A lex a n d e r G er sh ber g 80 NOURISHING, UMAMI-RICH RECIPES FROM THE KITCHEN OF A PASSIONATE CHEF PLANTBASEDBER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 36BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 3628-07-2022 14:0328-07-2022 14:0337 INGREDIENTS 180 g (6½ oz) brown short-grain rice 90 g (3 oz) brown sweet rice 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 leek, trimmed, white and green parts thinly sliced into rounds 350 g (12½ oz) chanterelle mushrooms 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved 1 garlic clove, finely grated ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes ¼ teaspoon sea salt black pepper, to taste My friend Ingrid came by in the middle of the night and I wanted to prepare something nice but really quick for her. I had rice, chanterelle mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. ‘This dish has all my favourite ingredients,’ Ingrid said. ‘How did you know?’ ‘I just felt it, felt you.’ This kind of dish reminds me that fresh, healthy cooking at home can be easy, quick and done without too much fuss. You can do it in no time when you are cooking for someone you love. Many people throw away the green part of the leek but, besides being edible, it is tasty and nutritious. Please make sure you use it in this recipe. I use chanterelle mushrooms, but you can easily replace these with any other type of mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms will work just as well. Although it takes 45 minutes to pressure cook the rice, finishing the dish is really quick. It only takes 5–10 minutes to produce a very tasty stir-fry. You can also use left-over brown rice. Go for it! METHOD Pressure cook the rice in 400 ml (14 fl oz) of water, following the instructions on page 69. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. When the oil is hot, add the leek and sauté for 1 minute or until starting to soften, then add the mushrooms, tomato, garlic, chilli flakes, sea salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Sauté, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the cooked rice and sauté for a further 2–3 minutes, then divide among plates and serve with love. Serves 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Wait time: 45 minutes Brown rice pilaf with cherry tomatoes & chanterelles BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 37BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 3728-07-2022 14:0328-07-2022 14:03110 INGREDIENTS 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) tofu, cut into large triangles about 1 cm (½ in) thick 500–750 ml (2–3 cups) organic sunflower oil, for deep-frying 60 ml (¼ cup) mirin 2 tablespoons shoyu 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar 70 g (2½ oz) mung bean sprouts ½ long cucumber, deseeded, julienned 50 g (1¾ oz) coriander (cilantro) stalks and leaves PEANUT SAUCE 130 g (½ cup) peanut butter (100% peanuts) 40 ml (1¼ fl oz) mirin 25 ml (¾ fl oz) pure maple syrup 2 tablespoons tomato paste (concentrated purée) ½ teaspoon nanami (shichimi) togarashi 60 ml (¼ cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar 2 tablespoons shoyu 1 garlic clove, grated 2 cm (¾ in) piece of ginger, peeled and grated Serves 4 Preparation time: 40 minutes I got the idea for this dish from the wonderful cook Samantha Koch (@healthyhappy.biz) who was also a guest on the women’s cooking project I ran. I invited women chefs and home cooks to present their culinary creations during a series of dinners in Amsterdam. Samantha told me that her father, who is originally from Malaysia, makes this dish regularly. When I saw it, I knew it would be good. I thought, ‘This is my kind of dish’ and decided to make my own version of it. It is a wonderful dish from the Malaysian cuisine, with a spicy, rich and explosive peanut butter sauce. The bite of the fried tofu, the crunch and freshness of the vegetables and the luscious sauce make it a dish to indulge in. Tip: When you cut the tofu triangles, make sure they are large enough to fill with the vegetables. METHOD Gently wrap the tofu triangles in a clean tea towel and press to remove the excess liquid. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan (it should reach 4 cm/1½ in up the side of the pan) over high heat until it reaches 180°C (350°F). The oil is ready when two wooden chopsticks dipped into the oil sizzle vigorously around their edges. Deep-fry the tofu triangles for 1–2 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Place the deep-fried tofu, mirin, shoyu and brown rice vinegar in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, turning the tofu occasionally, for 3–4 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Bring 500 ml (2 cups) of water to a gentle boil over medium–high heat. Add the mung bean sprouts and boil for 1 minute, then drain. Malaysian vegetable-stuffed tofu with spicy peanut sauce BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 110BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 11028-07-2022 14:0628-07-2022 14:06BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 111BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 11128-07-2022 14:0628-07-2022 14:06BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 128BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 12828-07-2022 14:0728-07-2022 14:07129 Parsnips are definitely one of my favourite vegetables. I only discovered them when I moved to the Netherlands. If you prepare them in the right manner, their texture and sweet taste will be satisfying and pleasant. You’ll be surprised how well all the different textures and tastes in this salad combine. What is revolutionary for me about this recipe is the discovery and renaissance of these old- fashioned vegetables. It still surprises me how wonderful they taste with a little help from some southern European and Asian friends. This salad is golden, it’s green, it’s rich, sour and umami. It’s a dish you absolutely can’t miss! METHOD Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) fan-forced. Bring 1.5 litres (6 cups) of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the parsnip and a pinch of salt and boil for 5–6 minutes, until just tender but still al dente. Drain and transfer the parsnip to a baking tray and add 90 ml (3 fl oz) of the olive oil, the ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Toss to combine, then transfer to the oven and roast for 30 minutes until the parsnip is a deep golden brown. Meanwhile, to make the coriander dressing, place the coriander, parsley, olive oil, salt, green and red chilli, garlic and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and blend or process until well combined. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the turnip greens and a pinch of salt and sauté for 1 minute. Add the mirin and sauté for a few seconds, then remove from the heat and strain off any water in the pan. In a salad bowl, add the roasted parsnip, turnip greens, feto, olives and coriander dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately and be amazed at how fantastic this dish tastes. INGREDIENTS 4 large parsnips (about 800 g/1 lb 12 oz), cut into 3–4 cm (1¼–1½ in) chunks sea salt 135 ml (4½ fl oz) olive oil 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds black pepper 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) turnip greens, roughly chopped (or use rocket/arugula) 1 tablespoon mirin 200 g (7 oz) feto (fermented tofu), crumbled 100 g (3½ oz) pitted black olives, roughly chopped CORIANDER DRESSING 30 g (1 oz) coriander (cilantro) leaves and stalks 30 g (1 oz) parsley leaves and stalks 90 ml (3 fl oz) olive oil ½ teaspoon sea salt 4 cm (1½ in) long green chilli, chopped 4 cm (1½ in) long red chilli, chopped 2 garlic cloves, sliced 60 ml (¼ cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice Serves 4 Preparation time: 20 minutes Wait time: 30 minutes Roast parsnip salad with spicy coriander dressing BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 129BER_kookboek_binnenwerk_aus_final.indd 12928-07-2022 14:0728-07-2022 14:07Next >