Category: 1. Antipasti (appetizers)

1. Antipasti (appetizers)12 Comments

Hot-smoked Scallops (Coquilles St. Jacques)

StefanGourmet

I remember very well the first time I tasted a scallop, which was at the christmas party of PricewaterhouseCoopers (one of my first employers) in 1998 as an hors d’oeuvre. Scallops, also known as Coquilles St. Jacques, are perfect as a hors d’oeuvre because they taste fantastic and are exactly the right size. I didn’t know what they were, but liked them straight away and they have been one of my favorite foods ever since. Although I had never heard of hot-smoked scallops, I thought it would work well and so I tried it and found out that it works … Continue reading Hot-smoked Scallops (Coquilles St. Jacques)

1. Antipasti (appetizers)11 Comments

Roe Deer Carpaccio with Herb Salad

StefanGourmet

Warning: stop reading this post now if you are a big fan of Bambi. One of the tastiest and most prized types of game is venison from roe deer. A roe deer (Dutch: ree, French:  chevreuil, German: Reh, Italian: capriolo) is a small species of deer that is very picky about its food. It only eats the nicest leaves in the forest, and that’s why it tastes so damn good! The taste is so good in fact that my favorite way of eating roe deer is raw as carpaccio. Unlike other game like regular deer (venison), or wild boar, roe … Continue reading Roe Deer Carpaccio with Herb Salad

1. Antipasti (appetizers)8 Comments

Venetian marinated Mackerel ‘in saor’ sous-vide

StefanGourmet

A classic and delicious dish from Venice is pesce in saôr, which does not mean ‘sour’ fish but ‘flavored’ fish (saôr comes from ‘sapore’). The recipe was invented in Venice as a way to preserve fish, and even though we have refrigerators nowadays we still make it because it is so tasty! In this modern version I’ve made two changes to the classical recipe: I’ve used mackerel rather than the more usual white fish (such as cod or hake) and I’ve cooked the fish sous-vide. When you use white fish, the subtle flavor of the fish will be overpowered by the … Continue reading Venetian marinated Mackerel ‘in saor’ sous-vide

1. Antipasti (appetizers)12 Comments

Octopus sous-vide (Insalata di Polpo)

StefanGourmet

Welcome to Stefan’s Gourmet Blog!  You can find an overview of my sous-vide recipes as well as times and temperatures by clicking on “Sous-Vide” above.  If you like what you see here, you can sign up on the sidebar to receive an email whenever I post a new recipe. Octopus is often very tough and bland of taste. However if you cook it sous-vide, it will be extremely tender and flavorful! I made a classic Italian Insalata di Polpo and served it with grilled peppers as an antipasto. First I sealed the octopus legs into a pouch with some thin lemon … Continue reading Octopus sous-vide (Insalata di Polpo)

1. Antipasti (appetizers), Secondi di Pesce (fish dishes)14 Comments

Perfect sous-vide seabass

StefanGourmet

I have been trying to make the ‘perfect’ seabass with tender moist flesh and crispy skin for a long time, and now I’ve finally found the way to do it! When cooking the seabass in a hot non-stick frying pan, I ended up either with a crispy skin with flesh that was a bit overcooked and a bit dry (not terrible, but as always I am striving for perfection 🙂 or with tender moist flesh and flabby skin. Please note that the fish should be very fresh (‘sushi grade’) for this recipe. Continue reading “Perfect sous-vide seabass”

1. Antipasti (appetizers), Contorni (side dishes)1 Comment

Beetroot with blue cheese

StefanGourmet

I usually make this as an antipasto, but tonight I thought it would be a nice side for the rack of lamb. It seems very simply, but the combination of beetroot and blue cheese tastes heavenly! Raw beetroot that you cook in the oven has more and a better flavor than already cooked beetroot from the supermarket. It’s not a lot of work, so give it a try! Ingredients for 2 servings 2 beetroot Good blue cheese such as roquefort or gorgonzola piccante to taste Good balsamic vinegar to taste Preparation Wrap each beetroot into aluminum foil and cook them … Continue reading Beetroot with blue cheese