Mojito mousse

After a birthday party where the main attraction were a few liters of mojito and after a friend's request to start cooking with tequila, the idea of a cocktail mousse came only too naturally. The base is a lime mousse in which you add the liquor of your choice: rum, cachaca, tequila or vodka and call it mojito, caipirinha, margarita or caipiroshka, respectively.

If you're not into having drinks with your dessert, you can leave out the alcohol and enjoy the mousse as it is: refreshingly delicious.


Mojito mousse for 8
1 tbsp gelatin
2/3 cup lime juice (~ 6 - 7 limes)
3/4 cup brown sugar
5 eggs, separated
2 - 3 tbsp white rum
1 cup whipping cream, chilled
2 handfuls fresh mint leaves
lime slices to decorate

Soften the gelatin in a little warm water.

In a small pan, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Add the lime juice and 1/2 cup brown sugar and stir over a low heat until the mixture becomes like heavy cream in consistency (might take between 5 - 10 minutes). The mixture might curdle at the beginning, but don't let that intimidate you - it will come nicely together.

When you reached the right consistency, take away from heat and stir in the gelatin. Add the liquor and mix. Pour the mixture into a metalic bowl and let it float in a basin of cold water to reach room temperature.

Finely chop the mint leaves and add them to the mixture once it has cooled down.

Now beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Whip the cream until soft, add the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar and whip again until stiff.

Gently fold the egg whites into the cream. Add the lime mixture, one third at a time, stiring gently.

Pour the mousse into serving glasses, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. To serve, decorate with mint leaves, lime slices or lime zest.

This recipe makes 0.2kilos/person of pure goodness.

Beef with chocolate sauce & peach purée

You're not a proper chocoholic until you put chocolate in a savory dish. Though I'm far from being utterly crazy about chocolate, I happen to have the odd craving now and then. This is the dish that came up when I craved chocolate AND a steak at the same time.

Beef with chocolate sauce for 2
2 beef steaks
2 knobs of butter
50g bacon
1 shallot
2 garlic cloves
2 cups red wine
1 cup unsalted beef broth
2 tsp whole peppercorns
a few sprigs of thyme
2 laurel leaves
2 tbsp dark chocolate broken in small bits
cocoa powder to decorate

Heat the butter in a casserole on a medium heat until it foams. Brown the bacon. Remove it from the pot and set aside.

Finely cut the shallot and garlic cloves. Put the shallot and garlic in the casserole and cook until soft.

Pour over the red wine and add the thyme, laurel leaves and whole peppercorns. Take the bacon and place back in the pot. Lower the heat and let simmer until the liquid has almost dissapeared.

Add the unsalted beef broth and reduce again. When ready, pass the sauce through a fine sieve to get rid of all the bits and pieces.

You should now have a few spoonfuls of concentrated and flagrant sauce.

With the sauce well away from heat, drop in the chocolate bits and stir well to dissolve. The sauce will become rich, dark and glossy. Give it a taste - depending on the chocolate you used, you might need to add a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar.

Now it's time to prepare the beef steaks. Pat dry and season on both sides. Heat the second knob of butter in a skillet and sear the steaks to your liking. Let rest for a few minutes while you reheat the chocolate sauce. Do it on the lowest heat and watch closely not to burn the chocolate.

Slice the steaks, arrange on plates and pour over the chocolate sauce. Sprinkle some cocoa on top and serve.


The chocolate sauce also matches wonderfully with lamb or venison, so get creative and experiment. You can also make a larger quantity of sauce and freeze it until the next special occasion (just add the chocolate afterwards).

Sweet potato & peach purée for 2
2 orange sweet potatoes
2 fresh peaches
know of butter
bit of salt

Bring some salted water to a boil. Plunge the peaches in for a few seconds and then cool in a bowl of cold water. Now the skins will easily come off. Peel, stone and cut in quarters.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut in dices. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the peach quarters. Continue boiling until you can easily pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork.

Using a food processor, blend the sweet potatoes and peaches to a smooth purée. Stir in the butter and abandon yourself to the new taste.

This recipe makes 0.4kilos/person of pure goodness.

Strawberry jelly & vanilla panna cotta

Creamy panna cotta and sweet strawberries can only make a glorious summertime dessert. And they do, they do! It's been a while since something excited me this much :)

Beautiful things come indeed after a bit of effort. But big part of this effort is just keeping a close eye on quantities and proportions. Hopefully, now that I kind of settled on this recipe, your first try will surely be more successful than mine. The preparation should pose no problems, but keep in mind you'll need quite a lot of refrigeration time, so start early.


The one thing that might compromise this lovely dessert is using too less gelatin. The panna cotta won't set, you won't be able to unmould it and you'll be most certainly very upset. If you're in doubt about the quantity of gelatin you need, just use more.

Strawberry jelly
250ml water
50g white sugar
300g fresh strawberries
zest from 1 lemon 4g gelatin

Pick out the most handsome strawberries (count 2-3 per serving) and keep them safe. Mash the remaining strawberries into a paste.

In a pan, combine the water and sugar and boil until sugar is dissolved. Let cool. When the syrup has cooled down, drop the mashed strawberries inside and let infuse for 30 minutes.

Pass the liquid through a fine sieve, to get rid of all seeds and pulp. Now add the lemon zest.
Soften the gelatin in a cup of cold water for 5 minutes. Heat the strawberry syrup and add the gelatin. Stir until completely dissolved.

Chose the moulds you're going to use. I prefer flat bottomed ones, but any shape would do just fine. If you don't have moulds, use coffee cups or glasses. Oil them with a neutral oil, like sunflower.

Take the handsome strawberries and cut them in halves. Arrange the pieces at the bottom of every mould. Pour slowly the strawberry jelly on top. It should fill about a quarter of the mould.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.


Vanilla panna cotta for 6 - 8
400ml full fat liquid cream
200ml milk
50g white sugar
75g cane sugar
1 vanilla bean or 2 tbsp vanilla essence
9g gelatin
fresh strawberries to garnish

When your jelly has set (it should be very firm, not wobbly) prepare the panna cotta.

Mix the cream, milk and sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Split the vanilla bean lenghtwise and, with the back of a knife, scrap all the seeds in the cream mixture. Add the leftover bean and let stand covered for half an hour.

Fish out the vanilla bean. Soften the gelatin in cold water, reheat the cream mixture and stir in the gelatin.

Let cool to room temperature. This step is very important: if you would pour anything hot on top of the jelly, it will just dissolve and all your hard work would have been in vain.

Last step is to fill your moulds with panna cotta mixture and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. It's a good idea to cover the moulds with cling film, especially if you have garlic lying around in your fridge.

Red wine syrup
1 cup red wine
2 tbsp white sugar
black pepper

Just before serving, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistence.

Unmould the panna cotta by immersing the moulds briefly in hot water and turn upside down on a plate. Garnish with strawberries and spoonfuls of wine syrup.

Dead good.


If you don't have enough time to prepare this dessert don't just give up: make the panna cotta without the jelly. It's just as delicious.

This recipe makes 0.2kilos/person of pure goodness.

Bacon cups with gorgonzola & caramelized pears

When I first saw on the instructables website that you can make cute cups out of bacon I just knew I had to make them. Bacon might not be the healthiest option out there, but you can make an exception from time to time. Especially if used in such a creative way. And paired with a crunchy fresh salad.


Bacon cups for four
16 thin bacon strips
150g gorgonzola
2 pears
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp butter
some spinach leaves
toasted walnuts

Salad
4 gem lettuces
1 red shallot
2 tbsp walnut oil (or olive oil)
2 tbsp sherry
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
parsley

Probably the most intimidating part of this recipe is making the bacon cups. Well, don't worry, they will be ready before you realise. Now go and preheat your oven at 220°C.

Take a muffin tray (one made out of silicone is best) and turn it upside down. Wrap two strips of bacon around each cup, making sure you don't leave any big holes. Tuck the ends of the bacon strips inside - otherwise they will curl while cooking.

Place your muffin tray in a bigger oven tray (to prevent grease dripping all over) and pop in the oven for a few minutes. Watch closely. You want the bacon to brown, not to burn.

When your cups look appetising enough, take them out of the oven and let cool. Remove carefully from the muffin tray.


Slice the pears and sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar over them. This will help them caramelize more quickly. Heat the butter in a skillet, wait until it foams and add the pear slices. Saute until golden on both sides. Set aside.

Go back to the bacon cups now. Line each cup with a thin strip of spinach. Arrange some pear slices on the sides and fill with crumbled gorgonzola. Sprinkle toasted walnuts on top. Warm for two minutes in the oven, to soften the cheese.

For the salad, torn the lettuce and finely cut the shallot. Mix the rest of ingredients in a jar and give it a good shake. Toss everything together.

Arrange two bacon cups and salad on each plate and prepare to hear surprised "wows" from your guests.


P.S.: the flowers I used for decoration are nasturtiums. They're probably the easiest and quickest edible plants you can grow. I have some spare seeds if you're willing to give them a try.

This recipe makes 0.2kilos/person of pure goodness.

Dark chocolate & orange cake

You don't need a special occasion to pamper yourself with this luscious cake. And if you are actually preparing for a special occasion, don't waste your time in the kitchen: making this cake takes at most 1/2 hour.

The base of the cake is a quick chocolate fondant baked in the microwave. The internet is packed with chocolate fondant recipes but in my opinion the majority ask for too vast quantities of sugar or not enough chocolate... After many trials & errors, I ended up with one foolproof recipe that literally melts in your mouth. Total prep & baking time: 11 minutes!

The fondant is as delicious plain as it is with different kinds of flavours: caramelised ginger, chili, lavender, lemon... whatever your mood (or supplies).

Dark chocolate fondant for 6 or 8
200g dark chocolate
80g butter
3 eggs
50g flour
50g sugar
(for this particular cake swap the sugar for 3 tsbp orange marmalade)

Break the chocolate in small pieces. Place it in a microwave safe bowl together with the butter. Microwave on medium-low for about 1 minute or until the butter melts. Stir until the chocolate pieces dissolve completely.

In another bowl whisk the eggs with the sugar. Add the flour and whisk again. Incorporate the melted chocolate and butter.

Butter a cake dish and pour the mixture inside. Microwave on high for 4-5 minutes, until the center is set. The cake has to look moist, so be careful not to overbake it (in a microwave the cake won't burn, but turn into a rock hard useless thingy - even worse).

Let cool.

Orange ganache
150g dark chocolate
150ml double cream
1-2 tbsp Calvados, Grand Marnier or another strong alcohol

Chop the chocolate in pieces. Bring the cream to a boil. Take away from heat and stir in the chocolate. When it's completely melted, add the alcohol, cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or until spreadable).

Orange mascarpone filling
150g mascarpone (or soft cheese)
2 tbsp orange marmalade

Mix.

Before assembling the cake, choose a nice cake stand. Cut the chocolate fondant in two horizontally using a long knife and some skill. Spread the mascarpone between the two layers. Top the cake with a generous quantity of orange ganache and sprinkle some orange zest on top.

Chill until serving or indulge directly.

This recipe makes 0.2kilos/person of pure goodness.

Thai prawn salad

I know, it's the second salad that uses mango in only one week. The temptation is too strong as mango is such a versatile fruit you can use in any dish, from soups to roasts. It works brilliantly with thai flavours as you're about to find out.


Thai prawn salad for two
14 cooked prawns
bag of mixed salad leaves
1 mango (better unripe)
1 small cucumber
1 red onion
fresh herbs (mint, coriander, thai basil)
toasted peanuts

Dressing
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tbsp grated ginger
few drops of sesame oil
2 red chilis, finely cut

Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Place the prawns in the sauce to infuse with flavour while you prepare the salad.

Peel and cut the mango in thin slices. Using a vegetable peeler, cut the cucumber on its lenght in thin ribbons. Slice the onion. Chop the herbs. Mix everything with the salad leaves.

Arrange the prawns on top of the salad, pour the dressing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Have a good time.


If you were wondering about the flowers: they come from my campanula portenschlagiana which is finally blooming. I'm so glad I can at last use its adorable (and edible!) flowers. Probably in two weeks time the first nasturtiums will open as well. Oh joy!


If you're thinking about using flowers in your kitchen, it's a good idea to check carefully if you are in a possesion of an edible variant. Avoid plants that grow on the side of the road and plants that were sprayed with chemicals. Unfortunately, it's the case with most plants from flower shops. But not all is lost: wait for them to bloom next year.

This recipe makes 0.3kilos/person of pure goodness.

Mango & spinach summer salad

This deceptively simple salad has got the right bold colours to make an impression at the table and a fantastic taste.

Using spinach means you can serve this salad at a party or barbecue and the leaves will still look fresh after many hours (in theory. In practice, the salad will just fly off the table, leaving no time for any kind of vegetal decay).

Mango & spinach salad for four

4 handfuls of young spinach leaves
1 big firm mango
bunch of strawberries
1 red onion

Dressing
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of milk
juice from half a lemon
1 teaspoon of grainy mustard
1 teaspoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of poppy seeds
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Peel and cut the mango in thin slices. Cut the strawberries in halves or quarters. Thinly slice the onion. Mix with the spinach leaves.

To prepare the dressing, throw the ingredients together in a small jar and give it a good shake. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick. Pour over the salad and dig in.

Though I never tried I have a hunch that this salad would work just as amazingly with peaches and blueberries.

This recipe makes 0.2kilos/person of pure goodness.