In My Life

Choucroute Garnie

2012-02-01T13:47:00.000+01:00

The winter has finally managed to catch up with us. It's not cold, it's freezing! Beautifully sunny though, but dreadfully cold. I literally thought I was going to freeze when I was walking home on Monday evening! We're kind of worried about some of the poor, confused plants that thought it was spring and started to blossom. Daffodils and daisies. Hydrangeas even! Who knows if they'll survive the sudden change in weather.
We're surviving though and that's partly due to a diet of French winter dishes that begin with lots of goose fat, carry on with lots of wine and end with lots of laughter. As you might remember, I recently made a good cassoulet. It was rich, meaty and as warming as a roaring fire in a country kitchen. Choucroute was bound to be next on the menu. Not only an easy meal, but proper, stick-to-the-ribs winter food.
Here's the recipe, but be warned, this is not for the calorie-shy reader...

Choucroute Garnie
Serves 4

2 tsps goose fat
2 large onions, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
125g bacon, cubed
800g sauerkraut
tsp juniper berries
a bay leaf or two
tsp sugar
a large glass of dry white wine
salt
6 black peppercorns
1 large smoked sausage, cut in four pieces
4 hot dogs
4 slices cured pork loin
boiled potatoes and mustard, to serve

Heat the goose fat in a large pan. Add the onions and garlic and gently cook for about 5 minutes. Add in the bacon and give it all an extra minute. Follow with the sauerkraut, juniper berries, bay leaf, sugar, wine, salt and pepper. Cook the sauerkraut over a gentle heat for about 2 hours. Add in the sausage and give it 15 more minutes. Finally add in the hot dogs and the pork loin. Cook for a further 10 minutes and serve with the boiled potatoes, the mustard and a dry, crisp riesling.

If It's COLD... Eat Cassoulet!

2012-01-29T17:06:00.001+01:00

I am a little worried about what the weatherman says we have coming our way next week. COLD. Bitter cold! Now you may wonder why I am making such a big fuss (after all, it's still winter), but you see, I absolutely hate the cold. While some people are rejoicing at the possibility of freezing canals and being able to go ice skating, I am fearing slippery roads and having to wear thick layers of bulky, unappealing clothes. The snowman look is never pretty.
That aside, there is one thing I like about cold weather: the excuse to eat heavy, rich foods. The kind that Dr. Oz would wholeheartedly disapprove of. In an ideal world, I would stay home when the temperatures drop, hiberante like a bear and eat things like cheese and cream covered potatoes, boeuf bourguignon and thick pea soup with big, juicy slices of Dutch sausage. All washed down with liters of hearty red wine.
Cassoulet is of course one of the most perfect winter dishes. It is warming, delicious and has enough calories to keep you going for at least a week. If not more.
Now before I give you my recipe, let me remind you once again that this is one of those typical French recipes that can be rather finicky...if you let them. You can make a fuss about what kind of meat to use, where to cook the cassoulet and whether or not it should have a crunchy crust. So many rules, so much nonsense. Just do what I do. Think like a French grandma and it will always work out. Simplicity is usually key.
Bon Appétit!

Cassoulet
Serves 6

550g white beans
2 tbsps duck fat
4 medium onions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
125g pork belly, cubed
1 bouquet garni
1,5 L water
5 tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
65g tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp duck fat
350g lamb shoulder, cubed
3 Toulouse sausages
3 duck legs
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 handfuls fresh breadcrumbs

Soak the beans overnight.
Heat the duck fat, add the onions and the garlic and gently saute for 3 minutes. Add the pork belly and cook for another minute. Add the drained beans, the bouquet garni and the water. Bring to the boil and add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, but add the salt and pepper halfway through the cooking time. At the end of the cooking time, preheat the oven to 200C. Heat 1/2 tbsp duck fat and brown the lamb. Add to the beans. Prick the sausges and brown them in the other 1/2 tbsp duck fat. Cut them into three pieces each and add to the beans as well. Take the duck legs out of the fat*, cut the meat in rough chunks and add to the beans. Stir well and top the dish with a handful of bread crumbs. Put the pan in the oven and cook uncovered for 45 minutes. Push the breadcrumbs down, add another layer and cook for a final 45 minutes, increasing the temperature to 220 during the last 10 minutes. Serve with a Corbrieres or a Minervois.
*Heat the tin of duck legs in a hot water bath before opening. That will soften the fat so that you can remove the legs in one piece.

Just a Song...

2012-01-25T11:10:00.000+01:00

And one I love...

"La France est un jardin

Où l'on peut cuisiner sans fin
Avec du thym du romarin
Où le chasseur devient lapin.

La choucroute et le cassoulet.
Et les escargots de Bourgogne
Sauce béchamel et en civet.
A l'Armagnac de la Gascogne

Sans oublier le Madiran
Il faudra faire le trout Normand

L'vin Minervois
Sur les anchois
Sur les lentilles
Assaisonnées d'morilles

L'vin des Corbières
Sur d'la pissaladière
Pour un foie gras
Et en dessert un Bavarois

Au bord d'la me une mouclade
Agrémentée d'une tapenade
A l'huile d'olive ou en grillade
Vous aurez là la sardinade

Pour les paupiettes la tartiflette
Ou la blanquette et la raclette
Commencer par un navarin
Avec quelques pruneaux d'Agen

En se servant un vin d'la loire
Si le Bordeaux ne peut se boire

Y'a l'nougat
D'Montélimart
Le fréginat
Avec du Pommard
Et laminoir
Et le Brouilly
Ou le Pinot
Sur la poule au pot

Pour quelques cuisses de grenouille
Une bouillabaisse à la rouille
Saupoudrées d' une ciboulette
Ou bien d' un piment d'Espelette

L'Etorki le poulet Basquaise
Le magret sauce Béarnaise
Éveilleront votre palais
Assortis d' un bon Tariquet

Rien ne vaut un bon pâté d'campagne
Avant de boire un bon Champagne

Un bon Calva
Du Roquefort
Puis du Cahors
Pour vous laisser baba

L'vin Minervois
Sur Des lentilles
Pour des anchois
Assaisonnées d' morilles

Dégustant une soupe au pistou
Accompagnant un bon ragoût
Arrosé du meilleur Fitou
Pour un délice de tripoux

Un pot au feu du Reblochon
Des mets Français de tradition
Dans vos cuisines vos maisons
Vous feront goûter nos régions

Pour une fougasse à l' anise
On vous conseille un bon pastis...."

It's from Rick Stein's French Odyssey. You can sample some of it here (second song): French Odyssey

Poulet Basquaise

2012-01-20T10:25:00.001+01:00

Poulet Basquaise is a chicken dish which is a specialty of the Basque region. It is very simple to make and perfect for a satisfying midweek meal. The main ingredients are chicken, tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic, but as with most 'traditional' recipes, everyone has their own variation. Some people like the addition of Bayonne ham, others like more heat in their dish and some claim that only fresh tomatoes should be used.

I think one of the key steps is to first make the sauce, let that cook in a covered pan, and then add in the browned chicken. If you can get your hands on ground piment d' espelette, you might want to add that in as it gives the dish a touch of mild heat and a deliciously smokey flavor. In my dish, I use chicken quarters, but you can also use a whole chicken. Just ask your butcher to cut it into eight pieces for you as it makes life a heck of a lot easier.

Enjoy!

Poulet Basquaise

Serves 4

2 tbsp mild olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
125g lardons
1 ½ tsp ground piment d’espelette (or to taste)
2 red peppers sliced
1 green pepper sliced
1 can of chopped tomatoes
150 ml dry white wine
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
4 chicken quarters

Heat the olive oil in a large casserole. Add the onion and garlic and gently saute for about 3 minutes. Add the lardons and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the chicken). Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and allow to cook for 40 minutes.
Brown your chicken pieces ten minutes before the end of the sauce’s cooking time. Add the chicken to the sauce and allow to cook for a further 35 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve with potatoes or rice and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

From My Bookshelf

2012-01-19T16:04:00.001+01:00

A few months back, I wrote a post on some of my favorite books. I mentioned four books out of my ever-growing collection, but choosing those four was no easy task. There are so many great books here in my office! And that reminds me, I could use an extra bookcase for all the new ones that have since been added.
I guess you could say that I never stopped being a bookworm. My passion for books started during the summer vacations of my grammar school years. Our public library was not very far from my house and I spent many an afternoon at that top floor (the children's section) of the library. I was particularly fond of the Ramona series from Beverly Cleary. Just like me, Ramona had a big imagination and sometimes, it got her into a bit of trouble.
During my nerdiest period, probaly while I was attending university, I collected old Dutch literature, and when I say old, I mean really old! I was infatuated (still am!) with Dutch 17th century writers such and Vondel, Cats and Huygens and I read there stories and poems (in old Dutch), over and over. Especially thrilling to me was finding some of their books in antique versions. The older the better! It always felt like those old volumes added just a little extra something to my reading experience.
At this point though, cookbooks have become my addiction. Everything from well-known food writers to books of foreign cuisine and even children's cookbooks. During my travels to France, I love to walk into a bookstore and browse through unkown French cookbooks. A few always make their way home with me.
Choosing four books was a bit of a challenge again this time, but I managed! I bet it won't be much of a surprise that all four of them have to do with France. Here they are in no particular order:

Les Recettes Lorraines de nos Grands-Mères
(Anne-Lise Henry)

This book (which is in French, as you can see from the title) has a lot of charm and even more great recipes. The focus is on simple, regional cuisinine. It has recipes for the type of food that a French grandmother from Lorraine would cook for you. Should you be lucky enough to have a French grandmother from Lorraine. The book taught me how to make a proper quiche filling. Next on my list is the ragoût d'escargots. You won't find any color photographs. Instead, the book is beautifully illustrated with Victorian-style pen drawings, black and white photographs of authentic French kitchens, cooks and scenes, and old advertisements. There are recipes for soups, breads, vegetables, cheese dishes, tarts, sweets and even liqueurs. The blueberry jam recipe in this book is definitely at the top of my list of favorite preserves.

Heimwee naar La Douce France: Recepten om thuis te genieten van de Franse sfeer
(Onno Kleyn)

Onno Kleyn is one of my favorite Dutch food writers. His recipes are well-written, easy to follow and they always work. This little book holds a concise collection of classic French dishes. Things like sole à la meunière, boeuf bourguignon, blanquette de veau, poulet au riesling and confit de canard. Onno is always singing the praises about oeufs durs mayonnaise, and ever since I read this book, the dish has always been a favorite when entertaining. Easy and so incredibly delicious! The last chapter on desserts has a wonderful tarte aux framboises which I've also made with strawberries. The crème brûlée and the bavarois à l'orange are also ones to try- a real treat to make and certainly to eat.

Joie de Vivre: Simple French Style for Everyday Living
(Robert Arbor & Katherine Whiteside)

What is it that the French have that makes them seem to enjoy their life so much? Whenever I'm in France, it becomes obvious. They take pleasure in the little things. From having a coffee at a café with a croissant while reading the paper to growing their own fruits and vegetables. If you crave the French lifestyle, than this is definitely one you'll want to add to your collection. I pretty much read the book in a couple of hours and after I finished it, I felt like I had come back from my France. Everything was so familiar, well-described, inspiring! I especially love the recipe for a simple spice rub for meat. And the recipe for menthe à l'eau.

French Odyssey
(Rick Stein)

How could one not love Rick Stein? Watching his shows is not only inspiring, but also soothing. His voice has a certain something which simply takes me away! I love his passion for food and how he always manages to make me feel hungry. His books are no exception. Especially his French Odyssey which was written to accompany the series that aired on BBC2 in the summer of 2005. From Bordeaux to Marseille, we travel with him to food markets, meet the people behind the food and taste some of the wonderful dishes he recreated during his exciting trip. It is as much a journal of his travels as it is a cookbook for those who love the cuisine of the south of France. The book has bright, beautiful photographs and a handy collection of side dishes and basic recipes at the end.
*Note: my version is in Dutch.

I hope you've enjoyed my book suggestions and should you know of some books I simply must read, please let me know! Now off to make some poulet Basquaise!

A Winter Gratin...with Thoughts on Warmer Weather

2012-01-15T16:56:00.000+01:00

As I write this blog, the sun is shining, my husband is out in the garden trimming some trees and hydrangea bushes and my head is already filled with thoughts of spring. Which is wrong. Very wrong. I think it has something to do with the crazy 'winter' we've been having. Hardly any frost or sub-zero temperatures. In fact, it's not even the middle of January and there are quite some trees blossoming in colors of yellow and pink. I even saw daffodils yesterday! Bizzare- especially when I think back to all the speculations about the 'horror winter' that were going around in October.
On the one hand, it worries me. Will there be anything to look forward to in April? What will happen to those poor plants? Not to mention to the insect world! On the other hand though, I must admit to really enjoying the more southern-like climate. This morning I took a long walk in the sunshine with the dog while listening to Aznavour on my headphones and dreaming of summer in the south of France. Winter has its charms, but deep blue skies, lush vineyards and the scent of lavender are much more appealing to me.
The strange weather is very confusing when it comes to cooking. I know that this is still the season for root vegetables and stews, but all I long for is lamb, asparagus and even cherries! The colors and tastes of the warmer months tempt me without mercy! I suppose that's why I picked up Patricia Well's Ma Cuisine en Provence the other day. I didn't really intend on cooking anything from the book. I was more in search of a little visual gratification. But between all those sunny recipes, there was also a recipe for gratin dauphinois. Ah! this was something 'wintery'! I decided to give it a try and it was utterly delicious, very comforting and exactly what I needed to bring me back to the moment. It's still winter so I might as well enjoy it!
The recipe that follows is based on Patricia's recipe. You can serve this as a meal on its own if you add in a little ham or bacon and perhaps a side of wilted, garlicky spinach. Of course, it's also a marvelous side dish.
Bon Appétit!

Gratin Dauphinois
Serves 4

1 clove of garlic
800g waxy potatoes (Charlotte, Belle de Fontenay)
400ml full-fat milk
2 handfuls freshly grated Gruyère
4 tbsps crème fraîche
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 190C. Cut your garlic clove in half and rub one half all over the surface of your baking dish. Thinly slice the rest of the garlic. Slice your potatoes thinly and place them in a large bowl. Add the milk, cheese, crème fraîche and salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently and transfer the mixture to your baking dish. Finish off with a little more grated cheese. Allow to cook for about an hour and 15 minutes. Serve hot!

Joie de Vivre and a Really Good Pizza

2012-01-13T17:43:00.003+01:00

Sometimes, when I realize that I have a 12-year-old daughter (oh my goodness, she's almost a TEEN!), I feel just a little ... 'mature'. Not old. I don't like the world old. But I can deal with 'mature'. To me it means that I no longer get worked up about the little things. Like making sure I have a face full of make-up on before I head to the post office or go walk the dog. And besides, I know that I'm as young as young can be because I still have the one thing that keeps everyone from aging. No, not anti-oxidants or expensive face creams (they don't work). I have an almost obsessive joie de vivre! If there's something to be enjoyed, I'm enjoying it, and if there isn't, I make sure there is!
This post, however, is not about my sometimes lavish dinners, love of good wine or appreciation of fine music. It's about something else that always manages to bring a smile to my face and makes me feel young at heart- pizza! Trust me, there's plenty to be enjoyed when it comes to pizza, and it always feels like 'kid food'! Especially a delicious, thin-crust, homemade pizza topped with yummy ingredients.
Every year when we celebrate Kirstie's birthday, I ask her what she wants to do for her party. This year she wanted to have a make-up/pizza party. She asked if I would help her and four of her girlfriends make pizzas and of course I agreed!
I made the dough ahead of time so that the only thing we had to do when the girls were hungry was roll it out, top it with the sauce and the ingredients of choice and bake it. I made the sauce a few hours before and I arranged a variety of toppings in small bowls so that they could create their own special pizza. There was thinly-sliced chorizo, pepper strips, ham, pineapple chunks, olives and of course, cheese. All of the girls really enjoyed making their own pizza and there was no fuss about someone not liking a particular food. Who doesn't like pizza?!
I really hope that you try your hand at making your own pizza soon, and if you're so inclined to use my recipe, I promise you won't be disappointed. Here's to good pizza, feeling like a kid ... and to that age-defying joie de vivre!

Paola's Perfect Pizza
Makes two pizzas

375 g all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt
1 envelope yeast, 7 g
2 tbsps olive oil
250 ml lukewarm waterFor the sauce:
180g tomato puree

75 ml water
1 tbsp mild olive oil
2 tsps dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp rosemary-infused sugar

salt and pepper, to taste

Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Mix the water and the olive oil in a measuring cup and add to the dry ingredients. Knead for approximately 8 minutes on a well-floured surface or in the bowl of your standing mixer using the hook attachment. Clean out your bowl, rinse it with hot water and grease it with a little bit of mild olive oil. Form the dough into a ball, put it in your bowl, cover with plastic and a tea cloth and allow to rest for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Punch down the dough, knead it again for about a minute and roll it out thinly.

Preheat the oven to 220C.

Top the pizza with the sauce*, some cheese and your ingredients of choice. Bake for approximately ten minutes or until crust is crisp and browned and cheese is melted.

*Make your sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small pan and letting it cook gently for about 20 minutes. You can also top the pizza with your own favorite tomato sauce or a good-quality ready made sauce.

Tasty 2012- Galette des Rois

2012-01-06T16:39:00.006+01:00

Welcome to 2012! Can you believe how fast the year actually went by? Not to mention the month of December! It still feels like it was just yesterday that we were putting up the Christmas tree and discussing whether to have turkey or rabbit!
We started the year off on an unusually warm note. There has been rain and even some heavy storms, but you'd be shocked to see just how many things are in bloom! As though spring were just around the corner! Unfortunately, there is still a chance for winter to really kick in. I prefer this though. Cold and me are like water and oil.
But let's talk food again!
I want to tell you about something utterly delicious I bought today- a galette des rois! This beautifully delicate cake is made of buttery puff pastry and frangipane and is eaten in celebration of the Epiphany. There is usually a little trinket (the fève) hidden inside the cake. Whoever finds it, has the privilege of wearing the crown and being king (or queen!) for the day!

I didn't make this one myself. Instead, in good French tradition, I got mine from the baker, and not just any baker, but the best French baker in the Netherlands- Le Fournil de Sébastien. The shop carries a great selection of French breads, pastries and products such as jams and candies. We love to visit on Saturday mornings for their lovely viennoiserie and a fresh baguette or two to have with our afternoon paté.

So if you live in the Netherlands and are wondering where to get your authentic galette des rois, than make your way to Hilversum or Amsterdam!

Have a tasty 2012!

Holiday Wishes and Chocolatey Mini-Muffins

2011-12-23T17:44:00.000+01:00

Is Christmas really two days away? One look in my fridge tells me it certainly is! I have a fat turkey waiting to grace my table, a variety of goodies to keep us happy on Christmas day (everything from brunch items, to snacks, to all the things I need for Christmas dinner) and a freshly-made Bûche de Noël. I am especially looking forward to the traditional Christmas Eve fish platter with a bottle of chilled Sancerre- the most perfect way to celebrate as far as I'm concerned!
Before wishing you all a wonderful Christmas, I'd like to tell you about some tasty little muffins I made yesterday for Kirstie to take to school. Her birthday is on the 31st of December so it's always celebrated either before or after the Christmas vacation. I didn't want to make too much of a fuss and came up with these bite-sized chocolatey muffins. They can be thrown together with almost no effort. In fact, I made them between baking a few dozen cookies. She returned home with an empty box- a sign that my efforts were well-received!
Here's the recipe. Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Mini-Muffins
Makes 33 mini-muffins

250g self rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsps good quality cocoa powder
50g mini-chocolate chips
1 egg
150ml full-fat yogurt
50ml full-fat milk
170g sugar
100ml sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180C. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and chocolate chips in a large bowl. Whisk the egg, yogurt, milk, sugar, oil and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients gently to the dry and fold until just combined. Divide over the muffin cups and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Drops

2011-12-18T09:19:00.002+01:00

Cookie baking is an integral part of Christmas. There's nothing like those moments when you're in the kitchen baking something wonderful and everything around you is just perfect and festive. The beauty of the tree, the fireplace glowing, the sound of a loved Christmas tune playing on the radio and the feeling of utter family happiness. If it happens to be snowing outside, all the better!
I must admit to being a little late this year though. There were lots of odds and ends that needed to be taken care of, some cooking classes and a few deadlines which sort of made me put my cookie baking tradition on hold.
With a little more time on my hands, I've decided to do some catching up. I was thinking of going straight to the heart of holiday baking and making either gingerbread people or butter cookies, but I sort of had the following recipe floating around in my head for a while and wanted to try it out first.
One of my favorite chocolates back home were those yummy York Peppermint Patties. Little circles of dark chocolatey goodness filled with a cool, creamy peppermint center! It's been quite a while since I've had one and I think I was reminded of them when I visited a Dutch foreign foods store recently and saw them there. They were the inspiration for these lovely little chocolate and peppermint cookies. The recipe makes about 70 of them, so there will be plenty to share with friends, family, your neighbors, the postman and just about anybody that happens to cross your path this holiday season! They are also a perfect sweet treat to have with your morning coffee. It's the holidays- you're allowed to be naughty!
PS: I always give my daughter's teachers homemade cookies as a present!

Here's the recipe:
Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Drops
Makes about 70 cookies

180g soft butter
150g fine sugar
60g dark brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsps mint extract
50g best quality Dutch cocoa powder
320g all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 tbsps full milk

Cream the butter and the sugars in a large bowl. Add the egg and the mint extract and beat again. Add in the flour, cocoa powder and salt and stir through with a wooden spoon. Add in the milk and knead the dough until it comes together. Preheat the oven to 190C and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Roll out little balls the size of walnuts and arrange them on your baking sheet with a little space between them. Flatten them a little with the prongs of a fork and bake (in batches, if necessary) for 12-15 minutes. Allow them to cool on a wire rack and keep in an airtight container for about 5 days.

Christmas Wishes and Spicy Chicken Wings

2011-12-15T10:03:00.002+01:00

Once upon a time, there was a girl who had only one wish. A puppy for Christmas. A warm, cuddly, snuggly little puppy with a sweet, round little belly. She missed having a doggie to walk to the end of the world and back with. One that would keep her feet company in the car on those long trips to France.
Well, that girl (who never stopped believing in Santa Claus) got her wish. A little miracle crossed her path and she named him Pastis. That girl, dear reader, is moi!

(in Dutch: a beast with a bite)

As you can imagine, the word 'happy' does the way I feel little justice. I am thrilled with the new addition to the family. Thrilled, and also tired! Puppy training is a demanding job and between all that hard work, life goes on!
We were pretty exhausted yesterday so when dinner time rolled around, I was really in the mood for something easy and tasty. It had been too long since I had made chicken wings and boy did I know they would hit the spot on an evening like that! A side of steamed broccoli dressed with a tangy sauce, a loaf of bread , a bottle of wine and a very happy family! It's going to be a wonderfully memorable Christmas!
PS: Pardon the lack of photo this time, but here's the recipe for the chicken wings. Double as needed and serve them as warm party snack during your holiday gatherings.

Spicy Chicken Wings
Serves 3 happy souls on a cold December night
12 chicken wings
few tbsps mild olive oil
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper
2 tbsps grainy mustard
2 tbsps honey
2 tbsps piment d'Espelette spicy sauce (or any other brand of spicy pepper sauce, not too hot!)
4 tbsps orange juice
pinch of chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 190C. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown half of the wings. Place them in a baking pan and continue with the other half. Whisk the ingredients for the sauce and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the wings, brushing it into all sides of the meat. Pop in the oven for 15 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook for another 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

The Season of Good Things

2011-12-07T19:04:00.003+01:00

Forgive me for being so silent lately, but between some cooking and a whole lot of writing, a lot has been happening. I am currently working on an article for one of my favorite Dutch magazines. Which one that is will be a secret until the actual publication, but all I can tell you is that I was beyond thrilled when I got this assignment. Some of my favorite Dutch food writers have contributed to this magazine and I am extremely proud to be joining them. And not only that, but I'm also writing about a subject which is very close to my heart, Dutch food history. It really is the perfect excuse to dig back into those old notebooks from my university days in Leiden while at the same time writing about food.
I will also be welcoming a very special student this weekend. Why so special? Because she happens to be 14! Now if there's something I admire in these crazy 'fast food' days, it's a child with an interest in cooking. If I could help it, every teenager would know how to cook by the time they left the house. Oh how I'd love to put the pre-packaged food industry out of business. But yes, bare with me. I know that's a whole lot of wishful thinking. I'm proudly doing my part though!
With all this' busy bee' behavior, I really do have to pause every now and then to catch my breath and do something relaxing. Like reading a book. I was lucky enough to get Cooking and Travelling in South-West France as a present from Sinterklaas and by golly is it gorgeous! Reading through it is food for the Francophile's soul. Beautiful photographs, brilliant food writing and wonderful country recipes. It even comes upstairs to bed with me!

We also went out to get our Christmas tree today and spent some cozy time afterwards listening to old-fashioned Christmas music, drinking vin chaud and decorating the house. I must say that I am very pleased with the result. What do you think?

And last, but certainly not least, my head is filled with the season's biggest dilemma- what to cook? I am considering a Dutch hare stew but some wild boar or perhaps a capon with a nice truffle stuffing would also be nice. And should I bake a traditional English Christmas cake or go the French route and make a Bûche de Noël? We'll see! In the meantime, hope you're enjoying the season!

School Lunches and Salisbury Steaks

2011-12-01T09:34:00.000+01:00

I have fond memories of my school lunches at elementary school. It was the 80's and except for a cupcake sale every now and then, we didn't have junk food or vending machines at school. Every day at 12 PM we would all come downstairs to the cafeteria and get on line with our tray. First the milk, then the main dish followed by the sides and finally dessert, which would always be fresh fruit or a small cup of applesauce. I remember almost all of the lunch ladies. They wore blue dresses (not the most flattering, may I add) and transparent hats which resembled shower caps. Some were nicer than others. They smiled more or would ask if they could help you open your milk or start your orange. Others behaved as though they absolutely hated kids (and their job). It seemed like they derived great pleasure at slapping down a side of mashed potatoes on your plate. Slam! There you go, now move it kid!
We had a calendar every month where we could read what we could expect on the menu. I looked forward to the teacher handing out that calendar and would draw big, red circles around my favorite meals. There were things like spaghetti and meatballs, tater tots and chicken patty, omelettes with cheese on a roll and pizza on Fridays. If you didn't like what they were offering on that particular day, your only choice was peanut butter and jelly. They always had a big pile of those at the end of the line, right befor the fruit, and they were pretty good.
One of my favorite lunches was salisbury steak. It was served with gravy, mashed potatoes and peas. I don't think I was alone in that because I still remember how quickly it disappeared from the other kids' plates! I had pretty much forgotten about that dish, until last Christmas when my parents sent me a copy of the Food Network Magazine from the US. I was so excited when I came across a recipe for salisbury steak. It suddenly brought back all those memories of my elemenary school years back in New Jersey. The good ol' days! I am going to share that recipe with you today because I am sure you'll love it. This is by no means very exciting food. In fact, it's actually considered 'poor man's food'. To me though, it's retro food at its best! Enjoy!

Salisbury Steak with Mushrooms
Serves 4
(Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine, December 2010 issue)
500g ground beef
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 a large onion, finely chopped
8 saltine crackers (two Dutch packs), finely crushed
3 sage leaves, finely chopped
salt and freshly-ground pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
250g mushrooms, sliced
2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsps all-purpose flour
chopped parsley
buttered noodles or mashed potatoes, to serve

Mix the beef, egg, onion, cracker crumbs, sage, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper in a large bowl. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape the portions into oval-sized patties. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large frying pan and brown the patties 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat. Transfer to a warmed plate and cover with foil. Add another tbsp of butter to the skillet and cook the mushrooms until slightly browned. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and more salt and pepper to taste, scraping up any browned bits. Sprinkle in the flour and stir. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of hot water and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken (about 2 minutes). Add the remaining 1 tbsp of butter and swirl to combine. Return the patties and any juices from the plate to the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the patties are cooked through (about 2 minutes). Sprinkle with the parsley and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve with hot buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.

The Start of The Holiday Season: Holiday Recipe #1: Festive Cornbread

2011-11-28T16:48:00.003+01:00

As usual, we celebrated Thanksgiving a little late this year. It isn't a national holiday in the Netherlands and no one has the day off, so it's always better to postpone it a day or two and celebrate it either on Friday or Saturday. This year it was celebrated on Friday. I didn't make it into a big affair and instead kept it very simple. Just my family, my best friend and my daughter's friend. We had the usual dinner which included one of the best turkeys I've ever had, thanks to Kingsalmarkt and plenty of butter. After all these years, I finally learned that the secret to an excellent turkey is butter, lots and lots of it, smeared over every inch and even stuffed up its cavity.
The food was great and for us, it was certainly the start of the holiday season. There was Christmas music and after dinner we all snuggled up on the couch to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Since then, I have been very much inspired and my head is just bursting with all sorts of easy and delicious holiday recipes, which of course, I will be sharing with you during the coming weeks. There's nothing quite like this time of year to bring out the chefs in all of us.
The first recipe I will be sharing with you is my festive cornbread. You'll love the sweet touch provided by a little mandarin zest and juice, while the cranberries add a burst of taste and color. Enjoy it for breakfast with a pat of butter or serve it as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea - or why not?- some mulled wine!

Festive Cornbread

makes 10-12 slices

100g all-purpose flour
150g polenta flour
1 tbsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 large mandarin, rind and juice (you’ll need 50ml)
100g dried cranberries
100 ml full-fat yogurt
80ml full fat-milk
2 eggs
75g sugar
150 g melted butter, cooled

Preheat the oven to 200C and line a rectangular cake tin with baking paper. Combine the flour, polenta, baking powder and pinch of salt in a large bowl. Stir in the mandarin rind and the cranberries. In a jug, whisk the mandarin juice (if one mandarin isn’t enough, use another one), yogurt, milk, eggs, sugar and melted butter. Carefully stir the wet ingredients through the dry. Pour the batter in the prepared cake tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin, on a wire rack, before cutting.

No-Fuss Holidays

2011-11-23T14:05:00.001+01:00

The holidays are just around the corner, which means that many of us will be in a frantic stress mode. What to buy? What to wear? Where to go? What to cook? I am no exception, although I really try to make an art of carefully planning my holiday preparations. Especially considering the fact that in my case, the month of December brings four big events- Sinterklaas, Christmas, New Year's Eve and Kirstie's birthday!

For the sake of my sanity, I start by buying my presents months ahead. It sure beats the holiday rush and keeps me away from those crowded stores. I also am very much a homebody at this time of year and prefer to have Christmas dinner in my pyjamas with hubby and daughter instead of at a table filled with people I hardly know or rarely see.

When I do entertain, I try to keep things as simple as possible and go for recipes that hardly require any brainwork. Hearty stews I can make a day ahead, a roast chicken (love the fat Dutch Kemper Landhoen chickens) or maybe even an easy oven dish, like a cottage pie. I rarely go for a multi-course dinner affair and prefer to serve these kind of dishes alone, family-style and with just a bottle of good wine as the only accompaniment.

If I am in the mood to serve a starter, my goat's cheese tarts are one of my favorite choices. It just doesn't get any easier than this! Here's the recipe, with a video, which is in Dutch, but I'm sure even that doesn't make the dish any more complicated!

Goat's Cheese Tarts

for 1 tart (multiply as needed)

1 small square sheet of puff pastry

1 slice of bacon

1 tsp onion confit

1 heaped tsp of soft goat's cheese

torn sage leaves

beaten egg, to glaze

salad and vincotto or balsamic syrup, to serve

Preheat your oven to 220C, line a baking tray with baking paper and place the puff pastry on the lined tray. Place the bacon on the pastry and follow with the onion confit, the goat's cheese and the sage. Fold each corner of the pastry towards the center, brush with the beaten egg and bake for approximately 12 minutes or until crisp and golden. Place a little salad on a plate, drizzle with the vincotto and top with a warm tart. I love this little dish with a nice, dry sauvignon blanc or a crisp sancerre.

Fun Weekend for Two

2011-11-21T14:27:00.003+01:00

This weekend Kirstie slept over a friend's house so hubby and I decided to spoil ourselves a little bit. Something we really needed after a week of hard, but fulfilling work.
Our first stop was dinner at Hemel op aarde (or Heaven on Earth), one of our favorite local restaurants. It was rather quiet that Friday evening, but we didn't mind. The food was good and the company even better. We ordered a nice bottle of wine and enjoyed a lovely meal while discussing plans about the future and talking about all the little things husbands and wives talk about.
One of the plans made that evening, was to visit Haarlem the next day. We had been there just a few days earlier on an assignment but since it was work, we really didn't get much of a chance to wander around at our leisure. This time though, we felt like we had all the time in the world. The sun was shining, it wasn't as cold and there was even a market in the town square. I love markets so it was a real treat to be there on that day. We grabbed some croissants from one of the bakers and took our time checking out what was on offer.
After that, we walked through some of the shopping streets and came across a window where the book I collaborated on was being displayed. It gave me a little shot of joy. I'm secretly hoping this will be one of many!

Sinterklaas and Christmas are just weeks away, so there was somewhat of a festive atmosphere in the city. We didn't do any holiday shopping though, but after a lot of walking, we did grab a bite and a glass of wine at Grand Cafe Doria. Our hot meal of Dutch krokets filled with beef ragout and thick-cut fries was devoured outside, under heating lamps, of course!

After lunch, we checked out some museums. One of them, the Archeologisch Museum, was especially interesting. We marveled at the wide variety of fascinating artifacts gathered after excavations throughout the city. Prehistoric spearheads and coins, jewelry and clothing from the 15th century, tableware from the 17th century, a helmet left over from the Spanish Inquisition and even, get ready for this...a piece of human excrement!

It was a fun day out for both of us. We look forward to going back with Kirstie and showing her around the city. She's been there before, in fact many times, but only in diapers! Time to change that!

Dutch Delight: Gevulde Speculaas

2011-11-17T17:03:00.004+01:00

I was in Haarlem for a photoshoot yesterday as part of an assignment for a Canadian magazine. We've been to Haarlem in the past many, many times and in fact, it was more or less our Saturday hang-out for quite a while. I really enjoyed going back to the city, even though it was absolutely freezing outside! We spent a good three hours photographing some of the best sites (and there are a lot!), so at a certain point, both of us could not feel our feet anymore! But that was about the only thing to complain about, and really, there wasn't that much complaining going on.
Haarlem has a charm, a certain friendliness and warmth which really makes it a wonderful place to visit. Personally, I will always associate Haarlem with two things: our family trips and the excursions we took there when I was studying Dutch Culture and Art at Leiden University. I still remember walking through the city and listening to the stories told by one of my favorite professors, Dr. Marion Boers. She spoke about the art and history of the city with such passion and told us many a charming story about the hofjes (hidden almshouses) scattered all throughout the city. We took many excursions around the Netherlands back then, but Haarlem was one of my favorite places to enjoy both academically and touristically.
Even though my heart is French, I felt a great sense of pride and happiness when I was walking through the streets of Haarlem yesterday. How lucky am I to live in such a fabulous European country as the Netherlands! The beautiful Renaissance architecture found in many of Haarlem's buildings and the city's nostalgic appeal, reminded me once again why I decided to pursue an education completely devoted to the Dutch language and culture. And because I needed to celebrate that, and share my enthusiasm with you, I decided to bake a treat which is very Dutch and very typical for this time of year- gevulde speculaas. These thick, soft Dutch spice bars are filled with sweetened almond paste and topped with a scattering of almond slivers. They make the house smell absolutely divine and they are child's play to make.
Eet smakelijk!

Gevulde Speculaas
Makes 16 spice bars

For the cookie layer:
300g all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
pinch of salt
175g soft butter
2 tbsps Dutch koekkruiden (pumpkin pie spices)
75g raw cane sugar
80g dark brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 tbsps full-fat milk
For the filling:
300g amandelspijs (almond paste) cut in large cubes
1 tbsps sweet liqueur of choice, I used butterscotch but amaretto would be fab too
one whisked egg
a scattering of almond slivers

Put all of the ingredients for the cookie layer in the food processor and pulse until the dough comes together. Remove the dough from the processor and shape it into two fat disks. Wrap them in cling film and refrigerate them for at least three hours. Clean out your processor bowl and pulse the almond paste cubes, the egg and the liqueur until it becomes soft and creamy. Wrap the paste and also refrigerate for at least three hours.
Take the cookie dough and the paste out of the fridge half an hour before you want to bake the bars. Preheat the oven to 200C and line a square 20x20 cm baking pan with baking paper. Roll out half of the dough and fit it into the baking pan. Spread the filling over the dough, roll out the second disk of dough, place it over the filling and tuck it around the edges. Brush the top of the dough with the whisked egg, gently carve a checkered pattern on the dough, making sure not to carve all the way through the first layer. Scatter with the almond slivers and pop in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool briefly, finish cutting into squares and serve!

Ultimate Chicken Pie

2011-11-10T18:54:00.002+01:00

Baby, it's finally getting cold out there! This morning it was a mere 4C and I could definitely feel the chill tear through my coat and go straight to my bones. Granted, I am a royal wimp when it comes to cold temperatures, but if the predictions for the upcoming winter are right and this is just the beginning, I don't think I'll make it without buying some sort of eskimo suit. Perhaps I'm better off pretending to be a bear and happily hibernating in my house until the springtime arrives.
Even though I am not much of a 'winter person' (Christmas excluded, I can't get enough of Christmas!), I love the comfort food that comes with the colder months. In a cheeky way, it feels as though the 'r' in the month is my greedy ticket to ride. The perfect excuse to eat everything that's seductively rich and not feel an ounce of guilt for doing so!
Perhaps one of my most-loved comfort foods is the very down-to-earth yet very delicious chicken pie. I love a good, creamy chicken pie. One with tender mushrooms, a little mustard and a delicate blanket of golden pastry haphazardly tucked over the filling so that some of it temptingly drips down its edges. It's the kind of meal that I long for on those dark, gloomy nights when the summer seems cruelly far away.
Here's my ultimate chicken pie recipe, which feels like a warm cuddle on a cold, wintery night. Enjoy!

Ultimate Chicken Pie
Serves 4

1 tbsp mild olive oil
knob of butter
4 chicken breasts, sliced
1 leek, cleaned and sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp flour
250g mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsps creme fraiche
100ml white wine
200ml chicken stock
few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
2 tsps Dijon mustard
275g ready-made puffed pastry
1 egg, lightly whisked

Preheat the oven to 200C. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, season and cook, for 4-5 minutes. Add the leek, garlic and flour and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the creme fraiche, stir in the wine and let it reduce a bit. Add the stock and simmer for 8 minutes. Add the thyme and mustard and cook for 5 more minutes. Spoon into a pie dish. Unroll the pastry on a floured surface and roll it out just a little more. Round off the corners to trim into an oval shape. Tuck the pastry all around the edges of the pie. Do this inside the pie, not over it. It doesn’t have to be pretty, it’s a rustic pie! Slash the surface of the pie with the point of a knife and brush with the whisked egg. Place the pie in the oven and allow it to bake for 30 minutes. It might be a wise idea to line the bottom of your oven with foil in case of any drippings from the pie. Serve and swoon!

Cinnamon Buns

2011-11-07T12:55:00.001+01:00

I had a craving last week that was pretty much driving me insane. Two words: cinnamon buns. There was nothing I wanted more than a warm, fragrant cinnamon bun. A big, fat one. Glazed, of course. The only problem was that the craving hit at around 10PM. No yeast in the house, no raisins and no shops open in the neighborhood to run to. I had no choice but to go to bed dreaming of the buns I would be making the next morning.
For me, baking up a batch of cinnamon buns has a certain 'forbidden fruit' factor. The thing with them is that they're too darn irresistible. If I make cinnamon buns, I can't just make one, which pretty much means that I will undoubtedly be tempted to eat way more than I should. And no, they don't sell proper cinnamon buns here, so it's not like I can go buy one, satisfy my craving and move on. But I'm all for being naughty and I am a firm believer in the philosophy behind life is to short...
The next morning I get to the shops, buy my ingredients and start working some cinnamony magic. I knead the soft, aromatic dough and patiently wait for it to rise. Then I roll it out and fill it with a mix of raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon. Little buns are formed by rolling the dough into a long sausage and then cutting it into even pieces. More rising time and I'm getting more and more impatient, especially when the buns go in the oven and their scent teases me without mercy. But the reward is sweet. Make them and tell me if you agree...

Cinnamon Buns
Approximately 16 buns

For the dough:
225 ml full- fat milk
80g butter
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
550g flour, plus extra for the kneading and rolling
2 ½ tsps active dry yeast
80g caster sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
For the filling:
40g melted butter
100g light brown sugar
100g raisins
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
For the glaze:
70g icing sugar
2 tsps boiling water

In a small pan, heat the milk and the butter until the butter is melted. Take the pan off the heat, add the vanilla and let cool to lukewarm. Whisk in the beaten eggs. In a big bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the cooled milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well with a floured wooden spoon. Flour your hands and dig into the bowl, kneading the dough inside the bowl. The dough will be sticky, so keep your hands well- floured! Of course, you can also do it the easy way and use a standing mixer, like a Kitchen Aid. Transfer the dough to a well- floured surface and knead it there for a further five minutes if you're doing it by hand, and an extra minute if your dough was kneaded with a machine. Sprinkle the dough with more flour as necessary. Form the dough into a ball. Wash out your bowl and rinse it with hot water, dry it and sprinkle some flour both in the bowl and on your dough. Return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a tea cloth. Set the bowl in a warm place and allow it to rise for 2 hours. Punch down your dough and knead it on a floured surface for about a minute. Roll it out to a rectangle of about 27 X 40cm. Brush half of the melted butter over the whole surface of the dough. Make the topping by combining the sugar, raisins and cinnamon in a small bowl. Divide this mixture over the buttered dough. Roll the dough from the long side and slice it into 16 even pieces. Line a 26 X 37 rectangular baking tin with baking paper (leaving a little hanging over the edge) and place the buns in the pan. Brush the buns with the remaining butter. Cover the tin with plastic wrap and the tea towel. Allow the buns to rise for additional 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C. Pop the cinnamon rolls in the oven for 30 minutes. Check half way through to see if they are not getting too brown. Cover wth foil if necessary! Set the tin on a rack to cool slightly. Remove the rolls from the baking tin by lifting them up with the baking paper. Make the glaze by whisking the sugar with the water. Drizzle the glaze over the buns. Enjoy!

Candy Apple Muffins for the Kid in You

2011-11-03T10:42:00.004+01:00

On gray days, there's nothing like staying inside and spending your free time cooking frivoulous things. Like muffins. For some reason, I've always associated baking muffins with a return to childhood innocence. More so than cookies. Cookies can be very grown up (I've made olive oil and dark chocolate cookies which are meant to be enjoyed with port), but muffins are food for the kid inside of me- and there's still quite a lot of that!
I wanted to bake some muffins yesterday and decided to look to the season for inspiration. It didn't take long to figure out I wanted to make them with apples. Apple muffins are for the autumn what strawberry shortcake is for the summer. But what to throw in along with those apples? Aha! One look in the pantry and the deal was settled. I was finally going to use that bag of butterscotch chips my parents had sent me last year from the States.
What can I tell you except that these muffins are blooming brilliant! And I know that sounds rather big-headed, considering they are my own muffins, but how else can I describe them? They tasted like the candy apples we made at grade school every year between Halloween and Thanksgiving. One bite and I was suddenly that pig-tailed girl playing hopscotch and trading Bazooka Joe comics.
Try them, I double dare you...

Candy Apple Muffins
Makes 12

250g all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
200g butterscotch chips
80ml full-fat milk
2 eggs
200g sweetened applesauce
2 tsps vanilla extract
100g light brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 200C and line a muffin tin with liners or butter and flour it. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl. Add the apples and the butterscotch chips and stir well with a wooden spoon. In a jug, whisk the milk, eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract and light brown sugar. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently fold. Fill the muffin tin with the batter and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack. Eat them with a glass of milk...

Cooking with Jamie

2011-11-02T10:38:00.002+01:00

I'm a huge Jamie Oliver fan, and I'm a Francophile, so when the Dutch Jamie Magazine announced they were having a cookalong to go with the French chapter of his book Jamie Does, I simply had to join in. And not with one recipe, but with seven. For a whole week, I tried one Jamie recipe a day. From hearty autumn salads to his chunky pork terrine.
I had written about the book for the Dutch site Ze.nl earlier this year, but I had not gotten around to cooking anything from the French chapter. Mainly because I found those recipes (pumpkin pie, gratin, rustic salads, terrine) more fit for the cooler months. I did, however, make some recipes from the Greek chapter, like his souvlaki with tzatziki, which was an amazing meal for two on a sultry summer evening.
Just as I expected, the French chapter had some fab recipes which were really a pleasure to cook. My favorites were probably the courgette and rice gratin (transported me to an auberge in the French countryside!) and the roquefort salad. The warm quail salad was kind of a flop, but I'm pretty sure that had nothing to do with the recipe but rather with the old and tough quails I was unfortunate enough to take home. I also learned some new things, like how to make my first terrine!
If you don't have the book, it's definitely one to add to your collection. No one can take you on a taste adventure like Jamie can!
PS: My roquefort salad got published on the Dutch Jamie Magazine website! Pretty cool, no?

Paola's Good ol' Chili con Carne

2011-10-31T14:14:00.000+01:00

I recently wrote an article and recipe about chili con carne for the Dutch website Ze.nl. It happens to be one of my favorite cold-weather meals, so I thought I'd also share it here for those who can't read Dutch. But first let me tell you a little bit more about my chili...
I've pretty much tried all sorts of variations, some better than others. Perhaps the worst one was the version with tofu. As much as I enjoy eating vegetarian (light, clean, healthy, fresh!), this simply did not work. Chili con carne, like the name says, needs the carne, or meat! The tofu version was odd. Like a burger with only the bun. An all-bean variation was slightly better, but the fact that I only made it once or twice says enough. The opposite also applies to the all-beef chili. For me, it simply isn't chili con carne without the beans or the meat. I must have them both!
I also need spice and heat, but not too much. I want to taste the complex flavors without having to suck in air after every bite in a desperate attempt to cool my mouth. My chili must have a touch of sweetness to balance off the acidity of the tomatoes. That's why I add in a little rosemary sugar. In fact, almost all my tomato-based sauces get a little rosemary sugar for that same reason. And because my chili needs depth and richness, some cocoa powder always goes in towards the end of the cooking time. Don't worry. You'll barely notice it.
There many ways to serve chili. Perhaps you have some extra time and are in the mood to bake up a batch of corn muffins. They go exceptionally well with it. Rice, preferably yellow, is another option, as is a handful of good tortilla chips. The blue corn kind would be my choice. Of course, you can also choose to have your chili naked. No, not that kind of naked! Although...
Anyway you choose to serve it, make sure you top it with a good dollop of sour cream and perhaps a spoonful of salsa. Enjoy!

Paola's Good Ol' Chili Con Carne
Serves 4

2 tbsps mild olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
2 tsps whole coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
500g ground beef
1 bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 tsps ground cumin
2 tsps ground oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika powder
1/4- 1 tsp chili powder, depending on the heat of your chili powder and your taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
500g pureed tomatoes
1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsps rosemary sugar, or normal sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp cocoa powder

Heat the olive oil and allow the onion and the garlic to gently sweat for about 5 minutes. Grind the coriander and fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar and add them to the onions and garlic. Allow to cook for a further 2 minutes. Turn up the heat a bit and add in your beef. Brown for 3-5 minutes. Add the chopped bell pepper, the ground cumin, oregano, smoked paprika powder, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Stir well. Add the tomato puree, the kidney beans, sugar and salt and pepper. Stir well and lower the heat. Leave the chili to cook in a covered pan for 45 minutes. Stir every now and then. Taste the chili to see if it needs more salt or pepper. Add in the cocoa powder and allow to cook for another 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy! PS: The chili always tastes better the next day!

Burgundian Style Guinea Fowl

2011-10-21T17:54:00.002+02:00

I am becoming rather fond of poultry these days and for some reason, chicken just doesn't seem to be cutting it anymore. You could say it's the butcher's fault. Every time I pass by his stand, I am confronted with a wide variety of all kinds of beautiful birds in just about every size. From tiny quails to turkey legs that look like they belong on Fred Flintstone's plate! This awesome butcher also happens to get his organic birds from France so that's definitely reason to give him extra bonus points!
A few weeks ago, we bought two of the tastiest poussins ever from him. They were so tender and delightful and didn't need much more than some herbs and a few cloves of garlic. It felt extremely decadent to feast on a whole little bird and not have to debate about who gets the white meat or the dark.
You can imagine my excitement when I caught a glimpse of an exquisite-looking, charming little guinea fowl this past Wednesday. It had a proud, rounded chest and creamy, taught flesh. I was in love! The only problem was how to cook it. Roast? Stuffed? Unstuffed? Braised? With cabbage? Mushrooms? Cream? A wine sauce? If only making that decision was as easy as having the butcher wrap it up for me to take home!
I decided to go the Burgundian route and prepared it with red wine, a little port for added 'oomph', some shallots, bacon and a couple of handfuls of chestnut mushrooms. This was definitely one of those meals that call for a bed of soft, billowy mashed potatoes with a good teaspoon of Dijon mustard stirred in. That goes without saying when we're dealing with food like this.
PS: If you've never cooked guinea fowl before, you're in for a treat. You can pretty much treat it as chicken as far as the preparation is concerened, but the taste is richer, gamier and when properly cooked, exceptionally tender. I think you could call it the chicken of the autumn because it simply adores apples, chestnuts and prunes!
Bon Appétit!

Burgundian Style Guinea Fowl
Serves 3

good knob of butter
2 tsps grapeseed oil (I happen to have a gorgeous one from Burgundy!)
1 handsome guinea fowl, jointed
sea salt and plenty of freshly-ground pepper
100g lardons
4 shallots, chopped
2 fat cloves of garlic, pressed
300ml pinot noir
100ml port
150 ml water
few sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
3 tbsps cream

Heat the butter and the oil and brown the pieces of guinea fowl over a medium-high fire, seasoning them well as you go. Do this is batches and do not crowd that pan! Transfer the browned pieces to a heavy-bottomed casserole. Lower the heat a bit, get rid of some of the remaining fat and cook the lardons, shallots and garlic for about 5 minutes. Start adding in the liquids bit by bit, stirring as you go. First the wine, then the port, then the water. Pour this sauce over the casserole with the guinea fowl, season with the chopped rosemary and a little more salt and pepper. Bring everything to a brief boil, reduce the heat, cover and allow to simmer for 40 minutes. Add the chestnut mushrooms and allow to cook for a further 8 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. Remove the guinea fowl from the sauce and add the cream. Let the sauce reduce slightly over a medium-high heat. Serve the guinea fowl with the sauce and some mustardy mashed potatoes and a fruity pinot noir.

Celebrate Life with Something Beautiful

2011-10-18T16:59:00.000+02:00

Except for the odd pound cake, I'm not what you would call an avid cake baker. Especially when it comes to celebration cakes. The kind with multiple layers temptingly blanketed by sweet, creamy frosting and loaded with enough sugar and calories to make you forget life's troubles in an instant. It probably has something to do with the fact that those kind of cakes require a little more effort and that baking them 'just because' seems a little, well... frivolous. Hans gets a double-layer chocolate cake on his birthday and I'm happy to bake one as a present for a friend, but that's pretty much it.
I guess you could say that I'm the kind of person who likes to save the good stuff for 'special occasions'. The Limoges plates and my mother-in-law's fine linnen tablecloth for Christmas dinner, the antique German soup tureen and French silverware for entertaining, the classy jewelry and fancy shoes for business meetings. It's my attempt at keeping these treasured items intact, pristine and beautiful while simultaneously convincing myself that I'm getting the most out of them this way. If I don't have something every day, I'll enjoy it more when I do.
I more or less apply the same philosophy to baking pretty cakes. Fine for celebrations, but rather extravagant if it's without reason. While I'm aware that baking fancy cakes too often has its risks, I do think it's time for me to reconsider what I classify as a 'special occasion' and why one moment calls for a celebration more than the other.
Life is full of special moments. Sharing a glass of wine with my husband at the end of the day while we cook dinner. Waving goodbye to Kirstie when I drop her off at school in the morning and seeing her blowing air kisses my way. Opening a box of old photographs and remembering how rich our lives have been. These are moments of joy which are also worthy of a celebration. Perhaps it's time to start using the elegant silverware and baking more celebration cakes. Every occasion can be a special occasion when we celebrate it with something beautiful.

Celebration Cake
Serves 8

For the cake:
250g soft butter
250g self-raising flour
250g caster sugar
4 eggs
zest of 1 organic lemon
2 tbsps lemon juice

For the frosting:
70g butter
150g white chocolate
140g crème fraîche
200g powdered sugar
zest of 1 organic lemon

To make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter and flour two 22cm springform pans and line the bottoms with baking paper. Cream the butter and the sugar until light and pale. Add in the eggs one by one, with 1 tsp of the flour, while beating. Fold in the rest of the flour. Add the zest and lemon juice and stir to combine. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans ans bake for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely before unmolding and frosting.
For the frosting:
Slowly melt the butter and the chocolate au bain marie. Allow to cool slightly before whisking in the crème fraîche. Follow with the sugar and the lemon zest and whisk again.
To assemble the cake, cut out four strips of baking paper and place them around the edges of your cake plate or cake stand. Place the first layer of the cake on top of the strips of paper. Spread 1/3 of the frosting on top of this first layer and sandwich with the second layer. Divide the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Leave the cake in the refrigerator over night so that the flavors come together. This also makes it easier to cut the cake in neat, pretty slices. Enjoy and celebrate!

Old-Fashioned and Healthy

2011-10-17T14:11:00.003+02:00

The other day I asked Kirstie if she wanted to take oatmeal cookies to school as a mid-morning snack. "No way", was her answer. Not because the cookies have oatmeal or because her friend once told her they looked like bird food, but because she was afraid the teacher might ridicule her and take them away. She pointed out that her teacher does not tolerate sweets or junk food as snacks in class. If it looks the part, in the wastebin it goes! I was kind of shocked and asked if this had happened before. Had the teacher mistaken one of my wholesome oatmeal cookies for sugar bombs and unmercifully left Kirstie without a snack? Fortunately, that wasn't the case. She had merely given the children a warning.
Of course I applaud the teacher's initiative to enforce healthy eating, but what is actually considered healthy these days and in this case, what does the teacher herself consider healthy? Are the children who get those shop-bought cookies flaunting words like "whole-grain" and "low sugar" on the package better off than Kirstie who gets the homemade kind? Granted, there is sugar in my cookies but absolutely no e-numbers or other mysterious ingredients.
A while ago, I worked in the language department of a Dutch high school where I got a front row seat at witnessing what teens were putting into their mouths. To put it mildly, I was appalled by what I saw. The norm was chips and energy drinks for lunch and candy bars with a coke as a snack. Those who were convinced they were eating healthy, were fuelling their growing bodies with everything but real food. Like the girls who ate crackers with diet cheese spread and washed them down with aspartame ladden soft drinks. When I pointed out that there was probably no cheese in their spread, but chemicals and that they were better off drinking water instead of their fancy drinks, they dismissed my argument as old-fashioned. But how could I blame them when they are part of an ultra modern society that has unfortunately, over the course of many years, lost all touch with food reality? We no longer know what the word healthy means. Scary, especially considering the fact that we're living in the days of teenage burnouts and ADHD.
Leaving the obvious culprits like fast food aside, let me take a moment to tell you what I believe healthy eating really is and why I think we could all be a little more old-fashioned.
I believe in eating like our grandmothers did. If I don't recognize an ingredient as food, why should I treat it as such? I am not afraid of sugar, salt and fat because with moderation, there is no such thing as 'bad' food. I am also old-fashioned enough to believe in home cooking and in the importance of taking out time to teach our children about real food. We should show them how fruits and vegetables grow in our garden or maybe take them to a farm some time so that they could milk a cow, pick their own apples right from the tree or watch how milk is churned into butter. Healthy isn't defined by the words that some clever food manufacturer slaps on their packaging. Eating healthy means using common sense and daring to be old-fashioned. There's nothing wrong with homemade oatmeal cookies. They're very old-fashioned. And they're very good...

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 24 real cookies

Ingredients:
100g soft butter
130g unrefined cane sugar
1 egg
2 tsps vanilla extract
60g all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
150g oats
150f raisins
60g mixed nuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Beat the butter and the sugar in a large bowl. Lightly whisk the egg with the vanilla extract and add to the butter and sugar while continuing to beat. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon into the bowl. Add the oats, raisins and mixed nuts. Stir everything well with a wooden spoon. Wet your hands and use a tablespoon to scoop up the dough. Form it into little cookies, place on the baking sheet and flatten them out a little bit with the back of a fork. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes and allow them to cool completely on a rack so that they become nice and crunchy.

Rethinking Our Eating Habits

2011-10-12T17:32:00.001+02:00

When it comes to out of the ordinary tastes in food, I am probably a downright wuss. While I do enjoy a piece of fried blood sausage and can openly admit that as a child, one of my favorite treats was a steamy bowl of stomach soup (yes, you read right, stomach soup, better known to Colombians as 'mondongo'), I still have a lot to discover.
I have great admiration for people who are fearless when it comes to food and in fact, it's something I'm striving to become- a fearless omnivore. I remember my uncle telling us about how delicious bulls' testicles were for breakfast along with a plate of scrambled eggs. He talked about it with such joy and hated the fact that testicles weren't as readily available then as they were when he was growing up. My father adored stewed tongue. It was what he requested on birthdays and special occasions and was as much a treat to him as a bottle of fine wine is to me. But oh that smell! Not necessarily bad, just different, sour, pungent and thick enough to stick around the house long after the meal was cooked and eaten. Disgusting you say? Not at all! I'm trying to steer away from labeling something "disgusting" just because I've never allowed myself the chance to try it. Seriously, is there really anything disgusting about using up every last bit of the animals we slaughter for food?
Much to my joy, the French pretty much share this same philosophy. Just walk around a market in France or have a good look at the meat section in a supermarket and you'll see why. They're not picky. Everything has a use and everything gets eaten. Take andouillettes, for example, a food that many non-French look upon with fear. Some, who have naively ordered an andouillette at a restaurant, report traumatizing memories of that first cut into what seemed to be an innocent sausage. Not surprisingly, since the malodorous sausage's main ingredient is chitterlings, or pork intestines. While it's true that the andouillette's smell isn't exactly that of freshly-baked apple pie, (it's often described as "very offensive" and said to "genuinely stink of shit") to many French, the andouillette is considered one of the most loved charcuteries. Aunthentic cuisine du terroir. And who are we to think we know better? What if we're the ones missing out?
I sometimes can't help but wonder why and when we all suddenly developed such picky eating habits. Why is one part of the animal better than the other or more acceptable to eat? Nobody blinks an eye when someone eats chicken breast but oh boy if you happen to enjoy a soup made with its feet! And while I'm at it, why do people who complain about the horrors of foie gras still hop on over to their local supermarket to stock up on ridiculously low priced trays of cheaply produced meat? Talk about horror!
I really think it's time for us (me included) to rethink our eating habits. Let's try to think out of that box and remember that there's more to life than chicken breast and meatballs! I might just walk up to my butcher sometime in the near future and order a whole pig's head. It's never too late to try my hand at making fromage de tête- such a lovely appetizer with some cornichons and mustard.
Bon Appétit!

PS: that piggie is the work of my very artistic husband.

An Office Amidst An Inspiring Collection

2011-10-10T18:25:00.003+02:00

I have recently set up office in the attic- a quiet space with big windows, plenty of light, little distractions and access to a good, sturdy chair. It's where I write, answer emails and make business plans. I decided it was time to make the move when it became evident that the living room, despite its great big table and close proximity to the kitchen (my lab and sanctuary), just wasn't cutting it anymore.
It was a good choice, especially because the attic is where I keep all my cookbooks, and for some reason, being around them, is proving to be a very inspiring journey down memory lane. There are times when I pull up a chair next to the bookcases, pick up a book I had forgotten about and suddenly remember why and where I bought it. It brings back good memories to open a book and find little notes, shopping lists or even stains left behind as proof of my kitchen adventures. If you asked me which of these cookbooks was my favorite, I'd probably have a very hard time giving you an answer because they're all very special. To me, they are so much more than just recipe collections bound with fancy covers. They are mementos of times and places in my life. I'd like to share a few random ones with you today and tell you why I love them so much.
The first one is a sweet, Dutch book I was lucky enough to find in an antique shop. Its title is Gastvrouw zijn is een kunst, which basically translates to "Being a Hostess is an Art". The book breathes vintage elegance with its fine, French-style pen drawings and black and white photos of artfully set tables, proper utensils and tableware. It discusses things like serving a good apéritif (different types of sherries, port, madeira, marsala and vermouth are discussed), planning ahead so that you actually have very little cooking to do when guests arrive (an ossobuco is recommended, served with a 1953 Châteauneuf-du-Pape), what kind of party to have when, choosing the right wines at the right temperatures and serving them in the right glasses and even making sure that as a hostess we look our best (the hairdresser should never be seen as a luxury but as a necessity).

I admit, the book is from 1960, but I remember having a good chuckle the first time I read it and realized just how old-fashioned I am when it comes to entertaining. Yes, I do serve six course dinners complete with matching wines and it goes without saying that I most certainly welcome my guests in my rather uncomfortable but oh-so pretty high heels!
The second book is just a little more modern and is one of the first books I bought after I came back from the Lot-et-Garonne the first time I visited and knew that I was destined to live there. Goose Fat and Garlic, Recipes from South-West France, is a temptingly written book by Jeanne Strang, who at the time of publication, had been living in the area for over forty years. It's one of those cookbooks that makes up for its lack of photographs with its beautiful, mouthwatering writing. After reading just a few pages, I wanted to either run into the kitchen and cook or just hop in the car and drive south. Classic recipes that represent the rustic kitchen and culinary bounty of the region are brought to life with warm stories of local places and people. I absolutely adore the gutsy style of this kitchen and to me this book is proof that one can never have too much duck or truffles!

The next book is (not taking into consideration Mastering the Art of French Cooking), my gourmet bible. It was the first book I bought when I decided to trade a career in art research for one in food. I was fresh out of university and knew that food was my passion and that inspiring people to cook with love and taste with pleasure would become my career. Culinary Artistry has been praised by many chefs. It includes lists of foods and explains how flavors work together so that you can compose a perfectly harmonius meal. There are recipes, menus and lists of must-have ingredients shared by respected chefs. It's more than just inspiration, it's a handbook for creating magic!

Last but certainly not least, is The Complete Farmhouse Kitchen. The book is one of those extremely lovable, old-school cookery books with recipes for things like homemade sausages, pig's head brawn and old-fashioned spice bread. It reads like a comfy blanket and thick socks and the recipes, although somewhat dated, are still very suitable for the modern cook. The book was part of a cooking show which aired on Yorkshire Television in the early 70's. The recipes, more than 1000, were collected from all over the UK so you'll find recipes for traditional English food such as yorkshire pudding, cornish pasties and lemon curd.

These are just four special books I suddenly came across today. Just like them, there are so many more which have unfortunately been forgotten for longer than I intended and are now eagerly waiting to be rediscovered. I hope to share more of them with you in future posts. What a treat to be able to work amidst this wonderful collection!

A Perfect Meal For Two: Roast Poussins with Creamy Purée of Celeriac and Potato

2011-10-07T16:36:00.001+02:00

Hans and I have always made a point of having a weekly date night. Just the two of us, a quiet dinner, candles, old French records and a nice bottle of wine. Although it's usually a simple affair without much real cooking, it's something we really look forward to. We love our steaks, but last week, for example, we enjoyed a wonderful omelette aux cèpes with grilled tomatoes, outdoors under the stars and next to the warmth of our fireplace. The food may have been simple, but everything else that surrounded it was the stuff good memories are made of.
There are other times though when I really get into the kitchen to cook us something a little different. Perhaps something that requires a little more preparation and feels just a tad more special. Like yesterday, when we feasted on a comforting, soul-warming meal of tender roast poussins on top of a creamy purée of celeriac and potato.
I was fortunate enough to find two fat, little French poussins at the wonderful market held in Hilversum, not far from where I live.

It's the same market where I found the stall selling wild mushrooms, so if you happen to be in the area, make sure you check it out on either Wednesday or Saturday. I stuffed the poussins with fresh herbs from the garden and a few bruised garlic cloves...

I then rubbed them with olive oil and sprinkled them with a spice mix I always have in the cupboard- a recipe from the wonderful book Joie de Vivre by Robert Arbor and Katherine Whiteside. The mash was made from one potato and a little more than half a large celeriac. It was a very tasty, earthier variation to simple mashed potatoes and very suitable for the dark, flavorful pan juices. This was exactly the kind of dish the chilly, windy evening called for. Perfect for the two of us but definitely suitable for the next time I invite people over for dinner.

Before I give you the recipe, here are the ingredients for the spice mix mentioned above. Store in a jar and rub it into your meat before cooking. It's especially good on pork and chicken.
4 tsps salt (I use fleur de sel) plus 2 tsps of each of the following: ground pepper, smoked or sweet paprika, herbes de Provence and tarragon.

Roast Poussins with Creamy Purée of Celeriac and Potato
Serves 2

2 fat, little poussins
4 bruised garlic cloves
small bunch of thyme, rosemary and 4 sage leaves
3 tsps spice mix
mild olive oil
150 ml dry white wine

1 large potato, peeled and chopped
a little more than half of a celeriac, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 tsp grainy mustard
75ml cream
good knob of butter

Stuff the little birds with the bruised garlic and herbs, rub them with oil and sprinkle each one with 1 1/2 tsp of the spice mix. Place them on a roasting tin and leave them in the fridge for at least three hours.
Preheat the oven to 190C. Roast the poussins for about one hour. Add in the wine about 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, making sure you scrape up all the bits at the bottom of the roasting tin.
To make the mash, put your chopped potato and celeriac in a pan with salted water and boil for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain, add the mustard, cream and butter and mash.
Serve the poussins with the mash and drizzle with the dark, winey pan juices. A sprinkle of parsley would be nice too.

Fresh From Nature's Runway

2011-10-06T18:42:00.002+02:00

While some women get excited when their favorite makeup brand or fashion designer releases the season's newest collection, I get excited when the season releases its own special collection- the culinary kind, that is. For me, the arrival of asparagus season in the early spring and the height of mushroom season in the autumn are at the top of my list of highly anticipated moments. The first glimpse of these beauties at the market is enough to make my heart jump with glee and have me beside myself with excitement. And really, I am not even exaggerating.
It happened last Saturday when I was suddenly face to face with a stall selling a mouthwatering variety of wild mushrooms. My thoughts went from omelettes to risottos to just simply sautéing them, and my impatience was evident when I found myself slightly annoyed at the lady in front of me who was taking her time ordering her produce. I wanted to nudge her away, grab a giant basket, take all the mushrooms and immediately run home to cook them. Greed, greed, greed! Fortunately, this is but a brief moment of culinary furor which quickly subsides once I'm at the table enjoying that very first meal. Last Saturday I feasted on an omelette with ceps, washed down with pink champagne, which I'm not sure is an adequate combination, but nonetheless, that evening I felt like I really had to celebrate.
One of my favorite wild mushrooms though are chanterelles. I love their bright orangy color which is reminiscent of the autumn's leaves. I love their fruity aroma and I swoon at their peppery, fragrantly spicy taste. They make such a winning combination with chicken and cream, but I also really enjoy them in a comforting risotto dotted with a little bacon and jazzed up with some parsley and parmesan. Today I am going to share one of my favorite wild mushroom risottos with you. Consider it my little gourmet present for you this autumn. Fresh from nature's runway...Bon appétit!

PS: Chanterelles may be a little difficult to clean, especially when it comes to their gill-like ridges. It may suffice to do this with a small brush, perhaps even a toothbrush, but should they be especially gritty, you can give them a very quick rinse under running water. Do make sure to thoroughly dry them off before cooking though, and don't laugh, but I do sometimes use a blow dryer for this purpose. Remember to trim off their woody ends. One more tip, chanterelles don't like to sit around waiting for you to decide what to make. They spoil quickly so it's best to use them on the day of purchase.

Risotto with Chanterelles, Cream and Bacon
Serves 4

2 knobs of butter
1 tbsp mild olive oil
350g fresh chanterelles, cleaned and chopped
2 fat cloves of garlic, finely sliced
50ml cream, plus 2 tbsps extra
100g cubed bacon
1 shallot, finely chopped
350g arborio rice
100ml dry white wine
1 1/2 liter of mushroom bouillon
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
good handful of grated parmesan cheese
small handful of finely chopped parsley

First sauté your chanterelles. Melt a knob of butter in a large frying pan and add in your chanterelles. Cook them for about 10 minutes, stirring as you go. Halfway through the cooking time, add in one clove of chopped garlic. Season them once they are cooked and stir in the 50ml of cream.
In a small, dry frying pan, cook your bacon until it releases some of its oils but does not go completely crisp. Set aside and get on with the risotto.
Melt the other knob of butter and the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan, add in the other clove of garlic and your shallot. Gently sweat for a few minutes and then stir in the rice with some salt and pepper. Turn up the heat a little and add the wine, stirring it into the rice until it is absorbed. Start adding in the bouillon bit by bit, stirring it well into the rice and only adding more after the last bit has been absorbed. The cooking time will take about 20 minutes. After this, taste the risotto and should it not be to your liking, keep adding bouillon and cook it just a bit longer.
Once the rice is cooked, add in the 2 tbsps of cream and turn off the heat. Add the chanterelles, the bacon, the parmesan and the parsley. Stir well, cover and allow to rest for a minute or two. Serve and swoon!

Pumpkin Penne

2011-10-05T13:02:00.002+02:00

When I first started to cook, recipes were holy to me and whatever the recipe writer stated was gospel. Adding in an extra teaspoon of salt was something I wouldn't have dared, let alone adding in something like a chilli pepper, or leaving it out for that matter. Back then, experimenting with flavors felt like trying to put together IKEA furniture without a manual. It was much safer to follow the instructions of the 'expert', so that's exactly what I did.
I still have fond, funny and sometimes even downright unpleasant memories about following recipes and teaching myself to cook. The better memories include watching Julia Child on PBS and making my first pasta primavera when I was 12. The unpleasant ones include a very expensive turkey disaster on Thanksgiving day and following a recipe for pumpkin pasta which looked great in the magazine, but instead tasted like one of those mushy baby food purees you start giving your kids when they move on to solids.
If you asked me which was worse, the turkey that ended up in the gutter or that first disastrous pumpkin meal, I'd probaby choose the latter. I think it has something to do with the fact that I felt let down by the recipe, whereas with the turkey failure, I reckoned it was nobody's fault but my own.
Many novice cooks still make the same mistake as I did. Mainly, they allow their lack of experience get in the way of tuning into their taste intuition and instead, give all the blame to the recipe writer. That's something I had to come to terms with when I started writing recipes myself. I realised there would probably be those who would love what I created and those who would hate it.
Taste, whether it be for food or for cars, is a very personal thing. When you welcome someone to your table and serve them a special meal, it's normal to take into consideration what they enjoy and what they won't or can't eat. As a recipe writer, however, that's a whole different story. Recipes are works of art, those who create them are the artists and the most important tool to create them with is taste.
The other day as I was walking through the market, I suddenly remembered that infamous pumpkin pasta and decided that it was finally time to make peace with it. I wanted to make it again. No recipe this time, just my own personal taste. Here is what I came up with and as much as I enjoyed it, I can only hope that you will too...

Pumpkin Penne My Way
Serves 4

100g smoked lardons
knob of butter
1 tbsp mild olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
a small pumpkin (approximately 800g), peeled, deseeded and chopped into small chunks12 sage leaves, finely chopped
salt and plenty of freshly-cracked pepper
100ml dry white wine
300g cooked penne
good handful or two of grated parmesan cheese

Fry the lardons in a large, dry frying pan for about 2-3 minutes and transfer them to a bowl, leaving some of the oils still in the pan. Add the butter and olive oil and gently sweat the garlic and the shallots for about 3 minutes. Turn up the heat just a bit and add the pumpkin, sage, salt and plenty of cracked pepper. Give everything a good stir and add the wine. Cover the pan and cook until the pumpkin is tender (10-15 minutes). In the meantime, cook your penne according to package instructions. I do advise you to always subtract just a minute or too. Believe it or not, most of our pasta is actually overcooked! When the penne is ready, reserve a small glassful of the cooking water. Once the pumpkin is cooked, add the penne along with the reserved water, the lardons and the parmesan. Give everything a gentle stir and serve in warm bowls. You might want to put some extra parmesan on the table to grate in here and there.

Freshly Picked, Freshly Eaten, Freshly Baked

2011-10-04T15:06:00.002+02:00

I remember when Hans and Kirstie used to go blackberry picking. We were still living in our old house and not far from us, were several, large blackberry bushes. When August rolled around, it suddenly seemed as though the whole neighborhood was taking advantage of this seasonal free-for-all. I would sometimes look out my window and see whole families armed with baskets, happily picking away. We were also able to get in on the action and after their picking trip, Hans and Kirstie came back with a few bowls of fresh, plump fruit. We had a lot of blackberries for desserts, jams and cakes. Unfortunately, when we moved, we had to leave the blackberry bush behind. I don't know what I found sadder, that or also having to leave the huge hazelnut tree we had in the garden.
As much as I love markets, nothing compares to picking your own produce. Whether it grows in the wild or right in your own garden. I sometimes wish I knew a little more about mushrooms and lived somewhere in Italy or France where I could head into the forest to score a basketful of wild mushrooms. Until that day arrives, I try to grow as much fruits, vegetables and herbs as I possibly can in my own small garden. When that doesn't yield enough, I head to a good, local market.
This Saturday, for example, I was lucky enough to find a stall selling a wonderful selection of mushrooms. Ceps, chanterelles, portobellos, shiitake's! They were the first of the season and I was as excited as a kid on Christmas. I treated myself to a small bag of ceps and cooked them in what I think is the most perfect way- a simple, buttery omelette topped with fresh parsley. And yesterday I happened to bump into the prettiest blackberries I had ever seen! Almost as pretty as the ones that grew by our house. They were quite dark, almost black, juicy and tasted sweet as honey. I stood there debating what to use them for and was suddenly inspired to make a simple tray cake to serve with our afternoon tea. I've always thought of the combination of sweet blackberries and tart apples as an autumn classic, so as far as I was concerned, the cake also had to include a Granny Smith apple. The recipe couldn't be easier and the taste couldn't be more seasonal. You'll especially love the crunchy topping courtesy of the light sprinkle of raw cane sugar.
Enjoy!

Blackberry and Apple Tray Cake
Serves 9

150g fresh blackberries
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled and chopped
100g soft butter
130g raw cane sugar, plus 2 tbsps for sprinkling
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
100ml full fat yogurt
1 tsp baking powder
180g all-purpose flour

Butter and flour a square 20x20cm cake tin and preheat the oven to 180C.
Cream the butter and sugar with a standing or hand-held mixer until pale and creamy. Add in the vanilla and the eggs one by one while continuing to beat. Fold in the yogurt using a wooden spoon. In a bowl, combine the baking powder with the flour. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Put the apples and blackberries into the prepared cake tin and pour the batter on top of the fruit. Gently combine everything in the tin and sprinkle with he two tablespoons of sugar. Pop into the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into 9 squares.

Cooking Good Prawns

2011-10-03T20:20:00.002+02:00

I adore seafood. What's not to love about a golden, buttery piece of sole with lemon and parsley? A bowl of spaghetti alla vongole or a meal of moules-frites? And how about a well-prepared bouillabaisse with crunchy croutons and rouille? Not to mention the unprecedented joy one can experience when placed face to face with a plateau fruits de mer and a chilled bottle of Sancerre.
Many seafood dishes have the added bonus that they hardly require any time to make. Not taking into consideration the stuff that can be consumed raw, of course, cooking decent seafood calls for a good dose of common sense and a bit of skill. It's pretty much like cooking the perfect steak. Let's take salmon, for example- one of my favorite pieces of fish, and one which should be served moist, never cooked through. I recently had the misfortune of ordering pan-fried salmon with beurre blanc at a restaurant and ended up being sorely disappointed with what I got. So disappointed that I could've cried. Not because I had to send back the beurre blanc which tasted of spoiled milk, but because the second piece of fish (you read right) was also cooked to a dry, brick texture. Pure culinary barbarism.
Prawns, another favorite of mine, can also be easily overcooked. Depending on their size, I think anywhere from two to six minutes max should be enough. The point is for the prawns to retain their sweet taste and juicy flesh, not to make them tough and rubbery.
One of the nicest ways to cook prawns is with shallots, garlic, a good knob of butter and a shot of Pernod. Once done, I sprinkle them with plenty of fresh, chopped parsley and dill and serve them with thin slices of lemon, grilled tomatoes and good bread. You could, however, serve them over a bowl of cooked linguini. Prawns are very versatile and can handle a wide variety of seasonings. Just make sure you don't overcook them...
Here's the recipe:

Crevettes au Pastis
Serves 2-3

2 tbsps mild olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
1 1/2 tbsps Pernod
1 tsp fennel seeds
3 tbsps dry white wine
large knob of butter
500g large, fresh prawns , cleaned but with the tails still on
1 unwaxed lemon, 3/4 sliced, the rest squeezed
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper
fresh chopped parsley
fresh chopped dill

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently sauté the shallots and the garlic. Add the Pernod and let this cook for about 3 minutes over a low-medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and the wine and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes. Now stir in the butter until everything reaches a nice creamy consistency. Turn the heat up a bit and throw in your prawns, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the chopped herbs and serve with the sliced lemon.

The Weekend of Cloudless Skies and Inspiring Books

2011-10-03T08:11:00.000+02:00

Good things have happened this weekend and I am very excited to share some of them!
To begin with, we have been having glorious weather. Sun, sun, and more sun! In fact, I don't think I've seen a real cloud in the past week. I've actually had to pinch myself wondering if I was really in the Netherlands!
So what does one do when the sun comes to visit? Go outside as much as possible, of course! That meant lots of outdoor dinners, drinks by the harbor and coffee in the late morning sunshine. Now before you start complaining about the fact that I talk about the weather quite a lot on this blog, let me just defend myself by saying that I am Dutcher than I think! Here in the Netherlands, talking about the weather is something we're programmed to do. It's as normal as the air we breathe! Everyone is always talking about the weather!
But let me get on to the really good news...
This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of finally seeing the book I had collaborated on! Vis & Vega!*

This gorgeous book with rustic, earthy and incredibly enticing photos, includes a collection of deliciously inspiring vegetarian and fish recipes for the whole year. The recipes are not only a welcomed variation from the usual beef, pork and chicken, but they are also clear-cut and easy to follow. It's really one of those books that makes life very hard on you because you can't help but wonder which recipe to try first! My four recipes come from my own personal collection. You'll find them on page 86, 118, 123 and 153. I've included one of my favorite quiche recipes, a savory clafoutis, an asparagus tarte and a halloumi salad. So if your Dutch is any good, stop reading this right now and go order the book! Happy cooking!

*The book is only available in Dutch.

Awareness...

2011-09-30T10:31:00.005+02:00

We (and I don't mean just myself, but most of us who have the privilege of not having to wonder where our next meal will come from) are very, very spoiled. So spoiled that we sometimes forget that there are villages which can actually eat for one day with what we pay for our fancy bread or gourmet salt. While I am at a restaurant, sitting back with crossed legs and a happy heart looking through the wine list, do I think about those who aren't as lucky as I am? Does it even cross my mind when I make a simple meal at home for my family? Honestly and shamefully, not really. Am I grateful for what I have? Very much so.
I am not writing this to make you (or myself) feel guilty, but rather to remind ourselves that gratitude is a very noble thing to have. I was watching a Dutch program yesterday where three rich ladies were delivering boxes of food to the poor. It was confronting to realize that none of those people probably gave a hoot about using the right kind of fancy vinegar in a dressing or whether or not their meat was organically raised within a ten mile radius. And here I am, with a fridge and pantry full of things I sometimes have the arrogance to forget about.
That's why today's recipes were made with things I had luxuriously neglected and failed to use. Like the bag of carrots I was on the verge of feeding to the goats and the packets of yeast I had hidden away at the back of the cupboard. I wasn't trying to make a point. I was just giving myself a gentle kick in the butt to use up what I had before going out and mindlessly buying more.
The carrots made a lovely side dish. I baked them with thinly sliced red onions, fresh thyme and a tangy, sweet dressing. The bread that was served with dinner, wasn't bought at the fancy bakery. Instead, I did something I hadn't done in a very long time. I baked my own.
Here are the recipes:

Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt
Makes 2 breads

500g all-purpose flour
1 small envelope of yeast (7gr)
1 tsp salt
150ml hot water
150ml cold water
50ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
a few sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
sea salt flakes (I used fleur de sel)

Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the water and oil in a jug and add to the dry ingredients. Stir well with a wooden spoon. I used my Kitchen Aid to make the focaccia, but a little musle will do just fine. If you are also using a standing mixer, add the water slowly, while the motor is running instead. Knead the dough on a cool, well floured surface for 5 minutes (2 if using a standing mixer). Wash your bowl, dry it well and coat the inside with a little olive oil. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a cloth and place in a warm, draft-free area. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes. After this, punch down the dough and knead it again for about a minute. Divide the dough in half and roll each half to a circle of about 23cm. Place the dough on a baking sheet covered with baking paper, make dents using your fingertips and sprinkle with the rosemary and the sea salt flakes. Cover again and allow to rest for an additional 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C and bake the focaccia in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. After that, place the baking sheet in the top of the oven and allow to bake for an additional 3-5 minutes. Once the focaccia is out of the oven, drizzle with a little more olive oil. Save the other bread for the following day's meal or cut it into small pieces and serve as an appetizer with some tapenade. Of course, it can also be frozen.

Sweet Carrots with Red Onion, Thyme and Balsamic Vinegar
Serves 4

900g carrots, sliced
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
small bunch of thyme, leaves removed
3 tbsps mild olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp orange juice
sea salt and freshly- ground pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 190C. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, salt and pepper. Add the carrots, onions and thyme. Toss well to coat. Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, stirring a few times during the cooking time. The carrots go beautifully with grilled fish or chicken.

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Sage, Caramelized Onions and Bacon

2011-09-28T09:29:00.002+02:00

What's not to love about pumpkins? I love their bright color, their versatility (you can use them in sweet and savory dishes) and it's also fab that they just happen to be pretty healthy! Pumpkins are chock-full-of fiber, beta-carotene and B vitamins. Their seeds provide zinc, protein, iron and plenty of good fats, so when you buy a pumpkin, it's like getting two treats in one!
Unfortunately, my family isn't as enthusiastic about pumpkin as I am. Especially Kirstie. When she saw me buying the pumpkins at the local harvest fair this weekend, she was already complaining and making sure that I knew she did not agree. Hans isn't particularly fond of pumpkins either (he doesn't necessarily hate them) but he trusts my culinary skills and happily eats what I make.
Before you think I am a meanie mommy for bringing something into the kitchen which I know my daughter will hate, let me just say that I strongly believe it takes a while for a child to learn to accept a food. At least ten tries, maybe even more. By giving in and saying she doesn't have to eat something I make, I feel as though I'm cheating her and not giving her (or the food) a fair chance. She doesn't have to finish everything on her plate, but she does have to try. And, no way in heck will I cook separately for her!
Well, Kirstie happened to lick her bowl clean yesterday. A nice, hearty bowl of bright orange pumpkin soup! Hans loved it as well and I'm sure you will too. I've made a similar pumpkin soup before, but with this one, I decided to roast the pumpkin instead, which means a longer cooking time, but only as far as roasting the pumpkin is concerned. Once that's done, it's just a matter of scooping it out of its skin, adding it to a pan with gently sweated onions, red chillis and finely chopped sage, and then letting it cook for just ten minutes in some chicken broth.
The sage in this recipe, by the way, comes straight from my garden. That little sage plant which we bought in the spring has done a marvelous job at growing beautifully green, aromatic leaves. It requires very little attention, so if you're just getting started with growing your own herbs, this might be a good one to start with.

But back to the soup...
It makes a lovely first course to a seasonal dinner, but you can also serve it as a main dish like I did. Just make sure you have some bread, a cheese board with some chutney and perhaps a plate with assorted cold meats.
Bon Appétit!

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Sage, Caramelized Onions and Bacon
Serves 3

1 kilo pumpkin (I used two small ones), halved and deseeded
4 cloves of garlic, bruised
mild olive oil
2 large, red onions, sliced
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
8 medium-sized sage leaves, chopped
1/2 red chilli pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
800ml good chicken stock
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 slices of bacon

Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the pumpkins in half and place them on a lined baking sheet. Place the bruised garlic in the centers of the deseeded pumpkins. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and plenty of freshly-cracked pepper. Roast the pumpkin for 45 minutes. After that, make sure to let them cool before you get on with the rest of the recipe.
While the pumpkins are roasting, get your caramelized onions going. Warm up 4 tbsps of olive oil, add the sliced onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook them first over a medium-high fire and then reduce the heat. Let them cook for about 40 minutes, stirring every now and them. Once they are to your liking, drain them on paper towel.
For the soup, in 1 tbsp of olive oil, gently sweat the white onion, chilli and sage for about 5 minutes. Scoop out the cooled pumpkin flesh and add to the pan. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the pan as well. Cover with the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper and allow to cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. In the meantime, fry the bacon, drain and crumble. Once the soup is cooked, blitz it so that it's nice and smooth.
Serve the soup with the caramelized onions and the bacon. Garnish with a pretty sage leaf and enjoy!

Decadent Salad to Celebrate a Sunny Autumn

2011-09-26T13:25:00.005+02:00

Could you believe that we actually enjoyed an alfresco meal by the waterside yesterday evening? I'm finding it hard to believe myself, but I went ahead and even had a pastis as an apéritif, something I usually do only when the weather is what I would call ' French'. And it looks like someone up there is looking at us poor Dutchies with eyes of mercy because the weather forecast is promising more of this fab weather for the week ahead! Must be our reward after a miserable summer...
My plan for today was to make some pumpkin soup with the two cute, little pumpkins I bought at the organic harvest fair yesterday, but now that I see how happy the sun is, I'm more inclined to make something more fitting- like a fresh, tasty, yet autumnal salad. And this one just happens to be one of my favorites! I love blue cheese and pears, and the addition of tasty morsels of crispy lardons, makes this salad decidedly decadent.
Bon Appétit!

Decadent Autumn Salad with Blue Cheese, Pears and Lardons
Serves 4

250g lardons
½ romaine lettuce, shredded

½ iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 large, red onion, halved and each half very thinly sliced
150g blue cheese (bleu d’Auvergne), crumbled
1 large, sweet pear, cored and chopped
80g walnuts, roughly chopped

For the vinaigrette
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 tsp Dijon mosterd

sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Fry the lardons in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until they are browned and crispy. Drain them and set aside. Whisk the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl. Add the two kinds of salad to the bowl and toss so that everything is coated with the dressing. Divide the dressed salad among four plates. Top with the onions, cheese, pears, lardons and walnuts. Serve with some bread and enjoy!

Mementoes of Summer

2011-09-22T16:21:00.007+02:00

I woke up yesterday with one thought on my mind- heading to the market and buying loads of goodies to make jams and chutneys. At this time of year, there's nothing better than taking advantage of nature's bounty by canning it up in pretty, little jars- just like our grandmothers used to do. It's like saving all the gifts of the summer season as tasty mementoes- the kind you can savor well into those chilly months ahead.
I did my market shopping early and I was very greedy. In fact, I dare say I bought more than I could can in one day.

But there will always be next time...
For now, I'll start with a recipe for a sweet and spicy tomato chutney. I have tried a lot of chutneys but this one is really the best. The first thing you'll notice when it hits your mouth is a shot of sweetness. Give it a minute though and BANG! In come those chilies with a jolly good kick! Serve this one on lightly toasted bread, spread with a little goat's cheese or next to a chicken sandwich. It would also be fab as an accompaniment to a cheese board.

Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney
Makes about three jars

1 kilo tomatoes, cored, but not deseeded, and chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
2 red chili peppers, deseeded and chopped
150ml red wine vinegar
100ml balsamic vinegar
500g gelling sugar
½ tsp allspice
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp fleur de sel
freshly-ground pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a large pan, stir well and allow to stand for one hour. Bring to the boil and immediately reduce the heat. Allow to simmer gently (covered) for one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid from the pan, increase the heat just a little and allow to cook for an additional 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the chutney into sterilized jars.

The next recipe is for a thick, almost caramelly plum jam. I chose yellow plums, simply because they were the most beautiful ones at the market. I'm sure the recipe would work with just about any kind of plum though. The hit of orange is courtesy of a little fresh orange juice and a few tablespoons of aromatic orange blossom water. Be warned...this is very good on your morning toast. You might end up eating more bread than you should...

Plum, Vanilla and Orange Jam

Makes about 3 jars

1 kilo yellow plums, cored and chopped
750g gelling sugar
1 fat vanilla pod, seeds scraped out, but keep the pod
2 tbsps orange blossom water
100ml fresh orange juice

Put all of the ingredients in a large pan and bring to the boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 1 hour. After this, gently break down the fruit a little with a potato masher, increase the heat just a bit and allow to cook uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the jam reaches the desired consistency.

PS: I'm planning on doing some more of these very 'Martha Stewart' activities soon, so stay tuned!

Canard, Canard! How I Love Thee!

2011-09-21T14:41:00.001+02:00

If there is one food I love, no... make that one food I adore, it's duck. I could eat duck for breakfast, lunch and dinner and I would never got bored. And yes, I know duck isn't exactly the healthiest thing in the world, but as far as I'm concerned, I'll die happy if it's from indulging in too much duck! Let's not forget about that French paradox though. Duck fat is healthier than butter or oil and so are the glasses of Bordeaux I wash it down with!
Truth be told, I only indulge every once in a while, in France perhaps more frequently than I should. If I see confit de canard or magret on the menu, the choice is easy. In the Netherlands, good duck is not something we have readily available, so what does a duck lover do? She brings back tins of confit de canard from La Belle France, of course!

These tins of preserved duck are surprisingly good and can generously feed a family of four, perhaps even with leftovers. The great things is that you can easily get a great dinner on the table in little time and with almost no effort.

Just add some potatoes (a classic combination would be pommes sarladaises) and a side of vegetables or salad (some bitter leaves dressed with walnut oil and a dash of vinegar would be perfect). Then open a bottle of manly, red wine (my choice would be a Saint-Émilion or a Cahors) and dinner is on-the-table!
So how do you prepare these tasty, fatty little duck legs? First you'll need to immerse the can in a bath of hot water for about fifteen minutes. That way the fat softens and you can remove the legs in one piece. Wipe some of the fat off of the legs and pop them in a 200C oven for 20 minutes. After that, increase the heat to 220C and give them another 10 minutes. For a really crispy skin, you'll want to pop them under the grill for a final five minutes.

Should you have leftovers, they're great in a salad, and...here's the neatest part- save the duck fat! It's the best thing in the world to fry potatoes in!
Bon Appétit!

Latest Writings...

2011-09-21T13:52:00.001+02:00

The last couple of months have been pleasantly busy for me. I've signed up new students for my cooking lessons, hosted some lovely culinary walks in Amsterdam, had a fabulous time with wonderful people in France, cooked and developed new recipes (I can smell chutney as I write)...and I've been published in three magazines in the south of France.
The first two magazines are the Languedoc Sun and the Provence Sun.

In the Languedoc Sun, you can find my article about la rentrée on page27, and in the Provence Sun on page 24 and 25.
For the Quercy Local, I wrote a small piece about one of my favorite regional treats- Agen prunes! I hope you'll enjoy the recipes! They're on page 42 and 43.

Daube de Boeuf

2011-09-20T10:34:00.000+02:00

The autumn is really starting to set in. I notice it in the trees that are changing colors, in the crisp chill in the air and definitely in the way I want to cook and eat. Out go the light, wussy salads and in come the heavy boys! Oh yes, this is a beautiful season, but also a dangerous one. All those gorgeous, thick soups and hearty stews! Well, as you probably know by now, I like to live on the edge. So bring on those comfortingly calorific meals!
Today's dish is a rich stew from the south of France. It is one of those French recipes that everyone makes in their own way and everyone is always so inclined as to claim that theirs is best. Me being no exception.
The stew gets its name from the pot it was originally cooked in, the daubière, a deep, round earthenware beauty which I am ashamed to say, I do not own yet. Instead, I make my daube in my much-loved, red Le Creuset casserole. So if you don't have a daubière yet (or a Le Creuset), don't let that stop you from making this rich, succulent stew. Any heavy-bottomed casserole will do just fine.
Some cooks will marinate the meat over night and if I have time (or remember), I will usually do the same. Truth be told though, unless I'm planning this for a dinner party, I rarely remember to marinate the meat. If the urge for this dish hits, the meat will have to do with just a few hours of marinating time, and honestly, it works just fine.
My version has the rind of a tangelo, which I find adds more depth and sweetness than that of an orange. I also add in a can of chopped tomatoes to give the stew more body and flavor, and my own garden-picked bouquet garni (rosemary, thyme and bay leaf).
Serve this rustic, French dish with a good loaf of bread, some fluffy mashed potatoes or maybe even some hot, buttered noodles. I like to serve the dish with the same wine I used in the recipe, in this case, the spicy Côtes du Rhône Villages by Louis Bernard.

Bon Appétit!

Daube de Boeuf
Serves 4

500g beef chuck, in large chunks
mild olive oil, to brown the meat, plus 1 tbsp for the marinade
bouquet garni (I used rosemary, thyme and bay leaf)
a piece of tangelo rind
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 onion, diced
300 ml red wine
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper
80g lardons
2 tbsps flour, seasoned with a little salt and pepper
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
a can of chopped tomatoes
a good handful of black olives

Combine the beef, tbsp of olive oil, bouquet garni, tangelo rind, carrots, onion, red wine and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cover and martinate for at least three hours. More is not a problem. Overnight is even better! When you are ready to cook, remove the beef cubes from the marinade and dry them off with paper towel. Coat them with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
Cook the lardons in a large, dry frying pan for about three minutes. Remove them and add to the pan you will be using to cook the stew. Without cleaning the frying pan, add some olive oil and start frying the beef cubes in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan and adding them to the pan with the bacon as you go. Once your beef is browned, add the marinade to the frying pan and let it bubble for a minute or two, scraping up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the marinade to the meat and bacon along with the chopped tomatoes and the garlic. Season with a little more salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Immediately reduce the heat, cover and gently cook for 3 hours. At the end of the cooking time, add in your olives and cook for another five minutes. Enjoy!

When I Fell in Love...with Quiche

2011-09-19T15:40:00.003+02:00

This is not the first time that I've openly professed my love for quiche. I've done it on this blog, to my friends and family and generally, to anyone who seems willing to listen to my quiche stories. It's one of those uber versatile dishes- not only because you can make just about any type of quiche imaginable (escargot quiche, anyone?), but because quiche is the perfect food for any ocassion- from picnic to wedding to Sunday lunch at home!
I was fortunate enough to meet and fall in love with my beloved quiche in its hometown, the Lorraine region in France. And yes, I know that this region used to be under German rule, meaning that technically speaking, quiche is actually German, but anyway...
I don't remember where exactly, but I do have a vivid recollection of that first bite. It was a rainy day in September and we had been driving around doing a little sight-seeing. Somewhere along the way, we decided to stop for a bite at a cozy-looking salon de thé. I ordered the classic quiche with bacon and oh-my-word was that first bite an event to remember- smooth and custardy with those gorgeous, tiny little specks of smoked bacon! Although that was my first quiche experience, I knew at that point that NO other quiche would ever come close to this one- my very first quiche...
So today I am going to share my own quiche Lorraine recipe with you. Bear in mind that it is my version. I am sure every French quiche maker has their own. With cheese or without! With a pretty, fluted pie crust or a rustic looking beauty- like mine...
Bon Appétit!

Quiche Lorraine
Serves 4-6
For the pastry:
200g flour
125g cold butter cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp salt
one beaten egg
iced water, if needed

Mix flour with butter and salt in processor at low speed for about 20 seconds until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add beaten egg and pulse until dough comes together into a ball. If the dough seems dry, add a drop or two of iced water. Shape the dough into a disk and refrigerate 40 minutes wrapped in cling film. Let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before using it.

Preheat oven to 180C and grease a 25cm quiche pan with a little olive oil. Roll out your dough on a floured surface...

and drape over the prepared quiche pan pressing it up against the edges. Prick the dough with a fork all over its surface and blind bake (I use baking beans on a crumpled sheet of baking paper) for about 8 minutes. Remove the baking beans and paper and allow the bottom of crust to slightly brown. This will take just a minute or two.

For the filling, you'll need:
250g lardons
250 ml crème fraîche
4 eggs

125 g grated Gruyère
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Increase the oven temperature to 200C. Fry the lardons in a dry frying pan until they turn golden brown. Drain them on paper towel. Beat the crème fraîche, eggs, cheese and nutmeg. Spread the lardons over the quiche crust and pour the custard over them. Bake the quiche for 35 minutes and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

A Dutch Book Based on a French Cookbook

2011-09-19T13:34:00.001+02:00

For those who adore the French kitchen (not the fancy stuff, but the typical dishes that are cooked by real French families), the book, Recettes Pour Bien Vivre, is a delight to behold. There's absolutely no haute cuisine to be found here. Just hearty French classics that call for plenty of butter and generous dollops of full-fat cream. Yum! Now that's something you have to love!

The story behind the book is filled with the kind of French nostalgia that makes my Francophile heart skip a beat. An old, abandoned French house was sold and some of the objects left behind were bought by antique collectors. One of them happened to be a culinary journal dating back to around 1870. The recipes in this stunning journal were recorded in beautiful handwriting and its pages were decorated with elegantly penned illustrations. Who the author is, remains a mystery. We do know, however, that he dedicated his recipes to a certain Marie Potié. As luck would have it, the journal made its way to the Netherlands where Dutch chef Manfred Meeuwig decided to translate it and give it a second life.
Meeuwig did a marvelous job at bringing the work back to life along with the help of stylist Marjolijn Vonk and photographer Sigurd Kranendonk. The result is a trip back to a time when life was good and waistlines didn't matter. Leafing through Recettes Pour Bien Vivre makes one yearn to visit the French countryside and stop along the way to eat things like a chunky terrine de campagne served with cornichons and thin rounds of bread. Forget the grand cru this time. These are the types of meals that demand to be washed down with a simple vin de table.
The book is divided into cold and warm starters, mains with fish and meat, sides and desserts. Highlights include classics like rillettes de porc, oeufs en meurette, bouillabaisse, quenelles de brochet, boeuf bourguignon, pomme dauphines, crème brûlée, tarte au citron and mousse au chocolat. Because the recipes sometimes lack precise explanations (for example, there is no oven temperature for the gâteau au chocolat), the book is probably not aimed at beginners. But, what it lacks in preciseness, it makes up in pure, unadulterated joie de vivre. This is what the real French kitchen is all about!
Here is one of the many recipes I made. A fabulous tarte aux poires!

Recetttes Pour Bien Vivre, Franse Klassiekers Voor Nu, (Manfred Meeuwig, Marjolijn Vonk and Sigurd Kranendonk). Published in the Netherlands by Terra in December 2010.

A Diary of France: Leaving...and Coming Back with a Sense of Gratitude

2011-09-15T10:31:00.011+02:00

"As I write, I am in the car on the way to Orléans. We left Duras at around 9:30 AM this morning and I really had to make an effort not to cry...

Things are uncertain at the moment and I honestly have no idea how we'll manage that definite move here. All I have is my faith and hope, and I know that will move mountains.

Our last day in France seemed like an early taste of Autumn. It was not only rainy, but quite cool. People were wearing coats and thick sweaters. We decided to find the town where we bought a hat for Kirstie that first year. We weren't really sure where it was, so we just checked out a few of the places we had missed so far, until we finally found it. It was Monflanquin. The last time we were there, I remember it was very hot and humid. Quite a difference from this time around. Brr!
We had lunch in the restaurant where we had coffee that first time. I had a simple salade niçoise and Hans and Kirstie both had galettes. It was a bit of an awkward meal. I dare say we were even a little edgy. Perhaps uneasy. Not saying much and kind of sitting in a corner, literally. Coming back is never fun. And the day before leaving is especially difficult...

After our meal, we drove to Agen, one of the few places we hadn't visited during the previous years. It was a nice city, but we were there only shortly.

Hans mentioned that it might clear up and get warmer come the late afternoon and I really wanted to be back in Duras on time so that Kirstie could have a last swim. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The weather did clear briefly while we were in Agen, but only got worse when we arrived in Duras.
By the way, it was a real shame to see that Zaz was playing at the Prune Festival in Agen the following day and that we would have to miss her because we'd be in Orléans by then. We love Zaz and I have constantly checked tour dates near us, only to be so close but not close enough...

Instead, (how I love the mysterious ways of nature) we were treated to a majestic spectacle taking place all around us. The colors of autumn were starting to pop up in the trees and in the golden cornfields.

And the sky! Large, dark clouds with bits of light peeking here and there and even a few rainbows!

At that moment, I also had to push back tears. Especially when Hans got out of the car near the Chateau in Duras to take some photographs of the sky.

I knew this was our last time here this year and it was quite difficult. Sometimes you just have to be strong, I guess. Those rainbows were our promise though...

Our evening was rounded off with a last dinner at Le Cabri. Inside, by the fireplace, just like that one time that very first year. I was secretly hoping that would be the case as I found it very cozy and romantic. What a memorable dinner that was. Not just because of the food, but because of the people. The friendly waitress, Eileen, and of course, Peter. He sat there with us having a drink, long after the last customer was gone. He told us about how he and his family went about moving to France and that they actually went there only to dismiss the idea of moving there. I admire them. It's the kind of encouragement we so much need. But, life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans...

That's something that was made very clear to us this vacation. In many ways...
In about an hour we'll arrive in Orléans...

and tomorrow we'll be back in the Netherlands. But first, there are still those fantastic crêpes to look forward to...

that one final dinner at Le Brin de Zinc...

and the cozy stay at the hotel where we all hop into bed to watch cheesy French television. I am so grateful for all of this. Until next time, France..."

A Diary of France: Culinary Daredevils and Their Last Few Days in Le Sud Ouest

2011-09-11T08:39:00.003+02:00

"I haven't written in a few days. Too much to see, to do and to eat. At the moment I am writing in the front garden. Just passing some time with a drink and my thoughts before we set off to Le Cabri for dinner...

Yesterday was quite a dark, rainy day. Not gloomy (we're in France) and as far as I'm concerned, the word 'gloom' doesn't exist in France. The first thing we did was drive to the village, basically in our pyjamas, for a baguette and some other goodies for breakfast. We ate under the roof terrace and let me tell you, it was pouring! In a way I hated it (my sunshine days in France are precious) and in another way, the cooler temperatures provided a much-welcomed breather. I dare say it even felt a little autumnal!
The plan for the day was to drive to Bergerac, but somehow, even though we've been there a hundred times, we took a bit of a wrong turn and for a moment, it looked as though we were a little lost. When Hans mentioned that we'd be passing through Castillon and asked if we wanted to have lunch at that side of the road restaurant we had visited last year, I couldn't resist.

I still remember how much fun that was. It didn't feel like we were eating at a restaurant, but rather by the French, in their home.

The restaurant serves a set menu for the day and you either take it or leave it. I love anything French, so I would probably eat anything they'd serve. Of course, one also has to have a little bit of guts to eat at such a place. There are always plenty of customers, so we chose to stay positive and see that as a good sign. Hey- if the French aren't dying from this food, why should we! And anyway, what's life without taking some risks?!

Unfortunately, Hans did end up with a bit of an upset stomach. Poor hubby! He mentioned that his brochette de boeuf was tough and that the last bit didn't taste quite right. My magret de canard was great though as was the frangipane tart we got for dessert.

Just don't ask me what the starter was. It could've been some kind of paté... I hope!

The waiter (my French boyfriend) was a very funny guy, talking to us in just about every language under the sun and behaving slightly anal and annoyed at a kid who dropped some fries. It was fun to be back again (well, not for Hans), but we probably won't be playing russian roulette here anymore!

We did manage to get to Bergerac after lunch for a visit and a glass of wine. We kept it short as we knew we'd be back the next day, which is today.
One of the things we really wanted to do in Bergerac was have lunch at Le Croq Magnon, the same place where we ate those fantastic omelettes last year.

Our hopes were high as we sat there and waited for the magical omelettes to arrive. Their taste was something we had not forgotten and we thought we were really in for a treat again. Alas, there was another chef and the omelettes were greasy and the only taste they had was that of cheap vegetable oil.

Ah well, it was great to be in Bergerac again.

I can't believe tomorrow's Friday. All of a sudden I do think it has gone by too quick..."

A Diary of France: Food and Markets in Duras, Wines in Saint-Émilion and Getting Naughty in the Vineyards

2011-09-08T10:20:00.004+02:00

"It's early Tuesday morning as I sit here in the quietness of Duras with my tea and my thoughts. I am hoping that Kirstie will be in better shape today. The poor child has literally been eaten up by mosquitoes. Big, itchy bumps, all over her arms, legs and face. Another thing I don't remember from the last few years- so many mosquitoes...

But let me tell you about our day yesterday. It was Monday and that meant market day in Duras...

I saw some great things, like chickens being roasted above potatoes! Imagine how amazing those potatoes would be with the chicken drippings! Actually, that is pretty much Hans' favorite dinner, but honestly, I couldn't imagine a roast chicken dinner in this heat. Besides, I'm here to let the restaurants cook for me! One thing I must try to make myself though is skewers of duck breast and Agen prunes. The combination sounds fabulous! You see them everywhere at the markets here.
After the market, we had breakfast with pastries bought at the bakery and coffees at 'chez Regine'. We made plans for the day and sat there enjoying our petit déjeuner and looking at life happening in Duras.
Before leaving for a visit to Monsegur, we booked a table for lunch at Restaurant Don Camillo. It was great to see that the owner, Chantal, recognized us.

How I love that wonderful, little restaurant located on the Rue Paul Persil! They actually call themselves a 'pizzeria' and their pizzas are certainly something to be proud of, but they also have an excellent traditional French kitchen, and a great, reasonably priced wine selection. Lunch that day was three of their gorgeous, extremely filling pizzas and a bottle of local Merlot. Hans had thd Texane Pizza which probably could've served all of Texas- chicken wings, chorizo, ground beef, even a fried egg!

I, being the fish lover that I am, chose the Marinière with crème fraîche, salmon, mussels and baby shrimp. Kirstie had the Reine with ham and mushrooms. We enjoyed our lunch so much that we booked a table again for dinner. I am afraid we are all gong to come back ridiculously fat!
After lunch we set off for a trip to Saint-Émilion, one of those places we'll always keep coming back to.

We quickly found that shop where we bought the Château Pont de Peyrat wines the year before. This small vineyard meticulously produces smooth, fruity Merlots with rich, soft tannines. We really enjoyed last year's supply, so back to that shop it was! The woman who helped us was very nice. We tried some wines, had a lovely chat, bought three bottles from Château Pont de Peyrat and three from Château Bourseau, Lalande-de-Pomerol, which we tasted and loved, especially when we heard it was made by a woman! The saleswoman was so happy that we came back that she even gave us a little wine cooler bag as a present. I told her we'd come back again next year and I do hope that will be the case.

On our way back to Duras, we happened to drive by a side-of-the-road antique shop. I didn't even see it, but Hans made a quick turn and there we were, walking though a museum of French interior design history! There are always so many things to see at those kind of shops. From old paintings to carpets to beautiful tableware, which happens to be one of my favorite things to bring back. We saw a set of silver spoons and forks, exactly what we were missing in order to have an entirely French antique tableware set! Hans spotted a lovely round wall decoration (at least that's what we thought it was) which the shop owner generously gave us as a present. She told us that she went to the Netherlands a lot and that she could even speak a little Dutch. I left so pleased. The wine chat and the chat with the lady from this lovely antique shop are one of the many reasons why I love France and why I don't understand comments about the French being arrogant.
I should also mention that we did something very, very naughty...
During the drive back home, I noticed Hans was unusually quiet and asked him if there was something on his mind. My heart literally melted when he turned to me and said that he was looking for a place to pull over so that he could steal some wine grapes!! And that's just what he did! What a laugh to see him running back to the car with a sly grin on his face and a painterly bunch of grapes in his hands! He was joking that we were a bunch of wine criminals. That was such fun and a great big kick all at once! The grapes, if you're wondering, were juicy, sinfully sweet little pearls of blue. They tasted like sunshine!

The evening meal at Don Camillo was sumptuous and rather romantic as we ate under a sky filled with stars and a sultry, much-welcomed evening breeze. Highlights include the escargots and the café gourmand with minis of crème brûlée, riz au lait, tarte aux pommes and a rum-drenched and utterly perfect canelé.

Today I have awoken to a mostly sunny and somewhat cooler day. My bunch is still sleeping so after I sign off here, I will quietly open the front door and enjoy reading the newspaper. À la prochaine!"

A Diary of France: Idyllic Sundays

2011-09-07T11:30:00.003+02:00

"Wow! Yesterday was another unusually hot day. It never gets this hot in the Netherlands, so we are all having a bit of trouble getting used to the heat. In the past summers we've been here, it's been hot, but never above 40C. I'm not really complaining though. Before the blink of an eye, we'll be back in the gray, rainy Pays-Bas...
Our plan was to have an idyllic Sunday which would include a visit to the wonderful market in Issigeac and lunch at my favorite place on earth- Soumensac. First on the list was a stop at the bakery for some croissants. There are a lot of English people here in Duras, so my accent is sometimes immediately recognized. Like at the bakery this morning, when the salesgirl assumed I couldn't speak French and decided to throw in a little English...

We fell in love with Issigeac and its market from the very first time we visited. The village is one of those medieval French wonders that simply takes your breath away. Narrow streets, authentically preserved architecture and bright flowers adding color to the pale shades of yellow, cream, gray and brown.

When you wander through Issigeac, you feel as though you've been transported back to the middle ages...

And its market is one of the most colorful and folkloric you'll ever see!

We were lucky enough to find a free table at that great little café with its terrace situated under a roof of grape leaves.

Life is good when you're lazily sipping a café crème, doing some people-watching and in the meantime being reminded why it is you so much love France.

I didn't buy much at the market, but what I bought was exceptional- a few of those meaty Marmande tomatoes which I served sliced with nothing more than some fleur de sel and a drizzle of good French olive oil and a charentais melon which was sweet as honey and tasted more like candy than fruit.

It wasn't even noon and I was already heavily intoxicated with the French bug, especially because I knew the best part of the day was still to come! Am I the only one hearing Charles Aznavour singing La Bohème in the background, by the way?
After the market, we drove on to Soumensac's Marchés des Producteurs. I always refer to this event as the 'Renoir-live-painting-lunch'. It is such a wonderful thing to experience. On a beautiful hilltop, vendors sell and prepare regional specialties. You'll find just about every kind of duck product you can wish for, all kinds of barbecued meats, fresh salads made with gorgeous, seasonal vegetables, refreshing fruit desserts, crêpes , fresh bread and of course, wine!

Long tables are set out under the beautiful trees and if you want, you can even set your table with your own pretty tablecloth and tableware. Of course, you can also just rent plates and cutlery. The point is to spend an afternoon enjoying wonderful food in a beautiful spot. What's not to love?

I make the comparison to Renoir because for some reason, the colors and atmosphere are just as magnificent there as they are in Renoir's paintings. The light combined with the soft shade of the trees and the beautiful hats worn by some of the people make you really feel as though you are literally in Renoir's Le Déjeuner des Canotiers! It's surreal!*
Our day was ended with some time in the pool (it was very hot, remember?) and with a jazz evening at Le Cabri. This year, Le Cabri is organizing a jazz evening at the restaurant every Sunday with a few set menus. It's great fun to round off the day there with some nice music, good food and a great bottle of wine.
I am really having a great time again this year and I can't stop saying this, but it feels as though we've been here so much longer. Today is market day in Duras. We must remember to book a table at Restaurant Don Camillo for lunch. The sun is just starting to come up and I am ready for another day in my France! First, some coffee and croissants at Cafè de la Paix..."

*PS: Have a look at this picture taken at the Soumensac Marchés des Producteurs a few years ago, and compare it with the painting below it!

A Diary of France: Hello From a Scorching Duras!

2011-09-06T16:26:00.001+02:00

"Hello from a scorching Duras! After a long seven hour trip, we arrived yesterday at around 4 o'clock. The trip from Buxy to Duras took us through some of the most beautiful parts of France. The Auvergne and the volcanoes were especially impressive. Not nearly as impressive though as the heat we encountered when we got here- 43C!! We were all melting! But oh how I love to be here again!

After some drinks at the local café, we all decided that the place to be was in the pool- the only way to cool off!

A little later we went to have dinner at Le Cabri.

The owners Peter and Eileen were as friendly as ever. Eileen is always so pleased at the little goodie basket I bring her from the Netherlands.
I really enjoyed my shrimp cocktail and magret de canard. Even the dessert, a charlotte with red fruits was lovely, as was the wine. Hans especially enjoyed his starter, half a chilled melon filled with port.

And Kirstie is growing up. No more children's menu anymore but the tagliatelle Provençale and a crème brûlée afterwards.
We have awoken today to the kind of temperatures we can never imagine back home. It's not even 9 AM and it's already 26C. Everyone is still in bed as I sit here, write and think about the plans for today. We will visit that idyllic market in Issigeac and after that head to the living Renoir picnic (that's what I've called it) in Soumensac. I just can't wait!!"

A Diary of France: The Last Few Days in Our Burgundian Paradise

2011-09-05T13:03:00.004+02:00

"The last couple of nights I decided to read instead of write. Last night I fell asleep for the last time next to Serge Gainsbourg's face. Only recently, have I started to understand Gainsbourg's music and reading his biography in France seemed to add another dimension to the story. It was a very interesting, yet very sad book.

Because I have not written in a few days, it is suddenly Friday morning and I am full of stories. Therefore, I will tell you about what we did since Tuesday, the last time I wrote...
On Wednesday, the plan was to visit the market in Autun. I think Autun probably holds one of my favorite markets. Mainly because it's not that big, it has good products and it's well spread out so that you don't have to walk along at the pace of the people in front of you.

The market has pretty much remained the same over the years. The lady from whom I bought my first ras-el-hanout and tarragon many years ago is still there, selling her spices, lavender and her dried fruit covered in wasps! And of course, the cheese lady with her regional goat's cheese...

After the market we had a walk through the city and stopped at a nice store selling regional products. I picked up some creme de cassis for my Kirs and a very pretty bottle of rose liqueur! There are many nice little shops in the city but because it was almost lunchtime, we didn't spend a lot of time wandering about! Otherwise, we might've missed out on a nice table at Brasserie Le Commerce- the place where I've eaten the most fantastic blanquette de veau and the creamiest and garlickiest of escargots in the past!
We were very lucky and were able to find a nice table outside. Kirstie and I started with the escargots we've so much enjoyed. Oh how marvelously that garlicky, parsleyed cream sauce goes over those succulent, little snails! If it wasn't for the fact that Hans hates snails, I would make these at home.

I followed with a very refreshing salade de la mer, chock-full of just about every kind of seafood you could imagine.

Kirstie opted for a huge burger and Hans had the boeuf bourguignon. Dessert was iles flottantes for Kirstie and I and tiramisu for Hans. We left the restaurant stuffed and smiling...

After our lunch we drove through vineyards and village of Nuits-Saint-Georges, the place where I bought my first, serious bottle of wine many years ago...

I still remember shyly walking into that shop as an innocent wine drinker and leaving as a mature one. Within the time frame of twenty minutes, I left that shop convinced I would never drink wine in the same way again. Our wine trip that day ended in Beaune with a nice glass of wine...

We had decided that we would visit the local market at Buxy on Thursday morning- a very small and cozy market where I love to buy my pain d'epices from the same vendor, Bernard Alaguette. He has all kinds of interesting flavors. This time I chose the orange variety. I am sure it will disappear very quickly! We also bought some strawberries which I am sorry to say smelled better than they tasted.

After the market, it was time for a coffee and a pain au chocolat at the café before setting off to Cluny...
Cluny is a nice city, yet it can get a little too touristy at times.

But who are we to talk?! We went with the flow and decided to also do the touristic thing this time- a horse drawn carriage ride through the city. As soon as Kirstie spotted that horse, she literally begged us to join the tour.

We did, however, end up with mixed feelings when we got off. That poor horse had to carry 9 adults and 4 children up and down Cluny's hills on a very hot day. I felt as though we were contributing to animal abuse...
I must tell you about the dessert I had after lunch that day- the assiette gourmande! I just couldn't choose this time so in one plate I got a chance to sample a scrumptious little piece of tangy lemon tart, a perfect crème brûlée, a gooey moelleux au chocolat and two bright, fruity macarons! Talk about a heavenly sugar rush! This time, I really did float out of the restaurant!

Don't ask me how, but yes, we did have room for dinner that evening. By now you might be thinking that all we do in France is eat and drink. Well, I'm afraid you're more or less correct, as long as you don't forget that we actually do sleep!
We visited Brasserie Le Bacchus as planned. What a great time we had! Just the three of us in that cozy, dark corner! Drinking local wine, eating a great and very garlicky steak and chatting with the very friendly owner! He loved to hear that we really enjoyed ourselves again this time and that we would keep coming back.

Today is Friday, our last day here in this Burgundian paradise...
I'm a little sad to leave, but I am also looking forward to the new week ahead in my home- Duras! For now I am bursting to really enjoy my last day! We'll be heading to the market in Chalon for the last time and having lunch at Le Verre Galant. I must remember to first stop at the Cave des Vignerons though! See you in Duras!"

A Diary of France: An Easy, Relaxed Day

2011-09-02T09:36:00.003+02:00

"The weather was absolutely gorgeous today. Our day started off with a coffee and some croissants which we ate, just like the French, at the local café. I just love that little morning ritual. You go to the baker, buy your breakfast, grab a paper on your way to the café and then order your coffee and have a leisurely start to your morning. It feels so normal and so relaxed!

After breakfast, we stopped at the butcher next door for some meat- two Charolais entrecôtes for Hans and I and a Charolais burger with tomato and mushroom for Kirstie. I served them for dinner with some very garlicky pommes sarladaises and a bottle of Mercurey.
The plan for today was to go in search of a small stream for Kirstie to swim at. It was quite an adventure to get there- a beautiful one, through fields of high grass, flowers, all sorts of scary insects and grazing cows.

Unfortunately, it lead to almost nothing. Just some water that was kind of impossible for her to get into. She was very disappointed as she had anticipated a good swim. We returned home and she forgot about the incident and headed to the river in front of the house to wet her feet and build dams, something all Dutch kids love to do. I held my breath a bit as I watched her treading around all those stones and bravely picking up some that seemed way too heavy for her.

We had lunch at home today in anticipation for the large dinner planned. I made some sandwiches with baguette and jambon du morvan and bought one of those lovely couscous salads which I so much love. We had some Montagny wine with that. After lunch we drove to Chalon-sur-Sâone again for some leisurely shopping. First we had a drink at Le Verre Galant.

I read yetserday that it is actually considered a pretty good place to eat. I already had that idea after eating the lovely salmon with beurre blanc and risotto dish there last winter. And, they serve really great wine by the glass. I had a kir this time, though...
There is a shop on that corner, right in front of the cathedral, called Légendes Gourmandes. They sell all sorts of gourmet items and I always love stopping there to get some goodies. This time I purchased some coulis to serve with fromage blanc (a simple yet godly dessert), a bottle of very interesting sounding apple-cinnamon vinegar and a small jar of panettone flavored sugar which I bet will go very well in my ristretto. At another shop, Kirstie got one of those horse figures she so much loves and we bought a small present for a dear friend. It was a nice afternoon of shopping, and we even managed to do Kirstie's back to school clothes shopping. I joked that she could tell all her friends that her clothes were the latest French design.
Our day was rounded off with our usual drink at the local bar in Buxy. As I write, it looks like we're in for another perfect evening. I just heard Hans will be making bacon and eggs for breakfast tomorrow before our drive to Autun where they'll be having their market! I am especially looking forward to having lunch there afterwards. At that great restaurant with those fantastic escargots! Till tomorrow!"

PS: About that vinegar...
The ingredients alone sounded delicious- green apple pulp, white wine vinegar, sugar, honey and cinnamon. On the bottle it says that the vinegar goes particularly well with fresh, soft goat's cheese, toasted pain d'épices (French spice cake), orzo, zander fish,white cabbage and poppy seed oil. I made a salad with chicken, chopped apples, raisins and pinenuts and made a dressing with the vinegar, a little grapeseed oil, some salt and a dash of fresh pepper. It was delicious!

A Diary of France: Louhans Market, Busy Restaurants and An Afternoon Pastis

2011-09-01T17:13:00.012+02:00

"Is it really Monday already? In one way it feels like it's going by too fast, but in another way, we are making days that feel like two together. There is so much wonderful stuff to do here in France!
Today for example, we visited the market I thought I would never want to see- Louhans. Why? Because of their live animal market. Now while I do know that the French sell livestock at many markets, I have a bit of a problem with the selling of kittens and puppies in this same way. It may sound hypocritical of me, I know. And you might wonder why we even decided to visit this particular market in the first place. I'll blame it on curiosity and an interesting piece in Le Journal the day before...
The beginning of the market reminded me a little of the Dutch Albert Cuyp market. Two long rows of just about anything you might desire- from shoes to ceramic Laguiole knives. And oh my was it busy!

At a certain point, I even felt a little bit claustrophopic. If the person in front of you stopped to look at something, you'd have to stop with them as well and vice versa. I really didn't have the urge to look much myself for some reason. Who knows? It might have also been the heat.
The start of the animal market was announced by the cloud of unpleasant aromas that wafted their way to us. What can I tell you except that it was rather sad. There were chickens of every sort, ducklings, rabbits, goats, turkeys, pigeons, ponies, dogs and cats.

We both secretly hoped that the birds and rabbits were uncomfortable for only the time they were there and that the rest of the time they were roaming around free enjoying the French countryside, much like the chickens we saw living happily on huge open fields on our way there. But the dogs and cats- absolutely heartbreaking scenes. Some of them skinny, with matted fur and either gasping for breath from the heat or lying weak in a corner. After our lunch, we saw a man who had bought a Boxer earlier that morning. It was heartbreaking to see him encourging the pup to get up and walk for itself a little. Both man and pup had sad and worried eyes. We feared the worst. The peculiar thing was the price of some of these animals. They were by no means cheap. Imagine buying a cat or dog and then having it die on you the next day. Maybe even within the next hours. It goes without saying that the heartbreak and loss are far worse than the money spent.
Certain parts of the animal market might have been a bit of a culture shock, but in another way, the market is also part of a French tradition. I may not have agreed with what I saw, but I also don't have the courage to kill my own chicken while I do have the courage to eat one. Who am I to pass judgement?
After spending some time walking through the market, we realized it was a little past 1 PM and so we set out in search of a place to eat. You cannot possibly imagine how hard that proved to be. Partially because by French norm we were a little on the late side and also because it was market day. It seemed that every restaurant we saw was busy. Not a single table for us to sit at.

After much frantic searching, we finally found a table, a great one even, at the cosy Café Saint Martin. They were just about finished as well, but there was still enough room for us. Phew! The only thing they had left was lasagne. Now for someone who is always in search of the regional, I must say I wasn't thrilled, but hey. The lasagne was better than good though. In fact, it was probably the best lasagne I've ever had! Dessert was also nothing to complain about- a molten, chocolaty moelleux au chocolat which we all absolutely adored.

After coffee, we drove to visit some of those very French megastores. There's nothing like a good wander through the E. Leclerc where you can also purchase just about anything, be it food, clothing or things for the home.

Our day out ended with a drink at the local bar in Buxy.

If you are yet to discover how wonderful a Pastis is in the heat of summer, than take my advice and try one the next time you are looking for the perfect thirst quencher/pick-me-up.That evening we had a sumptuous and incredibly naughty late meal- garlicky cotelettes d'agneau cooked in our little French country house. We ate them with a simple tomato-basil salad and washed them down with a bottle of the local Givry. Bliss! Once again, sheer bliss!"

PS: The last two photos are courtesy of my very artistic husband.

A Diary of France: Market Day in Chalon-sur-Saône, Lunch and a Drive Through the Vineyards of Meursault

2011-08-31T12:04:00.006+02:00

"Today was one of those days. A typical day in France where we aim to experience a week's worth of fun in the time span of a day. We had a leisurely walk through the market in Chalon-sur-Sâone, enjoyed a glass of wine on a busy terrace, had lunch in a nice restaurant, visited a very typical French antique market and drove through the vineyards of Meursault.
Let me begin with the market in Chalon...

How I love French markets like this one!

Stall after stall of beautiful, fresh produce! Cheeses, meats, wines, exotic spices, the best fruits and vegetables, succulent, tasty olives and beautiful sausages in every flavor imaginable!

Everyone is in a good mood. Some people trying a piece of sweet melon or a fragrant little olive. Many are engaged in conversation with some of the very vibrant sellers.

Others are watching the spectacle from the sidelines while enjoying a drink at one of the many restaurants and bars in front of the church.

On this warm August day, the market looked different than it did the winter. Not just because of the products being sold or the fact that there were more people having drinks outdoors, but because this time it was mainly around the church, instead of beginning in one of the side streets.
So what did I buy? A bagful of tasty olives, a bunch of pink garlic (I can't imagine cooking with anything other than pink French garlic!), huge, ripe tomatoes, glossy, purple aubergines, a bunch of freshly-picked parsley and a bag of juicy apricots! Oh, and the best strawberries I've had this whole summer!

I also forgot to mention that before we went to the market we did some shopping in Buxy. I visited the local butcher for lamb cutlets and parsleyed ham (jambon persillé). We then stopped at the baker for baguette and fresh croissants for breakfast. I've always liked this kind of shopping much better than supermarkets. It makes me happy to know the people behind the food and secretly, I feel just a little Frencher shopping this way. I am so looking forward to trying those lamb cutlets along with a gorgeous looking salad I saw in a French cooking magazine. Perhaps I'll add some pommes sarladaises to go with the meal...
But back to the market...
Our intention was to round off our visit with lunch at the square so we sat down and ordered some drinks just about a half an hour before noon. Unfortunately, when lunchtime rolled around and we asked for the menu, we were told they weren't serving lunch in this part of town today but only over the bridge. That's when we found ourselves at a great little restaurant called La Cigale. At first, we were a little disappointed at the desertedness of the streets. Two streets full of restaurants and only a few with eating customers.

Luckily though, a few more people joined us, which made it just a little cozier. We chose the menu du jour this time. Kirstie and I started off with a tomato mozzarella salad which was very fresh and tasty. I like the idea of using lemon juice in the dressing instead of my usual balsamic vinegar. The addition of finely chopped chives was also lovely. Hans went for the chicken salad. He seemed to enjoy it, although he did mention it was rather garlicky! We followed with a steak cooked in herbs de provence and served in a light, creamy gravy. The fries were absolute fried perfection! Crispy and so nicely seasoned! Kirstie, the little gourmande, had the salmon in beurre blanc served with wild rice and girolles. Dessert was definitely a winner. A beautiful layered raspberry tart with fine pastry, sweet cream and icy, bright red raspberries! I can still taste it now if I close my eyes!

After a petit café, it was our intention to visit the city of Beaune again. Like Saint-Émilion or Nuits-Saint-Georges, it is one of those wine places in France we always keep coming back to. Instead, we wound up in Meursault, oggling the lush vineyards and making ourselves familiar with one of the few villages we had never visited.

We then stopped at Nolay where we visited an antique market that was taking place under the square's covered market center. Lovely things, but most too large or too fragile to take back home.
That pretty much rounded off our day. At around 5PM, we drove back for an apero by the riverside before dinner.

Dinner was simple- steak haché, salads and bread. You really have to eat light at dinnertime when lunch is such a big affair! The lamb would have to wait until tomorrow! Too bad the evening rain didn't allow us to take our walk. That was a lot of fun the evening before.

Not really sure where the day will take us tomorrow. We are, however, debating about whether or not we should visit the very controversial market in Louhans. Till next time!"

A Diary of France: The Day of Arrival

2011-08-30T12:32:00.007+02:00

I'm back! We've had the most wonderful two weeks, filled with sunshine, feasting on great food, drinking fabulous French wine and talking to lovely people. When we visit France, we change. I don't know if it has to do with the fact that we are on vacation. In my opinion, it has something to do with our love for the country. I still have people ask me why we don't choose another vacation destination. Why would we? There's so much of France to see and we feel at home there. We love the country's people and culture and in our hearts, the three of us feel Frencher than the French!
Of course, we also love France for its food and wine. We love floating out of a restaurant after enjoying a three course lunch with a bottle of local wine. We love going to markets and buying fresh fruit and local cheeses. We love lazy drives through vineyards and then actually tasting the terroir in the bottles we later open. In France, our tastebuds awaken. They come to life and shout with excitement!
If you asked me to name all of the wonderful meals we had, I would probably make you a cup of tea and ask you to make yourself comfortable. Add to that the fact that we did drink our weight in wine (not including what we brought back), and you pretty much get an idea of the extent of our French gluttony!

In the following blogs, I would like to give you a peek into our days in France by sharing little excerpts from my own travel diary. I have always made a point of keeping a travel diary. It helps me remember all of the places we visit and is also a great read when I'm feeling a little nostalgic. Because of the length of my diary, I will start today and continue into the week ahead. Perhaps with a recipe here and there along the way.
First, I'd like to tell you about where we stayed. Our first week was spent in Burgundy at the house we are renting to host our creative/culinary vacations. The house is a fully renovated flour mill located in the countryside of Cersot, a quiet town not far from Buxy. The second week was spent in the medieval bastide town of Duras, in the Lot-et-Garonne. This is the area of France which we have all fallen in love with and the place where we envision our future.
So come with me and let me show you a little of our joie de vivre! Let's start with that magical day in which we left the gray clouds behind us in exchange for the bright, blue French sky and beautiful sunshine...

August 13, 2011
"We're finally here! The trip to Cersot went very smoothly. Quick even, or at least it felt that way. The only thing that was a little difficult was getting to sleep the night before and waking up at 4AM the next day. A mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation..."
"What a difference when we arrived! From a gray and cool summer we suddenly found ourselves in paradise again. Sun, warmth and smiling faces. The first thing we did after unloading the car, was head to Buxy for a drink. I could almost cry from happiness when I had my first sip of Aligoté!"
"Too tired to go out, we decided to cook dinner at the house. Just a simple steak, some salad and a bottle of the local Givry. The apéro by the riverside was also quite lovely. How could you go wrong when you're in the heart of France, drinking local wine and eating terrine de campagne with great bread and spicy olives! Speaking of olives- I just discovered how incredibly delicious it is to buy a tub of spiced olives and dip pieces of bread into the fragrant oils. Wow!"

Kirstie by the riverside. On most nights, we sat here to have a drink and a nibble.

The door leading to the lovely place where we stayed the first week.

A beautifully renovated mill in the French countryside.

A Trip Down Blog Memory Lane

2011-08-12T10:30:00.003+02:00

I really wans't planning on posting today, but I just couldn't resist Jennifer's tag from the blog Chez Loulou. I love her blog because it keeps me very connected to my dear France. It could be the middle of winter, but if I see her bright and beautiful posts, I'm immediately in France.
The purpose of this meme is to show how diverse blogs can be. Which ones are the most popular? Which ones surprise us the most? Which ones are we most proud of? So here is my list!

Most Beautiful...

Our Heart's Home
I love all of France and my heart is French, but I simply adore South-West France. We have to be there at least once a year, otherwise I don't feel like myself.

Most Popular...

Vegan Cupcakes Rule!!!!
I still have people looking at this post daily! They are some fab cupcakes!

Most Controversial...
Hmmm, I guess I'm not a very controversial blogger, because I seriously cannot think of any post that caused a commotion. I do have the occasional person who writes in to tell me about the dangers of pork, but that's another story...

Most helpful...

Great Steak and Great Wine
I've gotten a few thank-you's for writing this post. It appears cooking a steak is not as easy to prepare as I thought! Glad I could help!

Post Whose Success Surprised Me the Most...

Nutella Day! A Better-Than-Cinnamon Buns Challenge!
When I wrote this blog and came up with the recipe for my Nutty Nutella Buns, I never imagined I would be the winner of World Nutella Day 2008!

Post I Feel Didn't Get the Attention it Deserved...

FOODMOOD: Classic Madeleines
Hmmm, I really thought I'd hear more about this one, especially about hubby's wonderful filming (I'm a proud wife), but this one kind of slipped away into the background.

Post I Am Most Proud Of...

Tiens!
Why am I so proud of this one? Because it is something I worked on together with my husband! I did the writing, recipe development and food styling and he did the photography! It's such a beautiful magazine, so if you missed it, I do hope you'll have a look! You can find us on page 5!

I really enjoyed this trip down blog memory lane and I hope you did too! Here are the bloggers I've chosen. A few of them I've only recently discovered so it would be great to see them join in!

Home Cooking with Sonya
Life in the Expat Lane
Live, love, laugh and eat
At Anna's Kitchen Table
Magali March

See you again in a few weeks!

Semana Española: Gambas Pil Pil

2011-08-11T09:52:00.000+02:00

Today's post will not only round off my semana Española, but it may just be the last one for the next couple of weeks. We are leaving for France this Saturday (yay!) and between packing and rounding off some other work, I am not sure if I'll be able to post again after today. I will definitely try to post little messages about my adventures on twitter, so if you're interested in what I'll be doing in Burgundy and Lot-et-Garonne, just check out my twitter!
Vacations are a time of inspiration for me, so I do hope you'll join me again at the end of August for some tasty French stories and lots of new recipes! In the meantime, let me tell you about today's Spanish dish- gambas pil pil!
I adore prawns, especially the thick, fleshy ones that we've sometimes purchased at the Dutch fisherman's village of Volendam. Give me a serving of those pink, juicy babies with a dollop of garlic mayonnaise and a cold glass of rosé and you can't find a happier woman! I also love prawns in pasta with a little red pesto, some lemon and a handful of rocket leaves (a Jamie Oliver recipe). In Spain, prawns are a much-loved tapas dish. Gambas pil pil are a classic dish in many Spanish tapas bars, but I also happen to think that they make an excellent light meal if served with some bread, a nice, big salad and a bottle of chilled wine.
For a little mediterranean flair, I recommend you serve the following recipe for lunch on a warm, cloudless summer's day. Preferably outdoors, perhaps after a few sangrias and definitely in good company. Buen provecho y hasta la proxima!

Gambas Pil Pil
Serves 8 as a tapas dish or 4 as a light lunch

5 tbsps mild olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
1 red chilli pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
500g fresh prawns, cleaned
1 tbsp dry sherry
pinch of smoked paprika powder
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
few handfuls of freshly-chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and gently sweat the garlic and the chilli pepper for about 5 minutes. Make sure your heat is low and your garlic doesn't burn! Turn up the heat, add the prawns and the sherry and stir-fry until the prawns turn pink and feel firm (2-3) minutes. Sprinkle with the paprika powder and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve. If you are serving this as a light meal, just put the pan on the table and let everyone help themselves! And remember to mop up those fragrant juices with chunks of fresh bread!

Semana Española: Garbanzos con Chorizo

2011-08-10T09:37:00.001+02:00

Beans and pulses were a staple at my house while I was growing up. I remember my mom cooking Cargamanto beans in her pressure cooker at least three times a week. Every now and then she would make a pan of lentil soup and for Christmas, we sometimes ate moros y cristianos (a dish of black beans and rice). I still love beans. These days I am particularly fond of using kidney beans, Puy lentils and chickpeas. I use them in stews, soups and even salads. Not only do they add a rich, nutty taste to dishes, but they're also full of protein and fiber!
Today's Spanish dish is a treat if like me, you're especially fond of chickpeas. It's also real lifesaver if you find that it's almost time for dinner and you still haven't got a clue about what to make. The recipe calls for ingredients which are pretty much found in every pantry, with the exception of the chorizo perhaps. I'm all for fresh, but in a pinch, there's nothing quite as comforting as opening the door to my pantry and making a meal using things like canned tomatoes and beans!
The beauty of this recipe not only lies in its simplicity, but in its full, earthy flavors. It's amazing to spend just 20 minutes in the kitchen, feel like you haven't cooked and then sit down with a glass of red to enjoy this gorgeous meal. You can serve the dish over some rice, with bread or even with a healthy serving of spinach, like I did. Buen provecho!

Garbanzos con Chorizo
Serves 4

2 tbsps mild olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
250g spicy chorizo sausage, sliced
an 800g can of chickpeas, rinsed
a 400g can of chopped tomatoes
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste, although you probably won't need much
fresh, chopped parsley and extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan and gently sweat the onion and the bell pepper. Increase the heat just a little, add the garlic and the chorizo and cook for a further 8 minutes. The chorizo will begin to release its fragrant oils- yum! Add the chickpeas, stir well and follow with the tomatoes. Allow the dish to cook for 10 minutes in an uncovered pan, stirring every now and then. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. I find the chorizo has enough flavor, so I usually omit the use of salt. Perhaps a grinding of fresh pepper is all you'll want to add. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley and a drizzle of good, extra virgin olive oil.