Chilled Summer Sangria with Rosemary
This is one of the best summer drinks, chilled summer sangria with lots of orange juice and woody rosemary. I use more juice than wine, so it's stuffed with vitamins - you could almost call it a healthy drink! The juice of a lemon adds a bit of sourness which I don't want to weaken with too much sugar. Only 1 tablespoon, that's all I put in and its enough to push the fruit's natural sweetness. A glass of brandy and a few orange slices make this Spanish classic complete. You could also chop in some peaches or strawberries, but I like to concentrate on citrus fruits. That's how I remember it from my holidays in Ibiza and that's how I love it. The rosemary is my personal customization, we tried it once and got hooked on it.
For 1 big bowl of sangria, I mixed 750ml / 1.5 pints of dry red wine with 900ml / 2 pints of good quality orange juice and 150ml / 5 ounces of brandy. I added the juice of a lemon, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 4 small sprigs of rosemary and the slices of 1 organic orange. The sangria is best slightly chilled and when it can sit for at least 1 hour.
Sea Bream with Mint and Parsley on Onion and Tomato
A whole fish cooked in one piece is ideal to stuff with herbs, vegetables or spices. Be it baked in the oven or on the grill, the meat doesn't dry out and absorbs all the strong aromas, it's my favourite way to cook it. It's also less fragile to handle, a fact that always puts me off when I think of flipping over thin fish fillets in a pan.
When I cook a whole fish in the oven I simply follow my nose, at one point the air is filled with the smell of cooked fish and that's the sign for me to check it. I make a short cut along the middle line on one side to see if I can lift the fillet off the bone. Most of the time this works, but don't worry I will give you a time you can set for this sea bream recipe!
I stuffed the bream with parsley and mint and put it on a bed of onion, tomato and garlic, a splash of white wine on top and 20 minutes later my kitchen was filled with the most wonderful aroma. I could trust my rule, the meat was done to perfection, firm and delicious!
Baked Sea Bream with Mint and Parsley on Onion and Tomato
For 2 people you need
a whole sea bream 450g / 16 ounces (or 2 small ones but mind the shorter cooking time)
small onion, cut into thin slices, 1
medium tomato, 1/2 diced and 1/2 cut into thin slices, 1
garlic, sliced, 2 cloves
parsley, the leaves of a small bunch
mint 4 big leaves
white wine, around a glass
olive oil
salt and pepper
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F and brush the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil.
Spread half of the onions and garlic and the sliced tomatoes in the baking dish.
Season the fish with salt and pepper on the inside and stuff it with the parsley, 3 mint leaves, the diced tomatoes and half of the onions and garlic. Lay the fish on top of the vegetables, cover with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and put 1 mint leaf on top. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with white wine and bake for 20 minutes until the fish is cooked through and you can lift the fillets off the bones.
Serve with ciabatta bread or potatoes - and a glass of white wine for me!
Roasted Apricots on Turmeric Bread
Sandwich Wednesday news! After 7 months of baking my own bread or visiting one of my trusted bakeries, there will be a new monthly sandwich feature on the blog, eat in my kitchen x The Bread Exchange.
The Bread Exchange is a trading project started by Malin Elmlid in 2008, she is a master when it comes to baking the perfect sourdough bread. Together we will share our creations on eat in my kitchen, every month she will deliver a loaf of bread to my kitchen and I will turn it into a new sandwich idea. This will be exciting as Malin likes to use the exotic ingredients she gets through trading; turmeric from Iran, vanilla from Madagascar, salt from Israel, charcoal, matcha, the list is long and inspiring!
You can't buy Malin's bread, you can only trade for it and that makes it all the more special. You can offer culinary products, a dinner, invite her to a special place, teach her one of your skills or share a talent. Anything of personal value might inspire her and become your trade. The Bread Exchange has been going on all over the world, wherever Malin goes, her sourdough travels with her. More than 1400 loaves of bread have been traded and thankfully enjoyed in Berlin (where she lives), in Sweden (where she's from), the Netherlands, Afghanistan, Sinai, Morocco, Greece, USA and Belgium.
Last winter Malin asked me if I would like to test cook a couple of the recipes for her first cookbook which will be published this autumn. I cooked, baked and savored, they were all delicious and worked out perfectly - it will be so exciting to have the final The Bread Exchange book in my hands!
Now it's time to talk about sandwiches! Malin suggested starting off with her Moonraker Sourdough, a turmeric and honey bread which she created a couple years ago. It's originally made with dried apricots but she left them out this time. This glowing yellow loaf of bread with a strong spice aroma is inspired by the colour palette of the famous 70's Bond movie which gave it its name. Look at the colour and texture of this beautiful bread, imagine turmeric and the best sourdough bread you've ever eaten and you will have an idea of what I had on my kitchen table! As most of you won't be able to find a turmeric bread I will involve the flavours that Malin uses in her bread creations for my sandwiches, so you just have to get (or bake) the best sourdough bread you can find in town and then you can start!
Here's our first eat in my kitchen x The Bread Exchange sandwich creation, fresh apricots roasted with thyme, cardamom and turmeric in honey olive oil together with maple syrup and cardamom crème fraîche on thick slices of turmeric sourdough bread! This sandwich is wonderfully aromatic, juicy and fruity, the spices are present but not overpowering. If you don't have a loaf of bread at hand you could also pack the roast fruits on vanilla ice, this is just as good!
My next sandwich cooperation with Malin will be in August, I don't know what she'll bring to my kitchen but I can't wait to enjoy another one of her creations!
Roast Cardamom Apricots on Turmeric Bread
For 4 open sandwiches you need
sourdough bread, 1 loaf, cut into thick slices
fresh apricots, cut in half, 6
honey 1 tablespoon
olive oil 1 tablespoon
ground turmeric 1/4 teaspoon
ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon
thyme 10 small sprigs
coarse sea salt
For the spread
crème fraîche or cream cheese 150g / 5.5 ounces
maple syrup 1 teaspoon
a pinch of ground cardamom
a pinch of salt
Set the oven to 230°C / 450°F.
Warm up the honey in a sauce pan and whisk in the olive oil, turmeric and cardamom. Coat the apricots with the honey olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and spread on a baking dish (cut side up). Lay the thyme on top and roast in the oven for 8 minutes, turn the fruits around and bake for another 2 minutes.
Whisk the ingredients for the spread till creamy, season to taste and spread on the slices of bread. Put 3 apricot halves on each slice, gently as they are soft. Sprinkle with a couple roast thyme sprigs.
Spaghetti with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Olives and Basil
The beginning of July is the perfect time to throw a few of my favourite vegetables on a big plate of spaghetti. This dish is basically a Mediterranean Caponata, just without aubergine as it would have stretched the cooking time and changed the texture - I didn't want a juicy sauce, I was after some crunchiness! I mixed lots of zucchini with my Gozitan capers, anchovies and garlic and sautéed everything for a very short time. This way, the vegetables stay firm and fresh like a salad.
My tomatoes, olives and basil weren't even cooked, I just mixed them together with some olive oil into the warm pasta. When vegetables reach the peak of their season they don't need long to spread their aroma. Spoiled by the sun, strong in flavour and full of vitamins, they have this intense taste of summer that I've been waiting for for months. A few minutes in the hot pan and they were done, that's one of summer's kitchen qualities!
Spaghetti with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Olives and Basil
For 3-4 people you need
spaghetti 300-400g / 10.5-14 ounces
zucchini, cut in half and sliced, 350g / 12.5 ounces
anchovies, rinsed, dried and finely chopped, 1 1/2
garlic, thinly sliced, 3 cloves
capers 2 heaped tablespoons
tomatoes, cut into cubes, 350g / 12.5 ounces
black olives (whole or chopped) 8
fresh basil leaves 10
optionally: fresh mint, chopped, 5 leaves
black pepper
olive oil
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
In a large heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil, add the anchovies, garlic and capers and cook for 1 minute on a medium heat. Add the zucchini and a little more oil and cook for 5 minutes on high-medium temperature, stirring every now and then. Season with pepper (no salt!) and mix into the spaghetti, add a tiny bit of olive oil if the pasta is too dry. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, basil and mint and serve immediately. There should be enough saltiness from the anchovies and capers, I didn't need to add anymore.
Spinach, Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad with Pink Peppercorns
Green, white and red! Many of my summer dishes sing praise to the Italian flag, without any intention, but maybe my subconscious has something to do with it as I love this country so much. I was so shocked and sad for this football loving nation when they had to leave the World Cup this week (and one of their players got bitten!). I know they love this sport almost as much as their food (which means a lot!), so here's a patriotic salad to lift up their spirits!
Crunchy baby spinach, rucola (rocket salad) mixed with a light olive oil, orange and Balsamico dressing, topped with sweet strawberries, thin slices of young goat gouda and pink peppercorns. The mild Dutch cheese, the berries and aromatic pepper work perfectly on their own as well, cheese, fruit and a little spiciness, a scrumptious little nibble I can never reject!
For this salad for 2 I threw together a handful of baby spinach leaves and a small handful of rucola. My fruity dressing is the same one I used for my spinach and melon salad, I whisked 5 teaspoons of olive oil with 3 teaspoons of orange juice, 2 teaspoons of Balsamico vinegar and seasoned it with a little salt and black pepper. 12 strawberries cut in half and 6 slices of goat gouda (or another mild hard goat cheese) torn in pieces sprinkled on top together with a teaspoon of crushed pink peppercorns finished it off.
Caramelised Elderflower Rosemary Chicken with spicy Potato Wedges
My Elderflower Syrup gets put to good use once again! I marinated chicken breast for a couple hours in elderflower syrup together with some fresh rosemary and was rewarded with the most aromatic, tender meat. Flowery and woody flavours wrapped the chicken, the sticky marinade caramelised the soft surface, it was absolutely delicious! I seared it first and then baked it for 8 minutes, this way it keeps its juiciness. My old method of frying the chicken until it's done left it a lot drier.
I don't cook chicken that often but when it finds its way to my kitchen I like to play around with strong flavours. You could replace the elderflower syrup with maple syrup or any other flowery taste, honey works of course but it's nice to try something different. I used the rosemary as it's great in combination with elderflower and poultry, it turned smokey which added a bit of a flame grilled touch.
This meal had a rustic feeling to it, so crisp potato wedges felt like the right company. Flavoured with maple syrup, they also got a spicy coating. Don't worry about the long list of spices, just use what you find in your spice box and what makes sense for your taste buds, this is what I mixed together: cumin, star anise, harissa, cloves, cayenne pepper, fennel seed, sweet paprika and black pepper.
Caramelised Elderflower Rosemary Chicken with spicy Potato Wedges
If possible, marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes, a few hours would be even better.
For 2 people you need
chicken breast 2 (around 400g / 14 ounces)
elderflower syrup 50ml /1.5 ounces
rosemary, chopped, 1 tablespoon plus 2 little sprigs
salt and pepper
olive oil for frying
For the potato wedges
potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges, 500g / 1 pound
maple syrup 1 tablespoon
olive oil 2 tablespoons
cloves, ground in a mortar, 6
harissa powder 1/2 teaspoon
ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon
star anise, ground in a mortar, 1 piece
ground Hungarian (sweet) paprika 1/2 teaspoon
cayenne pepper, a bit more than a pinch
fennel seeds, ground in a mortar, 1/4 teaspoon
black peppercorns, ground in a mortar, 1/2 teaspoon
In a bowl, cover the chicken breast with the elderflower syrup and rosemary and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the potato wedges in lots of salted water for 8 minutes, rinse with cold water and lay on a cooling rack to dry (for at least 10 minutes to a day).
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I use the Rotithem setting).
For the wedges, whisk the maple syrup, olive oil and spices. Spread the potatoes in a baking dish and cover with the spicy syrup. Roast in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown and crisp. You can turn on the grill for the last minute.
While the potatoes are in the oven, heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy pan and sear the chicken breasts (covered in marinate and rosemary) for a few minutes on both sides till golden brown and caramelised. Season with salt and pepper. Put the meat in a baking dish when the potatoes are done and roast in the oven for 8 minutes. Turn on the grill for the last minute. Check with a skewer, only clear juices should come out.
Chunky Strawberry Jam
For my breakfast toast I like my jam chunky and fruity, thick, with skin, seeds and everything. I've never been a big fan of jellies, it's like something is missing, I need to feel those crunchy bites. Even blackberries, red or black currants, I always cook the whole fruit. When it comes to my favourite spread, sweet strawberries, I cut the fruit in half, it makes a very chunky jam, you can still taste and feel the berries.
In my family, we have always used jam sugar (also known as gelling or jelly sugar) when we make strawberry jam. It contains pectin made of apples and citrus fruits and you can also choose between three different types, either 3:1, 2:1 or 1:1. The numbers stand for the ratio between fruit and sugar, I prefer 2:1 which allows a less sweet jam, you only need 1 pound of sugar for 2 pounds of berries. I cook mine for 4 minutes to turn it into a concentrated fruit spread, I don't even need to test for the setting point. It works perfectly!
Since I was a child, I've always loved to cook jams. It was exciting, all those fruits to prepare, my mother would bring out her special tall jam pot and the long wooden spoon, both only came to use when it was jam time! The process of sterilizing the jars in boiling water and spirit felt like a science project to me. From my mother I also learnt to cover the jam in the jar with a circle cut out from thick plastic foil dunked in alcohol. It prevents the jam from molding and keeps it fresh for years!
Strawberry Jam
When you cook jam you should always use a tall pot to prevent the jam from boiling over. The fruits will be two to three times as high when they've reached boiling point! My pot is 24cm / 9.5" high and 20cm / 8" wide.
For 8 medium sized jars you need
strawberries, rinsed and cut in half (you can quarter the big ones), 2kg / 4 1/2 pounds
jam sugar (gelling or jelly sugar), 2:1 or 1:1, 1kg / 2 1/4 pounds
Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for 5 minutes. Dunk the rims of the jars in spirit and wash out the lids and the ladle (you will use to fill the jars) with the alcohol. If you can get a thick foil (thicker than cling film), cut out 8 circles roughly the size of the jars and put into the spirit as well.
Put the fruits and sugar in a pot and bring to the boil, stirring with a long wooden spoon every now and then. When the boiling point is reached (you should see quite a few bubbles coming up), let the jam boil for 4 minutes, carefully stirring a couple times (without burning your hand, hence the long spoon!).
Take the pot of the heat and fill the prepared jars with the sterilized ladle almost to the top. Cover with the circles of foil and close tightly immediately. Let the jam sit for 1 day before you spread it on your first morning toast and store the jars in your pantry.
Grilled Peach and Camembert Sandwich with Rosemary
It's cheese and fruit again! My last sandwich which combined these two flavours lies more than a month back. I had paired a creamy Gorgonzola with some of the first strawberries of the year, it was mild and milky but spiced up with a few pink peppercorns. Today's sandwich is more intense, I used a ripe Roucoulons camembert from the Franche-Comté region in the East on France. Normally this cheese is quite mild but mine was already beyond that state. It was very ripe, so spicy and sharp that my boyfriend refused to eat it so I decided to put it under the grill. I went for white-fleshed galaxy (or donut) peaches, we call them vineyard peaches in Germany. They are so sweet and juicy, exactly what I needed as the peach season has just begun here and most of the other types aren't rich in flavour yet (and wouldn't have managed the combination with my intense camembert). I sprinkled some crushed black peppercorns on top to add some spiciness and a little fresh rosemary which became a bit smoky under the grill, it was good!
For 6 open sandwiches I used half a loaf of spelt ciabatta cut into thick slices, topped with 2 ripe peaches (sliced) and 125g / 4.5 ounces of Roucoulons camembert. I sprinkled each of them with a couple rosemary needles and put them under the grill for 1 minute until the cheese became a bit runny. We added the crushed pepper afterwards so that each of us could adjust the spiciness.
Potatoes with Rucola Pesto and Peas
A couple vegetables thrown together and mixed with a thick and aromatic pesto, I love these dishes, easy and uncomplicated! You can eat them warm or cold, as a salad, side or main and they are just as perfect on a brunch table as they are for a light dinner with a glass of rosé wine and some crunchy bread. In a month we'll be in Malta and these are the kind of recipes I like to prepare for lunch when the temperature gets closer to 40°C (104°F) and I can feel it slow down the pace of my kitchen activities. You never know how many people will meet at the table, 2, 6 or 8, but a full bowl of potatoes, peas and rucola pesto will please even the biggest Mediterranean family!
This recipe is just as nice with pasta but this time I went for potatoes, the pesto gives them a Southern touch which suits them well. My first idea was to use basil but then I remembered the rucola (rocket) pesto I had made for my Easter lamb chops, so I changed my mind. The rucola adds a soft spiciness, a contrast to the sweet peas. I sprinkled some crushed black pepper on top and my coarse sea salt from Gozo and we ate most of it for lunch, still warm, but the cold leftovers were just as nice!
Potatoes with Rucola Pesto and Peas
For 3 as a main or 4-6 as a side dish you need
potatoes, peeled and cooked, 800g / 28 ounces
peas 100g / 3.5 ounces
coarse sea salt
crushed black peppercorns
For the pesto
rucola (arugula) 80g / 3 ounces
Parmesan 20g / 3/4 ounce
pine nuts 20g / 3/4 ounce
olive oil 75 ml
a pinch of salt
Mix the ingredients for the pesto in a blender.
Cut the potatoes into cubes. Blanch the peas in boiling sugared water for 1 minute and rinse with cold water for 1 second.
In a large bowl, spread out the potatoes and peas and dollop the pesto on top. Sprinkle with sea salt and crushed black pepper.
Summer Strawberry Tiramisu
After a decade of eating nothing but tiramisu for dessert whenever I went to a restaurant I can call myself a true specialist when it comes to this famous Italian dessert. I love it passionately and although this phase of complete dedication ended many years ago I still order it sometimes when I see it on the menu. My sweet obsession wasn't limited to restaurants only, but crept into my own kitchen as well. I can't even count the recipes that I've tried until I came up with the one that is absolutely perfect to me. It is creamy, well balanced between mascarpone, eggs and sugar, the lady fingers dipped in espresso and liqueur for a second to avoid a soggy pastry layer. The right ratio between the coffee and alcohol is as important as the kind of spirit. Brandy became my favourite over the years, no amaretto (too strong), no marsala or port (too sweet). I don't bake my own ladyfingers but I "invest" in good quality ones from Italy, that's where this recipe originates and they know best how to make the perfect biscuits for this dessert.
Funnily enough, I haven't shared my tiramisu recipe on the blog yet although I've been wanting to write about it for months (and I've made it a couple time since I started eat in my kitchen). Today I won't even share my original recipe but the fruity summer version, my strawberry tiramisu! I promise, the classic one will come soon but for now it's all about the fruit. Delicious nonetheless, if you have a dinner party ahead of you and you're still looking for a dessert that you can prepare in advance, try this one. My guests always love it as much as I do!
Before I forget to mention it, the ladyfingers are dipped in a syrupy juice made of red wine, strawberry and sugar cooked for two minutes. It's fruity and sweet with a bit of a red wine aroma, not too much, just a hint.
Here’s the recipe for my classic tiramisu!
Strawberry Tiramisu
The tiramisu is best when it can sit for at least 10 hours.
For 8-10 people you need (in a round 25cm / 10" dish)
strawberries 500g / 18 ounces (350g / 12.5 ounces sliced, 100g / 3.5 ounces cut in half for topping, 50g / 2 ounces finely chopped for the syrup)
ladyfingers 300g / 10.5 ounces
organic eggs 4
mascarpone, at room temperature, 400g / 14 ounces
sugar 60g / 2.5 ounces plus 40g / 1.5 ounces for the syrup
red wine 160ml / 5.5 ounces
a pinch of salt
In a sauce pan, bring the wine, 50g / 2 ounces of the strawberries and 40g / 1.5 ounces of the sugar to a boil and cook (open) for 2 minutes on a medium heat. Strain and pour in a deep plate and let the syrup cool.
Beat the egg whites and salt till stiff.
Whisk the mascarpone till creamy.
Mix the egg yolks and 60g / 2.5 ounces of the sugar till thick and creamy and add the mascarpone. Mix well until combined and gently fold in the egg whites.
Dip the ladyfingers' bottom side (unsugared) in the syrup, for 1 second, they will soak enough liquid to soften overnight. If you leave them in longer they become soggy. Lay out a tight layer of ladyfingers (sugared side down) in the dish. Gently cover with half of the mascarpone egg mixture and put the sliced strawberries on top, pushing them down carefully. Spread out another layer of syrup-dipped ladyfingers and cover with the remaining cream. Decorate the tiramisu with the strawberry halves, cover with cling film and keep in the fridge for at least 10 hours before serving.
Affogato - Vanilla Ice Cream in Espresso and a creamy Fruit Tart
We live quite a Roman lifestyle when the family meets at my mother's house. It's all about food, nice wine and at breakfast time we already start to talk about our plans for dinner. We all love to eat and to cook, so when we meet that's what it's about, enjoying life!
Caught in this enthusiasm for culinary pleasures it sometimes happens that we end up with two sweet breaks, three actually but I will leave out the Oeufs à la neige or île flottante which we had after dinner, a beautiful dessert of floating meringue on a warm vanilla sauce. It was amazing but I was too relaxed to get up and get the camera.
In the early afternoon we started with a sweet kick, a genius idea, we just dropped a spoonful of vanilla ice cream into our little cups filled with strong espresso, a wonderful Affogato. This was better than any iced coffee I ever had before, it's great! It was a warm day, we had spent lots of time in my mother's garden, she cleaned up her flower beds and then we went for a long walk in the forest. We walked over soft hills and green fields and after all that activity and a heavy dose of fresh air (which is always a shock on our lungs used to the city air) the vanilla ice cream in espresso was the right thing to put us back on our feet. I'm sure I will make this again for a dinner party!
The next spontaneous break involved fresh strawberries and short crust tarts which my mother had bought from her bakery. They were buttery and crumbly, we dolloped some vanilla whipped cream on top and my mother garnished them artfully with halves of strawberries - another break, another espresso and more happy faces!
You can use store bought tartlets or the ones I baked for my rhubarb meringue. If you prefer different fruit toppings, you could also top a few with blueberries or raspberries. Unfortunately, the gooseberries in my mother's garden weren't ripe enough yet, they would have turned it into my favourite fruit tart!
Strawberry Cream Tartlets
You will need round 10cm / 4″ tartlet pans.
For 10 tartlets you need
plain flour 250g / 9 ounces
sugar 80g / 3 ounces
a pinch of salt
a pinch of vanilla
butter, cold, 160g / 5.5 ounces
organic egg yolks 2
For the topping
strawberries, cut in half, 40
heavy cream 300g / 10.5 ounces
a pinch of vanilla
granulated sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons
Combine the flour with the salt, vanilla and sugar. Cut the butter with a knife into the flour until there are just little pieces of butter left. Continue with your fingers and work the butter into the flour until combined (there shouldn’t be any lumps of butter left). Add the egg yolks and continue mixing with the hooks of your mixer until you have a crumbly mixture. Form a thick disc, wrap in cling film and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Set your oven to 200°C / 390°F top / bottom heat. Butter the tartlet pans and dust with flour.
Roll out the dough about 3mm thick between cling film and cut out 10 12cm / 5″ circles. Line your tartlet pans with the pastry and prick with a fork. Blind-bake in the hot oven for 9 minutes or until golden. Take them out, let them cool for a couple minutes before you flip them over and let the tartlets cool off completely.
Whip the heavy cream with a pinch of fresh vanilla and 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar (or more if you prefer it sweeter) till thick. Dollop a spoonful on each tartlet and top with 8 strawberry halves. Our strawberries were sweet enough but you could also dust them with icing sugar if you prefer it sweeter.
A quick Fish Soup with Saffron and Vermouth
Bright red, with chunks of firm fish filet and king prawns, this was one of the best fish soups I have ever eaten! It was so rich in aromatic flavours, saffron, vermouth, thyme and bay leaf that it makes my mouth water when I think about it. My mother cooked the soup with wolfs fish and cod, we went to the market to get monkfish but her fish monger didn't have it that day. Our choice was good, the fish tasted nice and strong and we enjoyed every single bite of it!
The soup is made of a concentrated fish broth, lobster works as well, which you can either prepare yourself beforehand or use a store bought one of good quality (my mother used a broth she had in the freezer). Once you have the broth ready in the pot, the basis of this soup, you only need 20 minutes in the kitchen before you can fill your plates with this delicious fish soup. We added saffron, vermouth, herbs and a couple vegetables and let it simmer for 10 minutes before we threw in the fish for another 7 minutes, that's it. A sumptuous meal in such a short time!
Traditionally, this soup is topped with mayonnaise, you can either use the one from yesterday's artichoke with 3 dips or my garlicky aïoli. The traditional Provençal Bouillabaisse is served with an aromatic Rouille (I haven't shared a recipe for this yet) which is made with saffron and spicy chili peppers. We got so excited over the quick preparation of our soup and the beautiful German white wine we already savored while cooking, that we simply forgot about this creamy dip. We didn't enjoy it any less without it, with ciabatta bread on the side and the most amazing view of soft hills in juicy shades of green behind my mother's blossoming garden. It was a good day!
Fish Soup with Saffron and Vermouth
For 4 people you need
fish ( firm filets of loup de mer, monkfish, wolfs fish or cod and king prawns), cut into chunky pieces, 800g / 1 3/4 pounds
fish or lobster broth 1200ml / 2.5 pints
vermouth 100ml / 3.5 ounces (we used a mix of Noilly Prat and Pernot)
shallots, finely chopped, 2
medium carrot, finely chopped, 1
garlic, crushed, 1 clove
tomato paste 2 tablespoons
thyme, the leaves of 3 sprigs
parsley, finely chopped, the leaves of 3 sprigs
bay leaf 1
a pinch of saffron
a pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
olive oil
In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and sautée the vegetables and garlic on a medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix with the vegetables. Deglaze with the vermouth and let it cook for 1 minute. Add the broth, bay leaf, thyme and parsley and let it cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat. Season with saffron, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste and take out the bay leaf.
Add the fish and let it simmer on a medium-low heat for about 7 minutes until the fish is done. Don't overcook it, the texture should stay firm.
Serve with white bread (you can also roast it under the grill with a few drops of olive oil) and a spoonful of mayonnaise.
Artichokes a la Mama with 3 Dips
Here they are, the delicious treats my mother prepared for us when we stayed at her house in the countryside last weekend! I have to leave out the first dinner of the evening we arrived, I was too hungry and exhausted to take any photos after the six hour drive. I got a beautiful aperitif, white wine mixed with Limoncello and mint and I was told to sit down and relax (my family knows that this is not always easy for me to do). So we all gathered in the kitchen, watched my mother cook a fruity tomato sauce with bell peppers and spaghetti, chatted and were happy to be together again!
Today I will share the recipe we enjoyed on the second night, artichokes a la Mama with three kinds of dipping sauces. This is one of her summer classics! She uses big globe artichokes with fleshy leaves, the same kind as those ripening in her garden. It's the first year that she has grown them herself and they look impressive, big plants with a strong stem crowned by a majestic globe, simply stunning! Their leaves are perfect to dip into sauces, there's a lot to nibble on before you finally reach the heart which is thick and tasty once the hairy choke is cut off. My mother always makes a few different sauces, most of the time it's a classic mayonnaise, a smooth tomato dip with black olives, thyme and basil and a yoghurt dressing mixed with hardboiled eggs.
In the next couple of days I will share three more of her recipes with you, one of the best fish soups I have ever eaten, refined with saffron and cooked with king prawns, wolfs fish and cod. Last Saturday we went a bit overboard on the sweet side and we had two desserts in one day, both are so quick to prepare that you can easily make (and eat) them after each other!
Artichokes a la Mama with 3 Dipping Sauces
For 4 people you need
globe artichokes 4
lemon 1/2
Cook the artichokes in lots of salted water together with the lemon for 35-45 minutes (closed with a lid) until you can easily pull off an outer leaf.
For the mayonnaise
My mother whisks the mayonnaise by hand but you could also mix it with a stick mixer in a mug like I did with my aïoli.
organic egg yolks 2
olive oil around 250ml / 8.5 ounces (more or less, depending on the size of the egg yolks)
Dijon mustard to taste
freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper
Whisk the egg yolks and slowly add the olive oil. Stop adding more oil when the texture is thick (it will take a few minutes) and season with the lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste.
For the tomato dip
medium tomatoes, finely chopped, 4
black olives, finely chopped, 8
ketchup 3 tablespoons
fresh basil, chopped, 1 tablespoon
thyme leaves of 2-3 sprigs
balsamic vinegar to taste
freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper
Mix the ingredients with a spoon to a smooth dip and season to taste.
For the yoghurt dip
yoghurt 150g / 5.5 ounces
organic eggs, hardboiled and finely chopped, 3
Dijon mustard to taste
freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper
chives, snipped, 2 tablespoons
Mix the ingredients (except the chives) with a spoon to a smooth dip and season to taste. Sprinkle with chives.
Lemon Goat Cheese Tartine with Sango Radish Sprouts
Sango radish sprouts! Their deep purple caught my attention and was the initial inspiration for my sandwich, tartine in this case as it's made with a single slice of bread. The colour is mesmerizing, the shades change between a dark violet, almost black, a vibrant green and a dull brown. At home, when I looked at the box with the spouts on my table, the fragile plant reminded me of sea anemones, glowing and a bit unreal. The first bite was more familiar than their look, they taste a bit like pepper cress, spicy and fresh.
A dip just as fresh as the sprouts was my idea for this tartine, in white to achieve a strong contrast to the purple (I couldn't resist to focus on the look of this week's sandwich as well). I'm very much into goat milk products at the moment, soft cheese, hard cheese, cream cheese and yoghurt, the flavour that it adds is strong but never overpowering. This time I went for a light yoghurt and stirred in some cream cheese and mascarpone to give it more texture and creaminess. I bought a rustic baguette which is more juicy and tasty than the normal one, it's almost oily on the inside.
For my dip I whisked 125g / 4.5 ounces of goat milk yoghurt with 1 1/2 tablespoons of cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of mascarpone. To add a bit of tanginess I mixed in 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and seasoned the creamy dip with salt and pepper to taste. I spread it on 8 slices of baguette and sprinkled the tartines with a handful of Sango radish sprouts ( you could also use pepper or water cress) and a little more lemon zest.
Spaghetti with Anchovy Pangrattato, Lemon and Parsley
La dolce vita, I can hear it calling me! I need a holiday, some Mediterranean vibes, the sea that slows down my pace! For now I only have my beloved Mediterranean food but there's only a month between me and a little dolce far niente! Our flights are booked and in four weeks we will be heading South, but my mind is already there, in Malta, our beautiful rock in the Mediterranean Sea. I find myself daydreaming about all the things I will do and eat.
I have a plan, I will enjoy the sea and spend lots of time with our friends and family as I always do but I will also share some of my culinary hotspots with you. Over the years, I found so many delicious restaurants, small producers of olive oil, cheese, bakeries, winemakers and my salt pans in Gozo of course. I met many people who are as passionate about eating and cooking as I am, chefs and Maltese Mamas who have treated their families to years of the most delicious traditional dishes. Soon, I will meet these food lovers, we will talk about food, I will watch them cook and share their recipes with you on the blog. I'm very excited and I can't wait to show you this amazing island, its food and natural beauty!
For now I can only enjoy all the lovely dishes that feed my memories and fit my daydreams, like spaghetti with pangrattato (meaning grated bread in Italian), crisp breadcrumbs fried with anchovies and garlic! I sprinkle it with freshly squeezed lemon juice, crushed black pepper and parsley, a summer meal which couldn't be quicker and easier!
Spaghetti with Anchovy Pangrattato, Lemon and Parsley
For 2 people you need
spaghetti 200g / 7 ounces
dry breadcrumbs 5 heaping tablespoons (if you have some stale white bread left put it in a food processor and turn into breadcrumbs)
anchovies, rinsed, dried and finely chopped, 2-3 big fillets (use 3 if you like a strong fish taste)
garlic, finely chopped, 2 cloves
parsley, finely chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons
lemon 1/2, to drizzle over the pasta
black peppercorns, crushed coarsely
salt
olive oil for frying
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the garlic on a medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the anchovies and fry for a few seconds before you pour in a little more oil, add the breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown and crisp. Divide the spaghetti and the pangrattato between 2 plates and sprinkle with lemon juice, black pepper and parsley. Season with salt, carefully as the anchovies are very salty.
Feta and Tomato stuffed Bell Pepper with Mint
The smell of fresh mint is still in my nose! I spent last weekend at my mother's house in the countryside, more precisely in her garden and kitchen and the smell of herbs and flowers was always around us. She is one of those lucky people who has a green thumb and lots of space to prove it. The strong sun and heavy rain of the past days turned her garden into a blossoming green world with various shades of red, pink, violet and yellow. Whenever I passed her flower and vegetable beds a cloud of roses, thyme, lavender and mint followed me. This was aroma heaven and the the strong mint was a very persistent companion! My mother's vegetable garden made me jealous, artichokes, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, peas and many more, she can honestly compete with my market stands at home! Her herbs grow like weeds, some of them have had their roots in this ground for almost twenty years.
The path from her garden to the kitchen isn't long and we brought lots of these goods inside the house in the past days. We cooked big artichokes with three different kinds of dips, a delicious, light pasta recipe with tomatoes and bell pepper and fish soup. On the sweet side, we had strawberry tarts, ice cream in espresso and I also got to love a great summery aperitif with Limoncello, white wine, lemon rind and mint, needless to say that it was all wonderful and I will write more about it in the coming days.
Back to the fresh mint, here is a recipe so quick to prepare, it looks beautiful and combines a few ingredients which I love for my cooking in summer, bell pepper stuffed with feta, tomatoes, parsley and mint. After twenty minutes in the oven it's done, having four or ten people to feed doesn't make much of a difference, this is a real crowd pleaser!
Feta and Tomato stuffed Bell Pepper with Mint
For 4 people you need
red bell peppers 4
feta cheese, 250g / 9 ounces
medium tomatoes, chopped, 3
parsley, chopped, 3 heaping tablespoons
mint, chopped, 8-10 big leaves
salt and pepper
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F.
Cut the top off the bell pepper and set aside. Mix the feta, tomatoes and herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Fill the bell pepper with the cheese mixture, close the fruit with the lid and put in a baking dish. Bake for 17 minutes, the bell pepper should be al dente.
Olive Oil Ice Cream with flaky Sea Salt
Smooth ice cream, a bit oily on the tongue, with a strong vanilla aroma and a pinch of sea salt. I experienced this combination for the first time two summers ago in Sicily, in Ragusa, where I spotted a small ice cream shop which offered flavours I had never even thought of before. They made ice cream from grapes which I know well from wine but they used them for their frozen sweets. Moscato was one of them and it became my grape ice cream favourite.
Another very sensual experience was their olive oil ice cream with sea salt, it's like frozen velvet! It's one of those things you have to taste as you can't imagine it. I got hooked on it. Both ingredients, the oil and the salt sound very unusual but make a lot of sense, much like my Mousse au Chocolat with olive oil, the oil adds a soft nuttiness which comes through even stronger through the salt. The texture it creates leaves a nice feeling in the mouth, soft and smooth. Unfortunately, I only made half the amount of my recipe, a mistake I won't repeat!
Olive Oil Ice Cream
For 4 people you need
organic egg yolks 6
granulated sugar 160g / 5.5 ounces
milk 500ml / 17 ounces
heavy cream 200ml / 7 ounces
vanilla bean, slit slightly, 1
olive oil 160ml / 5.5 ounces
flaky sea salt for topping
Beat the eggs and sugar for 3 minutes till thick and creamy.
In a saucepan, bring the milk, cream and vanilla bean to a boil. Take off the heat, take the vanilla bean out and scrape the seeds out of the bean into the milk. Add the egg mixture and cook for around 8-10 minutes on a medium-low heat till it starts to thicken, whisking constantly. Stir in the olive oil and a pinch of salt and cool in the fridge. Freeze in the ice cream maker for 20 minutes and put in the freezer for 1 hour. Mix with a spoon and serve sprinkled with flaky sea salt.
Spicy Mango Salad and the Thai Park in Berlin
A small path lined with trees and dense bushes led me to one of Berlin's most highly praised culinary hotspots which I've wanted to visit for ages. Last Sunday I finally made my way to the city's famous Thai Park! The air was hot and sticky and I enjoyed the short walk in the shade, I was excited as many of my friends had told me so much about this place and its amazing food. A big meadow surrounded by a green wall of trees opened in front of me, with people sitting on blankets under little umbrellas savoring delicious looking food, playing cards or just daydreaming. It was a peaceful scene, Sunday afternoon calm.
On Sundays when the weather is nice and sunny, women from Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia come to the Preußen Park in the heart of Berlin and make it their kitchen. They sit on the grass behind colourful cooling boxes, mobile grills and gas cookers and chop vegetables or fry tempura. While they offer golden fried pork belly, shrimp and dumpling sticks, the ladies chat and laugh between their mobile kitchens. On a tiny patch of grass they cook delicacies which I would hardly manage to create in my kitchen! I was astonished, by the beauty of the food and of the women, the utter satisfaction in their faces touched me. Their passion for cooking and for their traditional recipes is the reason they gather in this park thousands of kilometers away from the recipes' origin to create the meals they grew up with and to share with people like me. I was so impressed by the quality and variety of the dishes they offered!
Needless to say that I bought lots of plates and boxes with salads, meat and fish, spring and summer rolls and dumplings. I found a little spot in the shade and enjoyed all the different dishes, flavours and combinations which I rarely use in my own kitchen. There was far too much food so we enjoyed the leftovers at home where I also came up with the idea for a mango salad with a few changes to the one I enjoyed at the park.
To begin with I didn't have green mangos but a very ripe yellow one which I didn't grate (the traditional way) but cut into slices. I mixed it with lots of coriander, roasted cashews and spicy red chili pepper. For the dressing I used the sesame oil I had bought for my Korean Bibimbap, soya sauce, honey, lime and lemongrass. I didn't try to create an authentic Thai mango salad, it's my own variation on this classic. When I want to eat the traditional one which I won't even try to compete with, I will go to the lady in the park and ask her to prepare a portion for me, the best Thai salad I have ever had!
Spicy Mango Salad with Coriander and Roasted Cashews
For 4 people you need
ripe yellow mangos, sliced, 2
coriander, the leaves of 2 bunches
roasted cashews, chopped, a handful
For the dressing
sesame oil 2 tablespoons
sunflower oil 1 teaspoon
soy sauce 1 teaspoon
honey 1 tablespoon
freshly squeezed lime juice 1 teaspoon
zest of 1/4 lime
red chili pepper, finely chopped, 2.5cm / 1" piece
lemongrass, finely chopped, 2.5cm / 1" piece
a pinch of brown sugar
Whisk the ingredients for the dressing and adjust to taste.
Spread the mango and coriander leaves on 4 plates and sprinkle with the cashews and dressing.
Mediterranean Meatloaf with Zucchini and Bell Pepper
Meatloaf was one of the few meals with meat that I really liked as a young child (apart from Wiener sausage). My mother used to make a big portion of it which we ate cold the following days. I still prefer it that way! When we were younger, my sister and I weren't very experimental when it came to our food, that changed over the years and it effected my mother's cooking. Now she fills her meatloaf with vegetables and herbs, a Mediterranean version but in those days she kept it simple to please our sensitive taste buds and picky taste.
I hadn't made meatloaf for years, I had forgotten about it to be honest, but two summers ago my mother cooked it for a garden party. My whole family (which is quite big) was there, it was a hot day in July and no one wanted to stay inside the house. We just went to the kitchen to fill our plates at the long table piled with lots of summery dishes and then went straight outside again to sit on the grass. It was a big picnic, a beautiful day with eating, drinking, laughing and playing music - and the cold meat was my happy rediscovery!
This meatloaf is very juicy, it's cooked with zucchini, leek, bell pepper and lots of herbs. Thyme, oregano and rosemary give it a Mediterranean touch, either warm or cold, it's best with a light salad and some baguette on the side.
Mediterranean Meatloaf with Zucchini and Bell Pepper
For 6-8 people you need
minced beef 1kg / 2 pounds
zucchini, roughly chopped, 140g / 5 ounces
red bell pepper, roughly chopped, 160g / 5.5 ounces
yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped, 160g / 5.5 ounces
leek, cut in half and thinly sliced, 100g / 3.5 ounces
milk 360ml / 12 ounces
dry breadcrumbs 45g / 1.5 ounces
organic eggs 2
thyme leaves from a small bunch
parsley, chopped, 4 tablespoons
rosemary, finely chopped, 3 tablespoons
oregano 1 1/2 tablespoons
salt 3 1/2 teaspoons
pepper
Set the oven to 170°C / 340°F (I used the Rotitherm setting but you could also use fan).
Mix the milk and breadcrumbs. In a large bowl mix the other ingredients, add the milk and combine well with your hands or a mixer. Put the mixture in a baking dish and form a loaf. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold, the meatloaf is great for summer parties and picnics!
Bruschetta with Avocado, Tomato and Red Onions
Whenever I have some bread leftovers, bruschetta is my solution! White bread doesn't stay fresh for so long, after 1-2 days it becomes a bit hard and dry but some olive oil drizzled on top and a few seconds under the grill will bring it back to life. A fruity dip, dripping and a little oily is the fine finish. I put the topping on just before we eat the bread so that it only soaks a little of the juices and the thin crust stays crisp.
Bruschetta can be the base for all kinds of dips, spreads and vegetables. In late summer I fancy one made with sautéed mushrooms, liver and thyme but luckily we aren't there yet. There's still lots of food in between now and then, lots of vegetables waiting to be chopped and mixed with some olive oil, garlic and herbs to end up on this crunchy bread. I'll start with a mix of velvety avocado, fresh tomatoes and a little spicy red onion.
For the 2 of us, I chopped up a ripe avocado with a fork, roughly, I didn't want to turn it into a mousse. I diced 2 medium sized tomatoes, sweet and ripe, chopped a clove of garlic finely and 1/4 red onion into small cubes. 8 fleshy basil leaves, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of Balsamico vinegar, salt and pepper stirred in made this chunky spread complete. I used a 2 day old baguette for this recipe, sliced and drizzled with a little olive oil, roast under the grill for a minute until it turned golden brown.
