family meals – Page 12 – My Whisk and I

Mustard Soup/Mosterd Soep

May 10, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Traditional Amsterdammers will insist that this soup be made with Groninger mustard but any good quality granulated mustard is perfect for this delicious soup. Serve it with fresh bread and extra fried bacon. Serves 4.

2 leeks, rinsed and sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 large potatoes, cut into small chunks
1 clove garlic, minced
50g flour
1 litre vegetable/chicken stock
62ml cream
30ml Groninger/granulated mustard
salt and pepper

Pour enough oil into a saucepan to cover the bottom and place on medium-high heat.
Add the leeks, onion and potato and cook until the leeks are soft. Stir often.
Add the garlic and fry for another minute.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir-fry for another minute.
Pour in the stock and bring the soup to a boil.
Turn the heat down and simmer until the potatoes are very, very soft.
Blitz the mixture with a stick blender/liquidiser until completely smooth.
Add the cream and mustard and stir through.
Simmer the soup on a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the bacon to a non-stick frying pan and cook until slightly crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.
Season the soup with salt and pepper.
Serve the soup piping hot with extra bacon scattered on top.

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Boerenkool Stamppot

May 5, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Boerenkool Stamppot is probably the oldest and most authentic of Dutch dishes and could be considered the Netherland’s national dish. Comfort food for those cold evenings when you do not want to spend too much time in the kitchen but need something to feed your soul.

1,5kg potatoes, peeled and diced
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
500g kale, trimmed and roughly chopped
500g rookworst (or any other smoked sausage)
125ml milk
45ml butter
salt and plenty of black pepper, to taste

Add the potatoes, onion, bay leaf, kale and a teaspoon salt to a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover the ingredients. Cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes.
Slice the sausage into thick slices and fry it off in a hot pan. You want the edges to caramelise and become crispy. Set aside.
Remove the bay leaf from the veggies in the saucepan and drain off the water.
Add the milk and butter to the saucepan and stir through.
Lightly mash the potato-kale mixture but be sure to keep some texture.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir in the fried sausage.
Serve the stamp pot with a traditional Dutch beer or a glass of wine.

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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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Beer Chicken

February 11, 2022February 10, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This chicken is terribly easy and quick to make and deliciously soft and moist. Yields 6 portions.

6 chicken breasts, skin removed
45mll butter
30ml vegetable oil
125ml chicken stock
125ml stout or any other beer
10ml dried tarragon
125ml cream

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Place an ovenproof frying pan onto medium-heat and add the butter and vegetable oil to it.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place it in the hot pan to fry.
Cook the breasts for 4 minutes before turning and cooking the other side for another 4 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the frying pan and keep on the side while you make the sauce.
Pour the chicken stock into the frying pan and simmer for 3 minutes before adding the stout/beer.
Bring the liquids back to a simmer, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the caramelised bits of chicken and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the tarragon and cream and stir through.
Place the chicken breasts back in the sauce and place the pan in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes.
Serve the chicken on couscous and spoon over some extra sauce.

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Pork Chops with Crushed Olive Dressing

November 23, 2021November 23, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6-8 pork chops
45ml + 30ml olive oil
10ml ground turmeric
10ml salt
125ml apple cider vinegar
375ml olives, pitted and crushed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
250ml soft herbs (sage, basil, parsley, chives) chopped
30ml water

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Place the pork chops on an oven tray and drizzle the front and back with 45ml olive oil.
Sprinkle the turmeric and salt on the chops and give it a rub with your hands to spread evenly.
Put a cast iron pan on high heat and brown the chops on both sides. Place them back on the oven tray.
Mix the 30ml olive oil, vinegar, crushed olives, garlic, chopped herbs and water together and spoon over the meat.
Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
Serve the chops warm or at room temperature.

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Quinoa Salad

October 19, 2021October 17, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Quinoa is an ancient grain that is a complete protein and has a deliciously nutty flavour. This salad offers all the nutrients you need for a meal on its own or as a side dish to whatever else you are cooking.

45ml olive oil
30ml lemon juice

375ml quinoa, cooked according to the packet instructions
250ml tightly packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
half a red onion, finely chopped
125ml feta cheese, crumbed
1 apple, chopped into small cubes
a small bunch of chives or any other soft, fresh herbs, chopped

Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together and set aside.
Add all the other ingredients to a bowl and mix through.
Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the salad and serve.

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Oven-baked Sweet-and-Sour Chicken

July 22, 2021June 30, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a hands-off meal that can be served with fragrant steamed rice or noodles. Leftovers are even better the next day!

9 skinless chicken breasts
125ml cornstarch
2 eggs
vegetable oil for frying

Sweet-and-sour sauce:
250ml sugar
250ml apple cider vinegar
125ml tomato sauce (ketchup)
30ml soy sauce
5ml garlic powder

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and spray an oven-proof dish or casserole of about 18cm X 28cm. Set aside.
Add all the sauce ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk together until the sugar has dissolved. Put aside.
Cut the chicken in to 2 – 3 cm chunks, season with salt and pepper and toss together in a mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and mix to coat all the pieces.
Heat about 3cm of vegetable oil in a saucepan.
Whisk the eggs in a small bowl.
Dip the chicken pieces in the egg and fry the pieces in batches, in the oil, until golden.
Place the fried chicken into the prepared oven-proof dish. Keep going until all the chicken has been fried.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook in the oven for 40 minutes. Give it a stir once or twice during cooking time.
Serve the sweet-and-sour chicken on steamed rice or noodles, with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.