Incredible we are there!

Yes, incredible. We left Turnhout in Belgium this morning or better sunday morning at 6am and left without knowing where to stop for sleeping. Maybe Prato. But the longer we drove the more we found empty roads. Suddendly we were passed Modena just after 4pm. What do we do, what do we do .... well we finally ended-up arriving (few minutes ago) in Praiano ... 1850Km after and at final destination. Nice ... place has some buzz already.
Now time to sleep after so much driving. Was a long day for us.

7 days to the wedding

And here we are, Elke and Francesco legally married but counting down for the wedding in the church ... the one that will bring the family party and the rings. Tomorrow we will be leaving for Praiano, where the party will take place. Of course, we will not be cooking but we will try to use our blog as a diary ... Elke promised she will write, but ... well ... we'll see.
Most likely tomorrow we will not have internet, since we leave Belgium at 6am and have no clue where and when we will stop.

Until next post (hopefully with a photo) either tomorrow or monday ... in both cases from Italy!!

Ciao!!

De hel van het Noorden (Paris-Roubaix)

(Photo@TheFoodTraveller.com - Nikon D200)

We have been really busy lately due to work and the wedding next week. Therefore, despite having quite some recipes ready to be blogged I did not find the time to post any. But I felt I wanted to share this photo I took last Sunday at the cycling race Paris-Roubaix also know as "The Hell of the North" (De hel van het noorden in Dutch).
I do not really fancy cyclism, but Elke does. I actually had quite some fun. The atmosphere was nice and joyful, I loved taking pictures and looking around. Really nice. For the cyclist it must have been really hard (just look at the photo) ... the track seems already tough on a mountain bike, but they were on racing bikes! I you want to see more photos of the race, check our galleries ...

Ciao!!

Flat Oysters under the grill

(Photo@TheFoodTraveller.com - Nikon D200)

I am in the mood of simply things. Therefore, here is another simply but delicious recipe. Grilled oysters a-la-mussels, but with coriander, saffron and basil. A refreshing seasoning which well goes with the sweetness of the flat oysters. Mmm ... wish we had them today and not last Saturday!

Serves: 2 as main course or 4 as starter
FlexiPoints: 2.5 or 1

Suggested wine: oysters call a low-dosage champagne also in this case due to the refreshing coriander and basil mix.
Special equipment: something to open the oysters

Ingredients:
12 flat oysters
2 tbsp finely shopped coriander
10 leaves of basil
4 tbsp bread crumbs (white if possible)
3 tbsp (fruity) olive oil
2g saffron
Olive oil and pepper to taste

Ingredient note: none

How-to:
1. Leave the saffron with the oil for 20’. In the meantime, finely chop the herbs and mix them with the bread crumbs. Season with some pepper.
2. Open the oysters keeping the juice. Leave the oyster attached to the deeper shell and discard the other. Place the oysters (shell down) on an oven tray.
3. Filter the juices through a sieve and add it to the bread crumbs. Stir in the oil as well. Mix well. Distribute the mix on top of the oysters and level with a spatula.
4. Season with some oil and put under an hot grill for 5’-8’ or until the bread crumb mix has golden. Serve immediately.

Potatoes & carrots in the oven

(Photo@TheFoodTraveller.com - Nikon D200)

Last days gave us quite some nice time for cooking. I will start with posting a contorno (side dish), one of the few I have posted so far. This one came out of necessity ... left over carrots and not enough potatoes. I would have never expected the mix to be so nice. It is suited next to a roast or BBQ.

Serves: 6 as side dish
FlexiPoints:1.5

Suggested wine: depends on the main course!
Special equipment: none

Ingredients:
400g potatoes
400g carrots
2 tbsp (common) finely chopped fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves
5 tsbp oilve oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredient note: none

How-to:
1. Peel and coarsely chop the potatoes and carrots in cubes possibly of similar size.
2. Finely chop the garlic.
3. Mix all ingredients together and season with salt and abundant pepper.
4. Bake in an hot oven and on a metallic tray at 180C for 40’ or until the potatoes have nice brown spots and are fully cooked.

Buona Pasqua!!!

(Photo@TheFoodTraveller.com - Nikon D200)

Well with Easter coming I will be cooking but not posting until after. So ...

..... Buona Pasqua
.............Happy Easter
.................Vrolijke Paasdag

Rice and vegetables ovenpot

(Photo@TheFoodTraveller.com - Nikon D200)

Something vegetarian and light. We are back on diet, why? We need to fit in the cloths for the wedding in the church and the last thing Elke wants is not to fit in her (I have no clue what) white dress. So we starve. This is a dish that can be eaten in quantities. Light, low calories and healthy as basically rich of vegetables. It is also a very nice alternative to the usual risotto.

Serves: 4 as main course or 10 as side dish
FlexiPoints: 5 or 2

Suggested wine: we enjoyed quite a bit with a Primitivo Rose’ with it.
Special equipment: none

Ingredients:
320g (Arborio) rice
1 onion
1 piece of celery
1 carrot
150g peas
150g cherry tomatoes
5g parsley
800ml vegetable stock
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredient note: none

How-to:
1. Separately, finely chop the onion, cube the celery and the carrot, half the tomatoes. and finely chop the parley.
2. Sauté the onion in the oil for 3’ or until soft. Add the carrot and celery, let sauté for 10’ more. Add the tomatoes and the peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the rice and cook on high heat for 1’ more or until the rice has taken some color. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
3. Grease an oven pot with some butter. Pour in the rice and the stock so that the rice has a uniform surface. Cook in an hot oven at 180C for about 40’ or until the stock has been completely absorbed.
4. Serve lukewarm or cold.