Lemon risotto with fennel

For ➋

150 g risotto rice

50 cl warm vegetable stock

2 knobs of butter

50 g Parmigiano

1 small onion

splash dry white wine

1 lemon, juice & grated peel

1 fennel

75 g peas (frozen)

fresh basil

Chop the onion. Melt a knob of butter in a pan and fry the onion in it. Add the rice, stir and cook for a few m until it starts to turn translucent. Then deglaze with the white wine.

Clean and thinly slice the fennel and cut into strips. Add to the risotto rice. Then add a little of the stock and stir and wait until it is absorbed.

Grate the lemon and squeeze it. Add the juice and half of the grated lemon peel to the risotto rice as well. Meanwhile, keep adding stock little by little, stirring occasionally. Add the frozen peas after approx. 10 m. After a total time of about 20 to 25 m, the risotto is cooked, you may still have a little stock left.

Tear some basil into pieces and stir through the risotto together with the grated Parmesan and a knob of butter. Taste to see if the risotto might need a little more salt or pepper. When serving, garnish the risotto with some basil and grated lemon peel.

*For a non-vegetarian meal, it can be served with fried shrimps.

Lemon risotto with king shrimps & samphire

For ➍

1 l water

1 chicken stock cube

2 shallots

50 g unsalted butter

300 g risotto rice

125 ml dry white wine

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbs mild olive oil

225 g raw & peeled large shrimps, frozen

100 g samphire

1 lemon

50 g Parmigiano Reggiano

Bring a pan with the water and stock pellet to the boil. Lower the heat.

Meanwhile, chop the shallots. Heat half of the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan, add the shallots and fry 5 m over low heat. Add the risotto rice and fry for 3 m while stirring until the grains are translucent.

Add the wine and stir until incorporated into the rice. Add a soup ladle of hot stock to the rice and stir until the stock has been absorbed by the rice. Then add another spoon and repeat until the rice is cooked. This takes 20 m. The mixture should be viscous.

Defrost the shrimp. Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic. Towards the end of the risotto cooking time, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic and fry 1 m over medium heat. Add the shrimps and samphire and fry for 2-3 m. Toss regularly. Season with pepper.

Scrub the lemon, grate the yellow peel and squeeze half the fruit. Cut the other half into 4 wedges. Grate the cheese. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, cheese and rest of the butter. Season with pepper. Divide between the plates and spoon the shrimps with the samphire on top. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Risotto with prawns & zucchini

For ➍
400 g risotto rice
1 l chicken stock (or fish stock )
1 onion, cut into fine pieces
olive oil
16 big shrimps (scampi)
1 large zucchini, cut into 3 mm slices
1 tbs mild curry

a splash of lemon juice
[Parmegiano cheese, grated
60 g butter***]

Clean the shrimps by removing the intestine through a notch. Fry the shrimp in olive oil and add 1 tbs of mild curry, salt and pepper*.  Bake for 3-4 m**. When ready, remove the shells, and cut into bite-size pieces***.
Put some olive oil in the pan and cook the sliced zucchini for about 6 m.
Fry the onion in olive oil for 3 m, without browning. Add the rice and stir so that each grain of rice is surrounded by a shimmering layer of oil.
Pour a ladle stirring hot chicken broth or fish stock over it.
Let it boil quietly, stir and add each time the moisture has evaporated a ladle of broth.  Adjust salt & pepper after 10 m. Add some fresh lemon juice***. 5 m before the end of the cooking time (about 20 m), add the zucchini and shrimps and stir.
Remove from heat.
[Add the butter*** and cheese***] Finish with some broth, to make it moist and smooth. Serve on warm plates.

*Or prepare a marinade: 2-3 tbs of olive oil with 1-1.5 tbs of mild curry or vadouvan. Marinade for 15 m.
**Grilling is a good alternative.
***Optional. Remove [] ingrdients for heart-friendly version

Read the tip on making a quick risotto.

Chawan mushi (Japanese savoury custard)

For ➋
2 fresh eggs
20 cl cooled fish stock (add some sake (or sherry) & a dash of soy sauce)
1 shiitake, torn
6 large prawns, peeled*
2 tbs of parsley

Beat the eggs with a fork.

Add soup stock a little at a time while stirring the eggs.

Place the filling in individual earthenware cups. Pour in the mixture of egg and soup stock.

Cover with parsley.

Boil water in a steamer. Turn the heat down to medium. Place the cups in the steamer. Steam for 12 m.

*Or 200 g fresh white fish. Or a parboiled chicken breast, use with chicken stock.

The custard-like chawan mushi is a classic Japanese dish.
To add taste to the dish, fry or wok the ingredients, except the eggs.
You could pour water in a wok, with a divider for a larger cup. Heat the water with wok lid closed. When hot, put the cup with the ingredients in the wok and steam for about 15 m.
Try the similar Chinese steamed eggs or a modern fusion recipe.

Steamed eggs with prawns, mushrooms & scallops

For ➍
3 eggs
40 cl stock
½ ts salt
1 tbs rice wine
50 g prawns, shelled
10-15 g dried scallops, soaked in warm water until soft, tear into small pieces*
3 shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
5 cm knob of ginger, shredded
spring onion/scallion, shredded

Beat 3 eggs with salt and rice wine, then add in the stock.

Use 1 big or 4 small soup bowls to steam the eggs. Place half of prawns, mushrooms and dried scallops in the bowl(s).

Pour the egg mixture slowly into the bowl(s).**

Heat up a steamer or a wok, half filled with water. Put the bowl(s) into the steamer, lower the heat and let it cook for 10 m. The egg custard should be wobbly.

Carefully place the remaining prawns, mushrooms and dried scallops on the surface of the egg custard. Let it steam for another 3-5 m until the egg custard is cooked.

Serve with shredded spring onions and ginger.

*Use fresh or thawed scallops instead.
**If bubbles appear, straighten with a piece of paper.

Versatile versions of steamed eggs are a common dish in Chinese households. It can include almost anything: minced pork, fish slices or clams, pig's intestines or duck liver.

Try the similar Japanese chawan mushi.

Risotto with mushrooms, shrimps & saffron

For ➍
250 g mushrooms
300 g carnaroli rice
1 onion
1.3 liters vegetable stock
40 cl white wine
2 tbs butter
250 g North Sea shrimps
1 ts saffron threads
lemon juice

Fry the chopped onion in tbs of butter, add the risotto rice and stir carefully.
Add wine and let cook briefly.
Add the vegetable stock and saffron and cook about 17 minutes over medium fire.
Cut the mushrooms. Cook them in 1 tbs of butter and a hefty drop of lemon juice.
When the rice is al dente, add the mushrooms and shrimps.
Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Read tip for a quick risotto.

Gerookte tomaat-garnaal (smoked tomato with shrimps)

For ➏
2 tbs of wood chips
250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
pepper & salt
2 scallions, chopped
100 g sour cream
1 lime, zeste
olive oil
250 g shrimps
1 head little gem lettuce, finely chopped

Place a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom of a cooking pot. Sprinkle the wood chips over and cover again with a sheet of aluminum foil followed by a (cake) grid. Carefully place the cherry tomatoes on the rack and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the cooking pot with a lid so that no smoke can escape. Place the pot on a high heat until the smoke circulation starts. Then turn the heat down and let smoke for 4 to 5 m. Carefully remove the tomatoes from the pot and let cool for a while.*
Mix the scallions with the tomatoes and spread in the glasses or jars.
Mix the sour cream with the lime zest, some olive oil, pepper and salt and mix with the shrimp. Put the shrimps on the tomatoes.
Finish with the finely chopped little gems.

*Use grilled cherry tomatoes instead.

Crab claws with fennel & tomatoes

For ➍
900 g cooked crab claws
1 fennel
400 g cherry tomatoes
2 spring onions
2 shallots
2 dl vermouth
2 dl white wine
3.8 dl of fish stock
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 sprig of fresh thyme
2 leaves of laurel

Slice the fennel and the spring onions. Press the clove of garlic. Shred the shallots and stew them in the olive oil. Add the fennel along with the crushed clove of garlic. Cook for 10 m until everything is soft. Add the thyme and bay leaves and extinguish with the vermouth, white wine and fish stock. Add the cherry tomatoes and allow to cook for 10 m. Add the crab claws and let it get hot for a while.
Finish with the spring onion and serve.

Zomersmeus (mashed potatoes with tomatoes & North Sea shrimps)

For ➋
handfull basil, chopped
125 g cherry tomatoes, halved
⅓ lime, juiced
10 cl sour cream
250 g unpeeled North Sea shrimps @ room temperature
2 big potatoes, unpeeled* & washed
½ kg coarse salt
olive oil
pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 ° C.
Put the coarse salt in a thick layer on an oven plate.
Wash and dry the potatoes. Place the potatoes on the salt layer. Cook them cook in the oven for about 30-45 m.*
Meanwhile, peel the shrimps.
Remove the potatoes from the oven.
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a (stew) pan over a low heat. Do not let the oil get too hot. Halve the baked potatoes and spoon out the mash.
Put the potatoes in the pan with oil and crush it with a fork. Make sure the potatoes do not bake. Season with pepper and add the sour cream, lime juice and possibly a small splash of water.
Stir the cherry tomatoes and the chopped basil leaves in the potatoes just before serving.
Divide the potatoes over the plates. Sprinkle the shrimps over the potatoes.

*Or just cook or steam  the (peeled) potatoes until soft with a bite in a traditional way.

**Or slice a coeur de boeuf tomato. Sprinkle with olive, salt & pepper.

This is a summery variation on a classic Flemish dish smeus.

Steamed scallops with ginger, soy, sesame oil & spring onions

For ➍
16 scallops, in the shell
1 ts fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tbs sesame oil
2 tbs dark soy sauce
1 tbs coriander, roughly chopped
3 spring onions, thinly sliced

Pour 2.5 cm of water into the base of a wide shallow pan and bring it up to the boil.
Loosen the scallops from their shells but leave them in place. Sprinkle each one with some of the ginger.
Arrange the scallops, in batches if necessary, on a petal steamer. Lower them into the pan, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for about 4 m until just set. Remove and keep warm while you cook the rest. Meanwhile, put the sesame oil and soy sauce into a small pan and warm through.
Lift the scallops onto 4 warmed plates and pour over some of the warm soy sauce and sesame oil. Sprinkle over the coriander and spring onions and serve immediately.

Zucchini pasta with lemon garlic shrimp

For ➍
4 medium zucchini
30-40 raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs garlic, minced
1 lemon, juice and zest
10 cl white wine
2 tbs parsley, chopped
salt & pepper

Wash and cut the ends off each zucchini. Using a spiral slicer, make zucchini noodles. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in one flat layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 m without stirring. You want the side to get a little crispy.
Add the garlic, then stir the shrimp for another minute, trying to get them all cooked on the other side. Once the shrimp are cooked, use a large spoon to remove them the from the pan. Set aside on a plate.
Add the lemon juice, lemon zest and white wine to the pan. Bring to a boil for 2-3 m while stirring.
Add the zucchini noodles and parsley to the pan. Stir for 30 s to heat and combine. Add the shrimp and stir for another m. You do not want to "cook" the noodles, just heat. They'll become limp and mushy very quickly.
Serve immediately.

Cajun shrimp & guacamole

For ➍
4 tbs butter
1 tbs Cajun seasoning*
500 g medium (or extra-large) shrimp, peeled & deveined
3 avocados
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup thinly sliced scallions
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
zest of 1 lemon
1 tbs (or more to your liking) fresh lemon juice
coarse salt & freshly ground pepper

Melt half the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add ½ tbs of the Cajun seasoning to the butter. Stir it all in. Let it bloom and fall in love. Add half the shrimp and sear on one side for 2 m. Flip and sear another m or so. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining butter and Cajun seasoning. Bloom for a second, then add the remaining shrimp. Set shrimp aside.
Half each avocado and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh into a big bowl. Add the red bell peppers, scallion, onions, lemon zest and juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mash it all together with your fork, until it’s smooth, but still good and chunky.
Taste it. Add salt and pepper and more lemon juice to your liking.

Quick prawn curry

For ➋
250 g large prawns
20 g butter
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 ts curry
2 witloof endives, sliced
2 tbs of chives

Wash and dry the prawns.
Heat the butter and garlic. Add the curry.
Add the prawns. Bake 2-3 m on each side.
Add the sliced endives. Cook for 1 m longer. Add a dash of whiskey, bourbon or pernod, if wanted, or lemon juice.
Sprinkle with chives. Serve with garlic bread.

Trapani couscous

For ➍
300 g couscous
1½ tablet fish broth
500 g prawns raw & unpeeled (thawed)
190 g toasted almonds
15 g coriander
20 g flat leaf parsley
10 cl extra virgin olive oil
250 g cherry tomatoes on the branch
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, cut into half rings

Put the couscous in a large bowl. Dissolve 1 broth tablet in 35 cl of boiling water. Pour over the couscous and stir. Leave covered for 10 m. Stand.
Meanwhile peel the prawns, saving the tails. With a sharp knife remove the gut.
Put the almonds, coriander, parsley and oil in a high cup and puree with a hand blender until pesto.
Stir in the couscous with a fork. Keep 2 tbs almond pesto apart and mix the rest with the couscous. Season with pepper and a little salt. Place the tomatoes on the stem on top*.
Heat 1 tbs pesto in a frying pan and fry the garlic for 1 m. Add the onion and cook for 4 m. Add 25 cl of boiling water and ½ tablet of stock. Bring to the boil and simmer 2 minutes. Simmer.
Add the shrimp to the sauce and simmer for 5 m or until done.
Put the sauce in a bowl and toss the rest of the pesto through. Serve with couscous.

*Or add to the pesto.

The Sicilian town of Trapani was founded bij Greek colonists, conquered by Phoenicians, Carthago and Rome. Under Muslim rule, it became an important port for the sale of salt. It is still very close to Africa and continues the culinary traditions. The pesto is adapted from Genuese sailors, coming to Sicily, using local products as tomatoes and almonds.

Baked tiger prawns & green tagliatelle

For ➍
20 tiger prawns
soft spices (paprika & curry)
olive oil
salt & pepper
200 g green tagliatelle
1 dl cream
2 glasses of white wine
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
fresh parsley

Cut the shallots into brunoise. Add the wine. Boil and reduce to ¼.
Add the cream. Reduce until you got a thick sauce, thicken with a few cubes of cold butter, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and finish with some olive oil.
Bake the tiger shrimp in a pan with olive oil and crushed garlic. Season with salt, pepper and sweet spices. When they are cooked, garnish with chopped parsley.
Serve the tagliatelle with tiger prawns and sauce.

Pad hed eryngii kap koong (eryngii with prawns @ wok)

For ➍
450 g fresh prawns
150 g eryngii mushrooms*
75 g scallions, cut in 5 cm pieces
2 tbs vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
pitch of pepper

Clean eryngii mushroom or wipe the mushrooms with wet clean cloth if there is not much dirt and cut into site bite.
Clean and remove the prawns shell but leave the tails for good appearance.
Then cut open the back of each shrimp to remove the veins.
Heat oil in wok over high heat. Wait until the oil is smoky, and then add minced garlic and prawns for fry until turn to pink.
Add mushroom, oyster sauce, soy sauce and water and all ingredients in the wok.
Stir quickly for 2-3 m, then turn down the heat.
Transfer to a serving place. Sprinkle with spring onion and pepper.
Serve immediately with hot steamed rice.

*Use oyster mushrooms instead.

Yokohama doria (Japanese shrimp & rice gratin)

For ➋
½ tbs butter
½ small onion, thinly sliced
4 white mushrooms, thinly sliced
8 - 10 medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
300 g steamed rice*
½ tbs butter
sauce**:
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
20 cl milk
½ ts salt
½ ts consomme powder
topping:
2 tbs grated Parmigiano cheese (optional)

Melt 2 tbs of butter in a sauce pan on low heat. Put 2 tbs of flour in the butter. Cook it, stirring well. When it bubbles, pour in milk. Constantly stir the sauce, using a whisk. Season with salt and consomme powder. Cook it until thickened. Set aside.
Melt ½ tbs of butter in a skillet. Saute onion on low heat until softened. Add mushrooms and shrimp and stir-fry until cooked. Pour in white sauce and mix with the ingredients. Preheat oven to 220°C. Warm up rice in the microwave if it's cold.
Melt ½ tbs of butter in the rice and stir lightly. Place the rice in baking dishes. Pour shrimp in cream sauce over the rice. Sprinkle Parmigiano cheese over the sauce. Bake in the oven for 10 -15 m until lightly browned.
Serve.

*Read the tip on steamed rice.
**Read the tip on a quick white sauce.

Doria was created by a Swiss chef in 1927 at the Yokohama New Grand Hotel, catering to Europeans. It was a variant of a Parisian Italian style dish. In Japanese doria, cooked rice is topped with sauteed ingredients, such as chicken or seafood in white sauce.
Postcard of blooming cherry trees in 1912 at Yokohama harbour.

Garlic scampi @ microwave

For ➍
100 g butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
½ ts salt
⅛ ts white pepper
500 g medium prawns, peeled & deveined

In a shallow microwave baking dish, combine all ingredients except shrimp. Cook, uncovered, on high power for 3-4 m or until butter is melted and mixture is hot, stirring once during cooking.
Add shrimp and stir to coat. Cover with microwave safe plastic wrap, venting one corner, on high for 3-5 m or until shrimp curl and turn pink. Let stand on solid surface, covered, for 3-5 m before serving.
Serve with rice or linguini pasta for as a main course, or with good bread as a starter.

Garnalenomelet (Omelet with North Sea shrimps)

For ➍
4 eggs
10 cl soy cream
1 tbs fish stock
125 g peeled shrimps
2 tbs chopped chives
soy butter

Beat the eggs with the soy cream and fish stock.
Mix in the chives.
Bake the omelet into a pan with some soy butter.
Brown, bake @ns broil for 3 m on a low heat.
Sprinkle the shrimps and some extra chives on the omelet.
Serve as a breakfast with some rocket. Add extra fibers by eating fruit.

Brussels sprouts & shrimps @ wok

For ➋ (➍ as a starter)
220 g shrimps, peeled & deveined
1 ts rice wine
pinch of white pepper
2 tbs oil
25 grams ginger root, peeled & julienned
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
7 Brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved
1 ts (Thai) fish sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
3 spring onions, cut into 3 cm chunks

Add salt and pepper to the rice wine. Marinate the shrimps in it, for 5-10 m.
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until it begins to color.*
Add the prawns and stir-fry half cooked, add the sprouts and stir-fry until the sprouts are just tender.
Add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and onions to mix well.
Serve with rice.

*Read tip on using ginger/ garlic in wok.