cookingeurope

[cookingeurope]

Mexico: Guacamole

One of the things I miss the most about living in LA is the availability of delicious Mexican food. The Mexican food options in Europe are slim to none, so I’ve been doing my best to learn a bit about cooking my own Mexican food at home. Luckily we do have a great Mexican store in Switzerland and I can even shop online! Guacamole is great as an appetizer served with corn tortilla chips, spooned on top of a taco or burrito, in or on a quesadilla, mixed with your scrambled eggs in the morning, served with a margarita... if you are in need of ideas I’ve got more.

I’ve made lots of guacamole variations over the years, but my favorite ones have red onion, a healthy amount of tomato, and cilantro. If you’re one of the strange people who think that cilantro tastes like soap of course feel free to omit it.

Recipe:

2 avocados 

3 small tomato

1/2-1 small red onion

1-2 limes, juice only

Cilantro

Salt

Spicy peppers (jalapeños are best if you can find them, but any fresh spicy pepper will work, just add slowly if you’re not sure just how spicy they are)

Dice the red onion and soak in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes. Be sure to drain off the water before adding them so your guacamole doesn’t get watery.

Meanwhile, cut up tomatoes into small chunks and cut the peppers into small pieces. If you want to decrease the spiciness, you can remove the seeds and the white part inside the peppers.

Cut open the avocado and scoop into a bowl. Add in the tomatoes, onion and peppers. Mash the avocado with a fork until you have the consistency you want. 

Season with salt and lime to taste, and throw in a handful of chopped cilantro. Or not. 

Scoop up with a corn tortilla chip and enjoy!

[cookingeurope]

Vietnam: Vietnamese Coffee

From the first time I had Vietnamese coffee, I was hooked! It’s simple and delicious hot or cold. Here in Switzerland you can find sweetened, condensed milk in a tube, making it even easier. If you can find a percolator at your local Asian store it’s even better because you can brew the coffee directly over the condensed milk.

2-3 tablespoons sweetened, condensed milk

Freshly brewed coffee

Add sweetened, condensed milk into the bottom of a glass. 

Add freshly brewed coffee, or brew in a percolator directly over the milk if you have one.

Stir together and enjoy! 

*Note: For the iced version, you can brew over ice, or you can brew in advance and add ice later.

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Some fresh new things going on over at Cooking Europe! Can you guess which herbs are brightening up the balcony?

[cookingeurope]

Inspired by Vietnam: Pork Noodle Bowls

One of my favorite restaurants in LA was Pho Cafe. Their lemongrass beef and vermicelli rice noodle bowls were incredibly flavorful and a delicious balance of flavors. I was too daunted to try to recreate their delicious creations, so instead I’ve come up with a version of my own noodle bowl, using seasoned ground pork patties. If you can grill them, I think the flavor is better, but they are also delicious cooked up in a skillet.

Recipe:

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon fish sauce (this is for saltiness, so you can substitute salt if you prefer, but add slowly)

2 scallions, sliced thinly (white and green parts)

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil)

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1 long stalk of lemongrass (about 20 cm), trimmed and thinly sliced

300 g of ground pork 

Vermicelli rice noodles (or any thin noodle)

Carrots

Cucumber

Lettuce

Peanuts

Cilantro

Mix together the first nine ingredients (through the lemongrass) in a bowl, and pour over the ground pork. Stir gently and let marinate for at least one hour, or up to overnight. Be sure not to over-mix.

Form into patties and cook on a hot grill until the pork is cooked through.

To assemble the noodle bowls, add cooked rice noodles, thinly sliced carrots and cucumber, lettuce, crushed peanuts and cilantro into bowls. Top with two pork patties per bowl. If you want a bit of spice you can add Sriracha or chili oil.

Enjoy!

[cookingeurope]

Israel: Israeli salad

I don’t know the real name of this dish, or if there is an official name for it, but it was introduced to me as Israeli salad. It’s best eaten just after you make it. If you want to keep it in the fridge, you’ll want to be sure to eat it the next day and remove the seeds from the tomatoes.

Tomato

Cucumber

Red pepper

Red onion

Lemon juice

Olive oil

Salt

Cut the tomato, cucumber, red pepper and red onion into small pieces. Normally you would have an equal amount of each but if raw onion isn’t your thing you can use less.

Top with lemon juice, olive oil and salt to taste.

Enjoy!

[cookingeurope]

Israel: Majadra

I went to graduate school with a guy whose family was from Israel, and he showed me a few recipes. I like these recipes because they are simple, quick to make, and delicious. Look for a recipe for Israeli salad on Thursday, but in the meantime, enjoy this recipe for rice and lentils. You can pre-mix them before you serve them but I like to layer things in my bowl and mix while I’m eating. You can serve it without yogurt if you prefer (be sure you use plain yogurt and not vanilla flavored!).

Recipe: 

Rice

Turmeric 

Garlic

Lentils

Cumin

Bay leaf

Red onions

Paprika

Yogurt, optional

Make rice according to the package instructions, but add in 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric per cup of rice. (*Note: turmeric stains easily so be careful while you’re measuring it, or don’t wear white!)

Cook the lentils with some salt, a bay leaf and 2 teaspoons of cumin per cup of lentils. 

Cook onions in olive oil over medium heat until they are a bit crispy. After about 5 minutes in the pan, season with salt and paprika.

Once everything is finished, put it all in a bowl (or on a plate) and enjoy!

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Inspired by Jan: Salad with Strawberry-Lemon Vinaigrette

In many ways, I am just a younger version of my mom. But there is one way in which I am not my mother’s daughter. This recipe is inspired by that revelation. 

On a bad day, my mom has only five different kinds of mustard in the fridge. She is the veritable Mustard Queen of the Universe. When I wanted to make a salad and my own salad dressing a few days ago, however, I discovered that I actually have no mustard in my house. None at all! {Mom, if you’re reading this, please don’t cry.} I had to get creative with what I had on hand. It turned out to be pretty good actually! So here’s the recipe for my strawberry-lemon vinaigrette. I had it on a salad with cucumbers, red peppers and some crumbled feta cheese.

Recipe:

1 tsp strawberry jam

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Pinch of salt

4 tsp olive oil

Whisk the jam, lemon juice and vinegar in a small bowl. 

Add a pinch of salt, then slowly add olive oil while whisking. Add more olive oil if you prefer a thinner dressing (see note below).

Top your salad and enjoy!

*Note: I usually make my dressings pretty thick so that I use less oil, but also I feel like it sticks to my salad greens better. Feel free to use more olive oil if you prefer a dressing that’s a bit thinner.

[cookingeurope]

Weekend Trip: Paris

The train from Lausanne to Paris is less than 3 1/2 hours and puts you in the heart of the city. When I miss being in a big city, Paris is just what I need. There’s even a Chipotle there (actually there are 3) but I have restrained myself. 

My favorite neighborhood in Paris: Le Marais

Favorite museum: Musée d’Orsay Runner up: The Louvre, of course. My favorite exhibit was the apartment of Napoleon III.

Favorite moment: Watching the sun rise over Paris from Montmartre

Favorite restaurant (not French food): Fresh Noodles (23 Rue St-Denis) Recommendations: Spicy green beans, watching them make hand-pulled noodles (ask for them in your noodle soup)

Favorite spot: There’s a park on the other side of Notre Dame. You get a different view of the cathedral and I’ve found it’s normally less crowded.

[cookingeurope]

American Comfort Foods: Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

Growing up, tomato soup and grilled cheese was our go-to quick week night dinner, and it’s still one of my favorite meals. This version uses canned tomatoes (fresh all year!) but amps up the flavor by roasting the veggies: one of my favorite ways to disguise canned veggies.

Tomato Soup Recipe: 

1 large can whole, peeled tomatoes

1-2 white onions, cut into quarters 

2-3 garlic cloves (skin-on)

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 stalk of celery, diced

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, optional

500 mL vegetable broth

Basil, optional

Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees C (400 deg F) and cut your veggies while the oven is heating. I line my baking pan with aluminum foil to make clean-up easier.

Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and rosemary to the pan and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Take out the tomatoes (keep the juice!) and cut in half. Add the tomatoes to the baking dish.

Bake the veggies in the oven until they are cooked and the sugars are starting to caramelize on the tomatoes. This should take about 30-45 minutes.

During the last few minutes, heat up your vegetable broth and add the rest of the juice from the tomatoes. 

When the veggies are done, add them to the broth along with the juices in the pan. Blend with an immersion blender (or add into a blender in batches, just be careful to leave the top open to prevent the hot liquid splattering all over you).

Pour into bowls and enjoy! Top with fresh basil if desired.

Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Recipe:

Good bread, sliced

Mozzarella

Pesto

Mayonnaise 

Heat up a pan (I used my new favorite kitchen toy -- my grill pan) over medium-high heat. 

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise onto two slices of bread (these are the outsides of the sandwich).

Onto one of the “inside” layers (i.e. the side of the bread that doesn’t have mayo on it), add a layer of pesto. Then add fresh mozzarella and add the other piece of bread, mayo on the outside.

Cook until the bread is crispy, golden brown and the cheese is melted and gooey. Then make a few more because these are delicious.

Enjoy! 

[cookingeurope]

Sneak peek: Tomato soup and grilled cheese

Sorry there’s no new recipe today, but I’m dealing with some issues with my taxes. Hooray for April 15th and a 6 hour time difference from the east coast! New recipe coming on Thursday. Happy eating!

[cookingeurope]

Mocktail Hour: Gin-Free Fitzgerald

{previously published at: https://food52.com/recipes/35126-gin-free-fitzgerald}

Ok so this recipe isn’t 100% alcohol free because I *do* use one dash of bitters. My next goal is to figure out what to use to replace bitters, so until now consider this to be an extremely LOW alcohol drink, though not totally alcohol free. I’m still calling it a mocktail for now.

**Classic Fitzgerald recipe below**

Recipe

1 1/2 ounces Jasmine green tea

3/4 ounce lemon juice

3/4 ounce gin-infused simple syrup

Dash of bitters

Brew your green tea according to the directions (usually 2-3 minutes in water just below boiling).

Combine the green tea, lemon juice, simple syrup and bitters in a shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini class and garnish with a lemon slice.

Enjoy!

**Classic Fitzgerald

1 1/2 ounces gin

3/4 ounce lemon juice

3/4 ounce simple syrup

2 dashes bitters

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Inspired by Italy: Leek and Squash Risotto

Recipe:

Leek

Zucchini

Arborio rice

Broth (chicken or vegetable, or both)

Tarragon

White wine

Parmigiano reggiano, grated

Lemon

Cut the roots and end of the leaves off of one leek. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut into small half-moons. Break up the leaves in a bowl of cold water and let them sit for 1-2 minutes so any dirt in the leaves sinks to the bottom. Remove the leeks with your hands to a paper towel or dish towel and squeeze to remove any excess water.

In a pan over medium heat, add some olive oil to heat. 

Add the leeks and sliced zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften. Season with salt and pepper.

Add rice (I added four big handfuls, about 200-250 g), one cup of white wine, and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon. Cook until most of the liquid has absorbed.

Start to add the broth, in small amounts, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Keep tasting the rice along the way to determine when you’ve added enough liquid.

Optional: At the end, throw in one bouillon cube (chicken or vegetable) to intensify the flavor.

Add 50 g grated cheese and stir until it’s melted.

Add the juice of 1/2 lemon and stir.

Serve warm with fresh tarragon and cheese on top!

*Note: I added too much liquid when I made the risotto pictured above. Yours shouldn’t be that “runny.” Enjoy!

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Inspired by Vietnam: Pho Ga

One of the things I miss most about LA is the availability of Vietnamese food. I have seen a few restaurants here, but something about it is just not the same. Pho, a Vietnamese soup, is known for its rich, clear broth with complex flavors. Inspired by this, and my craving for Vietnamese this week, I decided to try my own version.

I can't speak to its authenticity, but I can say that it was delicious!

Bring water to a boil in a large pot on the stove.

While the water is coming to a boil, turn on the broiler (or the highest heat setting in the oven). On a pan, put one piece (about 5 cm) of ginger, unpeeled, and one onion, cut in half. Put in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the onion has begun to char. Be sure to turn the onion and ginger a few times to make sure they char evenly.

Once the water is boiling, add chicken (I used about 400 g of bone-in and skin-on legs and thighs) to the pot. Ideally you should cut the chicken into smaller pieces (about 8 cm) to expose the bone, but you can skip this step if you don't have a large cleaver.

After 3-5 minutes, dump out the water and add fresh water (2-2 1/2 liters) to the pot. This helps to keep the broth clear, which is really characteristic of a great pho.

Add the onion and ginger (after you scrape off the charred bits), and your pho spices: 1 tablespoon of whole cumin seeds (toasted in a dry pan until aromatic), 2 whole cloves, 1 star anise, 1/2 cinnamon stick, 1 cardamom pod, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce.

Return to a boil and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 minutes.

Remove the chicken with tongs, shred the meat and set aside until you are ready to assemble the bowls.

Let the broth boil for another 1 1/2 hours, skimming the surface occasionally if there is foam (again, this helps to keep a clear broth).

When the broth is almost ready, cook up some noodles and prepare toppings (bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, Sriracha and hoisin sauces are common). 

To assemble the bowls, add your noodles and chicken, the pour the broth over and add your desired garnishes.

Enjoy!

[cookingeurope]

Snacks from the US: Kettle Corn

Sometimes I'm craving a salty snack that reminds me of home. I remember afternoons after school with my mom, playing Monopoly and eating Sweet n' Buttery popcorn from the microwave. Or watching the latest episode of American Idol. This quick version of kettle corn is a pretty good substitute.

The Recipe:

Oil (canola, sunflower, or other neutral flavor) (1 part)

Popcorn kernels (2 parts)

Sugar (1 part)

Salt, to taste

Heat oil in a pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add 2-3 corn kernels to the oil so you know when it's hot enough. Use 1/2 tablespoon of oil per serving.

Once the kernels have popped, add corn kernels and sugar and cover with a lid. One serving will be 1/2 tablespoon of sugar (the same amount of oil you used), along with 1 tablespoon of corn kernels (twice the amount of oil/sugar).

Shake occasionally until the popping slows down. 

Sprinkle with salt (1/8 teaspoon of salt per tablespoon of popcorn added), re-cover with the lid and shake to coat.

Enjoy!

Expert tip:

To wash your pan, add water and a bit of soap to the water then stick it back on the burner with the lid on, while you enjoy your popcorn. Turn off the heat when the soap starts to bubble up under the lid. This will soften the sugar and make cleaning a breeze!

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Southern US: Fried Chicken Fingers

My grandmother passed away last April, and February 26th (the day before Elizabeth Taylor) would have been her 83rd birthday. To celebrate her life, I wanted to make a Southern feast for dinner. With a little advice from friends, I made some awesome fried chicken fingers (along with corn, mashed potatoes, wilted lettuce from Monday’s post, biscuits, and sweet tea). Happy birthday!

The Recipe, day 1: The brine:

Buttermilk*

Milk

Onion

Tabasco

Salt

Chicken, cut into strips

If you have buttermilk, measure out 400 mL and pour into a plastic bowl, then tell me where you were able to find buttermilk in Switzerland. If you don't have buttermilk, add 400 mL of milk (lait entière) into a bowl and add 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) of white vinegar. Stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

Add 400 mL of regular milk to the buttermilk or buttermilk substitute, along with one sliced onion, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce.

Add your chicken to the bowl (make sure the milk covers all of your chicken!), cover with plastic wrap and stick in the fridge overnight.

The Recipe, day 2: Frying some chicken:

Prepare some buttermilk substitute (like on day 1) and let the milk/vinegar sit for 10-15 minutes while you prepare everything else.

Pour oil into a large pot and heat over medium to medium-high heat.

Season flour -- this will become the breading of your chicken fingers, so make sure it’s flavorful! Here’s what I added to 2 cups of flour: 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon spicy paprika, pinch of cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, freshly ground black pepper.

Stir together all of the spices in the flour, then slowly add in about 40-50 mL of buttermilk, until the flour starts to clump slightly. These pieces will give your chicken the crunchy, delicious crust!

Remove the chicken fingers from the brine solution and turn them in the flour mixture until they are covered. You can press the flour into the chicken a bit to make sure that it sticks.

Fry it in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until it’s golden brown.

Drain the excess oil on paper towels and serve. 

These are also delicious the next day (even cold!). 

[cookingeurope]

Southern US: Wilted Lettuce

My brother wasn't much of a vegetable eater growing up. Though to be fair, what kid likes veggies and would jump at the chance of an all-veggie dinner? (Ok, I was. But I was/am weird.) One "vegetable" that he would always eat though, was wilted lettuce. I don't know who was the first one in my family to make this recipe, but this is the version my dad makes. I know it sounds strange, but trust me. It's got bacon. How can it be all that bad?

The Recipe:

Bacon

Apple cider vinegar

Egg

Greens (iceberg lettuce is best)

Cook up some bacon (3-5 slices but into small pieces) in a pan. Cook at least twice what you think you'll use since you should account for eating some along the way... 

While your bacon is crisping up, combine 100 mL apple cider vinegar, 30 mL water, and one egg in a cup and whisk.

When the bacon is crisp, remove it and let it drain on paper towels, leaving as much bacon fat in the pan as you can. 

Add the vinegar, water and egg to the pan and heat over medium-low heat just until it starts to boil.

Remove from the heat, add the bacon and stir.

Quickly add to your lettuce (already washed, dried and cut into bite-size chunks, of course) and stir. 

Serve warm.

*This recipe makes enough dressing for about 6-8 servings of dressing. The flavor is also quite strong, so I recommend starting with just a small amount and adding more as you want.

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Mocktail Hour: Gin-Less Fizz

{previously published at https://food52.com/recipes/34535-gin-less-fizz}

Sometimes you want a fancy-looking drink without the alcohol. This is a great non-alcoholic version of the classic gin fizz. The trick is to infuse the same gin flavors into your simple syrup. Use this as a substitute for sugar or syrup and gin for other non-alcoholic versions of your gin favorites! 

**Classic gin fizz recipe below.**

Recipe:

1/2 ounce "gin-fused" simple syrup* (alcohol-free, recipe below)

1 ounce lemon juice

Sparkling water

Ice

Mint leaves, for garnish

To make a simple syrup infused with the flavors of gin (a "gin-fused" simple syrup if you'll forgive my horrible pun), start by making a simple syrup. Heat 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar dissolves. 

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons juniper berries, 1/8 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/2 bay leaf (torn in half), 1 cardamom pod, 1 peppercorn, and 1 strip of orange peel (5 cm in length) to the warm sugar mixture and bring the syrup to a boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and let the spices steep in the syrup for 30 minutes while it cools. Strain out the spices, and store in the refrigerator for up to one month.

In a shaker, combine the simple syrup and lemon juice with ice. Shake until cold and strain into a highball glass filled with ice.

Top the glass with sparkling water, garnish with a fresh mint leaf and serve!

**CLASSIC GIN FIZZ (Cocktail recipe)

1 1/2 ounces gin

1 1/2 ounces lemon juice

1-2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Sparkling water

Shake the first three ingredients in a shaker with ice. 

Strain over ice into a highball glass and top with sparkling water.