Spinach Gnocchi with creamy Mushrooms
A homemade gnocchi dinner is quite a satisfying experience on many levels. Let's start with the preparation: it takes a bit longer than cooking spaghetti but it rewards you with the feeling that you've created something special, something pretty and impressive on your plates. Here you don't cook someone else's product in hot water, this is your own dough made with fresh ingredients, gnocchi formed with love and attention. I believe that the effort you put into a meal is saved in it, you can taste it!
Making gnocchi can be intimidating but it doesn't have to be, it's about the right ratio between dry and moist ingredients, and taste obviously. When I make my potato or pumpkin gnocchi I know that I have to follow a few rules. The most important one is not to mix the flour into the vegetable mixture when it's still warm, it has to cool off completely or the gnocchi won't stay in shape. If you think that your dough is too sticky you just add a little more flour until you can hold it in your floured hands. It should feel a bit like yeast dough for pizza, when it's more like glue, impossible to get off your fingers, you have to make some more adjustments. Be brave and it'll work out!
Although my spinach gnocchi are made with fresh breadcrumbs and not potatoes, they follow the same rules. I blanche lots of crunchy winter spinach, squeeze it well and let it cool. Again, if it's too moist and still warm it can cause hassles. Once it's done, I mix it with the bread, a little flour, the spices and parmesan. The green dumplings are very easy to handle, you can even prepare them a few hours ahead before you cook them. I wanted the spinach to come through strong and earthy to keep up with my creamy sauce made of sautéed mushrooms. I also added some salty bacon bits but it's just as good without the smoky flavour, the meat gives it a hearty touch, just choose what you feel like.
When I saw the plate in front of me, a perfect picture of comfortable Italian food, I knew why I don't buy gnocchi from the store. They never taste as good, that's for sure, but they also don't have my kitchen memories saved in every little bite.
Spinach Gnocchi with creamy Mushrooms
For 3-4 people you need
For the mushrooms
mushrooms, the bottom cut off, cut into thick slices, 300g / 10.5 ounces
heavy cream 150-200ml / 5.5-7 ounces
brandy
olive oil
salt and pepper
optional: bacon, cut into small cubes, 60g / 2 ounces
In a large pan, fry the bacon in a little oil for a few minutes on medium heat until golden brown and crisp. Take the bacon out of the pan and add a little more oil if necessary, sauté the mushrooms on high temperature for 1 minute on each side. Deglaze with a splash of brandy, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the cream.
For the gnocchi
fresh spinach leaves (stems cut off), rinsed, 500g / 1 pound
breadcrumbs, freshly ground with a grater or in a food processor, 250g / 9 ounces
organic egg yolks 2
plain flour 70g / 2.5 ounces
Parmesan, freshly grated, 40g / 2 ounces plus more for the topping
salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
nutmeg
pepper
Blanche the spinach in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 1 1/2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and let it cool in a colander for about 10 minutes. Squeeze the spinach in batches in between your hands but mind that it isn't hot anymore. The spinach should be quite dry. Purée the leaves in a food processor and mix with the other ingredients until well combined.
On a well floured surface, roll the dough in batches into a 2cm / 3/4" sausage shape and cut off 3cm / 1 1/4" gnocchi. Spread them on a well floured baking sheet.
In a large pot, bring salted water to the boil and cook the gnocchi in batches on medium heat (simmering). When they start to rise and float on the surface after about 4 minutes take them out with a slotted ladle and drain them for a few seconds. Keep the gnocchi in a covered ovenproof dish in the warm oven (100°C / 210°F) until the last batch is done.
Serve the gnocchi with the mushrooms, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan and crushed black peppercorns.
meet in your kitchen | Making sausages with Simon, The Sausage Man Never Sleeps
It was one of the last warm evenings in early October when I met Simon from The Sausage Man Never Sleeps for the first time. He had a stand at Berlin's first Stadt Land Food Festival and was about to close down for the day. I spotted a selection of coarse sausages in his display, the kind I got hooked on since I lived in England a few years ago. When I read the names of his creations I couldn't help talking to him. Apricot, hazelnuts and cream cheese, apple and sage, or tomato, fennel and mozzarella sausage, doesn't that sound heavenly? That's exactly what I love to have on my breakfast table on a Sunday morning with some fried eggs, beans and bacon. This man offered what I had been looking for in this city for years! I had to learn more about his products, maybe make some sausages together so I asked if I could visit him in his kitchen.
At 5 am (!) the following week we had a date. The city was still dark and quiet when I jumped on my bike, ready to watch my laid-back gourmet butcher from New Zealand prepare his new batch of sausages for the day. While he was stuffing the skins with the various fillings which he had mixed earlier at night before my arrival, we spoke about his journey that took him from the other side of the world (from a European perspective) to London and finally to Berlin. Here, he decided to live his dream and make his own sausages. He started working at a butcher shop which is coincidentally in my area and my favourite place for meat. At the Erchinger Fleisch und Wurstmanufaktur in Prenzlauer Berg, Simon finished his education to get the qualifications for the German market and he also became friends with the owner. Butcher Jörg Erchinger who took over the shop a few years ago, totally supports the young man and his visions. He believes in his unique products which have recently been featured by the renowned Feinschmecker magazine. Simon uses the rooms, machines and tools of the shop for his own production which he offers at the Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg and other special food events. If you want to stay updated about the latest The Sausage Man Never Sleeps projects, you can visit his website.
I didn't want to miss out on the chance to get these delicious sausages fried to perfection by the butcher himself. We couldn't meet at his kitchen at home as the house is too dark for photos, so he took over mine. After a well deserved coffee for the sleepless sausage man and some hazelnuts that he spotted on my window-sill, we got down to frying. He cooked his work of the morning in a little butter and oil for about 10 minutes until the sausages were golden brown but still juicy. They were so good, I didn't want to have them with anything else, I just enjoyed them and their pure flavours. I'm so happy that Simon offered to share one of his secrets with all of us, the recipe for his gourmet Apple and Sage Sausages!
Simon's Gourmet Apple and Sage Sausages
pork belly, boned and skinned (approx. 20% fat), 1kg / 2 pounds
apples, peeled, cored and diced into 1/2cm / 1/4" cubes, 2
salt 15g / 3 leveled teaspoons
cracked pepper 1g / a pinch
fresh sage, chopped, 2g / 4 leaves
natural pork sausage skins
Mince the pork through a 1/2cm / 1/4" mincing plate, add the salt and mix by hand until it sticks to itself (3-4 minutes). Add the apple, pepper and sage and mix throughly.
Fill into skins but not too full so you can tie off sausages. Tie off sausages with thumb and forefinger, cut in the middle of the twist which should be about 1cm / 1/2" long.
Shelf life of 2-3 days in the fridge or can be frozen if made from fresh meat.
Cooking instructions
Give your pan a medium heat, a squirt of oil, a dob of butter and heat until foamy. Pop sausages in the pan (there is no need to prick them first). Turn and baste in the pan juice until golden brown (9-10 minutes).
Guten Appetit!
You started an apprenticeship at a butcher at 16 but only started working as one 14 years later. Why did you wait so long and what drew you back to this craft?
After completing my apprenticeship as a butcher I was looking for the next challenge and an opportunity came up to work in a freezing works (BIG Abbotoir) as a supervisor in a lamb cutting room. 10 years later after various office jobs in the food industry I found myself in London at the start of the recession with little chance of finding an office job in the food industry. Going back to being a butcher was the obvious choice. Leaving and getting back into hands on butcher work was not planned, it was opportunities that came along.
You grew up in New Zealand, lived and worked as a butcher in London and you have now started your own sausage business here in Berlin. What are the differences in sausage making in these three countries?
The basis of New Zealand sausages has an English theme as it was colonised by the British in the 19th century. New Zealand butchers have a lot of interesting flavour combinations in their sausages which is quite an inspiration for me. British sausages generally have more simple flavour combinations and are mainly pork based. German sausages are good and there is a huge range available, German sausages are world renowned as the best in the world.
Do you have a sausage philosophy?
Yes, keep it simple, use good quality ingredients and don’t add too much salt.
How do you develop new sausage recipes? What inspires you?
Trial and error, combining flavours that complement each other, that don’t overpower each other, using different textures to create interesting combinations that are more than just flavour and moisture.
Your company is called 'The Sausage Man Never Sleeps', is that what a butcher's life is really like?
Not really, apart from Christmas time working in a butcher's shop, usually that means 15 hour days for a while. The name was inspired by the New Zealand sausage man who I worked with at Lidgates in London. Most of the butcher's shops I’ve worked in are 6am starts, I love that time of day, especially in the warmer months!
What do you miss about New Zealand in general but also when it comes to food?
I miss my friends and family, especially my nephews. I miss sea fishing and eating what you catch the same day, walking in the bush (forest) and the Southern Alps.I’m a big fan of New Zealand Beef, Lamb and Venison. My father was a farmer and in his business he has a lot of contact with farmers, so his freezers (3 of them) are always full of the tastiest home killed and hunted meat you would find in the world. Also he has a massive vegetable garden, so it’s always a treat being at my parents' house. And last but not least, Dimitrie's Souvolaki in Christchurch has the best Souvolaki ever...
How often do you use your kitchen at home, do you like to cook?
I love to cook but since I started my business I have had not as much time to cook. Nothing better than getting friends round and all pitching in to make an epic feast!
What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?
My first memory of cooking is making mud cakes in the garden and the first dish I cooked was heating up frozen fries and a hot dog (in New Zealand this is a battered pre-cooked sausage on a stick), I was about 6 years old.
What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in Berlin?
Markthalle Neun, Eurogida, The Dairy, Antipodes, Oma Marnie's Pie Bakery, Erchinger Fleisch und Wurstmanufaktur, and Gemüse Kebab Shop on Kastanienallee.
What are your upcoming projects?
I am starting in the Breakfast Market in the Markthalle Neun on the 16th of November, it is on the third Sunday of every month. Later I want to also get into Streetfood Thursday. Eventually I want to have my own production place where I can make sausages 24 hours a day.
Why did you choose Berlin as a place to live and work?
After living in London I needed to get out of the rat race, Berlin was the perfect choice.
What did you choose to share on eat in my kitchen?
Here's a recipe for Apple and Sage Sausages.
If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?
Jamie Oliver, Scottish entrecôte steak, eggs and chips.
You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?
A massive vegan curry, rice, Raita and Turkish bread, a couple of salads, one including bacon. Whatever sausages I have in the freezer for the meat eaters.
What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?
Mum's homemade lasagna with garlic bread and a leafy salad. Now, I have no idea. I like all food, except mustard, I am allergic to it. Actually I’m about to cook a full English for some friends, that's one of my favourites... great way to start the day.
Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?
Cooking with others is preferred, although I find cooking alone fine as long as I have some good music to listen to.
Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?
Improvised.
Which meal would you never cook again?
Homemade falafel, it’s so frustrating cooking without a deep fryer!
Thank you Simon!
Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup with Chèvre
My pumpkin phase has to take a little break, it's going overboard. I had one last idea for soup in mind before leaving the pretty squash at the market instead of carrying one after the other into our kitchen. What I came up with is pumpkin, sweet potato and carrot cooked and puréed to a velvety soup topped with mild chèvre and pumpkin seed oil to melt into the sweet flavours.
This is the perfect end to an annual obsession I always fall for as soon as the leaves turn golden. The first bowl of my warm treat put me at ease, I felt ready to jump into a new phase! The composition combined all I could ask for, it was smooth and thick. This soup isn't light and liquid, it's more like a purée, a potage that is rich enough to satisfy your hunger after a busy day. I really like these kind of soups that can replace a whole meal instead of just being a starter to tickle the appetite. All you need are some slices of juicy ciabatta sprinkled with olive oil on the side to enjoy the entire comfort of this dish.
Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup with Chèvre
For 4 people you need
pumpkin (squash), without the fibres and seeds, cut into cubes, 700g / 1.5 pounds (Hokkaido with skin or peeled butternut or Musquée de Provence pumpkin)
sweet potato, scrubbed and rinsed, cut into cubes, 500g / 1 pound
large carrot, peeled or scrubbed, cut into cubes, 1
medium onion, finely chopped, 1
garlic, crushed, 1 clove
bay leaf 1
water 1 l / 2 pints
olive oil
a pinch of mace or nutmeg
salt and pepper
soft chèvre, crumbled, 100g / 3.5 ounces, for the topping
pumpkin seed oil, for the topping
In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and cook the onions on medium heat for a few minutes until soft and golden. Add a little more oil and the pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot and garlic. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the water and bay leaf and bring to the boil. Season with salt, pepper and mace and cook for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft (simmering). Take out the bay leaf and purée the soup with a stick mixer or in a blender. Season to taste and serve sprinkled with pumpkin seed oil and a few crumbles of the chèvre.
A grilled Beetroot, Bacon and Blue Cheese Sandwich
These three B's lead to an amazingly luscious sandwich: beetroot, bacon and blue cheese! The earthy-sweet, salty and smoked flavours are anything but silent, however surprisingly harmonic in this combination. They merge naturally with the sharpness of the melted Fourme d'Ambert cheese and the crunchy rucola (arugula) which I added for some colour and green freshness.
It started off with one of my weekly kitchen tradition, I always cook a big pot of the purple roots to have them at hand for our salads or as a little snack cut into small cubes and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. As I saw the rustic vegetable dancing up and down in the deep red water I got mesmerized, dreaming of all the delicious recipes I would use them for. The three B's where one of them!
When I put the sandwich under the grill, the seductive aroma of grilled cheese spread in the air. Attracted by the smell, two hungry people found their way in front of the oven. My partner and his mother Jenny who isn't usually too fond of strong cheeses, blue ones in particular, looked at me with impatience and hunger. They both love my Sandwich Wednesdays but the fact that I have to take pictures first can be quite a mean teaser. Grilled sandwiches especially are a feast for the eyes but even more for the nose. It can be so cruel to sit in front of this beautiful creation in all its juiciness when all you want is to take a big bite but you can't. You have to wait until the last photo is taken. That makes me appreciate it even more!
A grilled Beetroot, Bacon and Blue Cheese Sandwich
For 3 sandwiches you need
long rustic buns, cut in half, 3
large beetroots, scrubbed and rinsed, 2
bay leaf 1
bacon 3-6 slices
aromatic blue cheese, like Fourme d'Ambert or Stilton, cut into slices, 100g / 3.5 ounces
rucola (arugula), a small handful
olive oil
sat and pepper
Cook the beetroot in lots of salted water with the bay leaf for about 50 minutes or until the roots are soft. Rinse them under cold water and let them cool for a few minutes. Peel and cut them into thick slices and brush them with olive oil.
Fry the bacon in a little olive oil until golden brown and very crisp and brake it into large pieces.
Spread 3-4 beetroot slices on the bottom side of each bun and put a few bacon pieces on top. Finish it off with the blue cheese and put it under the grill for 1-2 minutes until it starts to melt. Sprinkle with pepper and rucola, close the bun and enjoy!
Chicory, Pomegranate and Orange Salad with fresh Turmeric
When it's grey outside it's time to bring some colours back to our plates! I combined bitter chicory, or endive, the sweetest red pomegranate and juicy oranges in a powerful salad full of strong flavours and vitamins. The dressing is a bright yellow aroma bomb mixed with freshly grated turmeric, thick apple balsamic vinegar and a little maple syrup - fruity and spicy. This is definitely a keeper for winter! Fresh turmeric root has a very strong taste, so you have to add it carefully, one pinch at a time, to enjoy its qualities in the dressing.
At the moment, my kitchen is stuffed with all kinds of citrus fruits, three big plates piled with lemons, oranges, deep coloured tangerines and the lighter and loose skinned satsumas, or mandarins. It's so easy to prepare and strengthen the body for winter when these fruits are at hand. I start every morning with a cup of green tea with half a squeezed lemon, my prevention and cure. When I tried it the first time, I got hooked on this warm drink so it became the daily morning ritual of my life. Since then, about four or five years ago, I have rarely been sick. This is my beloved little ceremony, boiling water and letting it cool down to about 80°C (180°F) to brew the fragrant leaves. My lemons are normally from Italy, and always organic, I pour their sour juices into the light green of my tea and take a few minutes just for myself. This is like meditation, I sit down on my sofa with the warm mug in my hands and relax!
Chicory, Pomegranate and Orange Salad with fresh Turmeric
As a lunch for 2 you need
medium chicories (Belgian endives) 2
pomegranate 1/2
orange, peeled and cut into filets, 1
For the dressing
olive oil 3 tablespoons
apple balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons
freshly squeezed orange juice 1 tablespoon
maple syrup 1/2-1 tablespoon, to taste
fresh turmeric, grated, a bit less than 1/8 teaspoon, to taste
salt and pepper
Whisk the ingredients for the dressing and season to taste.
Spread the chicory leaves and orange filets on 2 plates and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and the dressing.
Mâche Salad with Caramelized Pear and Pink Peppercorns
One of my all time favourite salads is mâche salad with beetroot and walnuts. The small green leaves are also known as field or corn salad and lamb's lettuce. My dressing is simple and whisked together in just a few seconds. All I need is olive oil and thick balsamic vinegar and I'm happy. This wintery salad visits our table at least once a week!
I never really plan my salads, most of the time they are spontaneous compositions depending on my mood. I just throw together whatever I find in the fridge or on my kitchen tops. Fruits, vegetables, nuts or preserves, I use what sparks my senses. It can start with a visual idea or a vision of flavours combined on a plate. Today's salad started with a pear, I looked at it and decided to caramelize it in sugary butter. There was another pretty one next to it but it was quite crisp and still a bit hard. I grated a small piece and mixed it into the vinaigrette to give it a fruity touch. A bag of pink peppercorns seemed as fitting as a box of crunchy mâche salad which was left in the fridge. I also wanted to add some walnuts as you can see in the photos but when I tried it I thought it would be too much so I left them out. Maybe you feel different about it, just give them a try!
Mâche Salad with Caramelized Pear and Pink Peppercorns
For 4 people you need
mâche lettuce, rinsed and dried, a big handful
pear, rinsed, cored and quartered, 1
butter 1 tablespoon
granulated sugar 1 tablespoon
pink peppercorns, lightly crushed in a mortar, 1-2 tablespoons
olive oil 3 tablespoons
balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons
salt and pepper
optional: walnuts for the topping
Grate about 1/8 of the pear and whisk with the olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the remaining pear into thin wedges.
Melt the butter and sugar in a pan. Caramelize the pear wedges in the hot brown butter for about 1 minute on each side.
Divide the mâche lettuce between the plates and arrange the caramelized pear on top. Sprinkle with the dressing and the pink peppercorns and serve immediately.
Brook Trout al Cartoccio with Artichokes and Olives
A special guest calls for a special meal! My partner's mother Jenny came to visit us from Malta for a few days and, as always when we have a special guest, I got overly excited about planning our dinners and sightseeing trips days before she arrived. I love to have her here and it's been a while since her last visit so there was a lot to pack into six days!
During one of our last phone calls she asked if we could make a Bavarian Beer Roasted Pork. It's been years since I cooked it for her but she enjoyed it so much that she never forgot about our Bavarian night. Our first day together in Berlin was quite busy, I had to travel, my partner had a concert and we could only fit in a lunch. Inspired by all those wonderful Mediterranean seafood feasts we had at Jenny's house in Msida this summer, I wanted to present a fish of the north, brook trout. I love its earthy taste, somewhere between trout and salmon, and its beautiful pink colour. It's a member of the salmon family and lives in streams and brooks, although it's called trout it's actually a char. I prefer to cook sweet water fish al cartoccio wrapped in parchment pepper with spices, herbs and strong flavours like bacon or capers, like in my trout recipe. This method keeps the meat juicy and infuses it with all the delicate aromas it's filled with and wrapped in. For my brook trout, I chose artichokes, parsley, olives and bay leaves which bring out the best in any kind of sweet water fish. Cooked for about half an hour in some white wine, it just needed a fresh, crunchy baguette to dip into the juices to make a delicious lunch for my beloved guest!
Brook Trout al Cartoccio with Artichokes and Olives
For 2 people you need
brook trout 1 (about 500g / 1 pound)
black olives 10
small preserved artichoke hearts (tinned), cut in half, 6
parsley, a small bunch garlic, quartered, 3 cloves
bay leaves 2
white wine 100ml / 3.5 ounces
olive oil
salt and pepper
Set the oven to 180°C / 355°F.
Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper, about 20cm / 8" longer than the fish. Put them on top of each other and brush the top with olive oil. Lay the trout in the middle and season it with salt and pepper inside and out. Put 1 bay leaf and half of the parsley under the fish and the other bay leaf and the remaining parsley inside. Fold up the sides of the parchment paper, twisting the ends without closing it. Arrange the artichokes, garlic and olives around the fish and pour the wine over it. Close the top by folding it twice, put the cartoccio in a baking dish and cook in the oven for about 25 minutes.
The fish is done if you can lift the meat with a knife off the bone. Gently cut along the middle line on one side to check. If it needs a little longer fold the parchment paper to close it again and put it back into the oven for a few minutes. Enjoy with fresh baguette and a glass of white wine!
A hearty Raclette, Ham and Rosemary Sandwich
It's time for a hearty sandwich again! Imagine rich and aromatic cheese melting on top of slices of rustic ham in between a crusty bun!
I could have stopped at that point but I wanted to go a bit further. My cheese of choice was a French raclette which is so strong in taste that it can take a few more flavours on the side. I warmed up some olive oil with a few sprigs off my rosemary plant for a woody infused oil to brush the inside of the buns. The spongy softness soaked it all up and kept a soft hint of the herb. If you like to have a bit more than a hint - like me - you can also sprinkle a few of the cooked green needles over it which merge perfectly with the cheese. My obligatory coarsely crushed black peppercorns shouldn't be missing as they add a hearty spiciness, the kind that brings out the best of the rich raclette cheese.
If you're up for a more extensive sandwich project you could also bake my mountain buns, they would fit perfectly!
Raclette, Ham and Rosemary Sandwich
For 2 sandwiches you need
rustic buns, cut in half, 2
slices of ham 2-4
thick slices of raclette cheese, rind cut off, 2-4
rosemary needles, a small handful
olive oil
black peppercorns, coarsely crushed in a mortar, to taste
Cover the bottom of a small sauce pan with olive oil, add the rosemary and put on a high temperature. As soon as the oil and herbs starts sizzling, take the pot off the heat immediately and cover with a lid. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes before you brush the inside of the buns with the oil. Put 1-2 slices of ham on the bottom half of each bun and cover with the cheese. Roast under the grill for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt and turn golden brown. Mind that the cheese doesn't slide off. Sprinkle with pepper and the cooked rosemary and close the bun. Enjoy!
Spaghetti with Oregano and Parsley Pangrattato
Here's a great chance to bring a bit of summer back onto a big plate of pasta: just harvest whatever green leaves you find left on your kitchen herbs and tease your inspiration and mix them with golden sautéed onions, garlic and breadcrumbs - done! Basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram are perfect, I just wouldn't go for woody herbs like thyme, rosemary or sage. You could also use dried herbs in case your herb garden has already closed its season.
There are still some herbs left outside my windows, some look better than the others. One of them is an oregano plant which never seemed to be so happy with its situation. I moved it around, inside and outside, watered it a bit more and a bit less, changed the pot, but somehow it seems to be a bit moody. I didn't want to stress it even more so I didn't pick too many of its velvety leaves, so far. But now, it's time has come! I wanted to have a fresh green mixture of oregano and parsley for my pasta topping, so this moody plant and I had to co-operate at last. It worked, the plant is still alive and the aromatic mixture was exactly what I had in mind!
I'm a big fan of pangrattatos, especially in the colder season when the variety of fruits and vegetables is limited. This Italian dish is so convenient to use leftovers, stale bread, fresh or dried herbs, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, chilies, you can throw in whatever sparks your inspiration. I made one with anchovies and lemon in June and I'm sure there will be more in the months to come!
Spaghetti with Oregano and Parsley Pangrattato
For 2 people you need
spaghetti 200g / 7 ounces
medium onion, finely chopped, 1
garlic, finely chopped, 2 big cloves
dry breadcrumbs 4 tablespoons
fresh oregano leaves, very finely chopped, 2 tablespoons plus a few small leaves for the topping
fresh parsley leaves, very finely chopped, 3 tablespoons
olive oil
salt
black peppercorns, coarsely crushed in a mortar, for the topping
Cook the spaghetti in lots of salted water al dente. Keep a little of the water used to cook the pasta to mix with the cooked spaghetti, season with salt to taste.
In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil and cook the onions on medium heat for about 3 minutes until golden and soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Push the onions and garlic aside, add a little more olive oil in the centre of the pan and add the breadcrumbs. Fry them for a few minutes until golden brown, stirring constantly. Mix with the onions and take the pan off the heat. Stir in the chopped herbs and serve on top of the warm spaghetti with some crushed black pepper and oregano leaves.
Persimmons, Mozzarella di Bufala, Prosciutto di Parma and Basil
Whenever I spot ripe persimmons at the market, honey sweet and so soft that the skin can barely hold their juicy flesh, you can be sure that I'l buy a box full of them. It's one of those fruits that, when you catch the right moment of ripeness which is often limited to only one or two days they offer a culinary experience of perfection. All I need is a spoon to scoop out their luscious deliciousness and I'm happy! There are a few fruits which demand such perfect timing for satisfying consumption, avocados for sure, mangos and kiwis too, but if you succeed, it's a food memory saved for a lifetime. One of the best I ever had was in Paris, I bought two persimmons, so soft that they almost slipped out of my hands as I enjoyed them. Eating them was a mess but tasting them was a pure pleasure!
I felt so lucky when I found persimmons that reached that exact state and I knew I would have to eat them that very day to enjoy them to the fullest. I tore them into large, juice dripping chunks and mixed them on a plate with some soft Mozzarella di Bufala and thin slices of Prosciutto di Parma. I finished off this truly heavenly composition with a few basil leaves and a sweet dressing made of white Balsamico vinegar and maple syrup. It was so perfect that both of us were just speechless and savoured in silence!
Persimmons, Mozzarella di Bufala, Prosciutto di Parma and Basil
For 2 people you need
very ripe and soft persimmons, peeled and torn into chunks, 2
Mozzarella di Bufala, drained and torn into chunks, 125g / 4.5 ounces
thin slices of Prosciutto di Parma or San Daniele, 8
olive oil 2 tablespoons
white balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon
maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon plus more to taste
salt and pepper
fresh basil leaves, a small handful
Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange the persimmons, mozzarella and prosciutto on 1 or 2 plates and sprinkle with the dressing and basil leaves.
Spaghetti with Walnut Pesto and Thyme
Walnuts have a similar shopping effect on me like pumpkins, I have to buy them every week! I always keep a little bowl in my kitchen and sometimes a second one in the living room filled with nuts and a nutcracker right at hand. I'm not really the kind of person who decorates the flat according to the seasons but I love to have this kind of food around me as it brings a piece of autumn right into our home. There's something about walnuts, the way they look, the smell and the ritual of opening them that puts me in a cosy mood!
We eat most of the walnuts straight out of their shells as I don't need them for many of my recipes. I don't really use them in my baking either as I'm not too fond of walnuts in cakes or cookies, it's just not my thing. Sometimes I like to sprinkle them over salads, sandwiches or soups for that earthy flavour, but there is one recipe I can't have enough of: Walnuts crushed into a pesto! I mix them with thyme, garlic and good olive oil and let them spread their aroma in warm spaghetti with some parmesan on top! It's so simple and it tastes fantastic!
A while ago, I made this pesto with parsley for my pumpkin gnocchi, a recipe that features both of my favourite autumn beauties, pumpkin and walnuts! It's a bit more time consuming but it's absolutely worth it!
Spaghetti with Walnut Pesto and Thyme
For 2 people you need
spaghetti 200g / 7 ounces
walnut kernels 70g / 2.5 ounces
fresh thyme leaves about 1 tablespoon, to taste
olive oil 60ml / 2 ounces, plus more to taste
garlic, crushed, 1 clove
salt and pepper
Parmesan, grated or thinly sliced, for the topping
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
Purée the walnuts, thyme, garlic and olive oil in a blender and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more olive oil if you prefer the pesto more liquid. Season with thyme to taste and mix with the warm pasta on the plates (preferably warmed up in the oven). Sprinkle with Parmesan.
A Sandwich with cinnamony Celery Root Mousse, Caramelized Bacon and Rosemary
Another obsession reached my kitchen, winter roots! I feel totally inspired by parsnip, celery roots, rutabaga and beetroot at the moment, luckily, as this is what I'll get in the months ahead of me! I know that at one point in the near future I would give a lot for a Maltese summer tomato, crunchy lettuce from the field or a juicy cucumber, but for now I'm absolutely happy and in peace with nature's offers.
Without any intentions or plans, this week became an ode to the root. It started on Monday, with my cider and beetroot orzotto, before I savored hearty parsnip in a velvety soup along with sweet pear on Tuesday. Today, it's celery root, blanched and puréed with lemon, cinnamon and cream into a smooth spread for my sandwich. When it comes to roots, I like to refine their earthy taste with a strong contrast which is caramelized bacon and woody rosemary for this week's sandwich. I packed these strong flavours on top of thick slices of a rustic French loaf of farmer's bread and, although they are all very dominant on their own, they all merged together in my mouth!
For those who don't share my passion for roots, tomorrow, I'll give you a break!
A Sandwich with cinnamony Celery Mousse, Caramelized Bacon and Rosemary
For 4 sandwiches you need
rustic bread 4 thick slices (or 8 if you want to close the sandwich)
celery root, peeled and cut into small cubes, 250g / 9 ounces
heavy cream 50ml / 2 ounces
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 - 1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon 1/8-1/4 teaspoon, to taste
salt
granulated sugar
breakfast bacon, thin slices cut into strips, 120g / 4.5 ounces
olive oil
fresh rosemary needles, a small handful
In a sauce pan, bring salted water to the boil and blanche the celery root cubes for about 6 minutes or until soft. Drain them and and purée them in a blender with the lemon juice and cream. Season with a pinch of salt and sugar and cinnamon to taste.
In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the bacon until golden brown and crisp. Add 1 leveled teaspoon of sugar for the last 1-2 minutes to caramelize the bacon.
Spread the celery root mousse on the slices of bread, pour some of the bacon juices over it and sprinkle with bacon and rosemary.
Heaven and Earth - Parsnip and Pear Soup
Heaven and Earth, Himmel und Erde! In the German Rhineland area where I grew up, we have a popular traditional dish which is named after the elements where the ingredients for this meal grow. Heaven and Earth, Himmel und Ääd in the Rhineland dialect, combines mashed potatoes with a sweet apple compote. It's often served with black pudding but it started as a vegetarian dish for the poor in the 18th century.
Today's soup was inspired by this idea of the elements but I replaced the potato with parsnip and the apple with pear. It's a sweet and earthy composition cooked in a strong meat broth. I used venison stock as I had some left from the game cooking session in my mother's kitchen a couple weeks ago. It added a warm and hearty touch to the soup which I refined with lots of garlic, a bay leaf, thyme and rosemary. I cooked it for only 25 minutes until the roots were soft before I puréed it into a velvety treat for cold autumn nights. The flavours were so strong that it could take a little bit of heavy cream stirred in and a dollop of mascarpone with some flowery marjoram sprinkled on top.
Parsnip and Pear Soup
For 2 as a main or 4 as a starter you need
parsnip, peeled and chopped, 300g / 10.5 ounces
large crunchy pear, peeled, cored and chopped, 1, about 200g / 7 ounces
medium onion, chopped, 1
garlic, quartered, 3 big cloves
meat or vegetable broth 800ml / 2 pints
bay leaf 1
a small bunch of thyme
a sprig of rosemary
olive oil
heavy cream 50ml / 2 ounces
salt
ground pepper plus black peppercorns crushed in a mortar for the topping
mascarpone, crème fraîche or sour cream 4 heaped teaspoons, for the topping
fresh marjoram leaves, thinly sliced, a small handful, for the topping
In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and cook the onion on medium heat until soft. Add the parsnip, garlic and pear and cook for a minute. Pour in the broth and add the bay leaf, thyme and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 25 minutes or until the roots are soft.
Purée the soup in a blender or with a stick mixer. Stir in the cream, season to taste and serve with a dollop of mascarpone and some marjoram and crushed black pepper on top.
Cider and Beetroot Orzotto with Apples and Thyme
A new discovery in my kitchen: pearl barley cooked in mild cider takes this white grain onto another level! I have already used this fruity drink for risottos and I liked it so much that I decided to refine other grains with it as well. Cider adds a subtle sweetness which allows me to play around with woody herbs like rosemary or thyme, and roots! I went for beetroot as I was aiming for a dramatic colour on my plate but I also like its earthy taste combined with apples. A while ago, I used this combination for a vegetarian carpaccio with pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top, it made a delicious starter!
Unfortunately I have a problem with barley, I must have about five packages of this grain in my kitchen shelves but very often I don't feel inspired to use them in my cooking. For no reason really, as I like its nutty taste in thick and hearty Tyrolean soups or orzottos. But when it comes to making a choice for dinner I take the package of Arborio rice most of the time. Hopefully my new discovery will change that!
Apple Cider and Beetroot Orzotto with Thyme
For 4 people you need
crisp apple, rinsed, cored and quartered, 1
beetroot, rinsed, 2 big roots, about 300g / 10.5 ounces
pearl barley, rinsed and drained, 250g / 9 ounces
apple hard cider (mild) 750ml / 1.5 pints
water 250ml / 0.5 pint
medium onion, finely chopped, 1
garlic, crushed, 1 big clove
fresh ginger 1 thick slice
thyme 6 small sprigs plus 2-3 tablespoons of leaves for the topping
rosemary a small sprig
bay leaves 2
olive oil
salt and pepper
Cook the beetroot in lots of salted water with 1 bay leaf for 50 minutes until soft (with the lid closed). Peel the beetroot and purée 250g / 9 ounces of the root in a blender with a splash of olive oil until it's smooth. Cut the remaining 50g / 1.5 ounces of the beetroot into small cubes.
In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and cook the onions on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and barley and cook for a minute. Pour in the cider and water, add the ginger, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf and cook without a lid for 20 minutes (simmering). Take the pot off the heat, stir the puréed beetroot into the barley (which will still be a bit liquid at that point), close with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes off the heat to let the grain soak up the remaining juices. Take out the bay leaf, ginger, sprigs of rosemary and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the apple into thin slices and serve on top of the orzotto sprinkled with a few thyme leaves.
Mascarpone, Orange and Sage Spaghetti
Creamy mascarpone, sweet oranges and woody sage! Here is a velvety variation on one of my beloved citrus and cheese pasta recipes which has been on the blog for quite a while. Almost ten months ago, I wrote about a dish which became our favourite midnight snack when we come home late at night and hungry, Maltese pasta mixed with fresh ricotta, lemon zest, basil and coarsely crushed black pepper. We were not the only ones who fell in love with this easy yet divine pasta classic which is inspired by the flavours of Malta. So many people wrote to me afterwards, some even on the same day I published it, that they tried and loved it just as much.
The recipe today has the same potential for me, but it's velvety and smooth, even a bit sweet. It works with similar ingredients and it's definitely a candidate for spontaneous midnight dinners as well. You could replace the mascarpone with heavy cream if you don't have the Italian cheese at hand but it won't have the same silky texture and creamy taste which makes all the difference, but it's an option. The sauce is very simple, I mixed the mascarpone with an egg yolk and some freshly squeezed orange juice before I mixed it into the warm spaghetti, refined with coarsely crushed black pepper, orange zest and fried sage leaves!
Mascarpone, Orange and Sage Spaghetti
For 3-4 people you need
spaghetti 300g / 10.5 ounces
mascarpone 150g / 5.5 ounces
organic egg yolk 1
freshly squeezed orange juice 4 tablespoons plus more to taste
zest of 1 orange
fresh sage leaves 20-30
olive oil
salt
black pepper corns, crushed in a mortar, to taste
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
Fry the sage leaves in a splash of olive oil on high temperature for only 10-20 seconds until they are golden.
Whisk the mascarpone, egg yolk and orange juice and season with salt and juice to taste. Mix the creamy sauce with the warm pasta, divide between the plates immediately and sprinkle with pepper, orange zest and the crisp sage leaves.
In the countryside: Pâté en Croûte - Venison Pâté in Pastry Crust
Two weeks ago, we spent a few amazing days in the countryside and the pictures are still as vivid in my mind as if it was only yesterday that our family met at my mothers house to cook together. Our culinary activities became more of a task than usual due to a phone call that my mother received from a local farmer who offered to give her a whole deer. She gladly accepted and various dishes and long dinners later, I can say that I learned a lot!
When I wrote about our fantastic venison stew with apple gratin and spaetzle last week I mentioned that there were more recipes to come from this extensive cooking session and here is another one of them, my cousin Thomas's Pâté en Croûte! Thomas is a passionate baker and chef and he joined us for this adventure. He skinned and dressed the deer as he acquired this skill during his education as a chef. This was a new experience for me, so I was curious but also a bit nervous. Apart from teaching me how to cut game, he also showed me how he make his delicious venison pâté, an aromatic filling of venison refined with spices and liver wrapped in puff pastry. So finally, another one of my mother's exotic kitchen purchases came to use, a custom made metal mould with a heavy lid to cook French pies and pâté! The lid prevents the dough from rising too much which would create a space between the pastry and the meat. Traditionally, this air space is filled with aspic through a hole in the top but we left this out as it would have taken another 1-2 days to sit. After we spent so much time in the kitchen we just wanted to enjoy the fruits of our work!
Here are some of the tips I got from Thomas that I didn't know of before: he told me that for fine pâté and sausages, the meat should be mixed with a bit of crushed iced while it's puréed in a food processor. If it gets too warm through the mixing process, the protein in the meat can set which stops it from binding while the pâté is cooking. He also adds some egg white with the ice to help the process.
As much as I prefer to use homemade pastry for pies and pâté when it comes to short crust, it's absolutely fine to use good quality store bought puff pastry for this pâté. That's what we did and it didn't do it any harm!
Pâté en Croûte - Venison Pâté in Pastry Crust
For 1 pâté in a 16 x 8cm / 6 x 3" terrine or pâté mould with a lid you need
puff pastry, defrosted, enough to line all sides of the form, plus an overlapping pastry lid
venison, minced or cut into small pieces, 450g / 1 pound
venison, chicken or veal liver, cleaned, 125g / 4.5 ounces
fatty bacon, lardon or fatback, cut into cubes, 125 / 4.5 ounces
organic egg whites, whisked with a fork, 2 plus 1 egg white to seal the puff pastry
ice cubes, finely crushed in a food processor, 3 cl / 1 shot
juniper berries, crushed, 2
garlic, crushed, 1 clove
thyme leaves 1 teaspoon
small bay leaf, crushed in a mortar, 1
brandy 1 tablespoon
salt and pepper
lingonberry jam to serve
Set the oven to 160°C / 320°F (fan assisted oven) and butter the mould well.
Roll out the pastry evenly and very thinly and line the mould. Mind that you have enough dough for the top to close the pâté by overlapping the pastry from all sides.
Mix the ice and the 2 egg whites.
In a food processor, purée the meat, bacon and liver, adding the ice-egg white mixture gradually. Add the spices, herbs, garlic and brandy and season with salt and pepper.
Fill the meat mixture into the pastry lined mould and push it down well. Close the pâté with the pastry from the smaller sides first, finishing with 1 long side that should cover the whole mould. Seal well with the mixed egg white. Close with the lid of the mould and bake for 1 -1 1/2 hours. You could check the pâté with a meat thermometer, it should be 75°C / 170°F inside when it's done.
Here's another of Thomas' tips: You can also check with a metal skewer if the pâté is done, insert the skewer into the meat, pull it out and carefully (!) touch your lip to the metal. If it feels cold, it's not done yet, if it's hot you can take the pâté out of the oven.
Let it cool before you take it gently out of the mould and serve with lingonberry jam.
Spicy Feta, Sun-dried Tomato and Rucola Crostini
A bag of sun-dried tomatoes fell into my hands while I looked through my pantry shelves and it reminded me of the good times I had with them in summer. With Mr. Cini at his salt pans in Gozo, in my pesto that I used as a spread on a sandwich, mixed with sage and chèvre on juicy zucchini steaks or in my spaghetti with broccoli pesto - so many nice memories! I still put them on my pizza sometimes which we bake every Sunday, but recently I've been neglecting this salty concentrate of the summer sun, until today!
A few days ago my Maltese mother Jenny sent me a picture of my favourite snorkeling spot at Dwejra in Gozo and all the nice memories were back in my head. Our summer in Malta, the food, the sea, the hot sun, the salty smell of the air and with these feelings came the urge for a Mediterranean snack! Crunchy ciabatta bread roasted with a little olive oil under the grill, fresh rucola (arugula) leaves, a dip made of feta cheese mixed with sun-dried tomatoes topped with red hot chili peppers - and here it is, summer is back, at least for a few bites!
Spicy Feta, Sun-dried Tomato and Rucola Crostini
I like to cook the sun-dried tomatoes in a little water for 1 minute to wash of excess salt.
For 6-8 crostini you need
ciabatta bread 6-8 slices
olive oil
feta cheese 200g / 7 ounces
sun-dried tomatoes 5, around 40g / 1.5 ounces
rucola (arugula) a small handful
fresh red hot chili pepper, cut into thin slices, with or without seeds, 1
Sprinkle the slices of bread with a little olive oil and put them under the grill for a few minutes until golden brown and crunchy.
In a small sauce pan, bring the dried tomatoes to the boil in a little water and cook for 1 minute. Take the pot off the heat, rinse the tomatoes and dry them well between kitchen paper. Purée the feta and the dried tomatoes in a blender until well combined.
Spread some rucola leaves on the crostini and top with the tomato-feta dip and a few chili slices (to taste and according to their spiciness).
Spinach with Cumin, Cinnamon and Pomegranate
Some days, I feel a strong urge to eat spinach, my body literally shouts for it! It must have something to do with its high concentration of vitamins, magnesium and iron which we need so much especially at this time of the year. The hours of sunlight decrease day by day, the temperature drops and the weather moodily changes between blue skies and pouring rain. This can be draining for our energy reserves, but our food helps to balance out those deficits, we just have to listen to our bodies and the little signs they are sending out. So whenever I feel a strong urge to eat a carrot, a tomato, a piece of steak or even some dark chocolate, I know that it will be good for my body and mind and I follow the call!
When I was a child, I used to love spinach with mashed potatoes and fried egg. I still enjoy this meal sometimes but the green leaves have so much more potential, their earthy taste is perfect to refine with spices and fruits. For the two of us, I cooked a big handful of baby spinach in some white wine with the strong aromas of cumin, cinnamon and garlic roasted in olive oil. All in all it needed just a minute to cook as I wanted to keep some bite in the delicate leaves. When it was done I sprinkled sour pomegranate seeds over the vegetables, it looked really pretty but it tasted even better. Warm as a side dish or cold as a salad, it's delicious and good for the body either way!
Spinach with Cumin, Cinnamon and Pomegranate
For 2 as a main or 4 as a side dish you need
baby spinach or winter spinach (stems cut off), rinsed, 300g / 10.5 ounces
medium onion, finely chopped, 1
garlic, crushed, 1 big clove
ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon plus more to taste
ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon plus more to taste
white wine 30ml / 1 ounce
salt and pepper
olive oil
pomegranate seeds of 1/2 - 1 fruit
In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and cook the onions for a few minutes until soft. Add a little more olive oil and the garlic, cumin and cinnamon. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Put the wet spinach on top of the spices and pour over the wine. Mix and close with a lid and cook on medium heat for 1 minute. Season with salt, pepper, cumin and cinnamon to taste and serve sprinkled with the pomegranate seeds. Enjoy warm or cold!
Tarte Flambée - Alsatian Flammkuchen with Taleggio, Apples and Bacon
When I lived close to the French border a few years ago I loved to drive over to France on a Sunday morning for a short day trip to the Alsace region, especially at this time of the year! The vineyards were all red and golden and the first young wines were ready to be enjoyed. I mentioned these trips about a month ago when I wrote about my Zwiebelkuchen which I used to eat at the traditional restaurants in the small villages. Another Alsatian classic to accompany the new harvest is the Flammkuchen (Flammkueche in the Alsatian dialect), the famous Tarte Flambée! It's similar to pizza but the dough is made with milk instead of water, it's spread with a thin layer of sour cream mixed with an egg yolk and the result is crunchy and light. The basic version is made with onions and bacon but after years of visiting this region I started experimenting with the toppings in my own kitchen and here's one of my favourites.
The combination of cheese and fruit works just as well as on a sandwich. I like to mix thin slices of sour apples like boscoop with a creamy Italian taleggio cheese from the Val Taleggio in the Lombardy region. I baked some thin slices of bacon on top of the Flammkuchen to bring in some smoky saltiness. It's important to put them on top so that they become crispy and release their juices into the fruity cheese mixture.
Flammkuchen with Taleggio, Apples and Bacon
I bake my Flammkuchen and my pizza on a hot baking sheet which has a similar effect to a pizza stone. I preheat it on the bottom of the hot oven and turn it around to bake on the hot surface.
For 1 big Flammkuchen you need
plain flour 250g / 9 ounces
dry yeast 1 package (for 500g / 1 pound of flour)
salt 1/4 teaspoons
sugar 1/2 teaspoon
milk, lukewarm, 120ml / 4 ounces
olive oil 2 tablespoons
For the topping
sour cream 120g / 4.5 ounces
organic egg yolk 1
a pinch of salt
taleggio, cut into cubes, 80g / 3 ounces
sour apple (like boscoop), cored, quartered and cut into thin slices, 1/2 -1
thin bacon slices 6
pepper
In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the lukewarm milk and the olive oil and mix with your dough hooks for 5 minutes until well combined. Continue kneading with your hands for a few minutes until you have an elastic dough ball. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rise in a 35°C / 95°F warm oven ( top / bottom heat, no fan!) for about 1 hour.
Take the dough out, punch it down and roll it out into a flat circle on a well floured surface. It should be a bit smaller than the size of your baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let it rise for another 10-15 minutes.
Set your oven to 260°C / 500°F. My oven has a special pizza setting but you can use top / bottom heat as well. Put the baking sheet on the bottom of your oven to heat it (for around 10 minutes).
Whisk the sour cream, egg yolk and a pinch of salt.
Take the hot baking sheet out of the oven, turn it around and place it carefully on two stable wooden boards or mats as it will be very hot. Quickly place your risen dough onto the baking sheet.
Spread a thin layer of the sour cream egg yolk mixture on top of the dough, you might not need all of it. Spread the apples and taleggio on top and season with pepper. Top with the bacon and bake in the hot oven for a few minutes until the Flammkuchen is golden brown and crisp.
A Salad with Winter Purslane, sautéed Mushrooms and Nasturtium Flowers
For years I've wanted to plant nasturtium on my balcony but whenever the time was right to plant the seeds I got distracted by other garden beauties. My outdoor space - and the number of my terracotta pots - is quite limited, so I have to make choices. Next year I definitely want to see these pretty edible flowers in orange, yellow and red growing up the railings but for now I'm happy when I see them at one of the markets.
Nasturtium flowers are stunners in salads, they look quite dramatic, but apart form that, I love their delicate taste. You just have to mix them with some crunchy greens and sautéed mushrooms. Thin slices of apples and a few walnuts would be nice too. My salad turned out quite girly, as I chose the cute looking leaves of winter purslane (also known as Miner's or Indian lettuce) which tastes quite similar to Mâche lettuce. But as long as you stay on the mild side, you can add any lettuce of your choice. I would just avoid escarole or endive, they would be too bitter for this composition.
My plate was ready within a few minutes and I enjoyed another one of my beloved, light and easy Saturday lunches before my weekend baking and cooking begins!
A Salad with Winter Purslane, sautéed Mushrooms and Nasturtium Flowers
For 2 people you need
winter purslane, a handful
medium mushrooms, the bottoms cut off, cut into thick slices, 6
butter 1 tablespoon
nasturtium flowers 6
olive oil 3 tablespoons
balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons
salt and pepper
In a pan, heat the butter and sauté the mushrooms for 2 minutes on each side until golden and still crunchy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Whisk the olive oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange the winter purslane and the mushrooms on plates and sprinkle with the dressing. Put the flowers on top and serve immediately.
