This Blog Moved

After long and many hours of work, updating, checking and tweaking I have finally taken the plunge: Glorious Food and Wine will be now at http://www.onfoodandwine.com/

I apologize for the sudden move and short notice. I also apologize for any inconvenience caused in updating your bookmarks with my new address. See you soon!

Roastbeef Twist

Another great summer recipe, on a very non sunny day. The problem with Brussels in the summer is the weather. You are all set for sunny days, eating light, BBQ's, and all you get is rain, rain and more rain.

However I am trying to keep the summer in the kitchen. This time with a very easy but so delicious lunch (perhaps light dinner) recipe for roast beef. The recipe was taken from the delicious. May 2007 issue, page 32. With a little delay...

Roast beef, asparagus and Parmesan salad (serves 2)
200gr asparagus (given the season, what better veggie to use?)
1 ripe avocado
juice of 1 lime
1tbsp Dijon mustard
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
2tbsp olive oil
200gr thinly sliced roast beef
25gr Parmesan shavings
watercress
small red onion, sliced

Usually English tend to have left over roast beef (on Sundays, thatg is). No one I know in Brussels ever has left over beef, which was very much our case as well. So we roasted beef there and then: roast 200gr beef at 200°C/gas 6 for 15-20min. Leave to rest for 10min. Carve.
Steam the asparagus, until just tender. Set aside to cool.
Halve, peel and stone the avocado. Cut into large chunks and place in a bowl. Season with salt and squeeze over the lime juice.
Whisk together the mustard and vinegar, then beat in the olive oil.
Arrange the beef, the watercress, asparagus, and avocado in 2 serving bowls. Scatter each with Parmesan and sliced red onion. Drizzle with the dressing.

Tagged with: Food and Drink Recipes Recettes Brussels delicious

Summer on a Plate

Such a simple combination, yet so stunning. Let me explain: weekends are equal to time. I finally get the time to take the time and salads like these just make my heart jump. There is nothing out of the ordinary to them, but I give them my full attention.

This particular one was a simple combination of: baby lettuce leaves, radishes, Roquefort cheese, and a pear. I added just a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The result was delicious. The best summer salad ever.

Tagged with: Food and Drink Recipes Recettes Brussels Bruxelles

La Dolce Vita

What I really need is a subscription to olive and delicious. Not that I do not come across the magazines here in Brussels, but a lot more sporadically and if I happen to be abroad for work - forget that month's issue. I did subscribe to the Dutch delicious though so my Dutch is improving every day ...

Back to food though. The May issue of delicious (UK) was all about Italian food. I love Italian food. Then again, who doesn't. Of course we have tried the usual and perhaps more unusual Italian dishes. However an ingredient I don't use nearly as often as I should is polenta. I grew up on polenta and just love the stuff. It is probably amongst the fastes dishes too make, yet I always seem to ... forget polenta.

I jumped at the recipe of lemon and basil grilled chicken with creamy polenta. Our basil is growing mad (really, this is not a joke - we are invaded by the basil plant) and the rest of the ingredients are always available in our house. Plus a chance to cook polenta.

The recipe is very easy, and can probably be adapted to other herbs, or just keep the chicken moist and simple. The recipe is taken from delicious, May 2007 issue, page 28.

Basil Grilled Chichen with Creamy Polenta (serves 4)
grated zest of 1 lemon, plus a good squeeze of lemon juice
large handful of fresh basil leaves
1 small garlic clove
1/2tbsp coarse sea salt
2tbsp olive oil
4 skinless chicken breast fillets
300ml milk
150gr instant polenta
150gr dolcelatte or gorgonzola, diced

Preheat the grill to medium high. Put the lemon zest in a food processor with the basil, garlic and sea salt, and whizz until finely chopped. Add the oil and lemon juice, and whizz again to make a loose paste.
Rub the paste over the chicken breasts. Grill for 12-15min,turning halfway, until the chicken is cooked.
Meanwhile, pour the milk into a large pan with 400ml water (you could also leave the milk out completely). Add a little salt and bring to the boil. reduce the heat to low, then add the polenta and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 4-5min, until thick.
Stir the cheese into the polenta, then quickly spoon into 4 shallow bowls. Top each with a chicken breast and serve immediately.

We added a very simple cherry tomato and basil salad. The wine suggestion to the dish is a full Chardonnay.

Tagged with: Food and Drink Recipes Recettes Brussels Bruxelles

Chorizo and Tomatoes

A match made in heaven. There is very little else I could add to this. Every time I have this dish it only gets better. Spicy, thick chorizo sausages, cut into chunky bits, fried off to leave as much fat as possible in the pan. Juicy, ripe cherry tomatoes, tossed with some salt, a little balsamic vinegar and basil leaves.

All mixed together and served with chunky bits of homemade bread. Really it is a a simple as it sounds, and it tastes just perfect. It is summer, it is beach, it is bbq, it is sitting outside, it is all you need for a light dinner, after a long sunny day. I probably don't make this dish often enough!

Tagged with: Food and Drink Recipes Recettes Brussels Bruxelles