Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon and Rocket

A dish that you can literally throw together with ingredients you most probably already have in your store cupboard.

English

Serves 2

Ingredients
200g spaghetti
1 tin tuna in olive oil
1 lemon
1 red chilli pepper
1 clove garlic
3 spring onions
75g rocket
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Method
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for about 8 minutes.

Drain the oil from the tuna and place the tuna in a bowl. Grate the zest from the lemon and add to the tuna with lemon juice to taste and ½ the garlic clove which has been finely chopped.

Finely slice the spring onions and finely chop the chilli pepper. Add to the tuna and season with salt and pepper and the olive oil. Stir to combine.

Before draining the pasta, save a cup of the pasta cooking water.

Stir the pasta together with the tuna mixture. Add the reserved pasta cooking water, a tablespoon at a time, until the pasta becomes ‘creamy’. Carefully stir half the rocket through the spaghetti.

Divide the pasta between 2 plates. Top with the remaining rocket and drizzle with some extra olive oil.

Nederlands

voor 2 personen

Ingrediënten
200g spaghetti
1 blik tonijn in olijfolie
1 citroen
1 rood pepertje
1 teentje knoflook
3 lente uien
75g rucola
3 eetlepels olijfolie
zout en peper

Bereiding
Breng een pan water met zout aan de kook. Voeg de spaghetti toe en kook in ongeveer 8 minuten.

Giet de olie van de tonijn af en doe de tonijn in een kom. Rasp de schil van de citroen en voeg samen met wat citroensap en een ½ fijngesneden knoflookteentje aan de tonijn toe.

Snijd de lente uien fijn, doe deze ook bij de tonijn met het fijngesneden pepertje, wat zout en olijfolie. Meng alles door elkaar.

Voordat je de pasta afgiet, bewaar een kopje van het kookwater.

Meng de pasta in een kom met de tonijn en meng het goed door elkaar. Voeg steeds een eetlepel van het kookwater toe totdat de pasta ‘romig’ wordt. Meng de helft van de rucola er voorzichtig doorheen.

Verdeel over 2 borden. Maak af met resterende rucola en wat olijfolie.


Spanish Sea Bass

The deep flavours of red wine and citrus pair beautifully with sea bass, one of the most versatile and highly-regarded fish.

English

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 sea bass fillets of 150g each
200g cherry tomatoes
1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
1 sprig thyme
600g roseval potatoes
50g black olives
1 bay leaf
1 red onion
1 orange
5 tablespoon olive oil
100ml red wine
salt and pepper

Method
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.

Using a vegetable peeler, slice 3 pieces of zest from both the lemon and orange.

Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sweat the onion, garlic, potatoes and bay leaf, covered with a lid until the potatoes begin to soften. Deglaze with 100 ml red wine and the juice from half the orange. Reduce by half, then add the tomatoes, thyme, lemon and orange zest. Mix well and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the pin-bones from the sea bass with a fish tweezer and season the fillets with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil and fry the sea bass, skin-side down for 3 minutes. Turn the fish over a fry for a further 1 minute.

Divide the potatoes between 2 plates. Lay the fish on top, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve.

Nederlands

voor 2 personen

Ingrediënten
2 zeebaarsfilets  a 150 gram per stuk
200g cherry tomaatjes
1 citroen
2 teentjes knoflook
1 takje tijm
600g roseval aardappeltjes
50g zwarte olijven
1 laurierblad
1 rode ui
1 sinaasappel
5 eetlepels olijfolie
100ml rode wijn
zout en peper

Bereiding
Snijd de ui en de knoflook fijn. Schil de aardappelen en snijd ze in grove blokjes. Snijd de tomaatjes in tweeen.

Trek 3 schilletjes van de citroen en de sinaasappel met een dunschiller.

Verwarm een koekenpan met 2 eetlepels olijfolie en smoor hierin het laurierblad, de ui , knoflook en de aardappels zachtjes, afgedekt met een deksel totdat de aardappelen gaar zijn. Blus af met de rode wijn en wat sap van ½  sinaasappel, kook voor de helft in. Voeg dan de tomaatjes, tijm, schilletjes van de sinaasappel en citroen toe en schep voorzichtig alles door elkaar, verwarm 1 minuut.  Breng op smaak met zout en peper.

Verwijder de graatjes van de zeebaars met een pincet en bestrooi met zout en peper. Verwarm een koekenpan op medium vuur met 2 eetlepels olijfolie en bak de zeebaars, vel kant naar beneden 3 minuten. Draai om en bak nog 1 minuut.

Verdeel de aardappelen over 2 borden. Leg de vis er bovenop, druppel er wat olijfolie overheen en serveer direct.


Fish in Parmesan Crust with Courgette and Spinach Salad

A really light and satisfying dinner using only just a few basic ingredients.

Serves 2

English

Ingredients
60g finely grated Parmesan
2 plaice fillets of 150g each (or other white fish)
1 egg
1 red chilli
1 lemon
2 courgettes
75g baby spinach
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons flour salt and pepper

Method

Finely chop the red chilli. Using a vegetable peeler, pull thin ribbons from the courgette, making sure to stop once you reach the seeds. Place the courgette ribbons in a bowl.

Place 4 tablespoons flour on to a plate and mix salt and pepper through. Crack an egg on another plate and beat to loosen. Plaice the grated Parmesan on a third plate.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 3 tablespoons sunflower oil. Dust the fish through the flour, then dip in the egg and finally in the Parmesan. Fry the fish on both sides until golden.

Dress the courgette with 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice and chilli to taste, salt and pepper. Mix through the spinach. Divide the salad between 2 plates, lay the fish on the side and serve.

Nederlands

voor 2 personen

Ingrediënten
60g fijn geraspte Parmezaan
2 scholfilets a 150g per stuk (of een andere witvis)
1 ei
1 rode chilipeper
1 citroen
2 courgettes
75g jonge spinazie
3 eetlepels zonnebloemolie
2 eetlepels olijfolie
4 eetlepels bloem
zout en peper

Bereiding

Snijd de rode chilipeper fijn. Trek met een dunschiller lange slierten van de courgettes totdat je bij de zaadjes komt en doe ze in een kom.

Doe 4 eetlepels bloem op een bord en meng er wat zout en peper doorheen. Breek het ei in een ander bord en klop het los. Doe de geraspte Parmezaan op een derde bord.

Verwarm een koekenpan op medium vuur met 3 eetlepels zonnebloemolie. Haal de vis door de bloem, vervolgens door het ei en daarna door de Parmezaan. Bak de vis, aan elke kant goudbruin.

Maak de courgette aan met 2 eetlepels olijfolie, citroensap en chilipeper naar smaak, zout en peper. Meng de spinazie erdoorheen. Verdeel over 2 borden, leg de vis er naast en serveer.


Cod with Tahini

A great dinner combining cod which is readily available fish and tahini, which most of us have in our store cupboards.

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 onion
4 tomatoes
1 cod fillets of 150g each
1 red chilli
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
60ml tahini
75g rocket
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Method
Preheat an oven to 220°C. Finely slice the onion and cut the tomatoes into chunky pieces. Finely chop the red chilli (add as much as you want). Place the onion and tomatoes on to a roasting tray with 2 tablespoons olive oil and roast in the oven for 15 minutes.

Grate the zest from the lemon. Season the cod fillets with salt, the chopped red chilli, lemon zest, fennel seeds and ground cumin.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and fry the fish for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning the fish gently when you do so. Place the cod in a roasting dish and spoon the roasted onion and tomato around.

Mix the tahini with 100 ml water, lemon juice to taste and salt. Pour over the fish and roast in the oven for 5-7 minutes.

Divide the fish and vegetables between 2 plates. Serve with the rocket salad dressed with a little olive oil, lemon juice and salt.


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.

 


Easy Paella

Try bringing some of the sun home with this easy and delicious recipe for Paella.

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
120 ml White wine
salt
pepper
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
150g paella rice
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
100g chorizo
250g frozen mixed seafood
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 chicken stock cube
100g peas
1 lemon
1 small bunch  flat leaf parsley

Method
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Remove the skin from the chorizo, if necessary and cut into small cubes. Dissolve the chicken stock cube in 500 ml hot water.

Heat a frying pan or paella pan over medium heat with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and smoked paprika and fry for a further 1 minute.

Add the rice and fry for 1 minute. Add 120 ml white wine and cook until it has been absorbed into the rice. Add the tin chopped tomatoes and stock to the pan and cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and again.

Add the seafood and peas, cooking for a further 5 minutes. Finely chop the parsley and cut the lemon into wedges.

Season the paella with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and arrange the lemon wedges around the pan. Serve at once.

If you have saffron in your store cupboard, add a few strands to the hot stock and allow to infuse before adding to the paella.

 


Grilled White Asparagus with Smoked Salmon and Tarragon Sauce

It's a week until Easter and you're still probably wondering what to make? We always think of asparagus, but because of the extended cold snap this year, we'll have to be patient a little longer. Hopefully you'll be able to get your hands on some white gold, the first of the season's Dutch white asparagus just in time.

Serves 4

 

Ingredients
24 white asparagus
400g sliced smoked salmon
1 bunch tarragon
250 ml tub cream
2 shallots
200 g butter
200 ml white wine
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1
Peel the white asparagus and cut off a 1 cm piece from the tough stalk end. Finely chop the shallots. Place the asparagus in a pan with cold water and salt, place the asparagus peelings on top and bring to the boil. Boil for 1 minute, turn off the heat and allow the asparagus to stand in the hot water for about 2 minutes.

2
Heat a pan with 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and sweat the shallots for 5 minutes. Add 200 ml white wine and simmer until reduced by three-quarters. Add the tub of cream and simmer until reduced by half.

3
Remove the asparagus from the water and discard the peelings. Dry the asparagus on a clean tea towel. Drizzle over 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan over medium heat and grill the asparagus until golden brown.

4
Strain the sauce to remove the shallot and return to the pan over a low heat. Cut the butter into pieces and whisk into the sauce. Pick the tarragon leaves off the stalks and chop finely.

5
Divide the grilled asparagus between 4 plates and lay the smoked salmon on top. Stir the tarragon through the sauce and spoon over the asparagus.


Okinomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is a Japanse snack of egg-rich pancakes filled with savoury ingredients such as shrimp, cabbage and spring onions. The pancakes are paired with a super-easy and delicious dipping sauce made with Japanse mayonnaise, soy sauce and hot sauce.

Serves 2

Ingredients
4 eggs
2 teaspoons container sesame oil
1-2 teaspoons chilli sauce
300g shredded cabbage
3 spring onions
150g pink shrimp
10g container sesame seeds
3 tablespoons sunflower oil (3 tablespoons)
1/2 cup Japanese or regular mayonnaise (½ cup)
soy sauce (2 teaspoons for the sauce and about 2 tablespoons for the batter)
20g flour (20 g)
salt
pepper

Method
1
Preheat an oven to 200° C. Coarsley chop the shrimp and finely slice the spring onions.
2
Mix ½ cup mayonnaise with 2 teaspoons soy sauce and chilli sauce to taste. This is the dipping sauce.
3
Whisk the eggs in a bowl with 20 g flour and add the shredded cabbage, prawns, spring onion, sesame oil and soy sauce to taste. Mix all the ingredients together well.
4
Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons sunflower oil. Add spoonfuls of the batter to the pan just as you would for American pancakes. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side. Lay them on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Heat them up in a preheated oven fora bout 3 minutes.
5
Divide the pancakes between 2 plates, sprinkle over the sesame seeds and serve with the dipping sauce.


Mussel and Fennel Soup

A beautiful combination, this is somewhere between a soup and a 'stew' of mussels.
They say mussels should only be eaten in months with an 'r' in the name, but that's untrue. Mussels are available year round.

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 kg pack mussels
2 fennel bulbs
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
1 large onion
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 sourdough roll
olive oil
splash of white wine
salt and pepper

Method

Thinly slice the fennel. Finely chop the garlic, parsley stalks and onion. Open the pack of mussels and place in a bowl of cold water. After a few minutes, check to see if there are any open mussels. If so, discard them.

Slice the sourdough roll and fry in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil until a light golden brown.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot and add all the chopped vegetables and sweat for 5-7 minutes. Add a splash of white wine and the tinned tomatoes and bring to the boil. Add the mussels to the pot and place on the lid. Cook for 5 minutes until the mussels have opened, shaking the pan after about 2 minutes.

Add salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the soup. Divide between 2 bowls. Scatter with finely chopped parsley and serve with the fried bread.

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

Klik hier voor het recept in Nederlands.


Cumin Fried Fish with Chickpeas and Fennel

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 leek
1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
1 tin chickpeas
2 fennel bulbs
5 g ground cumin
1 red chilli
2 x 180 g cod fillets
small bunch coriander
5 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Method
Slice the leek lengthways in half. Rinse under cold running water and cut into thin strips. Finely chop the garlic cloves and chilli, cut the fennel into strips and grate the zest from half the lemon. Drain the liquid from the chickpeas and rinse under cold water.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 3 tablespoons olive oil and fry the leek for about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest, chilli to taste and garlic and fry for another 1 minute.

Add the chickpeas and fennel and fry for about 5 minutes. Heat another frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season the fish with salt, pepper and cumin powder.

Fry the fish for 2-3 minutes on each side. Finely chop the coriander and stir through the chickpea mixture, seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide the chickpeas and fennel between 2 plates. Lay the fish on top and serve with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.

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

Klik hier voor het recept in Nederlands.