It’s mid of November: all over the internet food blogs indulge in Xmas cookies, Xmas cakes, Xmas whatever – Xmas dinner suggestions didn’t surface until now. I’m not so ready for this Xmas business at the moment … I think some fresh & easy to prepare weeknight dinner is also appropriate. I also didn’t start any Xmas baking so far. I’m not in Xmas mood so early in November – although everywhere in food stores…
All started w/ a pumpkin, a superb Hokkaido. (As you might know by now Hokkaido is my favorite pumpkin – next comes butternut.) In my trusted food store I got a Hokkaido of 1600 g which resulted in 1350 g after trimming & scraping out the seeds & the soft mess. What to do w/ such a lot of pumpkin? For a start I decided to bake the Hokkaido in my oven – only w/ some…
One of my favorite blogs some years ago created a blog category called THE SHITS I EAT WHEN BY MYSELF. (Here she presents all the recipes she cooks fast & easy for herself when hungry, feeling cold, feeling alone, distressed, stressed out …) When doing this fennel mess for the umpteenth time I realized that this is a candidate for such a category – if I ever had such a category! What is it about?It’s…
Ever tried a sauerkraut soup? Years ago I got myself involved in a moving adventure. It was some affair like starting in the 4th floor of an apartment house & ending up in the 3rd floor of another apartment house w/ lots of boxes, however, only few standard moving boxes, lots of baskets, suitcases etc. I assume all of you know what I’m talking about! (No lifts!!!) Then … suddenly in the mid of all hauling…
Royal potatoes aka gratin dauphinois aka potatoes dauphinois aka potatoes au gratin aka a creamy potato bake … Lots of names for one of the most delicious side dishes ever known! Le Dauphin used to be the title of the heir to the French throne for centuries … while dauphinois is related to the French region Dauphiné where this side dish originates. Dauphin is French for dolphin – a dolphin is part of the coat…
I had a fine butternut sitting on my kitchen desk for some days & decided to try an approach for a soup w/ lots of vegetables. I had some carrots, some frozen peas & some spring onions. What else? There was some bacon in my fridge & I thought it might be a fine add-on concerning the flavour. … & of course I had some of this dark green, intensive pumpkin seed oil for the…
I read about Boeuf Bourguignon in Julia Child’s cooking bible & started thinking how to do it – a modest version of course. Instead of a dutch oven I decided to do it in my slow cooker meaning that I prepare the ingredients, put everything in my slow cooker & start the high temp program. Afterwards the slow cooker will sit in a corner on my kitchen counter daydreaming … no need for any stirring…
A rough remoulade?It’s a self-made, handmade, home-made remoulade: everything is mixed w/ a spoon or an egg whip, chopped w/ my own hands … so it’s a little far away from any store-bought remoulade which tends to be more smooth … Despite all this handiwork it’s a fast remoulade, a simple approach which may present your very own idea of remoulade flavour. So let’s get started …
It’s October now & suddenly it’s rainy, cold, stormy – sometimes the sun reappears resulting in some warming feeling … but then suddenly the temperature drops again … & raindrops keep falling on your head. That’s exactly the time for a hot soup keeping you warm & comfortable! I remembered my very first approaches to create creamy pumpkin soup … so here’s the recipe for 4 small bowls of soft deliciousness! … & it was…
I learnt from the foodblog universe that „pasta w/ meatballs“ originally isn’t Italian, but an American invention (same as for Alfredo, chicken parmigiano …), however, I stumbled also about some pasta recipe creating very tiny meatballs. Inspired by this post I started my own version of pasta w/ meatballs. I managed to create some creamy pasta w/ lots of pesto & on top meatballs – not tiny meatballs, not big meatballs like hamburgers: more some…
I made a tortilla – straightforward (see photo on top). Then I decided to substitute pasta for potatoes. And I ended up w/ a 2nd tortilla (see photo below). Meaning: if you like a side dish like a tortilla you may work the same process, but either have potatoes or pasta as a filler. … & I didn’t perform any show by throwing the tortilla in the air etc. – all is quick & dirty,…
Some time ago … my better half & I planned to do a roasted chicken … & I meditated on what to cook as a partner to the meat. Both of us opted for some vegetables. I made a basic deep dive into Italian cuisine & found a great approach to courgette. At 1st I adjusted the amounts of the ingredients in the recipe because I don’t like leftovers, but … The crucial ingredient came…
Another day – another approach to one-pot-pasta! Today we are dealing w/ pasta in a thickened mix of fish, tomatoes & onions flavoured w/ thyme. In my oldest Italian pasta cookbook (Vincenzo Buonassisi’s Nudel & Nudel – have a look at the last book on my cookbook page!) there’s a recipe called Tagliatelle Belle Epoque w/ homemade tagliatelle, sole fillets, tomatoes & thyme, onions, cream, brandy … (The recipe says you may substitute plaice for…
I admit I prepare the roast potatoes in a simple way … & I start always w/ 1 kg because this fits nicely on a baking tray. Some olive oil, some dried rosemary, some salt & pepper – ready for the oven. The beginnings of this dish – some years ago … It’s unpleasant outdoors: rainy, cold – although no longer freezing cold … So let’s grab some small potatoes & prepare delicious roast potatoes…
Every now & then I stumble across a recipe about a spaghetti tart or bake or … What I mean is a dish – served warm as well as cold – where cooked spaghetti are mixed with meat or vegetables or cheese or whatever & become covered by a mix of cream & eggs ready for a session in the oven. The result is some sort of quiche/tart/frittata … which may be cut into slices…