rhubarb tart with grated orange peel and Grand Marnier

28. April 2016
by troutandhawk
comments 5
Cakes + Cookies

Finally I hold in my hands French patissier Eric Kayser’s book Tartes et gourmandises, an insider’s tip among connoisseurs in matters of  tarts and taste. After the first browsing through this whole lot of  sweet delicacies I decided to bake each and every tart in my own kitchen and share the recipes with you.
You will easily recognize the tartes et gourmandises  by their French title on the image.

 

Et voilá, number one,

Tarte à la rhubarbe et à l’orange

300g tart dough with almonds
1kg rhubarb
2 organically grown oranges
4oog sugar  (300g for the syrup, 100g for the filling)
125g softened butter
150g finely ground almonds
20g flour
3 eggs
2cl Grand Marnier
icing sugar

Wash the rhubarb and cut the stems into 2cm pieces. Finely grate the zest of the oranges. In a saucepan bring 1l water to a boil, add 300g sugar and the rhubarb. Bring to a boil for a second time. Strain rhubarb through a sieve and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

In a bowl beat the butter until creamy. Add sugar (100g), almonds and flour, then add the eggs one by one.
Beat until all ingredients are well blended. Mix in the grated orange peel and the Grand Marnier.

Roll out the dough (26cm circle or 20 x 30 rectangle) and and fit it into the base and up the sides of your tart pan. Distribute the rhubarb evenly on the dough. Spread the filling onto it and bake for about 30 minutes. Serve the tart cold sprinkled with icing sugar.

Tart dough with almonds (basic recipe)

500g flour
250g softened butter
50g sugar
100g icing sugar
60g finely grated almonds
5g salt
2 eggs

Beat the softened butter until until creamy. Add the sugar, the icing sugar, the almonds and the salt. Incorporate the eggs one by one. Mix in the flour until you get a homogenous dough. Shape into a ball and wrap in a plastic wrap. Refrigerate during the night.

 

 

essential oils I wouldn’t like to live without

21. April 2016
by troutandhawk
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Uncategorized

Tea Tree Essential Oil
Melaleuca Alternifolia is a potent antimicrobial agent.  Because of its ability to kill off bad bacteria and at the same time soothe inflamed skin, tea tree oil is perfect for gum and tooth care. After brushing my teeth I usually rub a drop into my gums and teeth.
It also heals and soothes insect bites.

 

cloves

Cloves Essential Oil

Cloves essential oil is very powerful. Cloves are one of the highest valued antioxidants. The essential oil is antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. It remineralizes teeth and decreases decalcification. As it tastes very strong and has numbing properties I use it only from time to time for tooth and gum care.

For immune and antioxidant support add 1 drop of clove essential oil to 1 teaspoon of honey, maple syrup or coconut oil and drink it with a glass of lukewarm water. For further benefit pair it with cinnamon oil and poppy-seed oil.

 

peppermint

Peppermint Essential Oil

Mentha x peperita is my pick-me-up for long road trips, rubbed gently into the area behind the ears, forehead and temples (be careful to not apply it too close to the eyes!) as it improves concentration and alertness. It also prevents nausea and helps to fight carsickness. Just sprinkle a few drops onto a cloth, hold it in front of your face and breathe deeply.
Peppermint essential oil clears the sinuses, cuts cravings and is the best natural energizer!

 

olibanum

Frankincense Essential Oil
Boswellia carterii or serrata is known for its highly anti-inflammatory properties. I use it for skincare mixed with coconut oil in a ratio of 2 drops frankincense oil to 1 teaspoon coconut oil. The result is simply amazing, best skin treatment ever!

Tuscan chocolate cake

7. April 2016
by troutandhawk
comments 3
Cakes + Cookies

The popular Tuscan chocolate cake in a version for basic kitchen equipment: blender, cup and sense of proportion.  If your measurements and blender velocity slightly differ from the below indicated, it’s not a big problem. The chocolate cake generously doesn’t mind it.

daisiesTuscan chocolate cake

Tuscan chocolate cake

200g chocolate
200g butter
3/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
5-6 eggs, depending on the size

Preheat the oven to 180°C and butter a 26cm baking form ( or 2 smaller baking forms). Cut butter and chocolate in small pieces and melt them in a sauce pan, constantly stirring until smooth. Set aside for about 5 minutes.
Fill sugar and eggs into your blender. Select slowest speed (Vitamix Variable 1), then quickly increase speed (Vitamix Variable 4 0r 5). Blend for 15 seconds, until the egg/sugar mixture is creamy. Add flour.  Blend for 5-10 seconds until mixed in. Turn blender on slow and pour in the chocolate butter. Blend until the batter is evenly incorporated. (Vitamix: if necessary use the tamper to press ingredients into the blades.)

Pour into prepared baking form.and bake for about 20-30 minutes. The top should be slightly crackled and the center still creamy. Let the cake cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!

 

soba bowl with carrot and leek

31. March 2016
by troutandhawk
comments 2
Dinner / Lunch

 

soba bowl with  carrot and leek
yields 3 servings

3 bundles of soba noodles
1 medium carrot, cut into fine strips
1 leek, cut into fine strips

for the sauce:
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

Wash and peel the carrot, continue using the peeler until the whole carrot is finely sliced. Wash the leek, cut it in half lengthwise and slice thinly. Bring water to a boil, add soba, carrot and leek strips and cook for 4 minutes .

For the sauce mix all ingredients together in a serving bowl. Add the cooked soba, carrot and leek strips and toss to combine. Sprinkle with leaves of cilantro, mint or parsley.

 

soba bowl, decomposed

 

2 tiramisu – Fabrizio’s original and a dairy-free version

24. March 2016
by troutandhawk
comments 2
Breakfast / Cakes + Cookies / Sweets

tiramisu-9

For Easter I wanted to present you with our favourite Tiramisu recipes. The classic recipe comes directly from Rome, to be precise from Fabrizio, a good family friend. The other one is a dairy free version I came up with so that my oldest daughter could enjoy it too! We made half of each recipe in the same dish, and in the end we sprinkled dark chocolate dots on one side to tell them apart later.

Fabrizio’s original tiramisu 

1 box of tiramisu biscuits (Fabrizio prefers Pavesini)
500g mascarpone
5 eggs , separated
5 Tsp sugar
strong home brewed coffee, cooled

Dairy free tiramisu 

1 box of tiramisu biscuits (still Pavesini if available)
500ml Provamel soya dessert vanilla (like a vanilla custard but not overly sweet)
5 eggs , separated
2 Tsp sugar
strong home brewed coffee, cooled

Separate the eggs, add 1Tsp sugar to the egg whites and beat until solid.
Mix the remaining sugar with the egg yolks, and beat until creamy. Then add Mascarpone or soya vanilla dessert. Fold egg whites into the Mascarpone/soya dessert cream.

Dip the biscuits into the cool coffee and place them into your dish. Then spread the cream evenly, and you have your first layer. Repeat this until you run out of cream. Chill for a few hours to let it set and let the flavour unfold. Before serving dust with unsweetened cocoa powder.

Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, tea, and dessert.

 

tiramisu-8tiramisu-7tiramisu-4tiramisu-2tiramisu-5tiramisu-1tiramisu-6

no-knead bread

17. March 2016
by troutandhawk
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Breakfast / Dinner / Lunch / Snacks

I never thought no-knead bread would turn out to be such a winner. It’s crust is simply divine. No kneading is requested, no machines, no fancy ingredients, very little effort – just a hot oven and a good planning, because there’s one essential ingredient – TIME.

no-knead bread

3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add water and stir with your hands until blended. Dough will be moist and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 12 or 18 hours at room temperature.
Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with little bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over itself once or twice.
Generously coat a cotton towel with flour and, put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour. Cover with  cotton towel and let it rest for another 2 hours at room temperature.

At least half an hour before dough is ready , heat oven to 250°C. Put a heavy pot or pan (cast iron, enamel,
pyrex glass, ceramics) into the oven as it heats. When dough is ready carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hands under the towel and and turn dough over into the pot, seam side up.
Cover with lid and bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another 15 minutes until the loaf is browned. Cool on a rack.

 

no-knead bread-2 no-knead bread-3

 

 

artichoke bottoms with garlic and mint

10. March 2016
by troutandhawk
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Dinner / Lunch

Soon spring will be here and with it the season of fresh artichokes. I’m early  (and lucky)  this year because I brought fresh artichokes from Rome in my suitcase. Besides being the most photogenic vegetable I know, they tasted delicious cooked with garlic and mint.

artichoke bottoms alla romana with garlic and mint

6 artichokes
1 lemon, halved
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil

 

artichokes petals of artichokes

 

Leave artichoke stems attached. Cut off top with a serrated knife. Remove outer leaves until you reach pale yellow leaves with pale green tips.
Using a sharp knife cut remaining leaves flush with top of artichoke bottom. Pull out purple leaves and scoop out fuzzy choke with a melon ball cutter or a spoon.
Trim dark green fibrous parts of the base and sides of the artichoke with a sharp knife.
Rub cut surfaces with the lemon half. Cut the end of the stem and trim sides of stem  down to pale inner core.

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt, then mix in the mint. Rub garlic paste into the cavities of the artichokes.
Combine water and oil in a heavy sauce pan. Stand artichokes upside down and sprinkle remaining salt over them. Simmer, covered, over low heat until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Transfer artichokes to a serving dish and reduce cooking liquid to about 1/3 cup. Pour over artichokes and serve warm or at room temperature.

 

artichokes with garlic and mint

cheesecake topped with meringue

3. March 2016
by troutandhawk
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Cakes + Cookies / Sweets

cheesecake topped with meringue

for the dough:
200g flour
75g sugar
65g cold butter, cut in small pieces
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder

for the filling:
500g low fat curd (Magerquark)
125g sugar
2 sachets vanilla sugar
100g oil (or melted butter)
1 sachet custard powder
1 egg
3 egg yolks
1/2 l milk

for the topping:
3 egg whites
50g sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar

Mix the ingredients for the dough in a bowl and knead it with your hands until it forms a ball. Let it rest in the fridge until you finished preparing the filling – or longer.

For the filling start beating eggs and sugar, then slowly add the oil (or the melted butter).  Add custard powder, Magerquark and finally the milk. Don’t panic if the filling is liquid instead of creamy. Everything is fine, it has to be like that.

Preheat the oven to 160-170°C.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to a 30 cm round. Transfer to a 25 cm tart pan, press into the base and up the sides and trim the edge. Pour the filling onto the bottom and bake for 1 hour.

In the meantime whisk the egg whites with sugar and vanilla sugar until stiff.
After one hour remove the cake from the oven and with a spatula spread the beaten egg whites  onto it. Bake the cheesecake for another 1/4 hour until the surface has evenly browned.

.

cheesecakecheesecake recipecheesecake

steamed broccoli with caper brown butter

25. February 2016
by troutandhawk
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Lunch

Broccoli + brown butter + chopped capers  = not expected, but true delight!

steamed broccoli with caper brown butter
(Ruth Reichl, The Gourmet Cookbook)

1 1/2 pounds broccoli
6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cut heads of broccoli into florets. You can also use the stems cut in slices. (I usually throw  the stems into the juicer with apples and more green veggies.) Steam florets in a steamer for about 6 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in capers and cook until the butter turns golden brown and releases a heavenly smell. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. Toss broccoli with the caper butter.

To complete my simple lunch I cooked some whole-grain spaghetti, tossed them in olive + black truffle paté and sprinkled grated parmesan on top.

 

steamesd broccoli with caper brown butter