Perfect Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes, a vegetable so easy to use in so many ways and on top of that one that comes in so many forms. You have big, small and tiny, firm, fluffy and medium... you even have red and sweet potatoes. You name it and a the potato might exist in that shape or form. You can even pronounce this veggie in multiple ways: potAto or potAHto! ;)

But where does the potato originally come from? Good question... so I did some research.
It is well known that the potato is mostly eaten in the western world with an emphasis on the northern part of Europe. One might even think the potato originally comes from the Britain Islands as a bad crops created a famine in the 18th century. Even though the potato has become an important form of nurishment in northern Europe, it is actually originally from Southern America and was planted by the Inca's!!! Who would have thought!

Today I am giving you roasted potatoes....


Ingredients:

• small new potatoes including skin (4-5 pieces per person)
• fresh rosemary
• 3 crushes garlic cloves
• olive oil
• sea salt (big chunks give a better taste)

How to make it:

Turn on you oven on 200 degrees Celcius.

Cut up your potatoes in quarters to give them a french fry kind of shape and put them in an oven tray. My favorite potatoes are the small ones with skin as the skin contains the most vitamins and fibres, but you can take any potato you like. 

Add the rosemary leaves to your potatoes, as well as the crushed garlic cloves (you crush them with a big knive, take off the skin and voila you have crushed garlic cloves) and the salt.

Pour over a generous amount of olive oil. You want the potatoes to be crunchy and golden brown, hence the need of quite some oil. Olive oil however is better for you than ordinary sunflower oil. It is full of omega 3 fats which your body needs.

Toss the potatoes in order for all of them to be covered with oil, salt, rosemary and having touched the garlic.

Now put the tray in the oven for 40-45 minutes, but keep an eye on them after half an hour. You can also turn on the grill the last 10 minutes or so, to make them even crunchier.

Outcome: Perfect roasted potatoes. Many people boil their potatoes before which is also an option if you don't have a lot of time or when you have very big potatoes, but I discovered it is not obligatory to have perfect roasted potatoes.

Perfect Roasted Potatoes

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

How to make Hummus: part 1

Reading Andie's blog post on her favourite healthy foods, she made me think about my favourite health kick these days and I came up with: chickpeas!

You can make....

• Chickpea puree 
• Chickpea Tajines 
• Chickpea salad
• Chickpea pasta
• Chickpea con carne
• many other things that my mind can not think of at this second....

Or ... a million different types of hummus! Maybe some of you don't know this, but hummus is made with chickpeas, pureed chickpeas to be precise. And then you add whatever you feel like adding, that very moment.
As I know that a few of our readers are beginning cooks, I thought to have a little cooking series especially for them. This series is about 'how to make hummus'. We start of with part 1, making a very simply classic hummus. Then while we proceed in time, we are going to add spices, herbs and other kind of things to make hummus even more exciting.
By the end (if there is such a thing with cooking) you will be dreaming how to make hummus, and most of all, you will be craving hummus at a weekly base like I do.

Ingredients:

• one can of drained chickpeas 
• 2 tablespoons of tahini (sesamepaste) --> invest in this one as you will be needing it during the course!
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 0,5 clove of garlic 
• 1 tablespoon yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• pinch of chilipepper
• pinch of salt

How to make it:

It is the most easy thing ever!

Make sure you rinse the chickpeas after having washed them to take away most of the sodium that accompany canned foods.

Chuck everything in a high container.

Blend it down to a puree....taste.... add whatever YOU feel is missing... blend.....

Outcome: classic HUMMUS!!!

Get ready for part 2 next week or so; we will be adding some more exciting spices!

Hummus

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

Quick Refreshing Side Dish

I'm feeling hot hot hot....
Summer is on the way, and besides stowing away my thick winter coats and woollen sweaters and taking out the summery flower dresses, I am also slowly exchanging my winter diet for a more appropriate and light summery diet, rich with vegetables, fruits and fresh herbs containing heaps of colour and flavour.
Nothing to do about it: summer is the best!

Yesterday I was looking for a side dish to accompany my Fennel&Pea Quiche,  and came up with this minty tomato chickpea dish made of ingredients that were all at hand.

Ingredients:

• one can of chickpeas
• 4 firm and juicy tomatoes cut up in chunks
• a handful of chopped mint
• splash of lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil Extra Vergine

How to make it:

Easy: mix all the ingredients in a bowl and you're done!

Outcome:

It was a surprising mix of flavours - mint is a perfect substitution for basel once in a while.

It goes well with grilled meats - seen the season I'd suggest a nice lambfilet, or even a chickenleg- but fish works as well. You can literally go into any direction with this side dish; add some mozzarella or feta cheese with a slice of fresh bread for a complete and nutritious lunch or dinner.

Minty Tomato Chickpea Side Dish

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph