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.