Traditional balsamic vinegar

We have presented this extraordinary food in a previous post I invite you to reread and today continue knowing a little more than its rich history.

It is said that in ancient times many families hid their traditional balsamic vinegar barrels in the attic (which treasure) to protect them from thieves and competitors envious. Some families still use sets of barrels first used more than a century, and some families have and use aging barrels its first use in the 18th century.

The first written documentation of traditional balsamic vinegar dates back to 1046, When Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor, on his way to Rome for the coronation, stopped in Piacenza, and wrote the Marquis of Tuscany Boniface, asking for gift A copy of the famous special vinegars who had heard so much.

Ma here in time, Coming from the S XII, XIII and XIV century historical documents exist that refer to state the production of balsamic vinegar of Reggio Emilia and Scandiano.

During the Renaissance, balsamic vinegar was a prized condiment on the tables of the Duke of Este, but when Ercole I Duke of Ferrara was declared president in 1471, the balsamic vinegar luck took a turn for the better and continued through the state of the Duchy of Modena, Reggio Emilia and Massa until 1859.

Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia is not overwhelming, but its presence makes itself felt: it has a sweet aroma, but firm, complete the dishes, and improves the flavor of any suitable food.

If you want to know about your process of obtainingI invite you to read the next post.

Soba noodles with eggplant and mango – Plenty

A few months ago I bought the cookbook Plenty of Yotam Ottolenghi. This is my second cookbook from the London caterer. This time, a vegetarian cookery book with the subtitle “enough vegetables to cook very tasty. In 2006, Yotam called “a vegetarian * column” writing for the Guardian Weekend magazine.

Now he is himself not a vegetarian, but Ottolenghi’s famous for what they do with vegetables and grains and their special salads. So he was asked to apply this knowledge to the readers of the Guardian to share. Plenty in the cookbook, these (and new) recipes combined.

The cookbook contains many unusual recipes with vegetables and grains as the base. You can find European, Oriental and Asian influences in the soups, salads, pastas and side dishes. For a vegetable lover like me, will provide many new inspiration. My meat-loving roommate I do a little less fun with lentils and eggplant. But he is a few days in Scotland, so that gives me great opportunity to get some “strange” things to try, as cold buckwheat noodles with eggplant and mango.

• Is it really “a vegetarian column? There’s never neither fish nor fowl in a column?

Ingredients:
| Cooking time 20 minutes | recipe for 2-3 people |
For the dressing: • 50 ml rice vinegar • 20 g caster sugar • pinch of salt • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1 / 4 fresh red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped • 1 / 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil • zest and juice of 1 / 2 lime
• 1 eggplant, cubed • sunflower oil • 150g soba noodles • 1 small ripe mango, diced • • 20 g basil 20 g coriander • 1 / 2 red onion, thinly sliced ​​• if 1 / 2 block tofu, cubed

Preparation:

1. First make the dressing. Heat the vinegar in a saucepan with sugar and salt just 1 minute until sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and add the garlic, chilli and sesame oil. Allow the dressing to cool and stir in lime zest and juice.

2. Heat a splash of sunflower oil in a wok or frying pan and fry the eggplant cubes. Spoon the eggplant cubes and golden brown on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.

3. Cook the noodles in boiling water until al dente. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse with cold water. Shake the water as much as possible and pat them dry in a clean tea towel.

4. Mix the noodles with the dressing, mango, eggplant, onion and spices. You can just leave the salad, then mix the flavors. Bake the tofu in a crispy layer of oil and finally add to the noodles.

Curry eggplant and cherry tomatoes

Of course it’s good barbecue weather, but after a few days of meat and fish, scorching it’s time for something different. Spicy food is always delicious with warm weather. To cool you just drink a cold beer. And the mouth is sufficient to extinguish a bite Greek yogurt or raita.

This is a vegetarian curry with a meaty bite, thanks to the eggplant. May vary with zucchini or (sweet) potato. The first potato or cook.

Ingredients:
| Cooking time 20 minutes | recipe for 2 |
• 1 onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • piece ginger, grated • 1 / 2 red pepper • 1 eggplant, sliced ​​• 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved • 1 tsp coriander seeds • 1 / 2 tsp cumin • 1 tsp black mustard seeds • 1 tsp turmeric • Salt and pepper • Oil

Preparation:

1. Roast the cumin and coriander in a dry frying pan. When the spices begin to smell, you can do them in a mortar. Rub the herbs finely. Fry the onion in a little oil. After a few minutes add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry briefly. Scoop the onion from the pan.

2. Fry the eggplant over high heat. If needed, a little oil. After waiting a few minutes the onion to the pan. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and mosterzaad there, fry briefly and add the halved cherry tomatoes to. Bake until the tomatoes just begin to soften. Possibly add a small splash of water to make the sauce smoother. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Serve the curry with rice and a little Greek yogurt. It gets even tastier with some naan bread and mango chutney.

Mushrooms with gorgonzola and sundried tomatoes

Some dishes just created. It is more coincidental than deliberate intent. Sometimes there is something between a little disappointing, but this dish was really a fluke. Two weeks ago, I got through reading UK magazine feel like mushrooms from the oven. This actually comes from my zuurdesembroodbakverslaving (3x word value) of the moment. I am mainly triggered by a variety of dishes to lubricate the bread, the bread to dip or bread to eat. And what could be nicer than a piece of bread, a bowl out which mushrooms are fried with garlic and butter. I can think of little else.

On Sunday however I was distracted by all sorts of leftovers in my refrigerator: a piece of gorgonzola, a few sundried tomatoes and a bit of creme fraiche. With some garlic and Parmesan cheese yielded very tasty mushrooms. So good, that I’ve already made this weekend and that does not happen very often.

Ingredients:
| Cooking time 30 minutes |
• bowl large mushrooms (400-500 g) • 70 g • 5-6 gorgonzola sundried tomatoes in oil • 2 cloves garlic • 1 heaped tbsp crème fraîche • pepper
• grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C. Clean the mushrooms (with a brush or damp kitchen paper) and cut the stem out. This makes the mushroom a little hollow and you can fill it.

2. Add the gorgonzola with tomato and garlic in the food processor or blender hakbakje. Chop until smooth. Finally add cream and pepper to taste and chop briefly.

3. Fill the mushrooms with the mixture. Put the mushrooms in a baking dish and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. If you prefer to stalk is cut and diced into a corner of the oven dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper stems. Place the baking dish in the oven 20 minutes until the mushrooms are golden brown and cooked. Serve with fresh bread and do not forget the bread to the baking dish and make the juices to soak.

Strawberry pep

Strawberries from the supermarket do not always cover as much flavor. I have a trick to them a helping hand. It’s very simple, but I share it with you anyway. Sugar gives more strawberry flavor that we already knew, but the trick is in a little alcohol.

Cut the strawberries into pieces and sprinkle with a little sugar and a tablespoon Kirsch or homemade vanilla extract . Spoon the strawberries gently and let stand half an hour. Serve with Greek yogurt, whipped cream or ice cream.