Liquoro di alloro - Laurierlikeur – Bay leaf Liqueur (GF-DF)

My father pruned his laurel tree this weekend and after a lovely family meal I went home with a bag full of fresh, very nice scenting, bay leafs.
I use bay leafs in soups or as part of a bouquet garni and in the Indian kitchen. With all those smells in the house I suddenly remembered a recipe of liqueur from fresh bay leafs.
So at the moment I have a bowl filled with leaves infusing in gin and in about 2 weeks the recipe will be finished.
I am curious about the taste, I never had a bay leaf liqueur before, but what I read in French cooking books it’s a digestive, so to be taken after dinner, for better digestion.

The recipes I found are all slightly different, so I decided to try and find out.
The basics are all the same but the times of macerating and ripening vary.
We’ll see.

Bay leaf liqueur (1 l)

½ l vodka or gin
30-40 fresh bay leafs
1 cinnamon stick
zest of an organic lemon

½ l water
350 g sugar

Put the first 4 ingredients in a clean glass jar, close the lid and leave it macerating for 2-4 weeks. The longer the more infusing, I guess. Shake once in a while.

After these weeks we start by making a sugar syrup.
Pour the sugar in the water and bring it to the boil, boil it softly for 5 minutes, keep on stirring till the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the syrup cool completely.

Remove the bay leafs from the pot and sieve the liquid through a coffee filter or a cheese cloth. Return to the pot and pour in the cooled sugar syrup. Give it a shake and let it rest for at least 1 week. Then pour the finished liqueur in a nice bottle and it’s ready to serve.
You can keep it for 2 years!

                                           Home Made, Yvette van Boven

Laurierlikeur (1 L)

½ l wodka of jenever
30-40 verse laurierbladeren
1 kaneelstok
geraspte schil van 1 biologische citroen

½ l water
350 g suiker

Doe de eerste 4 ingrediënten in een weckpot of andere grote glazen pot, sluit af en laat 2-4 weken intrekken. Hoe langer, hoe sterker, denk ik.

Na deze weken maken we eerst de suikerstroop: giet de suiker bij het water in een pan en breng aan de kook. Kook 5 minuten zachtjes door terwijl je steeds roert. De suiker moet helemaal opgelost zijn. Laat de suikerstroop afkoelen.

Haal de laurierblaadjes uit de pot en zeef de inhoud door een koffiefilter of een stuk kaasdoek. Giet de inhoud terug in de pot en meng met de afgekoelde suikerstroop. Laat nog minimaal 1 week rusten voor je de likeur overgiet in een mooie fles of karaf.
De laurierlikeur is 2 jaar houdbaar!

crispy apple crumble - crispy appel crumble (GF)

A deliciously sweet autumn recipe, filled with great apples and topped with a crispy gluten free crumble. We really loved it!
Maybe because of the amount of sugar in it? Because, yes I decided to make a real treat, without too many restrictions. My son is always complaining that my baking products are nice, but. The but is about: not sweet enough. He gets used to it, that’s the good news, but once in a while I give him the "real" thing!

Crispy apple crumble (2-4 pers)

For the crumble:
125 g brown rice flour
35 g brown caster sugar
50 g unrefined cane sugar
1 tbsp tsp cinnamon or my spice mix
½ tsp sea salt
vanilla seeds (1/2 vanilla pod)
90 g cold butter

For the filling:
2 reinet apples (400g)
130 g frozen blueberries
2 tbsp cane sugar
1-2 tbsp almond slivers


Pre heat your oven on 180˚C.

Make the crumble first.
Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Then add the cold butter and slice it with 2 knifes in very small pieces. Wash your hands and quickly knead till you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside.

Peel the apples and cube them. Mix with the frozen blueberries and the cane sugar in an oven-proof dish. Top with the crumble and sprinkle with the almond slivers.
Bake for about 20-30 minutes till the crumble looks golden.
Let it cool slightly and serve as it is or with some sour cream!

Crispy appel crumble (2-4 pers)

Voor de crumble:
125 g bruine rijstmeel
35 g oersuiker
50 g rauwe rietsuiker
1 el tl kaneel of koekkruiden
½ tl zeezout
vanillezaad (1/2 stokje)
90 g koude boter

Voor de vulling:
2 goudrenetten
130 g bevroren blauwe bessen
2 el rietsuiker
1-2 el amandelschilfers

Verwarm de oven voor op 180˚C.

Maak eerst de crumble:
Doe alle droge ingrediënten in een kom en meng door elkaar.
Voeg de koude boter toe en snijd met 2 messen in minuscule stukjes. Was je handen en kneed met koele hand snel tot een grof kruimelig geheel. Zet even apart.

Schil dan de appel en snijd ze in blokjes. Mix ze met de blauwe bessen en de rietsuiker in een beboterde ovenschaal. Schep de crumble er bovenop en bestrooi met de amandelschilfers.
Bak de crumble in het midden van de oven 20-30 minuten tot ze goudbruin ziet en heerlijk ruikt. Laat het even wat afkoelen en serveer dan warm, zoals ze is of met wat room of zure room.

Geniet nog van de laatste mooie bladeren

speculaas kruiden - peperkoekkruiden - pumpkin spices (GF-DF-SF)

In the muffins of thursday I used cinnamon, but you can also use this very nice mix of spices.

In Holland we eat a lot of speculaas (gingersnaps) in wintertime, it is the smell of autumn-winter with earthy, warm, glowing tones.

The different spices have different nutritional qualities. These warming spice blends are good for digestion, especially in colder times when we eat heavier foods.

Making your own spice mix gives you the opportunity to adapt the spices to your own taste. When you want it more peppery just add more pepper, it is as simple as that.

In Holland there is a kind of cake or bread we call ontbijtkoek (litt. breakfast cake) peperkoek or in English gingerbread. It has a very ancient history: already in the time of the faraos there existed a kind of peperkoek made with honey, flour and spices.

In Holland it became a serious recipe in the time of the spice trades of the VOC in the 17th century. Pepper was a very expensive spice then, also referred to as “black gold” and a gift of peppercake-peperkoek to high visitors was a very exquisite present. The Dutch went to Kerala, on the Malabar coast of India especially to collect the native peppercorns.

We still have this saying that something is peperduur for something that is very expensive.                                   

So when you want to impress your guests, make your own spice blend, and tell them about your choice of spices.

this is a favourite of mine:

30g cinnamon
10 g clove powder
10g nutmeg powder
5 g white pepper
5 g star anise powder
4 g ginger powder
2 g cardamom

                                           Kerala 2011, Allepey
dit is mijn favoriet:

30 g kaneel
10 g gemalen kruidnagel
10 g gemalen nootmuskaat
5 g witte peper
5 g gemalen steranijs
4 g gemberpoeder
2 g kardemom poeder

You can very well use this spice mix as a pumpkin pie spice

Or in this stuffed speculaas recipe - gevulde speculaas
of deze kruidnoten, peperkoek-gingerbread, apple muffins.

or just check this gorgeous muffin recipe from my friend Sophie.

When anyone of my english readers want a translation, just let me know.
I started blogging in 2007 in Dutch and switched to English later on, so when you see anything interesting on my blog or have any questions and you don't read Dutch, let me know.

Buckwheat hazelnut muffins with apple and cinnamon – boekweit-hazelnoot muffins met kaneel en appel (GF)

Apples (Pirus Malus).

I wrote about it before, but in this time of year I eat apples every day and there is always something new to talk about. We all know the saying An apple a day keeps the doctor away. And it's true. This is based on all kind of studies and old traditions. The Romans ate an apple at the end of the meal to help their digestion and acid-base balance.

An apple contains iron, phosphorus and apple malic acids. These last substances work very well on our digestive organs. For us celiacs a real treat!!

Teach your children to eat raw, whole (washed) organic apples with the core, the core contains the most phosphorus. (when they are not allergic, like mine)

Tea from fresh or dried apple peels is a very good evening tea, it calms the nerves and brings a healthy sleep.

The apple is traditionally a symbol of life force.

When you have planted a new apple tree and are going to pick the first apples, always come with a big basket and lay in their the small crop. The young tree will feel that it has to grow more apples next year ( thanks to Mellie Uyldert, our Dutch herbal wise woman).

My big favorites are Belles de Boskoop, a very rustic, apple, a bit tart and very fragrant, super to make apple pie, apple sauce and apple compote.
Did you know that a Reinette, which is the name we use for this apple, contains twice as much vitamin C than a Golden Delicious!
Every apple goes well with nuts, cinnamon, buckwheat, raisins and pumpkins too. All autumn flavors. I made these delicious muffins, so go and try them!

Buckwheat hazelnut muffins with apple and cinnamon (12 pcs)

125 g buckwheat flour
100 g roasted hazelnut flour*
50 g raw cane sugar
55 g raisins
1 tbsp cinnamon or gingerbread spices
½ tsp sea salt
2 tsp tartaric acid baking powder
3 tbsp butter
1 organic egg
250 ml ½ water- ½ yoghurt mixture
1 apple

* I roast whole hazelnuts in a heavy skillet for 5 minutes, let them cool completely and then grind them into a fine flour
.
Pre-heat the oven on 200 ˚C.
Fill 12 muffin holes with paper baskets and grease with some butter.
Melt the butter and set aside.

Put the first 7 (dry) ingredients into a big bowl and mix thoroughly.

In a small bowl mix water and yoghurt with a fork, add the egg and mix in too. Then add the slightly cooled butter and mix again.

Grate the peeled apple above the dry ingredients.
Pour in the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix quickly with the fork. It can stay a little lumpy, no problem.

Fill the muffin holes for ¾ and bake them in the middle of the hot oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
Let them cool or eat them while still a little warm. Deliciously autumn!

Boekweit-hazelnoot muffins met koekkruiden en appel (12 stuks)

125 g boekweitmeel
100 g geroosterde, gemalen hazelnoten
50 g suiker
½ tl zeezout
2 tl wijnsteenzuurbakpoeder
55 g rozijnen
1 el koekkruiden
3 el boter
1 biologisch ei
250 ml ½ water ½ yoghurt
1 appel

Verwarm de oven voor op 200 ˚C.
Vul 12 muffinvormpjes met een papieren vorm en vet deze licht in met boter
Smelt de boter en zet even apart.
Doe de eerste 7 (droge) ingrediënten in een ruime kom en meng ze goed.

Roer in een kleine kom het water, de yoghurt en het ei los met een vork. Voeg dan de al wat afgekoelde boter toe en meng nogmaals goed door elkaar.

Schil de appel en rasp deze grof boven de droge ingrediënten.

Giet de natte bij de droge ingrediënten en meng alles snel met de vork. Er kunnen wat klontjes in zitten, dit is niet erg.
Schep de muffinvormpjes voor ¾ vol met het beslag en bak de muffins 25-30 minuten in het midden van de hete oven. Laat even afkoelen en eet ze, nog lauw. Heerlijk herfstig!

Tofu telor - tahoe telor (GF-DF-SF)

Tahoe, tofu or bean curd, this soybean product comes in many varieties.
Lots of vegetarians eat it often. Including myself. I like it, it’s very versatile, you can add any flavor you want to it.

Being in menopause I came to read some articles and new insights about the health benefits of soy products. Like all beans soy contain generous amounts of phytoestrogens, very good and helpful for menopausal women. But eating and drinking a lot of soy products is not as healthy as I thought. At last it depends of the way you (tr)eat it. Just plain it contains anti-nutritional factors.

Fermentation destroys these anti-nutritional factors and increases its mineral availability.
Miso, tamari and tempeh are fermented soy products. Tofu, soy drinks and soy burgers etc. not!

So when you safely want to eat tofu you have to add for example tamari or miso.
Traditionally tofu is eaten with seaweed and miso and when possible fish or meat.
The anti-nutritional factors of unfermented soy can create big problems like brittle bones, thyroid problems, memory loss, depression, higher breast cancer risk, interference with the absorption of B12, etc. When you want to read more about this click here.
or you can read what Susun S. Weed has to tell about it in her book: The New Menopausal Years.

This recipe is a safe one which uses soy in combination with tamari. Buy a gluten free one (that’s the real, traditional stuff without wheat!)
It’s a traditional recipe from Indonesia. I ate it with black sticky rice, stir-fried chard and a peanut sauce.

Tahoe telor (tahoe omelet)(2 pers)

250 g organic tofu
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 organic eggs
3 tbsp gluten free tamari
Pepper and salt

Wrap the tofu block in a clean cloth and put a weight on it for about half an hour.

Then cut the block in cubes and marinate them in the tamari for another half hour. Stir occasionally.
In the meantime you can cook your rice, prepare your veggies and make the peanut sauce (recipe will follow this week).

After marinating you bake the tofu cubes in some oil golden brown.
Mix the eggs with some salt and pepper and pour in with the tofu. Bake the omelet slowly, some minutes. And ready!

Tahoe telor (omelet met tahoe, 2 pers)

250 g biologische tahoe
2 el zonnebloemolie
4 biologische eieren
3 el glutenvrije tamari
Peper en zout

Vouw het tofoeblok in een schone theedoek en zet er een half uur een gewicht op.
Snijd dan in blokjes en marineer ze nog een half uur in de tamari. Roer af en toe om.

Ondertussen kun je de rijst koken, je snijbiet klaarmaken en een pindasaus maken (recept volgt deze week).

Na het marineren bak je de tofublokjes in wat olie tot ze goudbruin zijn.
Klop de eieren met wat zout en peper en voeg ze aan de tofu toe. Bak de omelet zachtjes gaar.

En klaar!

Hotchpotch with endive and baked tomatoes - Andijviestamppot met gebakken tomaatjes (GF-SF)

This is a very Dutch dish.

In Holland I think in wintertime everybody at least once a week eats a dish like stamppot.

Literally it means crushed or mashed dish, but in my, very old, dictionary it is called hotchpotch .

There are lots of variations, but the main ingredient is the potato combined with some other vegetable and meat. Now most of my readers know I do not eat meat, so for me a hotchpotch is only vegetables, sometimes with cheese or fish or tofu.

This one is made of endive (cichorium endivia). It is a bitter vegetable, especially the outer dark green leaves are rich in vitamin A and C and calcium.

In Italy they eat a lot of green leafy vegetables and there is a big variety in de cichorium family. Here we only have 2, the leafy and the curly one.
It is really nice to eat it quickly stir-fried in the wok with some tomatoes, garlic and anchovies.

This recipe is very basic and easy to make and I use freshly cut raw endive.

It goes very well with a nice piece of salmon.

Endive hotchpotch (2 pers)

600g peeled potatoes
200-300g freshly cut endive
knob of butter
100-200ml hot milk
pepper and salt
250 g cherry tomatoes
1-2 cloves of garlic
handful of basil, roughly chopped
olive oil

Boil the potatoes with some salt and mash them with the hot milk and a knob of butter.
Season with some freshly ground pepper.

In the meantime you wash and cut the endive very finely. Set aside in a colander.

Half the cherry tomatoes and bake them in some olive oil with the thinly sliced garlic, about 5 minutes. Season with some pepper and salt and throw in the chopped basil at the end.

When your potato mash is ready, stir in the endive with a big spoon. Do it quickly.
Serve in the middle of a plate and top with the tomatoes.
Bon Appétit!

Andijvie stamppot met gebakken cherry tomaatjes (2 pers)

600g geschilde aardappels
200-300g versgesneden andijvie
klont boter
100-200ml hete melk
peper en zout
bakje cherry tomaten, 250 g
1-2 tenen knoflook, in zeer dunne plakjes
handje verse basilicum, grofgehakt
olijfolie

Kook de aardappelen gaar met wat zout en stamp ze met de hete melk en een klont boter.
Breng op smaak met wat versgemalen peper.

Ondertussen snijd je de andijvie heel fijn en was ze. Zet even apart in een vergiet.

Halveer de cherry tomaatjes en bak ze samen met de knoflook in wat olijfolie, ongeveer 5 minuten. Breng op smaak met peper en zout en voeg aan het eind de basilicum toe.

Als je klaar bent met aardappels stampen voeg je de andijvie toe en roer deze er snel door met een grote pollepel.
Schep in het midden van een bord en de tomaatjes er boven op.
Eet smakelijk!