Apricot jam

Ingredients
1 kg fresh apricots
800 g sugar
juice of 1 lemon

Method
Rinse the apricots and dry them. Slice in half and remove the stones. Do not throw the stones away. Place the sugar with 250 ml water in a heavy-based pan. Heat the gently and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil until it reached 113° C on a sugar thermometer.

Add the apricots and lemon juice. Bring back to the boil. Skim off any scum which rises to the surface and cook, stirring often for about another 10 minutes. When the bubbles become larger and less in number and the apricots are translucent, check the consistency on a cold saucer or with a sugar thermometer (115° C).

In the meantime, place the apricot stones in a small pan with water and cook them until the skins loosen and that they can easily be removed. Drain off the water and peel off the skins.

Remove the pot from the heat and pour the jam into sterilised jars. Place the peeled stones on top of the jam and close the jars. Allow to cool and store in a cool, dark place. Once opened, be sure to keep in the refrigerator.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours


Eggs Cocotte Florentine with Samphire

A prefect hearty Sunday brunch. We've given it a twist with the addition of salty samphire but feel free to use spinach if you can't find any.

English

Serves 2

Ingredients
100g samphire or 500g spinach
20g  butter
125ml crème fraiche
75g grated Parmesan
4 eggs
4 thick slices white or whole wheat bread
salt and pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Place the roasting tray in the oven and half fill with hot water. Bring a small pan of water to the boil and cook the samphire for 1 minute or wilt the spinach in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Drain off the water and leave in the colander.

Grease 4 ramekins with butter and divide the samphire or spinach between them.

Beat the crème fraiche to loosen and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into the ramekins, grind over some pepper and sprinkle over half the cheese.

Press lightly with the back of a spoon to create a ‘crater’ and carefully break in the eggs, ensuring the yolk stays intact. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese.

Place the ramekins in the roasting tray filled with hot water and cook 8-10 minutes for soft cooked or 20 minutes for hard cooked.

Toast the white or whole wheat bread until golden brown and cut into ‘soldiers’ (strips). Serve the eggs cocotte with the toast soldiers.

Nederlands

voor 2 personen

Ingrediënten
100g zeekraal of 500g spinazie
20g boter
125ml crème fraiche
75g geraspte parmezaan kaas
4 eieren
4 dikke sneden wit- of bruinbrood
zout en peper

Bereiding
Verwarm de oven voor op 180 °C. Zet de ovenschaal in de oven en giet deze voor de helft vol met heet water. Breng een pannetje water aan de kook en kook de  zeekraal voor 1 minuut of bak de spinazie in een beetje olijfolie met zout en peper tot geslonken. Giet het water af en laat de  uitlekken in een zeef.

Vet 4 ramekins in met boter. Schep de zeekraal of spinazie erin.

Klop de crème fraiche los en breng op smaak met een klein beetje zout. Schep de room in de ramekins, maal er wat peper over en bestrooi met de helft van de kaas.

Druk het zachtjes aan en breek de eitjes er bovenop, zorg dat de dooier heel blijft. Bestrooi met de rest van de kaas.

Zet de ramekins in de ovenschaal met heet water en bak au bain marie tot de eieren de gewenste gaarheid hebben , 8-10 minuten voor zachtgekookt, 20 minuten voor hardgekookt.

Plaats het wit- of bruinbrood in een broodrooster, toast ze goudbruin en snijd de toastjes in soldaatjes. Serveer de oeufs cocotte met de broodsoldaatjes.


Strawberry and Basil Jam

Ingredients
1 kg fresh strawberries
800 g sugar
1 lemon
10 g basil

Method
Rinse the strawberries in a colander under cold running water. Cut away the green calyx and slice the strawberries in half. Place them in a heavy based pan.

Add the sugar and the juice of the lemon. Bring the mixture gently to the boil, making sure the sugar dissolves before the mixture boils. Once the it starts boiling, remove the strawberries with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Boil the sugary mixture until it reaches about 105° C on a sugar thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, another way to test if the jam is ready is by placing a saucer in the freezer until cold. Spoon a little of jam on the saucer and return to the freezer until the jam is cold. Run a finger through the jam - if it hold itself and wrinkles, you know that it has reached the right temperature.

In the meantime, place a few jars in a 180° C oven until heated through and sterilized, about 10 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly.

Return the strawberries with the basil to the pan and bring to the boil. Taste to see if enough basil flavor has infused through. Remove the basil and ladle the jam into the jars. Seal with the lids and turn the jars upside down to cool. This helps with the air pocket and ensures good distribution of the fruit. Allow to cool completely before using.

The jam can be kept, unopened for at least 6 months. Refrigerate once opened. These also make fantastic gifts to give away to family and friends.

 

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours

 


Home made granola

Granola is so easy to make and the best thing is you can put in ingredients you like. Here's our recipe, but feel free to play around with your own flavours.

Makes about 1kg

Ingredients
500g oats
100g hazelnuts, coarsley chopped
100g almonds, coarsley chopped
50g cashews
100g pecan nuts, coarsley chopped
25g sesame
25g sunflower seeds
25g pumpkin seeds
125g golden syrup
100g maple syrup
a good sprinkle of cinnamon
60g dried cranberries
60g raisins
60g dried apricots, roughly chopped.
60g prunes

Method
Preheat an oven to 160 C.

Mix all the ingredients together, except for the dried fruit and divide between to oven trays which have been lined with baking paper. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until everything becomes evenly golden coloured. Give it a mix every 10 minutes or so.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool and mix in the dried fruit. Store in an airtight container.

Delicious served over yoghurt with fresh or stewed fruit.


Blood Orange Marmalade

This is a recipe we have adapted from Delia Smith.

Makes about 6 x 350 ml jars

Ingredients
900 g blood oranges
1 lemon
1.8 kg granulated sugar

Method
Begin by measuring 2.25 litres water into a preserving pan, then cut the lemon and oranges in half and squeeze the juice out of them. Add the juice to the water and place the pips and any bits of pith that cling to the squeezer on a square of muslin.

Now cut the orange peel into quarters with a sharp knife, and then cut each quarter into thinnish shreds. As you cut, add the shreds to the water and any pips or spare pith you come across should go on to the muslin. The pith contains a lot of pectin so don't discard any and don't worry about any pith and skin that clings to the shreds – it all gets dissolved in the boiling.

Now tie the pips and pith up loosely in the muslin to form a little bag, and tie this on to the handle of the pan so that the bag is suspended in the water. Then bring the liquid up to simmering point and simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 hours or until the peel is completely soft (test a piece carefully by pressing it between your finger and thumb).

Meanwhile, chill a couple of saucers in the freezer.

Next, remove the bag of pips and leave it to cool on a saucer. Then pour the sugar into the pan and stir it now and then over a low heat, until all the crystals have dissolved (check this carefully, it's important). Now increase the heat to very high and squeeze the bag of pips over the pan to extract all of the sticky, jelly-like substance that contains the pectin. As you squeeze you'll see it ooze out. You can do this by placing the bag between two saucers or using your hands. Then stir or whisk it into the rest.

As soon as the mixture reaches a really fast boil, start timing. Then after 15 minutes spoon a little of the marmalade on to one of the cold saucers from the freezer and let it cool back in the fridge. You can tell – when it has cooled – if you have a 'set' by pushing the mixture with your little finger: if it has a really crinkly skin, it is set. If not, continue to boil the marmalade and give it the same test at about 10-minute intervals until it does set.

After that remove the pan from the heat (if there's a lot of scum, most of it can be dispersed by stirring in half a teaspoon of butter, and the rest can be spooned off). Leave the marmalade to settle for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, the jars should be washed, dried and heated in a moderate oven for 5 minutes. Pour the marmalade, with the aid of a funnel or a ladle, into the jars and seal while still hot.

Label when cold and store in a dry, cool, dark place.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours


Bircher Muesli

If you want to enjoy this muesli for a delicious and healthy breakfast, you have to start it the night before.

Ingredients
250 g organic oats
30 g red quiona, toasted in a frying pan with a little sunflower oil
50 g dried apricots, chopped
50 g dates, pitted and chopped
500 ml -1 liter milk
250 g natural yoghurt
1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon demarara sugar
1 large apple, grated

Method
Place the oats, quiona, chopped apricots, dates, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Add the milk and yoghurt and stir to combine.

Grate in the apple and mix it through immediately to prevent the apple from discolouring. Cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

Before serving, give the muesli a good stir and add some extra milk to slacken it slightly. Serve in bowls with fresh berries, bananas, seeds or whatever else you like or have in the store cupboard.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours

 


All Butter Croissants

There is nothing better than warm, butter, flakey croissants straight from the oven. Making them yourself takes a little practice, but the results are SO worth it. Serve with farmhouse butter, good jam and a cup of coffee. Heaven!

Ingredients
625g strong white flour, plus extra for rolling out
12 g salt
75 g sugar
40 g fresh yeast
500g butter, chilled
1 egg, beaten

Method
The day before you want to bake the croissants, place the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, or a large mixing bowl. Pour in 350-400ml cold water and mix until it comes together as a soft dough.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for a good 8-10 minutes, or until the dough feels smooth, stretchy and elastic. Return to the bowl and set aside to rest.

Sandwich the chilled butter between two sheets of greaseproof paper and roll out to a 30x20cm rectangle, about 1cm thick. Chill in the fridge until needed.

Turn the dough out again onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a rectangle 60x30cm. Peel the greaseproof paper from the butter and place the butter centrally on top of the pastry rectangle. Fold one edge of the pastry over the butter to half-cover it, then do the same with the other edge of the pastry so that the butter is covered. Fold the rectangle in half lengthways, then give it a quarter-turn and roll out again to a rectangle measuring 60x30cm.

Repeat the folding, turning and rolling process, as before, three more times (do not roll out the pastry the final time you fold and turn it). Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge overnight.
When the pastry has rested, roll it out to a thickness of 0.5cm. Cut the pastry into two 50x20cm strips, then cut each strip into triangles about 10cm wide at the base.

With the narrow point of one of the pastry triangles facing away from you, use your fingertips to stretch the two points of the triangle nearest to you out sideways so that they bow a little. Roll the pastry over itself, curling it into a traditional crescent shape, so that the furthest point of the triangle ends up curled over the top of the croissant. Repeat the process with the remaining pastry triangles to create about 20 croissants.

Place the croissants onto baking trays lined with silicone paper or baking parchment. Brush them all over with the beaten egg, then set aside to prove for 30-45 minutes. (The croissants can be frozen at this point, if desired.)

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan. Bake the croissants for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown. Serve warm with jam and butter.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours


Apple Pancakes

Serves 4

Ingredients
for the pancakes
¾ cup milk (about 200 ml)
1½ tablespoons vinegar
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil

caramelized apples
2 tablespoon butter
2 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅓ cup maple syrup

Method
Whisk together the milk and vinegar and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

While the milk is curdling (the milk will literally start to separate. Don't be alarmed, this is supposed to happen!), whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk egg and oil into milk. Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined (don't over-mix, it should still have some lumps).

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and grease with some sunflower oil. Pour large spoonfuls of the batter into the pan. Cook about 2 minutes until bubbles form and the edges start to look "dry". Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook another 1-2 minutes on the other side. Set the pancakes aside and repeat with remaining batter.

Using the same pan, add the butter, apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir over medium heat 3-5 minutes until apples are tender. Add the maple syrup. Serve the apples over the warm pancakes.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours


Potato Rosti with Poached Egg, Smoked Salmon and Hollandaise

This is our prefect recipe to make for that someone special in your life. We advise giving it a practice beforehand, so that you can execute all the elements perfectly.

Serves 2

Ingredients
Hollandaise Sauce
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
a little salt and pepper
200 - 250 g butter, chopped

Rosti
3 nicola potatoes
salt
pepper
olive oil
30 g butter

2 eggs
splash of white wine vinegar
1 pack smoked salmon
small bunch fresh chives, finely chopped

Method
Start by making the Hollandaise. Place the egg yolks in a Bain Marie pan or a small bowl. Beat well. Add the water, lemon juice and salt and beat together over hot water (au Bain Marie) until it thickens. Gradually beat in the butter, a couple small pieces at a time. Make sure to soften the butter slightly in your fingers before adding. Continue until all the butter is used and the mixture becomes thicker. If you feel the bowl is becoming too hot, remove from the heat for a short time to cool it down. It must be hot enough to cook the eggs and emulsify the butter, but not too hot so that the eggs scramble!

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Check the balance of flavour and add more lemon if desired. Keep warm over the hot water, but keep an eye on it. It might have to be stirred from time to time. If it gets too thick before serving, add a splash of cold water to thin it down.

Now for the rosti's. Peel the potatoes and coarsely grate them. Place the grated potatoes in a clean tea towel and squeeze out the liquid. Place the potato in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a small frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place the grated potato in the pan, pressing it down. Fry on a medium heat until golden brown. When the edges of the rosti begin to colour, add half the butter around the edges of the pan. Carefully flip the rosti over and continue frying until the other side is golden. Repeat with the remaining potato and keep both rosti's warm in the oven (100° C).

Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Add a splash of white wine vinegar and turn the heat down, so that the water gently simmers. Break the eggs into 2 cups. Use a whisk to stir the water vigorously, forming a 'whirlwind'. Carefully add the eggs to the pot so that the yolks become enveloped in the egg white. Cook the eggs for 2- 2 1/2 minutes. The yolks should still be soft.

To serve, place a rosti on each serving plate. Drape the salmon on top of each rosti. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and drain on a tea towel. Sprinkle each egg with a touch of salt and pepper. Lay the eggs on the salmon, spoon over the Hollandaise sauce and finish with the chopped chives.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours 

 


Shakshuka

Shakshuka is an Israeli breakfast dish consisting of eggs poached in a sauce of peppers and tomato. In recent years it has become more famous and found it's way into many new restaurants and cafes around the world. Here's how to make it yourself.

Serves 2

Ingredients
olive oil
1 teaspoon harissa paste
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 yellow red pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 tin tomatoes
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt
pepper
4 tablespoons Greek yoghurt, to serve
coriander or parsley leaves to serve, optional
crispy bread or pita's, to serve

Method
Slice the onion and peppers into thin strips and finely chop the garlic.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Fry the peppers and onions for about 10 minutes, adding the garlic for the last minute. Add the harissa, cumin and smoked paprika powder to the pan and fry for a further 3 minutes.

Add the tin of tomatoes, salt, pepper and 100 ml water to the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Make 4 ‘wells’ in the sauce. Gently crack the eggs into the wells. Place a lid over the pan and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until the egg whites have set and the yolks are still soft. Swirl the egg white through the sauce using a fork so that it sets quicker, if you wish. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the Greek yoghurt in small bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Divide the sauce and eggs between 2 plates. Serve with the Greek yoghurt. Delicious served with fresh bread or pita.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours