Roasted cauliflower

I found this recipe online but tweaked it to make it my own. It turned out to be a great substitute for potatoes but also a delicious accompaniment for an Asian tinted meal.

Roasted cauliflower
Cut up a head of cauliflower and tear into small flowerlets. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup of olive oil with freshly ground salt and pepper, a tiny bit of ground dried garlic and a little ground shitake and chili pepper flakes mix. You can also just use ground chili pepper flakes if you have that on hand. Toss in your cauliflower and coat well with the spiced oil. Transfer to a cookie sheet. I covered mine in baking parchment for easier cleanup. Place in a 400F/200F oven for at least about an hour. The flowerlets should start to color nicely and become soft.

I served my roasted cauliflower with a kebab stick of Indonesian style pork tenderloin with peanut sauce and a small salad with red beets.

Before I served the cauliflower I poured some sweet chilli sauce over the cauliflower. It gave the vegetable an extra special kick without being too hot. It is already on the list of becoming a regular recipe on our table. I would even serve this as an appetizer or food for with drinks in the evening.

Bon appitit or eet smakelijk!
Heidi

Smoked Salmon Rillette and Pickled Cucumber

I love Food Network UK. I watched it quite a bit in December and when I saw Jun Tanaka make this recipe, I knew it would be the perfect thing to make over the holidays. It is easy to make and just delicious.

Smoked Salmon Rillette
200g poached fresh salmon fillet flaked (flake this in fairly large chunks)
200g smoked salmon chopped
1 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp crème fraiche
1 tsp creamed horseradish
½ lemon juice
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 tbsp chopped chives
½ tbsp chopped dill (I used top quality dried as I could not get fresh dill)

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients for the salmon rillette and season with salt. Smooth the surface of the rillette with the back of a spoon. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Pickled Cucumbers
½ cucumber peeled and finely sliced in the length not using the seeds
200ml white wine vinegar
75g sugar

To pickle the cucumber, warm the vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves. When cool add the cucumber slices. Leave in the liquid for one hour.

To serve, place a few slices of pickled cucumber on the rillette on toast.

Bon appetit or eet smakelijk!
Heidi

3 Harvest style appetizers

These are three of the harvest table appetizers I used when guests came over. These are also a great idea for around the holidays if you have people coming over for drinks or before dinner.

Fallen log celery sticks
Celery
Peanut butter
Dried cranberries

Clean and cut up celery sticks. Cut each stick into 3 sections. Fill with peanut butter and add some dried cranberries on top. I tried this combination and it turned out so well that I will line the entire top with the dried cranberries next time.

Stuffed mushrooms
Fresh button mushrooms
Herb cream cheese

Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems with care. Fill each mushroom with herb cream cheese. Back on a cookie sheet in a 400F/200C oven for about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pesto-ham rolls
Frozen puff pastry
Raw ham
Green pesto
Parmasan cheese

Thaw a sheet of frozen puff pastry. (We are able to get it in little square sheets about 6 inches square. If you need to do so, roll out to a square of 6 inch.) Make pesto from a dry herb mix or use ready made from a pot. Spread a thin layer on the dough. Lay raw ham over the pesto. Sprinkle with some parmasan cheese. Roll tightly into a long spiral roll. Using a serrated knife, cut into 8 slices and lay onto a piece of wax paper. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a 350F/175C oven.

Bon appitit or eet smakelijk!
Heidi

Roast beef rosettes

This is a simple yet elegant looking appetizer to serve. It could not be easier to make and yet has great flavor due to the horseradish and parsley. In Holland, we are able to buy "amuse lepels" which are these special spoons to serve the appetizers. A regular spoon will do also. Arrange them on a plate to pass around when served.

Roast beef rosettes 
Thin slices roast beef (lunch meat)
Cooked red beet, diced
Creme fraiche
Horseradish
Fresh parsley

Mix together 1 tablespoon of creme fraiche with a rounded teaspoon of horseradish. Taste as you may want more horseradish for a stronger taste.

Fold one piece of thinly sliced roast beef in half and then roll up to create a rosette. Place on a spoon and be sure there is a space in the middle of the meat rosette. Now fill with small diced red beetroot. Top with a little dollop of the horseradish cream and garnish with parsley.

Bon appitit or, as we say in Holland, eet smakelijk!
Heidi