Grilled fennel with citrus dressing & goat cheese

For ➍
2 fennel bulbs
4 clementines
50 g walnuts
120 g soft goat cheese
1 tbs olive oil
pepper & salt
dressing:
2 dl clementine juice
1 dl lime juice
2 tbs sugar
1 cardamom pod (or try ginger)
2 star anise
3 cloves

Make the dressing: mix the spices & sugar with the juice of clementines and lemons. Heat the seasoned juice and reduce to ½.
Cut the fennel bulbs lengthwise in (not too) thin slices, and drizzle with olive oil. Keep some fennel leaves on the side for finishing.
Heat a grill pan. Grill the slices of fennel and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the grilled fennel on plates, drizzle with the citrus vinaigrette and crumble the goat cheese on top. Peel the clementines and cut into thin slices.
Put slices on top. Add the coarsely chopped walnuts and a few tufts of fennel leaves far.

Lamb Kabouli

For ➍
500 g lamb, cut in small pieces, visible fat removed
300 g white Basmati rice
200 g cooked chickpeas
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 dl stock or water
whole spices:
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole cardamom pods
3-4 cloves
1 ts peppercorn, lightly crushed
1 large onion, chopped fine
½ ts saffron strands
salt (to taste)
Omani spice mix:
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ts fresh ginger, crushed
1 heaped ts cumin seeds
1 heaped ts coriander seeds
1 heaped ts cardamom seeds
2 ts cayenne pepper
½ ts ground turmeric
2 tbs distilled vinegar

Combine all spice mix ingredients in an electric food processor and process until a thick paste is formed, use vinegar sparingly as it can make the overall taste too acidic. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Heat oil in non-stick pan. Sauté onions and half of the whole spices. When onions start to brown, add the prepared Omani spice mix.
Add lamb to the pan and mix with all the spices. Add 20 cl stock or water, cover pan and allow to cook till meat is tender. Depending on the cut of meat, it may take up to 30 m on medium heat.
When meat is done, add chickpeas.
Rinse and drain Basmati rice.
Bring 6 dl of water (add a large pinch of salt and remaining whole spices) to boil in another large pan. Add in rice and cook till rice is fluffy.
When rice is done, add lamb in layers and chickpeas into the pot. Cover and remove from heat.
After about 10 m, open pan and carefully mix together the meat and rice.
Serve.

Jerusalem artichoke in skin

For ➍
8 large Jerusalem artichokes
sunflower oil
2 cloves garlic
2 juniper berries
2 bay leaves
4 branches thyme
2 cloves
2 star anise
young thyme branches

Scrub the artichokes well with a vegetable brush and cut them lengthwise in half.
Pour a lot of oil in a large metal baking dish and top with the artichokes with the cut side down.
Crush the garlic with the flat side of a knife. Crush the juniper in the mortar. Add the garlic, juniper berries, bay leaf, thyme, cloves and star anise in the artichokes and simmer over low heat.
Turn the artichokes after 10 m and simmer another 15 m.
Remove the herbs from the pan, except for the garlic.
Garnish with young thyme branches.

Tabbouleh

For ➍
15 g medium bulgur wheat (optional)
30 g fine bulgur wheat (*)
400 g ripe tomatoes
6 spring onions
2 lemons, juice only
½ ts ground black pepper
½ ts ground allspice
½ ts ground cinnamon
½ ts ground coriander
¼ ts ground nutmeg
¼ ts ground cloves
¼ ts ground ginger
175 g flat-leaf parsley
45 g mint
5 tbs olive oil
2 tbs pomegranate arils (optional)

Preheat the oven to 140°C if using the medium bulgur wheat. Rinse the fine bulgur wheat in cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well in a sieve and put in a bowl. Fluff up with a fork.
Rinse the medium bulgur, if using, in boiling water, drain well, spread out on a baking tray and put in the oven for 20 m. Fluff up with a fork when done.
Meanwhile, finely chop the tomatoes and finely slice the spring onions and add both, plus juices, to the wheat. Add the juice of 1½ lemons. Mix the spices together well, and add 1 ts to the bowl.
Douse the herbs in cold water, chop most of the stalks off the parsley, and then take a small bunch, gather together on the board and slice it as finely as you can. Repeat with the rest. Pick the leaves from the mint and do the same, being as gentle as possible.
Add the herbs to the bowl along with the oil, season and toss well. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or spice mix to taste.
Scatter with the pomegranate and toasted bulgur, if using, just before serving.

*Use couscous instead. Adapt cooking method.

Vlaamse kippensoep (Flemish chicken soup)

For ➏
3 chicken thighs
2 onions, chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
3 carrots
2 leeks, chopped coarsely (keep 1 stem apart)
1 celery, chopped coarsely (keep a few stalks apart)
2 sprigs of thyme
3 bay leaves
5 crushed peppercorns
2 cloves
1 piece star anise
3 l water
50 g alphabet or vermicelli pasta or rice
200 g minced meat*
flour*

Clean the celery and leeks under running water.
Peel the carrots and cut ⅔ of them coarsely. Keep the rest aside.
Pour cold water into the soup pot. Add the vegetables along with the thyme and bay leaves . Bring the soup to a boil.
Crush the peppercorns in a mortar and put them in the pot, along with a pinch of salt .
Add the cloves and star anise.
Add the chicken thighs when the soup is boiling.
Let the soup simmer for 30-45 m.
Meanwhile cut the left carrots, leek and celery in brunoise , tiny cubes of approximately 2 x 2 mm.
Put the diced vegetables in a bowl.
Strain the chicken soup, to have a clear chicken broth. Let the thighs cool.
Sprinkle the brunoise vegetables in the chicken stock. Let the vegetables yarn briefly. Avoid overcooking.
Add the letter pasta. (Check the packaging for correct cooking time.)
Tear the meat  from the thighs. Cut into small pieces of equal size.
Add the chicken to the soup. Season the soup.
Serve with brown bread or toast.

*Optional.

Shahi ghost korma (braised lamb with yogurt)

For ➋
400 g lamb shoulder piece, boned & cubed
10-15 cl yogurt
1 ts cumin
1 ts coriander
1 ts red pepper
pinch of pepper
2 ts almond powder
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 cardamom seeds
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
10-20 cl of fresh cream
saffron
olive oil

Place the lamb in a bowl with the yogurt, cumin, coriander, red pepper, pepper and almonds. Mix well and refrigerate for about 1 h.

Once the meat is marinated, pour a little oil in a saucepan and add onion, cloves and cardamom. Fry everything.

Then add meat and marinade. Then add the cinnamon and garlic.

Cover and cook for 1 h.

Once the meat is cooked, add cream and saffron.

Reduce the sauce, uncovered, till thick.

Serve with basmati rice with some sliced almonds. Sprinkle korma with some sliced almonds.

'Korma' means 'braising' in Hindi and Urdu. The technique was developed in the 16th century with the introduction of Mughlai kitchen, close to Persian and Turkish cuisines, in the Mughal empires in Northern India. Despite the varying flavouring of different korma, it should always be made with with yogurt of some sort. Today, in Europe or UK, it is sometimes reduced to a creamy version of a curry, with chicken korma as the signature dish.
Yogurt, fermented milk, has been used since 3000 BC, and has been a main staple of Arab, Turkish and Central Asian cuisine. Use stirred yogurt for cooking. Or strained 'Greek' yogurt.
This is a quick and easy version of Indian korma. Traditionally, it would be made with ghee instead of oil.

New York hot apple cider

For ➑ mugs
1.5 l (American) apple cider
100 g brown sugar, tightly packed
¼ ts salt
1 ts whole allspice
1 ts cloves
3 sticks cinnamon (or ground cinnamon)
1 dash of nutmeg

Combine all the spices in a tea-egg (or wrap in a cheesecloth).
Pour cider in a large saucepan. Add sugar and salt. Add spices. Bring slowly to a boil.
Turn down the heat to a simmer for 20 m.
Discard spices.
Add cinnamon stick (or sprinkle ground cinnamon) to each mug.

*When reheating, don't boil.
**Add dried apple for full taste.

American apple cider differs a bit from traditional European cider, called hard cider in the USA: it is unfiltered, unfermented and, sometimes, unpasteurized. Thus it's closer to fresh apple juice than to a alcoholic drink. Cider has been milled in the Eastern states since colonial days, and is frequently used in traditional recipes.
American cider is almost unaivailable outside the USA. Nevertheless, this drink can be made with sweet European apple cider. Avoid boiling.
Picture shows a wintery 5th Avenue in New York City, captured by Alfred Stieglitz.

Poulet au cidre (Normandy chicken)

For ➍
4 chicken parts
4 Golden Delicious apples
8 cl Calvados
8 cl fresh cream*
50 cl sweet cider**
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 branches of thyme
1 shallot
2 pinches of ginger powder
sugar
salt & pepper

Peel 2 apples. Cut them in quarters. Put in a bowl. Add the Calvados. Let rest for 1 h.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Brown the pieces of chicken in a frying pan. Add cut shallot, salt and pepper the meat.

Put the pieces and the apples in a large oven-dish.

Arose with the cider. Add thyme, bay-leaves, cinnamon and cloves.

Cook for 30 m.

Cut 2 apples in small pieces. Sauté them with some butter. Add ginger, sugar and a pinch of pepper.

Set chicken and apples aside and half the sauce on low heat. Add the cream* and thicken the sauce.

Serve chicken and apples with some sauce.

*Optional.
**All French cider is American 'hard cider', with an alcoholic component. For this recipe, use cidre doux, the sweet variation. For drinking, serve the dry variety, cidre brut.

Read the chicken cooking tip.

Roast pork

For ➋
500 g pork roast
2 potatoes
3 onions
2 firm apples, a little bit sour
100 g pumpkin flesh
15 cl dry white wine
1 tbs herbes de Provence*
1 ts Chinese 5-spice powder**
salt & pepper to taste**

Rub pork with half of the mixed herbs and spices, then place roast in a large roasting pan. Roast in a 180°C oven for 30 m.

Add the vegetables and apple and pour the wine and remaining herbs over all. Add salt and pepper and roast half an hour or more until veggies are browned.

Let roast rest for 10 m in a warm place and serve.

*Or make your own mixture from thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, summer savory, cloves, lavender, tarragon, chervil, sage, marjoram, basil, fennel seed and orange zest. Commercial Italian herbs mixture might do the job too.
**Commercial 5-spice mixed with coarse salt will do. 5-spice consists of ground cinnamon, fennel, star anise, cloves and Szechwan pepper.

Speculoos mousse

For ➍
4 eggs
1 sheet of gelatin
50 g candy syrup
75 g brown sugar
100 g speculoos, crumbled
25 cl cream
25 cl milk
cinnamon stick

Dissolve the gelatin in cold water. Cook the milk with the cinnamon. Beat the egg yolks with syrup and sugar until foamy. Add to the milk. Lower heat and stir until consistent. Remove from heat and add gelatin. Let mixture cool a bit.

Beat cream and mix through milk mixture. Add half of the speculoos. Beat egg whites until stiff and gently spoon through mixture. Make a layer of speculoos crumbs* on the bottom of the small serving dishes**. Gently pour in the mixture. Put in the refrigerator for several hours.

Serve with a cup of excellent coffee or a small glass of coffee liquor.

*Or put a thin slice of peperkoek (gingerbread) on the bottom.
**Alternatively, use chocolate cups.

Speculoos or speculaas is a cookie, made with, among other spices, cinnamon and cloves,and candy syrup. It is produced in Belgium, as well as in the North of France and Holland. They come in several regional varieties, differing in thickness, hardness and spices. Peperkoek, or pain d'épices, is a Belgian kind of gingerbread, made with similar ingredients.

Sauce à la Liègeoise (Liège syrup sauce)

For ➍
4 onions chopped
3 tbs sirop de Liège*
50 g butter
1 tbs flour or cornstarch
salt & pepper
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 ts marjoram

Melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the chopped onion, 1 to 2 m. Add 5 ml water and cook 5 m on medium heat, while stirring (onions should not brown).
Mix flour and 20 cl of hot water.
Pour over onions and cook 2 to 3 m.
Add the sirop and spices.
Mix well and simmer 20 m on low heat to make the sauce thick and shiny.
Serve with boulettes à la Liègoise.

*Another Belgian fruit spread, based on pears, might do.

Café Lequet serves its meatballs with a slightly different sauce.
The sirop de Liège is a highly concentrated fruit syrup, made from fruit from the the massive fruit plantations in the Limburg and Liège provinces. The Meurens company in Aubel, near Liège, has produced fruit syrops since 1902 in the rural tradition of the Pays de Herve. The final recipe was developed in 1937, and registered in 1947 as le vrai sirop de Liège, the box showing the blossoming pear trees of Aubel. The sirop is made of pears, apples and dates, 400 g of fruit for 100 g of syrup, 700 g for the version with no sugar added.