♥︎Smashed Asian cucumber salad

For ➍ 

2 seedless cucumbers (about 600 g) 

1 ts salt 

2½ ts sugar 

2 ts sesame oil 

3 ts light soy sauce 

1½ tbs rice vinegar 

2-4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped) 

1-2 ts chili oil (optional)* 

2 ts toasted sesame seeds 

a small handful of chopped coriander 

Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry with a clean towel. 

Make the salad dressing by combining the salt, sugar, sesame oil, light soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Set aside. 

On a cutting board, lay a large knife flat against the cucumber, and smash it lightly with your other hand. The cucumber should crack open and smash into four sections. Repeat along its full length. Once the whole cucumber is completely open (usually into 4 long sectional pieces), cut it at a 45-degree angle into bite-sized pieces. 

In a large bowl, mix the cut cucumber with the prepared dressing, garlic and chili oil. Toss it well. 

Serve, garnished with sesame seeds and coriander. 

*If you prefer to omit the chili oil, heat up 1 tbs of oil in a pan and drizzle it over the cucumber. 

Marinated fennel with goat cheese & capers

For ➍ as a side dish, for ➋ as a main 

1 fennel bulb 

1 tbs fennel seed 

½ ts sea salt 

1.5 dl virgin olive oil 

2 tbs capers oil (for frying) 

1 soft fresh soft goat cheese, French 

1-1.5 lemon 

Grind the fennel seed with the sea salt in a mortar (but not necessarily until it is a homogeneous powder) and mix the result with the olive oil.* Scrape the fennel into thin ribbons with a mandolin. Mix them generously with the fennel oil* and let them marinate (that is allowed overnight, but half an hour is also good). 

Rinse the capers and pat them dry. Heat a little oil in a saucepan and fry the capers until they get a meaty texture with crispy edges. Let them drain.** 

Sprinkle the capers over the fennel and serve with the goat cheese. Serve with crusty bread, which you can dip in the soft cheese and marinade. 

*Make a lower calories lemon oil marinade with 2tbs olive oil, juice & grated peel of 1-1.5 lemon. Add the fennel seeds & salt. 

**Don't fry the capers when short in time.

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.

Spinaci con funghi (Puglia spinach & mushrooms)

For ➍

4 tbs olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

300 g fresh mushrooms, sliced

250 g clean fresh spinach, roughly chopped

2 tbs balsamico

10 cl white wine

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in the oil until they start to become tender. Add the mushrooms, and fry until they begin to shrink, about 3 to 4 m. Toss in the spinach, and fry, stirring constantly for a few m, or until spinach is wilted.

Add the vinegar, stirring constantly until it is absorbed, then stir in the white wine. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until the wine has almost completely absorbed.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with fresh parsley.  Serve hot. 

Fenneru no shiomomi ponzu (quick Japanese fennel salad)

For ➋ 

1 large fennel bulb

½ ts salt

ponzu or lemon juice

pepper (optional)

Cut the green parts off the fennel bulb.  Cut the bulb in half, then slice very thinly. Sprinkle with salt. Massage the slices firmly with your hand until they are softened.

You can store this in the refrigerator, well covered, for 3-4 days like this if you like. 

When using, drain off any excess moisture, and sprinkle with a little bit of lemon juice or ponzu and optionally, black pepper.

Serve as a salad or a side-dish.

*Serve with salmon sashimi.

Shiomomi, massaging vegetables with salt, can be used with 

shredded cabbage

thinly sliced daikon radish (mouli)

thinly sliced Japanese turnip (the small white kind), or larger Chinese turnip (Western turnip is a bit too woody)

thinly sliced celeriac

thinly sliced onion

cucumber, thinly slices or cut into chunks

cut up Chinese (napa) cabbage

cough outer leaves of cos or romaine lettuce

Just sprinkle a little salt on the vegetables, and scrunch them up well with your impeccably clean hands. Optionally add some dried chili pepper flakes for spiciness. You can eat the massaged vegetables immediately, or store it in the refrigerator for a few days. Shiomomi is closely related to instant pickles, but even easier since you are just relying on the inherent flavors of the vegetables you are using.

Easy salmon sashimi

For ➋ 

250 g sushi rice

33 cl water

3 tbs sushi vinegar

2 tbs sugar or mirin

½ ts salt

150 g sliced salmon sashimi

Rinse the rice 3-4 times. Drain.

Add the water, cover and bring to boil. Cook covered for 10 m.

Close the fire and let the covered rice rest for 20 m.

If wanted, mix the vinegar, sugar or mirin and the salt to the cold rice.

Rub salmon lightly with rice vinegar and mirin (salt or light soy  sauce optional)

Cover with sliced salmon.

Serve.

* Serve with fennel salad if wanted.

Indian spiced cauliflower

For ➍
2 tbs ghee*

2 ts chilli powder 

2 ts ground cumin 

2 ts ground coriander 

2 ts turmeric 

2 ts ground black pepper 

1 cauliflower, broken into small florets 

25 g tamarind paste (optional)** 

25 cl boiling water 

1 tbs vinegar 

salt 

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the ghee (or oil if using). Add the spices and fry for 2-3 ms, or until fragrant. 

Add the cauliflower and stir to coat the florets with the spice mixture. 

Stir the tamarind paste (if using) into the boiling water. Add the tamarind-water mixture to the pan with the cauliflower and stir in the vinegar. Season to taste with salt. Bring the pan to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-6 m, or until the cauliflower is tender. 

Serve as a vegan dish or as a side-dish for chicken curry, or braised chicken legs.

*Or use vegetable oil

**Or mix 15 g dates syrup with 5-10 cl lemon juice as substitute

Braised fennel with lemon

For ➋ or ➍ (as side dish)

3 fennel bulbs, quartered

15-25 cl water**

8 cl olive oil

2 ts ground fennel seeds

2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice* 

1 tbs chopped fennel fronds

Arrange the fennel in a large skillet. Add enough water to the pan to come at lease halfway up the sides of the fennel. **

Drizzle the fennel with the olive oil, sprinkle with the fennel seeds and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Bring the fennel to a simmer, cover and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan every now and then, until the fennel is tender, 20-30 m.** 

Remove the lid for the last few m of cooking to allow the liquid to reduce and thicken. 

Stir in the lemon juice* and fennel fronds. 

Serve the fennel drizzled with the thickened cooking liquid. 

Serve with roasted chicken, grilled halibut or salmon, grilled or roasted meats. 

*Use fresh blood orange juice instead.

**Chop the fennel, add 4 tbs blood orange juice, 2 tbs olive oil, cover and cook in the microwave (about 7 m for 500 g fennel). Serve with cherry tomatoes and fregola, and roasted salmon.

Roasted pointed cabbage

For ➍

1 pointed cabbage (+/- 500 g)

4 tbs olive oil

2 tbs mustard

1 tbs lemon juice

pinch of salt

75 g grated Emmenthal

handful of pine nuts *

 

Preheat the  oven to 180 ° C.  Grease an oven dish.

Make a dressing with olive oil, mustard, lemon juice and salt.

Cut the pointed cabbage in half lengthwise and cut in half so that you get nice pointed quarters. Remove unsightly leaves and the hard core.

Coat the quarters with the dressing, use your hands or a brush to get it between the leaves as much as possible. Place the pointed cabbage in the oven dish and grate cheese over it.

Bake the cabbage quarters 30 m in the oven or until done and the cheese is crispy. Put if necessary 5 m per quarter in the microwave.

Roast pine nuts or other nuts or seeds of your choice briefly in a dry frying pan and chop roughly.

Sprinkle the roasted seeds, nuts or seeds over the cabbage just before serving. Serve with chicken meat balls as a main course.

*optionally

Kinoko takikomi gohan (Japanese mushroom rice)

For ➏
600 g (3 cups) Japanese premium short-grain rice (or substitute with brown rice)
70 cl (3 cups) dashi stock (substitute with 3 cups water mixed with 1 ts dried bonito dashi powder)*
3 tbs soy sauce (shoyu)
2 tbs mirin
1 tbs cooking sake
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
15 cl (1 cup) water (for reconstituting dried shiitake mushrooms; this reserve liquid is to be combined with the dashi stock)
100 g (½ cup) of fresh mixed mushrooms (shimeji mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, and hiratake mushrooms)

Wash and rinse rice until water runs clear. Drain and set aside in rice cooker**.
Rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms in 15 cl water for 30-60 m. Remove shiitake mushrooms and squeeze excess water from them.
Reserve the soaking liquid.
Slice rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and either slice or break apart fresh mushrooms with your hands into large bite-sized pieces.
Add soy sauce, mirin, and sake to the washed rice in the rice cooker**.
Add reserved shiitake liquid to a large measuring cup. Add water to the reserved shiitake liquid until a total of 3 cups is measured. Otherwise, measure a total of 3 cups of liquid, combining the reserved shiitake liquid and water.
Add 1 ts dried bonito dashi powder (or konbu dashi) and dissolve the powder with the water and reserved shiitake liquid mixture to make a dashi stock.
Add this combined dashi stock to the rice cooker to make 3 cups of liquid according to the measuring guide indicated within the inner bowl of your rice cooker**. If more liquid is needed to meet the 3-cup marker indicated on the inner rice cooker bowl, add water.
Add dried shiitake slices and fresh mushroom mixture to the rice. Gently incorporate all of the ingredients. Steam the rice according to the instructions provided with your rice cooker**.
After the rice is steamed, allow it to rest in the rice cooker** for 10 m.
Gently mix the rice and serve.

*Substitute katsuo (bonito fish) dashi with konbu (kelp) dashi for a vegan dish.
**Steam the rice on a stove-top instead. Use same volume of rice and liquid (like 1½ cup for 2-4 persons. 1½ cup uncooked rice will make 4½ cup steamed rice)
[optional]: rinse the rice in 2 or 3 changes of water until it runs clear and not milky. It will make the rice less sticky.
[optional]: soak the rice for at least 30 m to give it a softer texture.
Add the rice to the pan.
Either use your hand or gently shake the pan to make sure the rice level is even.
Start by adding the same volume of water/liquid. Then place your middle finger on top of the rice and continue adding water until it just reaches just to the first knuckle of your middle finger.
Bring the water to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat. You want to see bubbles gently forming around the edges of the pot.
Cover, turn the heat down to low, and let the rice simmer for about 20-22 m, until all the water is absorbed and the grains are soft.
Turn the heat off. Leave the pot on the burner and let the rice sit, covered, for another 10 m.
Fluff and serve.

Or combine the rice with Japanese mushroom recipes like salted mushrooms an/or shimeji.

Caponata

For ➍
2 eggplants
½ celery
2 medium onions
2 tbs pine nuts
6 tbs traditional olive oil
400 g canned tomatoes
200 g green olives stuffed with lemon
5 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs granulated sugar
2 tbs raisins
2 tbs capers
15 g fresh basil

Cut the aubergine into 1½ cm pieces and sprinkle with salt. Leave standing for 5 m. Pat dry with kitchen paper. 
Meanwhile, cut the green celery and chop finely. Cut the stems into thin arcs. Slice the onion in thin rings. Heat a frying pan without oil or butter and roast the pine nuts 3 m golden brown. Let cool on a plate. 
Heat half of the oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry half of the eggplant golden brown . Remove from pan and repeat with rest of oil and eggplant. Put all the eggplant together in the pan, mix with the onion and celery and bake for4 m. Add the diced tomatoes, olives, vinegar and sugar. 
Stew with the lid diagonally on the pan over low heat for 30 m until done. 
After 15 m, add the pine nuts, raisins and capers. 
To prevent sticking, toss from time to time. Season with pepper and salt if desired.
Remove from heat and toss in the basil leaves and celery greens.

* Delicious with grilled fish, or / and couscous or ciabatta.
** You can also eat this dish as a starter.
*** You can eat the salad warm, lukewarm or cold.
**** You can make this dish two days in advance, but don't add the basil until just before serving. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

Grilled aubergine with pomegranate & pistachio

For ➍
3 eggplants
¼ ts turmeric
1 tbs garam masala
peanut oil
3 tbs pistachios
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint
1 pomegranate
2 shallots
1 clove garlic
1 tbs sugar cubes*
3 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp pilipili

Peel the garlic and shallots. Chop finely.
Chop the coriander and mint leaves until you have 1 tbs of each.
Remove the seeds from the pomegranate.
Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots, garlic, sugar, vinegar, pilipili and 3 tbs water.
Boil for 1 m, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stir in the chopped coriander, mint and 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds.
Rinse the salt from the aubergines and pat them dry.
Mix 3 tbs oil with the garam masala and turmeric into a paste and brush the aubergine slices with it.
Heat the grill pan and fry them on both sides in beautiful, black lines.
Arrange them in a baking dish. Sprinkle with oil and continue cooking until the aubergines are soft.
Arrange the slices on a serving dish and spoon the dressing over it.
Garnish with the rest of the pomegranate seeds, mint leaves and coriander.
Sprinkle with pistachios and serve.
Serve as an opener or as a side dish at e.g. grilled lamb crown.

* Replace if necessary by honey. Or replace the wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar for a sweeter taste.

Spinach salad with balsamico vinaigrette

For ➋
100-125 g spinach, rinsed & dried
2 small cucumbers or ½ cucumber
200 g grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
shaved Parmigiano
balsamico vinaigrette

Rinse spinach and spin dry. Transfer to a large salad bowl.
Slice cucumbers, thinly slice carrots and halve cherry tomatoes. Toss all the veggies into the salad.
In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients: 2 tbs balsamico, 2 tbs olive oil, ½ ts salt and ¼ ts pepper. Briskly whisk or shake the dressing ingredients together.
Sprinkle the top with Parmigiano and drizzle the salad with balsamico vinaigrette.

Rucola salad

For ➍
100 g rucola
150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 scallions, cut into rings
2 tbs chopped walnuts
juice of ½ lime
olive oil

Mix the cherry tomatoes, the spring onions and the walnuts under the arugula. Season the salad with the lime juice, olive oil, pepper and salt.
Serve with endives tortilla, or omelet.

Risotto con i piselli (pea risotto)

For ➍
6 tbs olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
200 g Arborio rice
5 dl vegetable stock
100 g cooked peas
100 g (salted) butter

Heat a little oil in a pan over a gentle heat and fry the onion until soft. Add the rice and toast for 5 m. Slowly add vegetable stock, stirring continuously. Half way through the cooking time, add the peas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Once cooked (20 m), remove from heat and stir in the butter to create a creamy texture. Taste the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Serve with the Coniglio al Vesuvio (1) the rabbit stew.

Read the tip on making a quick risotto.

Ri­sot­to ag­li spina­ci (spinach risotto)

For ➍
320 g carnaroli rice (vialone nano, arborio)
175 g fresh spinach
50 g celery, finely diced*
70 cl vegetable stock
a small glass of white wine*
60 g grated Parmigiano**
½ (red) onion
1 garlic clove, crushed
40 g extra virgin olive oil
knob of butter
salt & pepper

Blanch the spinach and then chop it finely.***
In a pan, pour in some extra virgin olive oil. Cook the crushed garlic clove, until brown. Remove the garlic and add the onion, finely chopped (add the celery if used). Cook the onion (& celery) until it becomes transparent. You can then add the spinach, stir, and season to taste. Set aside. (When using purée, add the spinach after cooking the rice).
In a casserole, toast the rice with 20 gr of extra virgin olive oil. When the rice is hot throughout, (add the wine and let evaporate), the boiling stock all at once and mix gently. Cover the casserole with the lid and allow to cook for 15 m on a low flame.(See tip).
When the rice is cooked, add the spinach, remove from the fire and add the grated Parmigiano (or Taleggio). Mix thoroughly but gently until the cheese melts.
Allow to rest for 2 m in casserole with lid on and covered with a cloth.
Serve with a few lemon slices, or sprinkle with some lemon juice.
Serve as a side dish with grilled fish or meat.

*Optional.
**Or use cubed Taleggio, rind removed & cut into small blocks
***Purée them if you want. Put the spinach in a bowl lined with a clean dish towel. Pour boiling water over the vegetable. When cold enough to handle, squeeze the water out of the spinach with the towel. Purée in a food processor with 1 tbs of butter. Adjust with pepper.

Read how to make a quick risotto.

Mediterranean roasted vegetables

For ➍
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
1 large red pepper
1 large green pepper
2 medium zucchini
1 medium sweet potato (or 500 green beans or 150 g mushrooms)
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cut all the vegetables into 1.5 cm wide pieces.
Put in a large roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover the pan with foil and roast for 20 m, then uncover and roast for 20-30 m more, until the sweet potato chunks are tender when pierced with a paring knife. The veggies should be soft and sweet.*
Serve hot or at room temperature or toss with pasta, top a pizza, stir into soup, stuff a sandwich or wrap, or toss with vinaigrette for a salad.

*Cool on a rack, then divide them into servings to keep in the fridge for a week or the freezer for about 3 months.

Gremolada 2

For ➍
1 unwaxed lemon, zest finely grated
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
3 tbs flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
pinch of sea salt

Mix together ingredients.
Serve with ossobuco alla Milanese.

Try a slightly different gremoloda, mostly used when making tomato-based ossobuco.

Risotto alla Milanese (Milanese saffron risotto)

For ➍
350 g uncooked Arborio rice
40 g unsalted butter, divided*
3 tbs (or 60 g) beef marrow*
1 l beef stock
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp saffron powder
15 cl dry white wine
salt to taste
75 g Parmigiano cheese

Melt half of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Simmer the onion and beef marrow* in the butter for about 10 m. When the onion is soft, remove the onion and marrow from the pan using a slotted spoon, and set aside.**
Sauté the rice in the pan over medium heat for 5 to 7 m, or until lightly toasted. Stir constantly so the rice will not stick and burn. Stir in one ladle of beef stock, and keep stirring until it is mostly absorbed, ladling and stirring in more of the broth as well as the white wine in the same manner, until the rice is almost al dente. Stir in the saffron, remaining butter, and Parmigiano cheese. cheese. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 4 or 5 m.
Serve as a bed for ossobuco alle Milanese. Or by itself with as much Parmigiano cheese sprinkled over as you like.

*If not using beef marrow, use 90 g butter.
**Or leave the onions in the butter.

Risotto alla Milanese is about the only risotto served as a side dish.
Read the tip to make a quick fool-proof risotto.
Read another recipe for a saffron risotto.

Vegetables terrine

For ➋
1 big black or white radish or daikon
600 g vegetables (leek, carrot, radish, okra, cauliflower, yellow pepper, green asparagus)
salt
15 g agaragar flakes

Cut large slices of the radish with a peeler. Cut the rest of the vegetables into thick strips.
Bring 2 liters of salted water to the boil. Blanch the vegetables type by species briefly in the boiling water. Let them cool on a piece of kitchen paper. Keep approximately 24 cl of the cooking water apart.
Line a terrine (or several smaller shapes) with the slices of radish ash and keep a few slices on the side. Arrange the vegetables in the terrine.
Heat the stored water to the boiling point and stir in agar agar flakes until they are completely dissolved. Simmer for 10 m. Allow to cool slightly and pour the water into the vegetables. Close the terrine with the remaining slices of radish and press everything. Allow the whole to set for at least 6 h in the refrigerator.
Remove the terrine from the mold and cut into thick slices, if the smaller molds are just in two bite-sized pieces.