Ginger

Magical medicinal plant

Apart from its culinary and ornamental powers, the use of ginger is inextricably linked to its medicinal purposes. “When ingested it is like switching on your body’s engine, allowing for circulation within your body,” Gundula explains. The ancient Chinese and Indians used ginger as a tonic root for many ailments. “Ginger is often added to tea blends, because it helps to open up the channels in the body. This allows for the swift absorption of the health benefits from the other herbs it has been paired with. Ginger will, for example, take the turmeric to the extremities of your fingers to ease the swelling caused by arthritis.”

It is the natural oils in ginger that give it its unique fragrance and flavour. The most important of these is gingerol, which is responsible for much of the root’s medicinal properties, including its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Research has also suggested that ginger may be useful in treating nausea, aiding with indigestion and weight loss, effective at reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis, lowering blood sugar levels, reducing menstrual pain and helping to fight infections. It may even protect against age-related damage to the brain.

How to use ginger

Incorporating ginger into your diet seems like a no-brainer, and can be done in many ways.

  • Add it to your favourite curries and winter dishes
  • Make your own homemade ginger beer
  • Add it to a herbal tea infusion by cutting 1 cm slices of fresh ginger root and adding them to your tea.
  • Make a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail with ginger and its super-root cousin, turmeric.

Pea/ mint puree

Fresh peas are in season now!

Pea/ mint puree

Ingrediënten:

250 gram fresh or frozen peas

some fresh mint

1-2 small garlic gloves, grated

Zest of a 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper

Preparation

Put all the ingredients in a magimix to make puree. Season withe the zest of lemon and salt and pepper.


Slow-roasted cherry tomatoes

Beautiful sweet roasted tomatoes! You can use them on crostini's with ricotta or in a salade with burrata and basil

Ingredients:

500 gram sweet small cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp olijfolie

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 150 C

Put a baking sheet on an oven rack and place the tomatoes on top.

Brush the tomatoes with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the tomatoes in the oven until their skines are shriveled, but the tomatoes are still plump, about  75 min.

 


Barba di frate

“Barba di frate” een heerlijke italiaanse zeegroente heerlijk bij visgerechten, pasta’s of te gebruiken in salades.


Winter the season for oranges

Citrus Varieties

Citrus is one of the world’s most loved fruit tree.

The Navel orange gets its name from the hole at the base of the fruit that encloses a miniature, underdeveloped secondary fruit (resembling a human navel).  They have a rich, juicy flavour and rough, bright orange skins that are easy to peel.

Valencia

The Valencia is named after the Spanish city of Valencia, although its true origin remains unknown. It has thinner skin than the Navel, is generally sweet and commonly cultivated for the production of juice. Tarocco Blood Orange

The Italian Tarocco blood orange has striking, red flesh that develops during the cold winter nights. It is tender and juicy, with a flavour reminiscent of strawberry.

Seville

The common bitter Seville orange is widely grown in Spain. The bitter taste makes it an excellent choice for marmalade or other spreads. Petitgrain essential oil is distilled from the leaves, while oil of neroli is extracted from the flowers. The dried flowers are used to make tea in China.


Lemon verbena

Lemon verbena has a bright, slightly sweet, herbaceous flavour with a distinct hint of lemon. Despite its strong lemon scent, this citrusy herb has a far less aggressive lemon flavor than lemon balm, lemon thyme, lemon mint, and lemongrass.

This lemon-scented herb has a number of culinary uses ranging from rich roasts to sweet citrusy desserts and jams. Lemon verbena can be used to make flavourful olive oil-based salad dressings, subtle lemon ice cream, and lemon verbena jelly, as well as season poultry dishes, salsa verde, and soups. It can be used in place of lemon zest or dried lemon as a more subtle addition to dishes, or infused into pantry ingredients like sugar and vinegar.

In Europe and other global destinations, tea lovers combine lemon verbena leaves with hot water to create a popular herbal tea known as Louisa in England, “te de cedron” in Mexican kitchens, and Luiza in Greek households. This kind of tea is also popular among French, Spanish, and Italian drinkers. Lemon verbena can also be used to make a flavorful iced tea or lemonade made with fresh lemon juice, lemon verbena, simple syrup, and mint leaves.

Lemon verbena tea made with fresh lemon verbena leaves and boiling water is commonly used to relieve the symptoms of colds including chills, fever, and congestion. Lemon verbena essential oil is also used topically to relieve muscle pain.


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.


Levain et le vin

Levain et le vin is a new bread and wine store in the city. We say bread and wine, but it's actually much more than that. It's homemade sourdough breads and focaccia and the most amazing cinnamon buns!!

The wines sold or all natural wines, meaning that there are no additives and the process happens naturally.

They also have a cafe/coffee corner and where they serve great coffee and delicious sandwiches using their own homemade bread.

Visit Levain et le vin at Jan Pieter Heijestraat 168, Amsterdam

https://www.levainetlevin.com


Bilder & de Clercq's New Recipes week 35 - 2017

As the chefs of Bilder & de Clercq, we develop new recipes for them every week. We'll keep you updated with the week's newest recipes. This weeks recipes are:

KofteCalabrese SausagesThai Mussels


Bilder & de Clercq's New Recipes week 33 - 2017

As the chefs of Bilder & de Clercq, we develop new recipes for them every week. We'll keep you updated with the week's newest recipes. This weeks recipes are:

Egg curryPumpkin RavioliHarissa Steak end