Paprika Rice with Mozzarella

A bundle of red long peppers came back with me from the Eifel. Driving and unloading the car made me hungry.

I wanted an oven dish with these peppers and feta, but discovered that the last block of feta was already history.

Then I went for a stovetop rice dish. The base was easy, a bit of onion, garlic and leek in olive oil, then paprika paste ( the Turkish one) and the chopped peppers.

I've bought some thin slices of smoked speck where I've got the peppers and decided to not vegetarian. It was cut up and followed the peppers.

To keep on the same path, I used chicken stock instead of veg stock paste and put the washed rice in.

Smoked paparika, Piment d'Espelette, salt, pepper and 6 tiny homegrown chilis  later I brought it up to a boil and covered it, reduced the heat to low and waited until the rice had absorbed all the stock.

A whole bag of grated mozzarella and fresh dill were stirred in and I let it sit 5 min.

Ingredients:

3 long red peppers

1 thick spring onion

10 cm leek

2 tbsp olive oil

110 g Speck smoked

11/2 rice cooker cups longgrain rice

4 rice cooker cups chicken stock

175 g grated mozzarella

1/2 bunch of dill

6 mini chilis, smoked paprika, Piment d'Espelette, salt  pepper

Chanterelle topped Schnitzel

It is Chanterelle mushroom season and I finally got some. What goes best with any kinds of mushrooms here: Schnitzel.

I've got lucky and the chanterelles were very good quality. Not much to clean and nearly zero waste.

They were added to a pan with green onion and garlic in some oil. These mushrooms need at least 10 minutes to get cooked. Seasoned only with salt and pepper and some twigs of thyme.

A good gluck of Noilly Prat and some double cream to finish them.

In the meantime the schnitzel went under a meat cleaver and thinned out. Seasoned with salt and pepper. Then the usual panneing street with flour, egg and breadcrumbs gave the pork its cover.

In neutral oil cooked from both sides until done and the beaten egg went in too.

The mushrooms came to the side and that was one tasty dish. 

Ingredients:

200 g Chanterelle mushrooms

1 green onion

2 garlic cloves

4 tbsp oil

320 g schnitzel (2)

1 egg

5 tbsp flour

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Salt, pepper, thyme

Frangipane and Peach filled Puff Pasty

I haven't made the classic French pastry filling yet. I always feared that it tasted like Marzipan, the almond paste.

I hate Marzipan!

But an open bag of ground almonds was sitting in my baking ingredient box and needed to go. A punnet of peaches was on the counter and a roll of puff pastry in the fridge.

I looked at recipes and frangipane cream came up. I decided to give it a go.

Frangipane:

100 g very soft unsalted butter

100 g sugar

100 g ground almonds (prefer the ones that are skinless, but the other are more rustic)

10 g cornstarch

2 eggs

With a wooden spoon beat sugar and butter together until creamy, add the other ingredients and make a soft paste.

1 roll rectangular puff pastry

4 peaches or nectarines

Spread the frangipane along the middle and set slices of fruit on top. Cut the sides of the dough in strips and fold it over.

Preheat the oven to 200 C fan and bake for 25 to 30 min.

Burger at Eifelrast am Nürburgring

I am South of the Nuerburgring in Kelberg an AirB&B.

Looking for new locations to eat is on my to do list too. This one is beside a large gas station and the times I went by, I did not think much of it.

But talk to the people who live here and you get recommodations. Then I checked reviews and got there.

The menu is small, mostly burgers, schnitzel and salads. All freshly made and very good quality.

I decided on the Kel-Burger (for Kelberg). Bacon and Cheese with salad mix and very good French fries.

Usually I rarely finish the fries because too salty or too fatty or just low quality. This time I did finish the large portion of it.

I will come back for sure.

 

 

 

Cooking in a small AirB&B kitchen

I have rented a beautiful apartment with a large garden 15 minutes away from the Nuerburgring. The only downside is the small kitchen with no dishwasher and very limited space around the sink for dishes.

I decided to reduce my cooking for semi ready to cook meals using the microwave and a single plate on the hob. Less stuff to clean afterwards.

A good example for it was yesterdays Tortelloni with Salsiccia Tomato Sauce. The fresh pasta went in the microwave in two batches with 2 tbsp of water for 2,5 min.

The jar of sauce went in a pot to heat up. Then the first batch of tortellini went in while the other went in the microwave.

Some ready grated Grana Padano on top and the lunch was ready. 

Good and not too bad cleaning up later.

 

Pasta all'amatriciana

I still find pasta dishes I haven't cooked yet. This was one of them. 

I have a piece of guanciale in the fridge. I used some for spaghetti carbonara. But other dishes use this kind of bacon too. It is made from the pigs cheek.

The all'amatriciana originates in the Abbruzzen mountain town of Amatrice in Latium. You can find this dish in many restaurants in Rome.

Important is the use of a can of whole tomatoes, just crush them yourself. Pecorino is the choice of cheese, but I had a package of Grana Padano that needed to go.

Cut the guanciale in strips and put them in a cold pan. Slowly start to heat it up, wait until the fat has rendered out, then add onion and garlic. Open the can of tomatoes, then crush them and pour in the pan. Clean out the can with a little water and add that too. Season with salt and pepper and peperoncini.

Now start the pasta in not too much water.

A few fresh basil leaves were ripped and added to the sauce. Let it cook on medium until the pasta is short from al dente. Tranfer it directly from the pot to the pan and let it cook in the tomato sauce until done.

Add the cheese and stir it in.

Ingredients:

60 g guanciale

60 g pecorino

225 g spaghetti

1 can whole tomatoes

7 basil leaves

Salt, pepper, peperoncini

Rice and Fruit Dessert

Got cold leftover rice in Summer? Make a dessert kind of rice dish.

Use the kinds of fruits that are in season or that you have at home. When they are ripe and sift, just cut them up and put them in a bowl.

When the fruits are on the harder side, put them in a small pot with liquid of your choice and cook a quick compote. Let it cool and add to the bowl.

Creaminess comes from full fat Greek yogurt. Sweetness comes from maple syrup or honey.

Texture and maybe crunch from nuts, seeds or cereals. Use whatever you have on hand. 

I finished mine with Dutch Hagelslag = chocolate sprinkles.

Recipe:

150 g cold rice

100 g Mirabelles

3 tbsp maple syrup

1 cup Greek yogurt

3 tbsp chopped pistacchios

2 tbsp chopped hazelnut brittle

3 tbsp chocolate sprinkles