Salmon Ceviche with Fennel Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the ceviche
250g salmon fillet, skinned
2 tbsp rock salt
1 tbsp red chillies, finely diced
75ml pink grapefruit juice
1 tbsp lime zest
150ml lime juice (about 5 limes)
20g caster sugar
30 coriander leaves, finely chopped
For the salad
1 fennel bulb, finely sliced (using a mandolin if possible)
110g rocket leaves
Method
For the ceviche, lightly sprinkle the salmon fillet with rock salt. Transfer to the fridge and leave for 20 minutes.
Remove the salmon from the fridge, carefully wash off all the salt and pat it dry.
In a small bowl, mix the chillies, grapefruit juice, lime zest and juice together and add the sugar. Add the coriander at the last minute and toss to combine.
Slice the salmon at an angle - each piece needs to be about 2-3mm thick.
Lay four slices evenly in a straight line onto each serving plate.
Spoon all but two tablespoons of the ceviche dressing over the salmon. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
For the salad, soak the sliced fennel in iced water for 2-3 minutes, before removing and draining. Mix with the salad leaves and the reserved two tablespoons of the ceviche dressing.
Place the fennel salad on top of the salmon and serve.
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
Green smoothie
Ingredients
3 apples
1 small cucumber
1/2 pineapple
small bunch parsley
1/2 cup natural yoghurt
Method
Peel the apples, remove the core and seeds and chop up. Peel the pineapple, remove the core and chop roughly.
Peel the cucumber and cut into chunks. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into tall glasses and serve garnished with fresh strawberries.
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
Salted Caramel Brownies
Ingredients
butter, for greasing
350g dark chocolate, broken in small pieces
250g unsalted butter
3 eggs
250g dark brown sugar
100g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 tablespoons salted caramel
Method
Heat the oven to 170°C. Lightly grease a 22cm square cake tin.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the eggs and sugar together for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
Sieve the flour and baking powder into the mixture and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the cake tin. Dot the top with dollops of salted caramel.
Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for about 35 minutes until the surface is set. It is cooked when it just starts to crack on the top. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool completely in the tin.
Slice the brownie into squares and serve with vanilla ice cream.
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
Restaurant Visaandeschelde
Sometimes in life, things are worth waiting for.
We've heard for many years that VisaandeSchelde is one of the best fish and seafood restaurants in Amsterdam, however we've never had the chance to experience it for ourselves. Until now, that is.
Situated on the Scheldestraat opposite the RAI convention centre, the restaurant is well located within the city and easily accessible. The interior makes use of hand-crafted materials, herring-bone patterns and special lighting to complement the area and food being served. Old techniques, crafts and beautiful reused materials have been deployed in the interior design. The combination of materials, images and patterns have been used in such a way as to create several different spaces within the restaurant.
On arrival we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff. Once seated, our glasses were immediately filled with a stunning Limoux sparkling Rose. A gorgeous aperitief with quite a robust bubble. However, it held it's own with the snack and amuse. The snack was a signature dish of the restaurant in bite-size: a crispy 'cup' filled with a bouillabaisse foam and shrimp tail - superb!
The amuse that followed was a story of two parts. The Patron cuisinier-owner, Michiel Deenik, who serves and engages his guests, suggested we start with the soup. The soup was a cold Dashi (a Japanese soup made from kombu [dried seaweed] and bonito [dried tuna]) which was flavoured with coriander and spring onions with a few ocean jewels, such as an oyster and mussel to embellish. The dashi was sublime, packed full of flavour yet so clean on the palate. The other half of the amuse was a puree of sweetcorn with fresh water crayfish and a buttermilk and lemongrass foam. It was quite a shock going from something so savoury to something quite sweet, but the more one ate, the better it got. We couldn't detect any lemongrass in the foam, which may have helped the balance of the dish.
The starter that followed was a beautiful sashimi of Big Eye tuna, glazed with teriyaki and served with a tom kai gai dressing. Beautiful deep red tuna, as fresh as one can get. The accompanying garnish brough the dish to life. It was palate of preparations of cucumber, smoked pineapple, caviar, sourdough crouton, avocado puree, lemongrass gel, ama ebi prawn and edible flowers. With so many ingredients, a skillful touch is needed to achieve balance and this is just what it was. The dish was paired with Branco Vinho Verde, which was lemony on the nose and floral on the palate. Paired with the dish, a lychee flavour came to the fore.
Our second course was pan roasted sea bream with a heavenly crispy skin, tartare of raw sea bream, mushroom and anchovy tapenade, red pepper ice cream and a squid ink and olive oil dressing. In one word this dish was WOW! Definitely one of our favourites. This was an explosion of flavours, textures and temperatures. We use sea bream often in our recipes but have never used it raw. We will do now. Red pepper can so easily over-power other ingredients, but here it was perfectly judged and added a beautiful sweetness to the dish. This was paired with a Parva Res from Sicily, with stone fruit aromas. We detected notes of papaya when accompanied with the dish.
Main course was an interpretation of surf and turf. We had Zander (snoekbaars in Dutch), braised in brown butter accompanied with a beef stew, chantarelles, roast beetroot, beetroot puree and long pepper. This was a very rich dish, with the meaty flavours dominating. The sweetness of the beetroot counteracted the richness of the braised beef. The dish was paired with 4 Meses Jumilla red from Spain. A perfect wine which was light enough for the fish but rich enough to stand up to the beefy flavours.
We had just enough room left to share dessert. The 2 varieties of kiwi with kiwi gel, custard and coconut marshmallow and sponge looked picture perfect but didn't live up to the quality of the other dishes. The wine, an Auslese Muskat Ottonel was lovely. Our espresso came with unexpected friandise; the creme brûlée and canelle (French pastry) were absolute stunners.
Michiel shared his personal story with us that he originally started the restaurant with his friend, who sadly passed away a few years ago. The story and the journey they made is reflected in the dishes. There is no better ode to someone special than to bring joy to others through good food and good wine.
For more information, please visit VisaandeSchelde.
Opening Le Creuset
On Tuesday 16th September, we catered the official opening of our partner, Le Creuset's, first branded store in Holland. Press and food bloggers were invited to attend, along with guest of honor, Alain Caron, who also unveiled a new range of pots that will be available from November.
In honour of Le Creuset's French heritage, we decided to serve food with a French flavour. To start, we served Gougeres and toasts with wild mushrooms and Reblochon cheese. For mains we made Boeuf Bourguignon in small Le Creuset pots and to finish, a classic tarte au citron.
You can find the store on the Heiligeweg in Amsterdam.
For more information, please visit Le Creuset.
Bilder & de Clercq's new recipes week 38
As you may know by now, we are the chefs behind Amsterdam hotspot, Bilder & de Clercq. Every week we develop 3 new recipes for the stores and we'll be keeping you updated with the week's newest recipes. This weeks new recipes are:
Easy 'Fondue' (baked cheese)
Ingredients
2 Saint Felicien or other favourite cheese, in an oven-proof container
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs rosemary
1 small Turkish bread
2 figs
2 Belgian endive
olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 200° C. Remove the plastic from the cheeses and place them back in their containers. Make a few incisions in to the cheeses. Slice one garlic clove into thin slivers and finely chop the other. Pick the rosemary leaves off the stalks. Insert the garlic slivers and some of the rosemary leaves into the incisions made in the cheeses.
Drizzle the bread with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining rosemary and finely chopped garlic clove. Place the cheese in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.
Place the bread in the oven for the last 5 minutes of the cooking time. Slice the figs into wedges and loosen the leaves from the endive.
Slice the bread into ‘fingers’. Serve the melted cheese in their heatproof dishes on a wooden board with the figs, endive and bread.
* Saint Felicien is available at Bilder & de Clercq stores in Amsterdam.
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
Guest Report - Pat van den Wall Bake-Thompson
We are pleased to bring you our first guest report. And we could't think of anyone more appropriate to start with than Amsterdam cooking school doyenne, Pat van den Wall Bake-Thompson. It was while working at her cooking school that we first met one another. Thank you, Pat.
About Pat
Pat started La Cuisine Française, a cooking school, catering company and private restaurant on the Herengracht in Amsterdam in 1980 and ran it for 32 years.
Educated and trained in England as a Home Economist, Pat’s first work was for Birds Eye frozen foods, followed by two and half years for the Dutch Dairy Bureau, traveling around exhibitions, schools and women’s institutes in England demonstrating and teaching about Dutch cheese and butter. She then spent two years as teacher at the famous Cordon Bleu cookery school in England.
Pat has worked as a food consultant giving demonstrations for food equipment such as the food processor and the microwave in the 1980’s. She has also worked for the main food companies in Holland arranging promotions for new products, developing products for the major food manufacturers and partaking in congresses and workshops world wide, writing recipes for magazines and having 5 of her own books published.
Author of 5 books
- De Franse keuken, een open boek
- Kookboek voor Golfers
- Kookboek voor de Magimix
- Kookboek voor de Magimix deel 2
- Koken voor de Combi-Magnetron
Pat retired from cooking in 2012, but continues to keep herself active. When she's not travelling, she's sharing her recipes, anecdotes and everyday experiences on her blog Pat's Pantry.
Pat's Choices
WHERE TO STAY
I have the luxury of having a garden house for my friends and family to stay in.
For business people, wedding couples who have had their dinner parties or wedding ceremony at La Cuisine Francaise and for visiting culinary authors and specialists, I always suggest the Ambassade Hotel, just across the street from my canal house, Herengracht 314.
Patricia Wells, Alan Davidson and many more well know authors have stayed there. The hotel has a small collection of their books in the library. Many years ago, the hotel made it a tradition to ask the authors to sign a copy of his or her book and place it in the collection. Worth a visit!
WHERE TO EAT
These are my favourites :
Bordewijk - on the Noordermarkt is No 1! True French cuisine in the hands of a Master Chef.
Restaurant As. - I could eat there every week. Not suprising, as the chef, Luuk Langedijk is an ex La Cuisine Francaise stagaire. I love the pure style of cuisine with superb organic products.
Halvermaan - John and Ester are wonderful people, the setting on the lake is beautiful, especially in the summer. Johns’ cuisine is still inventive and delicious,”characterized by self willed creativity and quality” his own words. It results in fantastic marriages of techniques and flavours.
OTHER PLACES I LOVE TO EXPLORE
Foyer - a pop up restaurant in Felix Meritus is my new favourite where 3 courses you only pay €29,50.
Wilde Zwijnen - good, easy and honest food.
Gebroeders Hartering - a firm favourite of mine. Young chefs producing pure food and a 4 to 7 course menu which changes daily.
Envy - I always return here, especially when invited out! 'Dat kan jij mij wakker voor maken'. Translated into English it means you can shake me awake to eat there. Richard Oostenbrugge, now chef at Hotel L’Europe, was chef when I first went there. It is still of a very high standard with a choice of small delicious dishes and wine by the glass. This is the way I like to eat these days.
Incanto - For Italian, which is one of my favourite cuisines. A formal and fine dining restaurant a stones away throw from home.
I am lucky to have a friend who always used to take me to a new restaurant before I had heard of it. For instance, Fyra. When they first opened, we where the only guests, now it is one of Amsterdamse busiest restaurants.
WHERE TO SHOP
Everywhere from Genko, to my local Marqt. I begin at the Noordermarket on a Saturday, then go on to browse the culinary Haarlemerdijk, stopping along the way to chat to all my friends and of course tasting what's on offer. Popping into Ibericus for a delicious Iberico ham sandwich is a must!
Fish from Schilder on the Albert Cuypstraat, one of my old suppliers.
I have been spoilt by fantastic suppliers to La Cuisine Francaise for 32 years, so now my foraging quest for my own personal suppliers continues.
The fish bible (visbijbel) by Bart van Olphen
The Fish Bible by Bart van Olphen is a fantastic guide to fish and seafood. The book details the different varieties of fish, the seasons and their preparations.
We particularly like the step-by-step guide to the recipes. We tested one of the recipes out by inviting one of our friends to cook. We decided on the fried sole to see if it worked as explained in the book. The method and guide were easy to follow and worked as said in the book. The dish was clean, simple and delicious, as we had hoped.
Bart is one of Holland's foremost experts on fish. Besides advising, hosting cooking workshops and catering, he also has a product range under the name Fishes. We are fans of his Instagram cooking videos under the name @bartsfishtales.
Publisher: Carrera Culinair
Author: Bart van Olphen
Price: 29,95 euro
Restaurant Keizersgracht 238
Restaurant Keizersgracht 238
Marvel at evocative views of Amsterdam’s most romantic canal while dining at Restaurant Keizersgracht 238. Its elegant ambience comprises a charming terrace along the canal, garden seating, an open kitchen, and unique artwork.
Savor a culinary experience during lunch or dinner in Restaurant Keizersgracht 238 offering grilled specialties and local market-fresh ingredients products with a wide open window to the world. Entrées include fresh whole lobster from the grill with lime mayonnaise, fennel salad, basil oil, and new potatoes, as well as Côte de Boeuf and dry-aged Weiderund entrecote, each served with our 238 herb butter, béarnaise sauce, and onion rings. Meals can be perfectly paired with a bottle from our distinguished wine list. Superb cuisine, a distinctive selection of wines and a unique atmosphere make Restaurant Keizersgracht 238 an ideal choice for dining.
For more information please visit Restaurant Keizersgracht 238.
