Bilder & de Clercq's New Recipes Week 19 - 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:
Lemon Polenta Cake
We've decided to divulge the secret and publish the recipe of a cake that has become quite famous. It's sharp and tangy and it's gluten-free too!
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
400 g soft unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)
400 g caster sugar
400 g ground almonds
200 g fine polenta
16 g baking powder
6 large eggs, beaten
zest of 5 lemons (save juice for the syrup)
for the syrup
juice of 5 lemons
250 g icing sugar
Method
Line the base of a 26cm springform tin with baking paper and grease the sides with butter.
Preheat the oven to 150°C
Beat the butter and sugar till pale and whipped, in a Magimix Patissier or freestanding mixer.
Mix together the almonds, polenta and baking powder and salt. With the machine running, add the eggs to the butter, a little at a time.
Add the almond and polenta mixture and blend the mixture well. Finally, beat in the lemon zest. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 60-70 minutes.
It may be slightly wobbly, but if the cake is cooked, a cake tester should come out cleanish and, most significantly, the edges of the cake will have started to shrink away from the sides of the tin. Remove from the oven to a wire cooling rack, but leave in the tin.
Make the syrup by boiling together the lemon juice and icing sugar in a small saucepan. Once the icing sugar’s dissolved into the juice, it's done.
Prick the top of the cake gently all over with a cake tester (or toothpick), pour the warm syrup over the cake, and leave to cool before taking it out of the tin. Serve in slices with whipped cream or creme fraiche.
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
Blend it to the Max - The Magimix Blender
A kitchen appliance we cannot live without. Our Magmix blender makes blending easier than ever before.
It's automatic pre-set functions for soups, smoothies, frozen desserts and crushed ice ensure you don’t have to muddle through confusing settings: simply press a button and you’re on your way to delicious, healthy snacks and meals. There is also a pulse setting for extra control.
This powerful and quiet machine uses the exclusive BlenderMix system for a finer blend. The heat-resistant glass jug has a watertight lid and pouring lip for complete ease of use.
A large 1.8L capacity provides plenty of space, and thanks to a 1200W output it won’t be long until you, just like us, enjoy the fruits of your culinary labour! The handy spatula helps you get every last drop out of this blender, and you can creatively experiment using the included recipe book or from our recipes on the side.
Come and visit us from June at the Westergasfabriek and test the blender and other Magimix appliances out for yourself. As one of our prestigious partners, we'll be using Magimix appliances in our brand new kitchen.
Here are a few of our recipes using the Magimix blender:
Kale smoothie
Green Smoothie
Blackberry Smoothie
Pea and Mint Soup
Roasted Pumpkin and Dukkah Soup
Rhubarb and Strawberry Eton Mess
This is one of those desserts that's easy to make and always a guaranteed success.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
9 Meringues, crumbled
Rhubarb compote
1 kg rhubarb
sugar to taste
1 vanilla pod or 2 star anise
a splash of water to get it going
750 g strawberries, rinsed, hulled and halved
750 ml cream, whipped and sweetened with a touch of sugar
Method
Make the meringues according to the recipe. You'll find the recipe by clicking above.
Make the rhubarb compote by trimming the rhubarb if stringy. Chop roughly and place in a pan with sugar (start with about 200 g and add more according to your taste), the vanilla pod or star anise and a splash of water. Bring to the boil and simmer until the rhubarb is soft, with some pieces still holding their shape. If your rhubarb isn't very pink, you can always add some Grenadine syrup to give it a blushing pink colour. Allow to cool completely.
To assemble the Eton Mess, take a large glass bowl. Crumble some meringues in the base and spoon in some rhubarb compote and scatter over some strawberries. Top with a third of the cream and repeat. You want to end with a layer of cream. Top a few strawberries and crumbled meringues and 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
Bilder & de Clercq's New Recipes Week 18 - 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:
Making Stock
Stocks or bouillons are the foundation of many important kitchen preparations; therefore the greatest possible care should be taken in their production.
Stock is not an end in itself – it is always used to make some other dish or as a basis for sauces. A stock is the liquid obtained from long, gentle simmering of bones, vegetables, seasonings and water (except fish stock which only requires 20 minutes). The liquid, strained and reduced down to concentrate its flavour by rapid boiling, is the basis of soups, stews, braises and sauces.
In cooking stock, the prime essential is patience. Classic cookbooks recommend cooking veal stock for 10-12 hours. Three hours will suffice for chicken stock and fish stock is completed relatively quickly in half an hour.
During the cooking process, all the flavour should have been extracted from the bones and vegetables, leaving them tasteless. As well as flavour, good stock should acquire body from bone marrow and when chilled it will set to a jelly.
LE FONDS – THE STOCKS
Stocks, which are clear, flavoured liquids, are the foundation of many kitchen preparations. Therefore the greatest possible care should be taken with them.
- Unsound meat or bones and decaying vegetables should not be used
- Scum should be removed continuously so that it does not boil back into the stock
- The pot should be skimmed regularly and only simmer gently
- Do not add turnip, potato or other items that will cloud stock
- Always keep the inside of the pot clean and free of grease and scum
- Keep stock in clean containers in the refrigerator or freezer to avoid souring
GENERAL PROPORTIONS OF INGREDIENTS FOR ALL STOCKS EXCEPT FISH
5 liters water
2 kg raw bones
500g vegetables (onion, carrot, celery leek)
Bouquet garni including thyme, bay leaf, parsley stalks
GENERAL METHOD FOR ALL BROWN STOCKS
Chop the bones, remove any skin or fat and brown well on all sides by placing in a roasting pan in the oven.
Drain off any fat and place the bones in a stockpot.
Brown any sediment that may be in the bottom of the tray, déglace (swill out) with boiling water, simmer for a few minutes and add to the bones.
Wash, peel and roughly cut the vegetables. Fry in a little fat (from the roasting tray) until well browned but not burnt. This will improve the colour of the stock. Add to the bones.
Add the cold water. Bring to the boil and skim. Then add the bouquet garni.
Simmer for 6-8 hours wiping the inside of the pot continually to remove impurities. Skim and strain.
NOTE: For brown stocks, a few tomatoes and washed mushroom trimmings may also be added to improve flavour.
BROWN VEAL STOCK
For brown veal stock, use the same ingredients as for the chicken stock, substituting veal bones for the chicken. Place 2-2,5kg veal bones in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until well browned, stirring occasionally. Add the vegetables and brown them also, about 15-20 minutes longer. Thorough browning gives stock flavour and colour. Transfer the vegetables and bones to the stockpot. Discard the fat from the pan and deglaze with 500ml water. Add the liquid to the pot, then make the stock. Add the garlic, 1 chopped tomato or 1 tablespoon tomato puree, bouquet garni and peppercorns. Simmer for 6-8 hours.
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 17 - 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:
Guinea Fowl With Curried Cabbage
Guinea fowl is a more posh version of chicken. It's quick to prepare and healthy. Try this great spring recipe for a mid-week meal.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 guinea fowl breasts
olive oil
20 g butter
salt and pepper
Curried Cabbage
2 small hispe cabbages, finely sliced
2 shallots, finely sliced
20 g butter
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
50 ml Noilly Prat
100 ml cream
salt and pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter. Season the guinea fowl breasts with salt and pepper. Fry the guinea fowl, skin side down, for 2-3 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy. Turn over and fry for a further 1-1 1/2 minutes on the flesh side. Transfer to a roasting dish, pour over all the juices from the pan and roast for about 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
In the meantime and using the same frying pan, add another 20 grams butter to the pan and ffry the shallots for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and fry for 3 minutes. Add the curry powder and fry for 1 minute to cook the spices out.
Add the Noilly Prat and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the cream, bring to the boil and simmer over a medium to low heat until the cream has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
Take the guinea fowl out of the oven and rest for 5 minutes.
Divide the cabbage between 4 plates. Lay a guinea fowl breast on top of each, spoon over the juices 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
A Rainbow of Le Creuset Pans
Colour in the kitchen is the trend of 2015 and Le Creuset is fully embracing it. After the successful introduction of numerous accessories in bright colours, the rainbow has now cast it's colours over the cast iron range. The French manufacturer has introduced the roasting and casserole pans in no less than 15 different colours. In addition, 'the icon' has also undergone a re-styling; thanks to new insights and technology, the handles, lid and interior have been improved.
Own site
The renewed pans have even been given their own site. On www.mijnnieuwelecreuset.nl you can read all about the new colours, design and recipes. For those who cannot choose between the 15 colours, there is a special colour test. That way, you can find out exactly which colour suits you!
Blue = powerful, red = sexy, pink = seductive, bold = green, yellow = vivant and orange = experienced
High Quality
Le Creuset cast iron has been been known for it's high quality and durability for 90 years. Where possible, the manufacturer adjusts the pans to suit modern times and the demands of users. Thus a new, stronger enamel on the inside makes the pan even more resistant to food acids, scratches, thermal shocks and is easier to clean. The braising / stewing pans have ergonomic handles that are 45% larger than the previous ones ensuring a better grip. The lid design has also been adjusted so that it fits better and the food retains more juices and flavour. The stainless steel handle is heat-resistant and ergonomic.
All Heat Sources
Le Creuset cast iron is suitable for any heat source (even induction). In addition, the cast iron is 100% recyclable and energy efficient, thus better for our planet. The cast iron pans, grills and trays come with a life long manufacturer's warranty.
Le Creuset products are available at better department stores, cooking and household stores. For more information visit the web shop: www.lecreuset.nl
Bilder & de Clercq's New Recipes Week 16 - 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:
