Ilse's Kitchen - culinary adventures of a girl who loves to eat

This morning I sat and read behind the window, sun rays warming my skin behind the glass. Like yesterday, the warmth gave me a tinge of nostalgia for Bilbao. Specifically in Bilbao, leaving Uribarri behind you and turning left opposite the Ribera, for a little restaurant around the corner called La Citronella. La Citronella no longer exists but I as I’ve said before, I loved it. It had pattern-papered walls, others painted bright red, with tiny tables, a small kitchen, fabulous espresso machine, no-nonsense waiter and a different four course brunch menu every day, five days a week. One course always involved eggs - it was, after all, brunch - and the eggs were prepared a different way each day. And there was always a dessert, for what good is a menu without something sweet to send you home happy? Basking in the spring sun and thinking of La Citronella, I decided to make some comfort food. And with comfort food goes a comfort dessert - light enough for sunny days, but full of ri...

We hardly realised it, but Izzy & I walked a whopping 18km yesterday. When I got home, I was starved but too tired to stand on my feet. So I opted for a no-cook salad. All you have to do is a tiny bit of chopping, shaving, and you’re done. Oh yeah, and you toast the almonds - but that hardly qualifies as cooking. It’s the perfect under fifteen minute meal, and my body was ever grateful for the veggies. Ingredients (serves 2): 2 zucchini 2 long sweet marconi peppers 100g goat cheese 150g almonds, skinned and unsalted 1 handful of fresh cilantro leaves 1 handful of fresh mint leaves Cilantro Mint Vinaigrette:  10g cilantro, finely chopped 10g mint, finely chopped 1 red chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped juice of 1/2 orange juice of 1 lemon  100mL olive oil pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper Instructions: 1. Using a vegetable peeler or, if you have one, a mandoline, shave the zucchini in thin strips. Avoid the centr...

When I lived in Spain, I used to make this wonderful onion compôte. Not too sweet, not too overbearing, and somehow even a little fresh. It made a great compliment to paté, a strong smoked cheese on toast, in a burger, or as a side to a mashed potatoes and meat dish. I never got around to taking a decent photo though, and after moving away I more or less forgot about it. Until I found myself dusting off old recipes, and came across it again. As you can see, I couldn’t resist. This is it :) Ingredients: 1 large red onion 1 tbsp unsalted butter juice of 1/2 lemon juice of 1/2 orange 100ml red wine 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp light brown cane sugar 1 tsp honey 60g blueberries pinch of thyme pinch of rosemary 1 bay leaf salt and freshly ground black pepper Instructions: 1. Chop the onion (not too fine). Heat the butter in a sauce pan, add the onion, and stir frequently until it takes on a glazed look (approximately 5 minutes). 2. Add the lemon juice, orange juice,...

Mexico - once it nestles in your heart, it’s a country you never forget. The colours, the vibrance, its tastes and its smells. After four years there even the hustle and bustle of Mexico City have somehow become part of me - no matter how long I stay away.  These times bring out nostalgia in me, so I’ve been doing a lot of nostalgic cooking - and that means posting nostalgic recipes. Here’s a lovely and incredibly easy recipe for quesadillas - kekas for short - with chorizo. I hope you enjoy it.  Ingredients: 60g chorizo, sliced and chopped (*you want a soft chorizo, not the hard dried type) 125g mozzarella, shredded 2 medium-size plum tomatoes, chopped 4 small flour tortillas 1/2 avocado, cut in slices salsa roja (click here for my  salsa roja recipe ) Instructions: 1. Mix the tomato, chorizo and mozzarella and divide into four - a quarter for each tortilla. 2. Spread over the tortillas so that it covers half of the surface and fold shut, as in the ...

I was feeling rather lazy today, so instead of a real meal I decided to make myself a tapas-style dinner. This Spanish recipe for 'champignoñes al ajillo', put up at a girlfriend’s request, came from Linda's Top Tour of Spain website a million years ago. And having spent a year there myself, I feel pretty comfortable vouching for the result. Ingredients (serves 2-4): 400gr mushrooms, quartered if large, halved if small 4 cloves garlic 1 red chili pepper (if you prefer them extra spicy, use 2) 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaved parsley olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper Instructions: 1. Finely chop two of the garlic cloves and the red pepper. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan, and when hot, add the chopped garlic and pepper. Sauté for a minute, then add the mushrooms. Sauté for two more minutes. 2. During this space of two minutes, take the remaining two cloves of garlic and press through a garlic press. Add a little bit of salt, the chopped parsley, and ...

Recently, I shared a rocket pesto recipe with you. Here’s an example of what you can do with it. :) Ingredients (serves 2): 120g penne 1 small red onion, finely chopped 300g cherry tomatoes 2 handfuls arugula (rocket lettuce) 15g shaved parmesan 6-8 tbsp rocket walnut pesto Instructions: 1. Prepare the pasta according to instructions. 2. Place onion in a large skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes and sauté for another 2 minutes. 3. Add the penne and the pesto and mix over low heat for a couple of minutes, then remove from heat. 4. Toss in some fresh arugula, divide over two plates and serve topped with parmesan shavings.

When I first discovered Reese’s Pieces, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Indulgence led to cravings led to the desire to be able to make my own: my motto about cooking has always been that if it seems halfway doable, I should at least try to recreate the things I love to eat. It was out of that thought that this experiment was born. My first idea was to aim for peanut butter cups of my own. Then, I started going through my pantry - and a better idea was born... Ingredients: 200g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks 100g white chocolate, chopped into chunks 100g smooth peanut butter 100g walnuts, halved  Sheet of baking paper Instructions: 1. Melt the dark chocolate au bain marie. To do that, bring some water to a simmer. Place the chocolate in a bowl that is big enough to be bigger than the circumference of the pan (so it can sit snugly on top it. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the top of the water - the bowl will be heated by steam. Keep...

When I lived in Bilbao I used to eat at Citronella, my favourite brunch restaurant at the time, at least once a week. They served these amazing 4-course brunches, and one of the dishes they served with some regularity was a delicious garbanzo soup. Unfortunately the restaurant didn’t make it through the last economic crisis. That’s a while ago - we’re talking 2008 - but I’ve been nostalgic ever since. So I set about learning to make it at home. It took me some time to get the recipe right, but this one works. The photo may leave you in some doubt, and the paté is invisible at the bottom of the bowl so you’ll just have to trust that it’s there, but I promise you - it’s goooood. Ingredients (serves 2): 400g can of garbanzo beans (240g drained)** (garbanzo beans = chick peas!) 1 medium-size onion, chopped 400 ml beef stock 1 clove garlic juice of 1/2 lemon 1.5 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk 2 tablespoon olive oil, plus a dash for the onion. sprinkling of cumin 2 la...

It’s not for nothing that an entire page on this blog is dedicated to risotto & pasta. Let there be no doubt: if there’s a team pasta, I’m on it. I like the versatility, and being able to throw in whatever inspires me. I like how little time it takes. I like that I can go for whole-wheat, and feel like I’m being somewhat healthy despite the carbs. I like carbs. Ingredients (serves 2): 120g whole-wheat spaghetti 300g spinach 100g Parma ham (or another cured ham), shredded into smaller pieces. 100g sun dried tomatoes, chopped 2 shallots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 100mL cream 20g parmesan cheese 2 tbsp butter pinch of nutmeg salt and pepper to taste Instructions: 1. Boil the spaghetti according to the instructions on the package. 2. In the meantime, bring water to a boil in a large pan. When boiling, add the spinach and stir for 30 seconds or so, until the spinach is all wilted. 3. Drain, and cool the spinach in icy cold water to bring the boiling process...

In the heat of a crazy 42° Celsius summer day when I was living in Bilbao a decade back, I was browsing some Spanish cooking blogs and found an irresistible recipe by Ana from menorcana.com: melon soup. It’s served chilled, and sounded refreshing. It tastes much like the classic Italian melon and ham, but then in liquid form. Perfect for summers - or for bright sunny days like today (she writes as the sunshine pours in through freshly washed windows). Ingredients (serves 2): 400 honeydew melon 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice salt and pepper 2 strips Parma or Serrano ham, or 2 rashers bacon Instructions: 1. Cut the peel off the lemon and slice into chunks. Throw into a blender and purée until smooth. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, then place in the fridge until chilled. 2. Fry the cured ham or bacon until the strips are crunchy. Put aside on kitchen paper to get rid of the excess grease and let cool. 3. Pour the melon 'soup' into the glasses. Slic...