One of the nicest meals during our vacation in Yucatán, Mexico, was a lunch at La Palapa del Tio Fito in Campeche. From the large reed shack at the waterfront it is not immediately apparent that they really know how … Continue reading Octopus Poc Chuc
Ceviche was often on the menu in restaurants during my trip to Yucatán, Mexico. Ceviche is raw seafood that is ‘cooked’ by marinating it in citrus juice. What surprised me most when I ordered it in Yucatán, was that it … Continue reading Black Ceviche
Four years ago I performed an experiment in which I compared 8 different time and temperature combinations for cooking pork belly sous vide. The result was that my preferred options were 48 hours at 57C/135F and 24 hours at 74C/165F. … Continue reading Pork Belly Sous Vide Time and Temperature Experiment, the Sequel
Melanzane a Scabecciu is a typical sweet & sour eggplant antipasto from Sardinia, which I enjoyed at Agriturismo Oasi Blu in Calasetta. There it was made with lovely red eggplant from the agriturismo’s garden, but it is also very nice … Continue reading Melanzane a Scabecciu (Sweet & Sour Eggplant Antipasto)
Homemade limoncello tastes better than most store-bought limoncello. I have been making it myself for about 10 years now (click here for the recipe). Lemon peels, infused for 4 to 6 weeks in pure alcohol (95% pure), then add a … Continue reading Homemade Limoncello: To Sous Vide Or Not To Sous Vide?
During our vacation in Yucatán in Mexico I thoroughly enjoyed the local food. For lunch we often went to a taquería to have tacos. Taquería Honorio in Tulum has become famous due to René Redzepi’s praise when Noma had a … Continue reading Tacos with Relleno Negro Sous Vide (Black Filling of Pulled Turkey with Roasted Chiles)
Birria is a popular dish from the Mexican region of Jalisco. The taco version, also known as quesabirrias, has become popular in the US, which was probably why quesabirrias were on the menu in Cozumel (Yucatán). A lot of American … Continue reading Birria Tacos (Quesabirrias)
In Sardinia braised mutton is a regular item on restaurant menus. It has more depth of flavor and is more unctuous than lamb. If you can’t find mutton, you can also make this with lamb or even beef. You can … Continue reading Sardinian Mutton Sous Vide (Pecora in Umido)
I got the idea to combine a lemon risotto with clams from our dinner at Taverna Estia, where the dish was more elaborate and also included raw shrimp and pistachios. I had never prepared a lemon risotto before, which I … Continue reading Lemon Risotto with Clams (Risotto al Limon con Vongole)
At A Casa di Nonna restaurant in Pula in the South of Sardinia I enjoyed Fregola al ragù di pecora con vino rosso, which is fregula/fregola with a mutton ragù with red wine. Fregula is a Sardinian version of couscous, … Continue reading Fregula with Mutton Ragù (Fregola al Ragù di Pecora)
The inspiration for this dish came from a dish we enjoyed at the Librije. Usually when I use a restaurant dish for inspiration I do not try to make an exact copy, but try to simplify it to get to … Continue reading Foie Gras Sous Vide with Shrimp and Lime
Manfrigole are comfort food from Valtellina, a valley in the North of Italy near Switzerland. I encountered them for the first time during the wine trip to Lombardia last fall, where we enjoyed them for both lunch and dinner. Manfrigole … Continue reading Manfrigole (Buckwheat Pancakes Filled With Casera Cheese)
Dutch cuisine does not have a great reputation like Italian or French cuisine, but the comfort food Hutspot met Klapstuk can be taken to the next level by preparing it sous vide. Hutspot, literally hotch-potch, is carrot, onion, and potatoes, … Continue reading Braised Beef Short Ribs Sous Vide with Carrot, Onion, and Potato Mash (Hutspot met Klapstuk)
The combination of mussels and potatoes is a classic one. For instance in Belgium as moules et frites (mussels with fries). In the Bistrot in Maddalena, Sardegna, Italy, we enjoyed a potato velouté with mussels. My version was inspired by … Continue reading Potato Velouté With Mussels (Vellutata di Patate con Cozze)
The first lunch of the wine trip to Lombardia last October featured a risotto with radicchio, scamorza, and Bonarda (red wine). I really liked it and recreated it at home. An important ingredient is the brodo di carne, a mixed … Continue reading Risotto al Radicchio, Scamorza e Bonarda (Risotto With Chicory, Smoked Cheese, and Red Wine)
Our recent vacation in the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico was also a culinary introduction to Mayan cuisine (which is actually fusion between pre-Columbian Mayan cuisine and Spanish cuisine). One of the most famous Mayan dishes is Cochinita Pibil. Cochinita is … Continue reading Cochinita Pibil
Meat that comes from a muscle that has done a lot work during the animal’s life is the most flavorful. Cheeks are one of the best examples. In this recipe, wild boar cheeks are first cooked sous vide and then … Continue reading Wild Boar Ravioli with Mushrooms (Ravioli di Cinghiale con Funghi)
At agriturismo “Il Muto di Gallura” we enjoyed Zuppa Gallurese con ghisatu. This is a local dish from the area of Gallura in the North-West of Sardinia. It is actually the combination of two dishes. Zuppa Gallurese is a kind … Continue reading Zuppa Gallurese con Ghisadu
For these ravioli I wanted the delicate flavor of the (farmed) rabbit to shine. To accomplish that, I did not use any other prominent ingredients, and squeezed all of the flavor out of the rabbit by making a stock from … Continue reading Rabbit Ravioli (Ravioli di Coniglio)
Sometimes I get the inspiration for a new dish from something I’ve enjoyed in a restaurant. Very seldomly I try to copy a dish exactly, but I do use the combinations of ingredients or preparations. At two Michelin star restaurant … Continue reading Grouper Sous Vide with Vanilla and Lemon Zest
At Lo Stuzzichino we enjoyed a wonderful dessert that was simply called Lemon Delight, showing off the fantastic lemons from nearby Sorrento. It is layers of sponge cake with a lemon cream, garnished with lemon zest. I decided to make … Continue reading Lemon Delight
Brisket is a big deal in Texas. There are brisket smoking competitions. It takes hours to smoke a perfect brisket, tending the fire to keep the temperature just right, and spraying the brisket with liquid (such as apple juice) to … Continue reading Smoked Brisket Sous Vide
Ossobuco is a classic Italian dish from Milan: braised veal shank, often served with a saffron risotto on the side (which is the exception to the Italian rule that pasta or rice (primo piatto) is not served together with meat … Continue reading Ossobuco Sous Vide Time and Temperature Experiment
A classic and delicious dish from Venice is pesce in saôr, which does not mean ‘sour’ fish but ‘flavored’ fish (saôr comes from ‘sapore’). The recipe was invented in Venice as a way to preserve fish, and even though we have … Continue reading Mackerel ‘in Saor’ (Sgombro in Saor)
In the Sorrento peninsula, famous for the Amalfi Coast, bell peppers are stuffed with a mixture of eggplant, olives, capers, bread, basil, and parsley. We enjoyed this humble but tasty vegan antipasto at Lo Stuzzichino. It is a bit of … Continue reading Peperoni imbottiti alla Sorrentina (Stuffed Bell Peppers alla Sorrentina)
This is a dish that I’ve enjoyed a lot on holiday in France. Strip steak is not as tender as ribeye and can be a bit tough. But since I like it on the rare side of medium rare, cooking … Continue reading Faux Filet Grillé aux Herbes de Provence (Grilled Strip Steak with Provençal Herbs)
This dish was inspired by the ravioli we had at Lo Stuzzichino during our latest vacation to Italy: ravioli filled with ricotta perfumed with lemon zest, served with vongole. Although making your own ravioli from scratch requires some practice, this … Continue reading Lemon Ricotta Ravioli with Clams (Ravioli al profumo di limone con vongole)
Brasato al Barolo is a classic dish from the Italian region of Piemonte of beef braised in Barolo. Barolo is also known as the king of Italian wine, and is the most important wine from that region. Traditionally a beef … Continue reading Brasato al Barolo Sous Vide (Beef Braised in Barolo)
Although we have been to Campania a number of times, during our latest trip in September it was the first time that we got to enjoy a slice of Torta Caprese, which was at Villa Rosa. It is a flourless … Continue reading Torta Caprese (Chocolate Almond Cake)
Monkfish wrapped with prosciutto is a classic combination. By dry brining the fish first and then cooking it sous vide, the fish will be tender and juicy. It is important to remove the membrane of the monkfish, as it contracts … Continue reading Monkfish With Prosciutto Sous Vide
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