Author: StefanGourmet

According to Collins Dictionary, a gourmet is "a person who cultivates a discriminating palate for the enjoyment of good food and drink". That's quite a good description of me, although I do not only enjoy good food and wine, but also like to cook and select matching wines. I'm a guy (1974) from the Netherlands, living near Amsterdam. On this blog I intend to share my experiences with cooking, eating at restaurants, visiting wineries, and related topics.
Eating13 Comments

Dining in Amsterdam: &Samhoud Places**

StefanGourmet

Chef Moshik used to be the chef of restaurant ‘t Brouwerskolkje in Overveen, half an hour west of Amsterdam. He has recently moved to Amsterdam under a new name: &Samhoud Places and immediately received two stars from Michelin (the same as at Brouwerskolkje). We were curious and so went to pay a visit. We had the 7-course “Inspiration” degustation menu (EUR 159.50) with wine menu (EUR 65) and black truffle supplement (EUR 20). Photos made with my iPhone. The amuse bouche are travel themed: Hong Kong, Venice, Chicago, and Moscow. The first is dim sum of scampi: both the filling and … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: &Samhoud Places**

Cooking21 Comments

Chicken Quesadillas

StefanGourmet

Quesadillas make me think of summer, and even though it is in the middle of winter with snow and everything, I decided to make chicken quesadillas just to bring a bit of summer to our table. I based this on a post by Cher aka The Pasta Princess. Thanks for inspiring me to make this! Quesadillas are quite easy to make and great if you like cheese. Yes, the “quesa” in the name refers to the Spanish for cheese (queso). We both love cheese, so it is strange that I had not made these before. I definitely will be making … Continue reading Chicken Quesadillas

Basics89 Comments

How to make Fresh Pasta Dough using a Stand Mixer

StefanGourmet

I’m really happy with my new stand mixer. One of the things it does really well is making pasta dough. Of course you can also do this by hand, but especially when you’d like to make pasta dough from eggs and 100% semola di grano duro rimanicato (rather than 50% or 100% flour of type “00”) it is much more pleasant to use the stand mixer instead. Such dough can be very tough and difficult to knead, but the stand mixer does the trick as easily as with 00 flour. A stand mixer is also great if you’re lazy! Sometimes … Continue reading How to make Fresh Pasta Dough using a Stand Mixer

Basics16 Comments

Italian Green Sauce (Salsa Verde)

StefanGourmet

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

4. Dolci (dessert)19 Comments

Chocolate-packed Brownies

StefanGourmet

Many recipes on the internet claim to be “the best”. After trying PutneyFarm’s recipe for the “Best Brownies Ever”, I have to say that in this case I agree. The recipe is the result of Carolyn’s experiments to pack as much chocolate into brownies as possible, and although I haven’t challenged the recipe by trying to pack more chocolate into them, these brownies certainly taste that way. They are no more difficult to make than other brownie recipes, but they are a hell of a lot more delicious! I also like that these brownies fool you a little. Did you … Continue reading Chocolate-packed Brownies

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 cuisine9 Comments

Homemade Pancakes for Peking Duck

StefanGourmet

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

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)12 Comments

Pasta with Ham, Peas, and Cream (Penne con Prosciutto Cotto, Piselli e Panna)

StefanGourmet

This simple but tasty pasta dish is great for a weekday meal, especially since all the ingredients can be purchased quite a long time in advance. Thanks to CampariGirl to remind me to make this again. The only important thing to remember here is to use good ham, preferably the kind that only has pork and salt as its ingredients. A good ham really makes this shine. Ingredients For 2 servings 150-200 grams (.33 – .44 lb) penne pasta 100-150 grams (5 oz) ham, in cubes 150 grams (1 cup) frozen peas 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 Tbsp butter 1 … Continue reading Pasta with Ham, Peas, and Cream (Penne con Prosciutto Cotto, Piselli e Panna)

4. Dolci (dessert)3 Comments

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

StefanGourmet

The final of five batches of a dozen muffins baked to celebrate my birthday at work: apple cinnamon muffins. I used a recipe from Putney Farm, thanks guys!  My original plan was to do only 4 batches, but I wondered if that would be enough and since I still had two apples lying around that were about to become wrinkly, I decided to make these as well. I’m glad that I did: I liked them a lot and so did my coworkers! The recipe is not very sweet, so this is also an excellent muffin to make for breakfast. Like Putney … Continue reading Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Contorni (side dishes)7 Comments

Stuffed Zucchini

StefanGourmet

I haven’t posted recipes for vegetable sides in a while, so it is about time for one. This recipe for a side of stuffed zucchini was suggested to me by Richard McGary of REMCooks.com. Thanks Richard! It looks nice, is tasty, and goes well as a side for most meat dishes. Ingredients For 4 servings 2 zucchini 50 grams (2 oz) pancetta, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 shallot, minced 1 tsp chopped fresh sage 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme 2 Tbsp fresh breadcrumbs salt and freshly ground black pepper extra virgin olive oil Preparation Cut the ends off the … Continue reading Stuffed Zucchini

4. Dolci (dessert)9 Comments

Chocolate Muffins

StefanGourmet

I wasn’t sure if I would post about how to rescue wilted basil, but I’m glad that I did because that post received the highest number of views and likes on the first day of all of my posts so far! Today it’s back to muffins, with the fourth batch of the five that I baked to celebrate my birthday at the office. The recipe I used from Joy of Baking  is a keeper because it was a big hit at the office, especially with my female coworkers. I made a few minor changes: I used 70% dark chocolate chips and … Continue reading Chocolate Muffins

Basics27 Comments

How to Rescue Wilted Basil (or Parsley)

StefanGourmet

No recipe today but just a simple trick. I tried it on a hunch and was surprised how well it worked! Basil is notoriously difficult to keep because the leaves are not very robust and can’t withstand refrigerator temperatures — they turn black when kept below 12C/55F or so. But outside of the fridge basil wilts easily, as shown in the picture above. If it is only just a bit limp but not completely dry or black, it can be rescued with a very simple trick! Just submerge the wilted basil in cold (not too cold) clean water and wait. … Continue reading How to Rescue Wilted Basil (or Parsley)

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)

4. Dolci (dessert)7 Comments

Blueberry Muffins

StefanGourmet

The next installment in my series of muffins is blueberry. They turned out great, even though “to die for” (as they are called in the recipe I used) may be slightly exaggerated. Perhaps that’s because I left out the streusel. I also replaced the milk with buttermilk as per the comments. The method is very simple: mix dry ingredients, mix wet ingredients, combine, fold in blueberries, and bake. The recipe asks for fresh blueberries — I used frozen and that turned out fine. I think you’d better use good frozen blueberries rather than sour fresh blueberries if no good blueberries … Continue reading Blueberry Muffins

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

4. Dolci (dessert)13 Comments

Banana Nut Muffins

StefanGourmet

The second dozen of muffins I baked to celebrate my birthday at work was banana nut. I found this recipe on JoyofBaking.com and it turned out great. The only thing I’ll change next time is to increase the amount of walnuts and put some on top for more crunch. The amounts in grams mentioned in the recipe did not match the amount in cups. Since it is an American recipe I used the amounts as prescribed in cups and provide the correct conversion into grams below (as per my digital scales). The basic recipe for muffins is very easy. Mix … Continue reading Banana Nut Muffins

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)15 Comments

Turnip Risotto (Risotto alle Rape)

StefanGourmet

I don’t cook a lot with turnips and I was wondering what I’d do with the turnips that I had bought for variation’s sake. I decided to turn them into a risotto, and it turned out wonderful. This is not a traditional Italian dish that I know of, but just a demonstration that you can make a great tasting risotto from just about anything using the basic recipe for risotto, fresh ingredients and a good homemade stock. We really love risotto and I usually prepare some type of risotto at least once a week. Since making risotto the traditional way requires … Continue reading Turnip Risotto (Risotto alle Rape)

4. Dolci (dessert)9 Comments

Almond Poppy Seed Muffins

StefanGourmet

Just like last year, I’ve been on a baking spree to celebrate my birthday at the office. Only this time instead of cakes, I decided to make five different types of muffins as they are easy to eat and transport. While we were travelling through the US in September in an RV, we had muffins for breakfast almost every day as they are tasty, easy, and keep quite well (the store-bought ones anyway). I liked them all: banana nut, chocolate chocolate chip, apple cinnamon, blueberry, and almond poppy seed. You guessed it: this will be the first post in a … Continue reading Almond Poppy Seed Muffins

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)6 Comments

Crispy! Spicy Shrimp Crackers

StefanGourmet

A few weeks ago I made Spicy Shrimp Crackers with Tuna Tartare for the first time. I was very happy with the combination of the flavors, but the crackers were not as crispy as I had hoped for. I looked up what Harold McGee has to say about crackers. He says to roll out the dough very thin and to bake in a moderate oven until dry and crisp (which is longer than I did). I asked my readers for suggestions and it was Vinny Grette who made the excellent suggestion to use a pasta machine to make them thinner (thank you!). I checked … Continue reading Crispy! Spicy Shrimp Crackers

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)13 Comments

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Fat from Beef Stock

StefanGourmet

This is a very simple but amazingly delicious recipe that I discovered mostly by accident. If you make beef stock from scratch and allow it to cool, a layer of solid fat will form on the top. I always used to discard this fat, but not anymore! There is a lot of flavor in it, and together with the cauliflower, ground cumin and pecorino sardo the flavor is out of this world. So next time you make beef stock, keep the fat and make this dish. I promise you won’t regret it! This is a week night dish that is … Continue reading Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Fat from Beef Stock

Cooking23 Comments

Stephane’s Cheese Puffs

StefanGourmet

Cheese puffs (gougères) are really good, filled or just by themselves. They are a bit of work to make, but definitely worth it. It’s really nice how ‘light’ they are. I’ve made a double batch twice now for parties, and in both cases they were devoured in a few minutes by my friends. I got this recipe from Stéphane Gabart’s blog My French Heaven. From his blog it seems that Stéphane is as crazy about food as I am, and I really like that his blog is bilingual as it allows me to practice my French. Stéphane uses French Comté, but … Continue reading Stephane’s Cheese Puffs

1. Antipasti (appetizers)8 Comments

Pink Eggplant

StefanGourmet

Most eggplants you see are so dark purple it’s almost black. In Italy a delicate variety is cultivated with a lighter color that is almost pink and often partially white: melanzana rosa. Not only the color is more delicate, also the texture and taste are more delicate. I tasted pink eggplant for the first time at Piazza Duomo, a great restaurant in Alba, Italy. It was so tender I couldn’t believe it. If you come across one of these beauties, it’s definitely worth picking one up. If a product is as nice as this, it only needs minimal treatment. Eggplant always … Continue reading Pink Eggplant

2. Primi (pasta, risotto)15 Comments

Tortelli di Zucca

StefanGourmet

The final traditional Christmas dish from Northern Italy I made this year was Tortelli di Zucca: tortelli filled with squash or pumpkin. This dish is not from Emilia-Romagna but from Lombardia, and especially from the cities of Mantova and Cremona. The special local ingredient that gives the tortelli a unique taste is mostarda (Mostarda di Cremona or Mostarda di Mantova): fruit candied in a mustard flavored syrup. You can make mostarda yourself, but all the recipes I’ve seen require mustard oil that is as hard to get in these parts as the mostarda itself. You can still make pumpkin tortelli … Continue reading Tortelli di Zucca

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)35 Comments

Tortellini in Brodo

StefanGourmet

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

1. Antipasti (appetizers)14 Comments

Spicy Shrimp Crackers with Tuna Tartare

StefanGourmet

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

Secondi di Carne (meat dishes)11 Comments

Chicken Cordon Bleu

StefanGourmet

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