie fries, if you mix mash and fries you sort of end up with a croquette. So.. idea born.
The orange coloured flesh of the sweet potato needed a strong sidekick so I mixed in purslane which is as green as grass. Purslane is considered a weed but contains a lot of omega 3  so say hello to that!

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

2 or 3 sweet potatoes
50 g crumbled goat cheese
2 eggs
handful purslane or baby spinach leaves
50 g plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves
100 g Japanese panko breadcrumbs
1 litre vegetable oil, for deep-frying
paprika  powder
coarse sea salt
ground pepper

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Peel the potatoes and boil in a pan for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and allow to cool slightly. Mash the potatoes in a bowl until smooth, use a little (soya)milk if necessary. Mix in the goat cheese, grated garlic, roughly torn purslane and season with paprika power, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to one creamy substance.

2. Roll the potato mixture into small ball sized balls and dip each croquette into the flour, dusting off any excess, then dip in the beaten eggs and finish in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with each croquette until you have used up all of the potato mixture. Place onto a tray and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up before cooking.

4. Pour the vegetable oil in a heavy-based pan until half full and heat until a cube of bread dropped in sizzles and turns golden-brown in 30 seconds. Deep-fry the croquettes, in batches, for 4-5 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

5. Serve with a yoghurt mayonnaise and/or homemade tapenade. Or..like my cousin did, dip the croquettes in your soup! There are no rules, simply enjoy.

Sweet Potato Croqs_done2  Sweet Potato Croqs_done

KOHLRABI snack WITH WASABINA DIP

Kohlrabi fries_home[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

snack

1  or 2 kohlrabi’s
sunflower oil
10 shishito peppers
salt
ground pepper

DIP SAUCE

small bunch of wasabina
1 pot of crème fraiche
1 lime
2 garlic cloves, grated

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Start with the dipsauce so the flavours can be enhanced:

2. Finely chop the wasbina  and grate the garlic. Mix  them with the crème fraiche,  a squeeze of lime juice and a good pinch of black pepper. Stir and set aside in the fridge.

3. Peel the kohlrabi and slice in chunky batons, then steam for a minute or 5.

4 .Pre heat a grill pan and add a glug of sunflower oil. Grill the batons until brown and crispy on the edges, pile on a plate and sprinkle with salt.

5. Continue to grill the shishito peppers and add to your snackplate with the dipsauce and extra slices of lime. Tuck in!

09.kohlrabi fries wasabina_reg noise

09.kohlrabi fries wasabina_done

Oeuff Cocotte

27_Oeuff Cocotte_palette_classic_rgb

It was a Saturday morning when I left a strange house and wondered my way to the spot where I had parked my bike much earlier that morning. Whilst still trying to recollect the pieces of the previous hours I passed a  little coffee bar that oozed Paris in the spring. Without thinking I walked in and was welcomed by the smell of ground coffee and freshly baked things. Paris in Rotterdam, not bad for a hangover. The menu offered typical French things, not too many but delicious all the same. Besides a coffee, a fermented tea and fresh juice I ordered a little egg dish that makes any grumpy mood disappear in no time. Or a hangover in this case..

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

serves 2
2 eggs
2 teaspoons crumbled blue cheese
1 pear
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
fresh chive
coarse sea salt
ground and pepper
chipped chives
slices bread

 

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]
[column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”]1.Heat the oven to 190ºC. [/column]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”]2.Mix the crumbled cheese and creme  fraîche to a semi smooth mixture. Instead of blue cheese you choose whatever you like: smoked fish, truffle shaving or basil leaves for example.[/column]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”yes”] 3.Add some chipped chive and season with salt and fresh pepper. [/column]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”] 4.Place a heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche in the bottom of a ramekin. Gently crack an egg in on top. Top with a spoonful of crème fraîche. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.[/column]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”]5.Set the ramekins in a baking dish and pour hot water in the dish to come half-way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until cooked, but still jiggling, 5 to 7 minutes.[/column]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”]6.Serve with grilled pear and toasted bread for dipping![/column] [column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”]Based on a recipe from Memory Lane, Hoogstraat 69A, Rotterdam[/column]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”yes”][/column]

 

27_Oeuff Cocotte_done27_Oeuff Cocotte_result_done227_Oeuff Cocotte_done3

 

 

 

 

 

Aubergine and quinoa roll ups

11_aubergine roll ups_main

That’s the difficulty when a veg has different names in different countries. An aubergine is also called a zucchini, which means courgette in French. A recipe that meant to start with a purple egg shape thing ended up with his green alter ego. I gave up, until I moved back to the Netherlands where things are called what they are. I learned that aubergine is an incredible versatile ingredient that lends itself in many varied ways. Rolled up for example, with little kumquats on the side, nice!

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

1 Aubergine
10 oyster mushrooms
3 kumquats
200 g Quinoa
handful yellow raisins
handful hazelnuts
flat leaf parsley
100 g goat cheese, mixed with 30 g parmesan
handful purple sprouts
olive oil
Salt &  ground Pepper
herbal stock cube

[highlight] INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Prepare a veggie broth and bring to boil, reduce to simmer and add the quinoa. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

 2. Slice the aubergine with a cheese slicer in thin  strips, leave out the two end pieces with their skin on.  Sprinkle the strips with a little salt and heat up a grill pan. Once the pan is hot grill the slices on both sides for about 2 minutes or when brown (not black) stripes appear. Put aside and start the stuffing.

3. Heat up a pan, cut the remaining aubergine ends to small pieces and tear the mushrooms. Add some oil to the pan and start with the aubergine. After 3 minutes add the mushrooms and stir for another 2 minutes. Then add the cream cheese and parmesan cheese. Stir to one mixture and season with salt & pepper. Fill the grilled aubergine slices by adding some of the stuffing to the thicker end (about a dessert spoon), and roll it up.

4. Once cooked transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and squeeze in some cumquat juice, then add chopped hazelnuts, raisins, parsley and finish with a good pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.

5. Serve with the rolled up aubergine and garnish with purple sprouts and kumquat. No need to peel, you can eat the skin of kumquats.

Rolled up Aubergine_result_doneRolled up Aubergine_done2Rolled up Aubergine_done3

 

Salsify oh Salsify

01.Salsify pasta

The veggie man handed me a few twigs covered in dirt. ” Let me know what you’ll make with them!” ” With twigs?!” The correct name is salsify actually, miss..” I had to admit that I had never seen them before so was challenged to try them. Salsify are an old and forgotten veg so confirm the trend you’ll find them more often at your local market stall.  The other veggies I had at home  could also be leading in this dish so I gave them all a mail part.

 

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

2 courgettes
4 salsify, not to be mistaken by in earth covered sticks
1 romanesco
1 lemon
1 orange
1 pot creme fraiche
olive oil
120 g parmesan cheese
grounded all spice
coarse sea salt
ground pepper

[highlight] INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

serves 4
1.
Wash, scrub and peel the salsify until the white flesh is revealed. Cut into smaller pieces of 5 cm and drop them into boiling water with squeezed  lemon juice for about 8 minutes.

2. Wash your courgette and cut both ends, leave the skin on. Cut into thin slices lengthwise, and then slice into thin strips so you have courgette pasta.

 3. Break the romanesco down into florets.

 4. After the salsify, steam the romanesco florets, for about 4 minutes, then drain them under cold water so they reamain crisp. Finish with the courgette pasta, steam for up to one minute and put aside.

 5. Grill the salsify in a hot griddle pan until they have a golden brown pattern.

6. Start with the pasta sauce. Preheat a pan, add some olive oil and then some freshly squeezed orange juice. Bring to boil, then add creme fraiche and let it simmer for a minute. Mix in half of the steamed romansesco and continue to stir, add herbs like all spice. Then add 2/3 of the grilled salsify and grate parmesan cheese over the sauce, stir and add salt and pepper.

 7. When the sauce is almost done grill the steamed courgette until they have a light brown pattern.

 8. Pour the sauce on a big deep plate, divide the courgette pasta over the sauce and follow with the remaining romanesco florets and salsify. Finish with some grated parmesan and orange peel. Serve with warm baked bread and a simple tomato and vinegar salad.

 

24_TagliatelleSalsify_done

TagliatelleSalsify_done2

Salmon and japanese greens

02.Salmon_wasbina

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

1 salmon filet
big bunch of wasbina
1 lime
pickled myoga
1 cucumber
2 spring onions
handful of soya beans
handful of purple sprouts
sesame seeds
almond flakes
salt
ground pepper

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS [/highlight]

serves 2

1. Steam the edamame beans for 2 minutes and push out the beans.

2. Wash the wasabina, shop roughly and quickly stir fry in oil with sesame seeds, almond flakes  and ground pepper.

3. Grill the salmon, leaving it pink in the centre,  in a hot grill pan and sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds.

4. Slice the cucumber in long strips, leaving the skin on.

5. Toss together the wasabina, soy beans and purple sprouts.

6. Curl the cucumber strips on your plate and arrange your wasabina mixture on top and follow by  pickled myoga leaves.

7. Squeeze over a little lime juice, some myoga vinegar and sprinkle with chopped spring onions.

8. If you dont use myoga pickels prepare a dressing by dissolving some rice vinegar and brown sugar in a saucepan.

Myoga pickels:

2 to 3 myoga
100 ml rice vinegar
50 g  brown sugar
100 ml water

Combine vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and bring to boil, then add water and bring back to boil. Remove from heat and let cool. Cut myoga in half (lengthwise) and blanch in boiling water for 20 seconds. Drain and cool for apx. 15 min. Soak myoga in the sweet & sour mixture overnight or a few hours before preparing the salad.

 

Salmon Wasabina salad_done_02Salmon Wasabina salad_done_03Salmon Wasabina salad_done_01

 

Shungiku and shiitake stew

05.Shungiku_shiitake

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

big bunch of shungiku
10 shiitake mushrooms
handful of fresh seaweed
1 spring onion
handful of beansprouts
250 g sticky rice
1 chilli pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 table spoon black sesame seeds
200 ml ight soy sauce
100 ml rice vinegar
20 g brown sugar
150 ml sunflower oil
salt, fresh ground pepper

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”]1. Start by marinating the shiitake mushrooms: Prepare the garlic oil: in a wok heat up 125 ml sunflower oil and add the grated garlic cloves. Stir until brown, then sift and cool.[/column] [column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”]2. Dissolve the brown sugar, rice vinegar and light soy sauce in a small saucepan.[/column] [column size=”one_fourth” last=”yes”]3. Mix the shiitake with 2/3 of the sauce and a table spoon of garlic oil and marinate for 45 minutes.[/column]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”]4. Transfer the shiitake to a saucepan, bring to boil with 500 ml of water and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile cook the sticky rice according to the instructions on the packet[/column]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”no”]5. Wash the fresh seaweed, shop finely and quickly stir fry in little oil, mix with the sticky rice and a gulp of rice vinegar. Wash the shunguki, chop roughly and stir fry for 1 minute with some grated chilli pepper, salt and ground pepper.[/column]

[column size=”one_fourth” last=”yes”] 6. Arrange everything on one plate: start with the shunguki, add a broth spoon of rice in the centre, follow with a brothspoon of shiitake mixture and sprinkle with some fresh beansprouts, shopped spring onion and sesame seeds.[/column]

Shungiku with Shiitake_result_02_done

 

Japanese Rolls

03.Japanese_Rolls

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

6cm rice paper wrappers
small bunch of shunguki
handful of seaweed
5 to 8 shiitake mushrooms
handful of beansprouts
400 g cooked & peeled prawns
10 shishito peppers
light soy sauce
teaspoon honey
rice vinegar
Sesame seeds
sesame oil

[highlight] INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Chop the shiitake mushrooms and stir fry in a hot wok for 10 minutes in a splash of sesame oil and a gulp of light soy sauce.

 2. Wash the seaweed, chop finely and add in the wok with shiitake, continue to stir fry for 1 minute.

3. Take the wok from the heat and stir in the washed and chopped shunguki, chopped shrimps and beansprouts.

4. Grill the shishito peppers in a hot grill pan in some sesame oil.

5. Soak a rice paper in warm water for 30 to 40 seconds until pliable, remove and add another to soak. Place a generous spoonful of the mixture in the centre of the paper and roll up to form a cigar, tucking in the ends as you roll. Place with the seam-side down on a plate and repeat until all the papers and filling are used up.Cover with a damp tea towel if not serving immediately.

 6. For the dressing dissolve honey, rice vinegar, light soy sauce and water in a small saucepan.

 7 .Serve the wraps with the peppers and sauce on the side.

Japanese Rolls_done

 

Mushroom pie

Mushroom pie_home

 

Mushrooms are cool. Not always easy to work with, they are delicate and fragile. But once you gently prepare them for their tasty finale your efforts will be rewarded. They fit in well with the autumn because of their brown and earthy shades but for me mushrooms can hang out in the kitchen any time. Savoury pies and cakes and muffins and everything else are sort of my thing and I altered this recipe with what I had available.

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

300 g mixed mushrooms
6 sheets puff pastry
25 g soft butter
25 g cheese
flat leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves
1 egg
5 to 6 walnuts
coarse sea salt
ground pepper
baking paper

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to oven 200 c

2. Gently tear the mushrooms in evenly pieces. Take out the pastry to defrost but dont let it go soft and warm.

3. Melt butter in a hot pan, cook the mushrooms on high temp for 5 minutes so all the liquid evaporates. in the last minute add walnuts, and if you wish prunes, to the mixture.

4. In the meantime, cut the sheets in circles and carve them to create a ridge, about 1 cm from the edge. use a spoon and make sure you dont cut through the pastry.

5. Take the pan of the heat and mix in the cheese, garlic and parsley. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

6. Place a spoonful of the mushroom mix in the centre, inside the ridge. Stroke the corner with egg yolk and place in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Make sure you have one for each guest as I am telling you…they will love you.

Mushroom Pies_done Mushroom Pies_done2

Avocado soup

avocado soupA soup that you whip up in 15 minutes and knocks you down. Forget your main after this delicate smoothy. Obviously you can customise the recipe: make it spicier,  add some chicken. I choose to use nuts and serve it with crunchy cheese slices which is a great combination.

[highlight]INGREDIENTS[/highlight]

2 ripe avocados
125 ml creme fraiche
800 ml (vegetable)stock
fresh lemon
fresh coriander
salted almonds
old cheese
coarse sea salt
ground pepper

 

[highlight]INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Preheat the oven to 100 c. Grate the cheese and place them like rectangles on baking paper. Bake in the oven until the slices are melted and golden brown. Leave to cool before you take them off the paper.

2. Roughly chop the coriander. Cut the avocado’s in half and scoop out the flesh. Mix with the coriander, creme fraiche, a spoon of lemon juice and a little stock. Blend until you get a smooth sauce. Pour the sauce with the remaining stock in a sauce pan and gently stir. Be careful not to boil the soup or it will turn bitter. Season tot taste with salt and pepper.

 3. Heat up the serving bowls and pour in the soup. Garnish with chopped almonds and serve with a cheese biscuit. So simple but so tasty.

 

Avocado Soup_done   Avocado Soup_done2    Avocado Soup_done3