Panzanella
As we near the end of summer, tomatoes are at their ripest and best. Keep cool yet satisfied on a warm day with this delicious and flavourful salad Italian bread salad.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 tin tomatoes
2 red peppers
700 g mixed coloured tomatoes
2 ciabatta rolls or 1 ciabatta bread
1 bunch basil
1 ball buffalo mozzarella
4 tablespoons olive oil (4 tablespoons)
red wine- or Sherry vinegar (to taste)
salt
pepper
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Place the peppers in a roasting tray and roast until black. Alternatively, blacken over an open flame on a gas stove. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cling film. Allow to stand for a few minutes.
2
Lower the oven temperature to 180 °C. Cut the ciabatta into rough cubes. Place them in a roasting tray and bake in the oven until they have dried out and are crunchy. Set aside to cool.
3
Place the tinned tomatoes in a bowl and blend until smooth using a stick blender. Season with salt, pepper, red wine- or sherry vinegar and the olive oil. This dressing should be slightly too sour.
4
Peel the peppers; discard the seeds and slice into strips. The juices that have been released from the peppers can be added to the dressing. Slice the tomatoes into wedges.
5
Pick the basil leaves from the stalks. Tear the mozzarella into pieces. Mix the ciabatta cubes, tomatoes, peppers and basil in a bowl with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
6
Divide the salad between two plates and top with the torn mozzarella.
Tequila Chicken
Bring the sun home with this exciting and easy way with chicken. An ideal dinner idea for during the week.
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 bone-in chicken thighs
2 limes
1 green chilli pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 small bunch coriander
2 ruby grapefruit
1 small bunch mint
1 bunch watercress
1 bunch French radishes
75 ml Tequila
2 tablespoons olive oil (2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard (1 teaspoon)
salt
pepper
Method
1
Preheat an oven to 220°C. Rinse the limes. Finely chop the chilli, garlic and coriander. Grate the zest from the limes.
2
Place the chicken thighs in a bowl with the lime zest, garlic, coriander and chilli. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the chicken and add the tequila, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients well together.
3
Place the chicken thighs in a roasting dish and roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
4
Peel the grapefruit and thinly slice. Pick the mint leaves, cut the stalks off the watercress and remove the leaves from the radishes. Wash the radishes and cut lengthways in quarters. Add them to the watercress along with the mint leaves and grapefruit slices.
5
Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil with 1 teaspoon grain mustard and the juice from the remaining lime; mix through the salad. Divide between 2 plates, lay the chicken on top and serve.
Vegetarian Hamburger with Pickled Carrot Slaw
We've all spent the summer barbecueing and the likes of hamburgers, sausages and steaks but sometimes it's time to take one of those familiar items and give it a more conscious twist. Here is our recipe for vegetarian hamburgers. There are a number of good versions available in the supermarkets. It's best to try out a few and find out which your favourite is.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 hamburger buns
2 vegetarian hamburgers
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon miso
1 large carrot (300 g)
75 g rocket
2 tablespoons olive oil (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
salt
pepper
Method
1
Peel the carrot and coarsely grate. Place in a bowl with 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper. Set aside to pickle.
2
Place the mayonnaise in a bowl and whisk through the miso. Set aside.
3
Cut the hamburger buns open. Heat a frying pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toast the buns on the cut side until golden. Remove from the pan.
4
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and fry the hamburgers until golden, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
5
Spoon the carrot slaw on to the bottom half each bun. Lay a hamburger on each followed by a spoonful of miso mayonnaise. Top with the rocket and serve.
Cold Roasted Beetroot and Fennel Soup
A refreshing summer soup made with ingredients usually associated with the colder months.
Serves 2
Ingredients
500 g pre-cooked beetroot
1 fennel
3 celery stalks
1 onion
2 vegetable stock cubes
1 bay leaf
1 small cucumber
1 small red onion
1 bunch radishes
1 orange
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
dark country bread to serve
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 200 ° C. Cut the beetroot into chunks. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and roast for 15 minutes. Cut the fennel in half, remove the hard core. Keep the green twigs separate. Cut the fennel and celery into small pieces. Peel and chop the onion.
2
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Add the fennel, celery, onion and bay leaf and sweat for 5 minutes over medium heat. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in 1 liter of hot water.
3
Pour the warm stock into the pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the beets to the pan, remove the bay leaf. Blend the soup with a stick blender until smooth. Add a little extra water if the soup us too thick.
4
Cut the cucumber, red onion and radishes into small cubes. Chop the green fennel fronds and stir through the cubed vegetables. Grate the zest from orange and mix it through the finely chopped vegetables.
5
Season the soup with salt and pepper.
6
Divide the soup between 2 bowls and sprinkle the cucumber mixture. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve with dark farmhouse bread.
Strawberry and Basil Jam
Ingredients
1 kg fresh strawberries
800 g sugar
1 lemon
10 g basil
Method
Rinse the strawberries in a colander under cold running water. Cut away the green calyx and slice the strawberries in half. Place them in a heavy based pan.
Add the sugar and the juice of the lemon. Bring the mixture gently to the boil, making sure the sugar dissolves before the mixture boils. Once the it starts boiling, remove the strawberries with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Boil the sugary mixture until it reaches about 105° C on a sugar thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, another way to test if the jam is ready is by placing a saucer in the freezer until cold. Spoon a little of jam on the saucer and return to the freezer until the jam is cold. Run a finger through the jam - if it hold itself and wrinkles, you know that it has reached the right temperature.
In the meantime, place a few jars in a 180° C oven until heated through and sterilized, about 10 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly.
Return the strawberries with the basil to the pan and bring to the boil. Taste to see if enough basil flavor has infused through. Remove the basil and ladle the jam into the jars. Seal with the lids and turn the jars upside down to cool. This helps with the air pocket and ensures good distribution of the fruit. Allow to cool completely before using.
The jam can be kept, unopened for at least 6 months. Refrigerate once opened. These also make fantastic gifts to give away to family and friends.
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
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.
Tuscan Bread
The first time you try Tuscan bread, it feels like someone must be playing a joke. This bland-tasting, pale-crusted bread surely can’t be right. But Tuscan bread it is! In fact, the bread is (quite deliberately) missing one key ingredient.
Tuscan bread is intentionally made without or with very little salt. Tuscan bread not only lacks depth of flavour without salt, the crust also doesn’t brown and the structure is much more delicate.
Salt-less Tuscan bread is really not intended for eating on its own. It’s usually served along with the main meal and is meant for sopping up thick, rich sauces. The bread doesn’t compete with the flavours in the dish, and both are enhanced.
1st Fermentation
35 g yeast
1 Tbsp flour
125 ml lukewarm water
1250 g flour
500 ml lukewarm water
pinch of salt
Method
1
1st fermentation – Dissolve the yeast in 125 ml lukewarm water. Add 1 tablespoon flour and leave to rise.
2
Place the flour in the bowl of a mixer, add the fermented mixture and the remaining 500 ml water. Add a little more water if necessary to get a soft but not sticky dough.
3
Mix all together and knead for 5 -10 minutes to a small ball.
4
Shape into an oblong and wrap in a cloth dusted with flour, leave to rise for 1 hour.
5
Carefully remove the bread from the cloth and place in a baking tray dusted with flour.
6
Bake in an oven, preheated at 180°C for about 50 minutes.
Rose Water and Pistachio Meringues
Ingredients
half a lemon
200 g egg white
400 g castor sugar
rose water, to taste
50 g chopped pistachio nuts
Method
Preheat an oven to 110 C and line a baking tray with grease proof paper.
Rub the bowl of an electric mixer with half a lemon to ensure it is grease free.
Place the egg whites in the bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until the whites become thick and frothy. Add the sugar, a little at a time, until well incorporated and dissolved before adding the next batch. Once all the sugar has been mixed in and the egg whites are thick and glossy, add the rose water to taste.
Pipe or place spoonfuls of the meringue on the baking tray. Sprinkle over the chopped pistachios and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Lower the temperature to 100 C and bake for a further 1 hour and 30 minutes. Once the meringues lift easily off the paper, they are done. Turn off the oven and leave to cool down.
Serve the meringues with whipped cream and a selection of summer fruits.
Homemade Pita Bread
Pita Bread
Makes 14 small or 10 large pita breads
Ingredients
500 g wheat flour, plus extra for dusting
25 g fresh yeast or 7 g instant dried yeast
15 g castor sugar
10 g salt
300 ml cold water
45 ml olive oil
Method
Place all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix all the ingredients and add the water and olive oil.
Knead for about 10 minutes on a low speed until the dough is elastic.
Place the dough on a wooden board, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Dust the work surface with flour and cut the dough into 14 pieces of about 60 grams (for small pitas) or 10 pieces of about 80 grams (for large pitas).
Roll each portion of dough into a ball. Spread the dough balls over the work surface leaving enough space between them as they will expand. Cover once again with a damp tea towel and leave for about 20-20 minutes until they have doubled in size. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 240 C.
Roll the dough balls out with a rolling pin into circles with a 12 cm diameter for small pita breads and to 16 cm diameter for large ones. All the breads should be the same thickness so that they rise evenly in the oven.
Line 2 large baking trays with grease proof paper. Place on the dough circles and allow to rise for a further 10-15 minutes.
Bake the pita in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until well risen and ballooned. This usually means they are cooked through. To give them a good brown colour, you cam leave them in the oven for a further 1-2 minutes.
Remove the pita breads from the oven and place in a deep dish covered with a clean tea towel. This will ensure that the pita's get softer before serving.
Eyal Shani's World Famous Roasted Cauliflower and Pita Breads
Most of you have come across the whole roasted cauliflower in some form or another. It's actually the creation of famous Israeli chef, Eyal Shani. It's served in his restaurants in Israel and around the world.
Here is the definitive recipe as well as a recipe for traditional pita breads to have alongside. After making these, you'll never buy pita from the supermarket again.
Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
2 small cauliflower with leaves attached
extra virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
Method
Preheat an oven to 250 C.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Use 2 teaspoons salt per liter of water. Place the cauliflower with their leaves still attached upside down in the pan and cook the cauliflower for about 10 minutes.
Drain the cauliflower and allow to stand for a minute or so until all the water has drained out. Rub your hands with a generous amount of olive oil and massage it into the cauliflowers, then sprinkle them with coarse salt.
Scrunch up 2 pieces of grease proof paper and shape into 'bowls' to go around the cauliflowers. Roast them in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes so that the top gets dark and charred.
Remove from the oven and drizzle with a little extra olive oil. You can also sprinkle over a little extra salt if you wish. Serve the cauliflower in the baking paper with a bowl of tahini and pita bread on the side.
Pita Bread
Makes 14 small or 10 large pita breads
Ingredients
500 g wheat flour, plus extra for dusting
25 g fresh yeast or 7 g instant dried yeast
15 g castor sugar
10 g salt
300 ml cold water
45 ml olive oil
Method
Place all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix all the ingredients and add the water and olive oil.
Knead for about 10 minutes on a low speed until the dough is elastic.
Place the dough on a wooden board, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Dust the work surface with flour and cut the dough into 14 pieces of about 60 grams (for small pitas) or 10 pieces of about 80 grams (for large pitas).
Roll each portion of dough into a ball. Spread the dough balls over the work surface leaving enough space between them as they will expand. Cover once again with a damp tea towel and leave for about 20-20 minutes until they have doubled in size. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 240 C.
Roll the dough balls out with a rolling pin into circles with a 12 cm diameter for small pita breads and to 16 cm diameter for large ones. All the breads should be the same thickness so that they rise evenly in the oven.
Line 2 large baking trays with grease proof paper. Place on the dough circles and allow to rise for a further 10-15 minutes.
Bake the pita in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until well risen and ballooned. This usually means they are cooked through. To give them a good brown colour, you cam leave them in the oven for a further 1-2 minutes.
Remove the pita breads from the oven and place in a deep dish covered with a clean tea towel. This will ensure that the pita's get softer before serving.