♥︎Crunchy tofu with paksoi, leek & mushrooms

For ➍ 

400 g tofu 

marinade: 

4 tbs soy sauce 

4 tbs maple syrup 

1 tbs fresh ginger 

2 cloves garlic 

2 ts sesame oil 

2 ts tap water 

2 ts cornflour 

1 ts Sichuan spices 

wok: 

250 g wok noodles 

300 g paksoi 

2 cloves garlic 

2 shallots or 1 (red) onion 

2 spring onions 

1 stalk leek 

250 g mushrooms 

100 g peanuts or cashews 

½ bunch fresh coriander 

4 tbs fried onions optional, to finish [not heart-friendly]

peanut oil 

salt & pepper 

wok sauce: 

2 tbs soy sauce 

2 ts rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar 

2 ts sesame oil 

Cut the block of tofu lengthwise. Place the slices of tofu on a clean kitchen towel. Fold the towel closed and squeeze out the moisture. Place a weight on top and let it drain for a while. In the meantime, finely grate the garlic and ginger. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a mixing bowl. Remove the tofu from under the weight and cut into cubes of 2 cm. Mix with the marinade and make sure all the cubes are well covered. Put  in the refrigerator. 

Cook the wok noodles until al dente. Cook for 1 m less than indicated on the packaging (the noodles will continue to cook in the wok for a while). Save a cup of the cooking liquid to finish the sauce later. Finely chop the shallot and garlic. Cut the leek into fine rings, the pak choi into coarser pieces. Cut the mushrooms into strips. Finely chop the peanuts and coriander. Put everything to one side. Heat a generous dash of peanut oil in a (wok) pan on a high heat. Fry the tofu cubes on all sides until golden brown and crispy. Then remove them from the pan and set aside. Reuse the mixing bowl from the tofu marinade and mix all the ingredients for the wok sauce in it. Set aside. Heat a little new oil in the pan in which you fried the tofu on a medium to high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and fry. Then add the leek, pak choi and mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Then add the cooked wok noodles. Mix well. Finally, add the wok sauce and a cup of the cooking water from the noodles. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Serve the wok together with the fried tofu. Finish with fresh coriander, peanuts and fried onions(optional).

Snow peas with wasabi dressing & furikake

For ➍

wasabi dressing:

25 g wasabi paste

¾ tbs maple syrup

1½ tbs lemon juice

60 ml olive oil

salt

snow peas:

500 g snow peas

1 tbs vegetable oil

furikake:

2 tbs sesame seeds, toasted

1½ tbs nori flakes

½ tbs coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

1 ts sea salt flakes

Heat a grill pan.

Mix all the ingredients for the furikake in a small bowl and set aside.

Take a bowl in which all the snow peas will fit. First mix in the ingredients for the wasabi dressing, with ½ ts salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl, mix the snow peas with 1tbs of oil until coated on all sides. Then grill them in 3 portions, each about 4 m long. Turn halfway through so they get spots on both sides.

Slide the grilled snow peas into the bowl with the dressing. Toss to spread the dressing, arrange on a platter and pour over the remaining dressing. Sprinkle half of the furikake over the peas and serve the rest in a small bowl.

Furikake is a seasoning that is popular in Japan as a topping for rice, vegetables and fish. The taste is savory and salty, with typical ingredients: dried fish, seaweed flakes, sesame seeds, sugar, salt and glutamate. Furikake is also often used on poké bowls. You can buy it in Asian supermarket or online spice shops.

Roasted celeriac with apple, hazelnut & ponzu/maple dressing

For ➍ 
½ celeriac

1 apple

50 g hazelnuts

50 g arugula

olive oil

pepper & salt

dressing:

1½ tbs maple syrup

½ lemon (organic)

2 tbs olive oil (extra virgin)

1½ tbs ponzu**

pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wash the skin of the celeriac well. Cover a baking tray with baking paper. Lay the celeriac flat. Pierce the celeriac all over with a knife or fork. Brush the celeriac with olive oil. Season with salt. Place in the oven for 1 h. Brush the celeriac every 15 m with the olive oil that has run off. 

Cut the apple into wedges. 

Remove the celeriac from the oven. Cut into slices and then into slightly smaller pieces. Arrange them in a baking dish along with the apple wedges. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with extra olive oil. Raise the oven to 220°C and place in the oven for another 20 m. Turn halfway through. Roughly chop the hazelnuts. Roast them briefly in a non-stick pan, or put them in the oven. 

Make the dressing. Wash and grate the zest of the lemon and squeeze the juice. Mix with the maple syrup, the extra virgin olive oil and the ponzu**. Season with pepper. 

Serve the baking dish with the hazelnuts, arugula and dressing sprinkled on top.

*Or use the complete celeriac

**Replace with soy sauce

Pancakes with oatmeal, bananas, coconut & cottage cheese

For ➋

50 g finely grated coconut

50 g oatmeal

2 bananas

200 g cottage cheese

4 eggs

1 pinch of salt

coconut oil or butter

coconut flakes

maple syrup

Roast the oatmeal and grated coconut in a dry pan over medium heat, until the coconut turns light brown and smells like it all over the kitchen, after about 3 m. Place in a mixing bowl and then roast the coconut flakes for finishing. Mash 1 banana and add to the toasted oatmeal and grated coconut along with the rest of the ingredients. Mix into a firm batter.

Melt a little bit of coconut oil or butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bake the pancakes about 2 m on each side, count on a large tablespoon of batter per pancake. Depending on the size of the pan, you can bake several pancakes at the same time. *

The dough is fairly thick, so spread it out a bit with the back of a spoon for wider pancakes. If you want nice, round pancakes, spoon the batter into a greased cutter or cooking ring.

Stack the pancakes and finish with banana slices, the toasted coconut flakes and a good dash of maple syrup.

* Or put the dough in circles on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 12 m at 200 ° C. Then brown in a frying pan.

Easier recipe with 100 g of oatmeal, without banana and grated coconut.

Japanese fluffy pancakes

For ➌-➍ pancakes
2 eggs
18 cl buttermilk
½ ts vanilla
¼ ts salt
60 g flour
1 ts of yeast
¼ ts baking soda (or baking powder)
2 tbs vegetable oil
maple syrup

Put the eggs, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla and salt in a blender and mix at low speed for a few s.
Add flour, yeast and baking soda. Continue mixing for 15/20 s.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and spread the vegetable oil inside a crown mold*.
Pour the remaining oil into the pan and place the pan in the center.
Heat for a few m before pouring the pancake dough halfway up the pan.
Cook until bubbles form at the top of the pancake.
Use a spatula to gently flip it over and cook for another 3 m.**
Serve (with maple syrup if wanted. Or ice cream. Or put some butter on top before dripping the syrup].

*Make the form yourself: cut a thin sheet of cardboard into two long strips about 4 cm wide and 31 cm long. Do the same with parchment paper. Then staple the parchment paper onto the cardboard, form it into a circle shape, and staple it closed (with the parchment paper on the inside).
**Another method suggests cooking over really low heat, covering the pan with a lid, and slowly cooking for 20 m. When bubbles appear, flip over, put the lid on aigain and cook for 20 m more m.

Read about the Japanese cotton soft cheesecake.

Light avocado & tomato salad

For ➋-➍ as salad or side-dish
1 tbs minced shallot
1 tbs minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
½ ts Dijon mustard*
½ ts maple syrup
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
270 g gourmet tomato medley**
1 large avocado, pitted & thinly sliced
1 tbs fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped (for garnish)
100 g feta, crumbled***
salt & pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, combine the minced shallot, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and chopped parsley. Very slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Wash and pat dry the gourmet medley tomatoes. Slice the small tomatoes in half, and quarter the larger ones. Place the tomatoes in a large mixing bowl.
Pour half of the vinaigrette over the tomatoes. Toss to combine.
Arrange tomatoes in the center of a serving platter and drizzle additional vinaigrette over top, if desired. Arrange avocado slices around the tomatoes in a single or double layer.
Garnish the entire dish with crumbled feta and chopped fresh parsley. Alternatively, you can simply toss everything together and pour into a bowl or onto a plate.****

*gluten free if possible
**or cherry tomatoes
***or crumbled goat cheese or sliced halloumi
****serve as a side dish with roasted chicken, a hearty white fish, or grilled tofu kebabs

Maple & Dijon salmon

For ➋
500 g salmon in 2 fillets
1 tbs whole grain Dijon mustard
1 tbs maple syrup
½ tbs rosemary, minced
1 lemon zested
¼ ts salt
2 ts olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, maple syrup, lemon zest, rosemary and salt.
Drizzle the salmon with the olive oil and then rub the oil onto the salmon to ensure it's evenly coated. Salt and pepper both sides of the salmon.
Preheat the oven to 175°C.
Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add the salmon and then carefully spoon the mustard sauce over the salmon, trying not to spill any onto the pan.
Put the pan in the oven and bake until the salmon is cooked to your desired doneness.
Serve with grilled fennel.

See fish cooking time table.