Summery Salads - N°2: Quinoa-pomegranate

Yep, you might think that I have a newfound addiction to pomegranates... But actually, I am just trying to use my rests in an intelligent way. So here comes a semi-self invented summery salad with pomegranates, radish and raisins.

Enjoy!

Ingredients (for 1 reasonably filling portion):

150g Quinoa (1 cup)

30 cl water (2 cups)

½ cucumber

½ pomegranate

7 radishes (or more)

Raisins or dried dates to your liking

2 tbsp. fresh mint

Lime juice

Olive oil

Salt

Preparation:

Rinse the Quinoa in water (much like rice) to remove the bitter coating. Bring the water to the boil and add the Quinoa. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes (until the germ separates from the seed and the water is absorbed).

Half the cucumber and remove the seeds. Chop into cubes. Cut the radishes into slices. Mix the Quinoa (cooled down), pomegranates seeds (see Summer Beef salad recipe for instructions on how to best remove the pomegranate seeds), cucumber, radishes, raisins (or dried dates) and mint in a bowl and add the lime juice and olive oil. Season with salt.

Summery Salads - N°1: Ebly-strawberry salad

I thought that over the next days, I would put a series of summery salads. Technically, the beef salad with pomegranate could have been the first one of these salads. But well. Now this - own creation - Ebly salad with strawberries will be! Enjoy (and let's hope the weather will play along!).

Ingredients (for 1 person):

1 cup of Ebly

2 cups of broth

1 small onion

½ cucumber

½ capsicum (red bell pepper)

50g sugar peas

Strawberries (as many as you like)

Olive oil

Vinegar (best is a glazing Balsamic vinegar that is a bit fruity)

Salt & pepper

Preparation:

Chop the onions and braise them in olive oil. Add the Ebly and broth and simmer for about 10 minutes (or until the water is absorbed and the Ebly is soft). Cut off the ends of the sugar peas and blanch them in boiling water for about two minutes. Cut the peas, capsicum, strawberries and cucumber into cubes. Put them in a bowl and add the Ebly. Season with vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper. 

Gazpacho (cold tomato soup)

And because it was so hot these past days, here comes the recipe for cold tomato soup, i.e. Gazpacho – a very refreshing starter or main dish for a summer evening. When in Mallorca a couple of years ago, I discovered in a restaurant that they put strawberries on the table to add into the soup: very yummy indeed!

 

Ingredients (for 4 persons):

800g ripe tomatoes

2 onions

2-3 garlic cloves

1 cucumber

1 green & 1 red capsicum (bell peppers)

200g bread (can be toast bread)

100g strawberries

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. wine vinegar

Salt, pepper

Preparation:

Skin the tomatoes and cut them into quarters. The easiest way to peel tomatoes is to put them into boiling water for 20 seconds and then to shock them with icewater. Cut the onions, cucumber, capsicum and bread. Put ¼ (of the tomatoes, cucumber, onions, capsicum and bread) away for the “topping”. Purée the rest of the vegetables and the garlic with the oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Cool the soup in the fridge (preferably for a couple of hours, but if time is short, just add ice cubes). Before serving, roast the leftover bread (cut into cubes) in oil or butter. Cut the strawberries into small cubes and serve all the vegetables together with the soup. 

Family birthday cake

I have an excuse for this blogging silence. I didn’t have Internet when in Amsterdam. And the weather was just too nice to be spending time indoors. Oh, and it was my birthday too, so I was busy cooking and baking. But this week, I intend to be back on schedule… To appease you all, here comes the “secret” recipe of my family’s birthday cake. Originally baked by my grandmother and then adapted over time by my parents and eventually me. My mouth is water only from thinking about it... 

Ingredients for the dough (for 1 cake, 26 cm in diameter):

120g butter

300g sugar

4 eggs

65g grated hazelnuts

65g grated almonds

150g chocolate powder (like Caotina or Nesquik)

10cl cream

225g flour

1 packet baking powder (or 1 knife tip of bi-carbonate)

Ingredients for the topping:

175g butter

250 icing sugar

150g dark chocolate (“Crémant”)

15ml Kirsch

Preparation:

Melt the butter in a bowl (over boiling water) and mix in the sugar. Separate the eggs (keep the egg white apart) and add the egg yolks. Add the hazelnuts, almonds and chocolate powder, as well as the cream. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the mix. Finally, beat the egg white (until stiff) and add it into the mass. Bake the cake in the oven at low level, at 200°C for 40 minutes (to test whether the cake is ready, stick a knitting needle into the cake: when the dough is no longer sticking to it, the cake is baked).

For the topping, melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl (over boiling water). Mix the two and then sieve in the icing sugar. Add the Kirsch (it is optional) and cool the topping in the fridge until it has the right consistency (to spread it). Cut the cake in half (horizontally) once it is cooled out. Spread about 1/3 of the topping on top of the lower half. Then close the cake again and spread the rest of the topping on top. Decorate (with Smarties for example). 

A little tip: the cake is actually even better after one day in the fridge!

Afternoon Tea

Inspired by the many cold and rainy spring (now almost summer!) afternoons, here comes the recipe for a true English Afternoon Tea - with finger sandwiches and scones.

Ingredients (for 25 small scones and 30 smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches in total):
350g flour
15g baking powder
1 tablespoon of sugar
150g butter
1L milk
1 packet of toast bread
150g smoked salmon
1/2 cucumber
Cottage cheese
Philadelphia
Wasabi
Chives
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
English Tea (Earl Grey, Assam or Darjeeling)
Clotted cream or 250ml of (unsweeted) whipping cream
Strawberry jam

For a "spring" version of the sandwiches (as in the photo):
100g (very thin) green asparagus
Stracchino (slightly bitter Italian cheese) or Philadelphia
50g Prosciutto crudo
Honey

Preparation:
1. The scones: Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and butter in a bowl, knead with your fingertips until you get a "crumbly" mass that looks like bread crumbs. Put the dough into the fridge for about 1h.
Preheat the oven at 200°C. Add 250ml milk to the dough until you get a soft, wet dough that sticks to your fingers. Spread the dough (roughly 2cm thick) on a surface covered with flour and cut out round forms roughly 5cm in diameter. Try to avoid touching the dough with your fingers as much as possible and use knives instead. Then place the scones on a baking tray, brush with milk and bake for 20 minutes.

2. If not using clotted cream, whip normal cream until it's thick.

3. The sandwiches: Finely chop the chives into the cottage cheese and season with salt and pepper (and finely chopped mint if you like); peel the cucumber and cut it into very thin slices. Then spread the cottage cheese on the toast bread and layer the cucumbers on top. Spread some cottage cheese on the toast bread that goes on top. Cut the sandwiches into triangles or fingers.

For the smoked salmon sandwiches, mix some wasabi into Philadelphia and then spread on the toast bread (the two halves). Layer with smoked salmon and cut as described above.









For the "spring version", steam the asparagus for about 2-5 minutes until they are softer (but not completely cooked). Then fry them in olive oil. Also fry the prosciutto crudo until it's crunchy.
Spread some Stracchino on the toast (or otherwise Philadelphia) and add a thin layer of honey. Then layer the asparagus (cut in half) and the prosciutto as seen in the photo. Cover with the top half and cut as indicated above.





Prepare the tea and serve it with the sandwiches, hot scones (put them in a basket covered in hand towels to keep them warm), cream, milk (for the tea) and jam. Enjoy!

New title layout

Today, according to my schedule (I told you that I would try to make an effort at keeping up the posts) there should have been a new recipe. But instead of writing down some yummy new culinary discovery, I created the collage for the new title layout - part of my other summer project. Next recipe tomorrow so be back!

Korean dinner (Namul and Bibimbap)

I have mentioned in my introduction post that I have this weird love for Korean food. I think (if I remember well) that it started some years ago in Abu Dhabi where my host family introduced me to the Korean version of Sushi (Gimbap) and my first Korean restaurant (where you sit on the floor around a low table into which a charcoal grill is built in). 

In London, I then extended my knowledge of Korean food mostly through eating in two restaurants around Holborn: Naru and Asadal. To make your mouths water, here some pictures of Bulgogi (grilled marinated beef) at Asadal:

So, what does this Korean food consist of? 

First, there are the side dishes, "Namul". According to Wikipedia, Namul "is a general term for a Korean seasoned vegetable dish. The name of the dish may vary slightly depending on what vegetables are used and how they are prepared, but they will nonetheless still be a type of namul." Voilà, you learn something every day ;-). The Korean national dish is "Kimchi": a (red) fermented vegetable side dish (most famous is the fermented cabbage). 

Then there are the main dishes, like Bulgogi, mentioned above or Bibimbap, literally "mixed rice" (with vegetables and beef). Of course there are many other dishes. Oh, and if you happen to ever go to a Korean restaurant, try a cinnamon drink for dessert, if they have it, it's delicious! Also, ask to be shown how a Bibimbap is properly mixed and how (and with what side orders) to eat Bulgogi!

Now, if you don't happen to be in the closest vicinity of a Korean restaurant (I wonder if there even is one in Bern...), here come the recipes to make the dishes yourself:

Namul (bean sprout, spinach and cucumber)

Ingredients (for some small side portions):

3 handful fresh spinach

½ cucumber

50g bean sprouts

2 cloves of garlic

½ spring onion 

Sesame oil

Sesame seeds

Soy sauce

Rice vinegar

Salt

For the cucumber namul (which is effectively a cucumber salad), slice the cucumber into thin circles. Then spread the circles on a plate and sprinkle salt on them. Leave for at least half an hour and every now and then, cover the cucumber slices with paper towel and squeeze out the water. The less watery the cucumbers, the better the taste of the dish. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan and sauté the cucumber slices for about 1-2 minutes. Season with pepper (and if needed, more salt) and if you like, add some rice vinegar. Sprinkle some sesame seeds over the cucumber salad.

Blanch the spinach leaves in boiling water for 2 minutes for the spinach namul. Then remove the leaves and rinse in cold water. Wrap the spinach in paper towel and gently squeeze to remove excess water. Mix 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. sesame oil, 1 clove of finely chopped garlic and 2 tsp. sugar in a bowl and add the spinach. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

And last but not least, parboil the bean sprouts in boiling water for 2 minutes. When done, rinse in cold water and wrap them in a paper towel to squeeze out the excess water. Finely chop one clove of garlic and the spring onion. Mix in 1 tbsp. sesame oil and 1 tsp. soy sauce and season with salt. Toss the bean sprouts into the sauce and serve immediately (or refrigerate, but not for too long as the bean sprouts will perish quickly).

I have to admit that the Kimchi shown in the photo comes out of a can – maybe I’ll make it myself one day and then I'll post the recipe.

For the Bibimbap, here come the ingredients:

300g short-grain rice (Risotto rice is fine)

200g beef fillet

120g bean sprouts

1 small carrot

½ a courgette

200g baby leaf spinach

As many eggs as there are persons eating

1 garlic clove

6 dried shiitake mushrooms

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. soy sauce

Sunflower oil

Sesame seeds

Korean hot pepper paste

Preparation:

1. The shiitake mushrooms: put the dried mushrooms in a bowl, then pour over boiling water and let the mushrooms soak for about 30 minutes (until they are soft). When done, squeeze off any excess liquid and trim off the stems.

2. The beef: rinse the beef under cold water, then pat dry it with a paper towel and wrap it in cling film. Freeze the meat for about 30 minutes (until it is firm to the touch, but not frozen solid). When ready, remove the beef from the freezer and unwrap the cling film. With sharp knife, cut the beef into thin slices. Heat 1 tbsp. sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the beef and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes (or until brown and cooked through). Add the soy sauce and season with pepper.

3. The rice: wash the rice in a saucepan until the water is no longer cloudy (3 to 4 rounds of fresh water). Drain the rice into a sieve and let it dry. Then put the rice back into the saucepan and add 350ml water. Leave the rice to soak in the cold water for about 10 minutes, then bring the water to the boil over a high heat and give the rice a quick stir. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid and let the rice simmer gently for about 10 minutes (or until the liquid is absorbed). Remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid and quickly loosen the grains with a wooden spatula. Replace the lid and leave the rice to steam for 15 minutes until fluffy.

4. The sesame seeds: heat a frying pan and dry-fry the sesame seeds for a few minutes until the seeds begin to pop. Put aside.

5. The vegetables: heat the frying pan and add a little bit of sunflower oil. Add the shiitake mushrooms to the pan and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then drizzle over the sesame oil. Then stir-fry the bean sprouts and the carrot (without adding sesame oil). Steam the courgette for 5 minutes (until soft) and steam the spinach for 2-3 minutes. Drain the spinach leaves of any water and squeeze out any excess water.

6. The eggs: heat more sunflower oil in frying pan. Prepare “sunny-side-up” eggs – with the yolk still running.

To assemble, divide the rice into serving bowls (either as many as there are eaters or in one common bowl), add the vegetables and beef and put the fried egg on top. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve with the Korean hot pepper paste and the namuls.

Voilà! 

Aubergines Szechuan

This dish is a very tasty starter or side dish and very easy and quick to prepare! Not much more introduction is needed, hence let’s get started immediately:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. peanut oil

800g aubergines

1 tbsp. raw cane sugar

2 tbsp. ginger

3 cloves of garlic

1 red chilli (or dried chilli flakes)

1 dl vegetable stock

4 tbsp. dark rice wine, sherry or Marsala

2 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tbsp. dark rice vinegar or Aceto balsamico

If available in your household: Szechuan pepper

Preparation:

Cut the aubergines into cubes (about 3 cm x 3 cm) and finely chop the ginger, garlic and chilli (of which you remove the seeds first). Heat the peanut oil in a Wok or frying pan and when hot, add the aubergines, sugar, ginger, garlic and chilli. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, rice wine, soy sauce and the vinegar (i.e. all the liquids) and let everything simmer (with the lid on) for 6 minutes. Add the Szechuan pepper (crushed) or some dry chilli for decoration. Ready!

Risotto with pomodori secchi

Normally, when winter doesn't last until June, it would be way too hot to still be eating risotto at this time of the year. But lucky us, it’s still cold and rainy and so we can experiment a bit more and come up with fun new combinations for this Italian rice dish. Here’s today’s version: with dried tomatoes and nuts. Buon appetito!

Ingredients (for 4 reasonably well-eating adults):

2 cups of Risotto rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)

25g butter

1 large onion (red or white)

2l chicken broth

A glass of cooking white wine

1-2g of saffron

100g dried tomatoes in oil

80g walnuts

50g grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Soak the saffron in a glass of hot water and keep aside.  Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan. Finely chop the onion and sauté it in the butter in a separate, medium-sized, deep pan, until the onion is soft (do not allow the onion to go golden or sweeten!). Add the rice and toast it until it’s glassy. Add the wine and stir continuously until it evaporates. Now add a ladle of broth and continue stirring. Repeat this until the rice is soft on the outside, but still very slightly hard at the centre. Add the saffron (with the water), the chopped dried tomatoes (drained) and crushed walnuts, as well as the last two ladlefuls of broth. When the rice is cooked, turn off the flame and stir in the grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.