Small kitchen, Great cooking
There’s nothing like going on an autumn stroll. Wading through the fallen leaves and collecting chestnuts. Though our daughter simply collects them as decoration (or to put then on the nearest available surface and forget about them), they are actually very tasty. Of course you can buy them boiled and peeled in a can or vacuum pack. But if you’re brave enough to give preparing them yourself a try, you can buy them fresh at the greengrocer’s.
For those brave souls, we present this how-to.
Jam tarts can be very easy to make. Especially when you use pre-made pastry and store bought jam. But why make them the easy way, when you can also make them the hard way? So of course I had to make things difficult for myself.
When it comes to cooking, hummus is one of the simplest things to make. It doesn’t even require cooking. All you need are ingredients and a food processor. Hummus is also pretty healthy. With chickpeas being the main ingredient, it contains loads of minerals, vitamins, fibres and protein.
It’s even rumoured to be an aphrodisiac…
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are a legume traditionally used in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian cooking. But these days they’re popular in many more places around the globe and for good reason. Chickpeas contain loads of minerals, vitamins and fibres. They’re also a good source of protein, which is why they’re very popular with vegetarians and vegans. Personally, I’m not a fan of having a purely vegetable diet. However that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate chickpeas as a tasty and versatile addition to my culinary repertoire.
Also, they’re very affordable. An important thing for a Dutchie like me.
The end of the year is rapidly approaching. The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder and Easter decorations are appearing in the shops. (I’m just kidding, that won’t happen until next week.)
In this part of the world, you just have to look outside to know that the growing season has come to an end. Plants that had managed to hold on until now, are finally forced to give up. Which forces the gardener to pick the last of the harvest, even if that harvest is nowhere near ripe.
Luckily this unripe produce is still usable. You just need the right recipe.
Dreary winter weather calls for hearty dishes. Food that fills your belly and leaves you with a warm, fuzzy and satisfied feeling. This dish with braised pig’s cheeks and mustard cream sauce, does exactly that. Accompanied by a carrot and potato mash, it has no frills, but lots of favour.
Pre-made burger patties. Not exactly the most glamorous option, when it comes to choosing protein for your dinner. Certainly not the option with the best reputation. But not all burgers are equal. While some can only be described as “discs that have bits of some animal in it”, others are made with a good quality beef. I don’t think having the latter on your plate, every once in a while, is in any way bad for you.
Of course you can do the expected thing and put one of those beef patties into a traditional bun. I, however, decided to try something different and wrap them in puff-pastry to make delicious hamburger pies.
It was late to arrive this year, but autumn is truly here now. Here in the Netherlands, it means that the days are not only getting colder, but also a lot wetter. Dark and damp is really the best way to describe the Dutch weather right now. It can be quite depressing. So to combat this I like to add some warmth and spice to our food. For me, nothing quite hits the spot like a plate of chili con carne.
Everyone who has a vegetable garden will know that it’s both a curse and a blessing. It’s absolutely amazing to be able to eat something you’ve grown yourself. Only, once your harvest starts coming in, it usually comes all at the same time. And no matter how lovely that produce is, there is only so much you can eat of it, before it starts coming out of your ears.