Mediterranean

Since the pregnancy of my oldest child, my son, I have had a very special relationship with spinach. And it’s been going on for about 29 years now. And still going strong happily together. We know how to surprise each other over and over again. Also this time. Here the Szechuan pepper works perfectly together with the balsamic vinegar. On top of my ‘super man’ spinach, of course.

This is really a very creative way to serve Brussels sprouts. The combination of the sweet grapes, the delicious taste of sherry, the Brussels sprouts themselves and the crunchy water chestnuts. Cleaning Brussels sprouts is always a chore, but with a little help you’ll be done quite quickly. And otherwise it’s a meditative 15 minutes. And the result is not to be missed.

Beetroot is great. That’s non negotiable. Beets get even better if you lend them a hand. And as far as I’m concerned, the best way to do that is to add some spice to it in combination with a delicious creaminess. And you won’t be surprised. That’s exactly what this dish is.

Ouzo in the dressing. Yes, really, that’s the secret ingredient here. This salad is actually perfectly balanced. The fresh lemon, the barley that brings you back to earth, the croûtons that wake you up and the ouzo that surprises you. Fried lettuce, we ate it for the first time in a restaurant in Scheveningen. It was so good that I made often make it myself ever since. And look for delicious varieties. And this is one of those.