Category: all year

Stuffed Portobello

3 September 2026

Portobello mushrooms are mature chestnut mushrooms (also known as common mushroom, champignon de Paris, button mushroom, cremini etcetera). Ideal to stuff and serve as a starter. We found them stuffed with ratatouille, with blue cheese and walnuts, with shrimps, with sausage and peppers: it seems anything goes! We decided to remain close to the flavour of the mushroom by stuffing them with chestnut mushrooms, shiitake and oregano. We topped them with taleggio, a semi-soft cheese from Italy with a mild taste. It melts easily, so you need to keep an eye on your oven! If you can’t get hold of taleggio, then use mozzarella instead and add a bit more flavour to the mushroom stuffing.

Wine Pairing

We decided to enjoy a glass of Viognier, made by Domaine Coudoulet in the Languedoc (France). The wine has aromas of peach and anise. The taste is fresh with a hint of orange zest. In general, we recommend a fresh, lightly fruity, unoaked white wine.

What You Need
  • For the Mushroom Stuffing
    • 150 grams of Button Mushrooms and Shiitake
    • one small Shallot
    • one Garlic Clove
    • Oregano
    • Black Pepper
    • (Excellent) Olive Oil
  • 2 Portobello mushrooms
  • Taleggio
What You Do
  1. Clean and chop the button mushrooms and shiitake
  2. Finely chop the oregano, the shallot and the garlic
  3. Gently fry the shallot in olive oil in a heavy iron skillet
  4. Add the mushrooms and fry on medium heat
  5. Reduce heat
  6. Add herbs and garlic
  7. Continue on low heat for 10-15 minutes
  8. Transfer the mushroom mix to a plate and let cool
  9. Add some olive oil to make the mixture smoother
  10. Taste and add some black pepper
  11. Store in the refrigerator
  12. Preheat your oven to 180 °C or 355 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  13. Remove the stem of the portobello
  14. Using a small spoon, scrape out the dark gills from the caps
  15. Generously brush both sides of the caps with olive oil
  16. Slice the taleggio (with crust!)
  17. Stuff the portobello with the mushroom mixture and top with slices of cheese
  18. If you’re a true lover of taleggio: add a slice of cheese to the cap before stuffing with the mushroom mixture
  19. Transfer the mushrooms to the oven for 15 minutes
  20. (optional) During the last minutes increase to 200 °C or 400 °F
  21. Serve immediately.
Stuffed Portobello ©cadwu with button mushrooms, oregano and taleggio
Stuffed Portobello ©cadwu

Comme chez Soi

20 August 2026

June 19th, 1926. Georges Cuvelier opens Chez Georges, a small neighbourhood restaurant in Brussels. One of the regulars told the chef: “Georges, chez vous, on mange comme chez soi” (meaning “Georges, in your restaurant one eats like at home”) which was meant as a compliment. The comment triggered a name change.

Georges Cuveliers daughter Simone married Louis Wijnants. Together they owned and managed the restaurant, now called Comme chez Soi. They focused on Belgian cuisine, local ingredients and quality. In 1966 their son Pierre Wijnants took over. He would become one of the finest and most celebrated chefs of Belgium. In 1979 the restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars.

Today the restaurant is owned by Laurence Wynants and Lionel Rigolet. It has one Michelin star.

A five course menu at Comme chez Soi will cost you 195 euro (225 US dollar) and with wine selection 270 euro (315 US dollar) per person. This summer the restaurant serves courses like cod fillet, candied ginger, parsley coulis, kohlrabi, Ndongo Bella Congo pepper and peach, nectarine, apricot, shortbread and a light lemon thyme mousse with verbena espuma.

Dining at Comme chez Soi is a bit above our budget, so we very happy to buy Fijnproeven in België, a book that celebrates the cuisine of Belgium. It’s written by Pierre Wijnants and Lionel Rigolet with beautiful photo’s by Tony Le Duc. It features wonderful dishes such as jelly of salmon, tea, lemon and tarragon and soup with cream, eel and hop shoots plus traditional Belgium dishes such as mashed potatoes with onions.

We decided to prepare frog legs with morels, fava beans, green asparagus, chervil, cream and lemon. We replaced the frog legs with organic chicken thighs because the frog population is in decline and frog farms are the worst ever.

The combination was very tasty and surprisingly light, with various textures and a rich sauce. 

The suggestion is to pair the dish with a glass of bourgogne, more specifically a glass of Clos du Cellier aux Moines, Givry Premier Cru, a red wine made with 100% pinot noir grapes from the Côte Chalonnaise in France. We served the dish with a pinot noir made by La Cour Des Dames. In general you’re looking for a red, medium bodied wine with aromas of berries and floral notes. The tannins should be soft or well-integrated. 

PS

The book includes quotes from guests including one that reads “Pourqoi est-ce meilleur que chez moi?” meaning “Why is it better than at my place?”

Chicken, Asparagus, Morels and Fava Beans ©cadwu based on a recipe from Comme chez Soi
Comme chez Soi with recipes from Pierre Wijnants and Lionel Rigolet

Shiitake and Lion’s Mane with Udon

13 August 2026

The combination of Lion’s Mane and Shiitake brings lots of umami. It pairs wonderfully with the aromatic ginger, the udon and the soy sauce. The Lion’s Mane is fried and slightly crispy. The overall flavour of the dish is long and complex. The Shiitake is essential in the sauce and the fried Lion’s Mane brings depth and texture. Simple and delicious!

Udon is very popular in Japan and Korea. It’s made with wheat flour, water and salt. It can be served hot or cold. Different from Italian pasta, you don’t need to add salt to the cooking water. Furthermore the noodle has to be rinsed with cold water before using it in a dish, which is an absolute no-go in Italian cuisine.

Wine Pairing

The obvious choice would be a white wine, one with some floral notes and sweetness. However, the taste of the fried lion’s mane allows you to serve a red wine. We enjoyed a glass of Bardolino, made by Monte del Frà from Italy. The grapes used are Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. It is a well-balanced, vibrant red wine with lots of fruit and a hint of spices. Medium acidity.
In general, you’re looking for a refreshing red wine with lots of fruit that should be served slightly chilled (15°C – 17°C  or 59°F – 63°F).

What You Need
  • 75 grams of Shiitake
  • 75 grams of Lion’s Mane
  • 1 bunch of Udon (90 grams)
  • 2 cm fresh Ginger
  • 2 teaspoons of Soy Sauce (reduced salt)
  • 1 teaspoon of Oyster Sauce
  • Vegetable Stock
  • 1 tablespoon of (Marukin) Concentrated Dashi Stock
  • 2 teaspoons of Sesame Oil
  • (Olive) Oil
  • Black Pepper
What You Do
  1. Clean the shiitake with kitchen paper and remove the stems
  2. Slice the shiitake
  3. Clean the lion’s mane by removing discoloured and/or soft parts
  4. Slice the lion’s mane (1 cm or 0.5 in)
  5. Peel the ginger and chop finely
  6. Cook the udon according to the instruction on the package in boiling water (no salt needed)
  7. Heat a heavy iron pan, add some oil and fry the shiitake, reduce heat
  8. Add ginger
  9. After a few minutes add vegetable stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce and concentrated dashi stock to the pan with the shiitake
  10. Add oil to a second heavy iron skillet and fry the lion’s mane until golden
  11. When the udon is ready, drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water
  12. Add the udon to the pan with the shiitake and the sauce, combine and adjusts
  13. Perhaps you need to add some extra vegetable stock
  14. Warm through and through
  15. Add black pepper
  16. Taste and adjust
  17. Just before serving add some sesame oil
  18. Plate up and serve the lion’s mane on top of the dish
PS

We love using Marukin Concentrated Dashi Stock in combination with udon and mushrooms. You can make your own by adding some mirin and soy sauce to a cup of strong dashi.

Shiitake and Lion's Mane with Udon ©cadwu made with ginger, soy sauce, dashi, mirin and sesame oil
Shiitake and Lion’s Mane with Udon ©cadwu

Zhug

6 August 2026

A few weeks ago Gido and Lien, owners of the now closed vegetarian restaurant Betty’s in Amsterdam, mailed us a recipe for Zhoug (also known as Zhug, Skhug or Schug), a hot sauce from Yemen. It combines cilantro, parsley, red or green peppers and various spices. Lien and Gido use a combination of spices known as Serinissima, produced by the French company Roellinger. Not something we have in our cupboard, so we used the ingredients as mentioned by Roellinger.

Zhug is spicy, bold, bright and intense. We enjoyed Zhug with crusted bread. We could imagine it’s also very tasty with falafel, grilled fish, oven roasted vegetables or fresh tomatoes.

What You Need
  • 30 grams of fresh Cilantro
  • 15 grams of fresh Parsley (leaves only)
  • Excellent Olive Oil
  • 1 small clove of Garlic
  • ½ Jalapeño
  • 2 teaspoons in total of
    • Clove
    • Ginger Powder
    • Melegueta Pepper (Grains of Paradise)
    • Saffron
    • Cumin
  • Black Pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon of Salt
  • Lemon Juice to taste
What You Do
  1. Grate the cloves, ground the Melegueate pepper and the cumin
  2. Combine grated clove, grounded pepper, ginger powder, saffron and grounded cumin
  3. Coarsely chop the garlic and the jalapeño. For a less spicy zhug remove seeds and membrane
  4. Add all ingredients, except the lemon juice and the olive oil to a kitchen aid or food processor
  5. Add olive oil
  6. Pulse to make a pesto-like substance
  7. Add some lemon juice to taste
  8. Pulse until it has a consistency you like
  9. Transfer to a glass jar, add some olive oil on top
  10. We prefer to enjoy zhug the next day
Zhug ©cadwu made with cilantro, parsley, olive oil, lemon and jalapeño

Eggs with Mayonnaise

23 July 2026

Œufs Dur Mayonnaise is a classic French bistro dish. Beginning of the 20th century the instruction was simple: make mayonnaise (egg yolk, white wine vinegar, oil, salt and white pepper), quarter or halve hard boiled eggs and place these on a layer of mayonnaise.
Today’s versions use mayonnaise with mustard. Delia Smith adds garlic to her mayonnaise.
Presentation-wise the eggs are topped with mayonnaise and served with lettuce, cornichons or olives. Another possibility is to serve the halved eggs as a dome, covered with mayonnaise.

Œufs Dur Mayonnaise may look simple, and perhaps you think it’s too simple to be a starter on its own. It’s actually very nice, if you use quality ingredients and make your own mayonnaise. Its simplicity doesn’t allow you to cheat (boil the eggs days in advance, overcook them, use cheap eggs, use ready made mayonnaise etcetera).

Today’s recipes suggest leaving the egg yolk slightly creamy. After having tried a number of cuissons (donenesses if that’s a word!) we think it’s best to use hard boiled eggs. We rely on our Emerio egg cooker to create the perfect egg!

Drink Pairing

The taste of Œufs Dur Mayonnaise is savoury, mineral and rich. The mayonnaise gives a velvety mouthfeel. As this is a classic bistro dish, we suggest a simple white wine, nicely cooled, or a beer, or a glass of cold water.

What You Need
  • fresh, organic Eggs
  • Mayonnaise
  • (optional) Chervil
What You Do
  1. Prepare mayonnaise. We suggest adding a bit more mustard and vinegar than usual
  2. Prepare hard boiled eggs
  3. Peel the eggs and let cool
  4. Halve the eggs and add some mayonnaise on top
  5. (optional) decorate with chervil
PS

The number of bistro’s in France went down from some 170.000 in the 1960’s to 35.000 in the 2020’s. Œufs Dur Mayonnaise became unpopular: eggs contain a high amount of cholesterol and mayonnaise is high-fat food and calorie-dense. In 2018 L’Association pour la Sauvegarde de l’Œuf Mayonnaise (the association to protect Œuf Mayonnaise) was founded, to promote the dish and bring it back to the table. The Association organises an annual championship. The 2026 winner of the award was restaurant Au Rêve in Paris (Œufs Mayonnaise is on the menu for 4 euro).

Eggs with Mayonnaise ©cadwu also known as Oeuf Mayonnaise is made with excellent organic eggs and home made mayonnaise.
Eggs with Mayonnaise ©cadwu

Salade Piémontaise

16 July 2026

In the 1860’s Lucien Olivier was chef of the restaurant Hermitage in Moscow. The restaurant served a dish with luxurious ingredients, such as pheasant, caviar, lobster, tongue, potatoes, pickles and lettuce with a sauce, perhaps sauce Provençal. These ingredients were served separately on one plate. One evening some of the guests combined the ingredients into one dish, which was not the intention of chef Olivier, but when he tasted it, he found that the blend worked very well. He improved the sauce by adding one or more secret ingredients and the Olivier Salad was born!
It quickly became a very popular dish at the restaurant.

Sadly the recipe for the original Olivier Salad is not known. One of his sous chefs, Ivan Ivanov, wrote down what he thought was the recipe (without the secret ingredients, obviously), became head chef at another restaurant and sold the recipe to various publishers. It became known as Russian Salad. As more often, the popular version is made with less expensive ingredients, such as ham, chicken, carrots, green peas and mayonnaise.

In 1909 Tsar Nicholas II visited King Victor Emmanuel III in Racconigi, some 35 kilometres south of Turin. Russian chefs explained to their Italian colleagues how to prepare Russian salad. The Italian chefs used vegetables from the royal gardens such as carrots, peas, beans and potatoes (which we think is a bit odd given the luxurious ingredients of the original). The salad was decorated with cream to evoke the snow of the Russian steppes. It became very popular in the Savoy region, a region that included the Principality of Piedmont and the County of Nice, among others. In the south of France it is known as Salade Piémontaise.

The anecdote about the creation of the Olivier Salad seems credible, but is it? The second edition of The Modern Cook by Charles Elmé Francatelli (chef to Queen Victoria) was published in 1846. Recipe number 1215 is for…. Russian Salad! It is made with lobster, thunny (‘tuna’ we think), anchovies, crayfish, prawn tails, stuffed olives, capers and red mayonnaise (a combination of lobster coral, mayonnaise, cayenne pepper and mustard), to be served in a vegetable border (made with cauliflower, asparagus, beans, peas, potatoes, artichoke bottoms and aspic).
Two great chefs think alike?

We can’t recreate the Olivier Salad, but we can follow Francatelli’s instructions and make an original Russian salad.
Anyone?

Our version of the Salade Piémontaise is based on the salad as sold by the Boucherie de France in Nice. It’s a surprisingly light dish that allows you to enjoy all ingredients, thanks to the lemon juice and the fairly neutral mayonnaise.

Wine Pairing

Piemonte is well known for its great wines, such as Barolo and Barbaresco, both made with Nebbiolo grapes. We decided to go for a more simple wine from the region, produced by Fontanafredda and made with 100% Barbera grapes. A wine that is fruity (black berries, plums) with low tannins and a relatively high acidity, which is very nice with the salad.

What You Need
  • 250 grams of Potatoes
  • 125 grams of Ham (one slice)
  • 200 grams of ripe, excellent Tomatoes
  • 1 organic Egg
  • 10 Cornichons
  • Black Pepper
  • Lemon Juice
  • Mayonnaise
What You Do
  1. Steam the potatoes, let cool, peel and dice
  2. Dice the ham
  3. De-seed the tomatoes and slice, same size as the potatoes and the ham
  4. Steam or boil the egg, let cool and dice
  5. Slice the cornichons
  6. Combine the ingredients
  7. Coat with mayonnaise and mix gently
  8. Add lemon juice, black pepper and adjust
  9. Leave in the refrigerator until cool
  10. Serve with crusted bread
PS

In 1852 Francatelli published A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes to help poorer members of society. The book contains 241 recipes with inexpensive ingredients. Not just royalty and exclusivity for him!

Salade Piémontaise ©cadwu made with tomatoes, potatoes, gherkins, egg, ham, lemon juice, black pepper and home made mayonnaise
Salade Piémontaise ©cadwu

Garlic Soup

11 June 2026

A few weeks ago John Rieber wrote about the miracle of garlic. He also explains the 10-minute rule and the way it creates additional benefits when using garlic. His post includes a recipe for a garlicky soup, a variation of Avgolemono.

The post made us think of ‘knofsoep’ (in English it would be ‘garsoup’) as described by author, poet and performer Johnny Van Doorn in 1988. He was known for his ecstatic performances, enabled by the use of various substances. His knofsoep, based on a recipe from Roman times, helped him through the day. The soup is uplifting, supports overall health and more specifically the liver. It is to be served with crusted bread and a glass of wine.
We adjusted the recipe slightly by using vegetable stock and adding some chives. The soup has a very mild, sweet garlic flavour (thanks to not roasting or frying the garlic) and complexity thanks to the herbs and the clove.

The original recipe (in Dutch) is available in his diary Door de Weken Heen, available for 5 euros, second hand only.

What You Need
  • 500 ml Vegetable Stock
  • 8 cloves of Garlic
  • 1 starchy Potato
  • Olive Oil
  • Bouquet Garni (Thyme, Sage, Rosemary, Parsley, Bay Leaf)
  • 1 Clove
  • 2 crushed Black Peppers
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Chives
  • (optional) Black Pepper
  • (optional) Salt
What You Do
  1. Bring the stock to a boil
  2. Add garlic and potato
  3. Reduce the heat
  4. Add a small tablespoon of olive oil
  5. Add bouquet garni, clove and crushed black peppers
  6. After 40 minutes pass the soup through a sieve
  7. Use a spoon to capture all the flavours of the ingredients
  8. Reheat the soup
  9. Taste and adjust (salt, pepper)
  10. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and chives
Garlic Soup ©cadwu made with garlic, potatoes, clove, bouquet garni, vegetable stock and decorated with parmesan cheese and chives
Garlic Soup ©cadwu

Mapo Tofu with Mushrooms

4 June 2026

The aromas and flavours of Mapo Tofu are powerful, also thanks to the use of Sichuan pepper. It gives the dish a floral, citrusy touch. The combination of silky, soft tofu with ground pork, Chili Bean sauce and scallions is very rich. It’s a delicious, heart-warming dish.
In this version we replace the meat with mushrooms (Wood Ear turned out to be the best choice, but Shiitake will also be fine). We think it’s a lighter, equally tasty but different, version of Mapo Tofu.

Sichuan pepper is not related to black pepper or chili. It’s actually not spicy. It causes a pleasant numbing sensation on your tongue and lips, for a few minutes only, which is surprisingly nice when eating spicy food. We recommend lightly toasting the peppers before grinding or crushing them.

Serving Mapo Tofu with rice is a great idea. Or enjoy it with some Bok Choy (Pak Choi) simmered in a combination of oyster and soy sauce.

Drink Pairing

Jasmine tea is an obvious choice. It has a nice aroma and floral taste. The combination with the spices and the Sichuan pepper works really well.

What You Need
  • 100 grams of fresh Wood Ear (or 25 grams dried Wood Ear)
  • 300 grams of Silken Tofu
  • 100 ml Vegetarian Stock
  • 2 tablespoons light Soy Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Mirin
  • 3 teaspoons Sesame Oil
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 small Onion
  • 1 Scallions
  • 3 teaspoons of chopped Fresh Ginger
  • ½ -1 tablespoon Chili Bean Sauce (Douban, Toban-Djan)
  • 1-2 teaspoons Black Bean Sauce (Douchi)
  • 1 teaspoon of Red Sichuan Pepper
  • Oil
  • Cornstarch
  • Rice
  • Pickled Spicy Cucumber
What You Do
  1. Toast the Sichuan peppers lightly in a non-stick pan
  2. Remove the peppers from the pan and let cool
  3. Pre-heat your oven to 65 °C or 150 °F
  4. Cook the rice according to the instruction on the package
  5. Chop the onion, the garlic and the fresh ginger
  6. Slice the scallions and separate the white from the green
  7. Clean and slice the mushrooms
  8. Slice the tofu and make cubes (2 cm, 1 inch)
  9. Warm the stock
  10. Add oil to the pan and fry the mushrooms
  11. After a few minutes, add soy sauce, mirin and sesame oil
  12. Combine and leave to simmer for a few minutes
  13. Remove from the pan and keep warm in the oven
  14. Grind the Sichuan peppers coarsely
  15. Add oil to the pan
  16. Fry the white part of the scallions, the onion, the garlic and the ginger
  17. Add the chili bean sauce and fry. Enjoy the aromas!
  18. Add half of the grounded Sichuan pepper
  19. Add the stock, the tofu, the mushrooms and the black bean sauce
  20. Use a spatula to mix
  21. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes or so until the sauce is nicely reduced and the flavours mixed
  22. In the meantime, finely crush the remaining Sichuan pepper
  23. Use cornstarch to create the right consistency
  24. Just before serving sprinkle with Sichuan pepper and the green of the scallions.
  25. Add spicy pickled cucumber to the rice
  26. Assemble and serve
Mapo Tofu with Mushrooms ©cadwu made with wood ear and Sichuan pepper
Mapo Tofu with Mushrooms ©cadwu

Lion’s Mane

28 May 2026

If you search for Lion’s Mane mushrooms, you will find lots of references to supplements with wonderful health benefits, ranging from supporting longevity to improved cognitive functions. It’s also supposed to have antibiotic, anti-fatigue and anti-ageing properties. Sounds great, but how do the fresh mushrooms taste?

Lion’s Mane (also known as Yamabushitake and Hou Tou Gu) is a mushroom native to North America, Asia and Europe. Their flavour and texture sets them apart from many other mushrooms. A bit sweet, mild, some umami, subtle, a hint of seafood (crab, lobster). The texture meaty and elastic with a unique structure thanks to the spines.

Alan Bergo (the Forager Chef) uses them to make crab cakes. He writes: This is one of my all-time favorites. I guarantee this is so good, some people may not be able to tell it’s a crabcake made from mushrooms instead of crab.

We thought it would be nice to make a dish with various flavours, allowing us to taste the mushroom on its own, but also with the Tomato Confit and Polenta. Combining it with tomato enhanced the flavour of the mushroom and made it more complex (sweet, sour, umami, aromatic). The combination with Polenta was nice, perhaps because of the various textures.

Wine Pairing

Grüner Veltliner is a wine typical for Austria, with flavours such as lime, grapefruit and white pepper. We enjoyed a glass of Grüner Veltliner, made by Eisacktal Valle Isarco, from the Alto Adige region in Italy. It is fruity, fresh and slightly spicy with clear acidity. Very nice with the flavours in the dish. In general we suggest a fresh, dry white wine with hints of green apple and/or citrus. 

What You Need
  • Mushrooms
    • 100 grams of Lion’s Mane
    • Olive Oil
  • Polenta
    • Polenta
    • Vegetable Stock (optional)
    • Parmesan Cheese
    • Thyme
  • Tomatoes
    • Tomatoes
    • Thyme
    • Rosemary
    • Garlic
    • Olive Oil
What You Do
  1. Day before
    1. Cook (in vegetable stock) the polenta according to the package until ready
    2. Add some Parmesan cheese and thyme
    3. Pour the polenta on a plate and smooth it into an even layer (1,5 centimetres) with a spatula
    4. Cool to room temperature
    5. Cover with foil
    6. Transfer to the refrigerator for use the next day.
  2. A few hours before
    1. Wash and dry the tomatoes and add these to a baking dish
    2. Chop the garlic
    3. Add herbs, garlic and a generous amount of olive oil to the dish
    4. Put in the oven for something like 2 hours on 90 °C or 200 °F
    5. Baste the tomatoes once or twice
    6. Don’t forget to use the cooking liquid as well, it’s another pack of flavours!
  3. Preheat your oven to 65 °C or 150 °F
  4. Turn out the polenta onto a cutting board
  5. Cut it into a shape you like (strips, triangles, circles)
  6. Fry in relatively hot olive oil in a non-stick pan until golden, probably 2*5 minutes. 
  7. In parallel clean the mushroom and slice (not too thin)
  8. Fry in olive oil until golden brown, probably 2*2 minutes
  9. Transfer to the oven
  10. Leave for 5 minutes in the oven
  11. Add just a hint of black pepper to the mushrooms before serving.
  12. Assemble and serve on a warm plate.
PS

Best to buy young mushrooms, the size of a tennis ball.

Fried Lion's Mane ©cadwu served with fried polenta and confit of tomato
Slice of Lion's Mane Mushroom ©cadwu
Lion's Mane Mushroom ©cadwu

Royal Carrot Cake

27 April 2026

Today, April 27th, we celebrate the birthday ol King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. Hip hip hurray!
The Dutch royal family is also known as ‘de Oranjes’, which is reflected in the use of the colour orange when referring to Dutch royalty. There is no link between the royal family and the colour. The ‘orange’ in their name refers to the French city of Orange, a Principality one of his ancestors inherited in 1544.
Over the years we prepared Orange Sabayon, Queen’s Soup, Orange and Almond Cake, Bouchée à la Reine, Orange Flan, Canard à l’Orange, Baba au Mandarine Napoléon and Orange Parfait on this day.

This year we prepare a Carrot Cake. Given its English origin we thought it would be best to use an English recipe as a starting point. What better cookbook to use than Harrods Book of Traditional English Cookery by Hilaire Walden! It includes recipes for dishes such Jugged Kippers, Rabbit in the Dairy and Dorset Apple Cake. Buy this wonderful book via the usual channels for a few euros or dollars.

Bake the cake 2 days before serving. Add the topping, transfer to the refrigerator and serve cold.

The recipe is for a 19 cm (7,5 inch) baking tin and the cake will serve 8 people.

What You Need
  • Cake
    • 125 grams of Butter
    • 150 grams of light Brown Sugar
    • 3 Organic Eggs
    • 3 teaspoons of Orange Rind
    • 15 ml of Lemon Juice
    • 175 grams of Flour
    • 8 grams of Baking Powder
    • 35 grams of ground White Almonds
    • 75 grams of chopped Walnuts
    • 50 grams of White Raisins
    • 250 grams of grated Carrot
  • Topping
    • 200 grams of Soft Cheese
    • 1 teaspoon of Honey
    • 1 tablespoon of Lemon Juice
    • 25 grams of chopped Walnuts
    • 45 grams of white Marzipan for the carrots
    • 10 grams of white Marzipan for the green part
    • Food colouring: Red, Yellow and Green
What You Do (Cake)
  1. Preheat your oven to 180 °C or 350 °F, traditional
  2. Coat a round cake tin with butter
  3. Coarsely grind the almonds
  4. Coarsely grind the walnuts
  5. Sift flour and baking powder and combine
  6. Soak the raisins for 10 minutes; discard the water
  7. Grate the carrot
  8. Grate the orange rind
  9. Melt the butter until soft 
  10. Combine butter and sugar until relatively fluffy
  11. Combine flour, baking powder, chopped walnuts and almonds
  12. Separate the eggs
  13. Whisk the egg whites until stiff
  14. Add the egg yolks to the butter and sugar mixture, combine
  15. Add orange rind, raisins and lemon juice to the mixture, combine using a spoon
  16. Add the combination of flour, baking powder and nuts to the mixture
  17. Add carrots to the mixture and combine
  18. Fold in the egg white
  19. Transfer to the oven for 50 minutes
  20. Leave to cool on a wire rack
  21. Keeps well on room temperature for at least 2 days
What You Do (Topping)
  1. Make 3 small orange balls
  2. Press these into the shape of a carrot
  3. Use a knife to make a few superficial slices
  4. Roll out the green marzipan, cut out 3 circles and create the green part
  5. Beat cheese, honey and lemon juice
  6. Taste and adjust; we added extra lemon juice
  7. Spread evenly over the cake
  8. Sprinkle with walnuts
  9. Decorate with three carrots
  10. Once you’ve added the topping, store in the refrigerator
Carrot Cake ©cadwu made with almonds, walnuts, white raisins, organic eggs and grated carrot, topped with soft cheese with honey and lemon juice
Three Carrots ©cadwu made with white marzipan and food colouring