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An invitation to Indian Cooking

16 November 2023

Recently we reviewed An invitation to Indian Cooking (published in 1973) by Madhur Jaffrey as part of the ongoing cookbook review project by Bernadette. When we leaved through the book we were looking for something special, something new and exciting to prepare. Dal soup (the classic Indian soup made with red lentils, onion, various spices and perhaps ginger or orange) was not on our radar, until we read her recipe. Interesting! Yellow Split Peas? Cloves? Croutons? Let’s start cooking!
The soup was very tasty and uplifting. The split peas brought structure to the soup, making this soup different compared to lentil-based dal soup. The combination of peas and cloves is one to remember.

Asafoetida

We’re always interested in new ways to prepare mushrooms, so when we spotted a recipe with cumin and asafoetida (asafetida) we immediately knew we wanted to prepare this dish. But what is actually asafoetida and where to buy it?
The first thing to know about asafoetida is that it has an extremely powerful aroma. Its taste and smell are a combination of onion and garlic. We bought 25 grams at Jacob Hooy which is Amsterdam’s premium shop for spices. The Dutch name is Duivels Drek and the German name Stinkasant. Both names are a clear indication of its pungent smell.
Mushrooms, tomatoes, various spices and asafoetida: we didn’t know what to expect of the dish. The result was delicious, aromatic (in a subtle way) and a tribute to the tomatoes and mushrooms, with a long-lasting taste. We loved it. Mrs. Jaffrey suggest serving the mushrooms with chapatis or pooris. Recipes are included in her book, obviously!

Mushrooms with Cumin and Asafetida ©cadwu

The Book

An invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey is a comprehensive introduction to the Indian kitchen, one with reliable, easy to follow, tasty recipes and useful background information. The book includes chapters on meat, chicken, fish, dal, soups, vegetables, chutneys, breads and desserts. Which reminds us of our plan to make Kulfi (ice cream with milk and cardamon pods).
An invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey is available via your local bookstore or the usual channels for 15 euro or 18 US$.

Recipes can be found on Bernadette’s website.

An invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey ©cadwu

Farfalle with Fennel and Zucchini

9 November 2023

It was our last evening in Paris and we wondered what to do? Book a table at a nice local restaurant? Or enjoy drinks and dinner in our lovely apartment? Obviously, we decided to stay in. We looked in our refrigerator, did some shopping and sat down with a nice glass of Pinot Blanc and some shrimps. The plan was to make a rich, creamy pasta dish with fennel, zucchini and pancetta.
Thanks to the mild aniseed flavour of the fennel, the dish has a surprisingly uplifting taste. The (peeled) zucchini also benefits from the aniseed flavour and remains tasty and present.

Wine Pairing

Being in France we opened a bottle of Côtes du Rhône produced by Maison M. Chapoutier. This is a red wine made with Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah grapes. The wine has some fruit, a touch of pepper and mild tannins. A traditional French red wine.

If you prefer an Italian wine with the pasta, then we would suggest a glass of Bardolino, for instance the one produced by Monte del Frà. The wine has a beautiful deep red colour, and the aromas made us think of red fruit and perhaps pepper. The wine is medium bodied with some acidity. It will combine very well with both the lightness in the dish and the creaminess.
In general, you’re looking for a fruity red wine with a touch of acidity, for example Chianti Classico, Montepulciano or Barbera.

What You Need

1 small Fennel
1 small Zucchini (Courgette)
1 Shallot
80 grams of organic Pancetta
1 Garlic Clove
1 Bay Leaf
Piment Doux
Cream
Parmesan Cheese
Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Farfalle

What You Do

Finely chop the shallot and the fennel
Add olive oil to a warm skillet and gently fry the shallot and the fennel
Peel the zucchini, slice and quarter
Dice the pancetta
Chop the garlic
Now add the zucchini and the pancetta to the pan
Increase the heat and fry for one or two minutes, just to add colour
Reduce the heat, add the garlic, the bay leaf and the piment doux
Add the farfalle to the boiling water and cook according to the instruction on the package
Leave the pan on low heat for a few minutes
Now add the cream and the Parmesan cheese
Stir and taste
When the farfalle is ready, add it to the pan
Combine and add some cooking liquid to the sauce if needed
Remove the bay leaf, add some fresh black pepper and serve
We decorated the dish with a slice of grilled pancetta

Farfalle with Fennel and Zucchini ©cadwu

Pike Perch with Shrimps and Dill

2 November 2023

Pike Perch (zander, snoekbaars, sandre) is one of the tastiest, flavour-packed freshwater fish. The flesh is white, firm and lean and the taste is delicate, mild and perhaps a touch sweet. It combines very well, for instance with this delicious shrimp-based sauce with dill. It seems to be a bit of work, but when you prepare the bisque-like sauce in advance, then it’s actually a very quick recipe.

Wine Pairing

We opened a bottle of Domaine Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet 2022. This is a white wine from the South of France between Narbonne and Montpellier. The terroir (think calcareous soil, clay, quartz) is influenced by the sea, which is reflected in the mineral taste of the wine.
If you feel like spending more money, then we suggest a glass of Chablis. In general you’re looking for a refreshing, unoaked white wine with minerality and fresh acidity.

What You Need

Pike Perch fillets
Butter
For the Bisque
- 300 grams of unpeeled small Grey Shrimps
- Tomato Paste
- 1 Shallot
- 1 Garlic Clove
- Dill
- Olive oil
- Saffron
- Cognac
- Salt
- Butter

What You Do

Start by peeling the shrimps. It’s a very simple, mindfulness exercise. Remove the heads and discard. Use the shells for the bisque and transfer the bodies of the shrimps to the refrigerator. Chop the shallot and the garlic. Gently glaze the shallot for 10 minutes or so in olive oil. Add the shells and the garlic. Increase the heat for a few seconds. Add some water. Stir. Add tomato paste, dill and saffron. Add a splash of cognac and a pinch of salt. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Pass the liquid through a fine sieve. Make sure you get all the lovely juices. Reduce the liquid until it’s powerful. Cool and set aside.
Transfer the shrimps from the refrigerator. In a non-stick pan heat some butter and fry the pike-perch. In parallel warm the bisque. Use ice cold butter to make the sauce thicker and richer. Plate up by creating a pool of sauce. Place the fried fish somewhat in the middle of the sauce. Add the shrimps and finish with some fresh dill.

Orecchiette alla Barese

26 October 2023

A traditional dish from the city of Bari in Puglia, Italy. The main ingredients are orecchiette and rapini.
Orecchiette is an ear shaped pasta, typical for this region. Its surface is a bit rough, and the centre (the dent) is thinner than the edge. Its shape makes it ideal for a sauce with structure.
Rapini (Cime di rapa) will no doubt make you think of broccoli, which is not our favourite vegetable. Rapini has more bitterness and character. It is completely edible, including the stem and the leaves. If broccoli is about the florets, rapini is about the stem. If your greengrocer doesn’t sell rapini, then feel free to go for bimi or broccoli and make sure to add bitterness (we added one anchovy to the sauce).
As more often with traditional dishes, it’s not completely clear what the other ingredients are. Anchovies? Italian Sausage? Breadcrumbs? Peccorini? Tomatoes? Garlic?

Wine Pairing

A wine from Puglia will of course combine very well with this dish. Red wines in this region are made from the primitivo grape (also known as zinfandel). In general the wines are fuller bodied, with some acidity, good structure and lots of sunny flavours (blackberries, perhaps chocolate).

What You Need

200 grams of Rapini
150 grams of Italian Sausage
¼ teaspoon Chilli Flakes
Orecchiette
One Anchovy
Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil

What You Do

Steam or blanch the rapini
Drain and chop (1 centimeter or inch pieces is fine)
Heat a pan, add some olive oil and the sausage meat
Fry until nicely brown
Remove the meat from the pan
Add some oil and the anchovy
Cook on low heat until the anchovy dissolves (a fork may be useful)
Add the orecchiette to a pan with boiling water and cook until al dente
In parallel prepare the sauce by adding the meat, the chilli flakes, and the vegetables to the pan with the anchovy. Mix
Happy with the sauce?
Remove the pasta from the water and transfer to the sauce. Combine. You may need to add some cooking liquid to the pan.
We served our orecchiette with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional) on warm plates.

Mushroom Season

19 October 2023

So far this year’s mushroom season has been great with lots of delicious Cèpes, Bay Boletes, Birch Boletes and Chanterelles. This Saturday we bought a very tasty autumn Truffle and a day earlier we treated ourselves to Matsu Take. Such a special mushroom. We’re waiting for the Saffron Milk Cap, Spain’s favourite mushroom, and the Caesar’s mushroom, a mushroom much appreciated in Italy.

Since it’s a great year for the Bay Bolete, we thought it would be nice to share some recipes with this mushroom. Its taste is similar to that of the Cèpes or Penny Bun. Perhaps more intense?

Pâté en Croûte

A few years ago we celebrated the mushroom season by preparing a Pâté with bay boletes. The combination of a crispy crust, a structured, colourful filling and various flavours is always a pleasure. It’s good fun to think about the ingredients, work on the construction and enjoy the wonderful aromas from your oven while baking the pâté. And the joy when slicing it: is the pâté as beautiful as you expected it to be?

A red, medium bodied wine will be a great accompaniment of this Pâté en Croûte. In general you’re looking for a red wine with aromas of black fruit, floral notes and delicate wood. The tannins should be soft or well-integrated. We enjoyed a glass of Pinot Noir from La Cour Des Dames.

Sauce

Earlier this year we prepared a rich sauce with bay boletes, sage, mustard en crème fraîche. We served the sauce with excelltn veal rib eye and turnip cabbage. The turnip brings frsshness and lightness to the dish, creating a lovely balance.
A fruity, slightly chilled red wine will be great with the dish. We opened a bottle of German Spätburgunder from the Pfalz area. Some dark fruit, strawberries, touch of earthiness, not too complex. One that supported the flavours and aromas of the dish very well.

Guineafowl

Bay boletes combine very well with guineafowl. The meat is leaner, somewhat darker and more flavourful compared to chicken. It is not difficult to prepare, but due to the low-fat content you must be careful not to overcook. In this recipe we use guineafowl supreme (the breast fillet with the skin on plus the wing bone), rosemary, thyme, pancetta and garlic.
Enjoy with a glass of Chiroubles, a cru from the Beaujolais, produced by Domaine Montangeron. The wine has floral notes, aromas of cherries and strawberries. Its colour is pale ruby. Rich, elegant and long. It brings freshness and fruitiness to the dish and is sufficiently complex to remain present when enjoying the guineafowl and the bay bolete.
In general you’re looking for a red wine with freshness, fruity aromas and complexity. Perhaps a Pinot Noir?

More recipes on our website dedicated to mushrooms.

Summer Truffle - Rippitippi / Public domain

Bay Boletes with Veal and Sage

28 September 2023

We continue celebrating the season: we create a rich sauce with Bay Bolete, Mustard, Sage and Crème Fraîche and combine it with excellent veal. The sweetness of both the sauce and the veal makes for an delicious combination. The aromatic sage brings length and depth to the dish.

It’s not always clear what umami is, but trust us, when you taste this dish, you will taste it. Meaty, deep and savoury. A very powerful and intense dish.

The taste of the Bay Bolete (Imleria badia, Bolet Bai, Kastanjeboleet, Maronen-Röhrling, Boleto Bayo) is similar to that of the Cèpes or Penny Bun. Perhaps the taste is more intense? In most cases you must discard the stem of the bay bolete because it’s not soft (and it will remain chewy when cooked), different from the stem of the cèpes. The colour of the cap is dark brown, like a chestnut.

Wine Pairing

A fruity, slightly chilled red wine will be great with the dish. We opened a bottle of German Spätburgunder from the Pfalz area. Some dark fruit, strawberries, touch of earthiness, not too complex. One that supported the flavours and aromas of the dish very well.

What You Need

100 grams Bay Boletes
Butter
Olive Oil
4 Sage leaves
Stock (Chicken or Vegetable)
Black Pepper
Mustard
Crème Fraîche
200 grams of excellent organic Veal Ribeye

What You do

Make sure the meat is at room temperature. Add some butter and oil to a heavy iron skillet and fry the meat until golden brown and pink. Transfer to the oven at 50 °C or 125 °F. Cover with aluminium foil. In parallel remove the dry stems of the mushrooms. Clean the remaining mushrooms with kitchen paper. Chop half of the mushrooms. Slice the other half. Start by frying the halves in the pan. When ready transfer to the oven. Add some butter and oil to the pan and fry the chopped mushrooms. Add chopped sage leaves and allow to simmer. Use mustard, stock and crème fraiche to make the sauce. Leave on low heat for 5 minutes or so. Add more stock if so required. Add some extra sage and black pepper. Add the meat juices to the sauce. Slice the meat, plate up with sauce, meat and sliced bay bolete.

Other Recipes with Bay Boletes

You may also enjoy them with Brussels Sprouts, Jerusalem Artichoke or with Guineafowl.

Fairy Ring Mushrooms with Tarragon and Fennel

17 August 2023

July was sunny and very warm in some parts of Europe, but not in the Netherlands. Moderate temperatures, a bit of sunshine, sometimes, and lots of rain. Not ideal for sunseekers but very promising for mushroom lovers.
Let’s enjoy one of our favourites, the Fairy Ring Mushroom, a very common mushroom in many countries. It’s a small, very edible mushroom, available from early spring until late autumn. Its taste is a bit sweet (the mushrooms contain a sugar called trehalose) and perhaps that’s why some people suggest using them to make sweet mushroom cookies.

In this recipe we enhance their specific sweetness by combining them with tarragon and fennel. Both come with their own sweetness plus a hint of liquorice and anise. Flavours that go very well with fish, veal and mushrooms. A delicious, aromatic and surprisingly light dish. We served the mushrooms and vegetables with veal rib eye.

Wine Pairing

A glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay could be nice, but we prefer an unoaked Merlot. A fruity red wine with an intense colour and flavours of strawberries and raspberries. For instance a glass of Merlot as produced by Di Lenardo in Italy.

What You Need

What You Need
Mushrooms
- 150 grams of Fairy Ring Mushrooms
- Tarragon
- Vegetable Stock
- Black Pepper
- Olive Oil
Fennel
- One Fennel
- Fennel sprigs
- Olive Oil
Veal Rib Eye

What You Do

Chop the fennel and add it to a pan with some olive oil. Allow to simmer. This may take 20 minutes.
Meanwhile clean the mushrooms with kitchen paper. Remove the stems. Chop the tarragon. Add olive oil to a heavy iron skillet and gently fry the mushrooms. No rush. Add the tarragon. Add one or two cubes of homemade vegetable stock. Reduce.
Happy with the firmness (or softness) of the fennel? Add some fresh tarragon and black pepper to the mushrooms. Taste and adjust. Add some fennel sprigs to the fennel, mix. Serve the fairy ring mushrooms and the fennel with gently fried veal rib eye (with some extra tarragon, obviously!).

Fairy Ring Mushrooms with Tarragon and Fennel ©cadwu

Cauliflower with Mint and Cilantro

3 August 2023

Dutch cuisine and cauliflower? Nice, but not sensational. Normally the cauliflower will be broken into florets, cooked in water (and in the old days this meant cooking until the cauliflower was more than well done), drained and served with a béchamel sauce and nutmeg. That is, if you’re lucky, it can also be a thin sauce made with the cooking liquid and corn starch.
A pity because cauliflower is such a delicious and versatile vegetable. As curry, korma, gratin, casserole (with potatoes, thyme and garlic), in a pickled sauce, as vada (a snack from South-India), steamed or fried, all very yummy!
We combine our cauliflower with grilled lamb chops and a mint and cilantro sauce. Lots of flavours, colours and aromas!

Wine Pairing

Given the various spices we would suggest a white wine or a rosé. A glass of Verdejo will be a great choice if you decide to drink a glass of white wine. We opened a bottle of Monteabellón Rueda. The wine comes with the right acidity, bringing freshness to the dish. It has floral aromas typical for the Verdejo grape. You may recognize the aromas of banana and exotic fruit. A glass of Provence rosé will also be nice. Or our favorite rosé: Chiaretto di Bardolino, produced by Monte del Frà from Italy.

What You Need (Cauliflower)

One small Cauliflower
Turmeric
Fresh ginger
Garam Marsala
Red Onion
One clove of Garlic
Fresh Cilantro (optional)
Olive Oil

What You Do (Cauliflower)

Clean the cauliflower and break into florets. Peel and slice the fresh ginger, match size. Peel and slice the onion (rings). Chop the garlic. Add olive oil to the pan and fry the turmeric (curcuma) and the garam marsala on medium heat. After a few minutes add the florets. Make sure the florets are nicely coated with the spices. Now add the fresh ginger and the garlic. Reduce the heat somewhat. A few minutes begore serving add the sliced onion. You could add some cilantro, to bring the cauliflower and the sauce together.

What You Need (Sauce)

Three Mint Leaves
Lots of Cilantro
Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
One clove of Garlic
Ginger
½ Green Chili Pepper (depending on the taste)
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Black Pepper

What You Do (Sauce)

Crush the cumin seeds in a mortar. Chop the garlic, some ginger and the green chili pepper. Combine everything and use a blender to make a smooth paste. Add lemon juice to taste. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle some olive oil into the mixture and stir using a spoon. Happy with the consistency? Add black pepper and perhaps some extra lemon juice.

Cauliflower with Mint and Cilantro ©cadwu

Nothing Fancy!

19 June 2023

Recently we reviewed Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman as part of the inspiring cookbook review project by Bernadette. The subtitle of Nothing Fancy is ‘Unfussy food for having people over’, and it contains ‘low-stress and high impact’ recipes. A book that promises to help you serve colourful plates, casually roasted meat and desserts, even when you’re struggling timewise. An interesting idea, having guests over for dinner or lunch, serving tasty food, remaining relaxed and enjoying every minute of it.

We prepared three dishes and asked our panel (Carolien, Hans and Joke) for their thoughts.

Tomato Salad

The first dish we prepared was a Tomato Salad with Anchovies and Fennel Seeds, a combination of ripe and tasty tomatoes with fennel flavoured oil and anchovies. Our panel was very happy with the salad. The combination of tomatoes and fennel is a trouvaille and the salty, umami flavour of the anchovy gives the salad an extra dimension. It’s great to serve as a salad on its own. It will also combine very well with swordfish or skate.

Green Pea Salad

The second dish (a Salad with Green Peas, Black Olives and Burrata) was very easy to make and absolutely delicious. We added some extra grated lemon and mint. Our panel was pleasantly surprised by the refreshing flavour, the aroma and the velvety, juicy mouthfeel.

Roasted Chicken

The third dish was casually Roasted Citrus Chicken with Herbs. The recipe suggests setting your oven to 230 °C or 450 °F. Isn’t that a bit too hot, we thought? But okay, let’s do as suggested and follow the recipe. We transferred the chicken to the hot oven. Five minutes later we were busy turning off the smoke alarm. Our panel had a good laugh (although we couldn’t hear them very well because of the noise). So far for remaining relaxed!

The chicken is marinated for a number of hours in a mix of lime and lemon juice, orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, sambal and garlic cloves. Then fried in the oven on 180 °C or 355 °F and served with some cooking liquid, caramelised lemon and orange slices and a generous amount of herbs (Cilantro, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme and Oregano)

We served the citrus chicken with a glass of red wine made by Domaine La Tour Beaumont in the French Loire region. It is made using Gamay grapes, well known from the Beaujolais region. A very fruity, juicy wine that should be served slightly chilled. We also served a glass of zero alcohol rosé produced by Domaine de L’Arjolle, made with Cabernet Franc and Syrah grapes. The wine is dry, aromatic and has long lasting taste (raspberry, strawberry). Beautiful colour, not sweet (as many other zero alcohol wines) and light. Both worked beautifully with the chicken and the herbs thanks to the lightness and the fruity flavours.

(Y) our Shelf

Should this book be on (y)our shelf? Definitely yes if you’re looking for tasty food that doesn’t require too much work. If you want to remain relaxed while cooking and entertaining, be sure to test the recipes before having people over, because some aspects of the recipes may need adjusting.

Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman is available via your local bookstore or the usual channels for US$ 20.00 or € 30,00.

Tomato Salad with Fennel and Anchovy ©cadwu

Green Pea Salad with Burrata and Black Olives ©cadwu

Farfalle with Saint George’s Mushroom, Oregano and Pancetta

5 June 2023

Nearly the end of the season for the Saint George’s Mushroom (at least, where we live). So far it’s been a great year for this mushroom and the Fairy Ring Mushroom. Unfortunately, it’s been a poor year for another of our spring favourites: the morel.

Saint George’s Mushroom have a strong, not very pleasant aroma (it disappears when you heat the mushrooms) and a long lasting, earthy taste. Famous chef, author and mushroom expert Jane Grigson wasn’t a fan. In her classic book The Mushroom Feast she wrote “I have omitted one or two which our mushroom books follow each other in praising too highly. One of these is the Saint George’s Mushroom.” Obviously, we humbly disagree with her. It’s a bit of a puzzle to find the right combination of ingredients when one is the Saint George’s Mushroom but isn’t that part of the fun?
Earlier we wrote about an omelette with Saint George’s Mushroom and a starter with udon. This recipe is a combination of fat, moist, slightly sweet pancetta and earthy mushrooms, with the egg sauce and the oregano making it into a delicious dish.

Wine Pairing

We matched the rather intense flavours 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, floral notes and delicate wood. The tannins should be soft or well-integrated.

What You Need

100 grams of Saint George’s Mushroom
100 gram of Pancetta (slab preferred)
Fresh Oregano
Two eggs
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Black Pepper
Farfalle

What You Do

Start by cleaning the mushrooms with kitchen paper. Slice.
Dice the pancetta. We used pancetta produced by Fumagalli. Sustainable, organic, ecological etcetera.
Use a heavy iron skillet and fry the pancetta on medium/high heat. No need to add olive oil.
When nicely coloured transfer the pancetta to a plate, remove most of the fat and gently fry the mushrooms.
After a few minutes transfer the pancetta back to the pan.
Add fresh oregano leaves, bigger ones shredded.
Add the farfalle to a pan of boiling water and cook until al dente.
In the meantime, beat two eggs and add some parmesan cheese.
When the farfalle is ready, taste the mixture in the pan, perhaps add some extra oregano and transfer the farfalle to the pan.
Wait for a minute or so until the excess water has evaporated.
Move the pan away from the heat, add the egg mixture and combine (like you would do with Spaghetti Carbonara).
Add black pepper and some extra Parmesan cheese before serving.

Farfalle with Saint George’s Mushroom, Oregano and Pancetta ©cadwu

The Art of Flavours

Asafoetida

The Book

Wine Pairing

What You Need

What You Do

Wine Pairing

What You Need

What You Do

Wine Pairing

What You Need

What You Do

Pâté en Croûte

Sauce

Guineafowl

Wine Pairing

What You Need

What You do

Other Recipes with Bay Boletes

Wine Pairing

What You Need

What You Do

Wine Pairing

What You Need (Cauliflower)

What You Do (Cauliflower)

What You Need (Sauce)

What You Do (Sauce)

Tomato Salad

Green Pea Salad

Roasted Chicken

(Y) our Shelf

Wine Pairing

What You Need

What You Do