Winter veggies, at its best
Who thinks, winter veggies are boring and out of taste? Wrong thought, they are at its best and very tasty. Cooking multicultural with veggies in season, Eastern spices and freshness from the citrus trees gives the dishes a special twist. That’s the way I love creating menus for family and friends. Have you ever tried parsley roots? They are great as soup with extra parley herbs on top. Fennel with oranges and dates are delicious as well. The Chef’s Handyman team favorites the soy noodles with roasted vegetables.
Fennel salad with oranges and dates
Chef’s Handyman, Fennel Salad with Oranges and Dates
Cut the fennel into wafer-thin slices. Sprinkle them with olive oil, orange and lemon juice. Season the slices to taste with salt and black pepper. Decorate with dill. Filet the oranges. Place the fennel slices and the oranges on the plates. Garnish with dates, pecan nuts and pomegranate seeds. Decorate with lemon and orange zest.
Shopping list for the fennel salad with dates for 4 serves: 2-3 fennels, 3 oranges, 1 lemon, 1 pomegranate or 0.5 cups of cranberries, 15 pecan nuts, dill, salt, black pepper, olive oil, 8 dates.
Chef’s Handyman tip: If no pomegranate is available, substitute for dried cranberries.
Parsley root soup
Chef’s Handyman, Parsley Root Soup
Cut parsley root into pieces. Leave 4 roots aside. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add chopped onions and simmer on low heat. Add parsley root. Quench with one cup of coconut milk. Add lemon rind, 1 cup of vegetable stock, 1 laurel leave and some fennel seeds. Cook for 15 minutes or until the parsley root cubes are soft. Remove the laurel leave. Blend the pieces. If the soup is too thick add more vegetable stock. Season the soup to taste with salt and black pepper.
Cut the remaining roots into slices. Place them in an oven-save tin. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, couscous spices and black pepper. Roast in oven at 220°C or 425°F for 15 minutes or until golden. Take them out and cut in cubes.
Serve the soup in cups or plates. Garnish with the parley cubes and the parley herbs. Sprinkle with olive oil and lemon zest.
Shopping list for the parsley soup for 4 serves: 1.2 kg or 40 oz. parsley roots, 2 cups coconut milk, 1-2 cups vegetable fond, laurel leaves, salt, black pepper, couscous spices, 1 lemon, 1 bunch parsley, fennel seeds, 1 onion, olive oil.
Soy noodles with roasted veggies
Chef’s Handyman, Soy Noodles with Roasted Vegetables
Cut the Romanesco broccoli and the cauliflower in pieces. Place them in a large pan with lid. Add 0.5 cups of coconut milk. Simmer on low heat until the pieces are soft. Cut the sweet pepper and the fennel into slices. Prepare the baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pieces on top. Sprinkle with olive oil. Add salt, black pepper and thyme. Roast in oven at 220°C or 425°F for 20 minutes.
Cook the soy noodles in salt water until cooked through. Sieve the noodles. Heat olive oil in a non-sticking frying pan. Add the noodles. Add chopped chives, lemon rind and the green of the fennel. Add the vegetables. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and black pepper.
Shopping list for the soy noodles for 4 serves: Olive oil, truffle oil, 2-3 fennels, 1 small cauliflower, 1 Romanesco broccoli, 2 sweet peppers, 1 lemon, 0.5 cups coconut milk, salt, black pepper, thyme, chives, 500 g or 16 oz. soy noodles.
These are three wonderful winter recipes. Bon appetite, yours Chef’s Handyman team!
