Eton mess with espresso merengues
Ingredients
Meringues
100g egg white
200g caster sugar
drop of lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
To finish
500 ml whipped cream, sweetened
250 g blackberries
maple syrup, to drizzle
hazelnut praline, to sprinkle (see below for recipe)
Method
Preheat an oven to 110 ° C. Rub a bowl with a few drops of lemon juice.
Put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until stiff. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the meringue is thick and glossy. Whisk instant espresso powder, to taste, through the meringue.
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and spoon on the meringue. Bake in the oven for about 1 to 2 hours.
Crush a layer of meringues into a serving bowl. Top with some whipped cream, blackberries and blackberry sauce. Repeat ending with a layer of crushed meringues.
Alternatively, give it more of an avant garde look by 'deconstructing' the Eton Mess on beautiful plates and serving them to your guests. Let your imagine run wild when it comes to the plating. Serve at once so that the meringues are still nice and crispy.
Praline
Ingredients
100g castor sugar
100g hazelnuts
Method
Put the sugar and hazelnuts into a heavy-based sauté-pan over a low heat until the sugar gradually melts and turns a rich caramel colour. Do not stir. When the sugar has caramelized and not before, carefully rotate the pan until the nuts are all covered with the caramel. When the nuts go ‘pop’ pour the praline on to an oiled baking sheet. Leave to get quite cold. When the praline is hard, crush in a food processor or with a rolling pin. The texture should be quite coarse and gritty. Store in an airtight container.
Caribbean Cooking Workshop
Bring some tropical sunshine into your home with these Caribbean recipes from one of our popular cooking workshops.
Exotic Avocado Salad
Ingredients
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 ripe papaya
1 ripe avocado
2 bunches trimmed and washed watercress
half small pack fresh mint
juice of half lime
1 tbsp olive oil
Method
Dry-fry the pumpkin seeds in a frying pan for a few minutes, tossing and turning them until they look toasted. Tip them out of the pan and let them go cold. Peel the papayas, halve them lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh into long, thin slices. Halve the avocados and remove the stones, then peel off the skin and slice the flesh lengthways into thin slices.
Put the papayas, avocados, pumpkin seeds and watercress into a large bowl. Chop about 1 tablespoon of the mint leaves and set aside. Pick the remaining leaves from the stalks and tear them into the bowl.
Mix the lime juice and olive oil with the rest of the chopped mint to make a dressing, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour over the salad and gently mix all the ingredients together with your hands.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it, then transfer to a serving platter.
Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas
Ingredients
12 chicken thighs, bone in
1 lime, halved
hot sauce, to serve (optional)
For the jerk marinade
1 big bunch spring onions, roughly chopped
thumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
½ a small onion
3 scotch bonnet chillies, deseeded if you want less heat (be careful!! Start with 1)
½ tsp dried thyme, or 1 Tbsp thyme leaves
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp ground allspice
For the rice & peas
200g basmati rice
400g can coconut milk
1 bunch spring onions, sliced
2 large thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp ground allspice
2 x 410g cans kidney beans, drained
Method
To make the jerk marinade, combine 1 big bunch roughly chopped spring onions, a roughly chopped thumb-sized piece ginger, 3 garlic cloves, ½ small onion, 3 scotch bonnet chillies, deseeded if you like, ½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp thyme leaves, juice of 1 lime, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp ground allspice in a food processor along with 1 tsp salt, and blend to a purée.
If you’re having trouble getting it to blend, just keep turning off the blender, stirring the mixture, and trying again. Eventually it will start to blend up – don’t be tempted to add water, as you want a thick paste. Taste the jerk mixture for seasoning – it should taste pretty salty, but not unpleasantly, puckering salty. You can now throw in more chillies if it’s not spicy enough for you. If it tastes too salty and sour, try adding in a bit more brown sugar until the mixture tastes well balanced.
Make a few slashes in 12 chicken thighs and pour the marinade over the meat, rubbing it into all the crevices. Cover and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge. If you want to barbecue your chicken, get the coals burning 1 hr or so before you’re ready to cook. Authentic jerked meats are not exactly grilled as we think of grilling, but sort of smoke-grilled. To get a more authentic jerk experience, add some wood chips to your barbecue, and cook your chicken over slow, indirect heat for 30 mins.
To cook in the oven, heat to 180C. Put the chicken pieces in a roasting tin with 1 halved lime and cook for 45 mins until tender and cooked through.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice & peas. Rinse 200g basmati rice in plenty of cold water, then tip it into a large saucepan. Add 400g can coconut milk, 1 bunch sliced spring onions, 2 large thyme sprigs, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 1 tsp ground allspice.
Season with salt, add 300ml cold water and set over a high heat. Once the rice begins to boil, turn it down to a medium heat, cover and cook for 10 mins. Add two 410g cans drained kidney beans to the rice, then cover with a lid. Leave off the heat for 5 mins until all the liquid is absorbed. Squeeze the roasted lime over the chicken and serve with the rice & peas, and some hot sauce if you like it really spicy.
Spicy Prawn Skewers
Ingredients
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, finely chopped
½ small bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
½ tsp hot smoked paprika
4 tbsp olive oil
400g raw king prawns, in their shells if you like, or keep the tails on
1 jar Peppadew hot sweet piquanté peppers, drained
lemon wedges, to serve
Method
Whisk the garlic, chilli, parsley, both types of paprika and olive oil together. Stir through the prawns and season well. Cover, put in the fridge and leave to marinate for at least 30 mins before threading on to skewers, interspersing them with a few of the peppers, so that each skewer has about 4-5 prawns.
Heat a grill pan over high heat and grill the skewers for 3-4 mins until pink and opaque. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon and plenty of saffron aïoli.
Vegetable Boxes from Lindenhoff
Our friends at Lindenhoff have two fantastic boxes available at restaurant prices, both filled with seasonal products. The first called ‘Hollandse Glorie’ or Dutch Pride is filled with onions, potatoes, leeks, Belgian endive, carrots and garlic and retails now for €11,25. The other box is the ‘knollen bundel’ or root vegetable box filled with Jerusalem artichoke, parsnip, celeriac and salsify. It retails for €12,25. You can order the boxes through us and pick them up from our venue at the Westergas. The first person to order a box via us will get another box free as a gift. Email us at bernadette@amsterdamflavours.com to order. Please order before 18.00 so that the delivery can be ordered for the following day.
Courgette Carbonara
Serves 2
Ingredients
150 g spaghetti (regular, wholewheat or spelt)
2 courgettes
1 onion
1 clove garlic
3 eggs
50g grated Parmesan
50g grated Pecorino
1 small bunch of basil
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
Method
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Coarsely grate the courgettes and finely chop the onion and garlic. In a bowl, whisk together 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sweat the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a further 1 minute. Add the grated courgette and fry for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook the spaghetti in the pan boiling water according to the instructions on the pack. Pick the basil leaves. Drain the spaghetti, reserving a cup of the cooking water.
Mix the spaghetti with the courgette mixture. Remove the pan from the heat, add the eggs and half of each cheese. Mix all the ingredients well and add some of the pasta cooking liquid to create a ‘creamy’ pasta. Add some extra salt and pepper if necessary.
Divide the pasta between 2 bowls. Scatter over the basil leaves and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.
Beetroot and Buratta Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon Sherry or red wine vinegar
500g pack cooked organic beetroot
1 small baguette
1 ball burrata
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 small bunch dill
1 stalk rosemary
1 small bunch chervil
125g bull’s blood leaves
Method
Preheat an oven to 180°C. Cut each beetroot into 6 wedges and place in a roasting dish with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
Break the small baguette into crumbs and finely chop the rosemary. Add both ingredients to a bowl with 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and fry the breadcrumbs until golden brown. Place in a bowl and set aside.
Fry ¾ of the bull’s blood in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 10 seconds, season with salt and pepper. Pick the chervil leaves and finely chop the dill. Mix the beetroot together with the herbs and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the bulls blood between 2 plates and spoon the beetroot on top. Tear the burrata between the 2 plates, laying it on top and finish with the uncooked bulls blood leaves.
Chana Masala
Ingredients
1 onion, sliced
5 cm piece ginger, peeled and roughly sliced
3 cloves garlic, roughly sliced
1 green chili pepper, roughly sliced
4 teaspoons creme fraiche
2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons oil
3-4 cans organic chickpeas
2 tablespoons passata
salt
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan and fry the onion, ginger, garlic and chili pepper for 6-7 minutes until they are soft and golden brown. Put the mixture in a blender with 2 tablespoons of the chickpeas and the passata. Add 180-200 ml of water and blend into a smooth paste.
Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan over medium heat and add the fenugreek, five spice powder, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Cook for 30-40 seconds.
Add the chickpea paste and fry for 1 minute. Add the turmeric, garam masala and cumin, along with 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander and salt to taste.
Stir in the rest of the chickpeas, add 100 ml of water, put the lid on the pan and let simmer for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the creme fraiche and the rest of the coriander and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and creamy.
Sprinkle with a little coriander and garam masala and serve swirled with a little extra creme fraiche.
Parsnip Risotto
Ingredients
3 pork sausages
900g parsnips
2 vegetable stock cubes
1 large onion
300g risotto rice
45g mascarpone
40g grated Parmesan
1 small bunch sage
1 tablespoon truffle paste
4 tablespoons olive oil
60g butter
1 glass white wine
salt and pepper
Method
1
Preheat an oven to 220°C. Remove the sausage meat from the skins and shape into small meatballs. Peel the parsnips and cut half of them lengthways into 6-8 pieces. Place in a roasting dish together with the sausage meatballs. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes until the meatballs and parsnip are cooked and golden brown.
2
Grate the remaining parsnips and finely chop the onion. Dissolve the stock cubes in a pan with 1,5 litres hot water and keep just under boiling point over a low heat.
3
Heat a pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 30g of butter. Sweat the onion for about 6 minutes. Add the grated parsnip and fry for 2 minutes. Add the rice and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add a glass of white wine and allow to reduce until all but 1 tablespoon wine remains. Add the stock, a soup ladle at a time, until the rice has absorbed the stock. Stir gently every so often. When the bouillon has been absorbed, it’s time to add the next ladleful. In total, this process should take about 17 minutes.
4
Add the mascarpone, grated Parmesan and truffle paste to the risotto. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the risotto with a lid and leave to stand for 5 minutes. In the meantime, heat a frying pan over medium heat with 30 gr butter and fry the sage leaves until crisp and until the butter is nut brown in colour.
5
Divide the risotto between 3 bowls. Lay the roasted parsnips and sausage meatballs on top. Spoon over the crisp sage leaves and brown butter and serve.
lychees in indian sugar syrup
Ingredients
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 kg lychees, peeled and deseeded
2 cloves
1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
1 vanilla bean
110 g castor sugar
Method
Place the sugar with 110 ml water and all the spices in a pan. Bring to the boil and cook until the sugar has dissolved.
Meanwhile, place the lychees (or fruits, see below) on a flat dish and pour the syrup over the fruit. Let stand for at least 1 hour before serving.
This can also be made into a fruit salad using the following fruits and quantities instead of only lychees.
1 pineapple, cut into large pieces
1 mango, cut into thin slices
2 kiwis, cut into thin slices
1 blood orange, peeled and sliced
5 lychees, halved
½ papaya, chopped
Creamy polenta with radicchio and mushrooms
A warm and comforting wintery dish. Make it vegetarian by substituting the pancetta with raddichio
Ingredients
5 g dried porcini mushrooms (5 grams)
500 ml milk
500 ml vegetable stock
125 g polenta
6 slices pancetta or 1 radicchio
2 portobello mushrooms or 500 g mixed wild mushrooms
10 g fresh oregano
1 bunch winter purslane
50 g soft goat cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
50 g butter
50 g grated Parmesan
Method
1
Put the dried porcini in a small bowl and add enough warm water to cover the mushrooms. Soak the porcini until they are soft. Put 30 ml of the soaking liquid aside. Finely chop the porcini. Cut the portobello into thin slices or wash and tear the wild mushrooms.
2
Place the milk and stock in a pan. Bring to boil. Stir in the polenta and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes until the polenta becomes thick and creamy.
3
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and fry the pancetta for 2 minutes on each side. Remove them from the pan and place them on a plate. Alternatively, cut the raddichio in half, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill in a grill pan for 2 minutes on each side. In the frying pan over high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Fry the portobello or wild mushrooms together with the porcini and half of the oregano for 2-3 minutes. Add the porcini soaking liquid and let it reduce slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
4
Put the mushrooms in a bowl and carefully mix in the winter purslane.
5
Stir the butter and grated Parmesan through the polenta and season with salt and pepper. Divide the polenta between 2 plates. Spoon the mushroom mixture on top and place the fried pancetta or grilled raddichio on top. Sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese and the remaining oregano leaves. Drizzle over some olive oil over it and serve immediately.
Sophie Eats
Sophie Eats is a new deli that has opened up in Amsterdam's Rivierenbuurt.
Sophie trained at Leith's in London and started catering from a shared kitchen in the city. She has quickly built up an name and good reputation for food that not only tastes good but looks beautiful too.
She recently realised her dream of opening her own deli where she serves her delicious cakes, salads and great coffee, alongside the fact that she now has her own kitchen from which to do all her catering.
Visit her beautiful deli. It's friendly, warm and inviting, just like Sophie is in person.