Marshmallow with raspberries
Ingredients
2 egg whites
12 leaves gelatine
pinch of salt
500 g castor sugar
350 ml water
1 tablespoon flavourings rose water
1 punnet fresh raspberries
Method
Put the sugar and water in a pan and boil until they reach 127 C. Begin to beat the egg whites in an electric mixer when the sugar is at 121C. Soften the gelatine leaves is water and then dissolve the gelatine in the hot syrup.
Pour the syrup slowly on to the whisked egg whites and add the rosewater. Let it whisk until cold and working quickly, pour half the marshmallow mixture into a tin or container dusted with a mixture of equal quantities of cornstarch and icing sugar. Lay the raspberries on top and cover with the remaining marshmallow mixture. Let it cool completely and then cut into cubes. Dust with the cornstarch/sugar mixture and serve. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container.
Traditional Oliebollen
An oliebol is a traditional Dutch food. They are called oliebollen (literally oil spheres) in the Netherlands. In English they are more commonly known as Dutch Doughnuts or Dutchies.
Oliebollen are a variety of dumpling made by using an ice-scooper or two spoons to scoop a certain amount of dough and dropping the dough into a deep fryer filled with hot oil. In this way, a sphere-shaped oliebol emerges. Oliebollen are traditionally eaten on New Year's Eve and at funfairs. In wintertime, they are also sold in the street at mobile stalls.
Makes about 25
Ingredients
125 g golden raisins
75 g currants
50 g butter
500 ml buttermilk
10 g dried yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
500 g flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 litre sunflower oil
cinnamon-sugar or icing sugar for dusting
Method
Place the dried fruit in a bowl and pour over 300 ml boiling water. Allow the fruit to swell up for 15 minutes, then pour off the water.
In the meantime, gently heat the buttermilk and butter in a saucepan over low heat until lukewarm. Place the yeast and sugar in a bowl and stir in the warmed buttermilk.
Place the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Add the yeast mixture and beaten egg to the flour and mix to a thick batter.
Roughly chop the fruit and add to the batter and mix well. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a large pan or deep fryer to 180 C. Dip an ice cream scoop or 2 tablespoons in the oil to prevent the batter from sticking and drop the spoonfuls in the oil. Fry for about 6 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
Drain the oliebollen on kitchen paper and roll in cinnamon sugar or dust with icing sugar. Serve with a glass of champagne or sparkling wine and toast the new year in.
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
Pheasant with Creamy Brussel Sprouts, Chestnuts and Bacon
With just a few more weeks to go until Christmas, it's time to find ideas of what to serve. This is a delicious main course using pheasant, a great change from the traditional turkey or ham. This dish is also quick and simple to prepare and won't require hours of slaving in the kitchen.
Serves 2
Ingredients
3 pheasant breasts
100 gr pack vacuum packed chestnuts
100 gr lardons
250 gr Brussel sprouts
125 ml tub cream
20 gr cube butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
75 ml red wine
75 ml port
salt
pepper
Method
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the Brussel sprouts to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the sprouts to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and fry the lardons until golden brown. Check the pheasant breasts for any shot (little pieces of bullet).
Add the chestnuts and Brussel sprouts and fry for 1 minute. Add the cream, salt and pepper and leave over a low heat.
Season the pheasant breasts with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Lay the pheasant, skin-side down in the pan and fry for 2 minutes. Turn over and fry for a further 1 minute (the pheasant breasts should still be pink inside).
Remove the pheasant from the pan and set aside. Deglaze the pan with 75 ml red wine and 75 ml port and reduce until the sauce becomes thicker. Stir 1 cube butter through. Slice the pheasant breasts diagonally. Spoon the creamy Brussel sprouts and chestnuts in the middle of 2 plates. Lay the pheasant on top and spoon over the sauce.
Red Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup
Keep the cold at bay with this warm and comforting soup which is also happens to be incredibly healthy.
Serves 2
Ingredients
200 g red split lentils
1 vegetable stock cube
1 red onion
200 g swiss chard
1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 garlic cloves
1 lemon
1 bag coriander
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Dissolve the stock cube in 1 litre hot water.
Heat a pot over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sweat the red onion for 2 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and fry for a further 1 minute.
Add the spices, lentils and stock to the pot. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. If necessary, remove the froth with a soup ladle.
Slice the stalks away from the leaves of the swiss chard. Wash the chard and drain in a colander. Finely slice the leaves and slice the stalks on the diagonal into 1 cm pieces. Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil and fry the chard stalks for 4 minutes, add the leaves and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Blend the cooked lentils with a stick blender to a coarse soup. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the fried chard to the lentil soup and add lemon juice to taste. Pick the coriander leaves. Divide the soup between 2 bowls and garnish with the coriander.
Preserved Tomatoes
A great way of preserving tomatoes when they are at their best during the summer months. Use them during the winter in pasta sauces, on cheese sandwiches or in a tomato salsa.
Ingredients
2 litres water
60 gr caster sugar
30 gr salt
4 bay leaves
5 cloves
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
130 ml white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 kg firm ripe tomatoes, cut into pieces
10 sprigs dill, roughly chopped
100 g celery, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 onions, finely sliced
Method
Bring a large pan with the water, sugar, salt, bay leaves, cloves and mustard seeds to the boil. Once the water has boiled, turn off the heat and allow the water to cool so that all the flavours are released.
Once it's completely cooled, add the vinegar and mix well. Pour the sunflower oil into a 2 liter preserving jar. Place the tomato, dill, celery and garlic in the jar. Add the onions last, so that they are on top. Pour over the cooled liquid, close the lid and place the jar in a warm place (25 C) for 10 days.
The tomatoes, if well sealed, can keep for up to 6 months.
Sticky Soy and Ginger Chicken
Make the most of the beautiful weather. There's nothing better than enjoying this dish al fresco.
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 chicken drumsticks
2 chicken thighs
1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
3 cloves garlic
50g piece ginger
200g sugar snaps
1 container pea cress
2 tablespoons olive oil
75 ml Soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
salt
pepper
Method
1
Preheat the oven 200° C. Peel the ginger and slice thinly. Grease a roasting dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the ginger, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic cloves, Chinese 5 spice and chicken to the dish. Mix all the ingredients well. Place in the oven for a total of about 40 minutes.
2
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the sugar snaps for about 3 minutes or until al dente. Drain them off and cool under cold running water. Set aside.
3
After 20 minutes, mix the chicken around in the roasting dish adding a good splash of water and return to the oven for 20 minutes.
4
Mix together the pea cress and sugar snaps. Dress with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Divide between 2 plates. Lay the chicken on the side and spoon over the soy juices from the roasting dish.
Lamb Chop with Hummus and Feta
Spring is here and lamb is now at it's best. It lends itself well to many different cooking methods and flavours, the most well known being mint, garlic and rosemary. Here we've taken a mediterranean influence to our dish, with flavours the really compliment one another.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 lamb chops
2 aubergines
2 red onions
2 tins chickpeas
1 lemon
100 g piece feta
1 bunch mint
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons sunflower oil
salt
pepper
Method
1
Slice the aubergines and finely slice the red onions. Place the red onion in a bowl with lemon juice to taste, 2 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.
2
Drain the liquid from the chickpeas and place them in a jug or tall container. Crumble in half the feta, add 2-4 tablespoons water and blend with a stick blender. Heat a frying pan with 3 tablespoons sunflower oil and fry the aubergine slices until golden. Season with salt and pepper.
3
Heat a grill pan with 3 tablespoons sunflower oil. Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper and grill for about 3 minutes on each side.
4
Pick the mint leaves and finely shred. Mix through the red onion relish. Divide the hummus between 4 plates and lay a lamb chop on top. Serve with the red onion relish and aubergines.
Grilled White Asparagus with Smoked Salmon and Tarragon Sauce
It's a week until Easter and you're still probably wondering what to make? We always think of asparagus, but because of the extended cold snap this year, we'll have to be patient a little longer. Hopefully you'll be able to get your hands on some white gold, the first of the season's Dutch white asparagus just in time.
Serves 4
Ingredients
24 white asparagus
400g sliced smoked salmon
1 bunch tarragon
250 ml tub cream
2 shallots
200 g butter
200 ml white wine
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1
Peel the white asparagus and cut off a 1 cm piece from the tough stalk end. Finely chop the shallots. Place the asparagus in a pan with cold water and salt, place the asparagus peelings on top and bring to the boil. Boil for 1 minute, turn off the heat and allow the asparagus to stand in the hot water for about 2 minutes.
2
Heat a pan with 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and sweat the shallots for 5 minutes. Add 200 ml white wine and simmer until reduced by three-quarters. Add the tub of cream and simmer until reduced by half.
3
Remove the asparagus from the water and discard the peelings. Dry the asparagus on a clean tea towel. Drizzle over 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan over medium heat and grill the asparagus until golden brown.
4
Strain the sauce to remove the shallot and return to the pan over a low heat. Cut the butter into pieces and whisk into the sauce. Pick the tarragon leaves off the stalks and chop finely.
5
Divide the grilled asparagus between 4 plates and lay the smoked salmon on top. Stir the tarragon through the sauce and spoon over the asparagus.
Mushroom Carbonara
A vegetarian version of one of our favourite pasta dishes.
Serves 2
Ingredients
500 g mixed mushrooms
200 g tagliatelle
3 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
4 eggs
250 ml cream
75 g grated Parmesan
Olive oil (3 tablespoons)
Salt
Pepper
Method
1
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Finely chop the garlic. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a piece of kitchen paper and remove the hard stalks. Cut the mushrooms in half, if necessary.
2
Heat a frying pan with 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Strip the thyme leaves off the stalks. Fry the mushrooms for about 4 minutes until golden brown. Add the garlic and thyme leaves to the pan for the final minute of cooking.
3
Place the tagliatelle in the pot of boiling water and cook for about 4-6 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta off and return to the pot. Separate the eggs; place the yolks in a small bowl and whisk together with 200 ml of the cream, salt and pepper.
4
Mix the tagliatelle with the egg and cream mixture, the fried mushrooms and half the Parmesan, until the egg yolks warm through and begin to thicken and coat the pasta (you might need to do this over a very low heat). Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the pasta into a bowl and scatter with the remaining Parmesan.
Croissant Bread Pudding
Serves 4
Ingredients
100 g golden raisins
sweet sherry, vin santo or marsala, for soaking the raisins
6 croissants
4 eggs
500 ml cream
100g sugar, plus extra for sprinkling over the pudding
1 vanilla pod
20 g butter
250 ml milk
pinch of salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180° C. Place the raisins in a pot and add enough of your chosen alcohol to just cover the raisins. Bring to just below boiling point and set aside to allow the raisins to swell up. Slice the croissants and grease a roasting dish with the butter.
Scatter half the raisins over the roasting dish with some of some of the alcohol.
Place the croissants in the roasting dish and scatter over the remaining raisins. Place the eggs, 400 ml cream, the milk, sugar, the seeds from the vanilla pod and a pinch of salt in a bowl and whisk the ingredients well together. Pour the mixture over the croissants, sprinkle generously with more sugar and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
Bake the bread pudding in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the egg mixture has set. Remove the dish from the oven and serve with the remaining cream.
Tip: Also delicious served with vanilla ice cream. If there is any pudding left over, it can still be enjoyed the following day either served cold or reheated for 30 seconds in the microwave.
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