Venison stew with Gouden Carolus & gingerbread

For ➍ 

1 kg venison stewing meat 

1 clove of garlic 

1 large onion 

2 bay leaves 

450 g pre-cooked baby potatoes 

1 tsp dried rosemary 

3 cloves 

2 slices of gingerbread with ginger 

2 tbs mustard 

1 tbs Liège syrup 

3.8 dl game stock 

7.5 dl Gouden Carolus beer 

1 tbs flour 

3 tbs butter 

pepper 

Place a roasting pan or heavy-bottomed pot on the heat, let it get hot, and melt a spoonful of butter in it. Season the meat with pepper and salt, then brown the venison pieces on all sides in the hot butter. It is best to do this in batches to ensure the meat sears properly. The meat does not need to be fully cooked through, as it will finish cooking during the stewing process.

Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Place a pan on the heat with a spoonful of butter and sauté the onion and garlic. Sprinkle with the flour and add the browned venison pieces. Stir briefly, then immediately deglaze with the game stock and the Gouden Carolus beer. Add the bay leaves, cloves, and Liège syrup. 

Cut 2 slices of gingerbread and spread them with mustard. Place the gingerbread—mustard side down—on top of the stew and bring to a boil. 

Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let the meat cook for 2 to 2½ h until tender. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 

Rinse the baby potatoes and spread them evenly in a baking dish. Dot with a few knobs of butter. Season with salt, pepper, and dried rosemary, then roast in the oven for approximately 30 m until golden brown. Serve the roasted baby potatoes with the venison stew.

♥︎ Sea bream tagine

For ➍ 

1 tomato 

1 yellow onion 

425 g waxy potatoes 

25 g fresh coriander 

3 cloves of garlic 

1 ts cumin 

1⅓ ts turmeric 

1 ts ground ginger 

1 ts paprika 

1 ts salt 

1 ts black pepper 

75 ml olive oil 

1 sea bream (500 g), cleaned 

2 red or green peppers 

20 cl water 

Peel the tomato and dice the flesh. Finely chop the yellow onion. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 cm thick slices. Finely chop the coriander and garlic cloves. Place the potato slices in a deep bowl. Add the cumin, turmeric, ground ginger, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic, and fresh coriander. 

Heat the olive oil in a tagine over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3 m. Arrange the potato slices, diced tomatoes, and peppers. Mix well. Add the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for approx. 20 m. 

After approx. 20 minutes, place the sea bream (cut into large pieces, if desired) on top of the onion mixture and cook, covered, for another 10–20m. (Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the pieces.)

Roasted salmon & broccoli bowl

For ➍ 
4 tbs toasted sesame oil 
2 tbs soy sauce or tamari 
1 tbs rice vinegar 
1 tbs honey 
1 5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 1 tbs) 
1 garlic clove, finely grated 
500 g broccoli, trimmed & cut into florets, thick stems discarded 
2 scallions, trimmed & cut diagonally into 3 cm segments, plus thinly sliced scallions for garnish 
1 tbs olive oil, plus more for brushing the salmon 
salt & black pepper 
4 175 g skin-on salmon fillets 
½ lime, for serving 
sesame seeds, for serving 

Heat oven to 220 °C. Rub the salmon fillet with 1 tbs olive oil and season with salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside. 
Rinse the rice until water runs clear. In a small lidded saucepan, combine the rice, 1 ¼ cups water and 1 tbs olive oil. Season the water to taste with salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the rice is plumped. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, on a large sheet pan, toss the broccoli, red onion and remaining 2 tbs olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once, until tender-crisp and lightly browned. In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked rice, roasted broccoli and onions. To the same sheet pan, add the salmon fillet skin side down (if present) and roast until just cooked through, 10 to 14 minutes. While the salmon roasts, add the lemon juice, mustard and anchovies to the bowl with the broccoli mixture and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Flake the salmon (discarding any skin) and add to the bowl. Fold in three-fourths of the watercress. Top with the remaining watercress and serve.

♥︎Sheet-Pan & salmon & broccoli with sesame & ginger

For ➍ 

4 tbs toasted sesame oil 

2 tbs soy sauce or tamari 

1 tbs rice vinegar 

1 tbs honey 

1 5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated (about 1 tbs) 

1 garlic clove, finely grated 

500 g broccoli, trimmed & cut into florets, thick stems discarded 

2 scallions, trimmed and cut diagonally into 3 cm segments, plus thinly sliced scallions for garnish 

1 tbs olive oil, plus more for brushing the salmon 

salt & black pepper 

4 175 g skin-on salmon fillets

½ lime, for serving 

sesame seeds, for serving 

Heat the oven to 220°C degrees. In a small bowl, whisk 3 tbs sesame oil with the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger and garlic until smooth. Set the glaze aside. 

Place the broccoli florets and 1 ½-inch scallion segments on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tbs olive oil and the remaining 1 tbs sesame oil. Sprinkle with ½ ts salt and ¼ ts black pepper, toss well and roast for 5 m. 

While the broccoli and scallions roast, place the salmon fillets on a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Brush all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
 

Toss the broccoli and scallions and move to the edges of the pan, clearing spaces in the center for the salmon fillets. 

Place the salmon fillets, evenly spaced, on the center of the pan. Brush the fillets generously with the glaze.


Return the pan to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through but still slightly rare in the center, about 12 m.
 Squeeze the lime over the broccoli and sprinkle with salt. Scatter the sliced scallions and sesame seeds over the salmon, and serve hot.
 

+Cook in the air-fryer. Adapt times.

Orzo risotto with flat green beans & dill

For ➋

3 large shallots 

250 g orzo (or kritharaki) 

400 g flat green beans 

50 g Parmigiano 

1 bunch of dill 

olive oil 

pepper & salt 

1 l stock 

Finely chop the shallots. Add a generous splash of olive oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and sauté the shallots until translucent. Season with salt. Add the orzo and cook with the shallots for 2 m. Add 2 tbs of stock and stir regularly. Continue adding more stock as the previous batch is absorbed, stirring constantly. Taste occasionally and stop cooking when the pasta is perfectly *al dente*. Taste and adjust seasoning with pepper and salt. 

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the ends off the flat green beans and cook for about 5 m until tender-crisp. Drain and cut into thin strips. Finely chop the dill and grate the Parmigiano. 

Mix the flat green beans, finely chopped dill, and half of the Parmigiano into the orzo. Serve with the remaining Parmigiano sprinkled on top. 

Cod with saffron sauce

For ➍ 

5½ tbs unsalted butter (or vegetarian alternative) 

220 g waxy potatoes 

1 shallot 

50 mg saffron 

1 tbs hot water 

10 cl dry white wine 

20 cl fresh heavy cream (or oat cream) 

1 tbs mild olive oil 

4 fresh cod loins 

50 g baby spinach 

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Melt 2 tbs of butter in a small saucepan. 

Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly using a mandoline or vegetable peeler. Arrange 10–12 slices in a shingled pattern on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. For each person, create a rectangular "potato roof" the size of a cod loin, ensuring the slices overlap. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 35 m until golden yellow and crispy. 

Meanwhile, finely chop the shallot. 

Melt 1 tbs of butter in a saucepan over low heat and sauté the shallot for 2 m until soft. Crumble the saffron between your fingers and mix with the hot water. 

Add the wine to the shallot, bring to a boil, and let it reduce for 1 m. Add the saffron (along with the water it was mixed in) and the cream, and simmer gently for 15 m. Season with pepper and salt to taste. 

5 m before the oven time is up, heat the oil and 1½ tbs of butter in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the cod over high heat for 4 m, turning halfway through. 

Remove the potato slices from the oven and press down on them with a spatula so they stick together well. Using a spatula, place a potato "roof" onto each piece of fish. Keep warm on a heated plate, covered with aluminum foil. 

Finish the sauce by whisking in the remaining butter until the mixture is smooth and golden yellow. Divide the baby spinach among warm plates. Place the cod with the potato crust in the center. Drizzle the saffron sauce around it. 

Serve with a glass of Chablis. 

Mediterranean fregola & mushrooms

For ➋

200 g fregola sarda

300 g bite size chopped cremini, baby bella or fresh porcini mushrooms or a mix

1 medium sized shallot

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

5 cl olive oil

5 cl balsamic vinegar

1 tbs  marjoram (of thyme or oregano.)

2 tbs unsalted cold butter (or plant-based)

To cook  the fregola, the trick is to have enough water for the fregola to boil freely to avoid sticking, so salt and bring 0,5 - 0,75 cl of water to a gentle boil.

Cook Fregola as you would pasta for about 13-15 m and taste for firmness. You want it to be al dente.

Scoop a cup of water and set aside to water down the mushroom sauce.

Strain and keep fregola warm in the pan off the fire.


Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Washing them under water can make them turn slimey.

Heat a large skillet or frying pan on a low flame. Cut the mushrooms to small bite size pieces without or without the stems.  If you do decide on using the stems, cut off the bottom third. It is usually drier and more fibrous than the rest of the stem.
 Finely chop the shallot.
Add olive oil, shallots and mushrooms to the pan and increase to medium heat and cook for 5-7 m stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are still crunchy but not raw.
 Add the chopped garlic and sauté for 1 m.

Add the balsamic vinegar, mix well and simmer the vinegar liquid until it is nearly gone. The idea here is cook off the tangyness of the vinegar until it is sweet. 
Stir in the half cup of the water from the boiling pasta, add half the marjoram and give a little stir.

On a very low fire finish off the mushrooms by quickly blending in cold butter 1 tbs at a time. You do this by using the tip of fork to gentle stir the butter through the mushrooms. You are not cooking but gently emulsifying the butter with the liquid.
 Salt to taste.


Add the cooked fregola, increase heat to medium and cook for a couple of minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the liquid and butter. If too dry add a little more pasta water.
 Garnish with rest of herbs and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.

Open lasagna with melon & ham

For ➍ 

stracciatella (or burrata)

green pesto

lemon (juice)

flesh tomatoes

cantaloupe melon

lasagna sheets

dried ham

pine nuts

balsamic cream

Mix the stracciatella with pesto and some lemon juice. Cover briefly and store in the refrigerator.

Slice the tomatoes into thin slices. Remove the seeds from the melon and peel the melon. Then slice it into thin slices.

Cook the lasagna sheets until done. It is best not to cook them all at once, as they will stick together. Cook them in batches of 3 or 4 and then drain them on a kitchen towel

Assembling the lasagna is best done just before serving. Place a lasagna sheet on a plate. Spoon some of the stracciatella-pesto sauce, a few slices of tomato, melon, and dried ham onto it. Place another lasagna sheet on top, followed by sauce, minced meat, and cherry tomatoes.

Divide this among the plates and finish with some roasted pine nuts and balsamic cream if desired.

Grilled fennel salad with apricots & goat cheese

For ➍ 

2 fennels

4 large apricots

2 tbs roasted hazelnuts*

1 handful of basil

200 g fresh goat cheese

lemon

salt

olive oil

Heat the barbecue.**

Slice half a fennel into thin slices using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Pour the juice of a lemon over it and add a generous pinch of salt. Mix briefly and let it marinate. Cut the rest of the fennel into slightly thicker slices. Rub with olive oil and salt, and grill on the barbecue**. Use a grill with small openings for this, so that the fennel does not fall through. When the fennel is slightly charred and a little soft, remove it from the barbecue. Cut the apricots in half and remove the pits, then rub with oil. Place them on the grill** with the cut side down for a moment, until they soften slightly and develop black stripes.

Assemble the salad by mixing the roasted and marinated fennel (and the lemon juice in which they marinated) with the grilled apricots. Place the goat cheese on top and finish with the basil leaves and hazelnuts*.

Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with some good olive oil.

*Replace with walnuts.

**Use a grill pan for small quantities if necessary.

Gnocchi with mushrooms & sage

For ➍

2 ts ground black pepper 

olive oil 

1-2 tbs white balsamio vinegar 

300 g mixed mushrooms, torn into large pieces 

15 sage leaves 

sea salt 

250 g gnocchi 

100 g Parmigiano, finely grated 

50 g Pecorino, finely grated 

Toast the peppercorns in a large, hot, dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Then crush them coarsely in a mortar and set aside. Place the skillet back on the heat and heat a deep layer of olive oil in the skillet. Add the sage leaves and fry for 1 m, until nice and crispy. 

Remove the sage leaves from the pan and add the mushrooms. Fry them for about 5-10 m. Season with salt. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook them for 2-3 m until they float to the surface. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and reserve 10 cl of the cooking water. 

Add the roasted ground peppercorns to the mushrooms. Add the white balsamico vinegar. Also add (part of) the pasta water and let simmer for 2 m, until the liquid has reduced by half. 

Add the drained gnocchi to the pan and toss them in the sauce. Also add the cheeses immediately and mix until the sauce is smooth. Divide the mushroom gnocchi among the plates and finally sprinkle with extra cheese. Serve the mushroom gnocchi with a salad. 

Smoked trout with oyster mushrooms

For ➋

200 g smoked trout / or trout fillets*

½ bunch chives

piece of ginger / 1-2 ts ginger powder

150 g rice

150 g oyster mushrooms

2.5 tbs sunflower oil

4 tbs soy sauce

½ tbs chilli sauce

Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Cook the rice according to the package instructions.

Peel the ginger and cut into 3 cm matchsticks. Place the fish on a piece of aluminum foil and distribute the ginger over it. Fold the package closed and place on a baking sheet or rack. Cook the fish for 6 to 8 m in the (preheated) oven.*

Slice the oyster mushrooms.

In the meantime, fry the oyster mushrooms in half of the sunflower oil for approx. 3 m. Mix with half of the soy sauce and the chilli sauce and fry for another 1 m.

Finely chop the chives. Place the fish on a plate and scatter the chives over it. Heat the remaining half of the sunflower oil in a small pan until the oil starts to smoke. Pour the hot oil, along with the rest of the soy sauce, over the chives on the fish. Serve the fish with the oyster mushrooms and some rice.

*Or rub the trout fillets with a light seasoning made from ½ tbsp oil and 2 ts ginger powder. Microwave for 1 m in a closed container.

♥︎Sheet-pan salmon & broccoli with sesame & ginger

For ➍
4 tbs toasted sesame oil

2 tbs soy sauce or tamari

1 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs honey

1 5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated (about 1tbs)

1 garlic clove, finely grated

450 g broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets, thick stems discarded*

2 scallions, trimmed & cut diagonally into 3 cm-inch segments, plus thinly sliced scallions for garnish

1  tbs olive oil, plus more for brushing the salmon

salt & black pepper

4 170 g skin-on salmon fillets

½ lime, for serving

sesame seeds, for serving

Heat the oven to 220°C. In a small bowl, whisk 3 tbs sesame oil with the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger and garlic until smooth. Set the glaze aside

Place the broccoli florets* and 1½-inch scallion segments on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 1  tbs olive oil and the remaining 1tbs sesame oil. Sprinkle with ½  ts salt and ¼  ts black pepper, toss well and roast for 5  m.

While the broccoli and scallions roast, place the salmon fillets on a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Brush all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Toss the broccoli and scallions and move to the edges of the pan, clearing spaces in the center for the salmon fillets. Place the salmon fillets, evenly spaced, on the center of the pan. Brush the fillets generously with the glaze.

Return the pan to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through but still slightly rare in the center, about 12  m.

Squeeze the lime over the broccoli and sprinkle with salt. Scatter the sliced scallions and sesame seeds over the salmon, and serve hot.

*Boil or microwave the broccoli until semi-soft, ensuring it does not remain hard. Optionally, add the spring onions and oil for 1 m. Then add the fish and fry for 12-15 m.

♥︎Skrei & leek

For ➍

4 pieces of skrei (180-200 g each)

3 leeks 

1 shallot 

20 cl oat cream 

10 cl white wine saffron 

1 tbs olive oil 

20 g butter 

salt & pepper 

Peel the leeks and cut them into pieces. Melt the butter and oil in a sauté pan. Add the chopped shallot. Simmer for 2 m without browning. Add the leeks and let them melt for 10-12 m. Deglaze with white wine and reduce for 2-3 m. 

Add the oat cream and saffron. Mix and simmer gently for 5 m. 

Add the leeks to the sauce. 

Cover and simmer for 8-10 m over low heat. 

Do not boil again after adding the fish. The fish should remain pearly.

Risotto & oyster mushrooms

For ➋

120-180 g risotto rice

200 g small oyster mushrooms

1.5 shallots

1 clove of garlic

10 g sage

30 g flaked almonds

10 cl almond milk

20 g grated Parmigiano

75 cl vegetable stock (or poultry stock)

4 cl white wine (or mirin)

2.5 cl soy sauce

2 tbs butter/olive oil

Salt & pepper

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Fry half the sage leaves in the olive oil for 1 minute until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and season with the soy sauce. Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Sauté them together in hot butter until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine and add the rice. Cook briefly, stirring well. Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring regularly. Add a ladleful of stock each time the previous one is absorbed. Remove from the heat when all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is al dente. Stir in the almond milk, a little butter, and the Parmesan cheese. Stir in the remaining sage. Clean the mushrooms and sauté them in a little olive oil in a separate pan. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the risotto with the sage and the sautéed oyster mushrooms. Toast the flaked almonds in a pan without oil and garnish the risotto with them.

Read the tip on making a quick risotto.

Herb-crusted cod

For ➍

4 cod fillets (180 g each)

20 cherry tomatoes (preferably with a sprig)

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp parsley

2 tbsp dill (chopped)

1 tbs capers

3 tbs panko

olive oil

butter

pepper

fleur de sel

800 g potatoes (boiling)

½ lemon zest

80 ml buttermilk (unsweetened)

30 g butter

salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Peel and crush the garlic. Mix it with the herbs. Finely chop the capers and add them. Add 3 tbsp olive oil and stir. Season with salt, pepper, and the panko and mix until crumbly.

Rinse the cod fillets and pat dry. Cover them with the crumble. Butter a baking dish and place the fish in it.

Rinse the tomatoes and add them to the fish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper and fleur de sel. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Mash them through a food processor. Add the lemon zest, buttermilk, and butter. Stir with a wooden spoon until a creamy, smooth purée is formed. Add more buttermilk if you prefer the purée a little thinner. Season the purée with a little salt.