A Moment of Happiness... One of Many

It's Sunday evening. I've just finished dinner outside in my beautiful, little garden with the people (and dog) I love most. It's still warm outside. The kind of warmth that signals summer is finally on its way. Birds are singing their evening song, French records are softly playing, and I'm counting my blessings. Like I always do. 

I once considered doing the 100 happy days thing. In fact, I've felt kind of left out for not doing it. But the thing is, picking one happy moment per day would really, honestly be too difficult for me. Without sounding too 'peace & love' hippie, I am grateful for everything, and I can find joy in the most seemingly insignificant things. Such as how beautifully my lavender is growing. Or how children play in the park and run about without a care in the world. Their innocence and joy moves me. 

Waking up every morning, healthy and surrounded by more love than I could've ever wished for. That's my main source of happiness. But there are about a billion more happy moments, every day anew. How could I possibly choose just one?

Côtes de porc à la moutarde

In France, this popular bistro dish (which happens to be one of my favorites) is called côtes de porc à la moutarde. There are as many versions as there are cooks. Mine are served in a mustardy cream sauce dotted with bits of finely chopped cornichons. Absolutely scrumptious and so easy to make! Serve them with anything you like. Rice, mash, pasta or thick-cut chips. A big salad or some haricots verts and a nice bottle of red on the side and you're in business.

Côtes de porc à la moutarde

Serves 2

knob of butter
1 tbsp mild olive oil
2 pork chops (approx. 150g each)
1 shallot, finely chopped
100ml dry white wine
75ml cream
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 cornichons, finely chopped
fleur de sel
freshly-cracked pepper

Preheat the oven to 120C. Pat the chops dry with kitchen paper and season them on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan and fry the chops for 6 minutes on one side. Turn them, add the shallots and give them another 6 minutes. Take the chops out of the pan, wrap them in foil and place them in the oven. Degalze the pan with the wine and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Stir for a few minutes until you have a nice sauce. Put the chops back in the sauce (along with any juices collected in the foil) and give them about a half a minute on each side. Serve the chops with the sauce and smile. You've made yourself a good meal.

Cassolette de la mer

Last month we spent a wonderful long weekend in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, a gorgeously fashionable seaside town in the north of France with many great restaurants and lovely hotels. We enjoyed walks on the beach, cocktails, lots of sun and plenty of seafood. Although our stay only lasted a mere four days (ending with a visit to Lille), it felt like we had been there much longer. We certainly made the most out of every second -- which really wasn't all that difficult!
One of the meals I had at Restaurant Le Matisse (68 rue de Metz) was a creamy seafood stew flavored with saffron. The sauce was velvety and absolutely stunning. Perhaps, one of the most memorable meals I had while there. So memorable, that I decided to recreate it and share it with you. And please note that this is a quick (simplified) weekday version. My version.

Cassolette de la mer
Serves 4

250 g salmon
600 ml fish stock
good pinch of saffron
knob of butter
1 tbsp mild olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
500 g fruits de mer
100 ml white wine
250 g prawns
1 tsp dried dill
pinch of turmeric
100 ml single cream

Poach the salmon in the stock and cut into large pieces. Reserve 500 ml of the stock and soak the saffron in about 2 tbsps once cooled. Heat the butter and oil in a large casserole and gently sweat the shallots and garlic. Increase the heat, add the fruits de mer and toss for about 2 minutes. Deglaze with the wine. Now add the salmon back in along with the 500 ml reserved stock, prawns, dille, turmeric and cream. Let the dish cook for another few minutes. Serve with lemon wedges, crisp veg and a nice Riesling. Playing this while you eat is of course entirely optional, though wholeheartedly recommended.

Sweet Inspiration, and a Raspberry Swiss Roll

It's been a while since I baked. The inspiration -- an essential part of my kitchen experiments -- just wasn't there for some reason. I've created approximately seventy recipes this year, yet none of them were desserts or pastries. And all of them were for clients. If you live in the Netherlands, you might have seen some of them in the women's magazine Vriendin. In fact, next week you can check out nine.
But here's a recipe that was born out of a blissful moment of free time. Nothing to do except leaf through a magazine, ponder weekend plans, catch my breath and drink prosecco. And honestly, those are the moments that produce the most delicious results. Sometimes inspiration can't be forced. It just happens. And here's what it looks like.

Raspberry Swiss Roll
Serves 8-10

5 eggs
110g sugar
seeds of 1 vanilla pod
jar of raspberry jam
pinch of salt
80g flour
icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, vanilla and 3 tbsps of jam until nice and creamy. In the meantime, whisk the heck out of the egg whites (to which you've added a pinch of salt). Now fold the flour into the egg yolk mixture and continue by folding in the egg whites in three batches. Spread the batter evenly over the baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Allow the cake to cool slightly on a wire rack. Lay another sheet of parchment paper on your work surface, flip the cake onto the paper and gently peel off the sheet it baked on. Spread evenly with a nice layer of jam, roll tightly (you can use the clean sheet of baking paper for this) and refrigerate for at least an hour. Sprinkle with icing sugar, serve and smile.

Thai Cooking

Perhaps one of the most challenging assignments I've ever had was to work on a culinary production featuring a cuisine I was hardly familiar with, namely that of Thailand. The assignment was to create six recipes, but that wasn't all. They had to be easy and needed to include ingredients that are readily available at every Dutch supermarket.
Before setting to work, I spent a few days reading up on Thai cuisine and watching YouTube films about authentic Thai cooking. I was especially interested in films showing authentic cooking in Thailand and not in some fancy studio. I also enlisted the help of my friend Vanessa who has visited Thailand many times, has taken cooking lessons in Thailand and recently gave Thai cooking demonstrations at a Dutch supermarket.
Writing and testing the recipes for this production was very rewarding. Mainly because it was a challenge I didn't hesitate to jump at (not that I ever do that), and also because I got acquainted with the wonderful flavors of Thai cooking. Those in the Netherlands can pick up a copy of Vriendin # 17 and try their hand at the dishes I created, which include a Thai beef salad, tom kha kai, a Thai stir-fry, pad thai, a green chicken curry and Thai fish cakes. Let me know if you try the recipes!
On a rather disappointing note, I was not credited for these recipes in the magazine. Instead, someone else's name was erroneously printed. My name does appear in the back, though. While I understand (especially because I work in publishing myself) that these things happen, I did find it a shame considering how chuffed I was about the results.

Chilled Avocado & Cucumber Soup

Not all fats are created equal. The avocado (a fruit, and not a vegetable) consists of 30% healthy fats that are good for the circulatory system. Avocados are rich in vitamin E (neutralizes free radicals), potassium (lowers cholesterol), fiber (helps keep you full longer and keeps the digestive system in shape), and vitamin C (important for the production of collagen in the skin).

Cut open and sprinkled with fleur de sel or lemon juice, avocados are a delicious snack. Their mild, somewhat nutty flavor makes them great for all kinds of recipes. I love them in smoothies with a banana, almond milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Or like my mom used to serve them sometimes -- in a hot bowl of her lentil soup! And of course, in guacamole with lime juice, cilantro and red chillies.

Here is another one of my favorite things to do with avocados. This tasty, refreshing soup is super healthy and very easy to make. Serve it for lunch with a dollop of crème fraîche, a little olive oil and some freshly-cracked pepper. Or try it with some smoked salmon and cubed cucumber, or with homemade garlic croutons. In small glasses, you've got a wonderful little starter!

Serves 2-4

2 ripe avocados

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

2 spring onions, finely chopped

juice of 2 limes

2 tbsps crème fraîche, plus a little extra to serve

200-250 ml cooled vegetable bouillon

small bunch of cilantro, save some sprigs for garnish

fleur de sel and freshly-cracked pepper

Put all of the ingredients in the blender and puree until you have a nice consistency. If you think the soup is too thick, add a little more stock. Chill the soup for at least half an hour and serve with a little crème fraîche, good olive oil and freshly-cracked pepper.

Petits pois à la française

One of the best things to eat come the springtime is fresh peas. They're so much sweeter than the frozen or tinned kind and certainly worth the effort. Especially in a traditional French dish such as petits pois à la française in which they're paired with salty chunks of smoky bacon, slightly caramelized shallots and crisp little gem lettuce.
It's a gorgeous lunch dish, but also wonderful when served next to a simple roast chicken or rack of lamb. I think I may be serving it for Easter dinner next Sunday, and I'll probably be gathering all my ingredients at the Saturday market in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Not sure what I'll make for dessert yet, but stay tuned. I'll keep you posted!
In the meantime, here's the recipe.

Petits pois à la française
Serves 4

1 kilo podded peas (about 400g cleaned)
knob of butter
8 shallots, quartered
185g smoked bacon, sliced into thick strips
175 ml good chicken stock
1 little gem lettuce, sliced into strips
fleur de sel
freshly cracked pepper

Clean your peas. Melt the knob of butter in a pan and once it starts to brown, add the shallots. Allow them to gently caramelize, tossing them around every now and then. Once they look soft and sweet (about 5 minutes), add the bacon and give that all about 2-3 minutes. Now toss in the peas along with a little salt and pepper. Give that another minute or two before adding in the stock and letting the dish cook with the lid on for 7-10 minutes. Finally, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the little gem lettuce with a bit more salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!

See how to make the recipe here:

French Gougeres

Gougeres are the perfect little appetizer. Originally from Bourgogne, these beautiful, golden puffs can be flavored with a variety of ingredients, but I love mine with blue cheese and spring onion. Serve them with a buttery chardonnay!

Makes 18
100 g buttter
200 ml water
fleur de sel
freshly cracked pepper
130 g flour
3 eggs
70 g blue cheese, crumbled
3 spring onions, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring the water with the butter and salt and peper to a boil and lower the heat once the butter is melted. Add the flour all at once and whisk it in well for about a minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs one by one, mixing them in well with a wooden spoon. Stir in the cheese and the spring onions. Using two spoons, drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto the baking sheet. Bake the gougeres for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot!

See how to make them here!

Warm Weekend in Bruxelles

Brussels, or Bruxelles, as I prefer to call this wonderful corner of the earth, is one of my favorite cities. I never get tired of standing in the middle of the Grand-Place, staring in amazement at the majestic  architecture of the buildings around me. So many beautiful details, such grandeur! I love sitting at one of the many terraces, with a cool Framboise beer at hand, people-watching and letting the hours slowly slip by. I can't get enough of the food. After all, who can resist mussels and thick-cut fries, rabbit in cherry gravy, crispy shrimp croquettes, a creamy vol-au-vent or some of the best chocolate on the planet? And, of course, being there is a perfect opportunity to practice my French.
Last weekend, we headed to Bruxelles to celebrate my birthday, and as luck would have it, we were treated to the first spring (perhaps even summer-like) days. All city weather boards were registering temperatures above 20C by the afternoon, and for one unforgettable weekend, winter seemed like a distant memory. We even ate outdoors in the evening on Saturday, albeit with a little help from a few overheaed heating lamps! Here is an impression of those two glorious days.

Loving Le Creuset

I promised to tell you about my birthday present in a previous post. No, I didn't get typical girly things like jewellery, perfume or a new pair of shoes. Instead I got another beautiful new pan! I am such a sucker for high-quality kitchenware such as Mauviel's copper pans (more on those later) and of course, Le Creuset.

My present: a gorgeous grill in aubergine!

The brand originated in the northern French town of Fresnoy-Le-Grand in 1925, and today it continues to export its beautiful cookware to more than sixty countries worldwide. 

My cake pan. Have also used it for terrines.

Not only is just about everything from Le Creuset stunning (they even make mugs and kitchen utensils!) but their items are sturdy, reliable and a pleasure to use. The cast iron pans have the ability to retain heat and keep food cold. Perfect for cooking and serving!

Two of my other Le Creuset pans.

My new, gorgeous aubergine grill will be my fourth Le Creuset pan. I have yet to use it, but just looking at it is a treat. Lifting it, is another story! A good steak, yes. That's what I'll make in this beauty first!

Le Printemps!

It's finally happening! It looks like spring is about to make its entrance again! And yes, I know. We had snow last year at Easter, but I'll remain hopeful that it won't happen again this year. I need the sun and crave long days and all the bright colors and smells (not to mention tastes -- strawberries anyone?) that come with spring.

This morning I checked the weather forecast for Brussels this weekend and was delighted to see we won't be freezing when we're sipping wine at a terrace. Or, when we're drinking champagne and eating seafood for lunch at La Mer du Nord. I'm excited like a kid at Christmas!
Spring for me also means gardening. And this year the 'to-do' list is pretty big. I need to get those tiles back to their original terracotta color. The lavender... what to do with the lavender? The bushes are so big that they're hiding away (overpowering!) the thyme. All the hedges need a good trim. Old plants need to be removed. And oh my lordy... the weeds! Let's just think about the fun stuff for now. Like the millions of red geraniums that I usually get as soon as all that hard work is done. Or the Ricards we'll drink while we toil away!

Who knows? I may even plant courgettes and tomatoes again this year!
In the meantime, I wanted to share this recipe with you -- one that is light, fresh and perfect for spring. It's hardly a recipe, though. More like a great idea for an awesome sandwich.

Simply spread some good-quality tuna salad on a slice of bread, top with roast beef, dot with truffle mayo and scatter with capers and fresh greens. If you're feeling naughty, add a nice handful of chips. And don't forget that wine. Remember, a meal without wine is breakfast!
Enjoy! For now, I'll be singing along with Brigitte to this mellow, little tune!

Weekend, Plans and My Birthday!

Oh man. Where would I be without hubby who always manages to bring out the sunshine in my day? As you probably know, we love going out for lunch on Saturdays. Wonderful, slow lunches washed down with wine and filled with great conversation and plans for the future. Whether it be at one of our favorite restaurants, such as Bel Ami in Bussum, or at a new place -- it has turned into the highlight of our week, and it is something we both very much look forward to.

This Saturday, however, I wasn't really in the mood for some reason. "Let's just make something and stay home," I told him. But the boy wasn't having it. Off to Hilversum we went. To that restaurant called Rex which we had visited right before the autumn turned colder on what was probably one of our last outdoor meals.

This time we ate inside, and this time I chose their 'house salad' with all sorts of goodies including crayfish, grilled tuna, Jamon Iberico and lobster mayo. It went down a treat, first with a glass of Chardonnay and then with a glass of Provence rosé.

I'm so happy I listened to hubby, dusted myself off and went out to lunch. My Saturday would have probably looked very different had I decided to stay home.

For one, I wouldn’t have scored this fantastic Zola, or The Catcher in the Rye (for my teen, Kirstie).

And he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be sneaky enough to pull me into Oldenhoff for a birthday present (more on that later!).

The rest of the afternoon was spent listening to Wende Snijders singing in French. We saw her twice during her ‘French’ period and each time she moved me to tears. Have a look at her here and here. I’m sure you’ll agree.

And when the evening fell, we drank bubbly with crystallized violets from Toulouse....

and later enjoyed a nice dinner of slowly stewed veal with truffle risotto and rucola -- a dish he had tasted at a restaurant. I just had to recreate it for us. It turned out pretty well, I must say.

We opened a bottle of one of our favorite wines from Duras (my heart’s home), and we happily ate and drank while listening to old French records and making plans for next weekend.

I am going to continue my birthday celebration (officially this Thursday) from Bruxelles! I can’t wait to have a damn sexy seafood lunch at La Mer du Nord and eat a proper steak-frites at the Drug Opera! My mid-30s are still rocking -- and man will they continue to rock!

France...

And this is where my love for France has led me. These wonderful places have inspired me to produce articles for a wide variety of publications...

Côte Chalonnaise

La Tupina, Bordeaux

Bordeaux

Toulouse

Duras

DUTCH

Working for DUTCH, the magazine has led me to some of the most beautiful places in the Netherlands. Here are just a few...

Marknesse

Zeeland

The Green Heart

Volendam

Renesse

Amsterdam