Lentils dish

From Nella on twitter I received the following recipe to make a lentil soup. Unfortunately I got the measurement wrong because I didn't know that the digital scales could be adjusted to liquid too. You've guessed it already I don't measure lot's in the kitchen. So in stead of soup it became a lentil dish but every so nice. So I give you the dish version, to feed the orphanage!

Shopping List:
8 tomatoes
500 gr red lentils (but any color will do)
100 gr fresh spinach
50 gr real butter
1 large carrot
1 red onion
2 sticks of cellery
1 clove of garlic
(fresh) ginger
1 red chilli
2 cubes of vegetable stock
herbs: (ground) cumin, coriander,turmeric
black pepper and salt

Scrape the carrots and cut the carrot into slices Cut the celery into small pieces Chop the red onion Chop the garlic finely Melt the butter in a large (soup) pot Sauté the onion. the garlic, carrot and celery Let the vegetables simmer about 10 minutes until the carrot is soft Meanwhile, peel the ginger root and cut into slices Remove the seeds from the red chilli and cut into rings Cut the tomatoes into chunks Dissolve bouillon cubes in 1 liter water and bring to a boil Add the ginger, red chilli and lentils to the vegetables in the pan Season the mixture with ground coriander, ground cumin and ground turmeric A short bake and then add the broth Add the tomatoes Bring the soup to a boil Regular stir Let the soup simmer gently for until the lentils are tender You probably have to add more water Add the fresh spinach Let the soup boil for one minute Bring the soup to taste (freshly ground) pepper and salt Serve the soup in a soup bowl
We have served this dish with sausages and French bread.

Rouget with saffron sauce

Rouget with risotto and saffron sauce

This fish you will see from time to time on a French menu. Rouget, is a half red/half white small fish that swims in the Méditerranée. When you buy it make sure you ask for the rouget filet, we don't want bones do we?
Alternatively you can buy Red Mullet Filet.

Shopping List:

About 3 rouget filets per person
Risotto (150 gr. for 2 persons) *
Small courgette
Salade du mache or Rucula or similar (garnish)

For the sauce you need:

1 large shallot, minced
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 cup of milk
1 pinch of saffron threads
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp creme fraiche
Salt and pepper

Fry the courgette for about 10 minutes. Slice and toss in 1 tablespoon of the butter. Set aside and keep warm (in foil).
Fry the shallot in the remaining butter until soft.  (you can always add some more butter)
Mix in the flour, stirring for about 1 minute.  
Add the saffron and lemon juice and stir for 1 minute.  
Add the creme fraiche and blend.   Add salt to taste.  Set aside and keep warm.

Salade mache

Season the rouget with salt and pepper on both sides.  
Fry in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 minute per side.

Plate it up like I have done to start with the risotto, then sliced courgette, the fish and garnis with the 'salad', and serve the sauce at the edge of the plate.

Bare in mind that this dish takes some time, but it's worth it.

* Risotto: See my basic recipe: here

Risotto

I know to cook a proper risotto you need time, but it's worth it. This is a fantastic basic dish for 4 persons.

Shopping list:

300 gr. Risotto
75 gr. Real butter
1.25 Liter (chicken/vegetable) stock (from cubes)
1 Onion
2 Cloves of garlic
250 ml Dry white wine

Finely cut onion and garlic
Put them in a pan with butter.
Add the risotto and let it 'swollow' the butter.
Pour the wine in the pan so that the risotto is covered and let it boil.
Then add some of the stock (don't use it all yet) and bring to boil.
Again add the stock, and again and again until the risotto is cooked.

It's nice to serve the risotto with some parmesan cheese.

Tip:

If you like mushrooms, why not fry them separately in a pan and serve it with the risotto.

Buon Appetito

Stuffed courgettes with roquefort

Even for the non-vegetables fans a great dish! 
For 4 persons

Shopping list:

2 medium courgettes
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
200 g Roquefort cheese, crumbled
Cut courgettes in half lengthwise, scoop out the pulp with a spoon.
Fruit puree and let drain.
Heat oil and fry the onion 10 minutes mix with the pulp
Blanch the courgettes for 5 minutes in boiling water.
Leave to drain the courgettes.
Preheat oven to 200 ° C.
Fill the courgettes with the Roquefort
Arrange the stuffed courgettes in a baking dish and bake 35 minutes in the oven.

Courgette soup

I know it has been a while, but here I am.  From friends of ours I got a courgette as huge as you can imagine so I decided to make soup with it.

Shopping list
1 or 2 courgettes
1 Onion
2 Cloves of garlic
Jar of green pesto
Chicken or Vegetable stock (from cubes)
Fresh herbs (basil/parseley/thyme)

Cut the onions finely (think about Gino) together with the garlic
Fry in the pan with some olive oil
Add the sliced courgettes and fry until soft
Add about 2 tablespoons of pesto

I had mine with French bread and garlic butter

Then it's time for the stock to pour in
Let them cook for about 15 minutes and then
mash them with the mixer.
Add the chopped herbs
Seasoning to taste

Variation:

Put some sliced tomatoes in it
Garnish with some stripes of smoked salmon

How to chop onions by Gino D'Acampo

Make sure the volume is on and even chopping onions will become a pleasure listening to Gino's voice.

Pancakes

Pancakes I hear you thinking, yes pancakes but my Dutch way :-). Before I give you my recipe what's going to be difficult because I don't measure things, I will tell you that in The Netherlands where -shouldn't you know by now- I have been born, there are typical 'Pannenkoeken' (pancake) restaurants. It sounds a bit bizar but I searched on the internet some typical Dutch pannenkoeken restaurants so you have an idea how they look from the out and inside. The outside wasn't too difficult, but the inside was...they are nowadays so modern, so a picture of a man with a pile of pancakes but you have to look at the tablecloth ;-)

For +/- 6 pancakes:

Shopping list

About 300 grams of flour (plain)
Real butter
Almost half a liter of Milk

2 large Eggs
A pinch of salt
For the topping:
Sugar (which you prefer)
Syrop (stroop in Dutch)
Apple* (cut in small pieces or rings)
Sultana's (rozijnen in Dutch)*

I always siff the flour in a bowl then I add 2 large eggs and start stirring with a whisk, then I add milk until I have a smooth substance. And then and don't forget it because your pancake wouldn't taste as nice as it should be add a pinch of salt.

* If everybody likes their pancakes with apple and/or sultana's, it's easier to add them to the liquid, if not then  when frying the pancake, add some apple/sultana's, then put some more liquid on them to cover them.

Take a frying pan (best is to use one which you use for eggs but...any will do besides a fish one) melt some butter and then pour some of your mix so that it covers the whole bottom of the pan.
When you see that the pancake starts to get dry, put some more butter in the pan and turn the pancake. You can throw them up high towards the ceiling, but I can't.
Then just fiddle around with the pancake knife to see if it's ready....it doesn't take long!

According to taste put some syrup or sugar (whatever you fancy) on top of it and I say 'eet smakelijk'!

Tip....the first pancake is never the best, so give that to ........ (fill in the blancs) :-)