red pepper, potato and pear soup

2. March 2019
by troutandhawk
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Soups

This is one of the soups I prepare  when I’m craving a “juicy” detox week, but the temperatures are still too low to fully enjoy the raw freshness. 

evening sunred peppers

red pepper, potato and pear soup

4 red bell peppers, halved, cored and seeded
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves
a sprig of thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 pear, peeled, cored and diced
ca. 1,5l  vegetable broth
parsley, finely chopped for serving

Put the bell pepper halves skin-side up on a baking sheet and roast until the skins are blackened . (I use the fan grill at 220°C).

Immediately transfer the pepper halves into a bowl and cover tightly with a plastic wrap. The steam will help to loosen the skin. Rub off the skin and chop the roasted and peeled peppers.

Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, potatoes and thyme. Sprinkle with pepper and salt. cook until the vegetables have softened, for about 15 minutes. Discard the sprig of thyme.
Add the peppers, the pear and the vegetable broth. Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Puree the soup.

Serve sprinkled with parsley.

GroßteichCunnertswaldephoto sessionred peppe, potato and pear soup

 

a gingerbread story

26. December 2018
by troutandhawk
comments 2
Cakes + Cookies

It all began with the idea of a competition. A competition between family and friends. A friendly one, of course.

This is the Great Gingerbread House-Off.

The brief: A gingerbread house should be built, from scratch, edible and breathtakingly beautiful with no limits concerning style or century. 

the partsginger (10 von 16)

the gingerbread house

With an engineer and designer combining forces, the duo did not rest from start to finish. With a prototype built and dimensions noted, the dough was made:

2 cups sugar syrup
1 1/2 cups muscovado sugar
250g butter
1kg  flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cloves

Mix the flour, salt and spices. In a pot melt the butter and the sugars, then pour the melted sugar/ butter mixture into the flour. Be careful and let it cool before you start kneading with your hands. If the consistency is still too crumbly, add more sugar syrup.

With the dough flattened, cut the templates and place into baking trays. One tray at a time, slide into the oven at 180°C for 12-15 minutes. As one is heated, the others can be cut.

Continue until all pieces are cooled and solid.  

gingerbread house gingerbread (2 von 8) gingerbread house : the doughCalebgingerbread dough

When all the pieces have cooled, mix a thick sugar syrup to act as glue, combining the pieces to construct your desired layout. Make sure to hold in place until you’re sure they won’t fall! The thicker the syrup, the less time this takes.

To decorate:

Tons of glue! (4 packages of icing sugar mixed with water to a glue-like consistency)
A bag of Haribo Colorado sweets (infinite possibilities!)
A box of Smarties, silver pearls and sugar patties, meringues
Goji berries, red peppercorns, star anise and cinnamon stars

Use your imagination when decorating! We crafted lanterns by slicing licorice haribo sweets, moulding and sticking yellow, flame-like sweets onto the ends.

The tools:

A knife, steady hands and anything else in your kitchen you deem useful!

gingerbread housepreparing the doughgingerbrad house

 

the  playlist:

  • Kings College Choir
  • Steve Reich
  • Bach
  • James Bond
  • Spotify’s coffee table jazz playlist

 

the gingerbread house

poached pear with vanilla and cinnamon

28. October 2018
by troutandhawk
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Sweets

I just adore pears. Cute butt shapes and so many ways to prepare them. They are delicious with game, paired with elderberries and quinces for jam , poached or simply eaten out of hand.

My pear tree had very little water and a lot of sun this summer and proudly presented me with seven (wow!) ripe pears. Here’s the recipe how I poached them with some lovely spices for my birthday lunch.

poached pear with vanilla and cinnamon

6 pears (Williams or Conférence)
1l red wine
100g sugar
1-2 sticks cinnamon
1/2 vanilla pod

Put the sugar and the wine into a heavy saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low.
Peel the pear leaving the stalk on.
Add the pears , the cinnamon and the vanilla pod.
cover with a lid and bring again to a boil. Turn the heat right down and simmer for 30 minutes. Let the pears cool.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or panna cotta and a drizzle of the poaching liquid.

massaged kale avocado salad

27. October 2018
by troutandhawk
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Lunch / Salads

 1 bunch of kale (tear away the pieces from the stem)
1 avocado
1 lemon
salt, pepper and a dash of tamari

Rinse and prepare kale into bite sized pieces. Put into a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients. Massage into kale until the leaves are soft.

My recipe differs slightly from Jill Daltons, but you might watch her video for the perfect “how to”.

raw baby spinach soup

7. October 2018
by troutandhawk
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Lunch / Soups

raw baby spinach soup
(recipe inspired by Anthony William)

1 generous handful baby spinach
1 orange, peeled
2 tomatoes
1/2 avocado
chili salt and freshly ground black pepper

For more spiciness add a clove of garlic, chili, cilantro or basil.

First blend the orange with the tomatoes, then add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Enjoy cold or lukewarm. Top with sprouts, herbs or roasted seeds.

raw spinach soup

seedy olive oil granola

20. September 2018
by troutandhawk
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Breakfast

A recipe from Sara Forte’s cookbook the Sprouted Kitchen: Bowl and Spoon. The salty-sweet and slightly spicy granola becomes amazingly addictive when paired with creamy yoghurt, a spoonful of honey and fresh fruit like peaches, raspberries and blueberries.  

seedy olive oil granola
(makes about 6 cups)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups rice crispy cereal (unsweetened)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons hemp, sesame, flax seeds, chia seeds or a mixture

You may play around with the choice of spices and seeds, but keep the ratio of liquid to dry ingredients.

Preheat oven to 165°C (325°F).

Mix the olive oil, maple syrup, sea salt, cardamom and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add the oats , crisp rice, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and your seeds of choice. Mix to coat.

Spread the granola mixture on two rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Bake on for 40-45 minutes or until the mixture is toasty, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even crispness.

Granola will keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

Sara's granola

delicious mess of tomatoes, peaches and goat cheese

8. August 2018
by troutandhawk
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Lunch / Salads

delicious mess of tomatoes, peaches and goat cheese

tomatoes and peaches in equal amounts, quartered or chopped
1/2 onion, white or red, finely sliced
fresh goat cheese
basil leaves
balsamic vinegar
native olive oil
a spoonful of honey
salt and freshly ground pepper

In a bowl mix the olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and peaches, top with the onions and the crumbled goat cheese.

Mix gently before serving. Top with basil leaves.

mung dhal

19. July 2018
by troutandhawk
comments 2
Dinner / Lunch

Whenever I prepare this mung dhal the  smell of sizzling spices teleports me to Hassan’s kitchen  in Madame Mallory and the smell of curry.  It’s irresistible.

spicesmung dhal

mung dhal (basic recipe)

200g mung dhal
double the volume of water
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon rock salt

1 tablespoon ghee
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice powder (cinnamon, clove, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, fennel seeds)

Soak the mung beans during the night or for a minimum of 4 hours.
Drain and rinse.
Bring the water to boil in a saucepan, add the mung beans, the curry powder and the turmeric. Simmer on medium heat with a lid on. Cook for 25 minutes. Finally stir in the rock salt.
Meanwhile dry fry the cumin and the Chinese Five Spice powder for a minute until fragrant on medium heat. Add the ghee and stir occasionally. (If you like so you may add grated garlic and ginger to the spice/ghee mixture.)
Finally combine the mung beans and the spices. Enjoy !  💛

 

jung dhal