Tagliata

Another classical dish ... but honestly, it is so hot here in Belgium that the best dishes are the ones served lukewarm if not cold. And the Tagliata is the best way to serve a steak in this kind of weather. Sure, we did not use the Chianina beef since impossible to find here ... btu we had wild rucola (yes form the veggie box I mentioned earlier.

I guess I have nothing more to add ... summer has arrived, at least here. Honestly, I prefer a colder weather ... or this weather at the beach!!! Ciaooo.

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Orecchiette e Rape

Probably the shortest and simplest recipe I ever posted .... but yet, as I grew up in Puglia, this one needed to be posted. And yes almost everybody knows about this dish ..... but outside of Italy almost everybody uses broccoli. Well, if you can't find anything else, broccoli is ok .... However, I feel it impossible for not finding at least once any sort of turnip greens. Most of the times they get thrown away even. Nevertheless, I admit it is difficult to get a veggie shop to keep them .... and, in fact, this is the first time I managed in 12 years of living abroad!

How? As I said in an earlier post, we receive a surprise veggie pack every week (not this one sigh). Last time we got some weird leaves looking like giant rucola, but tasting funny when raw .... it took me a while to understand they were rape. And I probably was the only one (among the people getting them) have a clue of how to use them. That's because here they throw them away and eat the roots only.

This was an honestly deliciouslunch for us. The only bad thing is that I did not have enough rape (yes the photo is ok .... because I removed some pasta).

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Gray Shrimps Carbonara

This is one of those recipes that I wanted to do since I discovered gray shrimps or Dutch Shrimps or Grijze Garnalen or one of the many other names they have. They are so tasty and small that to me they always appeared as the perfect replacement of bacon in the traditional carbonara recipe. Great replacement since they make the dish both tastier and lighter!

I am aware that it might be difficult to find them (and be warned that they can only be bought cooked, and I here refer to the cooked & peeled even). If this appears to be the case to you, try to get some king prawns (yes the gray looking ones) and use them chopped. It won't be the same, but it would give you an hint on how good this pasta really is!!

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Of purslane and Co.

Since a few weeks we have joined, as it is called in Belgium, the voedselteams. A movement to buy products like vegetables, fruit, milk (and similar) and meat directly from local producers. After few weeks of test we are rather positive and, since this is done in many countries with different names, I would suggest everybody to support the local community and get fresh produce in season instead of supermarket crappy stuff.

Now, apart from this little manifesto ... one of the things we can order is the vegetable box. Of which we know nothing until delivery except the price and that is has vegetables. We discovered this is a great way to get in contact with new vegetables sometimes referred to as lost.

Purslane is an example. I have never heard of it, but once I received it I fell in love with its taste and consistency. Some googling reveals it is also as good a source of omega3 as fish. I wanted to use it for some ravioli but in the end we simply made a little salad out of it. To be honest I could eat it like chips even.

But purslane is not the only veggie I discovered. Another is red chard (used it for a nice pasta dish) or beetroot (used for gnocchi) or the leaves of the beetroot (used for pasta). Such a box stimulates fantasy and taste is great. I will shortly share all these recipes, especially now that I am stuck home with a stomach flu ... sigh sigh.

DMBLGIT may 2009 ... the results!!!

This may edition has surprised me for, on one hand, less submissions than last time I was host, but (even more) for the very high quality submissions that made selecting the winners very difficult. The winners are really outstanding examples of food photos, something worth of publication.
Really good! But also many of the non winners are to be congratulated since competition was fierce.

Alas, there must be winners and before having the winners, we need judges ... for this round we have been lucky to have an interesting jury:

- Sigrid from Cavoletto di Brussels. A belgian living in Italy that has made the step from foodblogger to food photographer. Without doubt one of the favorites of many food lovers out there in the blogosphere.

- Francesca from Fiori di Zucca. Simply outstanding in her photos. Very influencial and another blogger that uses both italian and english ... just like me. Look at her last posts and you will be happy she was a judge not a contestant ;-)

- Jeanne from Cook Sister .... I love South Africa, I love her stories and her food stories .... if you do not know her blog, good moment to check it out.
- Your hosts! Francesco the crazy one in the kitchen with photography as an hobby. Elke the judge that tastes with her eyes and heart! Believe me, our judging could not be more different !!!!



Now the winners .....

Overall Winner: 1st Place


White Russian Panna Cotta by Vera at Baking Obsession

Overall Winner: 2nd Place


Saffron Yogurt Mousse with Rose Petal Honey by Soma at eCurry

Overall Winner: 3rd Place


After Eight chocolates by Monika at Sweet Sensation

Edibility category winners


Mongolian Beef by Lindsay Landis at Love and Olive Oil

Aesthetics category winner


Fried Fish Balls by Vania Samperuru at Our family favorite recipes

Originality category winner


Pizza Drama by Rita at Mochachocolatarita

And ... the host pick, which really attracted us and, to be honest, it almost won one of the other awards as well!

Kue Lapis Beras by Regina Budiardjo at Notes form my Kitchen K

Congratulations to all winners!
Next edition will be hosted by Marija at Palachika. Do not forget to join and also to consider hosting!

PS: The gallery is and will always stay here.

Coq au vin

It might seems strange that an italian decides to cook and even blog a traditional french dish, but the truth is .... I love this dish, even if this was the first time I ever made it!

I found its recipe in a book that I like in culinary terms, "The French Kitchen" by Harris & Warde. And I have been staring at this recipe for years ... and I am not kidding. But every time U was about to do it, time ran away or we ended-up making another dish based on chicken, a belgian one (which I will be also posting shortly).

I really liked this recipe ... but as Italian I cannot judge its authenticity, thus ... while everybody waits for teh results of DMBLGIT ... I hope somebody decides to reply to this post telling me what should be changed or variants to this dish. Thanks in advance.

Ah I forgot ... thid edition of DMBLGIT had really fantastic entries !!!! Results will be out next tuesday!

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

DMBLGIT may 2009 ends ....

... check if you entry is in the gallery and awaits for the results in a week time.

Ciao and thanks a lot to all participants and to the judges who will be introduced officially with the result ...