Tempura

Tempura is one of my favorite Japanese dishes, that was actually introduced into Japan by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Seafood and vegetables are battered and deep-fried and served with a dashi-based dipping sauce. Just like with sushi you are probably not able to obtain the quality of professionally made tempura, but if you follow the recipe it should still be delicious! Making good tempura requires both some skill (to get a light and crunchy crust) and fresh high-quality ingredients. Tempura should be eaten as quickly as possible, so it’s best to make it in an informal setting where … Continue reading Tempura

Pappardelle ai funghi (Pappardelle with mushrooms)

A long-time favorite of Kees is home-made pappardelle with mushrooms. So when I asked him what he’d like to eat, it wasn’t a surprise that he asked for this dish. If fresh porcini mushrooms are available, you could of course use those. But since they are hardly ever available at a good quality around here, I usually make this with dried porcini mushrooms. This has the added advantage that you can use the soaking liquid for the sauce. You could also make this pasta with store-bought pappardelle, but it’s better with home-made because of the more interesting texture. Ingredients For … Continue reading Pappardelle ai funghi (Pappardelle with mushrooms)