ROLANDs VISION

JENS cozy brother Roland

Mes Amis.
Welcome to my ARTICLES and nice of you to follow me here too.
Perhaps I can delight, enrich or please you with them. Food, good wines and the countries, the common thread in my life. From my knowledge and experience to share this with you, ties in closely with JENs KookFun.
JENs enjoys sharing her tasty recipes & creations, the BLOGs and me monthly my ARTICLES.
Culinary greetings, Roland 🍱


Culinary mischiefs. A personal view!

In our society, we strike out a bit. Largely because of social media.
There are always meek sheep who follow every theory that has been hurled into the world and take it for truth.
But let's confine ourselves to the culinary flip-flopping.
Positively of course, within our eating behaviour, various currents have emerged. I address four currents.
Health. Principle. Economy. Awareness. Fine all of them.

Health has all sorts of causes.
I stand up for those, who have allergies (lactose, nightshade or gluten).
What is reprehensible is, that "healthy" people (but so, not between the ears), without hesitation make a fashion trend, out of it. For example: 'Gluten-free food! You don't suffer from this at all, dammit'.
An insult to the people who do suffer from it. Some wacko/drat, of course, started it once.
Which does not yet give us the freedom to report it on our social media. But yes, this is how a new position in the job market has emerged, the influencers.

For principles, I have respect..... already though. Vegans fall under the heading of "Culinary Suicide" for me.
If one does not want to eat meat and/or fish, I can support that.
Only the products in supermarket or eco-shops, raise my eyebrows deeply. 'How dare "The Vegetarian Butcher", call himself a butcher (a butcher c.q. butcher cuts, strips various kinds of meat, for consumption)'.
'Get rid of the so-called vega bacon, sausage or schnitzels'.
Give it the right name and don't tar on the original product. Now cubes/ strips of soy do not sound very appealing,
regardless of whether what has been manipulated. It is! In short: no respect for the artisanal butchery profession.

Economical cooking requires imagination. From simple products and ingredients, beautiful things can be made.
Everything has become more expensive.
For those on a tight budget these days, it is difficult to cook a nutritious and beautiful meal.
Not at all bad to shop at the Aldi, Lidl or market. As a legend once posited, "every disadvantage has its advantage".
In the making are so-called "budget" recipes. I just don't know yet from which section!
Hopefully, this will help provide culinary support for the less-stocked wallet.
For those who are economically better off, take the time to cook. And please stop those Hello Fresh and ready meals! For you in the making recipes that can be ready within 20-30 minutes, not including the groceries of course!

The above have one thing in common. Namely awareness in your eating habits.
If you just remember 1 thing: it's okay to be unsympathetic now and then, you know. A piece of meat or fish is allowed. Your body needs it
occasionally. Carnivores, a nice vegetable meal once in a while can't hurt. Gets a little balance for digestion and health. (Also vegetable recipes in the works and on this site).

Re-reading this piece, I notice that I may have taunted vegans.
No trauma from me though! Once had an argument in my restaurant, with a vegan, who moralised to me.
I had no vegan dishes or vegetarian on the menu.
I lovingly cooked a la minute, which was much appreciated. Was also willing to do it for him.
To cut it short; the man got on my nerves.
To my comment "why was he wearing leather shoes then?", the counter-argument was. He suffered from sweaty feet.
"Then go walk on bacon soles," I replied and kindly showed him the door.

Herewith a VEGAN recipe for a chocolate dessert, to make up for my then "misbehaviour".


Poached Pears & chocolat mousse (4 pers.)

SUPPLIES:
◻︎4 hard Pears
◻︎Spices : 4 cloves, 2 anise, 4 cardamon seeds, 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 vanilla pod
◻︎80 gr. Sugar
◻︎Wine(0.5 l)
◻︎Water (according to quantity)

PREPARE:

◻︎Pears peeled/butt off so they can stand upright in the pan.
Put the butts on the bottom, add sugar, spices and the wine.
Depending on the size of the pears, add water if necessary until the pears are submerged.
◻︎Covering with a clean cloth or sturdy kitchen paper.
◻︎Bring to the boil. When it boils, turn down soft and "cook".

NB Depending on the size of the pear, check every 15 min to make sure the pears are soft (they should not be blubbery).
Remove pears from the liquid and leave to cool.
Sieve the liquid and reduce to a nice lumpy syrup. Leave to cool.

Chocolat Mousse:
Pure chocolate 350 gr.
◻︎4 tablespoons Agave syrup (no honey, otherwise it is not vegan)
◻︎1 bag Vanilla sugar
◻︎1 tablespoons Sugar
◻︎1 can Coconut cream (take a full-fat one, definitely available at the Toko)
◻︎Au bain de Marie (in a pan with warm just not boiling water): Melt Chocolate, Agave syrup, Sugar until liquid.

Remove the bowl from the "heat". Stir in can of coconut milk until smooth.
Leave to cool until it becomes a little firmer (may take a while in the fridge).
Using a mixer, beat everything until fluffy and lumpy. Put into a piping bag (available at Blokker).

Cocoscream:

◻︎1 can Coconut cream (oily so). Place this in the fridge for a few hours. 2 tbsp. icing sugar
◻︎4 large Mint leaves, finely chopped
◻︎halve Lemon and half an Orange (the thin peels without the white. These should be in "strips" - jullienne).

NB Only use the firm coconut cream! You will have this by having had it in the fridge.
The "fat" has floated to the top. You can save/freeze the liquid, for another recipe.
Muddle everything together.

Presentation:
In the centre of the plate, pipe the chocolate mousse/above the pear (upright).
Completely "drizzle" with the reduced syrup.
With a scoop (or a quenelle with a hot spoon) a ball of coconut cream. If desired, sprinkle with crushed pistachio nuts.
Bon apetit!