Spaghetti Vongole
Serves 4
Ingredients
400 g spaghetti
1 kg vongole or clams
1 red chilli pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 bunch parsley
olive oil
120 ml white wine
salt and ground black pepper
Method
Place the vongole in a bowl of cold water to soak. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Remove the seeds from the chilli and chop finely together with the garlic.
Place the pasta in the pot of boiling water and cook for about 10-12 minutes until al dente.
In the meantime, begin with the sauce. Drain the water from the vongole. Heat a pan with 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chilli and garlic and fry for 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the vongole and white wine. Mix well, bring to a boil and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the vongole for about 3-5 minutes until they have all opened, shaking the pan every so often.
Finely chop the parsley and stir through the vongole. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the spaghetti and combine with the vongole. Divide between 4 plates and finish with a good drizzle of olive oil.
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
The perfect green salad
The perfect green salad relies on the freshness of it's ingredients, the variety of lettuces and herbs you add and of course the perfect balance between a good olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice.
Start with a selection of leaves and herbs, preferably from the market. Examples are butter lettuce, cos, frisse, chicory, rocket and watercress. Bring in some freshness with herbs - mint, flat leaf parsley, onion cress, chives and basil.
You can add some texture if you like in the form of green asparagus (lightly blanched or grilled) or croutons.
Place all the ingredients for your salad in a large bowl. It's important to have room to lightly toss your salad with the dressing so that each leaf is evenly coated and not bruised by being over-worked.
The next important step is the dressing. The dressing should never overwhelm a salad, but compliment it's ingredients. The simplest and best form is a vinaigrette made from good olive oil, good vinegar or lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Basic vinaigrette dressing
2 tablespoons vinegar or 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional)
90 ml extra virgin olive oil
Method
In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar or lemon juice with the salt, pepper and mustard if using.
Gradually whisk in the oil in a steady stream until the vinaigrette is blended and thickened. Taste for seasoning. If the dressing separates, bring it back together by whisking rapidly.
Once you have your dressing made, pour it over the salad at the very last moment just before serving. Remember the word 'dressing' says it all - it should just be a light coating around the leaves and not flood the salad. Remember too that if the dressing is added too long in advance, the vinegar or lemon juice will begin cooking the leaves and they will turn limp and soggy.
Your salad can be put together with whatever you have or is in season. Feel free to add other ingredients to turn it in to a more substantial meal. Think too about adding different flavours to your vinaigrette in the form of chopped garlic, shallot, herbs or flavoured vinegars.
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
Smashed avocado and baked egg
Ingredients
4 slices bread of your choice
2 haas avocados
2 eggs
olive oil
salt and pepper
sprinkling of ground cumin
Method
Halve the avocados, remove the stones and scoop out the flesh. Coarsely mash in a bowl with fork and season with salt and pepper. If you wish, you can add a few drops of lemon juice.
Toast the bread until golden and crispy. Heat a non-stick frying pan with a splash of olive oil. Fry the eggs until cooked to your liking (we prefer sunny side up with a soft yolk). Season with a little salt and pepper.
Spread the mashed avocado on the toast and top with the fried egg. Sprinkle with a touch of ground cumin, before serving.
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
Blackberries from the oven
Ingredients
150 g black berries
125 g mascarpone
2 eggs
1 vanilla pod
30 g flaked almonds
1 small bunch mint
castor sugar
butter, for greasing the dish
Method
Preheat the oven to 220° C. In a bowl, mix together the 2 egg yolks with the mascarpone, seeds from the scraped vanilla pod and about 1-2 tablespoons sugar, or to your taste.
Grease an oven dish with butter. Scatter the base of the dish with the blackberries. Sprinkle the berries with sugar to taste, depending on how sour they are. Spoon over the mascarpone-egg mixture and scatter with the flaked almonds.
Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until the mascarpone is lightly coloured and set.
Finely chop the mint and sprinkle over the dish as it comes out of the oven.
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
Bilder & de Clercq's new recipes week 36
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:
Scallops with Garlic Butter and Spinach
For 2 as a starter
Ingredients
4 scallops
2 cloves garlic
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
1 lemon
300 g baby spinach
30 g butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
Method
Heat a wok with 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir fry the spinach for 2 minutes until wilted. Drain as much liquid from the spinach as you can. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Lightly season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Fry the scallops for 1 minute on each side until golden brown and still slightly translucent in the middle. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with aluminium foil.
Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper and place on a medium heat. Finely chop the garlic and parsley.
Add the butter to the pan and as soon as it begins to foam, add the garlic and parsley. Swirl the pan to mix the ingredients.
Season with salt, pepper and ± 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Return the scallops to the pan with the butter.
Divide the spinach between 2 plates and place the scallops on top. Spoon over the garlic butter and serve with a wedge of lemon. Delicious with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
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
Van Stapele
Listen up dear friends. What we are about to tell you is going to CHANGE. YOUR. LIFE! The search for Amsterdam's best chocolate chip cookie is over. And we're going to tell you where to find it.
In a small side street in the centre of Amsterdam, you'll find a little gem of a shop called Van Stapele. As you walk in, you're immediately intoxicated by the aroma of chocolate and freshly baked cookies. As you inhale the sugary air, you can watch the whole cookie making process right in front you.
And here's the genius part: because they are so confident in their recipe and we can vouch that their cookies are soooo good, there is only one type to choose from. So no mulling over which one it will be.
Do yourself a favour and get some today. You won't regret it!
For more information please visit Van Stapele
Pappardelle with Italian meatballs
Serves 4
Ingredients
750 g beef mince
2 slices white bread or enough panko to bind
100 ml milk
1 sprig fresh rosemary
small bunch flat leaf parsley
100 g grated Parmesan, or more if required
2 egg yolks
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 banana shallot
2 cloves garlic
1 bottle tomato passata (750 ml)
1 red chilli pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
400 g pappardelle
20 g basil
Method
Place the mince in bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place the bread or panko in another bowl and pour over the milk and allow to soften for a few minutes. Finely chop the rosemary and parsley and add to the mince along with the 2 egg yolks and 40 g of the Parmesan. Squeeze the milk out of the bread, break into little pieces and add to the meat. Using your hands, knead the beef mince well. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Fry a little piece of the mince to taste if you have the seasoning correct. Add more salt and pepper, and perhaps some more Parmesan, if needed. Roll the beef mince into walnut-sized ball. Fry them, in batches, until golden on all sides. Set them aside.
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Finely chop the shallot, red chilli and garlic.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sweat the chopped shallot for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli to taste and the ground cumin to the pan and fry for a further 1 minute.
Add the tomato passata and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Add the meat balls to the tomato sauce and keep warm.
Cook the pappardelle for about 6-7 minutes until al dente, drain off the water and divide between 4 deep bowls.
Divide the meatballs and tomato sauce over the pasta. Scatter the basil leaves and Parmesan over and serve.
Delicious served with a green salad.
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
Ibericus
If you are looking for authentic Spanish hams and delicacies, you need look no further.
Ibericus imports whole hams, chorizo sausages and more from the world famous Iberico pig, otherwise known as Pata Negra.
All hams are sliced from the whole leg to take away or enjoy as a sandwich in the shop. There is also a variety of Spanish cheeses and tapas on offer.
For more information please visit Ibericus.
200 years of Wüsthof
Wüsthof was founded 200 years ago and to mark this special occasion, they are celebrating in style!
It is not without reason that Wüsthof is a leading brand name in kitchen knives and many other accessories. Two hundred years ago, in 1814, Johann Wilhelm Wüsthof started his manufacturing business that would later grow into one of the most prominent companies in the world of kitchen knives. All Wüsthof knives feature the distinctive trident logo, which was registered as a trade mark as far back as 1895. As a symbol of design and exclusivity, it is legally protected in nearly every country in the world. Wüsthof is continuing to innovate. In a state-of-the-art factory, Wüsthof employs the latest technology to produce top-grade products. Today, Wüsthof knives are available in more than 90 countries worldwide.
Special Anniversary Knife
More than 400 employees work tirelessly day in and day out to ensure that the German city of Solingen continues to deserve the title of ‘the knife capital of the world’. Every year, more than two million knives are produced by Wüsthof. This year, they have produced a unique limited edition anniversary chef's knife which is manufactured from carbon steel and palisander wood and crafted in the traditional way. This unique knife comes festively packed in a gift box.
Amsterdam Flavours is giving away a limited edition Wüsthof 200 year anniversary chef's knife. Like and share our Facebook page and you could be the lucky winner. THE WINNER IS: Linda Weusthof. Please send your address to: info@amsterdamflavours.com. Congrats and enjoy!