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.
Flower Sprouts
Flower sprouts are one of those creations when you fuse two ingredients to create something new. By crossing Brussels sprouts with kale, these new frilly purple sprouts have been created.
The best way to prepare them is by steaming for 3 minutes and seasoning with olive oil, salt and pepper. Why not think about using them as a vegetable for Christmas dinner. Be quick, they have a very short season which runs until the end of December.
Making the most of Artichokes
Artichokes are a thing of beauty. When everyone else is thinking of asparagus, we're thinking of artichokes. They both namely in season at the same time.
Classically served boiled or steamed with melted butter or a vinaigrette, this most luxurious of vegetables always evokes a sense of celebration.
We particularly like the baby violet artichokes. We trim the stalks and remove the hard outer leaves, cleaning it up to be left with the beautiful heart. Keep them in a bowl of lemon water to stop them discolouring. Then halve them, remove the choke (the hairy middle bit) and you're ready to go.
We take a clove or 2 of garlic, still in the skin. Place in a pan with a good glug of white wine and boil to reduce by half. Then add a good amount of olive oil, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper and top up with some water. Add the artichokes, cover with a piece of greaseproof paper and simmer gently until tender, around 15 minutes but this depends on the size of your artichokes. Allow them to cool in the liquid. Delicious served as a vegetable accompaniment or on crostini.
Spicy Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is an unsual vegetable which isn't well known. You've probably seen at at the green grocers but have never know what to do with it. Well, here's an easy and flavour vegetarian recipe with kohlrabi as the star.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1,3 kg kohlrabi
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 heaped teaspoon turmeric
3 cloves garlic
1 red chilli pepper
6-8 tomatoes
small bunch coriander
300 g basmati rice
4 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
Method
Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil for the rice. Slice the ends off the kohlrabi and peel. Cut each into 8 pieces. Finely slice the chilli into rings and finely chop the garlic. Cube the tomatoes.
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to the pan, followed by the chilli pepper and garlic. Fry briefly and then add the kohlrabi. Fry for 1 minute. Add the cubed tomatoes.
Add the cumin seeds and turmeric, a pinch of salt and 150 ml water to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook gently for 20-30 minutes until the kohlrabi is tender (the point of a knife should pierce through easily).
Add the rice to the small pan and boil for 8-10 minutes. Drain off the water and keep the rice warm.
Finely chop the coriander and stir half through the rice. Place the rice in a serving bowl.
Divide the spicy kohlrabi between 4 plates. Scatter with the remaining coriander and serve the rice on the side.
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