When I put together the recipes for this column, I have three main criteria: it has to taste good, it has to be affordable, and it should be relatively easy to put together. With today’s recipe, I’m telling you upfront that I am sacrificing convenience for amazing taste.
I have been on a quest recently to understand regional Chinese cooking a little bit better, mostly because I have been craving good Sichuan food and haven’t found much, locally.
Last September, after talks with the editor of the UK, the newspaper of the University of Groningen, I started writing a fortnightly food column for them. I suggested we call this column “The Epicurean”, she agreed, and the first piece was published on September 16th, 2011. Today, after a year’s worth of columns, I decided it was time for a refresh of the design of the Epicurean page on this site. Have a look.
A good risotto is an exercise in balanced simplicity. A few simple ingredients are transformed into an unctuous dish; creaminess countered by a hint of acidity, richness balanced with clean flavours. The key player in this symphony is, of course, the rice. Two varieties are typically used in risotti, Arborio and Carnaroli. Both can be found at Basarz, the Italian deli on the Vismarkt. The short, starchy grains absorb liquid readily and become creamy as they are stirred frequently over the 20-25 minutes of cooking time.
Fish curry was on my mind yesterday. I’ve had a cold for the past few days and I was craving for something spicy, but light and refreshing. I was reminded of a dish I used to order at my favourite Indian restaurant in Berkeley. The dish was called methi machi and its sauce is based on fenugreek leaves, methi in Hindi. I did not have any fenugreek leaves, so I adapted the recipe a bit, but if you find some (perhaps at Toko Melati on Gedempte Zuiderdiep, or the Amazing Oriental on Korreweg), add 4 tablespoons in the sauce, with the tomatoes.
Thanksgiving was never my favourite holiday when I lived in the United States, but it turns out it’s the one I miss the most. Every Thanksgiving, around noon, my wife and I would cruise to our adopted family’s house, knowing to expect a memorable day. The house, crowded with people of all ages (not to mention a few dogs), would have this buzzing atmosphere as everyone was merrily finishing bottle after bottle of wine, while preparing a vast amount of food; more food than really necessary, but absolutely essential to the day. Yes, it’s true, gluttony did not die with the Roman empire, it merely changed clothes.
