Italian courgette soup

So simple I wonder why I haven't made this before. I was inspired when I tasted Ingrid's Courgette soep met pit last week. I added some Italian flavours. One courgette for each half litre of stock.

Cut one courgette, basil leaves and garlic, according to taste, coarsely.

Fry the courgette, basil and garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes until slightly brown.

Add half a litre of chicken stock or vegetable stock and simmer for 10 minutes.

Keep 1/4 apart (for some bite) and blend to the other 3/4 to a smooth mixture.

Return the 1/4 to the soup; add cream (crème fraîche) and grated parmesan or pecorino according to taste.

Serve with more grated cheese, croutons (fried in olive oil with garlic) and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Stamppot

Stamppot

Stamppot - traditional Dutch winter fare

Not much to add. Instead of boerenkool (English: kale or borecole) you can use other green winter vegetables.

Seng Dubu (두부)

Tofu (dubu, 두부) dish in Korean restaurant Damso in Amstelveen. Address: Dorpsstraat 88  1182 JG Amstelveen, Netherlands. The name is seng dubu. I'm not sure, but it seems 'seng' just means 'fresh'.

Use firm tofu, not silken tofu. Serve the tofu warm, heat in liquid or microwave.

Spicy dressing made of: spring onion, sesame seeds, a little sesame oil, plenty Korean soy sauce: gook-kanjang (국간장), black pepper, Korean chilli flakes and fresh chilli. Cut, mix and drizzle over warm tofu.

Interesting side dish: Brussels sprout Korean style. Quite unique!

Korean BBQ: bulgogi (불고기). The lettuce was the wrong shape (eikenbladsla, shaped like the leaf of a northern red oak), so it was very difficult to make a nice wrap.

Patbingsu (팥빙수): summer dessert: shaved ice, milk and sweet azuki beans. Mix well before eating.