Dutch Rice Table

If you want to serve something completely new, try this. It might be totally unknown to you but trust me, it's absolutely delicious!
The Dutch Rice Table is adapted from the Indonesian Rice Table but with Dutch ingredients. You serve meat and rice on a plate along with several side dishes (marrowfat peas, fried unions, fresh union, fried bacon, piccalilii, mustard, pearl onions and mini gherkins) in small bowls.
For a Rice Table (Dutch or Indonesian) you should take your time to enjoy. Try different combination of all dishes. Along with an Alsace wine (pinot gris) it's really a captains dinner!

[serves two persons (you don't need a starter!)]
• 2 pork cutlets
• 1,5 cups rice (pandan rice preferably)
• 5 oz (140 g) bacon chopped into 1/2 inch cube
• 9 oz (250 g) canned marrowfat peas (or brown beans as substitute)
• 2 onions
• 3 tablesp olive oil
• 2 tablesp soy sauce
• 3 tablesp piccalilli
• pearl onions
• mini gherkins
• mustard
• salt and pepper

1. Rub in pork cutlets for dry frying (see: Dry Frying - January 5th) with 1 tablesp olive oil, soy sauce, curry seasoning and pepper. Leave it for half an hour.
2. Cook rice. Meanwhile cut one onion finely and fry in rest of olive oil until soft and brown. Keep warm.
3. Fry bacon well done (you don't need butter) and keep warm.
4. Cook marrowfat peas until done. Meanwhile dry fry 'marinated' pork cutlets.
5. Putt rice and meat on plate. Arrange all side dishes in different bowls and small plates.

Try to find marrowfat peas (in the UK they use it to make pease porridge). Brown beans are actually to mealy. You can add some more side dishes like cut celery and little meat balls. Be generous with piccalilli.
In the Dutch Navy the 'Hollandse Rijsttafel' is very famous.

Dry Frying

There is a new way of frying your meat. Less fat, better taste!

1. Season meat with pepper (and if you like some other seasonings) but no salt!
Rub in meat with olive oil and leave to marinate for half an hour. Outside fridge! Meat should be on room temperature.
2. Heat 'non-stick' frying pan over high heat. No butter... nothing. Reduce heat before putting in meat. Now gently cook meat regularly sliding and turning (no matter what they say just do this)
3. Remove meat from pan and leave on carving board to ease. Season with salt.

cooking time for pork, veal and lamb: 4 minutes per 3,5 oz (100 g)
cooking time for steak and sirloin: 2 minutes per 3,5 oz (100 g)

It's important to leave meat half an hour after 'marinating'.
Never put meat on plate directly from pan. Give it a minute to ease.

For an Asian touch use besides olive oil also soy sauce and curry seasoning to rub in.

Tomato risotto

Actually it's called Pilafi. It's the best Greek risotto I know. Tastes lovely with Tzatziki! (it always reminds me of the wonderful island Santorini...)

[serves four persons (or two big portions as main dish)]
• 3 tablesp olive oil
• 1 onion choppen finely
• 14 oz (400 g) canned chopped tomatoes in juice
• 1 garlic clove chopped finely
• 1 cup risotto rice
• 2 and half cups chicken stock
• 1 teasp sugar
• 1 teasp chopped mint
• salt and pepper
• lemon wedges

1. Heat oil in large saucepan (you need a lid to cover later). Fry union and garlic for 6 minutes until softened. Add rice and cook for 2 more minutes until rice looks transparent. Don' forget to stir.
2. Add tomatoes with their juice, chicken stock, sugar and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then lower heat. Cover the saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed. No stirring.
3. Remove lid. Leave in warm place for 10 minutes to dry out. You can cover pan with towel to absorb steam.
Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over.

The lid should fit tightly. Make sure to simmer on a low fire! Serve with Tzatziki and a medium sweet red (Greek) wine.

Ceasar salade

Ah! Here is my favorite salade. The classic recipe and the best I ever tasted.

[serves two persons (big portions)]
• iceberg lettuce (no other)
• 50 g anchovies in oil (little can)
• 2 garlic cloves
• croutons (home made)
• 2 tablsp lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 3 slices (old) white bread (cut off edges)
• 1 tablesp mustard (dijon)
• 1 tablesp Worcestershire sauce
• Parmesan cheese
• 5 tablesp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Start with croutons. No, don't buy them at the supermarket! Home made will make your salade just perfect.
1. Cut the slices bread into 1/4-inch cube. Put in bowl with two tablsp olive oil, one crushed garlic clove and one tablesp grated cheese. Mix with spoon. Warm bread cubes in oven until brown and crisp.
Now the dressing.
2. Put garlic, egg, mustard, Worcesterhire sauce, lemon juice and half of anchovies in mixer. Pour rest of olive oil whilst mixing until dressing is smooth. Season with salt an pepper.
The salad.
3. Wash and dry lettuce. Arrange leaves on dinner plates. Scatter over bread cubes and rest of anchovies. Now pour over the dressing. You might toss to coat if you want. Finally cut fine slices of Parmesan and arrange nicely on top.

If a raw egg is a little scary; ease egg into boiling water and boil exactly 1 minute. The better Parmesan you use the better taste you get... of course.

Tzatziki

The traditional accompaniment to Souvlakia. Very easy! Use only Greek yogurt though.

• half of (small) cucumber
• 2 cups authentic Greek yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablsp chopped mint
• salt and pepper

1. Peel then grate cucumber. Squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Put cucumber in bowl.
2. Add yogurt, garlic and finely chopped mint. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Put bowl in fridge and chill for at least one hour before serving. Don't skip this!

Whatever they say; don't use vinegar.

The kick off!

Let's start off with a nice picture. Familiar? Looks nice, right? But not very healthy. Personally I couldn't say I like those fries. Besides, do you know how much trans fat a portion contains? Eight grams...

[this beautiful picture was made by Hesedetang. www.flickr.com]