Mischa de Winter, Author at Amsterdam Flavours

Bamix Hand blenders

Bamix hand blenders have proven their value over the past 50 years due to the large number of satisfied users all over the world. It's also used by the best chefs in the hospitality industry. Bamix hand blenders have an efficient and powerful motor which can easily cut and chop ingredients. The components which come into contact with food are made from stainless steel which means it won't take on any tastes and odours. The ergonomic grip and placement of the buttons makes Bamix hand blenders comfortable to operate and easy to switch on and off while processing food.

Every Bamix hand blender is multifunctional as it comes with a whisk blade, mixing blade and multi-blade. The blade is surrounded by little legs which ensures that the blades never damages your pans, glass and bowls. It's ideal for making baby food, sauce and soups. It also fits easily into larger pots and pans because of it's length. The blenders are waterproof too, which means they can easily be cleaned under running water. Each model also includes a 10 year guarantee on the motor.

- Efficient and powerful engine (from 140 to 350 Watts)
- Ergonomic grip
- Easy to clean under the tap
- A multifunctional appliance
- Can be used in any pan, bowl or glass because of the protective 'legs'
- 10 year guarantee on the motor

For more information, please visit Bamix.

by Mischa de Winter

Bilder & de Clercq's New Recipes Week 6 - 2015

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:

by Mischa de Winter

Aubergine Salad with Yoghurt Dressing and Pickled Courgette

This combination takes the humble aubergine and courgette to a new level. At first glance, it may seem like a lot of ingredients but don't let that put you off. A lot of them are store cupboard staples. If you don't happen happen to have them at hand, they are easily available from your local market or supermarket. If you don't want to make the pickle, just use some flash fried thinly sliced courgette or finely shaved raw courgette dressed with some lemon juice and olive oil. This dish is delicious served as a salad or as an accompaniment to grilled lamb cutlets or fish.

Serves 4

Ingredients
3 aubergines
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 spring onions
1 red chilli
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
1 small bunch basil
1 small bunch mint

Yoghurt dressing
200 g Greek yoghurt
1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon water (or a little more if required)
salt and pepper

Pickled Courgette
1 large courgette
1 tablespoon salt
70 g demarara sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 small shallots
250 ml cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

Method
Begin with the courgette pickle. Slice the courgette and shallots as thinly as possible. If you have a mandolin, you can slice the courgette on that, but mind your fingers. Place the courgette and shallot in a bowl with the salt and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Toast the mustard and fennel seeds in a dry pan to release their aromas. Transfer to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour off any liquid from the courgette and shallots and place them in the pickling liquid. At least an hour in the pickle would be great before serving. These don't really keep for long and are best eaten on the day they are made.

Now on to the dressing; place the Greek yoghurt in a bowl and grate the zest of the lemon over. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice (or to taste), 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk to a smooth dressing. It should have the consistency of thick pouring cream. If it's a little on the thick side, add a little extra water. Set aside.

Slice the aubergine lengthways into 1 cm thick slices. Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat. Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill about 4-5 minutes on each side until tender and well marked from the grill. You'll probably have to do this in batches. Transfer the aubergine to a large plate.

Finely slice the spring onions diagonally, finely chop the chilli and pick the herbs off the stalks.

To finish the dish, place the aubergine on a serving platter and spoon over the yoghurt dressing. Scatter over the spring onions, chilli and herbs. Drain the courgettes and shallots from the pickling liquid and lay on top. Serve straight away.

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

by Mischa de Winter

Hay

The Danish brand HAY was founded in 2002. It's ambition is to return Danish design to the greatness of the 1950's and 1960's but in a more contemporary approach.

HAY concentrates on architecture, sustainable design and high quality at affordable prices. They collaborate with highly skilled and talented international designers who use new materials and modern technology to create new products.

Their store in Amsterdam, complete with cafe, offers beautiful products for the most design conscious. We love that as good as their products may look, they are at the same time, practical for daily use.

For more information, please visit HAY Amsterdam.

by Mischa de Winter

Bilder & de Clercq's New Recipes Week 5 - 2015

by Mischa de Winter

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everybody loves a good chocolate chip cookie. Here is our recipe - it's simple to make but always gives great results. A great way to get the kids in the kitchen.

Ingredients
125 g butter, softened
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a baking tray or line with baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the vanilla extract and egg. Stir in the sifted flour and baking powder until just combined. Stir through chocolate chips. (At this point you can form the mixture into a log and freeze for later. Just slice into 1 cm thick rounds and bake.)

Place spoonfuls of the mixture onto baking tray, allowing room for spreading. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack before diving in!

by Mischa de Winter

Chicken and Aubergine Curry

Ingredients
2 onions, peeled and cut into chunks
5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
6 tablespoons sunflower oil
500 g boned and skinned chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm cubes
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 tin chopped tomatoes
200 ml coconut milk
2 aubergines, cut into cubes
small bunch fresh coriander

Method
Place the onions, ginger and garlic in a Magimix (food processor) and blend until finely chopped.

Heat a heavy based casserole over medium heat with 3 tablespoons sunflower oil and sweat the onion mixture for about 10 minutes until it turns a light golden colour.

Add the chicken and fry for a few more minutes until lightly coloured. Add salt, to taste, the ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Fry for 1-2 minutes to cook the spices out.

Add the tinned tomatoes and coconut milk and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the chicken has cooked through.

Heat a frying pan over high heat with the remaining 3 tablespoons sunflower oil and fry the aubergines until golden brown and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add half the aubergine to the curry about 10 minutes into the cooking time.

To serve, scatter the remaining aubergine and coriander over the chicken curry. Serve with steamed basmati rice, cucumber and mint raita, papadums or naan bread.

by Mischa de Winter

The Perfect Cheese Omelette

A prefect omelette is easy to achieve and makes for a perfect lunch or light meal. Here's our way to do it.

Serves 2

Ingredients
6 free range or organic eggs
salt and pepper
about 50 g goats or truffle cheese, grated
butter
bread, to serve
salad, to serve

Method

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a good non-stick frying pan over medium heat with a knob of butter.

Once the butter begins to foam, pour in the beaten eggs. As the egg begins to set on the base, pull it from the outer part to the center with a spatula. That way you ensure that the omelette will be light, blonde in colour and still be soft (or baveuse) in the centre. Now is the time to add the grated cheese, leaving some back to sprinkle over at the end. Reduce the heat at this point if you feel it's cooking too fast.

With the spatula, fold over a small section of the omelette, tilting the pan as you do, so that the omelette folds over itself, becoming neat and folded in the corner of the pan. Grab your serving plate in one hand and the frying pan in the other and carefully, but with confidence, turn the omelette on to the plate. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve with salad of your choice dressed with a little olive oil and some delicious bread.

by Mischa de Winter

Dutch Homemade

For anybody like us with a sweet tooth, this store is chocolate heaven.

From the moment your walk in, your attention is grabbed by the brightly coloured macaroons, lined up neatly in rows like marching soldiers.

The beautifully sculptured chocolate bonbons, we're told, are all made using single origin chocolate, which is more difficult to work with than a more generic brand. Single origin is an important theme running through the selection of chocolates. Because the cocoa beans come from a single plantation in a specific country, each has their own characteristics, comparable to a good wine or coffee.

You'll find unusual varieties from as far away as Vietnam, Brazil and the Caribbean.

For more information, please visit Dutch Homemade.

by Mischa de Winter

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Nigella Lawson is famously known as The Domestic Goddess. Her cakes and dispelling baking myths have made her a household name. Recently someone told us we had to make her Chocolate Guinness cake. So we did. The combination of chocolate and Guinness makes a deep, dark cake, which is moist and delicious. And now we're sharing the recipe with you.

Ingredients
250 ml Guinness
250 g unsalted butter
75 g cocoa powder
400 g castor sugar
142 ml sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
275 g plain flour
2 ½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
for the topping
300 g cream cheese
150 g icing sugar
125 ml cream

Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 180°C and butter and line a 24cm springform tin with baking paper.

Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter and heat until the butter has melted. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the buttery Guinness pan and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.

Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.

When the cake's cold, place it on a flat platter or cake stand and start with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and then beat them both together. This can also be done in a processor, putting the unsieved icing sugar in first and blitz to remove lumps before adding the cheese. Add the cream and beat again until it makes a spreadable consistency.

Ice the top of the cake and serve.

by Mischa de Winter