Student kitchen

Split pea soup (Dutch style) in 3 steps

2012-02-10T00:00:00.003+01:00

Main course
4 servings
1:20

Every fall/winter, I fill up the kitchen cabinets with canned soups. It's a favorite in this time of year because it's warm, comforting and easy!! However, I've always wondered how easy it was to make it myself and, to my surprise, it was almost as easy as opening the can! That might be partially due to the fact that my local supermarket provides a package for "DIY pea soup" but I am sure I will buy the vegetables separately next time (cheaper!). Here is my supermarket's (and probably lots of Dutch people's) recipe for pea soup. It tastes absolutely delicious! The celeriac and bay leaves add a very special taste to it.

Ingredients

400g dried split peas
2 bay leaves
1 medium carrot
1 leak
1 medium onion
1/4 celeriac
celery leaves
salt and pepper
optional (non-vegetarian version)
250g bacon
300g sausage or ham blocks

Instructions

1. Cook the peas, bacon (optionally) and bay leaves in 2l of water for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2. Clean and cut vegetables. Skim the possible bacon fat and add vegetables to the pan. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes minutes.

3. By that time you should have very soft peas and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with some ham or sausages (optionally) and serve!

Observation

If using bacon strips, remove them from the pan at step 2 and cut them into smaller pieces. Put it back in the pan afterwards.

Pasta with brussels sprouts and chicken

2011-01-25T12:31:00.002+01:00

Pasta
4 servings
0:30

Many people don't like Brussels sprouts. From my experience, if you combine it well with other ingredients, such as lemon juice and butter, it can even be delicious! I recently bought a big bag of these so I've been eating them quite regularly. This is one of the successful recipes I made.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon butter (1 tablespoon should be kept cold)
4 chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1/4 yellow onion (or 1/2 red), chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
340g fresh Brussels sprouts, cut into quarters
240ml chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
100ml cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions

Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon of each of salt and pepper. In a frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Cook the breasts until just done, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and cut into small cubes.
In the same pan, melt the remaining oil and another tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook it until soften. Stir in the garlic, Brussels sprouts, broth and chili pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
When the Brussels sprouts are ready, add the chicken, lemon juice, parsley, cream and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and stir in the cold butter. Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve!

Tips

Do not overcook the Brussels sprouts or it will exhale sulfur, which smell may not be appetizing.
Brussels sprouts are healthy, low in cholesterol and saturated fat, rich in vitamin C and K, contains vitamin A, iron and fibers.

Tisamisu

2011-01-09T17:27:00.003+01:00

Dessert
6 servings
0:20 + cooling

It's always busy around the holidays here. We practically don't stop at home and we cook less than normally. If the holidays weren't enough, we also took a short vacation to Germany in beg-January. I might be posting some more German recipes whenever I feel like eating them again -- heavy stuff! This Tiramisu, however, was made during Christmas and I personally like it a lot. Though it looks super caloric, it feels very light (as long as you don't stuff your face, of course). So give it a try whenever you want something else than ice-cream for dessert!

Ingredients

Creamy layer
360ml double cream
350g mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoon caster sugar
Cookie layer
120ml cold espresso
75ml coffee flavored liqueur
14 sponge fingers
Sprinkling
Cocoa powder
Dark chocolate (grated)

Instructions

Mix the mascarpone and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Whip the cream until thick and carefully fold/mix the mascarpone in it. Layer around a tablespoon of the cream in a dish.
Mix the espresso and liqueur and deep the sponge fingers in it until just soaked. Layer them op top of the previously spread cream. Keep alternating between cream and sponge fingers layers.
Top the dish with cocoa powder and dark chocolate.
Cool it for at least 4 hours.

Latkes (German potato pancakes) with salmon and dill

2010-12-13T00:01:00.006+01:00

Appetizer/Main course
6 medium pancakes
0:50

Last year, I made Latkes and, though I liked it, I thought it was a little bit too simple. I like it when food looks and tastes special. This week, Chef John from Food Wishes, brought me this idea which inspired me to give this recipe a second thought. I made a crispier version and paired it with salmon, sour cream and dill. This recipe turned out delicious and it can be served as an appetizer by itself or as a main course if served with salad. Perfect for impressing friends!

Ingredients

potato pancakes
7 medium potatoes
1/2 onion
Oil for frying
egg mixture
2 eggs
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon flour
topping
80g smoked salmon
3 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh/dried dill

Instructions

Peel and grate the potatoes and half onion using a cheese grater. Soak them in a large bowl with water for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the egg, cayenne, pepper, salt, flour, until you achieve an even mixture.
Rinse the potatoes and squeeze out the water. You can use a sieve for this.
To make sure the potatoes are as driest as possible, lay them down in kitchen towel and dry them even more (the drier, the crispier).
Mix in the egg mixture.
Heat some oil in a frying pan. You want the oil just less than 1 cm high.
Use a serving spoon for measuring the size and shape of the pancakes and fry them over medium heat.
Keep the ready pancakes warm in the oven while you fry the rest.
Top them with salmon, scoop sour cream on top and sprinkle dill.

Tips

You should soak the potatoes in order to remove the starch and make them crispy, otherwise you will get gluey pancakes.
Potatoes oxidizes quickly so you will not be able to make this recipe in advance.
Fry a small amount first and try the seasoning. You might want to add something else.
You can serve it with a lettuce mixture, friseé and cucumber salad. Dress it with olive oil, lemon juice and sprinkle salt. It should be enough!

Cranberry sauce

2010-11-28T03:52:00.000+01:00

Side dish
6 servings
0:20

So it was Thanksgiving. I hope you had a good celebration! I don't usually celebrate it but this year I used it as an excuse to eat some turkey and get myself busy in the kitchen. It was worth it! Among other dishes, I made this cranberry sauce. It's a super easy recipe and it tastes so great! I know that that's a very American recipe but I highly recommend other foreigners to try it. It's a great side dish and it works well together with chicken, pork, mashed potatoes and, of course, turkey. This is definitely a recommend!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup cranberry (fresh or frozen)
65g sugar (brown or white)
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup port wine (optional)
1/2 lemon

Instructions

Rinse the cranberries and pour them in a pan. Add in the sugar, orange juice and port wine and bring it to boil over medium-high heat.
When it starts to boil and get a foamy look, turn the heat down and start to simmer. Simmer it until cranberries burst.
Remove it from the heat and squeeze some lemon juice on top. Allow it to cool down and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Tips

Making this recipe a day in advance will help bringing the most of its flavor.
You can add more ingredients to this recipe such as pecans, cinnamon, blueberries, orange zest.
Although it's traditionally served with turkey, it can be served in different ways. Chicken, pork or even with mashed potatoes. It's delicious! There's a restaurant I know which gives you a portion of this sauce with every meal you order.

Mushroom and tofu stroganoff

2010-11-15T22:05:00.000+01:00

Vegetarian
2 servings
0:30

Another vegetarian Monday? Not really. I made this last week when I had left over tofu from our sushi evening. Like our sushi, this dish was incredibly fresh and also tasty! With the right seasoning, tofu can be quite delicious and the mushroom addition makes this dish very seasonal. Recommended!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
150g tofu
1/2 onion, in cubes
1 garlic, crushed
125g mixed mushroom
1 red bell pepper, in strips
1 tablespoon tomato puree
75ml vegetable stock (I dissolved 1/2 cube stock)
1 tablespoon corn starch, dissolved in a little bit of water
100ml cream
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Fry the tofu in 1/2 tablespoon oil for a minute only.
Fry the onion and garlic in the rest of the oil until it turns transparent. Add the mushroom and red pepper and fry for 5 minutes.
Mix in the tomato puree and tofu, and the corn starch. Keep it for 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour in the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tips

When using tofu, seasoning is the key. My suggestions are ginger, ground red pepper, and/or paprika.

Meringues

2010-11-12T16:36:00.000+01:00

Dessert
20 bites
0:10 + 1:30 (oven)

I am not a sweet tooth but I do always try to prevent waste. I made my chicken poché the other night but in the end I found myself with two perfect egg whites that I just didn't want to throw away. Egg whites = meringues, I thought. Yes, that super airy, light and sweet dessert that kind of reminds me of my childhood, though I've never really liked it so much. I gave it a try anyways! I did add a bit of lemon essence in an attempt to cover up the sweetness. To my surprise, it wasn't as bad as I remembered and Paul also liked it. The texture is very crunchy which makes it fun to eat! Eating it with jam, fresh berries, covered with whipped cream is also good.

Ingredients

2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon essence
Baking paper

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 100oC.
Beat the egg whites (either manually or with an electric mixer) until it's become thick. Thick enough that you can hold upside down.
Add the sugar little by little, while beating. Do the same with the lemon essence.
Cover a baking tray with baking paper and make little meringues with a spoon, giving the desired shape.
Bake them for 45 minutes.
Switch off the oven and keep the meringues inside for 45 more minutes.

Tips

Make sure every instrument you use while making this recipe is grease-free. Any grease will prevent the egg whites from whipping. Also make sure the egg white is yolk free.
Serve with fruit or berries of your choice and whipped cream.
The finer the sugar you use the best but I made mine with regular crystal sugar and it worked beautifully.

Mackerel and bacon Dutch stamppot (mashed potatoes with vegetables)

2010-11-10T15:07:00.002+01:00

Winter food
2-3 servings
0:50

It's fall and it's getting colder and colder. Here in the Netherlands, one of the most traditional winter food is stamppot, which means "mash pot". It is basically cooked potatoes mashed with vegetables (carrots, spinach, kale onions) and normally served with smoked sausage (rookworst) or meatballs. It might not sound appealing but I really like the dish so, not to get tired of it, I decided to make it using canned fish. I had never seen it before but I could definitely eat it again. So here it is.

Ingredients

1kg potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
300g kale
1 vegetable stock cube
100ml milk
2 tablespoon butter
1 egg
2 cans mackerel, in olive oil
2 tablespoon of capers
125g bacon in cubes
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Cook the potatoes over low-medium heat with the kale in plenty of water. Dissolve 1/2 stock cube in the water. It should take around 30 minutes but you can determine if it's ready when the potatoes start to fall apart if you pick them with a fork.
When the potatoes are almost done, start frying the bacon and heating up the mackerel with the capers using a bit of the olive oil that it came with in the can.
Heat up the milk in the microwave and dissolve the other haft of the stock cube.
Finally, drain the potatoes and kale and stir in in the egg, butter, bacon and milk. Mash everything together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the mashed potatoes topped with the fish and capers and maybe a bit more butter.

Fried calamari salad

2010-11-06T01:55:00.007+01:00

Salad
2-3 servings
0:25

I don't usually make any deep fried food but this is an exception. I absolutely love calamari. Especially with the touch of lemon and a good salad to balance the flavor. As I don't have a deep-frier, I use a regular small frying pan and fill it up with some oil. It works just as well.

Ingredients

400g deep-frozen calamaris (squid rings)
280ml garlic sauce (home-made or ready)
1 lemon
Salad
green lettuce
red lettuce
curly endive/frisée
rucula
red onion
Salad dressing

4 tablespoon of olive oil

4 tablespoon of lemon juice

Instructions

Mix the salad ingredients to taste and plate them right away.
Deep-fry the squid rings according to package instructions.
Dress the salad with the olive oil and lemon juice mixture and top the salad with the fried calamaris.
Serve with garlic sauce and lemon wedges.

Tips

Instead of olive oil and lemon dressing, you can use lime vinaigrette to make it even richer! You can make the vinaigrette by mixing (all of some of the following ingredients): lime juice, orange juice, a bit of honey, orange zest, salt, pepper, olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, mustard, chives and parsley. Trust your taste for the measures. If there's request, I can post a recipe.
Be careful with ready made garlic sauces. It might not be the case with all brands but I basically find them all too sweet to my taste. I like making my own best (with lots of garlic!).

Garlic chicken

2010-10-13T01:49:00.004+02:00

Chicken
2 servings
Marinate + 0:40 in the oven

I have lots of garlic at home and occasionally they spoil. I think it's a big shame to have to throw them away so I have a few recipes to use up the most I can. This is one of them and one of my favorites for its practicality. All you have to do is blend the ingredients, marinate the chicken and throw it in the oven after a few hours! Of course you can adapt it to your taste and use more or less garlic.

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
50ml olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 chicken fillets
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Using a blender, blend all the ingredients, except the chicken, salt and pepper, until smooth.
Make deep cuts in the chicken to better absorb the flavor and put it in a plastic bag with the mix. Marinate it overnight or for a few hours.
Season the fillets with salt and pepper and bake them in a preheated oven at 220°C for about 40 minutes, until golden.

(Key) lime pie

2010-09-23T18:29:00.002+02:00

Dessert
12 servings
0:40

Last weekend, I treated my boyfriend's family to a tropical dessert that I baked for a birthday party. I made a pie inspired in the traditional Florida's key lime pie and it was quite well accepted! I'm a big fan of citrus flavors myself so I also enjoyed it, of course. I really like how it turned out and highly recommend the recipe. Easy, inexpensive and infallible dessert!

Ingredients

Crust
17 graham crackers or regular digestive biscuit
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
170ml fresh key lime juice (or from 6 regular limes)
6 teaspoons grated lime zest
6 egg yolks
800g can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C.
To make the crust, grind the biscuits in a food processor and mix with the butter. Press the biscuit mixture on the bottom of a 24cm diameter spring-form. With help of a glass, build up the crust also on the edges. Bake it for 15 minutes.
With a fork, beat the lime zest with the egg yolks until a tint of green shows up (~2 minutes). Mix in the condensed milk and stir well. Add in the lime juice and stir until creamy. Let it rest until it thickens.
Pour in the mixture on top of the crust, smooth the surface and bake it for another 15 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream.

Mushroom risotto

2010-09-20T21:25:00.002+02:00

One pot dish
3 servings
0:30

Vegetarian Monday? Not intentionally. This evening I felt like eating mushrooms. I've seen so many mushrooms recently. They all around here, growing all over the place -- and most of them look delicious!! I've decided to make an Italian classic, mushroom risotto, and served with cherry tomatoes, olives and feta cheese salad as my boyfriend's suggestion. It was tasty and fulfilling but I missed something; Would you suggest any changes? Again, the measures could be a little bit off.

Ingredients

1 cup short grain rice
30g butter
1 onion, in cubes
2 garlic choves, chopped
a few branches of thyme
200g mixed mushrooms
300ml dry sherry
400ml vegetarian bouillon (1 stock cube dissolved)
80g Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
fresh parsley

Instructions

Melt 25g butter and fry the onion, thyme and garlic over medium-low heat. When the onion looks transparent, stir in the rice until it also becomes transparent itself.
Pour the sherry in a bowl and soak a few mushrooms in it for a couple of minutes.
Stir in the mushrooms in the pan and let them fry for a minute. Mix in the sherry. Cook for another minute.
From now on, add in the bouillon little by little. Let it dry in the pan a bit and scoop some more until the rice is cooked.
Finally, stir in the rest of the butter and Parmesan cheese.
Garnish with fresh parsley.

Chicken salad

2010-09-10T18:30:00.042+02:00

Salad
Variable
0:30

I call this recipe a fridge velcro. Whenever I have chicken leftover (roasted or cooked), I shred it and turn it into a salad by adding pretty much whatever else I have in the fridge. It can be very light and delicious as a summer meal that can be served cold. I'm not adding measures for the ingredients because I change it according to what's available at the moment.

Ingredients

chicken or turkey, shred
apple, cut into cubes
raisins
canned corn
canned peas
carrots, grated
olives
bell pepper
red onion

mayo
cream cheese
sour cream

Instructions

Make sure everything is cut into small pieces. Mix everything together in a bowl and voilà!

Tips

I like using small potato chips to add some crunchiness to the dish. If you like, add it to your plate directly. Mixing the chips in the bowl will make them soggy.

Vatapá cearence (creamy bread, coconut milk, chicken and palm oil paste)

2010-09-07T23:52:00.003+02:00

Brazilian cuisine
8 servings
3:00 preparation + 1:00 cooking

So, it's independence day back in Brazil again. As usual, there was a big ceremony in the capital, Brasília, but, for the rest, people don't really celebrate it nearly as much as 4th of July in the US. Last year, in the same holiday, I tried to make Feijoada (beans stew) for the first time. This year I went more regional. Vatapá is a traditional dish typical from the Northeast of the country. In my state, it's a seasonal dish served during Junine Parties, a kind of European Midsummer celebration. My State's version of the dish is also particularly accessible for not containing regional ingredients.

Ingredients

5 one-day-old breads
1 liter milk
1 large onion
1 bell pepper
1 tomato
2 large garlic choves
2 chicken fillets
1 chicken stock cube
chives and parsley, chopped
150ml coconut milk
150ml palm oil
salt, black pepper and cumin
tabasco sauce

Instructions

Soak the breads in the milk for at least 2 hours or until the bread is partially dissolved into a paste. Mix in the onion, bell pepper, tomato, garlic and let it rest while you cook the chicken.
Cook the chicken in water with the chicken stock cube dissolved. Cook until just ready. Shred the meat.
Using a blender, blend the bread paste and vegetables into a paste. Add a couple of spoons of the shred chicken as well and blend. Bring it to a large pan.
Cook until it thickens (around 15 minutes), stirring all the time. Mix in the coconut milk, palm oil, salt, pepper, cumin, chives and parsley and let it cook for around 8 more minutes. Season with tabasco sauce to taste. The dish should be spicy!
Serve with white rice.

Tips

Instead of chicken you can use shrimp.

Hard shell ice cream topping

2010-08-24T17:08:00.004+02:00

Dessert
Around 10 servings (?)
0:10

You might not see the reason for this recipe but, here in the Netherlands, I find it practically impossible to buy those chocolate toppings that hardens. Once I found it in a discount supermarket but it was an one time deal. Another time, I heard that an expensive supermarket here had it as part of a special set of Christmas products. Again, one time deal. I decided to look into making my own and here's the result!

Ingredients

100g chocolate of preference (bitter, milk, doesn't matter.)
65g refined coconut oil (or butter or vegetable oil or all together)
small pinch of salt

Instructions

Simply melt the chocolate (either in the microwave or au bain marie) and mix in the oil and salt.
Wait until it cools down a little before using. Keep it out of the fridge.

Tips

You can keep the chocolate in a maple syrup bottle or any squeeze bottle.
In the winter, it might get harden because of the cold. To reheat it, you can either microwave or place the bottle in a plate with warm/hot water (depending on which container you're using) until it melts again.
You can add flavoring by adding oil based drops, such as lime, mint, orange.

Creamy salmon and spinach pasta, with lemon zest and parsley

2010-08-21T21:08:00.007+02:00

Pasta
2 servings
0:20

I've been spending some time at my boyfriend's parents' house taking care of their cat (Poesje -- meaning little female cat, in Dutch)while they travel. It's a thing I've been doing at least once a year, every time they have to spend some time away. My boyfriend's mother is always super sweet and thoughtful, and always leave some goodies in the fridge. Tonight, I found salmon fillet, spinach, lemon and some cream and, because it's still summer and surprisingly warm here in The Netherlands, I made something a simple and light dinner with them. It was very tasty and can be some really fast!

Ingredients

150g spaghetti
150g fresh spinach (or same weight of deep frozen one)
250g fresh salmon fillet (or smoked)
125ml creme fraiche
a handful of chopped parsley
1 tablespoon butter
lemon zest from one lemon
2 tablespoon of lemon juice
salt and pepper

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to instructions on the package.
In a frying pan, melt half of the butter and fry the salmon fillet. Fry it for around 3 minutes each side depending on the thickness. Put it aside in a plate.
In the same pan, melt the rest of the butter and fry the spinach. It might look like a lot of spinach but it will shrink.
Meanwhile, flake the salmon with a fork.
When the spinach had shrank to half, add the creme fraiche and lemon zest to the pan. Reduce it by half. Add the salmon and toss in the chopped parsley.
Add the pasta to the same pan, toss it well, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve!

Brazilian seafood stew (Muqueca)

2010-08-10T23:18:00.006+02:00

Fish stew
4 servings
0:40

This time I bring a bit of the northern flavor of Brazilian cuisine. This dish tastes like home! Food in the northeast of Brazil is known for its spiciness and rich flavors mostly due to African influence. Although this one is not particularly spicy (tabasco could be an optional for this dish), this dish brings the very characteristic mixture of coconut, palm oil and sea food. With no changes in the recipe, you'll taste Brazil!!

Ingredients

4 fish fillets (I used pangasius/catfish)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 red bell pepper
2 tomatoes
1 crushed garlic
1/2 onion
2 tablespoon coriander, chopped
100ml coconut milk
400g medium sized shrimp
2 cubes shrimp or fish stock, dissolved in the minimum possible amount of hot water
1 tablespoon palm oil
4 medium potatoes, sliced

Instructions

Marinate the fish in the lemon juice for 10 minutes.
Steam the sliced potatoes under low heat just until under al dente.
Meanwhile, chop the onion, tomatoes and bell pepper.
In a big pan, layer half the fish, onions, tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, shrimp stock and coriander. Layer the other half in the same order and add the coconut milk on top. Stir it carefully.
Cook over low heat for around 20 minutes with a lid on. If necessary, add more water.
Before ready, add the potatoes for them to absorb a bit of the flavor. Let it simmer for 5 more minutes.
Add the palm oil. Taste it and season with salt, if necessary.
Serve it!

Steak with green peppercorn sauce

2010-07-28T02:58:00.007+02:00

Steak
2 servings
0:20

The other day my boyfriend's mother sneaked into our house and placed a package of matured steak in our fridge. It's probably the highest quality steak I can find here and it's a burst of flavor. I could have eaten it raw but I've chosen to make something else and, as nothing goes as well with a steak as pepper, I made this. I would dare to say that this is my favorite steak recipe.

Ingredients

2 beef steaks

1 tablespoon butter

Sauce

400ml beef stock or canned beef broth
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, in cubes
2 tablespoon green peppercorns (canned)
100ml heavy cream
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy

Instructions

In a sauce pan, boil the stock until reduced by half, about 6 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 80oC.
Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook steaks as desired, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak a plate and place it in the warm oven.
In the same frying pan, sauté the shallots for 2 minutes. Add reduced beef stock, heavy cream, cognac and green peppercorns. Boil until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
Sieve the sauce to get it smooth and add a couple of more peppercorns for decorating.
Season with salt and pepper, spoon over steaks and serve.

Tips

For a Steak au Poivre, coat the steaks with a generous black pepper and salt and fry.
You can serve it with simple mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Meat and beans tortilla wraps

2010-07-22T15:25:00.004+02:00

Tortilla rolls
8 servings
0:20

Another favorite. We love going Mexican!

Ingredients

Meat

400g ground beef

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt and peper to taste

Filling

150g canned corn

1 tomato, seeded and in cubes

150ml sour cream

80g cheese, grated or chopped

150gr salsa
450g refried beans, canned

Jalapeño to taste

Lettuce to taste, in strips

8 flour tortillas

Instructions

Season the meat and fry it without oil or butter under low heat until brown.
Meanwhile, divide the filling ingredients in small serving bowls.
When the meat is ready, drain the fat and put it in another serving bowl.
Microwave the tortillas for 30 seconds and have fun preparing your wraps!
Optionally, you can spread salsa and cheese on top of the wraps and bake them in the oven (200°C).

Chicken croquettes

2010-07-12T13:15:00.008+02:00

Snacks
4 servings
0:30 + cook 0:20

Since I first came to the Netherlands I've wondered how their krokets were made. Once I ran into this recipe of chicken croquettes and for my surprise, the texture and taste were the same as the Dutch ones, except that they are mostly made with cow ground beef. Making them yourself feel special for some reason. Totally recommended!

Ingredients

100g butter
115g flour
750ml milk
400g cooked chicken, shredded
2 tablespoon tomato puree
salt and black pepper
8 tablespoon breadcrumbs
3 eggs, beaten
oil, for frying

Instructions

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the flour, stirring. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the milk to make a smooth sauce.
Add the chicken and tomato puree, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely.
Use two spoons to form croquettes. Roll them in breadcrumbs, coat in the egg and roll in the breadcrumbs again.
Heat the oil and fry the choquettes for 5 minutes over high heat, turning frequently, until golden all over. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen towel.
Serve while still hot.

Tips

You will seriously think it won't work because it will be way to liquid after you remove the from the heat but as it cools down, it will thicken and you'll be able to roll it well into balls.
Serve with garlic mayonnaise or salsa rosa, made from 2 parts mayonnaise to 1 part ketchup. Dutch people would eat it with mustard. Also good!

Again, for quickly cooking the chicken, just put it in hot water with some sunflower oil and spices. I always have garlic, paprika, black pepper, salt, parsley, chives.

Curry chicken rolls

2010-07-11T17:44:00.007+02:00

Snacks
12 servings
15 + cooking time for chicken

The other recipe Paul picked for the picnic was a chicken rolls with curry and apricot. I confess I always have a little prejudice against sweets in my food so I almost didn't add the peaches. Big mistake I would have made. It was great! It's not sweet at all and I think it balances well with the curry. Great and super easy to make.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry paste
1 tablespoon tomato puree
dash of Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoon mayonnaise
4 peach halves canned in fruit juice, drained
300g cooked chicken, shredded
12 small bridge rolls
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions

Heat the oil and fry the onion until softened. Add the curry paste, cook for 1 minute over low heat, then stir in the tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside to cool.
Place the onion mixture, mayonnaise, and peach halves in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. In a bowl, mix it with the shredded chicken.
Pile on to the breads and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Tips

For quickly cooking the chicken, just put it in hot water with some sunflower oil and spices. I always have garlic, paprika, black pepper, salt, parsley, chives.

Smoked salmon and creamy paste crackers

2010-07-10T02:18:00.007+02:00

Party food > Finger food
20+ crackers
10 minutes

This evening, after work, we met friends in a park for drinking wine and picnicking. I asked Paul to pick a couple of recipes from a cook book so we could make it together to take along. This is one he picked (of course, a little adapted) and I absolutely love it! It's a good option for varying from the regular cream cheese and salmon crackers.

Ingredients

Crackers
200g smoked salmon
200ml creme fraiche
2 tablespoon mustard
chives
1 tablespoon lemon
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Black peper

Instructions

Cut the salmon in thin strips about 2cm wide.
Mix the creme fraiche with mustard, lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with black pepper.
Divide de creamy mixture between the crackers and top with the salmon and chives to garnish.

Spinach (and ham) quiche

2010-07-01T17:29:00.017+02:00

Pie
4 servings
0:20 + baking time

A delicious, inexpensive and easy vegetarian recipe. This quiche smells delicious while baking and is very tasty in the mouth. I don't know how easy to find the ready pie crust is but it's worth it a try if you can get it (or don't mind making your own).

Update: I had made it with fresh spinach before but it didn't work out so well. I tried it again with frozen spinach and it was marvelous!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
350 g frozen spinach
5 crust pastry, in frozen sheets
5 eggs
125 ml cream
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
100g grated cheese
salt and peper

Instructions

Defrost the spinach. Heat the olive oil in a large wok or frying pan and fry the garlic and onion until it is slightly transparent. Add the spinach, season with the nutmeg and fry for 2 minutes. Drain.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Make the dough wet and press it against a greased round oven dish (around 24cm diameter).
Beat the eggs in a separate bowl with the cream and add the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Lie the spinach over the pie crust and pour the egg mixture on top.
Bake the cake in the oven for around 45 minutes until golden brown.
Wait 10 minutes before cutting the slices. Serve either hot or cold.

Tips

I like adding around 150g ham in blocks or fried bacon in this recipe for an extra flavor.
Instead of greasing the oven dish, you can cover the bottom with baking paper and sprinkle some flour on top.

Easy Brazilian chicken strogonoff

2010-06-17T20:55:00.010+02:00

Chicken
2 servings
0:20

Another Brazilian favorite. Although it's traditionally Russian, you'd be surprised by how popular this one is in Brazil. Again, it's very often made with beef (fillet mignon) but I like it with chicken just as much.

Ingredients

3 chicken fillets, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon butter, for frying
1/2 yellow onion, grated
salt
100g sliced mushroom
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoon Ketshup
2 tablespoon Mustard
1 tablespoon Cognac
1 chicken bouillon cube
cream

Instructions

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and fry the onion until transparent. Add the chicken and fry it until golden.
Add the mushrooms, ketshup, mustard, Worcestershire, cognac. Dissolve the bouillon in some hot water and add into the pan. Cook with the lid on for 10 minutes.
Dissolve a spoon of plain flour in cold water and mix into the sauce to thicken it.
Turn off the heat and add the cream.

Tips

Serve with rice and potato sticks for a Brazilian feeling.

Chicken parmegiana

2010-06-17T20:14:00.006+02:00

Chicken
2 servings
0:30

Beef parmegiana is one of the most ordered dish in Brazilian restaurants but it also goes well if made with chicken. With this recipe the chicken will have just the right texture. Very tender and moist.

Ingredients

Sauce
1/4 large yellow onion, grated
1/8 cup olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 can (400ml) crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pinch of sugar
Chicken
2 chicken fillet
Salt
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon basil leaves
100g mozzarella cheese, sliced

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add the onions and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic. Cook for about a minute more. Then add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Reduce the heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered while you prepare the chicken (about 10-12 minutes).
Preheat oven to 400°F. Flatten the chicken fillets with a meat pounder between two layers of plastic wrap. Salt the chicken pieces well.
In three shallow bowls distribute the flour, the egg and a mixture of breadcrumbs and half of the Parmesan in each bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Use enough oil to cover half of the fillets. Dredge the chicken pieces 1 piece at a time first in the plain flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Then lay the pieces in the hot oil. Fry the cutlets until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Spread some tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish, arrange the fried fillets on top and cover them with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle the basil and top the dish with slices of mozzarella and the remaining of Parmesan.
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the mozzarella begins to brown. Serve with spaghetti or mushed potato.

Yakisoba, Japanese fried noodles

2010-06-05T00:48:00.006+02:00

One pan dish
3/4 servings
0:30

Nothing easier than a wok! This Japanese yakisoba recipe can be made as complex as you want by removing or adding some of the vegetables. If cutting is not your cup of tea, you supermarket might have a bag of vegetables pre-cut which could be just what you need.

Ingredients

150g soba (Japanese pasta) or spaghetti
300g chicken filet or pork or beef (or all mixed together), cut into small pieces and marinated with two spoons of soy sauce
1/2 small bunch of brocolli
1 medium carrot, cut into thin strips
a hand full of cabbage, roughly chopped into pieces
3 cloves garlic, mashed
50g mushroom
1/4 medium onion, cut into cubes
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into cubes
2 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoon oil
1 cup yakisoba sauce or teriyaki or worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Cook the noodle/pasta according to package.
In a wok pan, heat the oil, fry the garlic and onion for a few seconds and add the meat, followed by the vegetables and mushroom.
Pour the soy sauce, combine well. Add the yakisoba sauce and let the vegetables cooking until al dente (soft but a bit crispy in the outside)
Add the pasta, mix well and serve hot.

Tips

If you can't find yakisoba sauce, use shoyo and sesame oil.

Smoked salmon and broccoli pasta

2010-05-30T23:29:00.004+02:00

Pasta
4 servings
0:20

This recipe can be made in the blink of an eye. Seriously. It's very tasty and inexpensive. The broccoli gives it a crunchy texture which works well with the smoked salmon. You can make it as garlicky as you want :)

Ingredients

300g pasta
a bunch of broccoli, cut in small florets
200g smoked salmon, cut into squares
2 tablespoons of creme fraiche (or Boursin cuisine garlic & fine herbs)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley
2 eggs

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to instructions on the package.
Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes (you can steam it using the same pan you're cooking the pasta, at the same time).
Meanwhile, mix in a bowl the eggs, cream fraiche, garlic.
Drain the pasta and, while still hot, combine the egg mixture and then the salmon.
Garnish with the parsley. Serve!

Tips

Broccoli can be replaced for spinach.

Quick Bacalhau à Brás, a Portuguese codfish recipe

2010-05-25T22:58:00.007+02:00

Oven dish > Fish
3/4 servings
0:45

In Portugal, the codfish (bacalhau) used for this recipe is dried and preserved in salt. The fish has to be soaked for day(s) but in the end is worth it as it tastes marvelous! I don't know where to get dried codfish here so I have an alternative using fresh cod. Unfortunately, using fresh cod will not bring all the special flavor of this dish up. If you're using dried salted cod, you have to soak it in plenty of water for at least 24 hours, occasionally replacing the water.

Ingredients

500g fresh cod fish fillet
3 large potatoes, cut in 6mm thick slices
20g butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 clove garlic, chopped
15g chopped fresh parsley, divided
90ml olive oil
2g red pepper flakes
freshly ground pepper to taste
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
5 pitted green olives
5 pitted black olives

Instructions

Cook the cod for 5 minutes in water. Set aside in a large bowl.
Steam the slices of potatoes and allow it to cook for 20 minutes.
Flake the fish with a fork and salt it to taste. (It is supposed to be very salty! Add little by little while trying).
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of parsley, peper flakes, 1 clove of garlic. Pour it over the fish.
In a frying pan, melt the butter and sauté the onion until golden. Then add the other clove of garlic.
Pre heat the oven to 175oC.
In a oven dish, make layers starting with potatoes, fish, onions. Finish with the onions.
Bake it for 15 minutes.

Tips

Salting the fish is very important to keep the main aspect of the this dish.

Breaded chicken filled with garlic butter

2010-05-21T02:47:00.006+02:00

Chicken
2servings
0:25 (without marinade)

The butter filling makes the chicken fillet extremely tender and moist in the inside while the bread coating outside is crispy and delicious!

Ingredients

Marinade(optional)
100ml beer
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
salt and peper
1 crushed garlic clove
Filled fillets
2 chicken fillets
20g butter, soften
1 crushed garlic clove
zest from 1/2 lemon
parsley
Coating
1 cup plain flour
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
Oil for frying

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and soak the chicken fillets for 20 minutes.
Combine the butter, garlic, lemon zest and parsley. Carefully use a knife to cut a cavity in the chicken fillet and fill it with the butter mixture.
Place the coating ingredients in a different plate, each. Coat the fillets in the flour, then in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs.
Fry it in plenty of oil at medium heat until golden. Drain the excess of oil in a paper towel and serve!

Butter cookies

2010-05-21T02:23:00.009+02:00

Snacks
4 portions
0:30

I had many of those in my childhood. They usually melt in the mouth and it makes a delicious experience. I tried this recipe, didn't quite achieve the original texture but it was still great!

Ingredients

2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup sugar
110 butter

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients until smooth.
Roll and flatten the balls with a fork.
Bake it for 20 minutes at low temperature.
Let cool down before removing from the baking form.

Tips

Keep it in a closed jar.

Easy spaghetti carbonara

2010-05-13T18:45:00.009+02:00

Pasta
2 servings
0:30

A you-can't-fail recipe.

Ingredients

200g dried spaghetti
2 tbsp olive oil
6 bacon slices, chopped
2 egg yolks
40g parmesan cheese
4 tbsp fresh cream
salt and pepper
2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to instructions on the package.
Meanwhile, fry the bacon in olive oil until it renders, when the fat melts.
In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, cream and cheese.
Drain the pasta and place it back into the pan of fried bacon and stir. Then pour the egg mixture while the pasta is still hot. This way you can cook the egg yolks.
Try it. Season with salt and pepper and add the chopped parsley. Serve!

Tips

Parmesan cheese can be replaced with pretty much any cheese you like/have. I'd often use simple yellow cheese as that's what I have most of the time.
The bacon fat can be drained before being combine with the pasta. It results in a less unhealthy variation.
In Italy this isn't traditionally made with cream, bacon is replaced with pancetta and pecorino romano is the cheese used.
Green tip! would be replacing the bacon with peas, mushroom, broccoli or courgette.

Deviled eggs

2010-03-24T15:57:00.005+01:00

Party snack
6 servings
0:30

A perfect party snack, either sophisticated or casual. Cheap and simple, can be made by anyone being certain that everybody will enjoy it.

Ingredients

6 eggs
3 tablespoon mayo
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon hot paprika powder
salt and pepper
chives, chopped

Instructions

Cook the eggs for 8 minutes and leave them in cold water to cool. Peel and cut them in 2 or 4 pieced, each.
Remove the yokes e mix them with mayo, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper.
Scoop the mixture into the egg whites and sprinkle the chopped chives on top.

Carrot purée

2010-03-14T17:04:00.018+01:00

Side dish
2 servings
0:35

A friend recently told me that he would never buy potatoes because they are just carbs and not nutritious enough. I tend to agree with him but, as a mashed potatoes lover, I had to defend my precious vegetable. However, this week I served carrot purée as an equally tasty alternative to the traditional potato dish. Are carrots really much healthier than potatoes? The summary of nutritional value of each of the vegetable is listed below.

Ingredients

4 carrots
1 potato
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh creme
tarragon and nutmeg to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Peal the carrots and potato and cut them in pieces.
Steam the carrots for 5 minutes. Add the potato and steam them until very tender.
Drain. Mash them together very well (or use a food processor). Add the oil, cream and seasoning.
Transfer it to a hot bowl and serve hot.

Carrots vs. Potatoes

Potatoes [source]

Amount per 100g	%DV
Dietary Fiber	10%
Vitamin C	19%
Calcium	3%
Iron	18%
Vitamin B6	19%
Manganese	30%
Copper	21%
Potassium	12%

Carrots [source]

Amount per 100g	%DV
Dietary fiber	11%
Vitamin A	334%
Vitamin C	10%
Vitamin K	16%
Potassium	9%
Thiamin	4%
Niacin	5%
Vitamin B6	7%
Folate	5%
Manganese	7%

More details at nutritiondata.com.

Salmon fishcake

2010-03-08T00:55:00.013+01:00

Fish
6 servings
2:00

Tonight I had some salmon left from the sushi we had last night (which was great!) so I wanted to make something else with the fish. Fishcakes are always good as they burst with flavor and are so fresh. It might sound like a lot of work but, trust me, it's worth it. Below, a tip for making it even healthier.

Ingredients

Fishcake
200g potatoes (ca. 2 medium-sized)
400g salmon fillet, skinned and boned
1/2 onion
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 spring onions
salt, pepper and wasabi, to taste
1/2 lemon, its juice and zest
1 tablespoon dill
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
chives and parsley (optional)
Coating
100g breadcrumbs
plain flour
1 egg
oil for frying

Instructions

Boil the potatoes in plenty of water for 20 minutes. Drain and let them cool down.
Fill another pan with cold water and put the salmon, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns. Boil and let simmer for 2 minutes. Let it cool down for 20 minutes, then drain the water, set the salmon aside and dispose the rest.
In a bowl, mix the potatoes and salmon as well as the other ingredients. Let it chill for a hour.
Place in three different plates the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs.
Make balls with the fish mixture and flatten a bit. Coat the cakes in the order flour, then egg, finally breadcrumbs
Heat the oil and fry the fishcakes for 3 minutes each side.

Tips

Serve it with a wedge of lemon or soy sauce.
The healthy tip is to replace potatoes for egg (just enough to bind) and omit the flour or breadcrumb coating. If making it this way, you'll have to be a bit careful not to move the fishcakes around a lot in the pan while frying because the bind will be less than with flour.

Complete recipe for a European-friendly Feijoada (Brazilian beans and pork stew)

2010-02-27T18:30:00.005+01:00

Stew > Beans and Pork
4 servings
0:45

Feijoada is a traditional Brazilian dish, originating from the slaves in the colonial Brazil. The idea was to make something with the farmer's leftovers such as pig ear, tails and feet. According to tradition, that's how it's still made nowadays. For people like me, who can't get these unique traditional ingredients (or just because it's too exotic), I present the european-friendly recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Stew
300g chorizo (or a varied pork sausages), in slices
400g pork tenderloin, in cubes
some slices of bacon
1 can of black beans (ca. 400g) or chili beans if you can't find the black
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 garlics, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
4 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Farofa
2 cups bread crumbs
fat from the meat you fried
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
3 tablespoon bacon in cubes
Salad
200g kale
juice of 1/2 tangerine
juice of 1/4 lemon
1 garlic
1 tablespoon oil
salt and peper to taste
Rice
1 garlic
1 1/2 cup rice
1/2 vegetarian stock cube
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Stew

Fry the garlic, onion, bay leaves and bacon in the oil for around 5 minutes. Stir in the black beans and simmer for 5 minutes minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separated frying pan, fry the pork tenderloin, sausages and slices of bacon with salt and garlic. Fry it until the meat is cooked but don't let it dry too much. Drain the fat and save it for the farofa (side dish).
Add the cooked meat to the pan with the black beans Cook your feijoada 15 more minutes so the meat can be soaked in the black beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Farofa

Return the fat from the meat you fried previously to the frying pan. (I know that sounds and it is super unhealthy). Add the butter and fry the bacon until a bit crispy.
Add the bread crumbs and mix it well until it's all a bit humid.
Stir in the eggs and stir well to make sure there will be no big pieces.
Add more bread crumbs if it gets too wet. It should look look like a kinf of flour with big lumps.

Salad

Cook the kale in water to reduce it. Drain it and set it aside.
Fry the garlic in the oil, add the kale and sprinkle the juices over it stiring well. Season with salt and pepper.

Rice

Fry the garlic in olive oil, stir in the rice frying for a few seconds. Add the boiling water and dissolve the stock in the water.
Cook it for as long as the package recommends.

Tips

Bay leaves give a very special taste to feijoada so try not to skip it.
To make the feijoada creamy, liquefy 1/2 cup of black beans in the blender and add to the feijoada.

Asian meatballs with saté sauce

2010-02-25T23:12:00.007+01:00

Snacks
8 servings
0:35

Some friends have tried this recipe but at that time I hadn't add the lemongrass, which is a grass used in some tropical countries that adds a citrus and gingery flavor, which makes it extra good with the saté sauce. Really worth a trying!

Ingredients

1/2kg ground beef (beef or pork or both)
1 garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemongrass puree
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 egg
Juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Flour for dusting
Oil for frying (sunflower or some other tasteless one)
Mix for saté sauce

Instructions

Make the sauce according to instructions on the package.
Combine the meat, garlic, lemongrass, coriander, curry, lemon juice, fish sauce and egg. Season to taste and roll the mixture into small balls. Dust with the flour.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs until browned.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve it hot!

Ratatouille

2010-02-25T22:54:00.006+01:00

One pan meal
4 servings
0:45

I am a big fan of ratatouille for its freshness. It's so light, tasty and healthy! And in this case, it's so easy to make! On the other hand Paul thinks this meal is not fulfilling. He insists that I should serve it with some side dish so I leave it up to you.

Ingredients

4 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic, chopped
1 courgette, sliced
1 aubergine, in cubes
1 red bell pepper, in pieces
150ml vegetarian stock
400g canned tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoon oregano
salt and peper to taste

Instructions

Fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, courgette, aubergine and bell pepper. Fry for 5 more minutes.
Add the stock, tomato and its juice and oregano. Let it boil and low the heat letting it simmer for around 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot or cold.

Tips

If serving it hot, you can sprinkle some grated cheese.

Chicken with creamy wine and tarragon sauce

2010-02-24T13:42:00.004+01:00

Chicken
2 servings
0:50

For late Valentine's day, I made this recipe which is a more sophisticated version of the poulet poché, already shown in the blog. It's a classic French recipe as nothing is more French than crème fraîche and tarragon.

Ingredients

15g butter
1/2 tablespoon oil
2 chicken fillets
175g shallots, sliced
1/2 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
175ml chicken stock
60ml dry white wine
125ml crème fraîche
1/2 tablespoon dry tarragon (or 1, if using fresh)

Instructions

Meal butter with oil in medium-high heat and fry the chicken for 3 minutes each side, until golden.
Sprinkle the shallots, garlic, herbes de provence and salt and pepper to taste. Add the stock and wine and bring it to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.
Set the chicken aside and boil the sauce until it reduces by half.
Stir in the creme fraiche and terragon and cook it until thick.
Serve it!

Tips

If the sauce gets to thick, add more chicken stock.

Bruschetta with tomato and basil

2010-02-15T17:08:00.006+01:00

Snacks
4-6 servings
0:15

Tasty and healthy, tomato bruschetta can be served with toast for a party or light snack.

Ingredients

Toasts or sliced ciabatta loaf (bread)
4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small red chili, very finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
Fresh basil to taste
8 medium tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

Instructions

Start toasting the bread if you have to. If using ready toast, skip this item.
In a bowl mix the onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and chili. Slice the basil and add to the bowl. Then add the chopped tomatoes.
To serve, top each toast with some of the mix.

Chili con carne

2010-02-15T16:47:00.011+01:00

One pan recipe
4 servings
1:00

Great everyday dish. Easy, cheap and appreciated for everybody.

Ingredients

750g ground beef
2 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, sliced
2-4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon flour
500ml tomato sauce
400ml tomato in can (or 8 fresh tomatoes)
1-2 tablespoon chili sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and peper
400g kidney or chili beans, in a can
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
1-2 teaspoon parsley, fresh herbs to taste
tortillas and/or rice to serve with

Instructions

Fry the ground beef. Set it aside.
Fry the onion and garlic in a pan until light brown, add the flour and fry it for 1-2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and tomatoes and cook. Add the meat and chili sauce, cumin, salt and peper. And cook in low temperature for 40 minutes.
Add beans, oregano and parsley and leave it for 10 minutes more.
Serve with tortillas and/or white rice.

Tips

It's also delicious in a bowl with cheese on the top and sour cream. It makes a good dip for tortillas.
The longer you cook (in very low temperate) the tastier it gets. For practical reasons, you can cook large amounts and keep the leftovers. The day after dish is even better!

Lemon cheesecake with ricotta

2010-01-28T18:11:00.007+01:00

Dessert
6 servings
1:30

I made this recipe to treat my friends from the Dutch lessons I attend. It tastes very genuine with the ricotta cheese, besides being healthier. I loved it and it's so easy!

Ingredients

50g butter
150g biscuit crumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
225g ricotta cheese
1 1/2 dl yogurt 3 eggs
1 teaspoon maizena (cornstarch)
75g cristal sugar
3 lemons
1 tablespoon liquid honey

Instructions

Pre heat the oven to 180°C.
Melt the butter and combine it to cinnamon and biscuits crumbs in a bowl until even. Press the crumbs into a lightly oiled 20cm spring form pan. Bake it for 10 minutes
Meanwhile, mix in a beater the ricotta, yogurt, eggs, maizena, sugar and the rasp and juice of 2 lemons. Spread it over the biscuit bottom and bake it for 45 minutes.
Let it cool for at least 1 hour.
Cut a lemon into thin slices. Cook it in water for 5 minutes, drain and add honey. Spread it over the ready cheesecake.
Enjoy!

Tuna salad

2010-01-23T22:14:00.009+01:00

Salad
4 servings
0:30

It's light, inexpensive and feels so healthy. I love this recipe for warm days.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked pasta (macaroni, penne)
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 cup chopped red, orange, and or yellow bell peppers, seeded and de-stemmed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cans of tuna, packed in olive oil (do not drain)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
1/4-1/3 a head of lettuce, sliced and roughly chopped into 5cm long strips
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package, but just a little more cooked than al dente. When ready, remove from heat, drain and rinse with cold water.
While the pasta is cooking, assemble the other ingredients. In a large bowl mix the green onion, bell peppers, parsley, tuna, celery and lemon. Fold in the iceberg lettuce and mayonnaise until well mixed. Add the paprika. Add fresh ground pepper to taste.

Tips

If you get tuna packed in water, drain the water out and add 2-3 Tbsp olive oil.
This salad does not make good leftovers as the lettuce will eventually get soggy.
Cooked eggs go well too!

Homemade tomato sauce

2010-01-23T21:51:00.007+01:00

Sauce
4 servings
1:20

Fresh homemade food makes the whole experience so much better in the kitchen. This is a simple tomato sauce just perfect for spaghetti.

Ingredients

1 kg tomatoes
1 carrot
1 onion
1 small branch thyme
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon full butter
Salt and black pepper to taste
Olive oil

Instructions

In a thick deep frying pan, gently stew into olive oil the carrot and the thinly sliced onion, then add thyme, bay leaf, crushed garlic and the tomato paste.
Add the tomatoes cut into pieces, salt and black pepper and caster sugar/fine sugar (to get rid of acidity). Cook in the oven (180°C) for a hour.
Remove the thyme from the tomato sauce, then blend it and sieve it carefully. Put the butter on top and it's ready!

Spinach pancakes with salmon and dill

2010-01-23T21:31:00.016+01:00

Pancake
12 servings
0:30

That's a great recipe, learned from my boyfriend's mother. It's always such a success when she makes them that I had to try it myself and have made them at least twice now.

Ingredients

200g flour
2 eggs
450 ml milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic chopped
1 onion chopped
100g deepfrozen spinach
1 cup shredded smoked salmon (200 g)
4 tablespoons crème fraîche
2 tablespoons dill
5 tablespoon oil
salt and peper to taste

Instructions

Stir the flour, eggs, milk and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until a smooth. Let it rest.
Defrost the spinach. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan on low heat, fry the garlic and onion until translucent, then add the spinach. Blend the mixture in a food processor then drain the water. Combine it with the pancake dough.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan on medium high heat and spread the dough. Turn the pancake when it's solid and loose from the pan.
Keep the ready pancakes warm under aluminum foil and/or in the oven under low heat.
Fill the pancakes with the cream, salmon and dill and season to taste with salt and peper. Fold them and serve!

Tips

You can also make it with fresh spinach by frying it with onion and garlic until it's reduced. Blend it and dry it well.

Sausage bread

2009-12-06T16:37:00.014+01:00

Bread
8 servings
1:00

Whenever I make this bread, it disappears within a day or two!

Ingredients

Dough
1/2 kg flour
25g instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
200ml warm water
1 egg
oregano

Filling
200g sausage (chorizo, salami)
mozzarella to taste
50g butter

Instructions

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in water, add salt, sugar and oil and mix. Add egg and mix well.
Add the flour in the bowl and mix it until it's possible to transfer to the counter. Work the dough for about 5 minutes. Make a ball with the dough and let it rest for about 10 minutes, covered with a humid cloth.
Split the dough in two equal parts.
Sprinkle flour on the dough and work it, opening and closing it, for another 5 minutes. Open it with a rolling pin until 1cm thick. Spread the sausage on top, mozzarella and some butter, and roll it like a jelly roll. Do the same with the other half of the dough. Join the two rolls together, like a braid.
Grease the spring-form with butter and place the braid bread. Brush some egg yoke and fat on the bread and bake it for 40minutes (180oC).
Let it cool for 10 minutes before trying.

Tips

If your cheese or sausage is too fat you might notice some fat in the bottom of the form while baking it. Drain it if it happens.

Chicken fricassée

2009-12-04T16:00:00.005+01:00

Chicken
2-3 servings
0:50

Ingredients

300g chicken, cubed in bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced or crushed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 1 cup of water
200g mushrooms
2 medium carrots, scraped
2 bay leaves
1/2 leek
1/2 cup crème fraîche/cooking cream
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Instructions

Melt the butter and olive oil together in a big cooking pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and brown on all sides - about five minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the top of the chicken with the flour and stir for 1 minute, thoroughly coating the chicken with the flour. Mix in the water with the chicken stock cube dissolved and wine and then the cut mushrooms, carrots and leek. Bring to a low boil, cover and simmer on medium low heat for 15 minutes or just until the vegetables are cooked as you like them.
Mix the egg yolk, lemon juice and crème fraîche. Turn off the heat and stir in the creamy mix. Serve hot.

Tips

Can be served with white rice.

Spaghetti with spinach and salmon

2009-11-09T03:58:00.004+01:00

Pasta
2 servings
0:15

Ingredients

200g spaghetti (whole-wheat is best)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pieces salmon (120g each)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
1/2 lemon, zested
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the fish to the pan and cook until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish.
Add the basil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the spaghetti mixture and toss to combine. Set out 2 serving plates or shallow bowls. Place 1/2 cup spinach in each bowl. Top with half of the pasta. Top each mound of pasta with a piece of salmon. Serve immediately.

Tips

I added those crab sticks (fake crab meat) in the salad.

Green pasta with zuccini and tomatoes

2009-11-03T16:41:00.009+01:00

Main dish > Pasta
2 servings
0:30

Ingredients

Pasta
200g spaghetti
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
Pinch chili flake
1/2 zucchini, cut julienne (length wise)
1 cup oven dried tomatoes
Green sauce
1 bunch (or 1 1/2 cup) fresh parsley
1/2 bunch (or 1/2 cup) fresh basil leaves
6 cornichons
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup mild extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black peper to taste

Instructions

Green sauce

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add herbs and blanch for 15 seconds. Drain into colander and submerge in ice water. When cool squeeze out all water and chop with a knife. Using a food processor or blender, blend all ingredients together, taste for seasoning and adjust consistency (with more olive oil) if need be.

Pasta

Bring a liter salted water to a boil. Add pasta to water, stirring to make sure it does not stick together.
In large pan, sauté sliced garlic in olive oil, and add capers and chili flakes when garlic is light brown. Add the green sauce and zucchini and cook for ca. 2 minutes.
Drain pasta, add to pan with zucchini and sauce. Distribute dried tomatoes around plate and place pasta on top.

Tips

Using tongs or a meat fork create a nest of pasta in the center of the plate.
Add small pieces of dried tomatoes in the sauce
To make your own oven dried tomatoes, cut tomatoes in half, fill them with salt, balsamic vinegar, garlic, basil leaves, chili flakes, capers. Put in the oven (135oC) for two hours (or more).

Stroganoff pie

2009-10-16T01:46:00.007+02:00

Ovendish > Salty Pie
4 servings
1:00

Sometimes I want to taste a bit of Brazil. Tomato-based sauce is a secure way to have that taste back to my mouth. In a salty pie dough is just delicious.

Ingredients

Dough
1 cup of flour
75g butter
3 tablespoon beer
1/2 tablespoon cream cheese
1/2 chicken stock cube dissolved in 1/2 cup of hot water
salt
Filling
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion
1 chicken fillet
3 tablespoon of ketchup
1/2 tablespoon of mustard
1/2 chicken stock cube dissolved in 2 tablespoon of hot water
100g creme fraiche (sour cream)
2 tablespoon cream cheese
1/2 tablespoon flour
salt and pepper

2 egg yokes beaten until thick

Instructions

Cook the chicken in hot water, oil, seasonings to taste.
Meanwhile, make the dough. In a big bowl mix the flour with butter and hot water first. Then add the beer, cream cheese, salt until even. Rest it for 20 minutes.
Shred the cooked chicken with a fork. Finely cut the onion.
In a pan pour the olive oil, fry the onion, add the chicken and let it fry for ca. 2 minutes. Add ketchup, mustard, water with the chicken cube, cream, cream cheese, flour and salt and pepper to taste. Let it cook until even and thicker (ca. 5 minutes)
Spread the dough in a oven dish evenly, poke some holes in a dough with a fork and bake it for 10 minutes in preheated oven at 180 °C.
Spread the filling on the dough and put it back in the oven for 20 minutes more. Serve.

Tips

I served it with a fresh salad with cucumber, bell pepper, tomato and lettuce, dressed with olive oil, fresh garlic, oregano, salt and pepper sauce.

Herring and radishes cake

2009-09-26T00:40:00.011+02:00

Side dish
3 servings
0:15

Paul can be Dutch but I am the one who loves raw haring! I made this cake as a side dish once and he was really surprised by its taste. I highly recommend this one, specially if you have the fresh thing in the right season. Just perfect!

Ingredients

3 herrings, cut into small cubes
5 radishes, sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
1 ¹/₂ tablespoon fresh dill

1 teaspoon oil
cling film
coffee cups

Instructions

Make the coffee cups oily and cover it with the cling film. You'll have to use the cup to give the cake its shape.
Mix the already cut herring, radishes, lemon juice, crème fraîche and dill in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Press the mix into the coffee cup, turn the cup upside down on a plate and carefully remove the cling film.
Decorate with the left over radish and dill.

Walnuts and chocolate surprise

2009-08-26T00:19:00.006+02:00

Dessert
10+ servings
1:00

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
Sifted 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cup of flour

1 egg
1 cup of chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon of instant coffee
6 tablespoons hot milk
150g dark chocolate, melted

Alternative strawberry topping
3 tablespoons strawberry flavor nesquik
6 tablespoons hot milk
150g white chocolate, melted

Instructions

In a bown, place the butter (in room temperature), sugar, egg yolk, cinnamon powder, flour, mix well with hands until homogeneous.
In a baking dish (30x20cm) covered in aluminum paper, place the dough pressing with hands and smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon. Brush the dough with egg white and spread the chopped walnuts on the top. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for ca. 30 min.
In a bowl, dissolve the coffee in 6 tablespoons of hot milk and add 150g of dark chocolate melted. Stir until creamy. Cover the dough with this topping. Chill it for 20 minutes and cut into squares.

Alternative strawberry topping

In a bowl dissolve 3 tablespoons of strawberry nesquik in 6 tablespoons of hot milk and then add 150g of melted white chocolate. Stir well.

Tips

Decorate with walnuts on the top or 1/4 of strawberry.

Fridge cake

2009-08-25T22:02:00.006+02:00

Desserts
10+ servings
0:40

Ingredients

150g milk chocolate, chopped
150g dark chocolate, chopped
50g corn syrup
100g unsalted butter
250g sweet crackers, chopped
60g almond, chopped
60g cherry, chopped

chantilly, mint and cherry to decorate

Instructions

In a pan, put the milk chocolate, dark chocolate, corn syrup, butter and stir in au-bain marie until the chocolate melts (ca. 5 min). Turn off the fire and add the cookies broken into small pieces, almonds and cherries. Mix it with your hands to make a dough.
Take a small portion of the dough and place it in a small baking shape. Fill the shape keeping it hollow in the middle for future filling. Put it in the fridge for ca. 15 min.
Remove it from the shape and fill the little cakes with chantilly and decorate with mint and cherry.

Tips

You can use jam as a filling instead.

Pasta white wine and shrimp sauce

2009-08-11T14:28:00.012+02:00

Pasta
2 servings
0:30

Left over wine? Frozen shrimp in the freezer? Oh, you won't regret making this recipe. It tastes so sophisticated but still it's so simple to make. I'm always looking forward to make it again.

Ingredients

250g clean medium shrimp
150g pasta (spaghetti/farfallone)
150ml white wine (Sauvignon Blanc is recommended)
1/2 zucchini cut up into cubes
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 vegetable bouillon, cubes
basilicum to taste
pepper to taste
salt to taste
juice of 1 lemon
parsley and chives to taste
1 tablespoon of butter or 3 of olive oil
1/2 bottle of cooking cream

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Rinse the shrimp and marinate them in salt, pepper and the lemon juice.
Cook the zucchini al dente.
In a pan, fry the onion and garlic in olive oil or butter. Add wine and dissolve bouillon. Cook under medium heat for 4 minutes.
Drain the shrimp and add them to the pan. Cook for around 7 minutes.
Finally, add the cooked zucchini, cooking cream, parsley, chives and basilicum and more salt and pepper if necessary.
Pour the sauce on the pasta and serve.

Tips

Spread some finely chopped basilicum and parsley on the plate and place the pasta over it. It gives an extra flavor to the pasta, besides it looks good.

Cheesecake

2009-08-07T16:44:00.017+02:00

Desserts
8-10 servings
1:40

My first cheesecake and I am absolutely sure it's one of the best around! It tastes awesome, perfect texture and the strawberry topping is just almost a sin.

Ingredients

Crust
1 ¹/₂ cups graham cracker/wheat biscuit crumbs
¹/₄ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¹/₃ cup melted margarine

Filling
680 g cream cheese
1 ¹/₃ cups sugar
5 large eggs
450g sour cream
¹/₄ cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon of lemon rasp

Optional
1 teaspoon of Ammareto/almond-flavoured liqueur
Fruits/chocolate to taste for the topping

Instructions

Crust

Pre heat the oven (150°C)
Combine the cracker crumbs and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix in melted margarine.
Press the crumbs into a 26cm spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then let it cool down until the filling is done.

Filling

All the filling ingredients should be at room temperature.
Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy with an electric mixer set on low (keep the setting at low during the entire mixing process).
Add the sugar a little at a time and continue beating until creamy.
Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg.
Add flour, vanilla and lemon juice, lemon rasp, liqueur; mix well.
Add the sour cream and beat well.
Pour the cream cheese mixture into the springform pan.
Place on the top rack in the middle of a 160°C preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes.
When time is up turn oven off, prop open oven door and leave in oven for one hour.
Remove from oven and let cool then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Decorate your cheesecase using fresh fruits or their syrup or jam or even nuts and chocolate.

Tips

Remember this important tip: A cheesecake should season. The wait is worth it because the flavor enriches. Leave it in the fridge overnight if possible.
Make extra cracker crust to build a side to your cheesecake. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and about ²/₃ the way up the side.
As the topping I used whipped cream, strawberry in syrup and forest berry jam. I boiled the strawberry syrup with some sugar and cornstarch to get it more consistent (although I had to use a sieve to remove some eventual flour balls).

Latkes (German potato pancakes)

2009-07-31T21:24:00.017+02:00

Side dish
2 people
1:00

Ingredients

3 potatoes

1/2 onion

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Parsley and chives to taste

Salt

1 1/2 tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon of baker's yeast

Instructions

Grate the potatoes and onions by hand or in a food processor. Add all the other ingredients and mix them together.
With a serving spoon, scoop some of the potatoes mix and fry it in hot oil. Use paper towel to absorb the excess of oil.

Tips

The lemon juice will prevent the potato to get dark after a while. You can also use vinegar instead.

Poulet poché

2009-07-31T13:24:00.004+02:00

Chicken
2 servings
1:00

Ingredients

1/2 kg chicken, seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon to taste
Enough oil to fry

2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 garlic clove
1/2 onion
5 cloves
1 carrot cut into cubes
1/2 stalk of leek cut into cubes
Bay leaves (3 leaves), tarragon (1 spoon), chives and parsley to taste
700ml chicken stock (1 1/2 chicken stock cubes dissolved in 700ml of water)

3 egg yokes
1 tablespoon of cream cheese
1 tablespoon of cooking cream

Instructions

In a pan, fry the 1/2 kg chicken seasoned with salt, lemon and peper. Leave it aside.
Stick 5 cloves into the half onion.
In a pan, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/2 garlic clove, 1/2 onion with 5 cloves stuck into it, 1 carrot, 1/2 stalk of leek, bay leaves, tarragon, chives and parsley. Fry it for 5 minutes.
Add the already fried chicken and the 700ml of chicken stock. Cook it for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is soft and tender.
Take the chicken and carrots out of the pan and keep it warm in the oven. Sieve the broth to remove the spices and herbs and put the clean broth back into the pan. Boil it and add the sieved egg yoke, slightingly beaten with a fork, then the cream cheese and cooking cream. Stir until it becomes thicker (about 5 minutes).
Spread the sauce in the plate, place the chicken and carrots on it and serve.

Tips

Serve with white rice or cooked potatoes. Cherry tomatoes are also a good option as a salad.
I like to fry the chicken first, otherwise it might fall apart while it cooks.
You can use any chicken cut you have; we enjoyed drumsticks.
You can decorate the plates using the spices and herbs you removed in step 5.

Pizza-bread

2009-07-27T23:20:00.005+02:00

Snack > Bread
4 portions
0:20

Ingredients

2 Small french breads/rolls
4 tablespoon of tomato sauce or ketchup
3 slices of cheese, chopped
A few slices of salame or chorizo
Oregano and olives to taste

Instructions

Cut the bread rolls in half. Use it as your pizza dough.
Use about 1 tablespoon of ketchup for each half bread
Place the cheese and then the salame.
Spread the olives on the top and then the oregano.
Bake it in the oven in high temperature until the cheese melts.

Tips

Use left-over bread/toast/bread slices for this recipe.

Brazilian chicken strogonoff

2009-07-27T22:27:00.008+02:00

Chicken
2/3 servings
0:30

Ingredients

2 chicken breast, in strips
2 tomatoes without skin and seeds or/and 3 tablespoon of ketchup
1 onion, finely chopped
80ml cooking cream
4 tablespoons of cognac or dry wine
100g fresh mushroom/champignon
1 tablespoon of mustard
1 tablespoon of butter
salt

Optional
Fresh parsley

Instructions

In a big frying pan, melt the butter, fry the onion, add the chicken and stir well until the chicken gets brown. Add salt and put it away for a while.
Pour the cognac/wine in the same frying pan and gently tilt the pan until the cognac/wine set fire (flambé).
Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, stirring. Boil it for about 5 minutes.
Add the cream and stir. Do not boil

Tips

Serve with white rice and potato sticks (those super small french fries, sold in bags like chips)
Decorate with some fresh parley. It will make it look, smell and taste even better.
For a lazy version of this recipe, use only ketchup, mustard and room for the sauce. It's already very good!
Amount/proportion of ketchup and mustard may vary, to taste

Chicken Pie

2009-07-26T03:17:00.017+02:00

Side dish > Salty Pie
4 servings
1:30

Ingredients

Dough
250g flour
1 egg
10g sugar
7g yeast (small package)
100ml milk
80ml oil
30g of Parmesan cheese
4g salt

Filling
2 chicken fillets
1/2 cup of oil
2 tomatoes
1 onion
1/2 bouillon/stock chicken cube
4 spoons of tomato sauce/ketchup
1/2 liter of water
1 small can of corn
1 small can of peas
Olives to taste
Oregano to taste

Topping
Olives to taste
1 egg yoke

Instructions

For the dough, first mix the liquid ingredients, then slowly add the flour until it doesn't stick too much to your hands. Let the yeast rise for around 30 minutes.
In a pan, fry the onions in the oil. Add the chicken and tomatoes.
Dissolve the bouillon in hot water and pour into the pan.
Shred the chicken with a fork while it is cooking, and also add the tomato sauce, corn, peas, oregano and olives. Let the chicken cook until it is tender and soft.
Preheat the oven (150 °C)
Spread the dough into two circles: one for the bottom and one for the top.
Cover the entire bottom and sides of the oven dish with dough, then add the filling. Spread it even and cover it with the top circle of dough.
Now finish your pie by decorating it with a pretty top and use the rest of the egg yoke to make sure it comes out of the oven nice and shiny.
Bake for about 40 minutes.

Tips

To make the top stick better to the dough of the bottom, use some egg yoke on the edges as a glue before placing the top onto the pie.
You can save a lot of time if you have two people in the kitchen; one can tend to the dough and one to the filling.

Observation

We both like chicken pie, but this was an experiment that wasn't completely successful. The dough was too sweet, so we might repeat it until we can figure out what the best method is for making dough.

Rice in coconut milk

2009-07-21T21:35:00.007+02:00

Side dish > Rice
2 servings
0:30

Ingredients

1 cup of rice
1/2 bouillon/stock beef cube
2 cups of water
1/2 tablespoon of oil
1/2 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of coconut milk
1/2 onion, mashed

Instructions

Rinse the rice.
Dissolve the stock beef cube in the boiling water.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic for a minute. Then add the rice and fry it for only about 30 seconds.
Add the water with the stock beef cube and let it cook for 15 minutes or until the water evaporates.
Add the coconut milk and leave the lid on the pan for 10 minutes.

Tips

This is a very wet rice recipe. If you don't like it like this, add less water.
Instead of covering the pan with a lid, you can heat the plates with the steam from the rice (step 5).

Opinion

Paul is not a big fan of coconut milk, and also thought it was a bit salty. Adding a bit of sauce from the onion and coconut milk recipe was an improvement, he thought.

Fish in Onion and Coconut Milk Sauce

2009-07-21T21:27:00.004+02:00

Fish and Seafood > Oven baked
2 servings
1:10

Ingredients

Fish
300g fish fillet (e.g. Pangasius)
Lemon juice
Pepper to taste
Salt

Sauce
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon of oil
2 tomatoes, in cubes, cooked in water for 5 minutes
Fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of coconut milk
1/2 cup of onion cream/soup (small package in powder)
Grated cheese
Pepper to taste
Salt

Instructions

Marinate fish fillets in salt, pepper and lemon juice for about 30 minutes.
Prepare onion soup according to instructions.
Fry the onion in the oil, add tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add parsley, garlic, coconut milk and onion soup. Finally, salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven (250°C).
Place the fillets in an oven dish, cover with sauce and some cheese on the top and bake it for 30 minutes.

Tips

Use a food processor or blender for the sauce.
Fry the fillets before placing in the oven dish to make it crunchier.
Try it with Rice in coconut milk

Ovendish: Potatoes and Ground Beef

2009-07-17T21:20:00.037+02:00

Ovendish
3/4 servings
1:15

Ingredients

Filling
1 tablespoon of oil
1/2 kg of ground beef
1 red bell pepper, without seeds, in small cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bouillon/stock beef cube
4 tablespoons of tomato sauce
1 tomato, without skin and seeds
1 tablespoon of flour
Fresh parsley

Mashed potatoes
1/2 kg of potato
1/2 cup of milk
1 bouillon/stock beef cube
1 tablespoon of flour
3 eggs
2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook the potatoes for about 40 minutes. Peel them under running water and mash them in a bowl. Dissolve the stock beef cube in the milk and mix it with the mashed potatoes. Put the pan aside for later.
Meanwhile, to prepare the filling, fry the onion in the oil and add the meat to cook for about 5 minutes. Ground and add the stock beef cube with chopped bell pepper, tomato and tomato sauce to the meat. Leave it for 5 more minutes and then, while stirring, slowly add the flour and parsley.
Pre-heat the oven (180°C).
Beat the egg whites to a foamy cream. At that point, add the egg yolks one by one, stir and finally add the mashed potatoes and flour to the mixture.
In an oven dish, make alternating layers of potatoes and ground beef. Spread the cheese on the top and bake it for 15 minutes.

Tips

Stock beef cubes mix best when ground and added to warm milk. Microwave the milk for a minute or so.
To peel the tomato, gently make a cut in its bottom and cook it for a minute in boiling water. The skin will come off by itself.
Add the flour slowly, otherwise it will clot.
To avoid it to get soggy and fall apart, do not use too much oil.

Conversion table of weights and measures

2009-07-17T03:23:00.002+02:00

Liquids
Ex: Milk, water, oil, alcohol, coffee, etc..

1 cup = 240 ml

1/2 cup = 120 ml

1/3 cup = 80 ml

1/4 cup = 60 ml of

1 tablespoon = 15 ml

1 teaspoon = 5 ml

Chocolate powder
Ex: Cocoa powder.

1 cup = 90 g

1/2 cup = 45 g

1/3 cup = 30 g

1/4 cup = 20 g of

1 tablespoon = 6 g

Butter
Ex: margarine and vegetable fat.

1 cup = 200 g

1/2 cup = 100 g

1/3 cup = 65 g

1 tablespoon = 15 g

Sugar

1 cup = 180 g

1/2 cup = 90 g

1/3 cup = 60 g

1/4 cup = 45 g

1 tablespoon = 12 g

Wheat flour

1 cup = 120 g

1/2 cup = 60 g

1/3 cup = 40 g

1/4 cup = 30 g of

1 tablespoon = 7,5 g

About us

2009-07-17T01:11:00.007+02:00

Hello, I'm Thifa!

I created this blog intending to track our successful creations. My boyfriend and I love creating and eating food but in the beginning we had troubles remembering recipes.

We live in a multi-cultural atmosphere with mainly Brazilian, American and Dutch influence, although we also love Asian and Mexican. This environment encourages us to try different ingredients and play the mix and match.

I hope this archive will be useful and inspiring to other young couples (or just anyone who can appreciate!). :-)

Eet smakelijk!
(Bon appétit!)