Basics27 Comments

How to Rescue Wilted Basil (or Parsley)

StefanGourmet

No recipe today but just a simple trick. I tried it on a hunch and was surprised how well it worked! Basil is notoriously difficult to keep because the leaves are not very robust and can’t withstand refrigerator temperatures — they turn black when kept below 12C/55F or so. But outside of the fridge basil wilts easily, as shown in the picture above. If it is only just a bit limp but not completely dry or black, it can be rescued with a very simple trick! Just submerge the wilted basil in cold (not too cold) clean water and wait. … Continue reading How to Rescue Wilted Basil (or Parsley)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)8 Comments

Ravioli with Eggplant and Ricotta (Ravioli di Melanzane e Ricotta)

StefanGourmet

This vegetarian pasta dish is a fancy version of the more rustic Sicilian Pasta alla Norma, and perfectly suited for a dinner party. Although the flavors are summery, the ingredients are available year-round so it is ideal to get a bit of summer in your house while it is snowing outside. The flavor of the eggplant is enhanced in a well-known Italian way called “trifolato”: it is sautéed with parsley and garlic. Rather than sautéing the aubergine raw which would make it very oily, I bake the eggplant first so only a minimum amount of oil is needed. The ravioli are served with … Continue reading Ravioli with Eggplant and Ricotta (Ravioli di Melanzane e Ricotta)

4. Dolci (dessert)7 Comments

Blueberry Muffins

StefanGourmet

The next installment in my series of muffins is blueberry. They turned out great, even though “to die for” (as they are called in the recipe I used) may be slightly exaggerated. Perhaps that’s because I left out the streusel. I also replaced the milk with buttermilk as per the comments. The method is very simple: mix dry ingredients, mix wet ingredients, combine, fold in blueberries, and bake. The recipe asks for fresh blueberries — I used frozen and that turned out fine. I think you’d better use good frozen blueberries rather than sour fresh blueberries if no good blueberries … Continue reading Blueberry Muffins

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)8 Comments

Lamb Stew with Polenta

StefanGourmet

Even though I’ve been cooking out of Biba Caggiano’s “Modern Italian Cooking” for 15 years now, I still haven’t tried all of her recipes. One of them was “Lamb Stew with Small Onions and Carrots”. I thought it would be perfect for the cold winter weather we’ve been having, and I was right. The stew is very hearty and flavorful and the vegetables have more color and flavor because they are cooked separately and are only added at the end. It paired very well with polenta. I’m not usually a big fan of polenta, but I liked it when my … Continue reading Lamb Stew with Polenta

4. Dolci (dessert)13 Comments

Banana Nut Muffins

StefanGourmet

The second dozen of muffins I baked to celebrate my birthday at work was banana nut. I found this recipe on JoyofBaking.com and it turned out great. The only thing I’ll change next time is to increase the amount of walnuts and put some on top for more crunch. The amounts in grams mentioned in the recipe did not match the amount in cups. Since it is an American recipe I used the amounts as prescribed in cups and provide the correct conversion into grams below (as per my digital scales). The basic recipe for muffins is very easy. Mix … Continue reading Banana Nut Muffins

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)15 Comments

Turnip Risotto (Risotto alle Rape)

StefanGourmet

I don’t cook a lot with turnips and I was wondering what I’d do with the turnips that I had bought for variation’s sake. I decided to turn them into a risotto, and it turned out wonderful. This is not a traditional Italian dish that I know of, but just a demonstration that you can make a great tasting risotto from just about anything using the basic recipe for risotto, fresh ingredients and a good homemade stock. We really love risotto and I usually prepare some type of risotto at least once a week. Since making risotto the traditional way requires … Continue reading Turnip Risotto (Risotto alle Rape)

4. Dolci (dessert)9 Comments

Almond Poppy Seed Muffins

StefanGourmet

Just like last year, I’ve been on a baking spree to celebrate my birthday at the office. Only this time instead of cakes, I decided to make five different types of muffins as they are easy to eat and transport. While we were travelling through the US in September in an RV, we had muffins for breakfast almost every day as they are tasty, easy, and keep quite well (the store-bought ones anyway). I liked them all: banana nut, chocolate chocolate chip, apple cinnamon, blueberry, and almond poppy seed. You guessed it: this will be the first post in a … Continue reading Almond Poppy Seed Muffins

2. Primi (pasta, risotto), Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)17 Comments

Braciole alla Barese (Stuffed Beef Bundles)

StefanGourmet

Braciole (also spelled as Brasciole) are a typical dish from the province of Bari in Puglia. Braciole are bundles of beef, stuffed with a mixture of parsley, garlic, and cheese, and then cooked low and slow in a tomato sauce. As with many Italian recipes there are variations. According to the Italian wikipedia it is supposed to be made with horse meat rather than beef and with the addition of lard (probably because horse meat is very lean). You could also use red wine rather than wite, or basil rather than oregano. Even though this dish seems very similar to the version … Continue reading Braciole alla Barese (Stuffed Beef Bundles)

1. Antipasti (appetizers)6 Comments

Crispy! Spicy Shrimp Crackers

StefanGourmet

A few weeks ago I made Spicy Shrimp Crackers with Tuna Tartare for the first time. I was very happy with the combination of the flavors, but the crackers were not as crispy as I had hoped for. I looked up what Harold McGee has to say about crackers. He says to roll out the dough very thin and to bake in a moderate oven until dry and crisp (which is longer than I did). I asked my readers for suggestions and it was Vinny Grette who made the excellent suggestion to use a pasta machine to make them thinner (thank you!). I checked … Continue reading Crispy! Spicy Shrimp Crackers

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)13 Comments

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Fat from Beef Stock

StefanGourmet

This is a very simple but amazingly delicious recipe that I discovered mostly by accident. If you make beef stock from scratch and allow it to cool, a layer of solid fat will form on the top. I always used to discard this fat, but not anymore! There is a lot of flavor in it, and together with the cauliflower, ground cumin and pecorino sardo the flavor is out of this world. So next time you make beef stock, keep the fat and make this dish. I promise you won’t regret it! This is a week night dish that is … Continue reading Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Fat from Beef Stock

Cooking23 Comments

Stephane’s Cheese Puffs

StefanGourmet

Cheese puffs (gougères) are really good, filled or just by themselves. They are a bit of work to make, but definitely worth it. It’s really nice how ‘light’ they are. I’ve made a double batch twice now for parties, and in both cases they were devoured in a few minutes by my friends. I got this recipe from Stéphane Gabart’s blog My French Heaven. From his blog it seems that Stéphane is as crazy about food as I am, and I really like that his blog is bilingual as it allows me to practice my French. Stéphane uses French Comté, but … Continue reading Stephane’s Cheese Puffs

1. Antipasti (appetizers)8 Comments

Pink Eggplant

StefanGourmet

Most eggplants you see are so dark purple it’s almost black. In Italy a delicate variety is cultivated with a lighter color that is almost pink and often partially white: melanzana rosa. Not only the color is more delicate, also the texture and taste are more delicate. I tasted pink eggplant for the first time at Piazza Duomo, a great restaurant in Alba, Italy. It was so tender I couldn’t believe it. If you come across one of these beauties, it’s definitely worth picking one up. If a product is as nice as this, it only needs minimal treatment. Eggplant always … Continue reading Pink Eggplant

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)15 Comments

Tortelli di Zucca

StefanGourmet

The final traditional Christmas dish from Northern Italy I made this year was Tortelli di Zucca: tortelli filled with squash or pumpkin. This dish is not from Emilia-Romagna but from Lombardia, and especially from the cities of Mantova and Cremona. The special local ingredient that gives the tortelli a unique taste is mostarda (Mostarda di Cremona or Mostarda di Mantova): fruit candied in a mustard flavored syrup. You can make mostarda yourself, but all the recipes I’ve seen require mustard oil that is as hard to get in these parts as the mostarda itself. You can still make pumpkin tortelli … Continue reading Tortelli di Zucca

1. Antipasti (appetizers)15 Comments

White Asparagus Ice Cream with Truffle

StefanGourmet

This unusual appetizer was inspired by a marvelous dish we had at El Celler de Can Roca. I am not claiming it is a recreation of the dish, it was merely inspired by it. I liked my simpler version too, and from the use of fresh black truffle it’s still not that humble. I had never made asparagus ice cream before, so I was pretty happy with how this turned out. I’ll have to think of a good substitute for the truffle (suggestions are welcome), because it’s the white asparagus ice cream that really shines here and the price of fresh truffle would … Continue reading White Asparagus Ice Cream with Truffle

4. Dolci (dessert)41 Comments

Certosino di Bologna (Fruitcake from Bologna)

StefanGourmet

Another traditional Christmas dish from Bologna with an ‘official’ recipe is Certosino or Pan Speziale (“spicy bread”). I had never made it before, but I really liked it and will certainly make it again. Originally it was named after the pharmacists (called “speziali”) that made this in medieval times, but later it was made by the monks of Certosa and named after that. The official recipe has been deposited only in 2003 and is now a “Specialità tradizionale garantita”. Italian recipes are often imprecise and this is no exception, although the quantities are specified. It reads “Amalgamare spezie, lievito, miele, zucchero, … Continue reading Certosino di Bologna (Fruitcake from Bologna)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)35 Comments

Tortellini in Brodo

StefanGourmet

Tortellini in brodo (tortellini in broth) is a classic Christmas dish from Bologna. The tortellini need to be so small that you can eat them in a single bite, together with the broth. It is quite a bit of work to make them as well as the broth from scratch, but certainly worth it. You can make the broth and the tortellini the day before, in fact my advice would be to do that. Officially you need a capon (neutered rooster) to make the broth, but a plump farm chicken will do. Tortelli and tortellini are the typical stuffed pasta shapes from … Continue reading Tortellini in Brodo

1. Antipasti (appetizers)14 Comments

Spicy Shrimp Crackers with Tuna Tartare

StefanGourmet

I have almost two weeks off from work, which gives me more time than usual to experiment. About a month ago we had a dish at Lasarte in Barcelona that I really liked: spicy shrimp trackers with tuna tartare. The combination of the spicy crispy shrimp with the tuna worked very well, so I wanted to try something similar. I was quite happy with the result, the only thing I would like to improve is the crispiness of the crackers. Do you think you have an idea to make them more crispy? Please leave a comment! Update January 11, 2013: … Continue reading Spicy Shrimp Crackers with Tuna Tartare

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)11 Comments

Chicken Cordon Bleu

StefanGourmet

Cordon Bleu was one of my favorite dishes as a kid. I hadn’t eaten it for years, but when I was thinking about what to do with the organic chicken breast I had left from the whole chicken I had used to make brodo for tortellini, I decided it would be nice to make cordon bleu again. It can’t be a surprise that cordon bleu is really good if made from scratch with good chicken, good ham, and good cheese. It is quite different from something store-bought where the ham, cheese, and chicken are probably all of the ‘processed’ variety. Cordon … Continue reading Chicken Cordon Bleu

4. Dolci (dessert)19 Comments

Mince Pie à la Conor

StefanGourmet

Mince pie is a traditional Christmas dessert on the British isles. I had never had mincemeat pie before, and always thought it was a savory pie containing meat. I had not decided on a dessert for Christmas this year, and when I read about Conor’s Mince Pie I decided that would be my Christmas dessert this year. We all loved the very full flavor of the mincemeat, so it was a big success. This is another great example of a blog-inspired new dish that I probably never would have made without Conor’s post. So thanks Conor! I’ve never had mince pie before so … Continue reading Mince Pie à la Conor

Eating6 Comments

Dining in the Netherlands: De Kromme Watergang**

StefanGourmet

Each year for the anniversary of our first date we go out to dinner on December 23 or 24 (the official date is December 24, but it’s not always possible to dine on that date due to restaurants preparing for Christmas). Last year we went to La Torre del Saracino near Naples, but this year we stayed closer to home and went to De Kromme Watergang in Zeeland. This is in the far South-West of the Netherlands, almost in Belgium and close to Oud Sluis. De Kromme Watergang is the restaurant of chef Edwin and maitre Blanche Vinke, but unfortunately … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: De Kromme Watergang**

Cooking10 Comments

Not decided yet what you are going to cook for Christmas?

StefanGourmet

I’ve been cooking Christmas dinner for my parents every year for about 20 years now. I’ve already decided on the menu for this year, but I can’t post the recipes yet as most are new recipes that I can only share with you after I’ve made them and taken pictures. The only recipe that I’m going to make that I’ve blogged about before is Corn Soup with Crab. If you’re still undecided what you are going to cook for Christmas this year, perhaps the following suggestions can be helpful. They are recipes that I posted over the last year that … Continue reading Not decided yet what you are going to cook for Christmas?

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)7 Comments

Penne with Bell Peppers and Pancetta

StefanGourmet

This is a quick and simple weekday pasta dish that came about when I wanted to make Penne with Bell Peppers and Salami, but only had pancetta available. You could also think of this as Penne all’Amatriciana with added bell peppers. This dish turned out to be better balanced than the version with salami, as that is a bit high in acidity. But the most important thing is that you get a lot of flavor for not a lot of work. Ingredients For 2 servings 2 red bell peppers 100 grams (4 oz) of pancetta, diced 150-200 grams (1/3-1/2 pound) … Continue reading Penne with Bell Peppers and Pancetta

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)11 Comments

Pork Roast with Sweet-and-Sour Onions (Arrosto di Maiale con Cipolle in Agrodolce)

StefanGourmet

I’ve adapted this pork dish from one of Biba Caggiano’s recipes from the region Emilia-Romagna. The pork goes really well with the sweet and sour onions. Separately they are both good, but together they are delicious. You can roast the … Continue reading Pork Roast with Sweet-and-Sour Onions (Arrosto di Maiale con Cipolle in Agrodolce)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)9 Comments

Smoked Eel and Celeriac Risotto (Risotto Anguille e Sedano Rapa)

StefanGourmet

Two typical Dutch ingredients are smoked eel and celeriac (aka celery root). In Dutch cooking, they are sometimes combined in celeriac soup with smoked eel. I thought it would be worth trying some Dutch-Italian fusion and make a smoked eel and celeriac risotto. I loved the result and will definitely make it again. A nice thing about the smoked eel is that it is a “mile 0” product, as the eel is caught and smoked in the town where I live. Smoked eel is a delicacy because it melts on your tongue and has a very nice full flavor. It … Continue reading Smoked Eel and Celeriac Risotto (Risotto Anguille e Sedano Rapa)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)16 Comments

Pumpkin Gnocchi (Gnocchi di Zucca)

StefanGourmet

I had some leftover pumpkin puree from my first attempt at pumpkin pie, and decided to make some pumpkin gnocchi with it. If you don’t have any pumpkin puree lying around, you can see how to make pumpkin puree there. The key to good gnocchi of any kind is to add as little flour as possible to keep them light and fluffy. If you add to much flour, they will become like rubber. It is important to use a pumpkin or squash with some taste for this, as the recipe is very basic and doesn’t have a lot of other … Continue reading Pumpkin Gnocchi (Gnocchi di Zucca)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto), Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)15 Comments

Beef Ragù Napoletano (Primo + Secondo)

StefanGourmet

Ragù Napoletano is a traditional dish from Naples, Italy that is mostly eaten on Sundays. Large pieces of beef and pork are cooked low and slow in a tomato sauce, and then the meat-flavored tomato sauce is served over pasta as the primo piatto, followed by the meat with a bit of the sauce as the secondo piatto. I made this with a nicely marbled piece of Irish Angus chuck roast I had picked up, but you could also use other (tough) cuts of beef as well as pork. A mixture of different kinds of meat will give a fuller flavor. Fusilli … Continue reading Beef Ragù Napoletano (Primo + Secondo)

1. Antipasti (appetizers)12 Comments

Foie Gras Sous-vide with Sauternes, Beetroot and Roquefort

StefanGourmet

Georges Pralus of Restaurant Troisgros in Roanne, France, discovered that foie gras cooked sous-vide kept its original appearance, did not lose excess amounts of fat and had better texture. This was a major step in the development of sous-vide techniques for the restaurant and home kitchens. Although I’ve been cooking sous-vide, I had not cooked foie gras sous-vide yet. Since it was such a breakthrough dish, I felt I had to give it a try. The combination of foie gras with the botrytis dessert wine sauternes is famous, and since sauternes is also good with roquefort and roquefort is good … Continue reading Foie Gras Sous-vide with Sauternes, Beetroot and Roquefort