Italian Summer Burger & Grill-Giganten 2015

For the last five years, a women´s team has been up against a men´s team in a stiff BBQ - championship. Each team is fighting for the tittle of "best national hobby BBQ king or queen" and both teams have carried the title home twice so far. This year, the finals will be held on October 10th in the lovely city of Hamburg - all as part of one the the largest food exhibition of Germany, called eat&style.

Seit nunmehr fünf Jahren treten bei den "Grill-Giganten" Frauen gegen Männer an, um die deutsche Hobby-Grillmeisterschaft unter sich auszumachen. Bisher haben sowohl die Mädchen, als auch die Jungs je zwei Siege geholt. Wer in diesem Jahr in die Gesamtführung geht, stellt sich am 10. Oktober heraus, wenn bei der eat&style in Hamburg Fünf ./. Fünf wettgrillt wird.

But before the final ten winners could be announced there were the preliminaries. Meaning that all sixteen semifinalists had to qualify for the finals in an event held at the lovely culinary school at Castle Schellenberg, in the wonderful city of Essen. This unique location allowed us to cook at the wonderful culinary school while at the same time marvel at the old castle that houses the school and enjoy the breathtaking surroundings. The task for the sixteen semifinalists was to convince the jury of their own personal burger creations. To fulfill that task, the candidates were allowed 45 minutes and they had to use products from the two sponsors, Netto and THOMY.

Bevor allerdings die zehn besten Hobby-Griller für das Finale fest standen, mußten sich zunächst die Kandidaten, allesamt Hobby-Griller aus ganz Deutschland, am Freitag in der Kochschule im Schloss Schellenberg in Essen in einer Vorausscheidung qualifizieren. Die Kochschule bietet ein wunderbares und einzigartiges Ambiente mit Blick über den historischen Schlossgarten. Die Aufgabe für die 16 Halbfinalisten bestand darin, unter dem Motto „Kreiere deinen besten Burger" innerhalb von 45 Minuten der Jury einen eigenen Burger zu präsentieren. Dabei sollten Zutaten der Sponsoren Netto und THOMY verwendet werden.

To participate in the semifinals, I created an "ITALIAN SUMMER BURGER", inspired by the flavor combinations of the Sicilian Orange, fennel and red onion salad (Insalata di finocchi e arance). The jury based their decision with respect to the winning burger recipes based on creativity, looks, and, of course, taste. The panel of judges was made up of the Sonja Beselin (head of the culinary school), Florian Schleinig from the Netto company and Carolin Cremer and Alexandra Weston from THOMY. In order to prepare the burger, each candidate had 30 minutes prior to the grilling time, giving them a chance to organize all their ingredients and get everything prepped for the bbq. At the end of the preliminaries, five women and five men had qualified themselves for the finals and be part of the the national bbq team. In the finals, both teams will try to win the title of best "national hobby BBQ king or queen 2015".

Ich hatte für das Halbfinale einen "ITALIAN SUMMER BURGER" kreiert, dabei ließ ich mich vom Geschmack des sizilianischen "Insalata di finocchi e arance" (Fenchel-Orangen-Salat) inspirieren. Die Jury, die jeden Burger nach Kreativität, Optik und Geschmack bewertete, bestand aus Kochschulleiterin Sonja Beselin, Florian Schleinig von Netto sowie Carolin Cremer und Alexandra Weston von THOMY. Für die Vorbereitungen standen 30 Minuten zur Verfügung. In dieser Zeit suchten die Teilnehmer die Zutaten für ihre zuvor eingereichten Rezepte zusammen und trafen alle Vorbereitungen für das anschließende Grillen. Am Ende hatten sich fünf Männer und fünf Frauen (einschließlich mir) für das Finale der "Grill-Giganten" und somit die Grill-Nationalmannschaft der Männer und Frauen qualifiziert. Die Mannschaften kämpfen im Finale gegeneinander um den begehrten Titel "Grill-Giganten 2015".

ITALIAN SUMMER BURGER "That´s amore" (serves 4) Chicken breasts & fennel 4 chicken breasts (approx. 400 grams) olive oil (I used the sunflower-olive oil from THOMY) 2 organic oranges 1 head of garlic some fresh thyme twigs coarse sea salt fine sea salt whole black peppercorns black pepper, freshly ground 2 tbsps fennel seeds 2 heads of fennel (medium sized), including the attached fennel fronds Red onions 4 red onions (medium sized) some olive oil (sunflower-olive oil from THOMY) fine sea salt fresh thyme twigs 2 tbsps aceto balsamico a bit of sugar Cheese 2 packages of fresh mozzarella Sauce 250 ml mayo (I used THOMY mayo) 1 small glass of capers ("surfines") fennel fronds from the below fennel orange blossom honey (30 ml) freshly ground black pepper fine sea salt juice and zest from ½ an organic orange 1 head of garlic In addition 4 burger buns (preferably ciabatta buns) approximately 20 grams salad mix

ITALIAN SUMMER BURGER "That´s amore" (für 4 Personen) Hähnchenbrust & Fenchel 4 Hähnchenbrustfilets (zirka 400 Gramm) Olivenöl (THOMY milde Sonne & Olive) 2 Bio Orangen 1 Knoblauchknolle einige Stiele frischer Thymian grobes Meersalz feines Meersalz schwarzer Pfeffer, ganz schwarzer Pfeffer aus der Mühle 2 TL Fenchelsamen 2 Fenchelknollen (mittelgroß), mit dem Fenchelgrün Rote Zwiebeln 4 rote Zwiebeln (mittelgroß) etwas THOMY milde Sonne & Olive feines Meersalz frische Thymianzweige 2 TL Aceto balsamico etwas Zucker Käse zwei Pakete Mozzarella Sauce 250 ml THOMY Delikatess Mayo 1 kleines Glas kleine Kapern („surfines“) Fenchelgrün von den Fenchelknollen Orangenblütenhonig (30 ml) schwarzer Pfeffer aus der Mühle feines Meersalz Saft und Zesten von ½ Bio-Orange 1 Knoblauchknolle Außerdem 4 Burgerbrötchen, Ciabatta Brötchen zirka 20 Gramm bunte Salatmischung

PREPARATION Garlic Cut off a slice of the whole head of garlic. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. Drizzle some olive oil over. First wrap in parchment paper, then wrap in aluminium foil. Put aside until ready for bbq. Chicken & fennel Pour some olive oil into two glass dishes (such as pie plates). Then add the zest and juice of one orange each to each dish. Then add a few crushed garlic cloves to the oil as well. Pull the leaves off the thyme twigs and add them to a mortar, then add the whole peppercorns, the coarse sea salt, and the 2 tablespoons fennel seeds to the mortar as well and grind the spice mix in the mortar using your pestle. Add the spice mixture to the olive oil mixture, stir. Clean your fennel, keep the fennel fronds for the sauce and slice the fennel as thinly as possible, making sure to get rid of the tough inner core as well as the tough outer leaves. Add the sliced fennel to one of the glass plates and cover. Now cut the chicken breasts horizontally into very thin slices, making sure that you end up with two thin slices per person. Add the slices of chicken to the second glass plate and cover. Red onions Peel the red onions, cut the top and bottoms off and cut into thin slices as well. Add the sliced onions to a medium sized glas bowl and add a bit of olive oil and salt, cover until ready to use. Cheese Cut the mozzarella in thin slices and set aside. Orange-caper-sauce To a medium sized glass bowl add about 125 ml mayo. Then drain about 1 tbsp of capers, chop finely and add to the mayo together with the chopped fennel fronds, salt, freshly ground black pepper and some orange blossom honey to taste. Finally add the zest of half an orange and some freshly squeezed orange juice. Taste and if necessary, add more seasoning or orange juice. Cover and place in the fridge. Salad Wash and dry your salad greens - this is best done using a salad spinner - keep cool until ready to serve.

VORBEREITUNG Knoblauch Das obere Ende einer Knoblauchknolle abschneiden. Mit Salz würzen, auf ein Stück Pergamentpapier und dann Alufolie legen, mit THOMY Öl beträufeln, zu einem Päckchen verschließen und beiseite legen. Hähnchen & Fenchel Zum Marinieren etwas THOMY Olivenöl in zwei flache Glasformen geben. Dann jeweils in jede Glasform die Zesten und Saft von einer Bio-Orange dazu geben. Dann einige Knoblauchzehen pellen und andrücken, ebenfalls in die Marinade geben. Die Blättchen von den Thymianstielen zupfen und in den Mörser geben. Dazu den ganzen Pfeffer, das grobe Salz und 2 Teelöffel Fenchelsamen geben und grob mörsern. Dann die Gewürzmischung ebenfalls zu der Marinade geben. Den Fenchel putzen und den harten Strunk entfernen, von den äußeren Blättern befreien und in dünne Scheiben schneiden. Das Fenchelgrün für die Mayo verwahren und beiseite stellen. Die Fenchelscheiben In die erste Glasform geben und mit Frischhaltefolie abdecken. Die Hähnchenbrustfilets durchschneiden, sodass jeweils zwei dünne Schnitzel entstehen. In die zweite Glasform geben und ebenfalls marinieren, dabei mit Frischhaltefolie abdecken. Rote Zwiebeln Die Zwiebeln schälen, oberes und unteres Ende abschneiden und in feine Scheiben schneiden. In eine Glasschüssel geben, mit ein wenig THOMY Olivenöl beträufeln, etwas salzen und mit Folie abdecken. Käse Den Mozzarella in dünne Scheiben schneiden, mit Folie abdecken und beiseite stellen. Orangen-Kapern-Sauce Für die Sauce 125 ml THOMY Mayo in eine Schüssel geben. 1 El Kapern abtropfen lassen und fein hacken. Das Fenchelgrün ebenfalls klein hacken und beides zur Mayo geben. Dann etwas Orangenblütenhonig dazu geben. Salzen, pfeffern, Orangensaft und Zesten dazu und alles miteinander vermengen, abschmecken und kalt stellen. Salat Salat waschen, putzen und trocken schleudern - in den Kühlschrank legen.

THE BBQ First place the garlic package on the grill and leave it there for about thirty minutes. Take the fennel slices out of the marinade, let the marinade drip off, place the slices on the bbq and grill until nice and tender, then take off the bbq and keep warm. Place the onion slices on the grill and then finish them in a pan using the aceto balsamico and a bit of sugar. Keep warm. Take the chicken slices out of the marinade, let the marinade drip off, place on the bbq and grill for just a few minutes on each side. Keep warm. After 30 minutes, take the garlic package off the grill. Then carefully take it out of its package, let cool for a few minutes and squeeze the warm garlic into the sauce, making sure to discard the papery skins. Cut the ciabatta rolls in half and spread the lower half of the buns generously with the orange-caper-sauce. Then add two slices of the grilled chicken, then two slices of the grilled fennel, then some of the balsamico onions, then a few slices of mozzarella and top it all off with fresh salad leaves. As a final touch, add the top of the ciabatta bun.  Serve any left-over orange-caper sauce on the side.

GRILLEN Das Knoblauchpäckchen für zirka 30 Minuten. Fenchelscheiben aus der Marinade nehmen. Marinade von den Fenchelscheiben abtropfen lassen und auf den Grill legen. Grillen und dann warm halten. Zwiebeln grillen und dann in einer Pfanne mit dem Zucker und dem Balsamico einkochen lassen. Warm halten. Die Hähnchenbrustscheiben aus der Marinade nehmen. Die Marinade von den Hähnchenbrustscheiben abtropfen lassen und auf den Grill legen. Wenige Minuten auf jeder Seite grillen und dann warm halten. Nach 30 Minuten das Knoblauchpäckchen vom Grill nehmen, öffnen, etwas abkühlen lassen, dann ausdrücken und den weichen Knoblauch zu der Sauce geben. Ciabatta-Brötchen halbieren die untere Brötchenhälften großzügig mit der Sauce bestreichen. Darauf erst zwei Scheiben gegrillte Hähnchenbrust und dann zwei Scheiben gegrillten Fenchel geben und jeweils etwas von den Balsamico Zwiebeln geben. Dann noch einige Scheiben Mozzarella und etwas Salat. Dann den Deckel wieder aufsetzen. Etwas Orangen-Kapern-Sauce dazu servieren.

Considering that the male team was able to win last year, it would be nice for our women´s team to re-claim the title this year. It remains to be seen who will win this match - the decision will definitely be made in October.

Nachdem sich die Männer im letzten Jahr den Grill-Giganten-Titel geholt haben, wäre es schön, wenn ich mit den Frauen den Titel wieder zurückholen könnte - die Entscheidung wird dann im Oktober fallen.

For the finals, the candidates will have to cook up a storm and create a three-course-bbq-meal. We will have to convince a jury with a delicious, creative and attractive first, main and last course that we prepared together as a team on the bbq and I am looking seriously forward to that challenge! The four winners of my online competition have been notified by email - thank you very much for your participation - your lovely price packages are on their way! And a big Thank You to the kind folks at THOMY that provided the wonderful gifts!

Im Finale im Oktober werden beide Teams jeweils ein originelles Drei-Gänge-Grill-Menü zubereiten und eine Fachjury mit einer leckeren, kreativen und ansprechend angerichteten Vor-, Haupt- und Nachspeise von ihren Grillkünsten überzeugen. Ich freue mich drauf! Die vier Gewinner meines Online-Gewinsspiels habe ich per Mail benachrichtigt. Vielen lieben Dank für das Mitmachen - eure tollen Preise sind unterwegs! Danke auch an THOMY für die Bereitstellung der Preise!

The Cottage Cooking Club - July Recipes

The month of July marks the fifthteenth month of our international online cooking group, The Cottage Cooking Club. As a group, recipe by recipe, we are cooking and learning our way through a wonderful vegetable cookbook written in 2011 by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, entitled „River Cottage Everyday Veg".

The Cottage Cooking Club is meant to be a project aimed at incorporating more vegetable dishes into our everyday cooking, learning about less known, forgotten or heritage vegetables, trying out new ways to prepare tasty and healthy dishes, and sharing them with family and friends.

One of the declared aims of our cooking group is to make a decided effort to use as much local, regional, organic and also seasonal produce as is reasonably possible.

Since I cooked nine of the ten chosen recipes plus re-visited two that I made before, I will write about each dish according to the order in which I prepared them. 

My first recipe for this summery July post was the Summer Couscous Salad (page 89), from the chapter "Hearty Salads“.

This recipe is a variation on the Couscous salad with herbs and walnuts that we made back in November 2014.  As I could not find get "giant" couscous, for this summery version, I used medium-size pearl barley instead. Then some fresh broad beans, sweet peas, as well as diced summer squash, tomatoes, aubergines, and zucchinis. Plus lots of freshly chopped chives, Italian parsley and basil. We love these kinds of salads. adding freshly squeezed lemon juice and some more salt and pepper just before serving gives this salad a nice fresh kick. The salad can be prepared well in advance, you can use whatever seasonal veg you have on hand and no doubt, be the star at any picnic as well - a great recipe to remember year round.

The second recipe that I prepared was Celery and blue cheese bruschetta (page 199) from the chapter „Bready Things“. Always game for trying out some new variations of our beloved bruschettas, I was quite sure that we would not enjoy this one. I followed the short and easy recipe but used Ricotta salata instead of the the blue cheeses such as Roquefort, Danablu, Cabrales, Gorgonzola and Blue Stilton are not really cheeses that we particularly enjoy.

But to my surprise, once I added the thinly sliced celery to the toasted slices of country-style baguette, then some local runny honey, French sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic, a mild olive oil and topped it all off with some fresh fennel fronds, we actually enjoyed this unusual bruschetta. It has an agreeable saltiness from the cheese, sweetness from the honey and a fresh crunch from the celery and the fennel fronds. Nice change from the tomatoes and I am quite taken by Hugh´s bruschetta ideas.

Recipe number three was supposed to be the Peperonata (page 20) from the chapter "Comfort foods & feasts" and ended up being the Caponata (page 307) from the chapter "Mezze & Tapas" -  I simply made a mistake and did not notice until it was too late - but no matter, since we already made this recipe back in August 2014. 

Served alongside a lovely huge loaf of Afghan bread, this is one of my very favorite recipes from the book - chock full of seasonal vegetables such as aubergines, onions, celery, garlic, and tomatoes plus some capers, green olives, sultanas and a small grating of dark chocolate, this must be one of the "must make summer dishes" from Hugh´s book. Perfect warm, on its own, as a topping for bruschetta, mixed into pasta...the uses seem endless. The Caponata has the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess that I so crave in my summer recipes. and, yes, I will make the Peperonata as a "make-up" in August.

For the fourth recipe, I chose the delightfully summery Runner beans with tomatoes and garlic (page 375) from the chapter "Side dishes". Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall specifies that this "dish works well with French beans too". So that is what I used. I always do. I have prepared this dish many times, it is easy and the fresher the beans and the tomatoes that you use, the more you will enjoy the results. 

When it comes to cooking them, French beans can be called "the fast food of the leguminous world". You only need to boil them in salted water for a few minutes until just tender and they can take all kinds of dressings, from a simple, lemony vinaigrette to a more Asian-style dressing. On the other hand, you may need to string runner beans before you cook and then simmer for about 15 minutes until tender. 

This rather humble side dish combines easy-to-find ingredients. All you need are beans, grated tomatoes, onion (I use red here), and garlic. Then some of the freshest basil that you can get your hands on - I always try to go with green as well as red rubin basil. This basil variety has unusual reddish-purple leaves, and a stronger flavor than sweet basil. I believe it adds a delightful peppery note to this dish.

Onto recipe number five the Summer stir-fry with egg-fried rice (page 286) from the chapter "Pasta & Rice“. For starters, I did not serve this lovely, green dish with the egg-fried rice but with the kids current favorite Asian pasta - these wonderful green tea noodles. 

For the summer stir-fry I opted for an all green assortment of delicious, seasonal veg, namely zucchinis, French beans, sweet peas, broccoli, and spinach. Then freshly grated ginger, spring onions, chili, and ginger. It always amazes me how wonderful these easy to-follow stir fries can be and how much the kids enjoy eating them - may I add even for breakfast because the day I served this stir-fry was, yet again, another very rainy July day and I needed that picture - so, in summary, this stir-fry makes for a delicious lunch, dinner and even breakfast fare.

My sixth recipe was a repeat performance - the Marinated courgettes (zucchini) with mozzarella (page 314) from the chapter " Mezze & Tapas" that we made back in July last year.

This time I used summer squash - such a pretty yellow color - and I used that Ricotta salata again instead of the Mozzarella. Always such a delightful recipe, one of our all time favorites. Add some small capers ("surfines") and fresh oregano from the garden to this side dish and you will be a very happy vegetable eater.

Who can resist the undeniable charm of burgundy colored spring onions - I cannot, so I decided to add another repeat performance to the list and made the Spring Onion Galette (page 220) from the chapter "Store-cupboard Suppers" again. 

This recipe is another that you should have in the back of your mind when shopping for dinner - apart from the Parmegiano Reggiano that you probably have in your fridge anyways, all you need are spring onions and ready-made good quality puff pastry - voilà! You are all set for the most delightful appetizer or main dish with a lovely seasonal side salad.

It is these kinds of recipes that draw me to this book again and again - I admit that I know quite a few of them by heart now and that I even remember the pages they are on.....and I am just trying to point out how easy it is to incorporate the dishes from Hugh´s book into your everyday cooking. Yes, I am quite aware that we all have tons of cookbooks on our shelves and that we all have our favorite cookbook authors but at the end of the day most of us are looking for healthy delicious, easy to remember, no fuss recipes that we all enjoy. Every. Single. Day.

Having said that it is time to move onto Green beans, new potatoes and olives (page 222) from the chapter "Store-cupboard Suppers".

When I took the first taste of this salad, I said that it tastes like "River Cottage food" - having made most of the one hundred and forty recipes from the book by now, I am familiar with the taste and flavor combinations as well as the combination of textures from this book - they have become part of our lives and are familiar to us, they guide my taste buds when I make recipes from the book or my own. 

Since the kids adore yellow beans and I came across them the other day, I made this recipe with green as well as yellow French beans - just beans, olives, new potatoes, garlic, lemon and tons of fresh herbs - dinner, summertime dinner could not be easier or more delicious.

The recipe for Charred baby leeks with romesco (page 336) from the chapter " Roast, Grill & Barbecue" was the one that made me most curious this month. Many years ago, a friend of mine told me about the festival in the Catalan region of Spain that he always looked forward to every year - the "calçotada" -  a barbecue meal unique to the area and devoted to a variety of giant spring onions. First the fire-blackened outer layer of the onion is pulled away to reveal a juicy white core. Then the tip is dipped into romesco sauce and the dripping calçot is lowered into the mouth in one go. You get the picture. 

No dipping blackened spring onions into the delicious romesco sauce in this house - I went with grilled fennel instead. What a treat - as Hugh says this sauce is good with just about any grilled veg and I loved the flavors here that the ingredients brought to this sauce - the chilies, tomatoes, red pepper, garlic, toasted hazelnuts, red wine vinegar and that lovely, Spanish sweet smoked paprika a condiment I often use) as well as a thick slice of country bread (for thickening). wonderful new recipe to try - might add a bit more spice next time but will definitely serve it with my Antipasta spread in the future.

Recipe number ten was the easy one this month - the Marinated Cucumbers with Mint (page 1222) from the chapter "Raw assemblies".

As every month, I always try to include one very easy recipe. One that is like an afterthought of sorts, the one that you prepare while cooking yet another recipe from the book.

This one is also easy. A few minutes is all it takes. It is English cucumbers, a dressing of cider vinegar, some light oil, pepper, salt and a pinch of sugar plus fresh mint - very British, very fresh, very summery. The kids eats just about every herb there is on this planet but they do not do mint - so, I used our apple mint from the garden and just placed it on top of the salad plates - the apple mint definitely smells of green apples and mint, less strong and more agreeable than the other garden mint.

Last but not least my eleventh dish for this month the Mexican tomato and bean soup (page 138) from the chapter "Hefty Soups".

There is another dish, like the romesco sauce, that I had never prepared before - Mexican food is not that popular around here and it is not the one that comes to my mind first when making soup. But since I believe this was the winning dish for the kids this month, it will certainly grace our table many more times in the future. To me, a good soup has to look attractive, and balance its textures and flavors. More importantly, it must clearly taste of its ingredients, and this soup delivers on all accounts.

So much deep, warm tomato flavor, delightfully accented by onions, garlic, chilies, limes, black beans as well as the Mexican oregano that my dear friend David Scott Allan gifted me when he came for a visit all the way from lovely Tucson, AZ at the beginning of the month - what an utter delight to be able to meet him and Mark and to show him my hometown Cologne. A first US- European blogger meeting for me - I sincerely hope that it was not the last.

In summary, another month full of wonderful vegetable dishes – this month we were delighted to enjoy some of our favorite summer recipes from Hugh´s book for breakfast (HA!), lunch and dinner and, best of all, for relaxed al fresco dinners. What can possibly be better than to cook with fresh ingredients and true to our motto this month "Enjoy summer´s bounty" to the fullest?! So, what are you waiting for - it is time to enjoy the great outdoors. Pack a summer picnic basket with simple salads, breads and fresh fruits.

Please note, that for copyright reasons, we do NOT publish the recipes. If you enjoy the recipes in our series, hopefully, the wonderfully talented and enthusiastic members of The Cottage Cooking Club and their wonderful posts can convince you to get a copy of this lovely book. Better yet, do make sure to join us in this cooking adventure! There is still time!

Gentse Waterzooi & Geraardsbergse Mattentaart for Belgian National Holiday

Today, June 21st, marks the Belgian National Holiday, or the „Nationale feestdag van België“, also called the „Fête nationale belge“ in French or „Belgischer Nationalfeiertag“ in German as the Kingdom of Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German. On this day, Belgians celebrate the separation of Belgium from the Netherlands in 1831, as well as the formal establishment of the Kingdom. Belgium had been part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands since 1815, but the majority of the population were Roman Catholic and increasingly felt the rule of King William I favored the Northern protestants. The discontentment was heightened by high levels of unemployment in the South. In August 1830, riots led to a wider uprising and calls for Belgium to succeed from the Netherlands. A London Conference of major European powers then recognized Belgian independence.

After Belgium asserted its independence from the Netherlands on 4th October 1830, the Belgian National Congress asked Leopold I of Saxe-Coburg to become king of the newly formed country. Leopold accepted and was proclaimed "King of the Belgians" on 26th June 1831. He swore allegiance to the new Belgian constitution in the Royal Palace in Brussels on 21st July 1831, thus becoming the first King of the Belgians. The king's vow marked the start of the independent state of Belgium under a constitutional monarchy and parliament.

As my devoted readers know, we have been to Belgium many times and it is one of our favorite countries to visit. I have written about the amazing city of Antwerp here, here and here. And about the incredible city of Brugge here and here. I have walked the cookie trail in a search for the best Speculoos cookies and the best Antwerp Hand Cookies (Antwerpse Handjes).

So what better occasion than today to celebrate a bit of that amazing Belgian cuisine. There is so much more to Belgian cuisine than the beloved chocolate, waffles and cookies and the incredibly good mussels and fries (moules frites). But, unfortunately, Belgian cuisine is not really that widely known. But there are a few dishes that you should definitely prepare. Among them is Gentse waterzooi, named after the pituresque city of Ghent, the historic capital of Flanders in northern Belgium. Gentse waterzooi or Waterzooi gantois (among the Francophones), is a classic stew of Flanders. Its name is Dutch, "zooien" meaning "to boil". It is a rich chicken stew made with vegetables and eggs and cooked in a rich chicken stock. Waterzooi can be made with chicken, rabbit, or fish. The original form is made of fish, either freshwater or sea, (preferably perch) though today Chicken waterzooi is more common. The most accepted theory is that rivers of Ghent became too polluted and the fish there disappeared. Waterzooi is very nice served with boiled potatoes or toasted French bread with some good, fresh Belgian butter.

Ruth van Waerebeek, a well known Belgian-born cookbook author, describes this famous Belgian dish in her amazing cookbook „Everybody Eats Well in Belgium“  as "a confusion of a soup with a stew, chock-full of herbs and vegetables". And the wonderful Julia Child named this as „the most interesting recipe she's clipped“. And inspired by these lovely ladies, I prepared my Gentse waterzooi with chicken and thickened it at the end with Belgian heavy cream and egg yolks.  Enjoy!

Gentse Waterzooi

Ingredients

• one whole chicken
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
• 1⁄2 tspn dried thyme (I am know to use fresh thyme when I have it on hand)
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black  pepper
• 3 tbsps butter, unsalted
• 2 white onions, medium, coarsely chopped
• 4 to 6 cups of fresh water (depending on the size of the chicken and your pot)
• 4 carrots, large, peeled and sliced into 0.5 cm rounds
• 5 leeks, medium, rinsed well, white parts only, sliced into  rounds (of course, since Belgium is know for its fantastic leeks, I brought some back from Antwerp last week)
• 2 celery ribs, medium, sliced into 1 cm rounds
• 4 baking potatoes, large, peeled and cut into cubes or slices
• 1 cup heavy cream (of course, I used Belgian cream)
• 2 egg yolks (L), organic or free-range
• 1⁄2 cup Italian parsley, chopped

Preparation

1. Remove excess fat from chicken cavity. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Place 1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme in cavity. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Melt butter in heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent. This will take about 5 minutes.
3. Place the chicken, breast side up, in the Dutch oven, on top of the onions. Add water to mostly cover the chicken.
4. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 30 minutes.
5. Skim the surface to remove any foam and fat.
6. Add the carrots, leeks, and celery. Add the remaining parsley sprigs, thyme and bay leaf. Cover, and adjust heat to maintain a slow simmer for another 30 minutes.
7. Add the potatoes and continue to simmer until potatoes are done and chicken is very tender, about 20 or 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
8. Remove chicken and transfer to a large plate. Use a slotted spoon or similar tool to remove parsley and bay leaves from broth. Let the chicken rest until it is cool enough to handle, then remove the skin and peel meat from the bones. Discard skin and bones. Slice or shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
9. Place Dutch oven with broth over medium heat.
10. In the meantime heat the cream and the egg yolks together in a bowl. Take a ladle ful of hot broth and slowly add to the egg yolk mixture, while stirring. This tempers the yolks. Then, slowly stir the tempered egg yolk mixture into the larger pot of broth and vegetables. Do not boil or the egg yolks might curdle.
11. Add the chicken. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and some julienned vegetables OR the vegetables from the soup.
12. Serve in bowls, making sure everyone gets equal amounts of chicken, vegetables and broth.

Now what would a Belgian celebration be without a lovely Belgian sweet treat. When visiting the the East Flanders city of Geraardsbergen (or Gramont as French-speaking Belgians would call it), true foodies simply cannot leave without having tasted the Mattentaart, a small, round, curd cheese pie that is devotedly prepared by the local bakers. It is a unique regional cake that enjoys great fame, even beyond the national borders. People living in the rich pastureland areas around Geraardsbergen claim that this particular pastry can be made properly nowhere else. Be that as it may, the production of these pies depends heavily on the Geraardsbergen area's main dairy produce, milk and buttermilk, that is used to prepare the unique, fine, dry curd for the cheesecake part. The Mattentaart was the first Flemish food product to be granted (in 2006) the much-sought-after European Regional Product status, meaning that a pastry can only be called Mattentaart if it was actually produced in Geraardsbergen (or the city's neighbouring village of Lierde) and made using the traditional, ancient recipe which dates back to 1510, while also using milk from the region.

Although little is know about its origins, those involved in Geraardsbergse Mattentaart marketing contend that it goes all the way back to the Middle Ages. The words “matten” or “maton”, means coagulated or curdled milk, and the word is often found in old German, French and Flemish dialects. The quality of the “matten” is determined by the quality of the milk and indirectly by the dairy cattle’s fodder. Local bakers know for certain that the soil cultivation is of major importance in the mattentaart production. The curd is made with 8 litres of whole milk to which 3 litres of buttermilk are added. The curds are drained in muslin and hung to dry. The dried curds are finely ground and the egg whites are beaten with sugar, the yolks are added to the curds, and then one mixture is folded into the other to make a lovely tangy fresh cheese filling for these wonderful tarts.


Geraardsbergse Mattentaart

Ingredients

• 1.5 liters whole milk (I recommend using organic and/or farm fresh, whole milk here)
• 0.5 liters cups fresh thick buttermilk (again, I recommend farm fresh and/or organic here)
• 2 eggs (L), organic or free-range
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• 55 grams ground natural almonds (or almond meal)
• 50 grams white caster (superfine) sugar
•  a few drops of  natural almond extract
• 300 grams good-quality puff pastry (feel free to use homemade)

Preparation

1. You will have to plan a day ahead: Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy pan. When it is boiling, carefully add the buttermilk and stir well.  „Matten“ or curds will start to form in the whole milk immediately as you stir.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and prepare a fine sieve by lining it with a linen dishtowel or double layer of cheesecloth. Place the sieve over a deep pot and pour the curd mixture through it. Allow to drain in a cool place for at least twelve hours. (Stir or loosen the curds occasionally if necessary to help them drain.) The curds should be as dry as possible.
3. When the curds have drained, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and whip the egg whites to stiff peaks with a  pinch of fine sea salt – make sure the container you use is completely fat free.
4. In a food processor, or with an electric beater, beat together the curds, egg yolks, almonds and sugar. Fold the egg whites carefully and evenly into the mixture until completely incorporated.
5. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
6. Butter your tart/pie pans. And cut the puff pastry to fit your pans., thereby lining the bottom of the pan with the puff pastry, then adding the curd mixture. Then place the second layer of puff pastry on top of the filling. Make several incisions on the upper pastry layer.
7. Put the tarts in the preheated oven and bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Reduce to a 175 degrees Celsius and bake for additional 15 minutes. Then raise the oven heat to  200 degrees Celsius again for a final 5 minutes of baking.
8. Remove the Mattentaart pies from their pans and allow to cool before serving.

If you are lucky enough to come across a genuine Mattentaart, you are in for a treat. The addition of eggs and a touch of ground almond and pure almond extract to the cheesecake mixture produces a flavor that is surprisingly complex for something so simple. The taste of the Mattentaart filling is not unlike that of the French Tarte au fromage blanc or the German Käsekuchen. And the puff pastry adds a delightful, tender crunch, far better in its way than the usual cheesecake crust. Even when you use milk and buttermilk from your region!

I took the liberty to serve the Mattentaart with fresh dark burgundy, sweet cherries and tangy red currants that I brought back from Belgium when visiting last Saturday. And served the Waterzooi as well as the tarts on my beloved vintage plates from a Belgian manufacturer (Boch La Louviere). Could not have celebrated this wonderful country and its rich culinary traditions in a more delicious way!

Apricot Tarte Tatin - Sunshine on a Plate

A Tarte Tatin is a glorious sticky, sweet-topped, popular French treat made known by The Tatin sisters, Geneviève Caroline Tatin and Stéphanie Marie Tatin. It is one of those dishes with a picturesque, but suspect heritage. Legend has it that Stéphanie Marie Tatin, co-proprietor of a provincial French hotel, left apples for a pie cooking for too long on the stove one day. Alerted to her mistake by the smell of burning, quick-thinking Madame Tatin attempted to rescue the situation by covering them with pastry and baking the pie anyway. "After turning out the upside down tart," Wikipedia concludes, "she was surprised to find how much the hotel guests appreciated the dessert." Certainly, not the first time a chef has tried to pass off a mistake as a special.

Alas, the Larousse Gastronomique spoils this charming little anecdote with the bald fact that "the upside-down tart, made with apples or pears, is an ancient speciality of Sologne and is found throughout Orléanais." But still, we can still be grateful to les soeurs Tatin for bringing it to wider attention and inspiring such lovely creations as my Apricot Tarte Tatin and it just goes to show recipes are always more charming with a great story.

Apricot Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

• 75 grams (2 ¾ ounces) white sugar
• 2 tbsp of water
• a pinch of sea salt 
• 40 grams (1 ½ ounces) unsalted butter, cubed
• a pinch of Ceylon cinnamon or the scraped seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (optional)
• about 300 grams fresh apricots, halved and stoned (about 7 or 8 apricots) NOTE: as too much liquid spoils the pastry, it is better to use ripe but not soft fruits here
• 375 grams (13 ounces) sheet of puff pastry
• some plain wheat flour for dusting your work surface
• crème fraiche or good-quality vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

In addition

• heavy-based ovenproof frying pan or Tarte Tatin pan from Le Creuset
• rolling pin 

Preparation

1. For caramelzing the apricots, put the sugar along with about 2 tablespoons of water and the salt into a heavy-based ovenproof frying pan (I like to use my specialty Tarte Tatin pan here from the lovely people at Le Creuset) and set it over a medium heat. Cook until the sugar first melts and then caramelizes and turns golden brown. Do not stir the sugar but swirl it around the pan every now and then.
2. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the butter with a wooden spoon. Then stir in the vanilla or the spices (if using). The caramel will be extremely hot so watch out.
3. Continue stirring for 2 to 3 minutes as the caramel cools and thickens. It will look oily and separated to begin with, but will become smooth as you continue stirring. When the caramel is smooth, carefully arrange the apricots on top, cut-side up. Leave to cool for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit).
5. Unroll the puff pastry sheet on your lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out. Cut out a circle slightly larger than your pan. Place a dinner plate on the pastry and cut around it.
6. Gently slide the pastry on top of the apricots and push down the sides. Prick the surface to allow steam to escape while baking.
7. Bake the Tarte Tatin for about 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden-brown and the apricots are cooked. 
8. Using oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven. Be careful, as the pan as will be extremely hot.
9. Leave the tart to stand for a few minutes to allow it to settle, then loosen the edges and place a large cake plate on top of the pan. Very carefully, but quickly, turn it over, using a folded dry tea towel to help you hold it, and allow the Tarte Tatin to drop gently on to the serving plate.
10. Best served warm, with crème fraîche or a good-quality vanilla ice cream.

As far as the pastry is concerned, I like to use an easy puff pastry in summertime but some chefs (including Julia Child) go for the pâté sucré. At the end of the day, the pastry is really nothing but a humble vehicle for the gorgeous fruit base. If you serve the Tarte right away, puff pastry seems to be the way to go as it crisps up beautifully well, which makes a lovely contrast to the butter-soft fruit above.

Finally, there is the question of whether you add other flavors. Some bakers do not add anything more, while some recipes add vanilla seeds or even a bit of cinnamon. Since you all know that I can easily be considered a bit of a spice fan, I sometimes add fresh Ceylon cinnamon or even add a bit of Speculaas Spice Mix (Speculaaskruiden - my recipe can be found here) but you can go with whatever you like.

A Tarte Tatin is something of a teatime classic and it is definitely one easy recipe. It is all about the flavor of the seasonal fruit used, the crisp pastry, and that sweet, buttery caramel topping, holding the whole lot together. And it is probably at its best cut into slices and eaten while still warm. If you like to top it with a really good-quality vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche, then go for it, but, as usual, I think simplicity is best and we enjoy it plain, fresh from the oven.

No matter which way you serve this lovely tart, you will not regret having this amazing French recipe in your repertoire of easy and delectable summer desserts.