Spring risotto

Small bunch of mint, leaves picked, 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, Juice of ½ a lemon

6 spring onions, whites finely sliced into rounds, green ends julienned, 1l chicken or vegetable stock, 350g asparagus, woody ends snapped off, 200g frozen peas,
25g butter, plus a large knob to serve, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 bay leaf, 350g risotto rice, 125ml dry white wine or vermouth, Zest and juice of ½ a lemon, 100g broad beans, blanched and peeled, 30g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated, plus extra to serve, 1 tbsp truffle butter or truffle oil (optional), 6 egg yolks

First make the mint oil by blitzing together the mint, oil and lemon juice in a mini chopper.
Fill a bowl with ice and top up with water, then plunge in the green spring onion ends – they should curl up while you make the risotto. In a pan, bring the stock to just below the boil over a medium heat and poach the asparagus spears for 2 mins, then remove with tongs. Chop the stalks into 1.5-2cm wide discs and leave the tips intact. Put the frozen peas into a bowl and pour over a ladle of warm stock to defrost them.
Put a large casserole or deep frying pan over a low heat. Melt the butter into the oil and fry the spring onion whites and bay leaf for 3 mins until soft and fragrant. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add in the rice and coat in the fat, cooking for a few minutes until the rice has absorbed some of the fat and is glossy and slightly translucent at the edges. Pour over the wine or vermouth and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the lemon zest and then a ladleful of the warm stock, and stir, cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to cook the risotto over a low medium heat for 20-25 mins, stirring and adding the stock a ladleful at a time, allowing it to be absorbed completely before you add the next one, and keeping the rice moving to cook it evenly and help it release its starch.
Once the rice is puffed and tender all the way through, with no chalky core (you may not need to use up all the stock), pour over the peas and their stock, and stir them into the risotto. Add the asparagus stalks, tips and broad beans, cooking for a few minutes to heat through. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf and stir in the knob of butter, along with the parmesan, adding some truffle butter or oil, if you like. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly, then spoon into warm bowls and use the back of a spoon to create a shallow well in the rice.
Carefully put the egg yolks in the wells and then top with some of the green spring onion. Spoon over a little of the mint oil and stir everything together to enrich with the egg yolk and crunchy spring onion.

Pastry bagel

Saw an easy recipe on facebook, I had to try it

2 packs of puff pastry, 2-3 tablespoons ketchup, oregano, parsley, grated cheese and 1 egg

Baste with ketchup a pack of puff pastry, sprinkle with oregano, parsley and shredded cheese. Put over the second sheet of puff pastry, press it with a rolling pin and then cut in thin 3-4 cm stripes.
Brush them with the beaten egg and then form bagels.
Put them in the oven for 25 minutes at 180 degrees.
Serve them warm.

Korean Pickled Radish (danmuji)

I went to a Korean BBQ place and tried different things to eat and fell in love with the pickled radish. So I had to try to make it at home.

1 Large Daikon radish (about 600g), 1½ tbsp Salt ((1 tbsp for marinating the radish, ½ tbsp for the broth)), ½ tsp Turmeric powder, ½ cup Sugar, 1½ cup Water, 1 cup Rice vinegar

Peel off a large daikon radish, slice it into half-moon shape thin slices.
Put sliced radish into a large bowl, sprinkle 1 tbsp of salt over the radish. Rub the salt evenly on radish. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
In a small saucepan, add turmeric powder, sugar, salt, and water. Bring to a boil. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat. Add rice vinegar to the saucepan. Set aside.
After the radish strips and slices have been marinated for 30 minutes, drain, rinse with potable water, squeeze out excess water, put radish strips and slices in clean containers.
Pour the turmeric vinegar mixture over the radish.
Let it cool down, cover the lid and keep in the fridge overnight before using.
Homemade picked radish can last in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Santorini Tomato Fritters

I have tried them for the first time on my holiday in Santorini and I was sold. Finally I found the recipe online and the taste is the same.

4 ripe medium tomatoes (600 g), chopped finely, 1 large red onion (300 g), chopped finely, 4 green onions, sliced thinly, 1 cup mint leaves, chopped coarsely,
2 tsps dried greek oregano leaves, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 100 g feta, crumbled,
½ cup (75 g) self-raising flour, ½ cup (75 g) white spelt flour, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1.25 litres (5 cups) vegetable oil, for deep frying, 1 cup (280 g) Greek-style yoghurt, ¼ cup mint leaves, sliced thinly, 60 g baby spinach leaves

Combine tomato, onions, mint, oregano and paprika in a large bowl; season generously. Stand for 30 mins to release juices from vegetables; drain excess liquid.

Add feta, sifted flours and soda to tomato mixture; fold gently until well combined (mixture should hold together and will look quite chunky). Drop ⅓ cup of mixture at a time, leaving space between them, onto a baking-paper-lined oven tray.
Heat oil in a medium heavy-based saucepan to 180 C (or until a cube of bread browns in 15 secs).
Carefully place six of the fritters into the oil at a time, ensuring they don’t stick to the base of the pan. Cook for 1½ mins on each side or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined tray; drain. Repeat cooking in batches until all fritters are cooked.
Mix yoghurt and mint in a small bowl; season to taste.
Serve hot fritters with minted yoghurt and spinach leaves.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Yummy kitchen recipe : https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a19636089/creamy-tuscan-chicken-recipe/

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp. dried oregano, 3 tbsp. butter, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved, 3 c. baby spinach, 1/2 c. heavy cream, 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan

In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook until golden and no longer pink, 8 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to burst then add spinach and cook until spinach is beginning to wilt.
Stir in heavy cream and parmesan and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Return chicken to skillet and cook until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Sausage and mushroom ragu with polenta

It's winter, it's cold, so it's the perfect time for a ragu

400 g sausages, cut into chunks, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 onion, chopped, 150 g button mushrooms, sliced, 400 g can chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste, 600 ml milk, 200 g quick-cook polenta, 75 g mature Cheddar, grated, 2 tbsp freshly grated Grana Padano, fresh parsley leaves, to garnish

Fry the sausages, paprika and onion in a non-stick pan to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few mins before pouring in the tomatoes, vinegar and sun-dried tomato paste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 mins for it to thicken slightly.
While the ragu is cooking, pour the milk into a separate pan. Add 400ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, add the polenta and stir continuously for 1 min, or as directed on the pack.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Cheddar and Grana Padano. Spoon into bowls and serve with the ragu and a sprinkling of parsley, if using.

Sea bass with braised courgettes & harissa mayo

Goodfoods always has the best recipes: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sea-bass-braised-courgettes-harissa-mayo

 
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 thyme sprig, 2 sea bass fillets, ½ lemon, juiced
For the braised courgettes: 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, pinch of fennel seeds, 1 red onion, finely sliced, pinch of dried red chilli, handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half, 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped, 2 medium or 1 large courgette (about 200g), sliced 0.5cm thick, 100ml white wine or sherry, 1 lemon, juiced, plus extra wedges to serve, handful of dill, chopped
For the harissa mayo: 4 tbsp good-quality, shop-bought mayonnaise, 1 tbsp harissa, or more, to taste

Stir the mayonnaise and harissa together and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the courgettes, heat the olive oil in a high-sided, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the fennel seeds, red onion and chilli with a pinch of salt for 5 mins until softened and fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic and courgette, then season and cook down for a few mins. Pour in the wine, lemon juice and about 200ml water and simmer for 15-20 mins until the tomatoes and courgettes are collapsing. Bubble off any excess water. Stir through the dill and keep warm while you cook the sea bass. (Take your fish out of the fridge 20 mins before you cook it to bring it up to room temperature.)
Heat the olive oil with the thyme in a non-stick frying pan over a low-to-medium heat. Place the sea bass fillets skin-side down in the pan. Season the flesh-side of the fillets with salt and pepper. Cook gently for about 8 mins until the skin is crisp (it might spit during this time, so best to wear an apron), then add a small amount of lemon juice and baste the flesh of the fish in the warm oil and lemon for about 4 mins, or until opaque and cooked through.
Divide the vegetables between plates and top with the bass. Serve with the harissa mayo and lemon wedges.

Gin infuzat cu rubarba

Let's start the year with a drink recipe...

250 gr rhubarb cut into 3 cm pieces, 100 gr sugar, 200 ml gin

Put the rhubarb in a glass, add the sugar, mix it well, put the lid on and leave it for 24 hours.
Add the next day the gin and leave it in a dark place for 3-4 weeks.
And drink it.