delicious – Page 45 – My Whisk and I

Bitterballen / Kroketten

April 24, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The difference between bitterballen and kroketten is the shape and only the shape. These Dutch delicacies are delicious as a snack, light lunch or eaten whenever the craving takes hold of you. Homemade bitterballen/kroketten are a mission to make BUT it is worth every ounce of energy that goes into the making!

1kg beef shin (beef shank), bone in
3 onions, sliced into quarters
45ml beef stock powder
salt and pepper
10ml parsley, chopped
250g butter
90ml flour
500ml panko/dried breadcrumbs
2 eggs
vegetable oil for frying

Place the beef shin (with the bone) and onions in a large saucepan and fill it with enough water to cover the meat. Add 10ml salt and bring to a low simmer.
Cook the meat for about 4 hours – it should literally fall from the bone. The shin benefits from being cooked low and slow in order to break down all the fibres and turn it into unctuous, gelatinous meat which in turn thickens the sauce in which it is cooked.
Take the meat from the saucepan and set aside.
Pour the broth through a fine sieve, season to taste with salt and pepper and then add the stock powder so that you have a salty broth.
Add the chopped parsley and set aside.
Pull the beef into very fine shreds and cut into small pieces necessary.
Now add the butter to a clean saucepan set over high heat.
Add the flour a little at a time while stirring constantly. Cook the mixture for 1 minute.
Pour the beef stock into the saucepan in a very thin stream, while whisking, JUST until you have a very thick sauce.
Take the sauce from the heat, stir in the meat and mix through.
Pour the mixture into a large roasting tin and allow it to cool.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl and break the eggs in another. Whisk the egg together.
Shape about 80ml of the beef mixture into cylinder/round shapes, dredge each one in the breadcrumbs, egg and breadcrumbs again.
Fry the kroketten in 180℃ oil, until golden.
Serve with a good mustard.

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Meatball Soup / Groentesoep met Balletjes

April 22, 2022April 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The base of this soup is a delicious vegetable broth and therefore it is very important to either make your own stock or buy the best quality you can lay your hands on. In the traditional recipe the meatballs are cooked in the broth. In my version the meatballs are first roasted in the oven to add another layer of flavour before adding it to the broth.
This recipe feeds 6-8 people – you may half the ingredients when preparing the soup or alternatively freeze one half.

Meatballs:
1kg ground beef
20ml salt
1 egg

Soup:
3 litres vegetable stock
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into discs
220g vermicelli pasta, broken into small pieces
125ml fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

For the meatballs:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and lightly spray 2 roasting tins with cooking spray. Set aside.
Combine the ground beef, salt and egg in a mixing bowl and mix through.
Scoop a teaspoonful of the mixture into your hands and shape into mini balls by rolling between your palms. Place the meatballs in the prepared tins.
Bake the mini meatballs in the oven for 10 minutes.

For the broth:
Pour the stock into a large saucepan, add 10ml salt and bring to a simmer.
Add the carrots and vermicelli and simmer until the carrots are fork-tender.
Now add the mini meatballs and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the parsley to the soup and taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve the soup piping hot with fresh, crusty bread.

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Salmon Pancakes (Zalm Pannenkoek)

April 21, 2022April 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Pancakes:
250ml flour
1ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
250ml milk
125ml water
62ml vegetable oil
2 eggs

Filling:
cream cheese
avocado pear, sliced
smoked salmon ribbons/strips
pickled cucumber, cubed
dill
lemon

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Pour the milk, water, oil and eggs into a large jug and whisk together.
Turn the mixer on a low speed and add the egg mixture in a thin stream.
Turn the speed higher once the mixture comes together and keep adding small amounts of liquid until you have a thin, smooth mixture.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for at least one hour.
Heat a non-stick crépe / frying pan over medium-high heat and allow the pan to get hot.
Pour enough batter into the pan to cover the bottom. Swirl the mixture around to coat the pan evenly and bake for one minute per side.
Allow the baked pancakes to cool.

Place a pancake on a serving plate and spread some cream cheese onto it.
Scatter the avocado, salmon, cucumber and dill over and squeeze some lemon over.
Fold the pancake in half and serve with a glass of bubbly.

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Whipped Coconut Cream

April 20, 2022April 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a dairy-free and vegan alternative to Chantilly cream and delicious with most desserts.

1 x 400ml tin coconut cream, chilled for at least 8 hours
30ml icing sugar, sifted
5ml vanilla

Scoop the hardened coconut cream into a mixing bowl.
Whisk the cream with an electric beater on high speed for 1 minute so that it loosens up.
Sift the icing sugar into the bowl, add the vanilla and whisk again on high speed for another minute.
Dollop the coconut cream onto your favourite dessert.
Keep refrigerated.

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Apple Almond Pudding

April 18, 2022March 25, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

5 eggs, separated
135g sugar
4 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and grated
80g almond meal
80ml flaked almonds
icing sugar to dust

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spay a 22cm ovenproof dish with cooking spray.
Add the egg yolks and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together until light in colour.
Scoop the apple into a clean tea towel and squeeze the juice from it.
Add the apple to the creamed mixture and mix through.
Add the almond meal and mix on medium speed until incorporated into the batter. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold the egg whites into the batter.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the flaked almonds over.
Place the pudding in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Dust the apple pudding with icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Green Spaghetti

April 14, 2022April 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a recipe from the brand new book “Cook it. Eat it. Live it.” by Jo Kenny. I was lucky enough to write a review on the book and simply cannot have enough of this delicious pasta dish! I have made a vegetarian version of Jo’s original Pea and Smoked Bacon Spaghetti.

120g spaghetti
100g smoked bacon lardons (or leave it out for a meat-free meal)
200g peas
a large bunch of fresh basil
30ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
30ml créme fraîche
20g parmesan cheese
zest of one lemon

Add the spaghetti to a large pot with boiling water and allow to cook until al-dente.
Heat a large frying pan on medium heat and cook the bacon lardons for 5 minutes.
Add the peas, basil, olive oil and garlic to a food processor, season with salt and blend until the mixture forms a smooth paste.
Add the pea and basil paste to the pan on a low heat.
Add the creme fraîche and stir on a low heat to warm through.
Drain the pasta and add it to the pan immediately.
Stir the pasta through the sauce so that is coated evenly.
Serve the pasta with the grated parmesan cheese, lemon zest and another squeeze of lemon juice.

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Chocolate Scones

April 13, 2022April 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g flour
190ml brown sugar
62ml cocoa powder
10ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
120g butter, cubed
220g dark chocolate, chopped
250ml cream
5ml vanilla
125ml pecan nuts, chopped
15ml cream
brown sugar for sprinkling

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
Add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingers.
Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water and stir it every now and then until completely melted.
Add the melted chocolate, cream and vanilla and lightly mix through, making sure that all dry ingredients are moistened.
Add the chopped pecan nuts.
Knead the dough 3 or 4 times by hand to bring everything together in a ball. Do not overwork the dough – scones are soft and crumbly when the dough is handled less.
Place the dough ball on the prepared baking sheet and pat it down into a 20cm diameter circle.
Cut the dough circle into 8 wedges and slightly separate them with the. blade of the knife.
Brush the top of the scones with the 15ml cream and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Serve the scones with a dollop of whipped cream.

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Quick Creamy Chicken

April 12, 2022April 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250g bacon, cut into small pieces
45ml butter
83ml flour
6-8 chicken breasts
15ml garlic powder
250ml chicken stock
15ml lemon juice
250 ml cream

Place a frying pan on medium-high heat, add a very small amount of oil and fry the bacon pieces until just crispy on the edges.
Remove the bacon pieces from the pan but keep the fat and keep the pan on the heat.
Mix the flour and garlic powder together and dredge the chicken in the flour.
Add the butter to the warm pan and brown the chicken breasts on both sides – about 3 minutes per side.
Pour in the stock and allow the chicken to cook for about 8 minutes before turning and cooking for another 8 minutes.
Add the cooked bacon, lemon juice and cream to the pan, give it a stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
Serve the chicken breast on a starch of your choice.

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Drinking Milktart

April 11, 2022April 5, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

When you are too impatient or lazy to make a traditional milktart but you really, absolutely, must have one……

150g sugar
45ml cornstarch
3 egg yolks
700ml + 50ml milk
7,5ml vanilla
ground cinnamon for dusting

Add the sugar and cornstarch to a mixing bowl and stir through.
Add the egg yolks and 50ml milk and mix together to make a smooth very runny paste. Set aside.
Add the 700ml milk to a saucepan set over medium high heat and bring to a boil.
Pour the egg and milk mixture into the boiling milk in a thin stream while whisking vigorously.
Turn the heat down to medium, keep stirring and wait for the mixture to thicken.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the custard into cups and dust with some ground cinnamon.
Serve slightly warm.

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Vegetable Cacciatore

April 8, 2022April 3, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The traditional Italian cacciatore is made with poultry and celebrates generosity and variety. This is my vegetarian interpretation and will feed six people when served with mashed potato or polenta.

90ml olive oil
250g button mushrooms
2 medium aubergines, diced
2 onions, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 carrots, peeled and cut into small chunks
2 medium red sweet peppers, sliced in strips
250ml dry red wine
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomato
2 x 400g tins of butter beans
250ml whole black olives
500ml vegetable stock
125ml parsley, chopped
5ml salt
black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a high heat.
Add the mushrooms and aubergine and fry for a few minutes until browned.
Remove from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
Lower the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft.
Add the carrot and sweet peppers and fry for a minute or so.
Pour in the wine and simmer until the wine is reduced completely.
Add the tomato, beans, olives, stock and salt and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked mushrooms and aubergine and stir through. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Take the saucepan from the heat and add the parsley.
Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning.
Serve on mashed potato or polenta and a generous drizzle of olive oil.