Sage Roasted Eggplant with Orange Fennel Salad and Black Pepper Caper Sauce

I have never been the biggest fan of eggplant, but this blew me away. Perfect consistency,  full diversity and harmony of flavors. Completely satisfying.

(Could have done better presentation perhaps, but was hungry)

Primo
Fennel, medium spring onion, orange sliced. Drizzle with olive oil, red wine vinegar. Add sea salt and black pepper.

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Secondo
Eggplant (italian variety with less seeds) sliced in half, stap holes to insert garlic slices and olive oil
Drizzle and rub with olive oil
Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper, minced sage, dried oregano leaves

200 C for 20 minutes. Near finished, cut again into quarters and turn over for few more minutes. Turn again, lay on pecorino cheese slices, turn off oven and let melt.

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Mayonnaise, sourcream, capers (a little juice), lemon juice, salt, sugar, black pepper (heavy), four seasons pepper (opt), spicy chili powder.
(quicker, lighter hollandaise sauce)

If you prefer a lighter palette than it is just as good without the sauce and cheese, you can sprinkle with a little parmesan instead. If you decide to eat the fennel salad on the side, it helps freshen the flavor experience so you do not get bogged down with the flavors of eggplant. Eat bite is savory and enlivening.

Enjoy!

Rajma - Kidney Bean Curry

2 tbs Ghee or olive oil
1/4 cumin seeds
pinch garam marsala
until pops

2 med red onions sliced
2 tbs garlic ginger paste
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbs chili powder

1/4 tsp all spice
2 tbs ginger garlic paste
add a little water
1/4 tsp all spice

1/4 c. tomato sauce
1/2 tsp fine salt

lower heat
1/4 c. milk or heavy cream (helps reduce spice intensity)
cooked kidney beans with 1/3 cup remaining water (as desired)

1 tbs fresh/dried cilantro leaves

Serve with tortilla* or basmati rice

Fresh carrot celery juice on the side

Compliments of Shikha! Best cooking lesson

KLM Carl Siegert Dutch Bread

Whole Wheat Bread - Volkorenbrood

Ingredients:
4 cups whole wheat flour (500g)
2/3 Tbsp salt (10g)
1 1/5 cups cold tap water (300ml)
1 1/2 Tbsp Live Yeast (20g)
additional 1/2 cup (100ml) water
olive oil

Preparation:
Mix the flour and salt in a pile on flat surface. Make a well in the middle, make sure that all sides is an even thickness. The well should measure about 8 inches across (about 20 cm). Dissolve the fresh yeast in the water, by rubbing the yeast between thumb and forefinger until it's dissolved. Add the water slowly. Using the tips of your fingers start amalgamating the edges of the flour with the water and keep mixing until it starts forming a thoroughly mixed dough.
Start kneading the dough. Knead for 15 minutes (you can also use a mixer with a dough hook attachment). Add up to 1/2 cup of additional water, making sure the dough is wet but sloppy. after 15 minutes dough should feel wet and supple (spongy) but not sticky.
Form a ball with the dough and wrap it in a clean, warm, damp tea towel. Allow to rise for 30-45 minutes at room temperature. The dough will increase by about 1/3 volume. Remove the tea towel, pummel the dough with your fists and then form it back into a ball, wrap in the tea towel and again allow to rise for 30-45 minutes. Grease a bread tin with olive oil. Wet the work surface, remove the tea towel from the dough and press flat on work surface. Form the dough into a sausage shape and place in bread tin. Cover the bread to rise for another 30 minutes until increased by 1/3.
Preheat oven to 428 degrees F (220 C). Reduce temperature to 392 degrees F (200 C0 and place bread in oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove the bread and allow to cool on wire rack.

Carl Siegert
bakkers sinds 1891

I had this on the way home from Hamburg as a chicken salad sandwich. It was one of the best slider sandwiches I have had, let alone on an airplane. KLM was a good airline to fly with.
]

Roasted Pumpkin with Sage Cinnamon Lentils and Sweet Red Onion Bacon

The title sounds flavor intense and appropriately so. Despite the long name the recipe is actually simple and pretty fast to make. Ten hours at school leaves me very little time when I get home at night to cook a proper meal. Speed is a natural requirement.

The weather has been very rainy in Florence. The Arno river is full and surging and creeps up higher on the banks every day. Eating something warm and cozy at night has the same effect as sitting in front of a fire in a big sweater and cup of hot cocoa.

Bake your choice of pumpkin or squash
(mini pumpkins for fun individual servings)

2 cans lentils drained and rinsed
1/4 cup mixed mushrooms (or portabella)
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/8 tsp tabasco sauce
1 tsp minced sage leaves
salt and generous amount of four seasons pepper (quattro stagioni)
1/8-1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (too taste)

Sautée sweet red onion
crispy bacon crumbs
Sprinkle on top to serve

Please share you alterations and/or reviews.

Enjoy!

Sugar Pastries

These are NOT healthy. BUT, so delicious.

2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups milk
6 cups flour
1/2 tsp vanilla flavoring
1/4 cup light oil (sunflower, etc) [avoid excess grease absorption]

Drop spoonfuls to fry in oil. Flip to crisp both sides. Drain on paper towel and toss in sugar.

Perfect for holidays and with tea.

*Tulla's recipe

Flavorful Wasabi Cannelli Bean Side Dish

Love this one!

2 Tbs mushroom seasoned sunflower oil
1 can cannelli beans drained
1/2 tsp capers
1/4 tsp wasabi sauce (or desired amount)
salt (the key)

Fry in a hot pan constantly stirring until beans are soft and mushy (almost created their own white sauce).

Eat immediately or hot. This was really satisfying just as a quick lunch with a salad.

Roasted Garlic Broccoli Salad

1 head of broccoli in pieces
1/2 red onion thinly sliced
4-5 cloves roasted garlic (as desired)
1/4 tsp chive (minced green onion tops)
1 Tbs fresh parsley chopped
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup mayo
1-2 Tbs milk
1/4 tsp salt