Cooking with what you’ve got
The last months I've rediscovered my passion for cooking, as well as my love for the basic ingredients found in cuisines all over the world. Here's my fresh take on some of them; rice, chickpeas, and eggs.
When I walked through the supermarket during the first week of the lockdown, I noticed how canned goods and food with long shelf-life had disappeared from the shelves. Ingredients that many people – myself included had taken for granted and had now been given new life, serving as some kind of guarantee in the uncertain and unexpected time of the quarantine.
I also found myself in a weird and confusing place at this time, because - like the rest of Germany - we all had to work from home until further notice. My job at Bakken & Bæck is usually to cook for the Bonn office, but how was I supposed to cook when everybody was at home?
I tried to think of something to work on and got the idea to make a series of recipes involving one common ingredient. This way, I could share food recipes with the company, help them take advantage of some of the ingredients in their pantries, and motivate them to spend more time in the kitchen.
For me, the kitchen has been a room for comfort and distraction during the pandemic. I have been a professional cook for the past six years, and even though it is my passion and my career, I slowly stopped enjoying cooking at home. But the pandemic brought me back to my home kitchen and quickly reminded me why I started cooking in the first place - to make food and be able to share it with my family. Now I can’t wait to get back to the office and try out some new ideas with the Bonn team. In the meantime, I’ll share some of my ideas with you.
Rice
Rice is the most popular food for almost half of the world's population: Three and half billion people eat rice every day. It is widely used in all of the cuisines, starting with Asian cuisine and going all the way to the other side of the world in Latin American cuisine. I think the reason is the rice's versatility. It works as a side dish for almost everything you can think of, and it is also one of the best vehicles to enjoy sauces, gravies, and curries. It can dress up any dish, like risotto or paella. It is also cheaper than bread and has a much longer shelf life. That is why we can find a bag of rice in most of the world's households.
Rice pancakes
Yields: 10 to 12 pancakes.
Time: 30 minutes ( 5 minutes prep, 15 minutes for the batter to rest and 10 minutes for cooking)
Ingredients
· 1 ½ cup of cooked rice.
· ½ cup of flour.
· 1 teaspoons of baking powder.
· 1 cup of Milk (120 gr)
· 2 Tablespoons of sugar.
· 1 teaspoon of salt
· 1 tablespoon of Butter or vegetable oil.
· 1 egg.
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a blender. Blend all the ingredients until well incorporated and smooth, if the batter is looking too thick just add a little bit more milk.
2. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat a cast iron pan or a non-stick pan to medium heat.
4. Add a little oil or butter to the pan.
5. Start pouring some batter on the pan, make the pancakes as big as you want.
6. Cook the pancakes on medium (they will be ready to flip once you see bubbles on the top (approximately 2 to 3 minutes). Once you flip the pancakes, cook them for 2 minutes or until they take on some color on the bottom. Repeat this process until you don't have any batter left.
These pancakes can be eaten sweet or salty, for or breakfast or dinner.
Some sweet suggestions can be; Nutella, strawberries and bananas, also, just with powdered sugar and maple syrup. As a salty option could be cream cheese and smoked salmon or avocado, feta cheese and olive oil.
Rice croquettes
Yields: 10 croquettes.
Time: 20 minutes (8 minutes prep work and 10 to 12 cooking time)
Ingredients
· 1 ½ cups of cooked rice
· 200gr grated of mozzarella cheese
· 30 gr grated of parmesan cheese
· 180 gr of bread crumbs.
· 2 eggs
· Vegetable oil for frying.
Instructions
1. In a bowl, combine one cup and a half of cooked rice, 200 gr of mozzarella cheese, 30 gr of parmesan cheese, 80 gr of bread crumbs and two eggs. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and mix until everything is well combined.
2. Wet your hand with a little water, then grab half of a handful of rice (approximately the size of a golf ball) and press firmly, until you form a ball. Repeat this process with the rest of the rice mix.
3. Pour the rest of the bread crumbs on a dish or sheet pan and roll the rice balls thru and coat them with bread crumbs.
4. Preheat the oil in a pot to 170 ˚C.
5. Fry the rice balls for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the balls to a plate lined with paper towels and lithely season with salt.
This recipe is perfect as a snack, or as a side dish, or even as a component for a salad.
Rice pudding
Yields: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes (10 minutes prep work and 20 minutes active cooking)
Ingredients
· 1 ½ cups of cooked rice
· 480 ml of whole milk
· 1 egg beaten
· ¼ teaspoon of salt
· 65gr of white sugar
· 1 tablespoon of butter
· 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
· 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Instructions
1. Combine in a saucepan one cup and a half of cooked rice with 240ml of milk, 65gr of white sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir everything and start cooking it on medium heat. Cook it always on medium heat and continuously stir the mix until thick and creamy (15 to 20 minutes).
2. Whisk one egg with 240 ml of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
3. Add the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan with the creamy rice, mix well and continue cooking on medium until the egg sets, around 4 to 5 minutes. It is important to continually stir to prevent the pudding from sticking and burning.
4. Once this is set, take the pudding off the heat, add one tablespoon of butter and stir until the butter melts and incorporates with the pudding, let it cool down and serve at room temperature or cold.
As toppings you can add fruits, raisins, more cinnamon or granola.
Chickpeas
Garbanzo beans are sold everywhere in two ways, canned or dried. They can last between three to five years when canned, or two to three years when dried. It is one of the first cultivated legumes in the world and currently one of the most popular, perhaps because of its versatility and health qualities. Due to its popularity, you'll have no trouble finding a chickpea recipe; they come from all over the world and work in snacks, stews, salads, curries, dips, and desserts. It is an ingredient to let your creativity run free.
BBQ roasted chickpeas
Time: 40 minutes (30 – 35 minutes in the oven and 5 – 10 minutes of active cooking)
Yields: 2 cups
Ingredients
· 850gr cooked chickpeas.
· 2 tablespoons olive oil.
· Salt to taste.
· 3 teaspoons of smoked paprika.
· 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
Instructions
1. Preheat an oven to 210 Celsius
2. With 2 pieces of paper towels dry as much as you can the chickpeas.
3. In a bowl throw in 850gr of cooked and dried chickpeas and salt to taste (I used one and a half teaspoon of salt)
4. Mix them all until every pea is coated with oil and salt.
5. Transfer the chickpeas to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the peas throughout the whole sheet, the peas mustn't be on top of each other.
6. Put the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes. Constantly shake and stir the chickpeas every 10 minutes.
7. After roasting, transfer the roasted peas to a bowl and mix them while hot with 3 tsp of smoked paprika, 1 tsp of garlic powder and 1 tbsp of honey. Mix well until the peas are coated, and serve.
The roasted chickpeas can be eaten as a snack or used in a salad like a crouton.
Note: You can use the spice mix of your preference.
Marinated tomato and chickpea salad
Time: 35 minutes (5 minutes active and 30 marinate)
Yields: 4 to 5 servings
Ingredients
· 425 gr cooked chickpeas.
· 250gr cut in half cherry tomatoes.
· 50 gr crumbled feta cheese.
· One minced garlic clove.
· One handful chopped parsley.
· 2 teaspoons of salt.
· 1 teaspoon sugar.
· 60 ml olive oil.
· 30 ml balsamic vinegar.
Instructions
1. In a bowl throw in 250gr of halved cherry tomatoes, one minced garlic clove, 2 tsp of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 30ml of balsamic vinegar, mix well and set aside for 30 minutes. In these 30 minutes, the tomatoes will marinate and infuse.
2. After 30 minutes, add in the chickpeas, feta cheese, parsley and olive oil and mix.
3. Check for seasoning and serve.
This salad can be easily transformed into a full meal, just by adding some other ingredients like lettuce, arugula, olives and peppers.
Chickpea Brownies
Time: 40 minutes (30 to 35 minutes baking and 5 to 10 minutes active cooking)
Yields: 10 to 12 pieces
Ingredients:
· 80ml warm milk
· 3 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
· 90 gr chocolate chips
· 1 ½ cup cooked chickpeas
· 185gr melted butter
· 5 tablespoon sugar
· 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
· 30 gr flour
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· ¼ teaspoon of salt
· 1 teaspoon of baking powder
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Into a food processor add all the dry ingredients; one cup and a half of chickpeas, 5 tbsp of sugar, 3 tbsp of cocoa powder, 30gr of flour, ¼ tsp of salt and 1 tsp of baking powder. Blend until well incorporated, about 1 minute, make sure to scrape the sides to assure that everything gets incorporated.
3. Next add all the wet ingredients; 80ml of warm milk, 3 tbsp of maple syrup or honey, 185gr of melted butter and 2 tsp of vanilla extract. Blend again until the mix looks like a thick paste. Blend for at least 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Transfer the mix to a bowl and with a spatula or a spoon fold in 90gr of chocolate chips.
5. Pour the mix on to the baking sheet, spread the batter evenly and take it to the oven.
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and check it. To check it just poke it with a clean knife or a toothpick and if the knife comes out clean is ready, if it comes out with a little bit of batter on it just, put the brownies back in the oven for 5 minutes more, and check again.
7. Once the brownies are out of the oven let them rest for 15 to 20 minutes before eating them.
Note: by changing some of the ingredients, this recipe can be completely vegan. Just change the milk for either soy milk or almond milk and the butter for your favorite nut butter or margarine.
Eggs
An egg has two parts, a yolk and a white. The yolk is the fatty part of the egg and it's usually yellow, serving as the great emulsifying agent, and adding moisture, fat, and creaminess to the preparations process. Eggs whites, on the other hand,are the "the healthy part of the egg". They are super high in protein and when using them as an ingredient, they bring airiness and structure. Eggs are widely available everywhere, and they are an essential ingredient all over the world. That's also why they are called "the cement that holds the castle of cuisine together".
Mayonnaise
Ingredients:
· 2 egg yolks
· 1 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
· 250ml of olive oil
· 250ml of sunflower oil
· 1 ½ tablespoon of white vinegar
· Juice of half a lemon
Tools
· Whisk
· Bowl
· Food processor
Instructions:
1. Whisk in a clean bowl 2 egg yolks and one teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Mix until the yolks and mustard are completely incorporated.
2. While whisking, start drizzling in very slowly a mix of olive oil and sunflower oil.
3. Continue whisking until you have managed to drizzle in all the oil. The mixture should look super thick and pail, this takes 3 to 5 minutes.
4. At this stage mix in the juice of half a lemon and one tablespoon of white vinegar and taste. If you feel it needs a little more acidity, mix in half a tablespoon of vinegar. Once added the vinegar you will notice that the mixture is whiter and resembles mayo.
5. Season with salt and pepper, and it is ready to use.
This method is the traditional way to do it, but it is a little hard and exhausting. There are other ways to achieve the same result.
Instructions
1. Into a food processor or a blender, add in two egg yolks and one teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Pulse the food processor until everything well combined.
2. Turn on the food processor and thru the hole in the lid start drizzling in the mix of oils. Continue drizzling in the oil until there is no oil left and the mixture looks thick and pale, this will take around 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Squeeze in the juice of half lemon and also add one tablespoon of white vinegar. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
Mayonnaise is one of the six French mother sauces. It is the base of other sauces and also, essential for a lot of preparations all around the world. I consider this recipe as an essential for cooking in general.
Spanish tortilla
Ingredients
· 1 kg of peeled and thinly slice potatoes
· 1 medium julienned white onion
· 6 whole eggs
· 200 ml of oil mix (50% olive oil and 50% sunflower oil)
Tools
· Large deep pan
· Medium nonstick pan
· Cutting board and knife
· Bowl
· Strainer
Instructions
1. Preheat a deep pan to medium heat.
2. Pour in 200 ml of a mixed oil, let it warm up and throw in one medium julienned white onion and a pinch of salt. Fry the onion until translucent (4 to 5 minutes) and remove from the pan.
3. Add one kilo of sliced potatoes to the pan and sprinkle in a generous pinch of salt. Fry the potatoes on medium heat until cooked, this will take around 25 to 30 minutes. Make sure to turn and flip the potatoes every five minutes, to make sure it cooks evenly and it does not burn.
4. Five minutes before the potatoes are done, reincorporate the fried onion and mix with the potatoes. Continue frying the onions and the potatoes together for 5 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are cooked.
5. Once the potatoes are ready, check the seasoning and if necessary, add a little more salt. Turn off the heat and strain the potatoes and the onion to separate as much oil as possible. Leave the mixture cool down for 20 minutes.
6. Once the mixture is cooled, into a large bowl crack in 6 eggs, beat the eggs until combined and season with a little salt.
7. Combine the potato and onion mixture with the eggs, mix well and let the tortilla batter rest for at least one hour.
8. Preheat a medium nonstick pan on to medium heat, drizzle in a little oil and let the oil warm up.
9. Pour in the tortilla batter and distribute it well throughout the pan, let it cook on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Every minute slide a rubber spatula all around the sides of the tortilla to make sure that it is not sticking.
10. Lay a plate on top of the pan (make sure the plate is bigger than the pan) carefully press the plate against the pan and proceed to carefully flip the pan on to the plate. Lift the pan and the tortilla should be cooked side up on the plate.
11. Slide the tortilla back in the pan and continue cooking for another 5 to 6 minutes.
12. Repeat the flipping process with the plate to get the tortilla off the pan.
13. Let the tortilla rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Caramel flan
Ingredients
· 1 cup of white sugar
· 3 eggs (room temperature)
· 1 can of condensed milk (396 gr)
· 1 can of evaporated milk (340 gr)
· 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
Tools
· Oven
· Saucepan
· Bowl
· Medium glass baking dish
· Deep baking pan
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 160celcius
2. Into a saucepan add 1 cup of white sugar and ½ cup of water. Heat the sauce pan to medium heat, and cook the syrup until it turns golden brown. This will take 9 to 10 minutes.
3. Once the caramel is ready, pour it into a medium sized glass baking dish. Make sure to spread the caramel all over the bottom of the baking dish.
4. Into a bowl add 3 eggs, 1 can of condensed milk, 1 can of evaporated milk and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. With a whisk, stir the ingredients until everything is mixed (1 minute)
5. Pour the egg mixture into the caramel lined baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
6. To cook the flan, we will need another deep baking pan filled with hot water. In this baking pan we will place our baking dish with the flan mixture. Make sure the hot water only covers half of the glass baking dish.
7. Transfer the baking pans to the oven and cook for 60 minutes on 160celsius.
8. After the cooking time, take the flan out of the oven and let it completely cool down.
9. Once cooled, uncover it and slide a small knife all around the sides of the flan to make sure it did not stick.
10. Place a plate (make sure the plate is bigger than the baking dish) on top of the glass baking dish and flip the flan on to the plate.
11. At this point the flan is ready, you can serve it with some fruit and whipped cream.
Illustrations by Siri Marki
