Garden peas are an intriguing seasonal ingredient. They are at their best when they are still small, tender, and sweet, but this window lasts only a day or two. When they are left to mature on the vine, the sugars … Continue reading Potato Gnocchi with Garden Peas, Zucchini & Ricotta
As you may have noticed, I am currently on vacation in Italy and enjoying this foodie heaven. Since I do not eat in blog-worthy restaurants every day and have more time for blogging than when I am at home, I … Continue reading Langoustines in Savory Tomato and Bisque Sauce
Many Italian recipes for chard only use the leaves, which are called bietole. This can be confusing, as the word literally translates to beets. The stalks are known as coste, or coste di bietola in full. When preparing dishes like … Continue reading Italian Gratin of Chard Stalks Recipe
It is the season for white asparagus in the Netherlands. The classic way to serve them is with boiled ham, eggs, and Hollandaise sauce. Three years ago at Michelin starred restaurant De Juwelier they served asparagus with prosciutto and a … Continue reading White Asparagus with Prosciutto & Sage Beurre Blanc Recipe
One dish that features most commonly on restaurant menus on Tenerife is papas arrugadas con mojos, wrinkled potatoes with sauces. The potatoes are cooked in their skins in heavily salted water. After draining, they are shaken in the same pot … Continue reading Papas Arrugadas con Mojos Recipe (Canarian Potatoes)
Conejo en Salmorejo is the first dish I have prepared following my trip to Tenerife. Rabbits were introduced to the island by Spanish settlers and thrived in the volcanic landscape, providing an affordable source of protein. The recipe likely evolved … Continue reading Conejo en Salmorejo Sous Vide
Another favorite dish at Bucha Gallery and Restaurant was the lemongrass and duck salad. You read that correctly: lemongrass is not just an ingredient for curry paste or flavoring broth, but can be enjoyed as a crunchy, fragrant salad. The … Continue reading Yum Ped Takhrai Recipe: Thai Lemongrass & Sous Vide Duck Salad
At Bucha Gallery and Restaurant, we enjoyed a wonderful bowl of Kaeng Poo, a Southern Thai yellow crab curry served with crispy Khao Tang rice crackers for dipping. The savory crab curry was warm and creamy, offering a rich and … Continue reading Authentic Kaeng Poo Recipe: Southern Thai Yellow Crab Curry
Beef Wellington is one of my favorite dishes for a dinner party. It can be prepared in advance, only needs a quick finish in the oven, and the results are spectacular. This was one of the first technical, high-end dishes … Continue reading Beef Wellington Sous Vide
This recipe is quick, delicious, and impressive as an appetizer or amuse-bouche. You can also serve it as part of a seafood antipasti spread. Along the Venetian coast, restaurants serve various seafood dishes baked under a crispy crust of breadcrumbs, … Continue reading Capesante alla Veneziana (Venetian-Style Baked Scallops)
We eat a lot of nice food, so it is always a challenge to come up with something out of the ordinary for Christmas dinner. When I was at Hanos (the premium Dutch catering wholesaler), I picked up a hare … Continue reading Filetto di Lepre con Salsa Dolceforte (Hare Fillet in Dolceforte Sauce)
If you havenât yet decided what to make for Christmas dinner and are looking for an easy yet elegant fish dish that requires only about 30 minutes of prep and 10 minutes to finish, Branzino allâAcqua Pazza may be exactly … Continue reading Branzino all’Acqua Pazza (European Sea Bass with Cherry Tomatoes)
Earlier this year, while visiting the Northern Italian city of Padova, I spotted a dish on the menu I had never heard of: Lasagne ai tre carni. I always jump at the chance to discover new, authentic classics, and this … Continue reading Lasagne al RagÃđ Bianco (Lasagna with White Meat RagÃđ)
Gaeng Hung Lay (āđāļāļāļŪāļąāļāđāļĨ) is the best-known curry from Northern Thailand. It contains more spices than other Thai curries and is sweeter, yet much less spicy in terms of chili heat, and it has no coconut milk. Most of its … Continue reading Gaeng Hung Lay (Northern Thai Pork Curry) Sous Vide
One of Northern Thailandâs most iconic dishes is Khao Soi, a rich curry noodle soup made with chicken, fresh egg noodles, coconut milk, and a mild curry paste. Itâs topped with crispy deep-fried noodles for added crunch. To increase the … Continue reading Khao Soi (Northern Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken)
Risotto is the ultimate comfort foodânot just when you eat it, but also while you make it. The gentle, rhythmic stirring isnât complicated and can be a relaxing ritual, especially with good company or a glass of wine in hand. … Continue reading Risotto Verza e Salsiccia (Risotto with Savoy Cabbage and Italian Sausage)
Pesto alla genovese is one of those ingredients that is much better when made at home, even if you use a blender instead of a mortar and pestle. There are two reasons for this. First, almost all store-bought pesto contains … Continue reading Lasagne alla Genovese (Lasagne with Green Beans and Basil Pesto)
In May, we visited the Venetian coast, where one of the most common ways to serve seafood is gratinated with breadcrumbs. This preparation is especially delightful with musselsâtheir natural brininess is deepened by the heat of the oven, while the breadcrumbs … Continue reading Gratinated Mussels (Cozze gratinate)
As part of our wine tour through Friuli, we had dinner at La Subida Trattoria al Cacciatore. The chefâs specialty is giriniâhis interpretation of a traditional local dish made by letting pasta batter drip into boiling water to form fresh pasta. What … Continue reading Girini (Crumbles of Dropped Pasta) with Rabbit, Samphire, and Cherry Tomatoes
This raspberry and almond cake is inspired by the kind of simple, flavorful baking you might get served for breakfast at an agriturismo or a cozy B&B in Italy. The tartness of fresh raspberries pairs beautifully with the soft, nutty … Continue reading Raspberry Almond Cake (Torta di Lamponi e Mandorle)
For the reunion of our wine trip to Friuli I’m preparing some dishes inspired by dished we had during the trip. At Michelin-starred Trattoria al Cacciatora we had rolled guinea fowl with “sclopit” and “urticions”. Both of the latter are … Continue reading Guinea Fowl Wrapped in Prosciutto
Italians are very proud of their culinary heritage, and rightly so. There are even some traditional Italian dishes for which an official recipe has been established. This helps to preserve the traditional dishes in their original form. The most famous … Continue reading RagÃđ alla Bolognese (The Official Recipe)
I needed a light dessert to conclude a tasting menu. Initially, I considered serving small bowls of strawberries macerated with honey and balsamic vinegarâan easy way to elevate even average berries. But that felt a bit too simple. Instead, I … Continue reading Almond Shells with Honey Balsamic Macerated Strawberries
When I was in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, I followed a private cooking lesson, and tried several local restaurants. A dish that featured on the menu of local restaurants that serve Northern Thai food was âhors dâoeuvresâ, an assortment of … Continue reading Nam Phrik Kapi (āļāđāļģāļāļĢāļīāļāļāļ°āļāļī, Northern Thai Spicy Shrimp Dip)
When I was in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, I followed a private cooking lesson, and tried several local restaurants. A dish that featured on the menu of local restaurants that serve Northern Thai food was âhors dâoeuvresâ, an assortment of … Continue reading Nam Phrik Num (āļāđāļģāļāļĢāļīāļāļŦāļāļļāđāļĄ Northern Thai Green Chili Dip)
When I was in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, I followed a private cooking lesson, and tried several local restaurants. A dish that featured on the menu of local restaurants that serve Northern Thai food was “hors d’oeuvres”, an assortment … Continue reading Nam Phrik Ong (āļāđāļģāļāļĢāļīāļāļāđāļāļ Northern Thai Tomato and Pork Dip)
It’s been a while since I’ve prepared a recipe I discovered through another blog. But when I saw Frite de Cordero on Accounting for Taste, I immediately knew I wanted to prepare a sous vide version of it. Frite de … Continue reading Frite de Cordero (Spanish Lamb Stew)
Italians are very proud of their culinary heritage, and rightly so. There are even some traditional Italian dishes for which an official recipe has been established. This helps to preserve the traditional dishes in their original form. The most famous … Continue reading The New Official Recipe for RagÃđ alla Bolognese
This tasty and elegant, but simple to prepare, appetizer was inspired by a dish I really liked at Wills Domain in Western Australia. As usual, I did not try to prepare an exact copy of the dish, but merely used … Continue reading Scallops with Avocado, Daikon, and Tosazu Dressing
The very first dish we had when we arrived in Thailand was Khao Kha Mu. We got it in Chiang Mai near the north gate of the old city at a stand that is famous for a lady with a … Continue reading Thai Pork Leg Sous Vide on Rice (Kao Ka Moo / Khao Kha Mu / āļāđāļēāļ§āļāļēāļŦāļĄāļđ )
