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.
Crystallized Stem Ginger
When Food52 asked me if I would like to contribute five recipes to their Halfway To Dinner column I was so excited that I went through my recipe collection on my blog right away. I had to choose one ingredient which would be featured in all dishes, not necessarily for dinner but also for desserts. It's October and I already mentioned that pumpkins are piling up in my kitchen constantly so what else would fit better than the whole range of winter squash featured in gnocchi with pesto, a spicy pumpkin soup with bittersweet chocolate and red hot chili peppers, golden Hokkaido spaghetti, a juicy Irish ginger brack for tea time and finally a pumpkin pie with coriander caramel. You can also find the whole collection on Food52!
One of the recipes, the wonderful Irish tea cake is made with crystallized stem ginger which I usually buy from the store but a lady who commented on the column sparked an idea. She asked for a substitute which isn't really possible as the taste and texture of this kind of ginger is unique. It's like sweet and spicy candy, slightly soft but with bite. So if you can't buy it, you have to make it yourself and here's the recipe! I started this project the same morning as I was really curious to see if it would work out. After some research it took about an hour and a half as I had to cook it twice, once in water and then with sugar and water, but I was rewarded for my work with the tastiest stem ginger I ever had in my kitchen. It's spicier and stronger, exactly what I like! I used very fresh organic ginger, when I cut it the juices started to run out of the roots. The harder and older it is the longer it will take to soften and the taste won't be as good!
Crystallized Stem Ginger
For 1 medium sized jar you need
very fresh organic ginger roots, cut into 1.5cm / 0.5" cubes, 250g / 9 ounces
granulated sugar 250g / 9 ounces plus more to sprinkle the ginger
water
Cook the ginger in 350ml / 1.5 cups of water on medium-low heat (simmering) for about 50-60 minutes until the ginger is between soft and al dente. Cook it open for the first 15 minutes before you close the pot with a lid. When it's done, drain the ginger in case there is any liquid left. If the water evaporates before the ginger is done add a little more water.
In a saucepan, bring the ginger and sugar in 30ml / 1 ounces of fresh water to the boil. Let it cook (bubbling) for about 30 minutes until the sugar starts to crystallize.
Take the ginger out with a slotted ladle immediately and spread it on parchment paper sprinkled with sugar. Separate the single pieces and put the crystallized ginger in one airtight box and the sugar pieces in another one using it for mint or lemon teas or your baking.
meet in your kitchen | Stefanie's Königsberger Klopse - Prussian Meatballs with Capers
The first time I met Stefanie, we chatted the night away! It was an icy cold Berlin evening last winter, both of us had just arrived at a private supper club where a couple girls prepared a wonderful Italian dinner for about twenty people. Stefanie and I started talking and we just didn't stop for hours. Apart from the general topics women love to discuss when there are no men around (although there where a few but we didn't pay much attention) we spoke a lot about art and food.
Stefanie describes herself as an artist who fell for the crafts, with a passion that evolved into her profession a few years ago. She is an artistic lace maker and creates the most delicate and beautiful pieces of bobbin lace I've ever seen. She uses this handcraft for her topographic artworks but also for her upcoming jewelry label InLace which she'll be launching in a few months. She showed me some of the handmade pieces she'll be presenting and I love them. Lace in red, blue and black on silver and golden chains snuggled around the neck, it's beautiful!
When I asked my lace maker what she would like to cook for me in her kitchen, she answered quickly: Königsberger Klopse! This is her signature dish loved by her family and friends, so much, that they meet regularly to savour them together. It's a traditional Prussian dish which my grandmother often used to cook as well. The name was given from the city of Königsberg which is today's Kaliningrad. It's made of meatballs cooked in a broth which is used afterwards for a creamy sauce mixed with roux, egg yolk and capers. This hearty meal is traditionally served with potatoes, it's perfect for the cold season. I understand why Stefanie has been called the queen of Königsberger Klopse, it was delicious!
Königsberger Klopse
For 3-4 people you need
medium potatoes, peeled and cooked, 6-8
For the meatballs
minced meat, mixed beef and pork or veal, 600g / 1.5 pounds
stale white bread, soaked in water for about 10 minutes, 600g / 1.5 pounds
organic egg 1
medium onion, chopped, 1
salt and pepper
Squeeze the bread, mix well with the meat, egg, onion, salt and pepper and form 10 meatballs with your wet hands.
For the broth
water 1.5l / 3 pints
medium onion, cut in half, 1
bay leaf 1
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon
In a large pot, bring the ingredients for the broth to the boil. Carefully put the meatballs into the broth (with a tablespoon) and let them cook for 20 minutes on medium-low heat (simmering). Take the pot off the heat and leave the meatballs in the broth.
For the sauce
butter 50g / 2 ounces
plain flour 4 tablespoons
organic egg yolk 1
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
capers (preserved in vinegar) 40g / 1.5 ounces (drained weight), plus more to taste (or salted capers, rinsed, plus apple cider vinegar to taste)
sugar, salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot, melt the butter. When the butter is hot, turn down the heat and whisk in the flour. When combined, add some of the broth used to cook the meatballs. Whisk constantly and add more of the broth until the sauce has a liquid but thick consistency, you won't need all of the broth. Whisk in the egg yolk and add the capers. Season with lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to taste and add the meatballs to the sauce. Serve with the cooked potatoes.
You spent most of your life in and around Berlin where you grew up. What is typical about the traditional cooking in the area you come from?
As far as I remember, we used to eat hearty comfort food on the weekends in my family, such as hotpots, goulash and chicken fricassee. And of course, it was always prepared fresh by mother. My sister and I always loved to eat and we could eat a lot, that never changed! We were always hungry and my mother tried to keep up with us.
How did you experience the kitchen at home as a child? How important was cooking and baking in your family?
Like I said, my mother used to cook for us on the weekends and I remember that my grandmother was responsible for the baking. She made the best cherry cheesecake but unfortunately, she changed over to frozen cakes from the supermarket. She likes the taste and enjoys the convenience of it. I often try to change her mind which isn't so easy, unfortunately!
What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?
I made my first cooking experiences in a cooking class at school, the subject was called Arbeitslehre. We tried different recipes and that's where I leaned to prepare the dish I chose to cook for you.
What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in Berlin?
Omoni in Kopenhagener Straße, it's a Korean restaurant which I can only recommend. And there's a small organic shop on Weserstraße where I love to go when I'm in the area.
You are an artistic lace maker creating lace as a topographic 3D map but you also work together with designers on crochet fashion. Do you see yourself more as an artist, an artisan or both?
Although my work is artistic in nature, it demands my craft skills to be able to realise my ideas in that artisan field, apart from patience and a huge interest in the art of lace making. Therefore, I would call myself an artist who fell for the crafts. Lace making is my passion, it's a kind of meditation for me. Maybe that sounds a bit exaggerated but that's how I feel sometimes while I'm working. I also really enjoy learning new techniques, be it in the fields of knitting, crochet or lace making, it's quite easy for me as well.
How and when did you find lace making and crochet as the means of your expression?
Crochet was a kind of hobby for me, something I would do on the side. And then, when it brought in some money, it was quite convenient as I was working on my university diploma at the masterclass at that time.Lace making is different. Once a friend asked me if I could make lace for him and I thought that's not a bad idea. So that's what I did for my diploma. It's very easy to have lace made but I wanted to understand exactly how this wonderful fabric is made by hand. Thanks to the internet, I spotted a group of women who meet every week to make lace together in Berlin-Rudow which is where I learned the art of lace making and I remained true to these women until today.
Are there any other forms of art that influence your work?I met an artist who works with lace in a similar way to me. Olivia Valentine inspired me a lot and I'm so happy to have met her. Talking to my friends, such as the designer Lena Moritzen influences my work and approach to it in a very positive way as well.
You live and work in Berlin at the moment and have just finished your diploma at the master class of the art college Kunsthochschule Weissensee. What are your upcoming projects for the future?
At the moment, I work half of the week at an embroidery in Berlin-Kreuzberg. I will also launch my own jewelry label at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. It's called InLace and I focus on handmade necklaces made of bobbin lace.
What did you choose to share on eat in my kitchen and why?
I will cook Königsberger Klopse for you (a Prussian speciality of meatballs in white sauce with capers). We have a dinner tradition in my family, I cook Königsberger Klopse and we all meet at the table together with friends, everybody loves them!
If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?
Gebrüder Witzkewitz, they are very good friends of mine and everything that Pascal Witzkewitz cooks tastes fantastic!
You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?
(Laughing) I'm the queen of Königsberger Klopse, any more questions?
What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?
Buttermilchgetzen (grated potatoes cooked in buttermilk), it has always been my favourite and it still is. It's a speciality from the Saxony region in Germany.
Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?
Both, with friends but I also enjoy it on my own.
Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?
Both.
Which meal would you never cook again?
I'm sorry, I have no idea!
Thank you Stefanie!
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!
The Best Tiramisù
Berlin, October 2014:
Tiramisu! This has been my favourite dessert for twenty years. The recipe I use these days is the result of hundreds of variations tested in my own kitchen, at restaurants and at friends’ dinner parties. To me, now, mine is the best and the formula to get there is simple: 1 egg and 25g (1 ounce) of sugar for 100g (3 1/2 ounces) of mascarpone.
It's lush and creamy, the tender ladyfingers soaked with a well balanced (!) mixture of strong espresso and brandy. Once soaked overnight, they are light and soft yet still have structure, far from being too soggy and mushy (I can't stand when they are ‘swimming’ in liquid). I make the creamy filling with mascarpone, very fresh organic eggs and sugar, some people add whipped cream but I don’t like that - it makes it lack in taste. In case you’re worried about eating raw eggs in a dessert, I can only say that I (and my guests, and there were many) have never had any problems in all those years.
Tiramisu is an absolute crowd pleaser, invented to make a whole Italian family happy after a delicious meal. Although its name means "lift me up," I can't really agree with that. The coffee and sugar have a pushy effect but the amount that I can eat of it definitely works against that. So I prefer to make it when I have friends over, which means that I have to share it and eat a bit less. I always prepare it around 8-10 hours in advance and make a very large portion as it doesn't make much of a difference if you prepare it for six or sixteen people.
One thing is for sure, as soon as it is on the table, the room is filled with silence - the silence of joy!
Here's the summer version of this dessert I made a few months ago: Strawberry Tiramisù!
Tiramisù
I use a round dish of 25cm /10" that’s 6cm / 2.5" tall.
For 6-8 people you need
strong espresso (warm) 125ml / 4.5 ounces
brandy 50ml / 2 ounces
granulated sugar 125g / 4.5 ounces, plus 2 tablespoons for the ladyfingers
mascarpone (at room temperature) 500g / 17.5 ounces
very fresh eggs, divided, 5
a pinch of salt
ladyfingers 300g / 10.5 ounces
unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
In a deep plate, mix the espresso and brandy with 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Beat the mascarpone until creamy; it won't combine well with the egg yolks and sugar mixture if you leave out this step.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks (just the yolks, not the whole eggs!) and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the mascarpone and mix until well combined.
Whisk the egg whites with the salt until stiff and fold gently into the mascarpone-egg mixture.
Dip just the unsugared side of the ladyfingers for just 1 second (not longer or they will get mushy) into the espresso-brandy mixture and lay them with the sugared side down into a deep dish. They should lay very closely to each other. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture on top and cover with another layer of ladyfingers dipped in the coffee mixture. Spread the remaining mascarpone mixture on top and cover with cling film. Keep in the fridge for at least 8 hours (or longer) and dust with sieved cocoa powder just before serving.
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.
Venison Stew with Apple Gratin and Spaetzle and a trip to the countryside
A few days ago I mentioned our little adventure in the countryside while we visited my mother and a kitchen project which involved the whole family!
My mother found out about a little farm in her area just recently. It's a beautiful and peaceful place surrounded by green hills and dense forest. They raise and sell geese, turkey and deer, wild and farmed, and the lady who owns the farm offered one to my Mama. Ours was wild and we had to skin and dress it, something that none of us had ever done before. Luckily, my mother remembered that my cousin Thomas who is an excellent chef, is also experienced in butchering so he joined in to help us. We drove to the farm to pick up the game and I was quite excited but also a little nervous. When you see an animal that has been shot for your consumption you feel lots of respect. Buying our food from the supermarket takes this important experience away from us, but this is what happens when we buy meat, every day, all over the world, an animal is killed but we don't see the steps in between. It's cut up and wrapped in plastic and we pay for that but I believe that it's important to build up this connection again, to the animals and where they come from. This is the natural cycle of our food and not the industrial. I joined my cousin while he prepared the deer and I learnt a lot from him. These days in my mother's kitchen in the countryside were a great experience, when, as a family, we cooked for two days to use what was given to us. We made venison carpaccio, stew, paté and broth and my mother put the remaining parts, like the fillets and the back in the freezer. We used all of it and enjoyed every single meal!
My mother is the absolute queen when it comes to stew, hers are simply best! She knows how to combine the right spices and herbs, how to cook the meat so that it becomes tender and succulent. Whenever she makes a ragout it's simply perfect! We also made Spaetzle as nothing beats these little homemade Swabian noodles to soak up an aromatic sauce. Our side dish was sweet and fruity, an apple gratin topped with crème fraîche. My mother found the inspiration for this recipe from one of her favourite food journalists, she just added lemon zest and pink peppercorns on top. It was wonderful, like the whole trip!
I didn't want to share all these venison recipes with you at once, so I'll write about my cousin's delicious paté and his amazing carpaccio with a herb, spice and parmesan crust next week.
Venison Stew with Apple Gratin and Spaetzle
You can cook the stew in the oven or on the cooker like we did.
For 6 people you need
For the venison stew
venison leg or shoulder, boned and cut into chunks, 1.2kg / 2.5 pounds
leek, the white and light green parts, finely chopped into small cubes, 1
carrots, finely chopped into small cubes, 2
celery, finely chopped into small cubes, 1 1/2
medium onion, finely chopped into small cubes, 1
garlic, cut in half, 2 big cloves
bacon, a small piece, around 60g / 2 ounces
red wine 1 bottle
broth about 1l / 2 pints (enough to cover the meat)
tomato paste 2 tablespoons
salt and pepper
olive oil
bouquet garni (bound with a string):
small sage sprigs 2
small rosemary sprigs 2
small thyme sprigs 2
bay leaf 1
spices (wrapped in a spice bag if you prefer):
black peppercorns 10
juniper berries 6
allspice 6
cloves 3
cinnamon stick 1
ginger, chopped, a 2cm / 1" piece
optional: dried porcini 3
lingonberry jam to serve with the stew
In a large heavy casserole or pot, heat a splash of olive oil and brown the meat in batches, season with salt and pepper once it's done. Set the meat aside and add a little more olive oil to the casserole, add the vegetables and cook for a few minutes on medium heat until golden. Turn up the heat and add the tomato paste, stir and deglaze with a little red wine, repeating this about 5-6 times. Add the meat, the bacon, the remaining wine and the broth to the casserole until it's all covered in liquid. Put the bouquet garni and the spice bag into the liquid. Season with salt and pepper, stir and bring to the boil.
Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low heat (simmering) for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with Spaetzle (you can find the recipe here, just leave out the cheese and onions), apple gratin and lingonberry jam.
For the apple gratin
firm and sour apples, peeled, cored, quartered and sliced thinly, 3
freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon
granulated sugar 2 teaspoons
crème fraîche or sour cream 300g / 10.5 ounces
heavy cream about 100 ml / 3.5 ounces
zest of 1/2 lemon
pink peppercorns, lightly crushed in a mortar, 1-2 tablespoons
butter for the baking dish
Set the oven to 175°C / 350°F.
Whip the crème fraîche with the heavy cream, add enough cream until the texture is light and creamy.
Butter 1 large baking dish or gratin form (or 4-6 small ones). Arrange the apples in circles in the form and sprinkle with lemon juice and sugar. Spread the cream on top and sprinkle with the lemon zest and pink peppercorns. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden on top.
Maple Syrup and Orange Pumpkin Tartine with crisp Sage and Walnuts
This sandwich started with a dark loaf of rye bread full of crunchy walnuts. When I held it in my hands I knew this would be the right basis for a sweet pumpkin tartine! This has been on my mind since the season began and I started piling different kinds of squash on my kitchen window sill every week. Hokkaido, butternut or Musquée de Provence (fairytale pumpkin), they are all great for a fruity sandwich!
I aimed for some contrast to the heavy bread, a light and fruity topping complemented with fried crisp sage leaves and some walnuts. I sautéed the orange meat of a Musquée de Provence for a few minutes in olive oil before I mixed it with freshly squeezed orange juice and maple syrup. The pumpkin soaked up the sweet juices within seconds and turned into soft and sticky bites. It tasted so good in combination with the strong herb I used for the topping that I decided to brush the dark slices of bread with the sage infused olive oil. The walnuts on top brought in the right crunch, hearty and nutty!
Tomorrow, I'll write about the exciting adventure in my mother's kitchen that I mentioned yesterday - it's about deer!
Maple Syrup and Orange Pumpkin Tartine with crisp Sage and Walnuts
For 4-6 tartines you need
dark rye bread (with or without walnuts) 4-6 slices
pumpkin (squash), peeled, without seeds and cut into small cubes, 350g / 12.5 ounces
freshly squeezed orange juice 50ml / 2 ounces
maple syrup 2 tablespoons plus more to taste
a pinch of salt
fresh sage leaves 12-18
olive oil 4 tablespoons plus more for the pumpkin
walnuts, broken into pieces, 4
Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauce pan and fry the sage leaves until golden (1-2 minutes) but not dark!
In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil and sauté the pumpkin on medium heat for 5 minutes or until al dente. Deglaze with the orange juice, add the maple syrup and season with a little salt. Take the pan off the heat when the juices are almost soaked.
Brush the slices of bread with the sage oil and put the pumpkin on top. Garnish with the crisp sage leaves and some walnuts. Enjoy!
Ginger Lemon Cauliflower with Pink Peppercorns
Last weekend we spent a few days in the countryside, we felt like long walks in the forest and good hearty food prepared by my mother. Sometimes I need a break from the city buzz and the village where my mother lives is the perfect place to rest and feast!
A couple days before we left the city she called me to tell me that she spotted a beautiful farm in the area to buy her wood for the fire place. It's a fairy tail like place surrounded by hills and forest where they also have geese, turkey and fallow deer. My mother got quite excited when the woman who owns the farm offered her a deer that her husband had just shot a few days before. It was wild from the forest which the couple takes care of and not from the farm. In the next few days, I will write more about our kitchen adventure that followed and having to skin and dress the game, but for now I'll share an easier recipe with you that my mother made for us on the night we arrived.
We reached the hill where my mother lives in the early evening, the perfect time to arrive at her house! That's the time of the day when we all meet in her kitchen to enjoy a glass of champagne while we're busy cooking, nibbling and chatting. She had some oxtail leftovers, a recipe I'll definitely make again in the near future as the meat was fantastic, with an amazingly aromatic sauce. We made some Swabian Spaetzle to soak up all the thick juices and crunchy ginger lemon cauliflower on the side. I've already mentioned that this isn't my favourite of all cabbages but combined with the two spices, it showed its delicate side. I used the same combination of lemon and ginger for a velvety, fresh soup half a year ago and that's the best way to enjoy this vegetable in my opinion. My mother sprinkled some crushed pink peppercorns on top (her culinary obsession at the moment as you'll see in the following days) and it was great. That's exactly what this white cabbage needs, a strong spice attack!
Ginger Lemon Cauliflower with Pink Peppercorns
For 4 people you need
medium cauliflower head, broken into florets, 1
ginger, thinly sliced, 7 slices
zest of 1/2 lemon, plus more to taste
white wine
salt
pink peppercorns, lightly crushed in a mortar, 1 tablespoon plus more to taste
Put the cauliflower, ginger and lemon zest in a large pan. Season with salt, cover the bottom with white wine (1/2cm / 1/4") and close with a lid. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is al dente. Season with salt and lemon zest to taste and sprinkle with the pink peppercorns.
Sicilian Rainbow Chard with Pine Nuts and Brandy Raisins
Bright as a rainbow in yellow, orange and pink! When I saw the pop coloured chard at the market I had to buy it in all of its shades although I didn't have any plans to use them. On my way home, driving through the streets lined with golden trees at the peak of their autumn beauty, I had to think of Sicily. We were there a couple years ago in July and the soft Mediterranean hills were covered in golden wheat, glowing in the sunlight like the leaves in the sky over Berlin.
So that was my inspiration, Sicily! Sicilian recipes often combine the sweetness of raisins with the nuttiness of pine and both flavours go very well with chard. I sautéed the stalks first as they need a bit longer than the soft leaves which are done in a few minutes. The vegetable is refined with Balsamic vinegar, orange juice and raisins cooked in brandy. You could also add some cinnamon and orange zest, or a pinch of cumin.
In spring, I wrote about my calamaretti in vermouth sauce which works with another Sicilian duo that's just as good, raisins and salty capers!
Sicilian Rainbow Chard with Pine Nuts and Brandy Raisins
For 4-6 people you need
rainbow or green chard, stems thinly sliced, leaves roughly chopped, 1.4kg / 3 pounds
medium onions, finely chopped, 2
freshly squeezed orange juice 50ml / 2 ounces
balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons
olive oil
salt and pepper
pine nuts 100g / 3.5 ounces
raisins 150g / 5 ounces
brandy 75ml / 2.5 ounces
water 50ml / 2 ounces
optional:
orange zest to taste
ground cinnamon to taste
ground cumin to taste
Roast the pine nuts in a pan until golden brown.
In a saucepan, bring the water, brandy and raisins to a boil, close with a lid and take off the heat.
In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the onions until golden and soft. Add the sliced stems of the chard and sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat or until al dente. Add the chopped leaves of the chard, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the vinegar and orange juice and the raisins in brandy. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for 2 minutes, sprinkle with the roasted pine nuts.
If you like you could also add some orange zest and cinnamon.
Kaiserschmarrn - an Austrian Pancake with Darjeeling Orange Raisins
This Austrian classic is one of the best dinner party crowd pleasers when the night calls for an easy rustic dessert. So many people have sat at my long wooden table and enjoyed this cozy dish, which is basically a torn fluffy pancake. Every time I serve Kaiserschmarrn, it creates joyful silence in the room, a silence that only moments of happy bliss and culinary satisfaction can create; moments that remind us of our childhood food and memories, when our mothers or grandmothers would turn the kitchen into the best smelling place in the world on a Sunday morning - simply by cooking some golden pancakes.
Kaiserschmarrn is the Austrian take on this nostalgic treat, which is also popular in South Tyrol, in the Italian Dolomites, and Southern Germany. The fluffy pancake is dotted with raisins and torn by using two forks right after it turned golden on both sides. The name derives from the Austrian Kaiser (emperor) Franz Joseph I of Austria. He used to love this dessert so much that people referred to it as his folly, meaning Schmarrn in Austria and Bavaria.
I feel with the emperor and can easily call it one of my sweet follies. I've had so many Kaiserschmarrn in my life that it's good to bring in a change once in a while. Sometimes I add fresh fruits, like apples (in my book 365), berries, or plums, or spices, like cinnamon or cardamom, but for the one that I will share with you today, I soaked the raisins in Darjeeling tea infused with strips of orange.
Kaiserschmarrn
For 2-3 people you need
raisins 50g / 2 ounces
orange peel, 2 long strips
strong black tea (like Darjeeling), 1 cup, for soaking the raisins
organic eggs 3, separated
a pinch of salt
milk 360ml / 1 1/2 cups
granulated sugar 3 tablespoons
orange zest 1/4 teaspoon
all-purpose flour, sieved, 130g / 1 cup
unsalted butter 4 tablespoons, to cook the pancake
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting the pancake
Soak the raisins and orange peel in the tea for about 10 minutes then drain the raisins for a 4 minutes; discard the tea and orange peel.
Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff.
Mix together the milk, egg yolks, sugar, and orange zest until combined. Add the flour to the milk mixture and whisk until smooth, then stir in the raisins. Using a wooden spoon, gently fold the egg white into the pancake batter.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 30cm /12-inch cast-iron pan or nonstick skillet. Pour all of the the pancake batter into the pan and cook over medium heat for 4-6 minutes minutes or until golden on the bottom and the pancake is just set but still soft. Flip the pancake; you can also cut the pancake in half and turn both halves separately, which is easier. Lift the pancake a little and let 1 tablespoon of butter melt underneath it then continue cooking for 4-6 minutes until the other side is golden. Carefully tear the pancake into chunky pieces, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook, stirring gently, over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes or until golden brown and the edges start to crisp.
Transfer to a large platter, dust with a little confectioners’ sugar, and enjoy immediately. You can serve berries on the side, or seared apples wedges, cooked in butter and deglazed with Grand Marnier (recipe in 365).
