Eating3 Comments

Dining in Italy: La Mola, Varazze

StefanGourmet

During our weekend in Italy we did not only stay in Turin to eat at Combal.Zero, but we also stayed at a friends’ house at the seaside in Varazze with an amazing seaview and the sound of the crashing waves lulling us to sleep. Her brother recommended La Mola just around the corner, and we liked it so much that we had dinner there the second evening as well. La Mola is the type of restaurant that you can find a lot in Italy: simple but good and honest food with friendly service for reasonable prices. Outside of touristy areas, … Continue reading Dining in Italy: La Mola, Varazze

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)9 Comments

Boeuf Bourguignon à la Conor

StefanGourmet

I had not made Boeuf Bourguignon in a long time, but was inspired by Conor’s post to make it again. As Conor rightly points out, there is no such thing as an official recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon. The only mandatory ingredients are beef (boeuf is indeed French for beef…) and red Burgundy wine. Conor’s recipe looked OK and since he seems to know what he’s writing about I decided to follow his recipe, including using pancetta even though that’s not very French (but I like pancetta better than bacon). I was not disappointed because it turned out delicious and my husband … Continue reading Boeuf Bourguignon à la Conor

4. Dolci (dessert)6 Comments

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

StefanGourmet

I decided to make Emmy Cooks’ strawberry frozen yogurt when my parents came over for dinner, as I remember my mom loved frozen yogurt when we visited the US together back in 1991. I substituted the kirsch with 12-year-old balsamic vinegar and some of the sugar with honey. Thanks Emmy for the idea! This dessert was part of the following dinner: Antipasto: Octopus carpaccio; wine pairing: Villa Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva 2006 Primo: Jerusalem Artichoke risotto; same wine Secondo: Roe deer venison with roe deer jus and roasted green asparagus; wine pairing Elio Grasso Barolo Vigna Chiniera 1998 Dolce: … Continue reading Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)35 Comments

Roe Deer Venison sous-vide with Roe Deer Jus

StefanGourmet

One of the tastiest and most prized types of game is venison from roe deer. A roe deer (Dutch: ree, French:  chevreuil, German: Reh, Italian: capriolo) is a small species of deer that is very picky about its food. If you cannot find roe deer, you can substitute with regular venison. I recently bought a nice back of roe deer venison, part of which I turned into carpaccio and the rest I served like this. The nice thing about buying the whole back was that I also had bones to make a great jus. By cooking the venison sous-vide, you can serve … Continue reading Roe Deer Venison sous-vide with Roe Deer Jus

1. Antipasti (appetizers)12 Comments

Carpaccio of Sous-vide Octopus (Carpaccio di Polpo)

StefanGourmet

Octopus can be very tough and bland, but when you cook it sous-vide it will be tender and flavorful. I wrote about sous-vide octopus (Insalata di Polpo) before, but since octopus sous-vide is so good and I saw a nice idea on GialloZafferano that enables you to slice the octopus more thinly, I decided to write about it some more. The photos on GZ suggest that you can actually get slices of octopus ‘sausage’, but since there is no ‘glue’ to hold them together that doesn’t happen and the slices fall apart. It still looks great, and the thin slices make the … Continue reading Carpaccio of Sous-vide Octopus (Carpaccio di Polpo)

Eating2 Comments

Dining in Amsterdam: Lastage*

StefanGourmet

Lastage opened up less than two years ago at a stone’s throw from Amsterdam Central station. I tried it last year and was impressed with the quality of the food, wine, and service, especially considering the very affordable prices. Meanwhile they have been awarded a Michelin star, but the prices are still the same. You can choose 3 to 6 courses with 2 choices per course for 38 to 62 euros (US$ 48 to 78 at today’s exchange rate), with matching wines for 7.50 euros ($9.50) per glass. Given this price level this is a very good place for a … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Lastage*

1. Antipasti (appetizers)12 Comments

Hot-smoked Scallops (Coquilles St. Jacques)

StefanGourmet

I remember very well the first time I tasted a scallop, which was at the christmas party of PricewaterhouseCoopers (one of my first employers) in 1998 as an hors d’oeuvre. Scallops, also known as Coquilles St. Jacques, are perfect as a hors d’oeuvre because they taste fantastic and are exactly the right size. I didn’t know what they were, but liked them straight away and they have been one of my favorite foods ever since. Although I had never heard of hot-smoked scallops, I thought it would work well and so I tried it and found out that it works … Continue reading Hot-smoked Scallops (Coquilles St. Jacques)

Eating15 Comments

Dining in Italy: Combal.Zero

StefanGourmet

  My regular readers may have noticed that I haven’t posted for a few days. That’s because I was in Italy, to visit friends and to eat at Combal.Zero. In September we dined at Combal.Zero in Rivoli (close to Turin, Italy) for the first time and were totally impressed with the food. So much, that we wanted to go back there again soon. And so we did. Combal.Zero has two Michelin stars (I can only guess why there aren’t three), ‘tre forchette’ (3 forks) from Gambero Rosso (the highest rating from this leading Italian guide) and ranks 59 in the … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Combal.Zero

4. Dolci (dessert)8 Comments

Home-made Vanilla Ice-cream to end a wonderful dinner party

StefanGourmet

So far I’ve been blogging mostly about single dishes, and I thought it would be nice to share with you also how I combine those dishes into a full menu. As I explained on this page, a full Italian menu consists of four courses. I like to pair wines with that as well. We had a special visitor from Australia over for dinner, so I wanted to spoil him with something nice. We had: Antipasto: Roe deer carpaccio with herb salad with a 2008 red Sancerre Raimbault Primo: Scallop and parsnip ravioli with a 2005 Chassagne-Montrachet (that was unfortunately already … Continue reading Home-made Vanilla Ice-cream to end a wonderful dinner party

1. Antipasti (appetizers)11 Comments

Roe Deer Carpaccio with Herb Salad

StefanGourmet

Warning: stop reading this post now if you are a big fan of Bambi. One of the tastiest and most prized types of game is venison from roe deer. A roe deer (Dutch: ree, French:  chevreuil, German: Reh, Italian: capriolo) is a small species of deer that is very picky about its food. It only eats the nicest leaves in the forest, and that’s why it tastes so damn good! The taste is so good in fact that my favorite way of eating roe deer is raw as carpaccio. Unlike other game like regular deer (venison), or wild boar, roe … Continue reading Roe Deer Carpaccio with Herb Salad

Contorni (side dishes)4 Comments

BBQ’ed green Asparagus

StefanGourmet

It is asparagus season in the Netherlands, and the vast majority of asparagus here is harvested as white asparagus. Green asparagus are available year-round, imported from South America. Sometimes local green asparagus are available. Since they didn’t have to travel as much, they are fresher, tastier and have a smaller carbon footprint. White and green asparagus are essentially the same, the only difference is that the white asparagus is harvested while the asparagus is still under the ground. Asparagus turn green as soon as they are above the ground. White asparagus need to be peeled and have a delicate flavor. … Continue reading BBQ’ed green Asparagus

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)6 Comments

Spaghetti with Tuna (Spaghetti al Tonno)

StefanGourmet

This is my “go to” recipe for un unplanned but tasty and healthy meal, as all the ingredients have a very long shelf life (so I usually have them available) and it doesn’t matter to leave out some of the ingredients. The only things you really need are spaghetti, a can of tuna, a can of peeled tomatoes, salt and olive oil. The taste will be more complex if you do use all the optional ingredients, but it will still taste fine without them or with just a few of them. Another advantage of this dish is that it takes … Continue reading Spaghetti with Tuna (Spaghetti al Tonno)

4. Dolci (dessert)19 Comments

Strawberries macerated with Balsamic & Honey

StefanGourmet

This is one of my favorite desserts in summer time. Only three ingredients, easy to make, and delicious. As with many of my recipes, it helps to use the best strawberries you can find (ripe and fragrant), nice honey and the best aged artisan balsamic vinegar you can afford. The best to use for this is the real stuff: aceto balsamico tradizionale aged for 12 or even 25 years. That stuff is very expensive, but also very good. If you live in the Netherlands, the 12-year old balsamic from De Librije is almost as good for about 1/6 of the price … Continue reading Strawberries macerated with Balsamic & Honey

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)3 Comments

Quest for my Grandmother’s Chicken, Part 2

StefanGourmet

Some weeks ago I wrote about my attempts to recreate the memory of my grandmother’s braised chicken. I came pretty close by cooking a stewing hen sous-vide at 64C/147F for 3 days, but I was not completely satisfied with the result yet. In the meantime I have done two new experiments with chicken from the same source, once at 62C/144F and once at 60C/140F. Just a short post today to give you an update of the results. Even after cooking sous-vide for over 16 months now, the difference of only 2C/4F degrees still amazes me. I’ve decided that 62C/144F for … Continue reading Quest for my Grandmother’s Chicken, Part 2

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)4 Comments

Pasta with Broccoli (Orecchiette al Broccoli)

StefanGourmet

I make this pasta quite often, as it is tasty, healthy and quick to make. It is also convenient because the only fresh ingredient needed is broccoli, which keeps quite well in the refrigerator. It doesn’t take longer to make this than it takes to cook the pasta. Since the ‘sauce’ contains anchovies, Italians will generally not serve this with parmigiano as that would overpower the taste of the anchovies. If you do like to eat this with parmigiano or pecorino (which is also good) and you want to be authentic, leave out the anchovies. Or just make sure that … Continue reading Pasta with Broccoli (Orecchiette al Broccoli)

Asian cuisine9 Comments

Steak Teriyaki Sous-vide

StefanGourmet

After trying beef short ribs teriyaki sous-vide, I decided to try rib-eye steak teriyaki sous-vide. The main difference between short ribs sous-vide and (rib-eye) steak sous-vide is that short ribs need 48 hours at 57C/135F to get tender, but steak is already tender and only needs to be brought to temperature. The teriyaki short ribs were a bit dry because the marinade had drawn out too much of the juices. For the rib-eye steak I decided not to marinade the steak before cooking, but only to marinade during cooking. This turned out well: the steak had a nice teriyaki flavor … Continue reading Steak Teriyaki Sous-vide

General8 Comments

Understanding how cooking actually works with Harold McGee

StefanGourmet

I’ve been planning for a while to write about cookbooks, to share with you my thoughts on which books are helpful and which are not. Unfortunately, most fall in the latter category. I decided to start with one of the most helpful books, even though it’s not even an actual cookbook with recipes. I’ve always been someone who likes to, or even has a strong urge to, understand things. It bugs me if I don’t understand something. And so I love Harold McGee’s book “Keys to Good Cooking, a guide to making the best of foods and recipes” (2010, ISBN 978 … Continue reading Understanding how cooking actually works with Harold McGee

Asian cuisine9 Comments

Beef short ribs Teriyaki sous-vide

StefanGourmet

Since the first time I ever had beef short ribs was Teriyaki style at Roy’s in Honolulu, I decided I should try to make my own short ribs teriyaki. First I found out that my regular butcher has something very close to short ribs after all, which he calls “naborst” (for all you Dutchies out here who can’t find short ribs either). The ribs themselves have been removed, but that’s not a big deal. I decided that marinating in teriyaki would not be required as the beef would be cooked in the marinade for 48 hours anyway. The result was … Continue reading Beef short ribs Teriyaki sous-vide

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)13 Comments

Truffle, leek and shallot risotto (Risotto al Tartufo, porro e scalogno)

StefanGourmet

I don’t cook much with truffle, as the quality of the truffles available in the Netherlands is usually disappointing — especially considering the price. But when I got this dried truffle as a freebie to try out, I thought I’d make a nice risotto with it. For future reference I can point out that it is better to buy fresh truffle, because for the list price of this (1.5 grams of dried truffle and a bit of truffle-infused olive oil) at 8 euros ($10 US) you can usually buy 8 grams of fresh truffle (at least in Amsterdam), which will … Continue reading Truffle, leek and shallot risotto (Risotto al Tartufo, porro e scalogno)

Basics41 Comments

How to make home-made Vegetable Stock

StefanGourmet

The success of dishes such as soup and risotto depends to a great extent on the stock used. It will be so much better if you make your own stock from scratch rather than using a bouillon cube. I was about to post a recipe that requires vegetable stock, and realized that I had not posted about how to make vegetable stock yet. So this one comes first, and the truffle, leek and shallot risotto will follow tomorrow. The nice thing is that you can make this for free if you save up vegetable scraps in the crisper of your … Continue reading How to make home-made Vegetable Stock

Basics43 Comments

How to use juices from the bag after sous-vide braising

StefanGourmet

I don’t like to throw away food and when I’m cooking I definitely don’t want to throw away any flavor. So when I brown meat, I always deglaze the pan to make a sauce out of the browned bits that have gotten stuck to the bottom of the pan. I’ve been cooking sous-vide for over a year now, but until recently I had not figured out how to use the juices that are left in the bag after cooking something sous-vide. Especially when braising meat for two to three days, there can be a lot of juice and since it … Continue reading How to use juices from the bag after sous-vide braising

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)6 Comments

Lamb-stuffed Eggplant

StefanGourmet

I invented this dish myself, so as far as I know it is not an authentic recipe unless I recreated it by accident. It’s definitely Mediterranean though. I love the combination of lamb, eggplant and rosemary and that’s why I created this dish. I’ve been making it for years and have made small improvements over time. It is not a lot of work but it does take a while to make, so when I want to eat this after work I will prepare the night before. Ingredients For 2 servings as a main course or 4 servings as a substantial appetizer … Continue reading Lamb-stuffed Eggplant

Basics13 Comments

Slow food: Ragù alla Bolognese

StefanGourmet

One of the most well-known Italian dishes outside of Italy is Spaghetti alla Bolognese. The funny thing about this is that Bolognese Meat Sauce (Ragù Bolognese) originates from the city of Bologna, where it is never eaten over spaghetti but always over fresh tagliatelle! So Spaghetti alla Bolognese is not really an Italian dish, even though today you can eat it in restaurants in Italy, especially the tourist traps. Another common misconception is that Ragù alla Bolognese is a quick sauce of tomato sauce and ground beef. First of all it is not quick but should simmer for hours, and … Continue reading Slow food: Ragù alla Bolognese

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)34 Comments

Best temperature for Beef Short Ribs sous-vide

StefanGourmet

Welcome to Stefan’s Gourmet Blog!  You can find an overview of my sous-vide recipes as well as times and temperatures by clicking on “Sous-Vide” above.  If you like what you see here, you can sign up on the sidebar to receive an email whenever I post a new recipe. I’ve only known about sous-vide cooking for less than two years and have owned a sous-vide water bath for about 15 months now, but the early adapters of sous-vide cooking in the home kitchen were already discussing recipes and techniques on eGullet in 2004. I am reading through all of the … Continue reading Best temperature for Beef Short Ribs sous-vide

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)8 Comments

Revenge on the Nettles (Tortelli di Ortiche)

StefanGourmet

Our front garden was suddenly infested with nettles and other weeds. We tried to get rid of our weed problem in the front garden by covering it with ivy, but due to the very cold winter the ivy was a slow starter this year and the weeds were faster. But we got our revenge on the nettles… by eating them! (Those of you who can read Italian had already figured that out, since tortelli di ortiche means nettle tortelli). I had tried tortelli di ortiche in Italy once or twice and liked it, so when we removed the weeds from … Continue reading Revenge on the Nettles (Tortelli di Ortiche)

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)6 Comments

Veal scaloppine with Eggplant and Mozzarella (Scaloppine alla Melanzana e Mozzarella)

StefanGourmet

A well-known and excellent antipasto (that I haven’t posted about yet, but I will at some point) is involtini of roasted eggplant, mozzarella and basil. Years ago I thought it would be nice to combine this with veal scaloppine and a bit of tomato sauce. I really loved the result and made it often when I had guests over for dinner. I hadn’t made it for a few years until yesterday, and liked it as much as before. It’s not difficult to make but the taste is very impressive. Ingredients For 4 servings 4 veal scaloppine (around 120 grams/4 oz each), … Continue reading Veal scaloppine with Eggplant and Mozzarella (Scaloppine alla Melanzana e Mozzarella)