Sticky Soy and Ginger Chicken

Make the most of the beautiful weather. There's nothing better than enjoying this dish al fresco.

Serves 2

Ingredients
4 chicken drumsticks
2 chicken thighs
1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
3 cloves garlic
50g piece ginger
200g  sugar snaps
1 container pea cress
2 tablespoons olive oil
75 ml Soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
salt
pepper

 

Method
1
Preheat the oven 200° C. Peel the ginger and slice thinly. Grease a roasting dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the ginger, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic cloves, Chinese 5 spice and chicken to the dish. Mix all the ingredients well. Place in the oven for a total of about 40 minutes.

2
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the sugar snaps for about 3 minutes or until al dente. Drain them off and cool under cold running water. Set aside.

3
After 20 minutes, mix the chicken around in the roasting dish adding a good splash of water and return to the oven for 20 minutes.

4
Mix together the pea cress and sugar snaps. Dress with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Divide between 2 plates. Lay the chicken on the side and spoon over the soy juices from the roasting dish.

 


The Mighty Spice Cookbook

Spice up your life with The Mighty Spice Cookbook. 

In this book, John Gregory-Smith has travelled through Asia and North Africa to bring us delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes.

John Gregory-Smith loves spices so much that a few years ago decided to establish his own business, The Mighty Spice Company. His aim is to show everyone how easy it is to cook with spices and above all, how delicious they are.

The use of spices requires a delicate touch, as they can so often over-power a dish or shift it's balance. The recipes in this book contain no more than 5 different spices each.

The book is divided into chapters covering soups & salads, meat, fish, through to desserts. Heat and spice levels are also indicated. The recipes are clear and concise and we like the addition of side dishes from the book to combine with each recipe. At the back of the book there is also a detailed overview of all spices.

Publisher: Veltman Uitgevers

Author: John Gregory-Smith

Price: 19,99 euro

 


Hotel Okura Amsterdam

Hotel Okura Amsterdam

Experience true hospitality

Hotel Okura Amsterdam is one of the finest five-star luxury hotels that you will find in The Netherlands and exclusive member of ‘The Leading Hotels of the World’. It is conveniently located in proximity of Schiphol International Airport as well as major tourist attractions. With 300 comfortable rooms, including the largest (485m2) and most luxurious suite of the Benelux Countries, the hotel offers unrivalled high-class accommodation facilities.

Ciel Bleu Restaurant

Ciel Bleu Restaurant on the 23rd floor of Hotel Okura Amsterdam is a unique destination in many ways. The spectacular view of Amsterdam is the perfect opportunity to see the city from another perspective. Forget today’s buzz and let the chef surprise you with his creations combined with extraordinary wines. Desires of international guests are the basis of Chef Onno Kokmeijer’s inspiration. He is constantly looking for the best ingredients and innovative methods of preparation. Sommelier Noël Vanwittenbergh persuades you with his knowledge of wine and surprises you with the most special and exclusive wines. The ultimate Ciel Bleu experience involves exceeding your expectations, not just with regard to food, but also with regard to service. The restaurant team cooperate flawlessly and everybody exudes a sense of fun at work. They will make sure you are comfortable and relaxed. The service is anything but formal and the interaction with guests is light-hearted and lively. The team aims to surprise you with personality, involvement and expertise.

Serre Restaurant – Inspired by Ciel Bleu

At the ground floor of Hotel Okura Amsterdam you will find an international restaurant offering a menu inspired by that of Ciel Bleu, Okura’s two-star restaurant. At Serre Restaurant, classic culinary creations are transformed into somewhat simpler dishes without loosing their essence. All day long, the most delicious food is served, from a broad selection of lunch options and specialties from all corners of the world, to gastronomic snacks and extensive dinners. In summer, you can also enjoy Serre’s delicacies on the spacious terrace on the Amstel Canal. Michelin awarded the restaurant a Bib Gourmand for its outstanding quality for moderate prices.

Yamazato Restaurant

On the ground floor of Hotel Okura Amsterdam you will find Okura’s traditional Japanese Yamazato Restaurant, a famous place for enjoying the authentic haute cuisine of Japan, kaiseki ryōri. Yamazato is renowned for its menu, which boasts more than fifty specialities, and its traditional Japanese ambiance. The 15th and 16th-century Sukiya style decor, the exquisite Japanese hospitality and the view of the Japanese garden complement the culinary arts of Executive Chef Masanori Tomikawa to perfection. Yamazato received a Michelin star in 2002 and was the first traditional Japanese restaurant to be awarded one Michelin star in Europe.

Teppanyaki Restaurant Sazanka

Experience the ancient traditions and contemporary tastes of Japanese cuisine in Teppanyaki Restaurant Sazanka. Chef Masashi Nonaka and his team will prepare the most delicious fish, meat and vegetarian dishes on a hot iron griddle at your table: à la minute cooking with Japanese precision. The contemporary Japanese interior, inspired by the elements of stone, wood, water and fire, is an oasis of tranquillity. The teppanyaki griddles are large enough for seven to ten guests and are ideal for both business and celebratory dinners.

Le Camelia

Breakfast is the most important meal. Le Camelia provides the best breakfast experience in line with Okura’s culinary reputation. The buffet selection offers an extensive variety of cereals, seeds, fruits and vegetables and many organic and healthy suggestions. The seasonal buffet is prepared with a mix of European and Asian ingredients. Le Camelia can also be rented as a private restaurant, ideal for festive celebrations and events.

Taste of Okura

Would you like to learn how to cook like a Michelin starred chef? You’ll find the perfect kitchen to do this in Hotel Okura Amsterdam. At the culinary center ‘Taste of Okura’, Okura’s chefs show how to prepare their dishes. As a result of the culinary diversity within Hotel Okura Amsterdam, there’s a variety of workshop you can choose from. In addition to a kitchen, the culinary center also has a wine room where wine and sake tastings are organized. Okura’s sommeliers help you developing a discerning taste in wine, show you how to distinguish between different grape sorts and the varieties of flavor from continent to continent and tell you all about the origin and the rituals that are associated with drinking sake. The workshops of Taste of Okura can be enjoyed individually, as a group or for business occasions.

Lobby Bar

Lobby Bar is a charming bar with a delightfully informal ambiance that makes it the perfect place to meet friends and business guests for a cup of coffee, or a drink and a snack. There are no fewer than 60 delectable cocktails to choose from. The Art Deco design style from the 1920's played an important role in the design of this bar. Typical characteristics of this style, like clean geometric lines, can be found in the carpet and armchairs.

Twenty Third Bar

Twenty Third owes its name to its location, which offers an unparalleled view over virtually all of Amsterdam. In this stylish bar on the 23rd floor of Hotel Okura Amsterdam a wide range of cocktails is served. The drinks list offers an extensive selection of wines as well as 17 different champagnes, six of which are also available per glass. All drinks were selected especially for Twenty Third by sommelier Noël Vanwittenbergh and bar manager Marc Wüst. In addition to this great variety of drinks the bar offers, various delicacies which are prepared in the adjoining Ciel Bleu Restaurant which has been awarded two Michelin stars.

For more information, visit hotelokuraamsterdam, or call +31 20 6787491.