Spring finally arrived in the Netherlands on Saturday with warm weather and the first glorious opportunity to leave the coat at home and spend an afternoon sipping rosé by the waterfront. It was even warm enough to have dinner outdoors. And since I had been craving paella, we decided to cook it over a fire on a cast iron pan. I had all the ingredients chopped up and ready to go, which made cooking not only a lot easier, but also gave me plenty of time to enjoy an apéro with my husband. The colors and flavors of the paella inspired me to make a beautiful risotto dish perfect for spring. The recipe is below, but first, let me tell you about an idea I recently had.
I love spring and all the color it brings—from the bright yellows of daffodils to the powdery pinks of the cherry blossoms. It is so uplifting to go for a walk on a sunny day and absorb all the beauty that comes with the season.
For some reason, I am always bursting with new ideas around this time of year. If you’ve been following me for a while, you may have read that I am considering hosting vegan walks in Amsterdam, and that I’ve started giving cooking lessons and culinary coaching. Before fully devoting myself to food, wine and travel writing, I guided groups on culinary tours through Amsterdam and welcomed students from all over the world to my home for cooking lessons. I especially loved hosting cooking lessons, as it was always very rewarding to see how my students developed a true passion for food and eating well (and by that, I don’t only mean healthy; I am also referring to experiencing real pleasure at the table).
Over the years, I’ve welcomed a diverse array of cooking enthusiasts into my home. Some arrived with a wealth of culinary knowledge, seeking to refine their skills and expand their repertoire, while others stepped into my kitchen as complete novices, eager to learn the fundamentals of cooking. Regardless of their background or level of experience, I approached each lesson with patience and a genuine desire to share my love of food. It was immensely gratifying to witness their growth and passion for cooking blossom with each dish mastered and every flavor explored. Through laughter, shared stories and the joy of creating delicious meals together, I found fulfillment in empowering them to embrace the art of cooking and savor the simple pleasures of a well-prepared meal.
Besides personal cooking lessons tailored to specific needs, I am considering launching an online cooking club with sets of six seasonal/themed cooking lessons, all fully plant-based. My idea is to teach you how to make the food I love and to show you how easy and delicious plant-based cooking really is. Believe me, it’s so much more than buddha bowls and smoothies. I think the reason a lot of people are hesitant about trying to incorporate plant-based cooking into their lifestyle is because they have no idea where to start and might be under the impression that the food will be bland and boring. But it’s quite the opposite. I truly believe that I haven’t sacrificed a thing and that, in fact, we eat better than ever. The realization that my husband reversed his diabetes in two months (without the need for medication) and that we lost weight without even trying, was a huge motivation to continue on this path—and here we are, nearly two years later. I’d really love to share some of my delicious recipes with you through this cooking club!
The sets of (video) classes would be available through membership, and subscribers to this newsletter would be entitled to a 50% discount. You would also receive informative PDFs with the recipes and lots of cooking tips for delicious adaptations.
To start, I am thinking about the following six recipes:
Golden brioche (Yes, it will be just as light and beautiful without eggs and butter!)
Tomates farcies (Juicy, stuffed tomatoes cooked on a bed of rice, making it the ideal one-pan meal.)
Quiche with sun-dried tomatoes & chives (Making the crust without animal products is easy, but what about the filling?)
‘Steak’ with creamy pepper-cognac sauce, served with rosemary roasted potatoes (Trust me, it will be just as elegant and delicious as the real deal!)
Crème brûlée (Let me show you how to recreate that smooth, silky texture—without eggs!)
Tarte aux fraises (A French summer delight that is guaranteed to impress everyone.)
The above is only an idea. If you have other suggestions, I’d love to hear them. But the big question is, would this be something you’d be interested in? Or would you consider gifting this to someone? I’d love to hear your feedback!
For now, here’s that risotto recipe. Enjoy!
Risotto with peas, saffron & crispy ‘bacon’
Serves 2
Ingredients:
0.05g saffron
1L strong, hot vegetable stock
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
200g arborio rice
100ml dry white wine
100g peas, fresh or frozen
120g vegan ‘bacon’ (I love the French brand La Vie)
1 tbsp plant-based ‘Boursin’
Small handful of finely chopped parsley
Arugula, to serve
Lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions:
Mix the saffron with 4 tbsps of the hot stock. Add this to a large, heavy-bottomed pan and sauté the shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the rice. Turn up the heat a little and add the wine, stirring it into the rice until it is absorbed. Stir in the peas. Now start adding in the stock bit by bit, stirring it well into the rice and only adding more after the last bit has been absorbed. The cooking will take approx. 25 minutes. In the meantime, place the ‘bacon’ in a lined baking sheet and bake for approx. 8-10 minutes in a 200°C fan oven. Once crisp and golden, allow to cool. Make sure you taste the risotto when nearing the cooking time. Should it not be to your liking, keep adding stock and cook it just a bit longer. Once the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the ‘Boursin’. Cover and leave to rest for two minutes. Crumble ⅔ of the ‘bacon.’ Add it to the risotto along with the parsley. Serve the risotto crowned with the rest of the ‘bacon,’ the arugula and a wedge of lemon for freshness.
Oh this inspires me Paola. A little chilly and raining here today, to risotto sounds perfect! And as for your online cooking club - well I'm in :)
Yum: risotto with peas, saffron & crispy ‘bacon’
Looks wonderful! A great way to learn how to make some show stopper dishes. I could use some great recipes for dinnner parties. It seems like most people I know have some really great signature dishes - I need some too!