Tag: from scratch

4. Dolci (dessert)27 Comments

Vanilla Sauce (Crème Anglaise)

StefanGourmet

The dessert I made for Conor and the wife was PutneyFarm’s chocolate-packed brownies, and to make it even more special I made some crème anglaise to turn it into something that looked like a plated dessert. Crème Anglaise is the French name for vanilla sauce, which should of course be made from scratch using a good-quality vanilla bean. Good vanilla beans are fragrant and sticky. Stay away from the dried out sorry excuses for vanilla beans that are often sold at supermarkets, although those are still better than using synthetic vanilla. Synthetic vanilla contains only the most prominent compound called vanillin, … Continue reading Vanilla Sauce (Crème Anglaise)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)11 Comments

Bartolini-inspired Ravioli

StefanGourmet

The welcoming dinner for Conor and the wife was a full Italian cena consisting of four courses as explained here. We wished more of our blogging buddies could have joined us, but we tried to include them in spirit by cooking and eating their recipes. I used ChgoJohn’s recipe for a filling for cappelletti as inspiration for the ravioli for the primo piatto. The Bartolini family recipe for this stuffing includes pork, veal, spinach, cream cheese, pecorino, nutmeg, and lemon zest. I used ricotta instead of cream cheese and slightly different proportions, but I think it was pretty close to how ChgoJohn would … Continue reading Bartolini-inspired Ravioli

Asian cuisine16 Comments

Homemade Ebi Nigiri Sushi (Shrimp Sushi)

StefanGourmet

One of my favorite types of sushi is ebi nigiri. The shrimp has a very nice slightly sweet flavor that goes very well with the rice and it also looks pretty. Although most people think of raw fish when they think of sushi, the shrimp is actually parcooked for this preparation. I’ve already explained how to make sushi rice and shape nigiri sushi in a previous post. In this post I will only deal with how to prepare the shrimp. For this preparation it is important to buy raw shrimp with the shells on. It is not important to have … Continue reading Homemade Ebi Nigiri Sushi (Shrimp Sushi)

Basics16 Comments

Italian Green Sauce (Salsa Verde)

StefanGourmet

Salsa Verde is a green sauce that is great with boiled meats, like the chicken that’s left over when you make brodo (broth) for tortellini. It is also good with steamed or baked fish. Salsa verde turns bland fish or chicken into something really nice. With a blender it is very easy to make. The main ingredients are parsley, capers, garlic, anchovies, vinegar, and olive oil. There are many recipes for salsa verde around, some also include pickles, fresh breadcrumbs, or hard-boiled egg yolks. I like to include a bell pepper. In the photo you can see that the Salsa Verde I … Continue reading Italian Green Sauce (Salsa Verde)

Asian cuisine9 Comments

Homemade Pancakes for Peking Duck

StefanGourmet

I haven’t been able to write a new post for almost a week because I was in bed with a pretty bad case of the flu 😦 This has been my longest time without a post since I started blogging. Making your own Peking Duck turned out to be quite simple, and so is making your own pancakes to eat it with! I found this recipe on Christine’s Recipes. Making these pancakes from scratch is easy. A good tip in the recipe is to roll out two pancakes on top of each other, as this makes it easier to make them very thin. … Continue reading Homemade Pancakes for Peking Duck

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)8 Comments

Ravioli with Eggplant and Ricotta (Ravioli di Melanzane e Ricotta)

StefanGourmet

This vegetarian pasta dish is a fancy version of the more rustic Sicilian Pasta alla Norma, and perfectly suited for a dinner party. Although the flavors are summery, the ingredients are available year-round so it is ideal to get a bit of summer in your house while it is snowing outside. The flavor of the eggplant is enhanced in a well-known Italian way called “trifolato”: it is sautéed with parsley and garlic. Rather than sautéing the aubergine raw which would make it very oily, I bake the eggplant first so only a minimum amount of oil is needed. The ravioli are served with … Continue reading Ravioli with Eggplant and Ricotta (Ravioli di Melanzane e Ricotta)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)34 Comments

Tortellini in Brodo

StefanGourmet

Tortellini in brodo (tortellini in broth) is a classic Christmas dish from Bologna. The tortellini need to be so small that you can eat them in a single bite, together with the broth. It is quite a bit of work to make them as well as the broth from scratch, but certainly worth it. You can make the broth and the tortellini the day before, in fact my advice would be to do that. Officially you need a capon (neutered rooster) to make the broth, but a plump farm chicken will do. Tortelli and tortellini are the typical stuffed pasta shapes from … Continue reading Tortellini in Brodo

1. Antipasti (appetizers)14 Comments

Spicy Shrimp Crackers with Tuna Tartare

StefanGourmet

I have almost two weeks off from work, which gives me more time than usual to experiment. About a month ago we had a dish at Lasarte in Barcelona that I really liked: spicy shrimp trackers with tuna tartare. The combination of the spicy crispy shrimp with the tuna worked very well, so I wanted to try something similar. I was quite happy with the result, the only thing I would like to improve is the crispiness of the crackers. Do you think you have an idea to make them more crispy? Please leave a comment! Update January 11, 2013: … Continue reading Spicy Shrimp Crackers with Tuna Tartare

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)11 Comments

Chicken Cordon Bleu

StefanGourmet

Cordon Bleu was one of my favorite dishes as a kid. I hadn’t eaten it for years, but when I was thinking about what to do with the organic chicken breast I had left from the whole chicken I had used to make brodo for tortellini, I decided it would be nice to make cordon bleu again. It can’t be a surprise that cordon bleu is really good if made from scratch with good chicken, good ham, and good cheese. It is quite different from something store-bought where the ham, cheese, and chicken are probably all of the ‘processed’ variety. Cordon … Continue reading Chicken Cordon Bleu

1. Antipasti (appetizers)12 Comments

Russian Salad

StefanGourmet

As part of the project of making ‘snackbar’ food from scratch, I thought there should also be a vegetable dish on the menu. Vegetables are not a popular menu item in these ‘restaurants’, unless you count potatoes and ketchup as vegetables. I decided to make a Russian Salad (known as “Huzarensalade” in Dutch, named after hussars, the light cavalry that comes from Russia and other Eastern European countries). Russian Salad consists of boiled potatoes, boiled vegetables, ham, and mayonnaise. I left out the ham to make a vegetarian version, but you could of course include it again. Russian Salad has … Continue reading Russian Salad

Basics18 Comments

Home-made Mayonnaise

StefanGourmet

One of the basics that many people fear is making your own mayonnaise from scratch. It is actually quite easy if you follow three rules: make sure the egg yolks and the oil are the same (room) temperature, separate the egg yolks neatly, and start by adding the oil drop for drop. It also helps to have an electric appliance (mixer, food processor, blender) to do the whisking for you, but you can also make it by hand. Mayonnaise is one of the basic sauces, and in the Netherlands and Belgium it can’t be missed with fries. Mayonnaise is an … Continue reading Home-made Mayonnaise

1. Antipasti (appetizers)15 Comments

Corn Soup with Crab

StefanGourmet

When I read about the “Luscious Creamy Corn Soup with Crab” on Richard McGary’s blog REMCooks, I immediately knew I just had to try this. I hardly ever cook with either corn or crab, so this would be something new and exciting. It was quite a bit of work, but it turned out great! This is a very elegant dish for a fancy dinner party or special occasion. Thanks for the idea, Richard! The local North Sea crab is a bit different from the king crab that Richard used. King crab is available here, but only deep frozen and ridiculously … Continue reading Corn Soup with Crab

Basics28 Comments

Lamb Stock

StefanGourmet

A lamb menu (more about that in yesterday’s post) would not be complete without sauces based on stock made from the bones and scraps of meat from the same lamb. And so I asked the butcher for some of the bones and used them to make a stock. Making a meat stock is very easy and doesn’t take a lot of active time. The process is the same for most types of stock, the main difference is that in lamb stock you use bones from lamb, in beef stock from beef, etc. The quality of the stock is very important … Continue reading Lamb Stock

4. Dolci (dessert)14 Comments

Maple Ice Cream

StefanGourmet

Since I was doing a Thanksgiving-themed dessert and pumpkin pairs well with maple syrup, I decided to serve homemade maple ice cream with my first pumpkin pie. I saw a very straightforward recipe for this on Serious Eats and it turned out great with a very deep maple flavor. It also paired well with the pumpkin pie. Since the fat content of different types of cream and the names for them vary all over the place, I’m specifying the approximate fat content you’re looking for so you can find a mixture of locally available cream and milk that will get you … Continue reading Maple Ice Cream

4. Dolci (dessert)22 Comments

My First Pumpkin Pie

StefanGourmet

Last week was Thanksgiving and pumpkin pie is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert. Americans among you might find this hard to believe, but I had never eaten a single slice of pumpkin pie before in my entire life. When I was throwing a dinner party last Saturday and needed to decide on a dessert, I thought it would be nice to try and bake my own pumpkin pie. I saw a recipe for pumpkin pie on the blog of the Unorthodox Epicure, also known as Adam J. Holland, for what he claims to be the ultimate pumpkin pie. I had already decided … Continue reading My First Pumpkin Pie

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)14 Comments

Home-skinned Hare, Part 1: Hare Stock

StefanGourmet

If you are a vegetarian, this is probably a good point to turn back. I like to eat meat and I believe it is natural for humans to eat meat. I believe that if you eat meat, you should be prepared to face the fact that it came from a live animal. But I do get a bit squeamish when I have to deal with a dead furry animal that still has its skin. And I’m glad that this hare was already killed when we got it, as I’m not sure how prepared I would be to kill it myself — … Continue reading Home-skinned Hare, Part 1: Hare Stock

Secondi di Pesce (fish dishes)11 Comments

Homemade Fish Fingers

StefanGourmet

Like so many things, homemade fish fingers are so much better than store-bought! They are quite easy to make and you get to control what goes in them. So only the freshest fish, homemade breadcrumbs and an organic egg. For these fish fingers I used fresh Atlantic wolffish (“zeewolf” in Dutch, also known as “seawolf”). Since you will use fresh fish rather than frozen, the fish will be that much more flavorful and succulent. I suppose fish fingers were invented for people who don’t like to recognize that they are in fact eating fish, but I like them anyway since … Continue reading Homemade Fish Fingers

Cooking18 Comments

Quiche Lorraine (Quiche Alsacienne)

StefanGourmet

A quiche is a savory pie with a custard-based filling. Lorraine is a region in north-east France that has mixed German-French history and is called Lothringen in German. The word “quiche” comes from German “Küchen” (pie). According to wikipedia there are three types of quiche: Lorraine: with bacon (lardons) only, Vosgienne: with bacon and cheese, and Alsacienne: with bacon, onions and cheese. There is even a “Syndicat National de Défense et de Promotion de l’Authentique Quiche Lorraine” (National Society for the Protection and Promotion of the Authentic Quiche Lorraine) that says that an authentic Quiche Lorraine may only contain shortcrust pastry, egg, bacon, crême fraîche, pepper … Continue reading Quiche Lorraine (Quiche Alsacienne)

Dutch cuisine23 Comments

Home-made Belgian Fries

StefanGourmet

Belgian Fries (known as “Vlaamse friet” or simply “patat” in the Netherlands) are very popular in both Belgium and the Netherlands. The main difference with French fries is that they are thicker. Belgian fries should be freshly cut, fried twice, fluffy on the inside, crispy on the ouside, have a distinct potato taste, and are 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Belgian fries are usually served in a paper cone when you buy them from a street vendor, but at home I just serve them on a plate. For the best taste, real Belgian fries must be fried in beef tallow … Continue reading Home-made Belgian Fries

Asian cuisine16 Comments

Indonesian Peanut Sauce

StefanGourmet

Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony, and Indonesian food still plays a major role in the Dutch food culture. One of the most common Indonesian foods is “saté”, grilled marinated skewers of chicken or pork served with a peanut sauce that is referred to as “satésaus”. This sauce is even served with french fries (“patatje oorlog”, also with mayonnaise) and other snacks. Home-made peanut sauce has a more interesting taste and you can make adapt it to your own preference. Most satésaus is store-bought, but apart from finding the right ingredients it isn’t hard to make by yourself from scratch. … Continue reading Indonesian Peanut Sauce

4. Dolci (dessert)12 Comments

Pear Tart

StefanGourmet

I’ve been baking pie crusts from scratch for years, but I was never completely satisfied with the results. Thanks to tips from CampariGirl and Emmy as well as using proper (pastry, low-gluten) flour I am now finally happy. I made this pear tart based on CampariGirl’s recipe for peach tart and the crust was perfect: crunchy and flaky, even under the moist filling. This is a a very simple but lovely dessert: tender fragrant sweet pears on a great crust. Nothing fancy, but who needs fancy if simple tastes this good? Feel free to make this with another type of seasonal fruit like apples … Continue reading Pear Tart

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)8 Comments

Butternut Squash Lasagne (Lasagne alla Zucca)

StefanGourmet

Pumpkins and Butternut Squash are in season again, and M&M inspired me to make butternut squash lasagne. I used her recipe for Roasted Carrot and Butternut Squash Lasagna as a starting point and made my own version. Often I find dishes with pumpkin or butternut squash to be lacking in taste, but this turned out really well. This was also the first time I made fresh wholemeal pasta, since I agree with M&M that it complements the squash nicely. You could also make it with white flour only as the difference in taste was quite subtle. Making lasagne from scratch … Continue reading Butternut Squash Lasagne (Lasagne alla Zucca)

Basics10 Comments

Home-made Beef Gravy

StefanGourmet

When preparing meat and gravy, you always have to decide whether you want most of the taste to be in the meat or in the gravy.  It is very simple really: all the flavor that goes into the gravy, will go out of the meat. You can’t have both, unless you cheat a little by using other meat to flavor your gravy. And that’s exactly what this recipe is for, or for cases when you just want the gravy and don’t need the meat. Of course you can buy gravy in the store, but home-made is so much better and really … Continue reading Home-made Beef Gravy

4. Dolci (dessert)9 Comments

Home-made Ginger & Honey Ice Cream

StefanGourmet

  This recipe comes from the booklet that came with the ice cream maker. It’s so original and good that I keep making it, with as the only tweak that I add some fresh ginger juice. Ginger in sweet syrup (Dutch: stemgember) and sweet ginger syrup (Dutch: gembersiroop) are available in nearly every supermarket in the Netherlands, but I am not sure if it is as easily available elsewhere. Ingredients   35 grams (1 1/4 oz) sweet ginger, chopped 1 1/2 Tbsp ginger syrup 1 Tbsp honey 70 grams (2 1/2 oz) sugar 250 ml (1 cup) whipping cream 250 … Continue reading Home-made Ginger & Honey Ice Cream

Secondi di Pesce (fish dishes)10 Comments

Fish soup (Zuppa di Pesce)

StefanGourmet

My parents came over for dinner and my dad’s favorite dish is fish soup filled with different kinds of seafood. There are many varieties of this type of soup, including bouillabaisse from France and zarzuela from Spain. It can’t be a surprise that my version is Italian style and therefore called zuppa di pesce. The quality of this soup depends solely on the freshness of the seafood used, and there are hardly any ingredients besides the seafood itself. It is a very elegant dish that looks great to boot. From sous-vide cooking we’ve learned that the ideal temperature to cook … Continue reading Fish soup (Zuppa di Pesce)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)16 Comments

Risotto al Basilico

StefanGourmet

This basil risotto was inspired by a similar risotto we got at a recent dinner at restaurant Bussia in Amsterdam. Their version was lighter and greener, but this was just as delicious. The lighter and greener style may in part have been to blanching the basil leaves to set the color and lighten the taste, something I did not do and may try next time. Ingredients For 2 servings 130 grams (2/3 cup) risotto rice 1 bunch fresh basil (about 50 grams/2 oz) 1 small onion, chopped 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 glass (100 ml) dry white wine … Continue reading Risotto al Basilico

Cooking15 Comments

Pizza ai Funghi (Pizza with Mushrooms)

StefanGourmet

Now that I’ve got the hang of making great pizza at home using cold-fermented dough and baking it tender but crispy in 3 minutes on an aluminum plate, it is time to make pizzas with different toppings. Mushrooms are always a favorite, and the most important thing to get it right is to always sauté the mushrooms before putting them on a pizza. When you bake the mushrooms raw, they will release a lot of liquid that will make your pizza soggy. For additional flavor I like to sauté the mushrooms trifolati, with garlic and parsley. Ingredients For 1 pizza cold-fermented … Continue reading Pizza ai Funghi (Pizza with Mushrooms)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)13 Comments

Home-made Orecchiette with Tomato and Basil

StefanGourmet

This post is dedicated to Natasha from Come Due Maiali. She was one of the first followers of my blog and is one of those fellow bloggers who has made this journey such a great experience. When I posted about orecchiette with mussels and broccoli almost six months ago, she commented that she’s a huge orecchiette fan and would love to get her hands on wholemeal orecchiette. I then responded that she could always make her own, even though I had never yet made orecchiette by hand. I decided to give it a try myself, and now was the time … Continue reading Home-made Orecchiette with Tomato and Basil