Category: starter

Maitake Soup

4 August 2021

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Dancing Mushroom, better known as Maitake, Hen of the Woods or Ram’s Head. Enjoy the powerful, intense and nutty flavours and be intrigued by the aroma. No wonder it’s a much loved culinary mushroom!

Legend has it that maitake got its name because foragers danced with happiness when finding it. Nowadays maitake can be wild or cultivated. Both are fine; we actually prefer the cultivated ones. Make sure you cook maitake through and through, otherwise you may upset your stomach (and other parts of your body).

Maitake combines very well with beef and thyme. It is also great when combined with shrimps, crab, coquilles St Jacques, coriander, dill and parsley; a salad created by Antonio Carluccio and published in 2003 in the Complete Mushroom Book. The book has a wealth of wonderful, simple recipes.

Our soup is perhaps a bit odd, because it’s a thickened soup, something you would perhaps not expect given dashi is the base of the soup. It’s a gentle soup, with some umami and bitterness. The fried maitake amplifies the flavours.

What You Need

  • For the Dashi
    • 500 ml Water
    • 10 grams Konbu
    • 10 grams Katsuobushi 
  • 150 grams of Maitake
  • 5 cm Fresh Ginger
  • Soy Sauce
  • Sake
  • Mirin
  • Tablespoon of Cooked Plain Rice
  • Olive Oil

What You Do

Prepare the dashi. Remove the base of the maitake. Set a few ‘leaves’ aside (to be fried later). Peel and quarter the ginger. Add the remaining ‘leaves’ of the maitake, the ginger and the cooked rice to the dashi. Leave for 20 minutes on low heat. Remove the ginger and use a blender to create a smooth mixture. You will notice that the maitake doesn’t thicken the soup, as a classic Champignon de Paris would do. The rice should do the trick. Pass through a sieve. Keep on low heat for another 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of sake, some soy sauce and mirin. Taste and adjust if necessary. The quanities very much depend on the flavour of the maitake and your personal taste. You’re looking for umami, bitterness and depth. Leave for another 10 minutes on low heat. Add olive oil to a small heavy iron skillet and fry the remaining maitake; initially on medium heat, later on low heat. This may take 5 minutes. Use the blender for the second time to make sure the soup is perfectly smooth. Serve in a miso bowl.

  • Katsuobushi and Konbu ©cadwu
    Katsuobushi and Konbu ©cadwu
  • Heating Konbu ©cadwu
    Heating Konbu ©cadwu

Prosciutto e Melone

14 July 2021

Is it an ancient recipe combining wet and cold (melon) with dry and hot (cooked meat, later cured ham)? Is it an invention of famous author Pellegrino Artusi? Is it a typical sixties dish? Or is it the ideal starter for a lazy chef?

Regardless what it is, the success is the result of the quality of the ingredients. You need an excellent melon, preferably a cantaloupe. Ripe and sweet, one that fills the room with honey. And you need the best ever cured ham. Could be from Italy or Spain, as long as it paper thinly sliced with nice layers of marbled fat.

Sweet and salty, moist and dry, soft and with texture, intense aromas and long-lasting flavours. Every aspect you can think of is on your plate. No need to add anything, no ricotta, no salad, no balsamic vinegar, no pesto. It’s about the combination of two very different yet beautiful products.

Wine Pairing

Enjoy your Prosciutto e Melone with a light, refreshing wine that reflects summer. A glass of prosecco, bubbly, refined and with a touch of sweetness. But if you want to open a bottle of rosé, please do so!

What You Need

  • A ripe Melon (Cantaloupe)
  • Dry-Cured Ham (Prosciutto or Serrano)

What You Do

The melon must be cold, the ham should be at room temperature.
Slice the melon, probably in eight wedges. Remove the seeds. Use a sharp knife to cut off the rind. Wrap each wedge of melon with a slice of prosciutto, making sure you can still see the melon at the ends.

PS

It’s definitely not a recipe from Pellegrino Artusi. He describes the combination of fresh green peas (also sweet and moist) with Prosciutto. 

  • Prosciutto e Melone ©cadwu
    Prosciutto e Melone ©cadwu
  • Cantaloupe Melon ©cadwu
    Cantaloupe Melon ©cadwu

All Our Recipes For You

1 July 2021

A few years ago we created an overview of recipes per season, simply because it’s such a good idea to enjoy what is available in the season. Nice to eat strawberries in Winter, but isn’t it a much better idea to enjoy seasonal slow cooked pears?

We then introduced overviews per course, ranging from side dish to lunch. The categories didn’t always make sense, so we added a few more, making our admin more complicated, especially when we updated a recipe or a picture.

The obvious thing happened: we lost track of recipes, noticed some links were broken and the overviews became incomplete.

So how to organise this blog?

After much debate and intense workshops (not really) we’re pleased to present to you an old fashioned, up to date and very easy to use (and maintain) index of All Our Recipes For You!

All Our Recipes For You ©cadwu
All Our Recipes For You ©cadwu

Duck with Soy Sauce and Mushrooms

9 June 2021

In his book Yamazato, Kaiseki Recipes: Secrets of the Japanese Cuisine, author and Michelin Award winning chef Akira Oshima includes a recipe for breast of duck, marinated in a soy-based sauce, served with Belgian endive (chicory) and karashi (Japanese mustard). A mouth-watering dish. The book contains some 20 recipes that are technically challenging (at least, we think so) and well written.

In general the combination of duck and soy sauce works really well. It’s all about sweetness and umami. The Japanese mushrooms (shiitake, enoki, nameko and/or shimeji) add nuttiness and texture to the dish.
We use soy sauce and tsuyu: a mix of soy sauce, mirin and dashi, ideal for making a tempura dip and great to give extra flavor to the sauce.

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed our duck with a glass of gewurztraminer (full bodied and long lasting with aromas of lychees and roses) but there are many options in this case. Perhaps a nice rosé or a sake with a touch of sweetness?

What You Need

  • Breast of Duck
  • Japanese Mushrooms
  • Soy Sauce (preferably with less salt)
  • Tsuyu
  • Chicken Stock
  • (Olive) Oil
  • Mirin
  • (optional) Sake

What You Do

  1. Start by cleaning the breast of duck
  2. Heat a non-stick pan
  3. Fry the duck, straight from the fridge, for 12 minutes on the skin-side and 2 minutes on the meat-side in a non-stick pan
  4. Wrap in foil, making sure the skin is not covered.
  5. Clean the pan with kitchen paper and fry the sliced mushrooms for 5 minutes or so in oil until ready
  6. Set aside and keep warm
  7. Add soy sauce, tsuyu and chicken stock to the pan and reduce
  8. Add a splash of sake and some mirin
  9. Add liquid of the duck
  10. Let simmer for a few minutes, add the mushrooms and make sure they are coated with the sauce
  11. Let simmer for 5 minutes
  12. Slice the duck, add liquid to the sauce, stir and serve.
Duck with Soy Sauce and Mushrooms ©cadwu
Duck with Soy Sauce and Mushrooms ©cadwu

Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese

2 June 2021

We enjoyed this dish as a starter when in Milan, on a beautiful evening, eating al fresco and enjoying the wonderful combination of the sweetness and bitterness of the asparagus, the slightly caramelised sugars as a result of grilling the asparagus and the salty and sweet cheese. A glass of Pinot Grigio was all we wanted.
In Milan we enjoyed grilled green asparagus, but it works equally well with white asparagus.
This is typically a dish to prepare when the asparagus season is at its high and outside temperatures feel like summer.

Wine Pairing

Serve with a glass of Pinot Grigio, a Muscat or Pinot Gris from the Alsace region or a rosé with character. The wine needs to combine with a range of very diverse flavors so it should be a bit complex.

What You Need
  • 3 Asparagus per person
  • Olive Oil
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Black Pepper
What You Do
  1. Peel the asparagus and cook or steam until slightly tender
  2. Depending on the size we would say 10-15 minutes in the Russel Hobss steamer
  3. Leave and let cool
  4. Take a plate, add some oil to the plate and use it to coat the asparagus with oil
  5. Heat the pan and grill the asparagus for 4*1 minute, making sure you have a lovely brown (not too dark) pattern
  6. Or use a contact grill for 2*2 minutes
  7. Serve on a plate, add some grated Parmesan cheese and pepper
  8. Add a generous drizzle of very excellent olive oil.
grilled asparagus ©cadwu
white asparagus with parmesan cheese
White Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese (c) cadwu

Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs and Shrimps

19 May 2021

Asparagus and eggs, it’s a match made in heaven. For instance à la Flamande (with boiled egg, butter, parsley and ham) or more exotic with Kimizu or with scrambled eggs, chives and shrimps.

Shrimps?

Indeed, with small excellent shrimps, preferably freshly peeled; not used as an ingredient but as an element of flavour. The first time we tasted this combination we were surprised by the role of the shrimps. The salty, intense taste, balanced with the very rich eggs and the sweet-bitter asparagus is a very clever idea. The chives in the scrambled eggs lift the dish to a higher level.
Unfortunately we don’t know who created it, so we offer the recipe with a caveat.

Scrambled eggs?

Preparing scrambled eggs, it seems obvious and simple, but actually we are looking for a version that is more like a sauce. Gordon Ramsey’s instructive and hilarious video shows you how to make scrambled eggs, so no need for us to explain. You need to stop a bit earlier, given it needs to have a sauce-like consistency.

Wine Pairing

We decided to drink a glass of Rivaner from the house Gales in Luxembourg. The aroma made us think of grapefruit, ripe melon and apple. The taste is elegant with a touch of sweetness, acidity and minerality. Ideal with our dish! The sweetness with the asparagus, the acidity in combination with the scrambled eggs and chives, the minerality with the shrimps. And the taste is surprisingly long lasting, which is perfect with such a rich dish.

What You Need

  • 6 White Asparagus
  • 2 Eggs
  • Butter
  • Chives
  • Crème Fraiche
  • White Pepper
  • A Few Small (unpeeled) Shrimps

What You Do

Peel the asparagus and steam for 20 minutes or so. They should have a bite. Prepare scrambled eggs à la Ramsay. Serve the asparagus with the scrambled eggs and just a few shrimps. Done!

  • White Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs and Shrimps © cadwu
  • White Asparagus, Chives, Shrimps and Eggs © cadwu

Saint George’s Mushroom with Pasta

12 May 2021

Spring brings us several edible or even delicious mushrooms, such as the Mushroom of Saint George, Morels and the Fairy Ring Mushroom.

The mushroom of Saint George (Calocybe gambosa) is usually the first edible mushroom to appear. Its name derives from St George’s Day, 23rd April, by which date it can be found in the UK. Its French and Italian name (for instance Tricholome de la Saint-Georges in France) also refer to this day. Its Dutch name (Voorjaarspronkridder) and its Swedish name (Vårmusseron meaning spring mushroom) refer to the fact that the mushroom is available for a short period only.

Famous chef and author Jane Grigson isn’t a fan of the mushroom. In her classic book The Mushroom Feast she writes “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.” 

Perhaps because the smell is so rare? Some say the mushroom smells of cucumber; others say melon rind or refer to a mealy scent. We think it’s more like overripe zucchini or even ghee that is a bit offish. In all cases, a not-very-pleasant-smell to remember. The good news is that the smell disappears as soon as you heat the mushrooms.

The mushroom of Saint George is clearly a spring-mushroom, but we think that you will have some reminiscence of autumn when eating this dish. A hint of earthiness. Intense but not overwhelming. However, the combination of ramson (wild garlic) and Saint George’s mushroom is 100% spring.

Confused? Perhaps that’s part of the fun of eating Saint George’s mushroom.

Wine Pairing

We suggest an oaked chardonnay, for instance Domaine De La Prade from the Languedoc region in France. The wine has a pale, yellow colour, aromas of ripe tropical fruit and its taste is intense, buttery and comes with a touch of oak. The wine has a long lasting taste. 

Feel free to go for a US or Australian Chardonnay. A full-bodied, gently oaked chardonnay will go very well with the mushroom and the udon.

What You Need
  • 1 bunch of Udon
  • 150 grams of Saint George’s Mushroom
  • Fresh Ramson (or Wild Garlic, 5 Leaves and Flowers)
  • Chicken Stock
  • Black Pepper
  • Crème Fraîche
  • 4 Slices of Excellent Pancetta
  • Olive Oil
What You Do
  1. Clean the mushrooms with kitchen paper and if necessary clean the stems with a sharp knife.
  2. Slice the pancetta in small slices.
  3. Heat a heavy iron skillet, add olive oil and quickly fry the pancetta.
  4. Transfer to a plate with kitchen paper and keep in the oven on 60° Celsius or 140° Fahrenheit.
  5. Slice the mushrooms, fry them gently in the pan and reduce the heat.
  6. Add chicken stock.
  7. Add some crème fraiche.
  8. In parallel cook the udon for 10 minutes.
  9. Drain the udon and keep some of the cooking liquid.
  10. Add the udon to the mushrooms in the pan, add black pepper and stir gently, making sure all pasta is covered.
  11. Add some cooking liquid to make sure it’s nice and moist.
  12. Add the pancetta and the sliced leaves (lengthwise, remove the vein) of ramson, mix and serve immediately.
  13. Decorate with a ramson flower.
  • Saint George's Mushroom with Pasta ©cadwu
    Saint George’s Mushroom with Pasta ©cadwu
  • Saint George's Mushroom with Pasta - Ingredients ©cadwu
    Saint George’s Mushroom with Pasta – Ingredients ©cadwu
  • Saint George's Mushroom ©cadwu
    Saint George’s Mushroom ©cadwu
  • Domaine La Prade Chardonnay ©cadwu
    Domaine La Prade Chardonnay ©cadwu

White Asparagus with Sauce Périgueux à la Kimizu

5 May 2021

The French Périgord is the truffle heart of France. The region is also known for its culinary products, such as Confit de Canard, wines from Bergerac and Monbazillac, Foie Gras and Sauce Périgueux. This sauce is a classic in the French kitchen. Its basis is a white sauce made with shallot, a reduction of white wine, (goose) fat, stock and lots of truffle. The ‘original’ recipe of this truffle sauce can be found in La Bonne Cuisine du Périgord written in 1929 by La Mazille. The sauce works beautifully with Tournedos and Magret de Canard. And since white asparagus love truffles, why not combine them with Sauce Périgueux?

We don’t think a roux-based sauce will go very well with asparagus, so we combined two recipes: the flavors of Sauce Périgueux with the lightness and consistency of Japanese Kimizu.

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed our asparagus with a glass of Riesling, produced by Bott Geyl in the French Alsace. This fresh, aromatic, dry white wine with a hint of sweetness and high acidity combines very well with the sweetness of the asparagus and the intense, rich flavor of the sauce. The wine supports the dish perfectly.

What You Need

  • 6 White Asparagus
  • 1 Small Truffle
  • For the Sauce
    • 1 Shallot
    • 1 Glass of Dry White Wine
    • 3 Black Peppercorns
    • ½ tablespoon Simple White Vinegar
    • Two Cubes of Jus de Truffe*
    • 2 egg yolks
  • White Pepper

What You Do

  1. Chop the shallot, crush the peppercorns coarsely, add to a pan and add a glass of white wine
  2. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes
  3. Add a splash of white vinegar
  4. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes
  5. Add two cubes of jus de truffe and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes
  6. Pass through a sieve
  7. If all is well you should have 4 tablespoons of liquid. If necessary reduce
  8. Set aside and leave to cool
  9. Peel the asparagus and steam for 20 minutes, depending on the size
  10. When there is still 10 minutes on the clock, start working on the sauce
  11. Whisk the two egg yolks well, add the 4 tablespoons of liquid, mix and heat in the microwave on 30% power
  12. Start with one interval of 10 seconds, stir, followed by an interval of 5 seconds, stir and continue with intervals of 5 seconds until you have the right consistency
  13. Total time in the microwave will be approximately 60 seconds
  14. Allow to cool for a minute or two
  15. In the meantime grate the truffle
  16. Serve the sauce over the asparagus, add some white pepper and sprinkle the truffle over the sauce and the asparagus.

* Best to buy a can of jus de truffe and freeze the content in an ice cube bag.

  • White Asparagus with Sauce Périgueux à la Kimizu ©cadwu
    White Asparagus with Sauce Périgueux à la Kimizu ©cadwu
  • White Asparagus and Truffle ©cadwu
    White Asparagus and Truffle ©cadwu
  • Bott Geyl Riesling ©cadwu
    Bott Geyl Riesling ©cadwu
  • Jus de Truffes (Chabert-Guillot) ©cadwu
    Jus de Truffes (Chabert-Guillot) ©cadwu

White Asparagus with Ham, Egg, Potatoes and Parsley

7 April 2021

Finally, it’s spring. The season of white asparagus, morels and many more primeurs. This dish brings together white asparagus with eggs, excellent ham, butter, small potatoes and parsley. Taste the slight bitterness and sweetness of the asparagus, the umami of the potato and enjoy the velvety feeling on your palate as a result of the butter and the egg.
Don’t be tempted to boil white asparagus in water with butter, lemon, sugar or salt. Steaming is by far the best way to prepare them. We love our Russel Hobbs food steamer! Simple, straightforward and the result is a tribute to spring.

Wine Pairing

Ideally we would serve a dry Muscat from the Elzas with our asparagus. The delicate, slightly sweet but dry taste, the hint of bitterness and the rich aromas work very well with white asparagus. Muscat to us means the smell of fresh fruit. As if you taste the original grape. A wonderful wine and a wonderful combination.
Fortunately asparagus are fairly flexible when it comes to wine: a Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris will also be fine.

We opened a bottle of Vinho Verde from Portugal. A light and vibrant wine with clear notes of citrus and floral aromas that combined rather well with the flavours of the asparagus. Not the most exquisite combination, but it worked for us.

What You Need

  • 6 or 10 White Asparagus
  • 2 Eggs
  • 100 gram Excellent, Organic Ham
  • Small Firm Potatoes
  • Parsley
  • Butter
  • White Pepper

What You Do

Peel the asparagus and steam them for 20 minutes. Steam the eggs medium (10 minutes), making sure the yolk is firm but not dry. Wash the potatoes and steam them for 15 minutes. Timing depends on the size. Melt the butter. Peel the egg and cut in four. Chop the parsley. Serve the asparagus and eggs on a plate. Coat the potatoes with butter and parsley. Dress the plate with ham (please make sure it has a bit of fat) and potatoes. Poor the remaining melted butter over the asparagus. Sprinkle the parsley over the egg. Add some white pepper.

White Asparagus with Ham, Egg, Potatoes and Parsley ©cadwu
White Asparagus with Ham, Egg, Potatoes and Parsley ©cadwu

Spicy Grilled Octopus

24 March 2021

We have all experienced chewy, fibrous and tasteless octopus, so how to make sure your octopus is juicy, tender and full of flavours?

Since octopuses don’t have bones, they have very tough connective tissue (collagen) between the muscles. When heating the octopus for a few hours, the collagen will break down into soft gelatine and the meat will become tender and juicy, just as you would like it to be.

‘How to speed up the process’, you wonder?
You could add vinegar to the cooking liquid, you could prepare the octopus by storing it in brine for a few hours, you could beat and pound the flesh, you could freeze the octopus for a few days, you could try adding a wine cork to the cooking liquid (hilarious!).
Unfortunately none of these short cuts make a significant difference.

The best method is to stew the octopus in a large pot or in the oven. This may take 4 hours or more. Octopuses contain a fair amount of juices and you want to capture these and their lovely flavours, which is exactly what you do when stewing an octopus.
Cooking an octopus in water for hours means losing these flavours; not something you want to do.

There is only one alternative to slow cooking: buy (frozen) baby octopuses. Marinate them for a few hours, grill them for 2 minutes and enjoy with a glass of wine or a nice cold beer.

What You Need

  • 6 Baby Octopuses
  • For the Marinade
    • Neutral Oil
    • Soy Sauce
    • Sweet Soy Sauce (Kecap Manis)
    • Fresh Ginger
    • One Garlic Glove
    • Teaspoon of Cumin
    • Tablespoon of Chilli Bean Sauce (Toban Djan)
    • Water (optional)
  • Chinese or Japanese pickles

What You Do

Clean the octopuses and remove the beak. Grate the ginger, chop the garlic and combine with the other ingredients. You’re looking for a powerful marinade with lots of chilli and (sweet) soy sauce. Allow the octopuses to marinate for a few hours.
Heat your grill, dry the octopus and grill for 2*1 minute. We prefer using a non-stick contact grill. Cut of the mantle and slice the tentacles in two. Serve on a warm plate with pickles and share.

Grilled Spicy Octopus ©cadwu
Fresh Baby Octopus ©cadwu
Baby Octopus in Marinade ©cadwu