Quinoa salad with cauliflower and aubergine

Quinoa salad with cauliflower and aubergine
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
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Ingredients
  • 250 gr quinoa
  • 200 gr onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 340 gr chickpeas (pot)
  • 500 gr cauliflower
  • 350 gr aubergine
  • 125 gr feta cheese
  • 50 gr pomegranate seeds
  • 50 gr almonds
  • 100 gr rocket
Instructions
Basis
  1. Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the packet.
  2. Chop the onion and garlic. Stir-fry these in some oil and add to the cooked quinoa.
  3. Drain the chickpeas, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Add them to the quinoa.
  4. Season the quinoa with salt, pepper, and a vinaigrette of your choice.
Vegetables
  1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven at 200C until the cauliflower is cooked and has nice dark edges.
  2. Cut the aubergine into cubes. Stir-fry these in a pan for a few minutes until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Cut the feta into small cubes.
  4. Chop the almonds and toast in a frying pan without oil until golden brown.
Assembly
  1. Divide the quinoa base between the plates.
  2. Garnish the salad with the cauliflower, aubergine, feta, pomegranates, feta, toasted almonds and the rocket.
Stuff to know
This quantity is enough for 4 people.
You can also prepare the salad and eat it lukewarm.
To cook the quinoa, it is best to first rinse the quinoa well in a fine sieve and then bring to the boil with two parts water to one part quinoa. Simmer the quinoa gently until all the water has disappeared. Then turn off the heat and let the quinoa rest for five minutes with a lid on the pan.
You can make a simple but good vinaigrette from 150 gr good oil,50 gr white wine vinegar, 17 gr honey and 10 gr mustard

 

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Dutch bread roll with minced meat

Dutch bread roll with minced meat
 
Author:
Makes: 15 buns
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Bread
  • 500 gr white flour
  • 10 gr dry yeast
  • 285 gr milk
  • 10 gr salt
  • 50 gr soft butter
Minced meat filling
  • 750 gr minced beef
  • 3 gr ginger powder
  • 25 gr breadcrumbs
  • 2 gr salt
  • 1 gr black pepper
  • 4 gr oregano
  • 5 gr ground coriander
  • 12 gr Worcestershire sauce
  • 22 gr ketchup
  • 50 gr milk
Assembly
  • 1 egg to brush the top
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
Bread
  1. Put the yeast in the bottom of the bowl. Heat the milk and butter to hand warm.
  2. Pour the milk onto the yeast and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Add the flour and the salt.
  3. Knead the dough until it is smooth, even and elastic, about 10 minutes.
  4. Round the dough, place it in a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise for one hour or until it has doubled in volume.
  5. Divide the dough into 15 portions, round them and place them on baking paper on a baking tray. Leave the buns to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Minced meat filling
  1. Mix the ginger powder, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, ground coriander, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and milk with the minced meat until it is distributed evenly.
  2. Divide the minced meat into 15 portions.
Assembly
  1. Roll out the bread dough into ovals of about 10 x 15 cm.
  2. Spread the minced meat lengthways over the roll. Fold the sides inwards, dampen the far edge slightly and roll up. Place it with the seam side down on the baking tray lined with baking paper.
  3. Leave them to rise under plastic wrap or a tea towel for at least an hour or until they have doubled in volume.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  5. Brush the buns with a beaten egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until brown and done.
  6. Leave the sausage rolls to cool on a wire rack.
Stuff to know
This will make about 15 bread rolls.
When heating the milk, don’t exceed 50 °C. it would kill the yeast.
Season and flavor the minced beef to your liking.

 

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Beetroot carpaccio with feta and walnuts

Beetroot carpaccio with feta and walnuts
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Carpaccio
  • 4 red beetroot
  • 2 tbpn oil
  • 100 gr feta cheese
  • 50 gr walnuts
  • some rocket leaves
  • some balsamic reduction
Dressing
  • 60 gr walnut oil
  • 20 gr vinegar of your liking
Instructions
Carpaccio
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Coat the beetroot in oil, season them and roast in the oven until tender. Allow to cool and peel.
  2. Slice the cooked beetroot thinly (using a mandolin for example) and cut out discs using a circular cutter.
  3. Toast the walnuts in a pan without oil for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
  4. Dice the feta.
Dressing
  1. Combine the vinegar, salt and pepper.
  2. Stir in the oil and set aside. Voeg al kloppend de olijfolie langzaam toe.
Finish
  1. Dress the plates with the beetroot, feta cubes, toasted walnuts and rocket leaves.
  2. Garnish with the dressing and dots of balsamic reduction.
Stuff to know
This will be enough for 4 plates.
Roasting the beetroots in the oven will allow them to keep more flavor than when cooked in water. The roasting time will depend on their size.
Pick a vinegar of your liking, fig and balsamic ore good options.

 

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Beetroot cured salmon

Beetroot cured salmon
 
Author:
Makes: 5 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
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Ingredients
Cured salmon
  • 2 raw beetroots
  • 500 gr fresh salmon
  • 60 gr salt
  • 35 gr sugar
Salad
  • 100 gr mixed salad
  • 100 gr radishes
  • ½ cucumber
  • 1 lemon
Instructions
Salmon cure
  1. Grate the beetroots. Mix in a bowl the beetroot with the salt and sugar to make the curing mixture.
  2. Check the salmon fillets for any remaining bones.
  3. Spoon some of the curing mixture in a shallow dish with sides. Place the salmon on top (skin side down) and cover generously with the remaining curing mixture.
  4. Cover the salmon with cling film, place a smaller tray on top of the salmon and weigh it down with a couple of tin cans or a carton of milk to press it down during curing.
  5. Refrigerate for one or two days. If needed, pour away the excess liquid, turn the salmon and reapply the weights.
  6. When ready to serve, remove the salmons from their tray and rinse them off to remove the cure. Pat dry and slice. Season with pepper if needed.
The salad
  1. Mix the salad with a dressing of your choice and season to taste.
  2. Dice the cucumber. Slice the radishes and lemon.
  3. Serve the salmon on a bed of salad with the diced cucumber, sliced radishes and a slice of lemon.
Stuff to know
This quantity will make about 4-5 portions.
The salt and sugar will draw moisture out of the salmon, it therefore becomes inhospitable for the microbe growth that causes food spoilage. It also ‘cooks’ the salmon and give it a much firmer appearance.
Make sure there is some rocket in the mixed salad.
If desired, add some coriander seeds, fennel seeds or citrus zest to the curing mix.
Enhance the salad with some horseradish, cubed cooked beetroot or dill sprigs.

 

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Caesar salad

Caesar salad
 
Author:
Makes: 4-6 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
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Ingredients
Dressing:
  • 1 tspn capers
  • 1 tspn Dijon mustard
  • 1 tspn lemon juice
  • 90 gr mayonnaise
  • 90 gr yoghurt
Croutons
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 2 tbspn oil
  • 1 tbspn Italians herbs
Salad
  • 2-3 chicken breast filets
  • 2 tbspn oil
  • 400 gr Romaine lettuce
  • 125 gr Parmesan cheese
  • 50 gr sundried tomatoes
Instructions
Dressing
  1. Rinse the capers, pat dry and chop coarsely.
  2. Mix them with the mustard, lemon juice, mayonnaise en yoghurt.
  3. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Croutons
  1. Dice the bread and mix with the oil and herbs.
  2. Bake in the oven at 180°C for 10 min or until crisp and golden.
Salad
  1. Cut the chicken breast in half horizontally, oil them and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  2. Grill in a hot pan until cooked and golden. Allow to rest and cut into strips.
  3. Grate the parmesan cheese and chop the sundried tomatoes.
  4. Shred the lettuce and mix with enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves. Keep any left-over dressing.
  5. Place the dressed leaves of the plate. Garnish with the grilled chicken, croutons, sundried tomatoes, parmesan cheese. Serve remaining dressing separately.
Stuff to know
This will make enough for 4-6 portions.
The dressing should have the consistency of thick yoghurt.
You can use up old bread when making the croutons.
By grilling the chicken, it gets a lovely bbq flavour.
The parmesan cheese is quite salty, so do not over season the dressing nor the chicken.
Add anchovies of a (soft) boiled egg if you want.

 

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Honey-roasted figs with Parma ham and ricotta

Honey-roasted figs with Parma ham and ricotta
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 8 slices of Parma ham
  • 250 gr ricotta cheese
  • 25 gr honey
  • 30 gr pistachio nuts
  • 50 gr rocket
  • Honey-mustard vinaigrette
  • 12 fresh figs
  • 3 tbspn oil
  • 3 tbspn honey
  • Balsamic reduction
Instructions
Preparation
  1. Combine the ricotta cheese with the honey.
  2. Roast the pistachio nuts in a dry pan without oil or butter until fragrant. Chop but no too fine.
Finish
  1. Place two slices of Parma ham on each plate.
  2. Spread the ricotta cheese on top.
  3. Dress the rocket with the dressing and place on top of the ricotta.
  4. Just before serving, heat the oil and honey in a pan until hot.
  5. Place the figs cut-side down in the pan and cook for two minutes or until the figs are warm and the cut-side has caramelised.
  6. Place the figs on the plate. Garnish with the roasted pistachio nuts and balsamic reduction.
Stuff to know
This quantity will make 4 starters.
Try to handle the rocket lightly so as not the crush it. You want to have height in the salad.
The figs don’t need much time. You only want them to be warm and slightly caramelised.
The balsamic reduction is a syrupy, sticky reduce balsamic vinegar.
Replace the Parma ham with any other dry ham of your choice.
Click here for the recipe of the honey-mustard-dressing.
If desired, add grilled pears.

 

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Sweet corn and Parma ham salad with radicchio

Sweet corn and Parma ham salad with radicchio
 
Author:
Makes: 4-6 portions
Prep time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Salade
  • 600 gr tinned sweet corn
  • 30 gr Parmesan cheese
  • 40 gr Parma ham
  • 100 gr radicchio
  • 1 tbspn fresh parsley
Dressing
  • 100 gr (olive)oil
  • 33 gr white wine vinegar
  • 15 gr honey
  • 6 gr mustard
Instructions
Salad
  1. Drain the sweet corn, rinse and allow to drain.
  2. Grate the Parmesan cheese and dice the ham.
  3. Cut the radicchio in half, remove the core and cut in thin strips.
Dressing
  1. Mix the white wine vinegar, honey and mustard with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Add the oil and stir to combine.
Finish
  1. Mix the dressing with the sweet corn.
  2. Add the Parmesan cheese, dried ham, radicchio and chopped fresh parsley
  3. Taste and correct the seasoning if needed with honey, dressing, salt or pepper.
Stuff to know
This will make enough for 4-6 persons as a side dish.
You might not need all the dressing but it is difficult to make less. The amount of dressing is too taste.
Use any dried ham like the ones from Parma or the Black Forest. Replace by cooked bacon bits if desired.
Radicchio is a salad and closely related to chicory, hence the somewhat bitter taste.

 

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Pear and Brussel sprout salad with pecans and cranberries

Pear and Brussel sprout salad with pecans and cranberries
 
Author:
Makes: 4-6 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Salad
  • 500 gr Brussel sprouts
  • 350 gr pear
  • 50 gr dried cranberries
  • 50 gr pecan nuts
Dressing
  • 100 gr (olive)oil
  • 33 gr white wine vinegar
  • 15 gr honey
  • 6 gr mustard
Instructions
Salad
  1. Remove the base of the sprouts and any outer leaves that are not good looking.
  2. Cut the sprouts in half and then in thin strips.
  3. Blanch the sprouts briefly in salted water for a minute, drain and refresh under cold running water to avoid overcooking. Drain again and dry using a tea towel or salad spinner.
  4. Dice the pear.
  5. Roast the pecan nuts in a pan without oil until they are toasted.
Dressing
  1. Mix the white wine vinegar, honey and mustard with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Add the oil and stir to combine.
Finish
  1. Mix the dressing with the cooked and dry Brussel sprouts.
  2. Add the diced pear, dried cranberries and toasted pecan nuts. Taste and correct the seasoning if needed.
Stuff to know
This will make enough for 4-6 persons as a side dish.
Blanching the sprouts will keep them from overcooking and turning horrible.
Only add the nuts just before serving so they stay crunchy.
The amount of dressing is too taste.
Add cooked bacon bits if desired.
Replace the cranberries with Goji-berries or raisins

 

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Avocado and potato salad

Avocado and potato salad
 
Author:
Makes: 4-6 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Dressing
  • 250 gr mayonnaise
  • 125 gr ketchup
  • 30 gr sweet chili sauce
  • 12 gr fresh parsley
  • 25 gr capers
Salad
  • 600 gr small potatoes
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 1 red onion
  • 3 avocado’s
  • 250 gr cherry tomatoes
  • 200 gr Parma ham
  • ½ cucumber
  • 100 gr rocket and watercress
Instructions
Dressing
  1. Mix for the dressing the mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet chili sauce, chopped fresh parsley and capers. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Salad
  1. Parboil the small potatoes in salted boiling water until just tender, drain and mix with just enough dressing to coat them lightly.
  2. Dice the red onion and bell peppers and stir fry until just cooked. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Cut the avocado’s in half, remove the stone and cut them in not too small chunks.
  4. Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the cucumber.
  5. Halve the slices of Parma ham and roll them up.
Finish
  1. Spread some dressing on the plate.
  2. Position op top the cooked and dressed potatoes, stir fried red onion and bell peppers, avocado chunks, Parma ham, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices and rocket and watercress. Serve any remaining dressing on the side.
Stuff to know
This salad will provide 4-6 portions.
It is recommended to mix the dressing through the potatoes when they are still lukewarm since they will take on the flavour better.
Use ripe avocadoes for the best flavour.
Replace the capers with chopped gherkins.
Replace in the dressing the sweet chili sauce and ketchup with mustard and fresh tarragon.

 

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Beetroot and nectarine salad

Beetroot and nectarine salad
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Salad
  • 4 red beetroot
  • 4 yellow beetroot
  • 4 white beetroot
  • 100 gr walnuts
  • 100 gr Parmesan cheese
  • 4 nectarines
  • 150 gr mixed leaf salad
Dressing:
  • 100 ml olive oil
  • 30 ml white wine vinegar
  • 15 gr honey
  • 6 gr mustard
  • Balsamic-cream
Instructions
  1. Cook the beetroot in lightly salted boiling water until done. Allow to cool, peel and cut in wedges. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan until fragrant and season with some coarse salt.
  3. Grate the parmesan cheese.
  4. Cut the nectarines in wedges.
  5. Mix for the dressing the mustard, honey, white wine vinegar, olive oil and seasoning to taste.
  6. Combine the mixed leaf salad with some dressing.
  7. Decorate the plate with the balsamic-cream and place the red, yellow and white beetroot on the plate with the nectarines, toasted walnuts, mixed leaf salad, Parmesan cheese and some extra dressing.
Stuff to know
Alternate the colours for the presentation. Alternatively, use only red beetroot.
Only add the walnuts or they will become soggy.
Replace the walnuts with sunflower kernels.
Replace the Parmesan cheese with goat cheese.

 

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Celeriac fritters

Celeriac fritters
 
Author:
Makes: 5 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 1 celeriac
  • ½ tspn nutmeg
  • 100 gr flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tspn milk
  • 100 gr bread crumbs (panko)
Instructions
  1. Peel the celeriac and cut into cylinders or sticks. Blanch them in boiling salted water until just cooked, drain, cool under running water and pat dry.
  2. Get ready three bowls: one with the flour, one with the beaten egg with a splash of milk and one with the bread crumbs.
  3. Dip the croquettes in the flour, shake off the excess, then in the beaten egg and finally in the bread crumbs making sure they are nicely coated. Store in the fridge until needed.
  4. Deep fry the celeriac fritters at 180 °C in a couple of minutes, drain on paper towel and season with a pinch of salt.
Stuff to know
Preferably, use panko breadcrumbs for the fritters because they give a better result when frying.

 

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Sushi sharing platter

Sushi sharing platter
 
Author:
Makes: 20 balls
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Sushi balls:
  • 200 gr sushi rice
  • 290 gr water
  • 75 gr rice vinegar
  • 100 gr carrot
  • 10 cm cucumber
  • 1 pinch lemon grass powder
  • 5 tbspn black sesame seeds
  • 5 tbspn white sesame seeds
Garnish
  • carrots
  • cucumber
  • radishes
  • wasabi
Instructions
  1. Rinse the rice with cold running water for 1-2 minutes until the water is clear of any starch. Place the rice in the pot and add the cold water.
  2. Bring the water to the boil, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cover the pot with a lid. Cook the rice very gently for 9 min or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked trough.
  3. Place a tea towel or kitchen paper between the pot and the lid and let the rice rest for 5 min, off the heat.
  4. Take the rice out off the pot and transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for another 2 minutes. The rice should be sticky. Add the rice vinegar a pinch of lemon grass, salt and pepper to taste while the rice is still lukewarm.
  5. Peel the carrot and cut into very small cubes (about half the size of a grain of rice). Cut the peel of the cucumber in similarly sized cubes. Mix with the sushi rice. Allow the rice to cool down naturally to room temperature.
  6. Top and tail the radishes and cut them at small intervals without cutting through. Turn a quarter and repeat. Keep in ice cold water in the fridge for a couple of hours until they open up like a flower.
  7. Toast the white sesame seeds until golden and mix with the black sesame seeds.
  8. With wet hands, take a spoon full of the rice mixture and mould into a small ball.
  9. Sprinkle some black and toasted white sesame seeds on a plate and roll the sushi balls through them to coat them lightly in the seeds. Keep in the fridge if prepared in advance.
  10. Cut the carrots and cucumber in the desired shape.
  11. Place the sushi balls on the serving platter and garnish with the carrot, cucumber, radishes and wasabi.
Stuff to know
This quantity will make 18-20 sushi balls.
The ration of water and rice and the exact cooking time may vary. Check the packet instructions for exact timings.
Dampen your hands to avoid the rice sticking too much.
Cut the filling in very small cubes or the balls will fall apart.
Wasabi is a plant of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages, horseradish, and mustard. Its stem is used as a condiment and has an extremely strong pungency like hot mustard. Horseradish and wasabi looks totally different plants, but the chemical components of pungent flavor are exactly the same. Horseradish is slightly hotter than wasabi in average, and often used as a cheap flavor-enhancing ingredient for wasabi products.

 

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Chicken croquettes

Chicken croquettes
 
Author:
Makes: 6 croquettes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 250 gr chicken filet
  • 200 gr chicken stock
  • ½ onion
  • 1 leek
  • 60 gr butter
  • 50 gr flour
  • 50 gr white wine
  • 6 tbspn flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 tbspn bread crumbs (panko)
Instructions
  1. Poach the chicken in the stock until cooked though and allow to cool down.
  2. Dice the onion and leek and sweat down in the butter.
  3. Add the flour and stir to combine. Coo out the flour for a couple of minutes.
  4. Add the white wine and the chicken stock and allow to simmer on a low heat for 10 to 15 min to cook out the flour. This mixture is called a salpicon.
  5. Dice the cooked chicken and mix with the salpicon. Taste and correct seasoning.
  6. Spread onto a plate, cover with cling film and cool in the fridge for a couple of hours until cold and set (preferably overnight).
  7. Divide the salpicon in 70 gr portions, shape them into cylinders or balls and chill down again in the fridge for a minimum of 15 min.
  8. Get ready three bowls: one with the flour, one with the beaten egg and one with the bread crumbs.
  9. Dip the croquettes in the flour, shake off the excess, then in the beaten egg and finally in the bread crumbs making sure they are nicely coated. Store in the fridge until needed.
  10. Deep fry when needed at 180 °C in a couple of minutes, drain on paper towel and serve with a sauce of your liking.
Stuff to know
This quantity will make 6 croquettes with 70 gr filling.
The croquettes can be cylindrical or balls.
The thick mixture of the roux, chicken broth and meat is called a salpicon.
The salpicon is best left overnight in the fridge before shaping and breading.
Use chicken, pork or beef or even shrimp ans a filling.
If the fryer oil is too cold, the croquettes will be greasy and heavy. If it is too hot, the outside will burn before the inside is cooked.

 

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Prawns and avocado

Prawns and avocado
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 tspn mayonnaise
  • 1 tspn sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 tspn ground cumin
  • 1 tspn ground coriander
  • 1 tbspn chopped peanuts
  • 2 avocado’s
  • 1 lime
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 12 prawns
  • 1 tbspn sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 tbspn fresh coriander
Instructions
  1. Cut the tomatoes in quarters and remove the seeds. Dice the tomatoes.
  2. Mix the tomatoes with the mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, ground cumin, and ground coriander.
  3. Peel and chop the garlic. Peel and clean the prawns.
  4. Cut the avocado´s in half, remove the stone and spoon out the flesh. Keep the skins for later.
  5. Dice the avocado´s and mix with the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Spoon the filling in the reserved avocado skins and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts.
  7. Stir fry the prawns in some hot oil until just cooked, add the garlic and sweet chilli sauce and finish cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  8. Sprinkle some coarse salt and the plate and place the avocado´s on top. Top with the cooked prawns and garnish with the fresh coriander. Serve with a slice of lime.
Stuff to know
You could add some paprika powder or Tabasco to the filling if desired.
Do not make the filling ahead of time or the avocado´s will discolour.
The prawns don’t take long a cook, a couple of minutes should be enough.
For a different presentation, serve this filling on some toasted bread or in a wrap.

 

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Asian red cabbage coleslaw with sesame ginger dressing

Asian red cabbage coleslaw with sesame ginger dressing
 
Author:
Makes: 8 portions
Prep time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Coleslaw
  • 75 gr red onion
  • 200 gr carrot
  • 200 gr red cabbage
  • 100 gr broccoli florets
  • 2 spring onions
  • 10 gr coriander
Sesame-ginger dressing
  • 90 gr sesame oil
  • 40 gr sunflower oil
  • 135 gr sweet chili sauce
  • 60 gr lime juice
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 22 gr fresh ginger
  • 3 tbspn sesame seeds
Instructions
Coleslaw
  1. Finely chop the red onion.
  2. Peel and grate the carrot.
  3. Quarter and core the red cabbage and cur in fine matchsticks.
  4. Chop up the broccoli florets and fresh coriander.
  5. Cut the spring onion at an angle.
  6. Mix the vegetables together and set aside.
Sesame-ginger dressing
  1. Combine in a large bowl the sesame oil, sunflower oil, sweet chilli sauce, lime juice, garlic and fresh ginger.
  2. Blitz or puree until smooth.
  3. Stir in the sesame seeds.
  4. Set aside in the fridge until needed.
Finish
  1. Stir the dressing through the salad when ready to serve.
Stuff to know
This salad goes particularly well with an Asian meal.
Use sunflower oil rather than olive oil since the latter is often quite bitter to eat raw.

 

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Waldorf salad

Waldorf salad
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 4 celery sticks
  • 75 gr walnuts
  • 1 apple
  • 2 elpl lemon juice
  • 50 gr raisins
  • 3 elpl mayonnaise
  • 100 gr red grapes
Instructions
  1. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan until fragrant. Season with a pinch of salt.
  2. Soak the raisins in hot water for 5 min and drain. Soak on paper towel.
  3. Dice the apple.
  4. Dice the celery sticks and cut the grapes in half. Add them with the grapes to the salad.
  5. Mix for the dressing the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Mix the dressing with the salad.
  7. When ready to serve, add the walnuts.
Stuff to know
Do not make this recipe too much ahead in time or the apple and celeriac will turn brown.
Only add the walnuts to the salad when ready to serve or they will become soggy.
Add some cooked and diced chicken to the salad.
The Waldorf salad gets its name from the famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, where chef Oscar Tschirky served this salad for the first time in 1893. In 1896 it featured in The Cook Book with the description ‘ Oscar of the Waldorf’. The walnuts were added in 1928 by chef George Rector in the cook book ‘ The Rector Cook Book’.

 

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Russian salad

Russian salad
 
Author:
Makes: 8 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • 350 gr carrots
  • 800 gr potatoes
  • 300 gr apples
  • 150 gr gherkins
  • 200 gr green peas
  • 8 tbspn mayonnaise
  • 1 tspn mustard
  • 1 ice berg lettuce
  • 5 radishes
  • 1 cucumber
  • 50 gr rocket
Instructions
  1. Boil the eggs, run under cold water and peel. Cut in half and set aside for later.
  2. Peel the potato, dice, cook in salted boiling water, drain and let cool down to room temperature.
  3. Peel the carrot, dice, cook in salted boiling water, drain and let cool down to room temperature.
  4. Mix for the dressing the mayonnaise and mustard with seasoning to taste.
  5. Dice the apple and gherkins.
  6. Mix in a large bowl the potato, carrot, apple and gherkins with the dressing and taste for seasoning.
  7. When ready to serve, place the Russian salad in the centre of the plate. Garnish with the rocket, ice berg lettuce, cooked ham, boiled egg, radishes, cucumber and tomatoes.
Stuff to know
It is possible to make the salad a day ahead. Only dress when ready to serve.
Add some blanched or grilled asparagus to the salad.

 

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Sweet and sour cucumber

Sweet and sour cucumber
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • ½ red onion
  • 1 red chilli pepper
  • 2 tbspn sugar
  • 2 tspn salt
  • 45 ml white wine vinegar
  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 tspn sweet chilli sauce
  • 4 tbspn chopped peanuts
Instructions
  1. Peel the onion, cut in half and then in semi-circles.
  2. Deseed the red chilli pepper and chop finely.
  3. Mix the white wine vinegar with the sugar and salt to make a dressing.
  4. Add the onion and red chilli pepper to the dressing.
  5. Deseed the cucumber and slice.
  6. Add the slices to the dressing and allow to macerate for an hour.
  7. When ready to serve, drain the cucumber. Toss with the sweet chilli sauce and some peanuts. Garnish with fresh coriander.
Stuff to know
Deseesing the cucumber makes the salad less runny.
This cucumber recipe pairs well with an oriental dish.

 

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Chicken curry salad

Chicken curry salad
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 1 chicken fillet
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tbspn olive oil
  • 1 tspn curry powder
  • 1 tspn ground coriander
  • 1 tspn ground cumin
  • 5 tbspn mayonnaise
  • 2 tbspn pineapple juice
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 celery stick
  • 1 apple
  • 100 gr garden peas
  • 1 tbspn fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Dice the chicken and onion. Stir fry until cooked.
  2. Add the curry powder, ground coriander, ground cumin and seasoning to taste. CXook for a minute until fragrant.
  3. Transfer to a bowl and mix with the pineapple juice and mayonnaise.
  4. Dice the celery and bell pepper and add to the salad.
  5. Dice the apple and add to the salad.
  6. Blanch the garden peas until cooked, drain and add to the salad.
  7. Taste for seasoning and dress the salad just before serving. Garnish with the fresh parsley.
Stuff to know
This salad can be made a day in advance.
The more pineapple juice you use, the sweeter and softer the salad will be.
Add some raisins to the salad.

 

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Avocado salad with sweet chilli dressing

Avocado salad with sweet chilli dressing
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 2 avocado’s
  • 4 tbspn sweet chilli sauce
  • 2 tspn lime juice
  • 1 tspn ground cumin
  • 1 tspn ground coriander
  • 50 gr tortilla crisps
  • 50 gr lambs lettuce
  • 4 cherry tomatoes
  • 4 coriander leaves
Instructions
  1. Place 4 sheets of plastic foil on the work surface.
  2. Peel the avocado’s, cut in half, remove the stone and place half an avocado on each piece of foil.
  3. Cover the avocado’s with a second piece of foil and place a ring around it. Press down on the avocado’s until they have the shape of the ring. Keep in the fridge, covered in the plastic, until needed.
  4. For the dressing, mix the sweet chilli sauce, lime juice, ground cumin and ground coriander and season to taste.
  5. To dress the plate, remove the foil and sit a circle of avocado in the centre of the plate. Spoon some of the dressing on top.
  6. Half the cherry tomatoes. Dress the plate with the tortilla crisps, cherry tomatoes, lams lettuce and fresh coriander.
Stuff to know
Only dress the salad just before serving or the avocado will turn brown and the crisps will get soggy.

 

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Apple, walnut and parmesan cheese salad

Apple, walnut and parmesan cheese salad
 
Author:
Makes: 4 porties
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 50 gr walnuts
  • 1 tspn sea salt
  • 2 apples
  • 2 tbspn white wine vinegar
  • 6 tbspn olive oil
  • 1 tspn mustard
  • 1 tspn honey
  • 80 gr rocket salad melange
  • 50 gr Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Chop the walnuts and toast in a dry pan until fragrant. Season with the sea salt and set aside for later.
  2. Wash the apples and into thin wedges.
  3. Mix the apple wedges with the white wine vinegar, mustard, honey and olive oil. Season to taste.
  4. Mix the apple with the rocket salad melange.
  5. Grate the Parmesan cheese on top of the salad.
  6. Top with the toasted walnuts and serve immediately.
Stuff to know
Use a red apple for a better presentation.
Only dress the salad when ready to serve or it will wilt.

 

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Potato salad

Potato salad
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 kg potatoes
  • 1 tbspn mustard
  • 2 tbspn mayonnaise
  • 2 tbspn crème fraîche
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 tspn tarragon
  • 2 tspn chives
  • 2 tspn parsley
  • 20 cherry tomatoes
  • 5 gherkins
  • 8 pickled onions
  • 1 ice berg lettuce
Instructions
  1. Peel and dice the potato. Cook in salted boiling water until just tender. Drain and allow to cool to room temperature.
  2. Boil the eggs, rinse under cold water, peel and chop.
  3. Mix for the dressing the mustard, crème fraîche, mayonnaise and seasoning.
  4. Mince the onion and garlic. Chop the tarragon, parsley and chives and mix with the dressing.
  5. Mix the diced potato, chopped eggs with the herbs with the dressing.
  6. Half the tomatoes and dice the gherkins.
  7. Place the ice berg leaves on the plate and spoon the potato salad on them. Decorate with the tomatoes, gherkins and pickled onions.
Stuff to know
Make the recipe half a day in advance so the flavours can develop.
Serve the salad at room temperature.
Add grated carrot, blanched asparagus or diced ham.

 

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Vegetable garden

Vegetable garden
 
Author:
Makes: 4 slates
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Soil
  • 150 gr mushrooms
  • 200 gr dark rye bread
  • 150 gr cooked beetroot
  • 20 gr Worcestershire sauce
  • 75 gr cooked lentils
Hummus:
  • 280 gr tinned chickpeas
  • 100 gr yoghurt
  • 40 gr tahini sesame paste
  • 8 gr lemon juice
  • ½ tbspn paprika powder
  • ½ tbspn ground cumin
  • ½ tbspn ground coriander
Pickled carrots
  • 8 carrots
  • 500 gr water
  • 320 gr vinegar
  • 50 gr sugar
  • 10 gr mustard seed
  • 3 bay leaves
Vegetables
  • carrots with leaves
  • radishes
  • sugar snap
  • broccoli
  • green peas
  • green asparagus
  • cherry tomatoes
Instructions
Soil
  1. Finely chop the beetroot and mushrooms and sweat them off in some oil until most of the liquid has evaporated.
  2. Blitz up the dark bread and mix with the beetroot, mushroom, cooked lentils and some Worcestershire sauce until the mixture looks like a dark soil.
  3. Season to taste and store in an airtight container in the fridge until needed.
Hummus
  1. For the humus, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Using a stick blender, puree them with the yoghurt, tahini sesame paste, lemon juice, paprika powder, ground cumin, and ground coriander to a smooth puree, adding some water if needed.
  2. Season to taste and store in an airtight container in the fridge until needed.
Pickled carrots
  1. For the pickled carrots, bring to the boil the vinegar and water with the sugar, mustard seeds and bay leaves. Cut the leaves of the carrots but do not cut the tops of the carrots. The bottom of the carrots won’t be used.
  2. Boil the carrot tops in the pickle until cooked. Remove from the heat, let the pan cool to room temperature and store the carrot tops in the pickle in an airtight container in the fridge ideally for 24 hours to mature.
Vegetables
  1. Cut the base of the radishes.
  2. Grill the asparagus.
  3. Blanch the sugar snap and broccoli florets separately in salted boiling water, refresh in ice cold water, drain and store until needed.
Finish
  1. Spread the humus on the slate and cover with the soil. Decorate the garden with the pickled carrots, radishes, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, green peas and asparagus.
  2. Garnish with some mixed salad leaves and edible flowers like thyme or oregano.
Stuff to know
This quantity will yield 4 portions.
It is possible to prepare the soil, humus, and vegetables a day ahead. But only assemble the garden when needed.
For a quicker version, use store-bought humus and do not pickle the carrots.
For a deeper flavour in the soil, add a drop of truffle oil.
Use different vegetables for the garden, like tender stem broccoli, mini sweet corn, etc.

 

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Grilled mediterranean vegetable terrine

Grilled mediterranean vegetable terrine
 
Author:
Makes: 10 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 2 yellow bell peppers
  • 1 aubergine
  • 2 courgettes
  • 90 ml olive oil
  • 2 tspn rosemary
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 tsbpn red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbspn raisins
  • 500 ml tomato passata
  • 10 gr leaf gelatine
  • basil leaves
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to grill.
  2. Cut the peppers into quarters, take the seeds out and brush with some oil. Grill in the oven until the skin is black. Remove from the oven, place inside a plastic bag for 10 min to soften and peel the black skin off.
  3. Slice the aubergine and courgette lengthwise. Brush with some oil and grill on both sides until cooked. Season and sprinkle with rosemary.
  4. Cover the terrine mould with two layers of cling film and allow some plastic to hang over the sides for later.
  5. Soften the gelatine sheets in ample cold water.
  6. Dice the red onion and sweat off with the red wine vinegar until soft and syrupy. Mix in the raisins and tomato passata. Season with salt, pepper and any Italian herbs you like.
  7. Dissolve the gelatine on a low heat and stir in the tomato sauce.
  8. Pour some tomato sauce in the terrine. Place a layer of the bell peppers on top. Follow up with some tomato sauce and a layer of courgettes and aubergines. Keep layering sauce, peppers, courgettes and aubergine and add between the layers a small amount of tomato sauce to bind the terrine together.
  9. Finish with a thin layer of sauce. Fold back the excess plastic to cover the terrine. Place on top of the terrine a small plate or board that just fits inside the mould and weigh it down to press the terrine. Let it set in the fridge for at least half a day but preferably overnight.
  10. Unmold on a serving platter and garnish with basil leaves.
Stuff to know
The terrine needs half a day minimum to set in the fridge.
Season the tomato sauce with your favourite herbs and spices.
This quantity will feed a standard size cake tin and yield about 10 slices.

 

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Chicory with pear and walnut

Chicory with pear and walnut
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 40 gr walnut
  • 50 gr brie
  • 60 ml olive oil
  • 20 ml balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tspn mustard
  • 1 tspn honey
  • 2 chicory
  • 2 pears
  • 25 gr rocket
  • 50 gr Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Toast the walnuts in a pan without oil until they smell nice. Sprinkle with some salt and let them cool.
  2. Grate the parmesan cheese.
  3. Make a dressing from the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and honey and season to taste.
  4. Dice the brie. Remove the leaves from the chicory and keep them whole.
  5. When ready to serve, dice the pear and mix with the dressing.
  6. Place the pear, walnuts and brie with the dressing in the chicory leaves.
  7. Place the leaves on the plates and garnish with rocket and grated parmesan cheese.
Stuff to know
Only dress the salad when ready to serve or it will wilt.
Dice the pear and brie neatly to get a nice presentation.
Replace the brie by blue cheese.

 

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Chickpea salad with pomegranate dressing

Chickpea salad with pomegranate dressing
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
Dressing
  • 75 ml pomegranate molasses
  • ½ lemon
  • ½ tspn ground cumin
  • 1 tspn sugar
  • 15 ml olive oil
Salad
  • 800 gr chickpeas
  • 1 red chilli pepper
  • 300 gr roasted red pepper
  • ½ red onion
  • 250 gr cucumber
  • 10 gr fresh mint
  • 10 gr fresh coriander
  • 1 tspn ground cumin
  • 150 gr feta cheese
  • 1 pomegranate
Instructions
  1. Mix for the dressing the pomegranate molasses, the juice of half the lemon, ground cumin, sugar, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Taste to see if you are happy and set aside.
  2. Rinse and drain the chick peas
  3. Deseed the red chilli pepper and chop finely.
  4. Dice the roasted red pepper and the red onion.
  5. Deseed the cucumber and cut in dice the size of the chick peas.
  6. Chop mint and coriander if using
  7. Mix in a bowl the chick peas, red chilli pepper, roasted red pepper, red onion, cucumber, mint, coriander and the seeds of the pomegranate.
  8. Add to taste cumin, salt and pepper
  9. Just before serving, add the dressing and the feta. Serve at room temperature.
Stuff to know
You can prep the salad an hour in advance but only stir in the dressing just before serving.
Add cooked chicken or lamb.
You can make the pomegranate molasses yourself. Mix 1000 ml pomegranate juice (from a supermarket carton) with 100 gr sugar and 40 ml lemon juice and boil down to 250 ml is left. It should be thick and syrupy.

 

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