Tag: wine pairing

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)6 Comments

Pasta with Romanesco and Hazelnut

StefanGourmet

The dish with sole and hazelnut emulsion with romanesco we recently had at a fancy restaurant in Amsterdam was not such a big success because the sole was overpowered by the hazelnut emulsion, but it did inspire me to make this pasta dish because it made me realize that hazelnut and romanesco work very well together. Romanesco is an Italian green variety of cauliflower. If you can’t find it, you could substitute with regular cauliflower. A hazelnut emulsion is basically a warm mayonnaise made with hazelnut oil. I was happy with the result, as also in this pasta dish the combination worked very well and it was a nice variety from other pasta dishes that I make. Because of the nuts it is not really needed to eat a secondo of meat afterwards. And it only takes about 20 minutes to make. Continue reading “Pasta with Romanesco and Hazelnut”

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)22 Comments

Coq au Vin

StefanGourmet

Coq au Vin is a prime example of classic French cooking. It is a lot of work, but worth it. “Coq” is French for rooster, and in times when people still ate roosters they were old and thus so tough that they needed to be stewed in wine to make them edible. Nowadays most chicken only gets to live about 6 weeks, so it is not needed to cook it like that anymore. But the flavor of the classic dish is so good that people keep making it anyway. Those old roosters had a lot of flavor, so this dish will benefit from using an older chicken like the one I discovered recently.

I have looked at various recipes online, most of them in French, and noted that they are all very similar. Chicken is browned, covered in red wine and stock, and then stewed until tender. It is served with sautéed mushrooms and braised pearl onions. Since Julia Child has been very important for introducing French cuisine to America, I thought it would be nice to follow her recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She made some adaptations to ingredients available in America, for instance she cooks the chicken only for a short time (because young chickens don’t need that long) and she blanches the bacon before using it (I think this is because bacon in America was — or still is? — too salty).

I believe the key success factors for a good Coq au Vin are: the quality of the wine, the quality of the chicken, the quality of the chicken stock, and cooking the onions and mushrooms separately and only adding them at the end. This will allow the mushrooms and onions to keep their own flavor. If you’ve never made braised onions before, I bet you’ll like them so much that you will make them again. Braised onions are very tender, flavorful, and sweet, and very different from raw or sautéed onions. Continue reading “Coq au Vin”

Secondi di Pesce (fish dishes)17 Comments

Cod in White Wine Sous-Vide

StefanGourmet

This is an improved version of the Sous-vide cod with braised fennel and white wine sauce that I made more than a year ago. Apart from what I’ve learned about plating and photography since then, the improvements in the recipe are:

  • the cod is cured before cooking sous-vide to improve flavor and texture;
  • the cod is now cooked in the sauce of white wine and shallots, which will impart a nice hint of the wine to the fish;
  • a different temperature for cooking the cod: 41C/106F instead of 54C/129F in an attempt to make it less flaky.

Continue reading “Cod in White Wine Sous-Vide”

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

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)10 Comments

Venison and Bell Pepper Stew

StefanGourmet

Venison, bell pepper and paprika are a good combination that make for a very flavorful stew. If you can’t find venison, lamb is a good substitute. I served it with roasted parsnips and mashed potatoes. The recipe is very similar to the venison and bell pepper ragù I posted a few days ago. In fact, only the end of the preparation is different. Ingredients For 6 servings 900 grams (2 lbs) venison stewing meat, in cubes about 250 ml (1 cup) warm water or venison stock 3 red bell peppers 1 Tbsp hot paprika (or 2 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tsp … Continue reading Venison and Bell Pepper Stew

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)16 Comments

Spaghettini with Venison and Bell Pepper Ragù (Spaghettini al Cervo e Peperoni)

StefanGourmet

The pasta course of a recent dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant in Amsterdam, Bussia, was spaghettini (angel hair spaghetti) with a spicy ragù of venison and crunchy red bell pepper. I really liked the combination of flavors, and it inspired me to create this pasta dish as well as a venison stew about which I will post soon. It is not a classic Italian dish (at least not that I have ever heard of), but it is in Italian style. The use of paprika gives it a touch of Hungary as well. I started the ragù with cubed meat … Continue reading Spaghettini with Venison and Bell Pepper Ragù (Spaghettini al Cervo e Peperoni)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)12 Comments

What to do with leftover Peking Duck: Pappardelle all’Anatra

StefanGourmet

When you make Peking Duck, you only eat the crispy skin and just a bit of the meat right underneath. This means that you will have a lot of leftovers: the carcass as well as most of the meat. It is a shame to throw all of this away, especially since you can use this to make a classic Tuscan pasta dish: Pappardelle all’Anatra. The carcass is used to make a stock, and both meat and stock are used in the pasta sauce. The cooking time is quite long, but there is hardly any active time. Here’s how to do it. Ingredients … Continue reading What to do with leftover Peking Duck: Pappardelle all’Anatra

Asian cuisine16 Comments

Simple Peking Duck

StefanGourmet

I love Peking Duck, but I always thought it was very difficult to make at home. I could hardly believe it when I saw the very simple recipe described by Stéphane on his blog My French Heaven. He just boils the whole duck with some honey and soy sauce, allows it to dry in the refrigerator and then roasts it for 1.5 hours at 250C/480F. I tried this and the result was quite good! Thanks Stéphane! Peking Duck is one of my favorite Chinese dishes. You eat pieces of crispy skin with some cucumber and scallions with a sauce, rolled … Continue reading Simple 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)

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)8 Comments

Lamb Stew with Polenta

StefanGourmet

Even though I’ve been cooking out of Biba Caggiano’s “Modern Italian Cooking” for 15 years now, I still haven’t tried all of her recipes. One of them was “Lamb Stew with Small Onions and Carrots”. I thought it would be perfect for the cold winter weather we’ve been having, and I was right. The stew is very hearty and flavorful and the vegetables have more color and flavor because they are cooked separately and are only added at the end. It paired very well with polenta. I’m not usually a big fan of polenta, but I liked it when my … Continue reading Lamb Stew with Polenta

2. Primi (pasta, risotto), Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)17 Comments

Braciole alla Barese (Stuffed Beef Bundles)

StefanGourmet

Braciole (also spelled as Brasciole) are a typical dish from the province of Bari in Puglia. Braciole are bundles of beef, stuffed with a mixture of parsley, garlic, and cheese, and then cooked low and slow in a tomato sauce. As with many Italian recipes there are variations. According to the Italian wikipedia it is supposed to be made with horse meat rather than beef and with the addition of lard (probably because horse meat is very lean). You could also use red wine rather than wite, or basil rather than oregano. Even though this dish seems very similar to the version … Continue reading Braciole alla Barese (Stuffed Beef Bundles)

1. Antipasti (appetizers)15 Comments

White Asparagus Ice Cream with Truffle

StefanGourmet

This unusual appetizer was inspired by a marvelous dish we had at El Celler de Can Roca. I am not claiming it is a recreation of the dish, it was merely inspired by it. I liked my simpler version too, and from the use of fresh black truffle it’s still not that humble. I had never made asparagus ice cream before, so I was pretty happy with how this turned out. I’ll have to think of a good substitute for the truffle (suggestions are welcome), because it’s the white asparagus ice cream that really shines here and the price of fresh truffle would … Continue reading White Asparagus Ice Cream with Truffle

4. Dolci (dessert)41 Comments

Certosino di Bologna (Fruitcake from Bologna)

StefanGourmet

Another traditional Christmas dish from Bologna with an ‘official’ recipe is Certosino or Pan Speziale (“spicy bread”). I had never made it before, but I really liked it and will certainly make it again. Originally it was named after the pharmacists (called “speziali”) that made this in medieval times, but later it was made by the monks of Certosa and named after that. The official recipe has been deposited only in 2003 and is now a “Specialità tradizionale garantita”. Italian recipes are often imprecise and this is no exception, although the quantities are specified. It reads “Amalgamare spezie, lievito, miele, zucchero, … Continue reading Certosino di Bologna (Fruitcake from Bologna)

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

4. Dolci (dessert)19 Comments

Mince Pie à la Conor

StefanGourmet

Mince pie is a traditional Christmas dessert on the British isles. I had never had mincemeat pie before, and always thought it was a savory pie containing meat. I had not decided on a dessert for Christmas this year, and when I read about Conor’s Mince Pie I decided that would be my Christmas dessert this year. We all loved the very full flavor of the mincemeat, so it was a big success. This is another great example of a blog-inspired new dish that I probably never would have made without Conor’s post. So thanks Conor! I’ve never had mince pie before so … Continue reading Mince Pie à la Conor

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)7 Comments

Penne with Bell Peppers and Pancetta

StefanGourmet

This is a quick and simple weekday pasta dish that came about when I wanted to make Penne with Bell Peppers and Salami, but only had pancetta available. You could also think of this as Penne all’Amatriciana with added bell peppers. This dish turned out to be better balanced than the version with salami, as that is a bit high in acidity. But the most important thing is that you get a lot of flavor for not a lot of work. Ingredients For 2 servings 2 red bell peppers 100 grams (4 oz) of pancetta, diced 150-200 grams (1/3-1/2 pound) … Continue reading Penne with Bell Peppers and Pancetta

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)11 Comments

Pork Roast with Sweet-and-Sour Onions (Arrosto di Maiale con Cipolle in Agrodolce)

StefanGourmet

I’ve adapted this pork dish from one of Biba Caggiano’s recipes from the region Emilia-Romagna. The pork goes really well with the sweet and sour onions. Separately they are both good, but together they are delicious. You can roast the … Continue reading Pork Roast with Sweet-and-Sour Onions (Arrosto di Maiale con Cipolle in Agrodolce)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)9 Comments

Smoked Eel and Celeriac Risotto (Risotto Anguille e Sedano Rapa)

StefanGourmet

Two typical Dutch ingredients are smoked eel and celeriac (aka celery root). In Dutch cooking, they are sometimes combined in celeriac soup with smoked eel. I thought it would be worth trying some Dutch-Italian fusion and make a smoked eel and celeriac risotto. I loved the result and will definitely make it again. A nice thing about the smoked eel is that it is a “mile 0” product, as the eel is caught and smoked in the town where I live. Smoked eel is a delicacy because it melts on your tongue and has a very nice full flavor. It … Continue reading Smoked Eel and Celeriac Risotto (Risotto Anguille e Sedano Rapa)

2. Primi (pasta, risotto), Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)15 Comments

Beef Ragù Napoletano (Primo + Secondo)

StefanGourmet

Ragù Napoletano is a traditional dish from Naples, Italy that is mostly eaten on Sundays. Large pieces of beef and pork are cooked low and slow in a tomato sauce, and then the meat-flavored tomato sauce is served over pasta as the primo piatto, followed by the meat with a bit of the sauce as the secondo piatto. I made this with a nicely marbled piece of Irish Angus chuck roast I had picked up, but you could also use other (tough) cuts of beef as well as pork. A mixture of different kinds of meat will give a fuller flavor. Fusilli … Continue reading Beef Ragù Napoletano (Primo + Secondo)

1. Antipasti (appetizers)12 Comments

Foie Gras Sous-vide with Sauternes, Beetroot and Roquefort

StefanGourmet

Georges Pralus of Restaurant Troisgros in Roanne, France, discovered that foie gras cooked sous-vide kept its original appearance, did not lose excess amounts of fat and had better texture. This was a major step in the development of sous-vide techniques for the restaurant and home kitchens. Although I’ve been cooking sous-vide, I had not cooked foie gras sous-vide yet. Since it was such a breakthrough dish, I felt I had to give it a try. The combination of foie gras with the botrytis dessert wine sauternes is famous, and since sauternes is also good with roquefort and roquefort is good … Continue reading Foie Gras Sous-vide with Sauternes, Beetroot and Roquefort

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

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

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)22 Comments

Neck of Lamb Sous-Vide

StefanGourmet

The ‘secondo’ (main dish) for my lamb extravaganza was this: neck of lamb sous-vide, rack of lamb, parsley root puree and roasted chervil root, served with a lamb jus. The recipes for the parsley root and chervil root will follow in my next post, this post will deal with the neck of lamb. The neck is one of the tastiest cuts of lamb, but also one of the toughest because the neck musles are used a lot. It is ideally suited for cooking sous-vide, which will make it melt-in-your-mouth tender while keeping it succulent. For a good crispy crust I both … Continue reading Neck of Lamb Sous-Vide

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)22 Comments

Lepre alla Cacciatora (Hare Legs Stewed in Red Wine)

StefanGourmet

As I pointed out before, although both are furry and have long ears, a hare (“lepre” in Italian) is red meat and different from the white meat of a rabbit (“coniglio”). The recipe for Lepre alla Cacciatora (Hare Hunter’s Style, or in fact the wife of the hunter) is however quite similar to the recipe for Coniglio alla Cacciatora. Both are stewed in wine and tomatoes. The main differences are that hare is marinated and cooked in red wine with just a bit of tomato, whereas the rabbit isn’t marinated and cooked in white wine and tomatoes. I made this … Continue reading Lepre alla Cacciatora (Hare Legs Stewed in Red Wine)

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)21 Comments

Hare Loin with Sauerkraut and Chestnuts

StefanGourmet

Hare loin (“hazenrugfilet” in Dutch) is the most prized part of a hare: it is very tender but lean red meat with a lot of flavor. Hare has a ‘gamey’ taste, which is not appreciated by everyone. Hare loin is often served with sweet garnishes or sauces such as port and figs, but it also works great with sauerkraut. You can hunt, skin, and butcher your own hare, or you can just get it from the butcher. This preparation is quite easy if you already have the hare loins and hare stock. I used steamed chestnuts as they are sold … Continue reading Hare Loin with Sauerkraut and Chestnuts