Food & Drinks

For all non-kitchen princesses: 3 simple dishes to serve in scorching weather

If you know me a little, you know that I can still burn an egg. Every person is born with a number of talents, and cooking is not one of them for me. Anyway, I come home every evening around half past seven, and who has the energy to spend hours in the kitchen then? Especially not with this warm weather. No inspiration for tonight and definitely not a kitchen princess? These are my old-time classics that always work: quiche à la Kiekster, falafel pitas, and fig salad. Coincidentally, they are all vegetarian too. Bon appétit!

Gorgonzola/fig shizzle salad

Super chic. Deliciously easy. Perfect for friends over.

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of salad (I'm a fan of lamb's lettuce for this salad, but choose whatever you like)
  • A piece of good, soft stinky gorgonzola. I get mine from the cheese shop, but if you're at the supermarket: 150 grams of Castelli Gorgonzola will do. But trust me: treat yourself to that cheese shop.
  • 4 fresh figs
  • 4 fresh dates
  • A handful of almonds with sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fine mustard with honey (or mix your own mustard with honey)
  • 2 tablespoons truffle-flavored olive oil (or regular olive oil, that works too)
  • Focaccia with rosemary and sea salt

Preparation

Step 1: pop the focaccia in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes at 200 degrees.
Step 2: put the salad in your prettiest salad bowl.

Step 3: cut the figs and dates into quarters and chop the almonds coarsely. Cut the stinky cheese exactly how it makes you happy.

Step 4: Make the dressing. Stir the vinegar and honey mustard together, pour in the truffle oil, and mix well with a fork. Optionally add some salt and pepper.

Step 5: Toss everything together and divide the salad among the number of plates you have. Figs on top, of course. Spoon the dressing over it, cut the focaccia into strips, and serve with the salad. Bet you'll score points?

Spicy falafel pitas

A pita sandwich, but fancier. And vegetarian.

Ingredients

  • falafel (you can make it yourself, but hey, we don't feel like it. Plus: at AH they have Vega Spicy Falafel, which is NOT dry but full of flavor.)
  • Pita bread
  • A container of hummus
  • Garlic sauce
  • Feta
  • 1 red onion
  • Cucumber
  • 2 tomatoes

Preparation

You get it, right? Fry the falafel, pop the pita bread in the toaster, spread a thick layer of hummus, and scoop all of the above into it. A matter of stuffing, but it often fits. Top with some feta crumbs and a little garlic sauce. A top meal in ten minutes. Bon appétit!

Mushroom quiche with smoked cheese

Simple. Delicious. Vegetarian. And for the real cheese freak. So easy to make.

Ingredients

  • 500 g chestnut mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter (or margarine)
  • 4 eggs
  • 100 ml fresh cream
  • 5 slices of frozen savory pie dough
  • 100 g smoked cheese
  • 6 tomatoes
  • 5 tbsp balsamic dressing
  • Also important in the story: a quiche dish (24 cm)

Preparation

Step 1: preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Chop the mushrooms into pieces, put butter in the pan, and fry those suckers until nice and brown.

Step 2: beat the eggs with the cream. Press the dough into the dish (very satisfying task) and cut the smoked cheese into small strips. Mix the mushrooms with the egg-cream mixture and the cheese.

Step 3: spread the mushroom-cheese mixture over the bottom of the quiche. Then your friend is ready for the oven, and after 30 minutes, she will be golden brown.

Step 4: nice to serve with a simple tomato salad. Cut 6 tomatoes into slices and mix them with 5 tbsp balsamic. A child could do it, right?