Enjoy! Spring/Summer 2014

Enjoy!

OPEN FLAVOUR

Spring/Summer 2014

NORDIC CUISINE Gullholmen, Sweden

Taste Spring & Summer

Tasty seasonal vegetables

Mouth-watering Little chefs, Gullholmen ‘BIG PARTY’

The taste of the Ebro

Every season provides its own palette of flavours in the dishes you serve.

Taste Spring and Summer in this edition of Enjoy!

Vegetables are hip and have featured prominently on menus for quite some time now. They’re extra tasty if you prepare them with a Big Green Egg®!

The Swedish island of Gullholmen is renowned for its fish, molluscs and shellfish. Prepare mouth-watering dishes with these ingredients.

Each region has its own characteristically tasty ingredients. Head off with Michelin-starred chef Fran López on a taste expedition in the Ebro Delta.

Read more on Page 18

Read more on Page 3 and 20

Read more on Page 6

Read more on Page 11

Do your children enjoy helping you to cook? These exciting recipes will make all of you have fun with delicious results!

Read more on Page 16

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Big Green Egg OPEN FLAVOUR This is the third edition of the colourful culinary magazine Enjoy! By blending recipes, tasty stories about seasonal products, fantastic features and stories of a regional nature reflecting the EGG® "on tour", with a chef sharing details about the nicest ingredients from ‘his’ region and showing readers how to prepare them on the Big Green Egg, we hope to continue inspiring you. In so doing, we want you to be able to enjoy the best of what nature has to offer us, stimulating all your senses. With each dish and menu you prepare on the Big Green Egg, you will experience the unique and flavoursome impact of the ceramic material developed by NASA, along with the impact of heat waves as they reflect on the ingredients, irrespective of the cooking techniques applied. What’s more, you will discover how the Big Green Egg provides the key to sustainable cooking. Little or no fat is needed and when the dishes and ingredients are cooked slowly, they retain far more vitamins and the meat does not burn.

This edition is also jam packed with menus prepared using seasonal ingredients of the highest quality. Only if you depart from a solid basis will you be able to achieve the best results. It goes without saying that the Big Green Egg is indispensable to this process.

After all, all cooking enthusiasts prefer to work with the best ingredients, materials and equipment to unlock the unique flavours of the ingredients they use. We’re pleased to be able to contribute towards making this possible as Europe’s importer of the Big Green Egg. More than a decade ago, the first Big Green Eggs we imported were instantly snapped up by several leading European chefs and connoisseurs. After all, they focus on bringing out pure and natural flavours and they immediately recognised the EGG’s qualities and possibilities. This boosted the popularity of this truly unique, ceramic cooking appliance, fired using natural charcoal – based on the time-honoured, traditional Japanese kamado – amongst cooking enthusiasts and foodies as well.

It goes without saying that this edition also includes a generous serving of spring dishes and summer flavours compiled to reflect rays of sunshine on your dishes. In the forthcoming edition, available from your dealer from mid-October 2014, the emphasis will of course be on the tastiest autumn and winter dishes for the Big Green Egg. Because even in these seasons, you can get the most out of what your EGG offers while still enjoying characteristically sublime culinary experiences. Enjoy!

Big Green Egg Europe

After all, this heavyweight in the Big Green Egg family is the biggest ceramic cooking appliance in the world. The grid boasts a diameter of no less than 74.3 cm and a total surface area of 4,336 cm2. This offers enough room to prepare lots of ingredients and dishes at the same time.

The demand for the XXLarge first began to grow a number of years ago after a prototype was exhibited.

There was so much interest that everything was set in motion to

Page 3 Three-course menu: • Slow-cooked smoked mackerel with a spring salad • Ossobuco with seasonal vegetables • Blueberry muffin with vanilla ice cream Page 4 • Cone of smoked eggnog and blood orange ice cream • Consommé of smoked tomato and watermelon • Salmon smoked on pine needles with horseradish and sprouted pulses Page 5 • Hot chocolate cakes with cocoa crumble, almonds and redcurrants • Macaroons Page 6 • Roast beetroot and feta salad • Oven dish with grilled asparagus, cauliflower, cheese and egg Page 70 • Cheese fondue with grilled vegetables • Herb crepes with aubergine, roasted bell pepper and lavas pesto Page 10 • Polenta pie with leek and Parmesan cheese • Grilled courgette salad with smoked mozzarella • Marinated rhubarb with Martini syrup and crème fraîche

Colofon Enjoy! is published by Big Green Egg Europe BV Jan van de Laarweg 18 2678 LH De Lier, Netherlands Email: enjoy@biggreenegg.eu www.biggreenegg.eu Editor in chief Inge van der Helm Recipes Hidde de Brabander, Coen van Dijk, Ralph de Kok, Michel Lambermon, Fran López, Arjen Rector, Anna Skipper and Geert-Jan Vaartjes Concept & realisation Creative Skills

Big Green Egg XXLarge for the biggest performance Following years of intensive research and development we are proud to present our latest model: the Big Green EGG XXLarge, the ultimate in ceramic cooking appliances.

Recipe index

make the enormous EGG a reality without compromising on quality or performance. It took some time to develop the unrivalled XXLarge.

Following extensive research and various factory enhancements needed to produce the XXLarge, what first seemed impossible finally became a reality. After all, it was vital to uphold the high quality standards for this Big Green Egg model too.

For example, a special hinge was developed to connect the ceramic base and lid, capable of effortlessly carrying the weight of the enormous lid while also enabling it to open and close smoothly. The XXLarge was only taken into production officially once it had sailed through all its tests in the area of quality standards.

As a result, the XXLarge is not only big in terms of its exterior; it’s also a big performer. Grilling, baking, boiling, stewing, smoking or slow cooking; with this impressive model you can apply the same cooking techniques as you’ve grown accustomed to working with the other five models.

To make this possible, a special Cast Iron Grid and convEGGtor™ were developed. As expected of all Big Green Egg models, consumers and professionals will be able to control the XXLarge’s temperature just as easily and accurately. This makes it every bit as versatile, while delivering the biggest performance!

Would you like to find out more about the XXLarge?

Visit your dealer or click on biggreenegg.eu

Page 13 • Grandmother Maggie’s rhubarb pie • Grilled lobster • Smoked shrimps with aioli • Roasted corn on the cob Page 14 • Bisque • Stuffed, gratinated crab • Gratinated langoustines Page 16 • ‘Birthday’ fish fingers with edible confetti Salmon with cod and vegetables Page 17 • Birthday streamer Sausage/vegetable streamer with tomato sauce • ‘Green’ Burger Hamburger made of chickpeas Page 20 Three-course menu: • Scallops cooked in the shell with tomato and almonds • Grilled cod, new potatoes and fennel with horseradish and crispy bacon • Apple stuffed with lingonberries and custard Page 22 • Bouillabaisse • Noodles with bok choy, chicken and shrimp • Smoked sea bass with steamed vegetables • Saltimbocca with fried tomatoes, asparagus and new potatoes

Photography Creative Skills and SpecialPixels With thanks to Yvonne Coolen and Hans van Montfort Distribution Big Green Egg Europe BV Copying articles from Enjoy! is only permitted if written approval is provided by Big Green Egg Europe BV. This edition has been compiled with the greatest of care. However, neither the makers nor Big Green Egg Europe BV can be held liable for possible damage related to the information contained in this edition.

© 2014 Big Green Egg Europe BV Enjoy! Spring / Summer 2014

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Taste the Spring

Every season provides its own palette of flavours.

Incorporating these into a dish helps you ‘taste’ the season. This spring menu for instance contains a range of seasonal products. All of which can be prepared using the Big Green Egg! Would you like to get a tasty, inspirational three-course menu in your mailbox each month? Register for the ‘Menu of the Month’ at biggreenegg.eu Required utensils: • Cast Iron Grid • Cast Iron Dutch Oven • Drip Pan • Wood Chips (your choice of flavour) • convEGGtor (Plate Setter) • Flat Baking Stone

Serves 4

Slow-cooked smoked mackerel with a spring salad

Starter: • 3 eggs • 3 mackerel • 1 lemon • 1 dl white wine • 1 small dash of white wine vinegar • ½ dl olive oil • 8 sugar snaps • 8 radishes • ½ cucumber • 100 g mayonnaise • 25 g mixed salad greens • 10 g herring roe • extra virgin olive oil

Ossobuco with seasonal vegetables

Main course: • 4 veal knuckles • 30 g flour • 30 g butter • 2 dl red wine • 1 400 g can of peeled tomatoes • 5 cloves of garlic • 2 sprigs of thyme • 2 sprigs of rosemary • 2 bay leaves • 3 dl beef stock • 12 broad beans • ½ courgette • 100 g new potatoes • 8 small shallots • 4 spring onions • 8 green asparagus • 12 mangetout • 100 g cherry tomatoes

Blueberry muffin with vanilla ice cream

Dessert: For the muffin: • 60 g butter • 1 vanilla pod • 1 egg • 150 g flour • 60 g fine sugar • 1 tsp. baking powder • 1 tsp. cinnamon powder • ½ tbsp. lemon zest • 125 ml milk • 175 g blueberries For the almond crumble: • 50 g butter, room temperature • 50 g flour • 50 g sugar • 50 g almond powder • 25 g almond slivers And also: • vanilla ice cream • powdered sugar • 4 mint tops

Preparation in advance: ackerel To make the egg yolk cream, put the eggs in the freezer 24 hours in advance.

Preparation in advance: ossobuco Light the Big Green Egg and heat to 180°C. Put the Cast Iron Grid in the EGG and place the Cast Iron Dutch Oven on top of this. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the veal knuckles and dust both sides with flour.

Melt the butter in the Cast Iron Dutch Oven and fry the knuckles on either side. Douse with red wine. Peel and bruise the garlic. Then add this and the peeled tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and beef stock, and heat to almost boiling.

Put the lid on the Dutch Oven, close the EGG and reduce the latter’s temperature to 110°C. Slowly cook for 3½ hours stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, pop the beans from their pods. Blanch them for 2 minutes in boiling water, then cool them down in ice water. Drain and remove their skins. Wash and coarsely cut the courgette and peel the new potatoes.

Peel the shallots, the carrots, cut the bottom tip off the asparagus and destring the mangetout.

Preparation in advance: mackerel In the meantime, fillet the mackerel, removing the bones using tweezers.

Slice the lemon and mix with the white wine, the vinegar and olive oil, then season to taste with pepper and salt.

Pour this mixture into the Drip Pan adding the mackerel fillets skin-side up.

Take the eggs from the freezer and allow to thaw for approximately 30 minutes. Peel them and remove the soft egg white. Rub the hard yolks through a sieve, season with pepper and salt and put into a piping bag.

Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil. De-string the sugar snaps, blanch for 2 minutes, drain, then cool in ice water. Then drain again and halve diagonally.

Wash and halve the radishes then peel the cucumber and scoop out small balls using a melon baller (alternately cut into small cubes). Soak the Wood Chips in water.

Preparation in advance: muffin To make the muffin, melt the butter.

Cut the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds then beat the egg. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, lemon zest and vanilla together then beat the milk into the mixture using a whisk. Add the egg and finally the melted butter. Carefully fold the blueberries through the batter then allow to rest in the fridge.

For the almond crumble pre-heat the oven to 170°C. Put the butter in a mixing bowl, then add the flour, sugar, almond powder and slivered almonds. Mix by hand into a crumbly dough, then spread out on a baking tray lined with oven­proof paper. Bake until golden brown in approximately 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

Allow the crumble to cool.

Preparation: mackerel After 3½ hours remove the ossobuco from the Big Green Egg. Lift the grid, scatter the soaked Wood Chips on the charcoal then replace the grid. Close the lid and reduce the temperature to 100°C. Place the Drip Pan containing the mackerel fillets on the grid, close the lid and smoke fish for approximately 5 minutes.

Remove the Drip Pan from the EGG and carefully skin the fillets. Pluck chunks from the two fillets and mix with the mayonnaise. Share the mixture between the plates and put a fillet on top. Pipe on some egg yolk cream and distribute the sugar snaps, radish and cucumber across the fillets. Garnish with some delicate salad leaves and the herring roe then sprinkle with olive oil. Serve the starter and then finish the ossobuco.

Preparation: ossobuco Put the Dutch Oven back on the grid and add the courgette, the new potatoes, the shallots and the carrots to the ossobuco. Put the lid on the pan, close the EGG’s lid and reduce the temper­ ature to 110°C. Allow the ossobuco to cook for another 30 minutes, adding the broad beans, asparagus, mangetout and cherry tomatoes 5 minutes before the end.

Preparation: muffin Remove the Cast Iron Grid from the EGG. Place the convEGGtor then replace the Cast Iron Grid. Close the lid and raise the Big Green Egg’s temperature to 175°C. Place 4 paper muffin cups on the Flat Baking Stone and fill them 2/3rds of the way up with batter. Put the Flat Baking Stone on the grid, close the EGG’s lid and bake the muffins golden brown in approximately 30 minutes.

Allow the muffins too cool slightly, then remove the cups and place every muffin on a plate. Put a scoop of almond crumble next to each one and a nice quenelle of vanilla ice cream.

Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with mint.

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High tea new style When you think of high tea, the Big Green Egg may not spring immediately to mind. However, you can easily use the EGG to prepare it. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised, particularly if you leave out the traditional scones, muffins and sandwiches. Chef Geert-Jan Vaartjes and patissier Hidde de Brabander created a beautiful mix of sweet and savoury dishes on the Big Green Egg, or what you might call high tea, new style.

Consommé of smoked tomato and watermelon Serves 10 • 2 kg ripe tomatoes • 100 g lovage • 3 dl San Mauro olive oil • 1/4 watermelon Required utensils: • Cast Iron Grid • Wood Chips (any flavour) • Cast Iron Dutch Oven 1. Heat the Big Green Egg, with the Cast Iron Grid, to a temperature of 180-200°C and soak a handful of Wood Chips.

2. Roast the tomatoes for a few minutes on the Cast Iron Grid, rolling them slowly over the grid.

3. Finely chop a few leaves of lovage and keep them apart. Place the remaining lovage with the roasted tomatoes and olive oil in the Cast Iron Dutch oven. Sprinkle the soaked Wood Chips onto the glowing coals and place the Cast Iron Dutch Oven on the grid. Close the dome of the EGG and leave to smoke for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile use a parisienne scoop to make small balls of watermelon flesh.

4. Take the Cast Iron Dutch Oven out of the EGG and remove the lovage. Rub the tomatoes through a sieve and season with pepper and salt. Finally add the finely chopped lovage and the watermelon balls.

Salmon smoked on pine needles with horseradish and sprouted pulses

and grate the horseradish. Heat the grated horseradish in the stock up to a temperature of 70°C and leave it to infuse for 10 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the heat, squeeze out the gelatine and stir it into the stock. Rub the mixture through a pointed sieve and allow to set slightly. Meanwhile beat the cream until it thickens and stir it

5. Remove the Round Perforated Porcelain Grid and the grid from the EGG. Place the convEGGtor in the EGG, replace the grid and raise the temperature to 100°C. Brush the sourdough bread with oil and bake in the EGG for approximately 20 minutes. Allow the bread to cool and then reduce it to crumbs using a stick blender with chopper attachment.

1. Start by preparing the sprouted pulses. Leave the peas, chickpeas and beans to soak in water for 24 to 36 hours until they begin to germinate.

Then boil them in the stock for 15 minutes and strain.

2. For the horseradish mousse, soak the gelatine in plenty of water. Peel

into the mixture. Fill the 10 cups of a silicon bun tray (with a diameter of approximately 3 centimetres) with the mixture and place in the freezer.

4. Heat the Big Green Egg to a temperature of 100°C. Place the pine branch on the glowing charcoal. Place the grid and the Round Perforated Porcelain Grid in the EGG and lay the salmon fillet on this. Close the dome, allow to smoke for 3 minutes and then allow to cool.

6. Slice the salmon fillet into small pieces and finely chop the chives. Mix with the lime juice and season with pepper and salt. Place a ring mould with a diameter of 4.5 centimetres onto each plate. Fill this with salmon, press down gently and remove the mould.

Spoon the pulses next to it. Press the horseradish out of the silicone mould and place on the salmon. Scatter with sourdough crumbs and garnish with the Salty Fingers or samphire.

glowing coals with Wood Chips and put the grid in place. Pour the water and lemon brandy into the Drip Pan Round, place it on the grid and close the dome of the EGG. Smoke the liquid for about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine for the eggnog in cold water. Slit the vanilla pod open lengthways, scrape out the seeds and mix them with the sugar and eggs in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat this in a bain-marie and beat it, using a guard, until the mixture has the desired thickness.

Beat the smoked liquid into this little by little. Cut the gelatine into pieces and stir into the mixture. Place the bowl in a container of cold water and allow it to cool while stirring. Beat the eggnog smooth in a blender, beat

the cream until it thickens and stir this into the eggnog with the lemon juice. Store in a sterilised, sealable pot until used.

4. Fill the mini ice cream cones with the eggnog. Spoon a small ball of blood orange ice cream over this and garnish with mint.

Serves 10 For the salmon: • 1 small pine branch • 500 g fresh salmon fillet • 20 g chives • finely grated peel of 1 lime For the sprouted pulses: • 50 g dried peas • 50 g dried chickpeas • 50 g dried brown beans • 3 dl chicken stock For the horseradish mousse: • 5 sheets of gelatine • 1/4 horseradish root • 160 ml chicken stock • 160 ml cream And also: • 1 slice of sourdough bread • vegetable oil • Salty Fingers or samphire Required utensils: • Round Perforated Porcelain Grid • convEGGtor (Plate Setter)

Cone of smoked eggnog and blood orange ice cream

• 1 dessert spoon of lemon juice And also: • 10 mini ice cream cones • mint

Serves 10

Required utensils: • Wood Chips (any flavour) • Drip Pan Round

For the ice cream: • 2 sheets of gelatine • 25 ml Mandarine Napoléon • 100 ml sugar water • 150 g blood orange flesh (cut segments) For the eggnog: • 3 dl lemon brandy • 2 dl water • 3 sheets of gelatine • 1 vanilla pod • 200 g sugar • 8 eggs • 2 dl cream

1. For the ice cream, soak the gelatine in water. Slightly heat the Mandarine Napoléon and the sugar water, squeeze the gelatine out and dissolve in the mixture. Mix the flesh of the oranges through this using a stick blender.

Pour the mixture into a container and freeze. Stir from time to time to prevent the ice cream from crystallising. Soak the Wood Chips in water.

2. Heat the Big Green Egg to a temperature of 200°C. Sprinkle the

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Hot chocolate cakes with cocoa crumble, almonds and redcurrants For 10-15 cakes For the cakes: • 50 g egg yolk • 150 g egg • 150 g sugar • 170 g Macaé 62%, Valrhona • 170 g butter • 75 g all-purpose flour, sieved • 1 g salt For the crumble: • 75 g butter, in small blocks • 75 g flour, sieved • 75 g sugar • 15 g cocoa powder For the almond biscuits: • 275 g castor sugar • 60 g all-purpose flour

Macaroons For approximately 40 macaroons For the broyage: • 150 g confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar • 150 g powdered almonds • 55 g egg white • Colouring and/or flavouring of your choice For the meringue: • 55 g egg white • 150 g sugar For the filling: • 350 g fresh strawberry puree • 50 g honey • 325 g milk chocolate Required utensils: • Flat Baking Stone • convEGGtor (Plate Setter) 1. For the filling, bring the strawberry puree and honey to the boil. Mean­ while, finely chop the chocolate.

Remove the pan from the heat and beat the chocolate into the mixture so that it is melted and well mixed.

Let it cool slightly, spoon it into an icing bag and leave it to rest for 12 hours.

2. Make the broyage. Sieve the confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar and the powdered almonds into a bowl and mix well. Mix the colouring and/or flavouring through the egg white and then stir this mixture into the sugar-almond mixture to produce a smooth batter. Set this aside.

3. For the meringue, pour the egg white into the bowl of a kitchen processor. Put the sugar in a pan with 35 grams of water and warm this on moderate heat to a tempera-

Sheer indulgence

• 4 g baking powder • 150 g blanched almonds, lightly roasted and ground • 72 g egg white And also: • Redcurrant jam • 10 bunches of redcurrants • Atsina Cress or mint Required utensils: • convEGGtor (Plate Setter) • Deep Dish Pizza/Baking Stone • Flat Baking Stone 1. Heat the Big Green Egg to a temperature of 160°C. Place the convEGGtor and grid in the EGG, and allow to return to temperature.

Mix all the ingredients for the crumble in the food processor.

Spread the crumble over a Deep Dish Pizza/Baking Stone covered with baking paper, place on the grid and close the dome. Leave to dry for 10-15 minutes.

ture of 118°C (check the temperature with a sugar thermometer). Set the mixer of your food processor to fast when the sugar water has reached a temperature of 115°C so that the egg white is beaten lightly. At 118°C, take the sugar water from the heat and pour the hot sugar water into the egg white in a thin stream. Let the machine run until the mixture has reached a temperature of 50°C and is firm and glossy.

4. Mix the meringue and broyage together, stirring a third of the meringue into the broyage. Make sure that this is well mixed in and then stir in the remaining meringue.

Fill an icing bag with a nozzle 9 or 10 with the macaroon mixture.

5. Cut out pieces of baking paper with slightly smaller dimensions than those of the Flat Baking Stone.

Place the first sheet on the Flat Baking Stone and then pipe discs of mixture of about 3 centimetres wide onto this (making sure that there is enough room between them because the mixture will spread slightly). Set

Geert-Jan Vaartjes, head chef of the De Heeren van Harinxma restaurant at the Landgoed Lauswolt hotel and Hidde de Brabander, patissier and owner of Dreams of Magnolia and co-presenter – and jury member – of the television programme ‘Bake my day’, used to 2. Meanwhile mix all the dry ingredients for the biscuits and stir in the egg white. Place a sheet of baking paper on the Flat Baking Stone and spoon small heaps of the mixture onto this. Remove the Deep Dish Pizza/Baking Stone with the crumble out of the EGG, place the Flat Baking Stone on the grid and bake the biscuits (in batches) for about 10 minutes, with the dome closed, until cooked and crunchy. You will bake more biscuits than you need for this dish. Keep the leftovers in a biscuit barrel and serve them at another time.

3. Raise the temperature of the EGG to 190°C. For the cakes, beat the egg yolks, eggs and sugar in a bowl until light. Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt in the microwave oven.

4. Stir the melted chocolate through the lightly beaten egg mixture and then stir in the flour. Fill aluminium moulds three-quarters full with the mixture and add a spoonful of jam to the top. Place the moulds on the Flat Baking Stone, close the dome and bake the cakes for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the crumble and garnish with an almond biscuit, the redcurrants and Atsina Cress or mint.

both work in the kitchen of the De Librije restaurant in Zwolle.

aside for 30 minutes so that the macaroons dry out and acquire a thin skin. Meanwhile, heat the Big Green Egg with the convEGGtor and the standard grid to a temperature of 100°C. Pipe discs of mixture onto the next sheet and leave these to dry for 30 minutes too. Repeat this until all the mixture is used up.

6. Bake the first batch of macaroons, with the dome closed, for 20 min­ utes in the pre-heated EGG. Open the dome twice during baking so that any moisture can escape. Pay good attention to the colour of the macaroons during baking: pastel colour in particular will brown quickly. Allow the macaroons to cool.

7. Take a half macaroon, pipe a layer of filling onto it and gently press a second half onto this. Assemble all of the macaroons in the same way and use any remaining filling for tarts, for example.

A full high tea?

Once a year, they work together again during the ‘Lauswolt Summer Concert’.

On 29 June 2014, the 10th edition of this unique, annual open-air concert will be held on this magnificent estate at Beetsterzwaag in Friesland. A team of 30 cooks, including various former employees of Lauswolt will serve 1,300 guests delicious dishes, many of which will be prepared using the Big Green Egg. This is an exceptionally flavourful and musical event that is always eagerly anticipated by both guests and team alike!

Want to make your high tea more exciting?

You can find the following recipes at biggreenegg.eu

Steak tartare with a smoked with smoked quail’s egg yolk and cucumber

Half lobster from the Big Green Egg with verbena oil and fennel

Question & Answer “I’ve heard that we completely regenerate ourselves every seven or eight years, because that’s how long it takes all of our cells to be replenished.

How can this be explained?”

Answer: That’s an incredibly broad statement. Regeneration depends on the cell type. Highly specialised cells, like our nerve cells, last far longer, while cells in our intestinal lining last for only two days. As such, each cell type has a lifespan. For some tissues, such as the liver, cell regeneration only kicks in in the case of necessity.

If we were to continually regenerate, the old cells would have to die off and be rejected. Otherwise, we would only grow bigger. This process is called apoptosis. Dandruff and flakes of skins are examples of dead cells. The process of cell regeneration does provide us with an opportunity to stay healthy or get healthy again. If we feed our bodies with healthy nutrients, these form the basis for the creation of new cells. The more we adhere to this, the healthier we become!

Hans van Montfort, Doctor, R&D, Centrum voor Integrale Gezondheidszorg (Centre for Integrated Healthcare), www.cigmtr.nl

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Tasty seasonal vegetables They are increasingly important parts of our daily menus: the time that vegetables were solely served as side dishes are far behind us now. Quite rightly so as you can serve delicious dishes based on fresh vegetables in spring, summer, autumn and winter. The seasons provide sufficient variation and the Big Green Egg gives you that extra taste sensation.

Roast beetroot and feta salad Serves 4 • 3 large beetroots • 100 g feta cheese • 1 bunch of flat parsley • 3 tbsp. olive oil • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar • 1 tsp. lemon zest

Required utensil: • Grill Tong 1. Light the Big Green Egg and wait until the charcoal is glowing. Carefully nestle the beetroots in the glowing coals and roast them for approx. 40 minutes.

Turn them over now and again using the Grill Tong so they cook nice and evenly.

2. Remove the beetroots from the EGG and allow to cool slightly. In the meantime, cube the feta and finely chop the parsley. Remove the blackened skin of the beetroot and cube the flesh.

3. Put the cubed beetroot in a bowl, sprinkle with olive oil and vinegar, then mix in the feta and the parsley. Season with pepper and salt. Sprinkle on lemon zest before serving.

Oven dish with grilled asparagus, cauliflower, cheese and egg Serves 4 • 6 large, white asparagus • ¼ bunch of chives • 100 g cauliflower • 2 tsp. olive oil • 50 g young matured Gouda, grated • 1 egg • toast, for serving For the béchamel sauce: • 25 g butter • 30 g flour • 300 ml milk • ½ tbsp. minced tarragon Required utensil: • convEGGtor (Plate Setter)

1. Heat the Big Green Egg with the stainless steel grid to 250°C. In the meantime, peel the asparagus and cut off the tough lower part. Cut the chives with scissors and chop the cauliflower into florets.

2. To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir the flour in with a wooden spatula and allow the roux to cook for 2-3 minutes. Whilst stirring, add the milk, little by little until a smooth sauce develops. Remove the

pan from the heat and stir in the tarragon. Pour the sauce into an oven dish and spread out the cauliflower florets on top.

3. Brush the asparagus with olive oil and grill them until al dente in approx. 8 minutes. Turn them over halfway through. Put the asparagus in the oven dish and sprinkle on half the chives. Lift the grid, place the convEGGtor and replace the grid. Raise the EGG’s temperature to 220°C.

4. Put the oven dish on the grid, sprin­ kle grated cheese on the asparagus and close the lid. Wait until the cheese starts melting then crack the egg onto the asparagus and close the lid.

5. When the egg has set, you should remove the dish from the Big Green Egg. Season with pepper and salt, then sprinkle on the remaining chives.

Serve immediately with toast

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Cheese fondue with grilled vegetables

The labyrinth of two pieces of fruit and 300 grams of vegetables per day

Serves 4 • small red onions • spring onion • carrots • miniature turnips • yellow courgette • green courgette • cauliflower florets • broccoli florets • olive oil • ¼ bunch of thyme • 3 sprigs of rosemary For the cheese fondue: • 400 g Gruyère • 100 ml white wine • 1 tbsp. potato starch • 2 tbsp. sherry

According to the Dutch Food Advice Centre, we are advised to eat two pieces of fruit and 300 grams of vegetables per day. But what exactly does that mean? What is actually the difference between fruit and vegetables?

In 1893, the answer to this question was even the subject of a court case about a tomato. The case had been brought because the tax on fruit was higher than the tax on vegetables. The United States Supreme Court ruled that the tomato was a fruit.

Required utensil: • Square Perforated Grid 1. Heat the Big Green Egg and the stainless steel grid to 220°C. In the meantime, peel the onion, strip the outer leaves off the spring onion, cut the tops off the carrots and, if necessary, wash the vegetables. Chop the onion, spring onion, turnips, courgettes, cauliflower and broccoli florets into chunks.

Put the vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle with olive oil.

2. Distribute the vegetables across the surface of the Square Perforated Grid, add the thyme and rosemary then place the Square Perforated Grid on the grid in the EGG. Grill the vegetables until done in approximately 20 minutes turning regularly.

3. In the meantime, prepare the cheese fondue: slice the Gruyère and add to a pan with the wine. Melt the cheese on a low heat. Whip the potato starch

through the sherry, then stir this mixture through the melted cheese.

Season with white pepper.

4. Pour the cheese fondue into a heatproof bowl and, if necessary, keep it warm on the Big Green Egg until the vegetables have cooked. Sprinkle sea

salt and olive oil on the vegetables.

Place the bowl of cheese fondue in the middle of the Square Perforated Grid and place the latter on a large, heatproof table mat or plank on the table. Provide everyone with a fork for dipping the vegetables in the cheese fondue.

Hans van Montfort, Doctor, R&D, Centrum voor Integrale Gezondheidszorg (Centre for Integrated Healthcare), www.cigmtr.nl

@biggreeneggeu Are you interested in the culinary delights of other Big Green Egg enthusiasts or would you like to share your own creations? Then follow @biggreeneggeu on Twitter.

Herb crepes with aubergine, roasted bell pepper and lavas pesto

Craig Kalkomey @CraigK_AggiePE

Serves 4 For the pesto: • 1 bunch of lavas • 1 clove of garlic • olive oil • 50 g butter For the crepes: • 8 sprigs of fresh herbs such as chervil, tarragon, chives and parsley • 120 g flour • 200 ml milk • 2 eggs And also: • 16 green asparagus

• Botanically, there is actually no difference. However, botanists regard fruit as the seed-bearing part of the plant while vegetables are all the other edible parts of the plant.

• Market gardeners refer to everything that grows on herbaceous plants as vegetables and everything that grows on woody plants as fruit. However, neither is this very clear. For example, strawberries are regarded as fruit.

• This division can vary from culture to culture. While the Dutch talk about fruit, the Scandinavians talk about fruit and berries – with berries having a separate status.

• In culinary terms, we talk about vegetables for main dishes and fruit for desserts. Tomatoes and cucumbers are areas of doubt, both being considered vegetables. Rhubarb is not a fruit. It looks like a vegetable but is cooked as a fruit. Potatoes are usually regarded as vegetables but are also seen as a separate category. The same applies to grains, which, according to the definitions, should be seen as vegetables. So where does this leave nuts? The peanut grows underground, which explains why it is also called the groundnut. This clearly makes it part of the legume family. Real nuts grow on woody plants. Cooks regard them as good accompaniments for fruit – as in the combination with Mediterranean fruits. But, on the other hand, there is the del In short, whether something is a fruit or vegetable depends very much on the angle we view it from.

My advice is to eat sufficient vegetables and/or fruit, and ensure that half of this is eaten raw.

• 2 aubergines • 2 red sweet pointy pepper • 30 g rocket salad Required utensils: • Cast Iron Grid • Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon 1. Heat the Big Green Egg with the Cast Iron Grid and the Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon (smooth side up) in place to 200°C. In the meantime, to make the pesto, wash the lavas. Peel the garlic, then mince. Blitz the lavas and

the garlic in a food processor adding olive oil to create a creamy consistency.

Season with pepper and salt.

2. To make the crepes, melt the butter whilst chopping the herbs. Beat the flour, milk and eggs in a mixing bowl until you have a smooth batter. Add salt and pepper to taste, then stir through the melted butter and herbs. Cut the bottom tip off the green asparagus.

Halve the aubergines, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt.

Put them on the Cast Iron Grid and grill until soft along with the sweet red pointy peppers. In the meantime, make 8 crepes from the batter using the Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon.

3. Scoop the flesh out of the aubergines and mash this with a fork. Remove the stalks and seeds from the peppers and cut the flesh into pieces. Chop up most of the rocket. Mix the aubergines, peppers and rocket then season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Grill the asparagus on the grid.

4. Fill the crepes with the aubergine mix and put two on every plate. Place the grilled asparagus beside them, spoon on some lavas pesto and garnish with the remaining rocket.

More recipes on page 10

What's the worst weather conditions someone has used the @BigGreenEgg in? #EGGhead4Life #BGETough #NothingCanStopTheBGE #WoodisBetterThanGas

Marcus Valcarcel @MarcusValcarcel @BigGreenEgg The pizza I make on the BGE is better than in most pizzerias. Loving the #BGE

Black Cherry @Darrin_Swayze @noskos @noskos The leg of lamb is going great! #bbq #bbqnl #bge #BigGreenEgg pic.twitter.com/6tQsW1hggk

@BigGreenEgg Just some ribs.

Mmmmm ribs! pic.twitter.com/ QuUTAshebI

@LaTascaDelft @LaTascaDelft Martijn Krabbé @krabbetv Sunday afternoon with the children and a hamburger from the @BigGreenEgg_NL #jammie pic.twitter.com/jNrFckGA9N

Turkey flambéed with calvados, cooked on the @BigGreenEgg_ NL mmmmm pic.twitter.com/ SpujOrfxD

Julius Jaspers @Smartcook Renee Marie @ReneeMarie4 @BigGreenEgg My husband loves his Big Green Egg I got him for Christmas! I get the best wife award pic.twitter.com/ uHqoy9Pug0

Opted for vegetarian for #juliusbargrill on @BigGreenEgg_NL from @VegaSlager, hard choice because it’s all great pic.twitter. com/zCeAqJ6g4N

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Enjoy!

It’s all about taste…

The ceramic convEGGtor, our new name for the Plate Setter, enables you to conveniently convert the Big Green Egg into an oven. The heat shield prevents the heat from coming into direct contact with the food, and is ideal for preparing delicate ingredients or for slow cooking. If you combine this with using the Flat Baking Stone, you can bake the most

The Big Green Egg’s strength stems from the high-quality ceramics used to produce the EGG. One of the properties of the ceramic material used is that it retains heat, creating an even flow of hot air. The unique shape of the EGG creates a convection cooking effect, creating exceptional flavours and unrivalled culinary outcomes.

What’s more, an amazing amount of heat is retained within the EGG. Because the Big Green Egg is the only cooking appliance in the world made of this exceptional ceramic material, featuring several patented components, it is truly one-of-a-kind. No other cooking appliance is quite as strong, sustainable, weather resistant or heat-retaining.

External temperatures have little impact on the heat within the EGG. The ceramic material performs perfectly despite extreme temperatures and temperature fluctuations; it does not expand or shrink and is therefore highly sustainable. It’s not surprising that Big Green Egg issues a limited lifetime warranty on the materials and structure of all the EGG’s ceramic components.

delicious bread and pizzas boasting an authentic crispy base.

…mixing old wisdom with modern technology...

Clay ovens existed more than 3,000 years ago in Asia. Combining materials and construction, these wood-fired ovens offered various advantages: they retained heat, and produced juicy tasteful dishes to boot. The Big Green Egg was created on the basis of the same principle, only using modern technology and perfected materials. In combination with the lid, the high-quality ceramics support optimal fuel efficiency, along with perfect air circulation enabling you to prepare food at a consistent temperature as required.

With only three firelighters, your EGG can be used within 15 minutes!

The natural Big Green Egg lump charcoal consists of a perfect blend of oak and hickory!

Big Green Egg Charcoal Starters are

The big pieces burn the longest and, in contrast to other types of charcoal,

natural firelighters that containno

generate very little ash and create a subtle smoked flavour. A full load of charcoal

chemical components. They are odourless

can hold a consistent temperature for over 8 hours.

Mini Grid Diameter: 10 in / 25 cm Cooking Area: 79 sq in / 507 sq cm Weight: 36 lbs / 17 kgs

and do not affect the flavour.

Small Grid Diameter: 13 in / 33 cm Cooking Area: 133 sq in / 856 sq cm Weight: 80 lbs / 36 kgs

Medium Grid Diameter: 15 in / 38 cm Cooking Area: 177 sq in / 1140 sq cm Weight: 113 lbs / 51 kgs

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Enjoy!

BIG GREEN EGG EXPLAINED SOLID QUALITY. SUPERIOR CERAMICS. SERIOUS OUTDOOR COOKER! CERAMIC SNUFFER CAP

DUAL FUNCTION METAL TOP

Add the ceramic cap after cooking to

Adjust two ways, to regulate airflow and

extinguish heat and reuse the remaining

precisely control temperature.

charcoal next time. Leave in place when

...and maintaining control Because of the superior heat-retaining ceramics and two adjustable air vents, the dual-function metal top and draft door, you can regulate and maintain the temperature within the Big Green Egg to an accuracy of one degree.

Partly because of this, the Big Green Egg can be used for all sorts of cooking like grilling, baking, cooking, stewing, smoking and slow cooking to prepare the most amazing dishes.

the EGG is not in use.

TEMPERATURE GAUGE Gives precise internal temperature readings.

LID WITH CHIMNEY

Monitor cooking progress without opening

Ceramic dome with chimney that can be

the EGG.

opened and closed easily because of the spring mechanism. The ceramic material features a protective, double glazing layer.

STAINLESS STEEL GRID

The insulating, heat retaining properties of

The Stainless Steel Grid is used as the primary

the ceramic material create an air flow

cooking surface for grilling or roasting.

within the EGG, ensuring that dishes are cooked evenly and tastefully.

FIRE RING Stacks on top of the Fire Box, providing the shelf for the heat diffuser and cooking grids.

GRATE Sits inside the Fire Box. Perforated to allow airflow up through the EGG and any ash to

CERAMIC FIRE GRATE

drop down, for easy removal after cooking.

The fire grate rests in the ceramic base and must be filled with charcoal. Since the grate is The dual function metal top regulates the airflow and makes it possible to adjust the temperature accurately.

equipped with sophisticated openings and works with the vents at the bottom of the EGG, the air flow is constant and optimal when the dual-function metal top and draft door are open.

DRAFT DOOR Works in combination with the dual function

Winter, spring, summer or fall?

The Big Green Egg offers you year-round cooking pleasure and delicious dishes!

Large Grid Diameter: 18.25 in / 46 cm Cooking Area: 262 sq in / 1688 sq cm Weight: 162 lbs / 73 kgs

BASE

top, regulating the inbound air supply

Heavy duty insulated ceramics. Chip and

to control temperature. Also enables easy

fade resistant glaze.Lifetime guarantee.

removal of ash.

Discover and learn more online: biggreenegg.eu

XLarge Grid Diameter: 24 in / 61 cm Cooking Area: 452 sq in / 2919 sq cm Weight: 219 lbs / 99 kgs

XXLarge Grid Diameter: 29 in / 74 cm Cooking Area: 672 sq in / 4336 sq cm Weight: 490 lbs / 222 kgs

10 Continued from page 7

Enjoy!

Serves 8

Tasty seasonal vegetables

Polenta pie with leek and Parmesan cheese

Grilled courgette salad with smoked mozzarella Serves 4 • 2-3 cavolo nero or green cabbage leaves • 2 balls of buffalo mozzarella • 1 yellow courgette • 1 green courgette • 2 round courgettes • 4 mini courgettes • 1 red chili • 2 Little Gems • 2 courgette flowers • 20 g rocket salad • the juice of ½ lemon • olive oil Required utensils: • Maple Wood Chips • Round Grill Wok • Cast Iron Grid

Marinated rhubarb with Martini syrup and crème fraîche Serves 4 • 100 ml Martini Rosso • 200 g sugar • 500 g thin rhubarb stalks • 250 ml crème fraîche • 4 mint tops Required utensil: • Cast Iron Grid

• 2 cloves of garlic • needles from 3 sprigs of rosemary • 1 red chili • 100 g butter • 2 large leeks • olive oil • 200 g polenta • 200 g Parmesan cheese

Required utensils: • Cast Iron Grid • Cast Iron Grid Lifter • convEGGtor (Plate Setter) 1. Heat the Big Green Egg with the Cast Iron Grid to 220°C. In the mean­ time, peel the garlic and mince it together with 2/3rds of the rosemary.

Slice the chili into thin rings and cube

1. Soak a liberal handful of Maple Wood Chips in water for 30 minutes and heat the Big Green Egg to 90°C. Place the cavolo nero or green cabbage leaves in the Round Grill Wok placing the mozzarella on top.

2. Spread the soaked wood chips all over the glowing coals, put the Cast Iron Grid in the EGG and put the Round Grill Wok on this. Sprinkle olive oil on the mozzarella, sprinkle on sea salt then close the lid and smoke the mozzarella for approx. 10 minutes. In the meantime, cut the various types of courgette into similarly sized slices and mix these with olive oil, pepper and salt. Remove the Round Grill Wok from the EGG and raise the temperature to 220°C. 3. Distribute the courgette pieces across the grid adding the chili. Grill the courgette until soft and the chili until its skin has blackened. Whilst doing so, wash the Little Gems and then cut them into chunks. Break the leaves off the courgette flowers. Remove the chili’s stalk, skin and then de-seed before cutting the flesh into thin strips. Tear the smoked mozzarella into pieces.

4. Arrange the Little Gems, the courgette, mozzarella, chili strips, courgette flower petals and the rocket

1. Heat the Martini and dissolve the sugar in it whilst stirring. Clean the rhubarb and halve the stalks. Prick them using a fork with sharp tines then put them in a dish. Pour the warm Martini onto the rhubarb and marinate for 4 hours.

2. Heat the Big Green Egg with the Cast Iron Grid to 170°C. Drain the rhubarb (retaining the marinade) and

roast both sides of the stalks for approximately 10 minutes on the EGG’s grid until the rhubarb has softened.

In the meantime, reduce the marinade to a syrup and whip the crème fraîche until stiff.

3. Distribute the rhubarb across the plates and pour the syrup over it. Add a quenelle of crème fraîche and garnish with mint.

the butter. Put the leek on the EGG’s grid and grill until it softens and colours. Periodically turn the leeks during this process.

2. Remove the leeks from the grid, use the Cast Iron Grid Lifter to remove the latter and place the convEGGtor in the EGG. Put the grid back and raise the temperature to 200°C. 3. In the meantime, fry the garlic and minced rosemary in a deep pan with a dash of olive oil. Add 1 litre of water and bring to the boil. Stir in the polenta and plenty of salt, turn the heat down and stir until heated (approx. 15 minutes).

4. Grate 150 g of cheese on top of the cooked polenta, stir the butter through it and pour this into an oven dish. Remove the outer leaves of the leeks which have cooled by now and cut them into rings. Press these rings into the polenta pie, grate on the remaining cheese, sprinkle with chili and the remaining rosemary. Put the oven dish on the grid, close the lid and bake for approximately 15 minutes until done.

Do more with vegetables Fresh vegetables are healthy and, every season, there are limitless vegetable dishes you can make with the Big Green Egg. It even retains vitamins better. We do more with vegetables in the recipe database at biggreenegg.eu.

Stuffed artichoke

Pappardelle with legumes and grilled lemon

Stir-fried butter beans and water cress salad

salad in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

Green year round There is an overwhelming range of vegetables available during spring and summer both from our own gardens and the greengrocer’s. But autumn and winter also offer countless luscious vegetables cultivated outdoors that are great for preparing in the Big Green Egg. This article will be continued in the next edition of Enjoy! and will feature tons of delicious recipes for autumn and winter so you can taste what these seasons have to offer in the way of greens!

Enjoy!

NORDIC CUISINE

11

MOUTH-WATERING GULLHOLMEN

Do you like food that’s healthy as well as tasty? Well, the Big Green Egg goes perfectly with seafood.

EGG chef Ralph de Kok’s search for the best quality took him to nutritionist Anna Skipper on the idyllic Swedish fishing island of Gullholmen. And the fresh catch? Well, it went straight into the Big Green Egg, of course.

And resulted in Nordic Cuisine to make your mouth water.

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NORDIC CUISINE

Enjoy!

Gullholmen is ideally located for the quality of the seafood that is caught around the island. After all, the western coast of Sweden, off which the 7-hectare island lies, is famed for the excellent quality of its sea produce. The coast has its own ‘Big Five’ in the form of mussels, oysters, shrimps, langoustines and lobster. But crab, mackerel, cod and herring are also caught in huge amounts, and they all share a delicate taste. swapped their sailing boats for the motorised version and the old boats were sold off cheaply.

In its heyday, Gullholmen had a fleet of no less than 70 boats that were used for transporting freight and fishing. Considering the size of the island, this was a very large number.

In fact, the catch was so big that a fish canning factory was opened in 1864. So it’s not surprising that the entire island was involved in the fishing industry. However, when the factory closed in 1965, a large section of the population left the island to seek their fortunes elsewhere. From that moment, Gullholmen changed from a lively fishing community into a favourite, authentic holiday island for the summer months that can only be reached by ferry and is completely traffic-free.

You are what you eat

Anna knows the island like the back of her hand, having spent every summer there in her youth. Forty years ago, her parents bought a second home there, where Anna still regularly goes. Her knowledge of nutrition makes her the perfect hostess and guide for a culinary trip around this small Swedish island.

Favourite holiday island Gullholmen has a long history and has been inhabited since the 13th century. Fishing has been carried out there since time immemorial, in fact it’s known as one of the oldest fishing grounds in Sweden.

The 19th century saw the advent of industrial fishing; the English

Anna is not only a familiar face on Gullholmen. Thanks to her know­ledge of nutrition, she also presented the programme ‘Du är vad du äter’ (You are what you eat – ed.) on Swedish television. The programme examined the eating habits of the guests, to help them and the viewers on their way to a healthier lifestyle by letting them experience that healthy eating is simply very tasty. In addition to that, Anna has set down her knowledge in more than fifteen books, either self-penned or as co-author.

Her interest in food may well be in her genes – in fact there is a recipe for rhubarb pie devised by Anna’s grandmother Maggie in an old Swedish cookery book. ‘I’ve been working with food on a professional basis for more than 26 years. After a number of years working in a restaurant, I started to focus on the health aspects of food. My aim was to inspire people to cook and eat healthier without making concessions to flavour. The Big Green Egg fits this perfectly. You can use it to prepare extremely healthy food and the ingredients just get tastier. You’re not allowed to cook on an open fire on Gullholmen but because the Big Green Egg has a closing dome, this is allowed, which is an additional benefit.’

Sustainable fishing

Traditions

The abundance of seafood on the island is a luxury. Not only is the taste sublime, but the seafood also fits perfectly into a healthy eating pattern.

‘Shellfish and crustaceans have the same health benefits as fish – a product group that is indispensable for a healthy eating pattern,’ says Anna. ‘They are major sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which have a positive effect on our physical and mental condition. The intense taste comes from the clean water in this area. It provides a fantastic food supply for marine life and, because the water is relatively cold here, the creatures grow slower, which also benefits the taste. What’s more, crab, lobster and langoustines are still caught in pots, which is a sustainable form of fishing.

In any case, there are strict rules governing fishing.’ However, it is certainly not the case that the inhabitants of Gullholmen and the tourists who visit the island are served only seafood. The ferry boat that services the island not only transports passengers but also provisions and all sorts of other necessities. And the neighbouring island of Härmanö also supplies delicious milk and potatoes.

In fact, these potatoes play an important role in one of the many traditions still celebrated on Gullholmen: together with Christmas, the midsummer celebrations are probably the most important of the year. True to custom, among other things, new potatoes with melted butter are eaten – simple to make but absolutely delicious! In fact many of the Swedish traditions revolve around food. The annual lobster weekend is only one of them.

‘Every year in September, we celebrate lobster weekend to mark the start of the season,’ says Anna. ‘It’s something that people really look forward to.

From that day until the end of April of the following year, there’s once again a plentiful supply of delicious fresh lobster.’

But now the time has come to go on board and join Anna, Ralph and one of the local fishermen in catching a host of delicacies. The Mini goes with us so we can cook part of the catch straightaway and the other ingredients and a Large are standing ready on the shore for Ralph and Anna’s culinary jam-session.

NORDIC CUISINE

Enjoy!

Grandmother Maggie’s rhubarb pie

Smoked shrimps with aioli

For 1 pie

Serves 4

For the dough: • 150 g cold butter • 350 g flour + extra for dusting • 1 egg yolk • 50 g white castor sugar For the filling: • 500 g rhubarb • 150 g sugar • 30 ml water For the topping: • 1 egg yolk, beaten • 10 g coarsely chopped almonds

• 30 cooked, unpeeled shrimps (size 26/30) For the aioli: • 2 cloves of garlic • 1/2 tsp. of mustard • 1 egg yolk • 150 ml olive oil • 1 tsp. of lemon juice • sea salt Required utensils: • Alder Wood Chips • Cast Iron Grid or Round Perforated Grid

Required utensils: • Drip Pan Round • convEGGtor (Plate Setter)

1. For the dough, cut the butter into cubes and mix with the flour, egg yolk, castor sugar and a little salt.

Knead into a smooth dough, shape into a ball and wrap in cling-film.

Place this is the refrigerator and leave for 1 hour.

2. Heat the Big Green Egg, with the stainless-steel grid in it, to a temperature of 150°C. Meanwhile, for the filling, clean the rhubarb and cut it into thin slices. Place these in the Drip Pan Round and stir in sugar

and two tablespoons of water. Cook the rhubarb on the Big Green Egg for about 20 minutes.

3. Take the rhubarb out of the EGG, pour it into a bowl and allow to cool. Remove the grid, insert the convEGGtor, replace the grid and raise the temperature to 225°C. Wash the Drip Pan Round.

4. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll out on a working surface dusted with flour into a disc about 4 millimetres thick that is large

Roasted corn on the cob

Serves 4

Required utensil: • Cast Iron Grid

Serves 4 • 2 corn cobs with leaves • 50 g butter • coarse sea salt 1. Place the lobsters in the freezer for 2 hours to render them unconscious. Bring a very large pan of water with added sea salt to the boil and boil the lobsters for 2 minutes.

Remove them from the pan with a perforated spoon and cut them in half lengthways. Clean the leek and spring onion and slice them into

1. Soak a handful of Alder Woods Chips in a bowl of water. Light the Big Green Egg and wait until the coals are glowing well.

2. For the aioli, peel the garlic cloves and flatten them with the flat side of a cooking knife. Add to the mustard and egg yolk in a measuring jug then mix with a staff mixer until smooth. Continue mixing while adding the oil in a thin stream. Season to taste with lemon juice, fresh-ground pepper and sea salt.

3. Sprinkle the soaked Alder Woods Chips over the glowing coals and place the Cast Iron Grid or the stainless-steel grid in the EGG with the Round Perforated Grid on top.

Spread the shrimps onto the Cast Iron Grid or the Round Perforated Grid and smoke them for 4 minutes.

4. Arrange the shrimps on a large dish and serve with the aioli.

enough to cover the Drip Pan Round.

Make sure that it covers the bottom and sides of the Drip Pan Round, trim off any overhanging dough and spoon in the rhubarb filling. Roll out the remaining dough, cut it into strips and arrange these over the filling. Brush the dough strips with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with the coarsely chopped almonds.

5. Bake the rhubarb pie for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and serve lukewarm or cold.

Grilled lobster • 2 live lobsters • 1/2 leek • 1 spring onion • leaves of 3 sprigs of coriander • 1 clove of garlic • 1/2 red chili pepper • 4 tbsp. of olive oil • sea salt

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thin rings. Finely chop the coriander. Peel the garlic and cut into thin slices. Remove the pith and seeds from the chili pepper and slice into thin rings.

2. Gently heat the olive oil in a small pan with the garlic and chili pepper and leave it to infuse for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the Big Green Egg, with the Cast Iron Grid, to a temperature of 200°C. 3. Place the lobsters on their backs on the grid. Brush with the chili and garlic oil and sprinkle with the leek rings. Grill the lobsters for about 8 minutes, sprinkling them with more oil halfway through.

4. Remove the lobsters from the EGG, season to taste with freshly ground pepper and sea salt and garnish with the finely chopped coriander and spring onion.

Required utensil: • Grill Tong 1. Heat the Big Green Egg, with the stainless-steel grid in it, to a temperature of 180-200°C. Remove most of the threads from the corn cobs and fold the leaves around the corn.

2. Place the cobs on the grid and grill them for about 25 minutes, turning them regularly with the Grill Tong.

3. Remove the corn cobs from the grid, remove the leaves and other threads and cut them through the middle. Place them on a plate, sprinkle with sea salt and serve with the butter.

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NORDIC CUISINE

Bisque After you have made the seafood pasta, grilled lobster, gratinated langoustines or stuffed crab, for example, don’t just throw away the remaining lobster, shrimp, langoustine and/or crab shells.

Instead, rinse them off and use them for this bisque.

Serves 4 • lobster, shrimp, langoustine and crab shells • 1/2 leek • 1 stick of celery • 1 carrot • 2 large tomatoes • 1 shallot • 1 clove of garlic • 2 sprigs of parsley • 1/2 sprig of thyme • 1/2 tbsp. of fennel seeds • 1/2 tsp. of curry powder • 1 tsp. of ground paprika • olive oil • 1 tbsp. of tomato puree • a dash of cognac • 1 l fish stock • 150 ml dry white wine • 1 bay leaf • a pinch of cayenne pepper • 50 g butter • 2 tbsp. flour • 50 ml cream • 8 cooked, unpeeled shrimps (size 26/30) • 4 slices of bread

Enjoy!

Required utensils: • Cast Iron Dutch Oven • Half Moon Perforated Grid

Stuffed, gratinated crab

1. Heat the Big Green Egg, with the stainless-steel grid in it, to a temperature of 150°C. Crack the lobster, shrimp, langoustine and crab shells.

Cut the leek, celery and carrot into pieces about 2 centimetres thick and cut the tomatoes into cubes. Peel and chop the shallot and garlic. Remove the leaves from the parsley and thyme and chop finely. Mix the herbs with the fennel seed, curry powder and paprika.

2. Place the Cast Iron Dutch Oven on the grid and allow it to get hot. Fry the shells in a little olive oil and then add the leek, celery, carrot, shallot and garlic. Cook for a few minutes and then stir in the herb mixture and the tomato puree and flambé with the cognac. Finally add the tomato, fish stock, white wine and bay leaf and bring to the boil.

3. Remove the Cast Iron Dutch Oven from the EGG to stop the boiling.

Reduce the temperature to 120°C and replace the pan. Allow the soup to simmer gently for 2 hours.

4. Pour the soup through a fine sieve, return it to the Cast Iron Dutch Oven and season to taste with cayenne pepper, pepper and salt.

Melt the butter in a pan and stir the flour into it. Heat for two minutes and stir in a tablespoon of the hot soup. Stir this mixture into the soup so that it thickens.

5. Place the shrimps on the Half Moon Perforated Grid on the stainless-steel grid and grill them for 4 minutes.

Place the bread next to the Half Moon Perforated Grid and toast this at the same time. Peel the shrimps.

6. Divide the shrimps between the soup dishes, pour over the soup and serve with the toast.

Serves 4 • 4 crabs (fresh or cooked) • 2 shallots • 2 cloves of garlic • 1 small red chili pepper • 100 g grated Parmesan cheese • 3 tbsp. of finely chopped parsley • 3 tbsp. of finely chopped basil • 1 egg • olive oil • sea salt Required utensil: • Cast Iron Dutch Oven (possibly)

1. Heat the Big Green Egg, with the stainless-steel grid inside, to a temperature of 200°C. When using fresh crabs, cook them for 15 minutes in boiling water in the Cast Iron Dutch Oven on the EGG. Rinse them in cold water.

2. Break off the pincers and legs from the cooked crabs, carefully break away the underside of the shells and remove the internal organs. Remove the flesh from the legs, pincers and shell and chop finely. Rinse the shells clean under the tap and dry them. Peel the shallots and garlic and slice finely. Remove the pith and seeds from the chili pepper and chop finely.

3. Heat a little olive oil in a small pan and fry the shallot and chili pepper. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute longer. Remove the pan from the

heat and leave it to cool completely.

4. Mix the cooled shallot, chili and garlic with half of the Parmesan cheese, the finely chopped herbs and the egg. Carefully mix in the crab meat and season to taste with freshly ground pepper and sea salt.

Spoon the stuffing into the shells, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and olive oil.

5. Place the crabs on the grid and leave them to gratinate for 10-12 minutes.

ture of 225°C. Turn the langoustines onto their backs and cut them through lengthways without cutting through the shell. Break them apart with your hands (without breaking them right through). Place them flesh-side upwards and sprinkle with sea salt.

2. Peel and press the garlic and mix into the butter with the dill and parsley. Divide half of the butter over the flesh of the langoustines.

3. Place 4 langoustines on the Rectangular Perforated Porcelain Grid, place this on the stainless-steel grid and gratinate the langoustines for 5-7 minutes (3-4 minutes when using cooked langoustines).

4. Place the gratinated langoustines on a plate, toast the bread on the grid of the EGG and serve with the remaining herb butter. Enjoy these while gratinating the other four langoustines.

Gratinated langoustines Serves 4 • 8 langoustines • 6-8 cloves of garlic • 3 tbsp. of finely chopped dill • 3 tbsp. of finely chopped parsley • 200 g butter at room temperature • sea salt • serve with slices of bread Required utensil: • Rectangular Perforated Porcelain Grid 1. Heat the Big Green Egg, with the stainless-steel grid in it, to a tempera-

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Enjoy!

BIG GREEN EGG INTRODUCES: Handy Big Green EGG

handmade Royal Mahogany Tables The Big Green Egg stands for the highest quality. However, this quality is not only shown in the various models of ceramic cooker but also in the wide range of accessories and ways of extending your workspace. Here too, Big Green Egg is a trendsetter – both in terms of product range, and our ambition to have these made from high-quality, sustainable materials, so that they’re worthy of the Big Green Egg name. Aspects such as ease of use and beautiful appearance are central to the way these products are designed and produced. The new hardwood work tables, which are new to our range, more than satisfy these criteria. They are beautiful, practical and sustainable!

These custom hardwood tables have been made for Big Green Egg in Central America by a firm of craftsmen that specialises in producing indoor and outdoor furniture and related articles.

It’s a company with a story behind it, which was more or less created out of love for the land, nature and design. Twenty years ago, Clemente Poncon, a French agronomist, lost his heart to Nicaragua. He devoted himself to preserving the tropical rainforest because he saw so much of it being felled at the expense of its size and biodiversity. The agronomist had a vision. He founded a furniture manufacturing company and planted new trees, increasing the biodiversity and volume of the forest. He also influenced the industry by setting a positive example that has now endured for twenty years. Poncon was far ahead of his time and by using Forest Stewardship Council certified wood, the company soon acquired the Rainforest Alliance seal of approval.

In order to carry this seal of approval, strict requirements have to be fulfilled regarding the environment, reforestation, waste management, water protection and working conditions.

The company plants, maintains, fells and replants trees in the forest that they manage. The wood is sawn, seasoned and finally transformed into beautiful products in their own facility by the local population. Products such as the Royal Mahogany Tables for Big Green Egg. As the name suggests, these tables are made of FSC-certified Cedro Macho hardwood, also known as Royal Mahogany. The wood comes from a tree that belongs to the mahogany family, from which it derives its hardness, durability, fine grain and warm, red-brown colour.

The tables are available in the versions Large (160 x 77 x 85 cm) and XLarge (165 x 93 x 85 cm). Every table is unique because the contours of the tree are left intact. With minimal care, the tables can stand outside throughout the year without any problems. The L and XL models are supplied with a set of metal legs so that the EGG can be safely placed on them.

accessories

Not only does the Big Green Egg differentiate itself on the basis of the possibilities and superb quality of food offered by the EGGs themselves, but the broad range of handy accessories is equally unique. A range of more than 130 different accessories is currently available. In addition to several basic tools, the range includes numerous handy accessories, vastly expanding the world of culinary possibilities offered by the Big Green Egg. The selection of accessories outlined below should give you a general impression of the quality and functional aspects of the extensive range.

Cast Iron Dutch Oven The Cast Iron Dutch Oven stewing pot is ideal for preparing all kind of one-pot dishes like casseroles, mashes, soup or a simply delectable piece of braised meat. The Cast Iron Dutch Oven is suitable for boiling, simmering and roasting.

Perforated Grids The different Perforated Grids are perfect for roasting small or finely chopped pieces of vegetables, mushrooms or shellfish that are too small or delicate to cook on the regular grid. You simply place the Perforated Grid on the Stainless Steel Grid or Cast Iron Grid and take it off again in a single movement when done. For bigger quantities, the range includes the Round, Rectangular and Square Perforated Grids and if you want to grill other ingredients at the same time there’s the Half Moon Perforated Grid, that only covers half the grid.

Round Grill Wok Hankering for a quick wok dish? The Round Grill Wok holds the answer. By turning up the heat in the Big Green Egg, placing the wok on the grid and stir frying the ingredients you can conjure up a delicious stir-fried meal in next to no time. The holes in the wok ensure that the heat circulates efficiently, giving the ingredients that characteristic Big Green Egg taste while cooking them evenly.

Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon This particularly functional cast iron griddle is multifunctional, boasting both a ridged and a smooth side. The smooth side is ideal for frying crêpes, blinis or eggs, while the ridged side is perfect for making toasted sandwiches or grilling delicate fish fillets. Because the Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon only covers half the grid, you can grill other ingredients at the same time.

Wood Chips and Chunks By sprinkling soaked wood shavings over the glowing coals, you can smoke your ingredients and dishes to perfection boasting loads of extra flavour.

Big Green Egg Wood Chips are available in different flavours: Apple, Cherry, Hickory and Pecan.

Read more on page 21

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Little Chefs,

‘BIG PARTY’ As soon as you light up the Big Green Egg, the children understandably see this as the intro to a party. After all, it is synonymous with delicious food and spending time together. Can they help too? Sure, that's what makes the party complete! These appealing recipes will turn the best of intentions into a deliciously tasty result.

‘Birthday’ fish fingers with edible confetti Salmon with cod and vegetables Serves 8 • 4 slices of white bread • sunflower oil • 1 dl white wine vinegar • 100 g granulated sugar • 4 carrots (from a bunch) • ½ cucumber • 300 g fillet of salmon, without skin • 300 g fillet of cod, without skin • 1 egg yolk, beaten • tarragon For the confetti: • 1 carrot • 1 courgette • 1 red pepper • 1 yellow pepper

Required utensils: • 2 Alder Grilling Planks • convEGGtor (Plate Setter) • Cast Iron Grid 1. Saw both Alder Grilling Planks into four equally sized pieces and soak them for at least an hour in water.

Heat the Big Green Egg with the convEGGtor and Stainless Steel Grid to a temperature of 180°C. 2. In the meantime, cut the crusts off the slices of bread and roll the bread flat with a rolling pin. Cut it into very small blocks and fry them in a saucepan with a splash of sunflower oil until golden brown. Let them drain on a piece of kitchen paper and add salt to taste.

3. For the sweet-and-sour sauce, slowly bring the vinegar and sugar to the boil in a saucepan with one decilitre of water. Then use a peeler to peel the carrots lengthwise into thin slices and a radish curler to cut the

cucumber into thin curls. Take the saucepan with the sweet-and-sour sauce off the stove, add the carrots and cucumber and set aside to cool.

4. Cut the salmon and cod fillets into eight evenly sized pieces and lay one piece of salmon and one piece of cod on each Grilling Plank. Baste the fish with

the beaten egg yolk, sprinkle with fried bread blocks and decorate with a tuft of tarragon. Place the planks on the grid and cook for around 10 minutes.

5. In the meantime, cut the carrot and courgette into thin slices, halve the peppers and remove the stem and seeds. Lay the slices of carrot, courgette

and pepper down flat on a cutting board and using a round form (with a diameter of 10 to 12 mm) cut out small circles. Allow the carrot and cucumber streamers to drain.

6. Take the planks with fish out of the EGG and garnish them with the streamers and vegetable confetti.

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Birthday streamer

Serves 8

Heart vitamins

• 4 boudin blanc (barbecue sausages) • 1 red pepper • 1 yellow pepper • 1 green pepper • 1 narrow courgette • 8 mushrooms • 250 g cherry tomatoes • 2 dl tomato sauce • 50 ml balsamic vinegar

Heart vitamins: “Feeling good about yourself ties in with (striving towards) keeping healthy and fit.

Do what you feel you have to and use your common sense. So if it’s a burger that you crave, that’s fine as an exception, but make sure you’re eating enough fruit and veg too.”

Sausage/vegetable streamer with tomato sauce

Never lose sight of the children when preparing delicious dishes together. Sharp objects and sources of heat can cause painful injuries. DO NOT allow children to play near a hot EGG or to open the dome!

If necessary, do the cutting work yourself along with other steps involving the Big Green Egg. There will be plenty of fun things for the kids to do to help.

Required utensils: • 2 FireWire Flexible Skewers • Cast Iron Grid 1. Heat the Big Green Egg with the Cast Iron Grid to a temperature of 180°C. In the meantime, cut each piece of sausage into eight evenly sized pieces. Halve the peppers, remove the stems and seeds and using different forms, cut out small slices in the shape of stars, flowers and circles (with a diameter of approximately 4 cm). Cut the courgette into slices of around 7 mm

thick and cut off the mushroom stems.

2. Jab the vegetables and pieces of sausage alternately onto the FireWires.

Place them on the grid and grill the streamers until done in around 15 minutes.

3. In the meantime, cut the cherry tomatoes into thin slices and stir in the tomato sauce and balsamic vinegar.

Take the FireWires out of the EGG, gently take off the sausage and vegetables and dish up equal portions onto the plates. Serve with tomato sauce.

Heart vitamins: “You feel good about yourself when you’re being yourself. The challenge lies in ap­preciating and accepting your­ self for who you are, without com­paring yourself to others.

And the same applies to everyone around you. They’re all just as much OK for who they are.

Of course, you don’t always have to agree - but keep talking to one another. Agreeing to disagree is what it’s called.”

Heart vitamins: “Because children and adults have to satisfy many demands nowadays, it’s important to relax regularly. Relaxation can be a good teacher. Relaxation is good for your health. Energy is like an elastic band. After tension comes relaxation. Sooner or later, the elastic loses its elasticity if there’s too much tension.”

Heart vitamins: “The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work unless it’s open.” #Frank Zappa

‘Green’ Burger Hamburger made of chickpeas For 8 people For the burgers: • 250 g dried chickpeas • 1 small onion • 1 clove garlic • 1 bunch of parsley • 1 bunch of coriander • ¼ red chilis (optional) • 1 tbsp turmeric • 1 tbsp cumin powder • ½ tbsp coriander powder (ketoembar) • ½ tbsp baking powder

Required accessories: • Cast Iron Grid • Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon 1. Soak the dried chickpeas in a sufficient volume of water for 48 hours.

2. Heat the Big Green Egg with the Cast Iron Grid and Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon (with the smooth side facing upwards) to a temperature of 230°C. In the meantime, pour the soaked chickpeas into a strainer, rinse with cold water and dab them dry.

Chop up the chickpeas using a

vegetable chopper. Peel and chop up the onion and garlic. Finely chop the parsley and coriander leaves. If necessary, scrape the seeds out of the chilli and chop finely. Mix the ingredients for the hamburgers and add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Divide the chickpea mixture into eight equal portions and using the spring form, shape the burgers into the same size as the bread rolls. Coat the hot Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon with vegetable oil and fry the burgers on both sides until golden brown in

around 15 minutes. In the meantime, cut the bread rolls in half and cut the lettuce leaves and tomato into slices.

Mix the mayonnaise, tomato sauce and mustard.

4. Cover the rolls with lettuce, a burger and a slice of tomato and spread a tablespoon of sauce on top. If necessary use a large toothpick to keep the burger closed.

Yvonne Coolen, gestalt therapist and awareness trainer Centrum voor Integrale Gezondheidszorg (Centre for Integrated Healthcare) www.cigmtr.nl

And the party continues at biggreenegg.eu!

Are the kids starving or can’t they wait for the next food festival?

At biggreenegg.eu you'll find more sparkling recipes like a ‘Closed pizza’ (Mini calzone) and ‘Organic marsh­mallow fruit sticks’.

Folded pizza Mini calzone

Along with: • vegetable oil • 8 small white bread rolls • 4 lettuce leaves • 1 tomato • 100 g mayonnaise • 100 g tomato sauce • 50 g mustard

Sweet skewer Organic marshmallow fruit sticks

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The chef’s backyard Join Fran Lopez on a taste expedition in the Ebro Delta In the mind’s eye, Catalonia is inextricably linked to Barcelona. However, this region in the northeast of Spain has so much more to offer in terms of culture and gastronomy. Nestled in the hamlet of Xerta in the province of Tarragona, a mere stone’s throw from the River Ebro, you will find restaurant Torreó de l’Indià, where youthful Chef de Cuisine Fran López waves his sceptre. With thanks in part to the Ebro, Fran López can pluck the fruits of an especially fertile back yard.

Enjoy!

Restaurant Torreó de l’Indià is the culinary Valhalla of the Villa Retiro Hotel, a stunning, small-scale hotel with nine luxurious rooms. Assisted by sommelier Javier Campo and the team, Fran spoils the guests at restaurant Torreó de l’Indià with dishes prepared from the finest ingredients largely originating from the surrounding region. And quality is always rewarded; in 2009, the restaurant earned its first Michelin star.

Born and raised in the 4th generation of a catering family, he practically grew up in the kitchen of the former family hotel, l’ Village. His ambitions, however, stretched further and at the age of 16 Fran packed his bags and headed off to Barcelona to enrol at the prestigious ‘La Escuela Hoffman’ cooking school, synonymous with the legendary French cooking school ‘École Le Cordon Bleu’. On completion of his three-year studies, the young chef spread his wings and went to work at the Plaza Athénée restaurant in Paris under world-renowned chef Alain Ducasse. Three years on, he returned to his roots armed with a wealth of experience inthe kitchen.

Close ties Together with his brother Joaquim, the 22-year-old Fran opened the Villa Retiro hotel and associated Torreó de l’Indià restaurant, which had already been owned by the López family since 2001. He was still familiar with the region and its specialities, and step-bystep Fran established close ties with numerous suppliers. “The crustaceans and shellfish, octopus, goat’s meat, ducks and different vegetables I use in the kitchen all come from small producers in the surrounding region,” says Fran. “People who love what they do and the products they produce.

One of them is Jonathan Garrigós of Muscleres Prats, the first company to utilise the natural surroundings of the Ebro to farm mussels and oysters back in 1962. Taste, tradition and aspiring to cultivate the most delicious mussels and oysters today go hand-in-hand with modern technology, which has only benefited quality standards. Although Muscleres Prats has since expanded to include a sizeable surface area, the original craftsmanship has never waned.”

Sustainable catch From the bustling harbours along the Ebro it’s clear that quite a few smallscale fisheries are still active. Fran took us along to visit ‘his’ fisherman Joan Berenguer, who specialises in catching octopus. “Catching octopuses still takes place using traditional, sustainable techniques that vastly limit any damage to the riverbed,” explains Fran. “The baskets are attached to the end of long lines, baited and dropped to the bottom – an attractive place for octopuses who like to hide by nature. After some time, the baskets – along with the catch – are raised to the surface.” Fran proudly shows the octopus, and takes a stab at clearing up a common misnomer: “Many people think that octopus is another name for cuttlefish or squid.

While an octopus is indeed a cephalopod, it is but one among many hundreds of different species. Only a few of these species can be classed as octopuses.”

The best chef in the world Back again on dry land and en route to vegetable supplier Mateu Bonfill and his sons Albert and Mateu Jr, the conversation touches on maestro Alain Ducasse. It would seem obvious for Fran to see the maestro of gastronomy as the best chef in the world. But nothing could be further from the truth, although Ducasse is counted amongst

the top five. “In my opinion, Ferran Adrià is the best chef in the world. With his philosophy, he has set something in motion amongst the crème-de-lacrème of chefs, giving birth to a different approach towards ingredients and preparation methods. This genuinely prompted a revolution in a positive sense, causing a break from traditional thinking. You could compare this in general terms to what Johan Cruijff has meant to football,” the chef explains.

Characteristic regional produce In the meantime, we’ve joined Mateu Bonfill. Although the farmer is officially retired, he still gets up at 6 every morning to check the crops. Given the size of their company, Mateu, Albert and Mateu Jr focus largely on the local market. In addition to artichokes, they cultivate calçots, a Catalan green onion not unlike a young leek. While Fran runs the freshly harvested calçots through his fingers, Mateu explains how this characteristic regional product has been cultivated since the 19th century.

“Originally, the calçot came from Valls, a local village in the province of Tarragona; nowadays the crop is grown throughout Catalonia and it has become an annual tradition to celebrate the new harvest. During the ‘calçotada’, the calçots are roasted till the outer leaves become charred. After peeling these leaves off, you dip the soft, white and somewhat sweet inner section into Romesco sauce. A simple, but delicious delicacy!” Fran adds that in the absence of calçots this traditional Catalan dish is often prepared with spring onions.

But to get a taste of the real thing, a trip to Catalonia is definitely worthwhile.

Organic orientation Our next stop is ‘Luisiana’, an organic duck farm established in a nature reserve in the Ebro Delta. Fran loves to visit the farm, where Ana Gimenez shares her enthusiasm and passion for animals. Ana proudly shows us around the grounds and tells us how she started off with just six ducks. Although still relatively small, four different types of duck now forage around on the farm.

“The animals have plenty of space here,” Fran emphasises. “They grow up in natural surroundings and have a great deal of freedom – indoors and outside. The nets around and on top of the outdoor areas are purely to prevent contact with other birds.

They could transmit diseases, which could be devastating given the organic orientation of the farm. Given the free­ dom of movement, vegetable feed and atmosphere of tranquillity in which the animals are raised, the meat tastes sublime. Incidentally, the meat comes from the drakes while the hens are kept largely for their eggs.”

Small flock of lambs After a cup of coffee, it’s time for a family visit. The chef’s father-in-law, Jose Maria Cugat, is proud that he can contribute towards his son-in-law’s success in this manner. While Jose’s farm was originally used for turkey breeding, he’s also kept a small flock of lambs in recent years. “The lambs are especially for Torreó de l’Indià,” Fran declares with pride. “They are fed mainly with their mother’s milk which lends the meat a tender flavour. In raising the animals, we observe the natural cycle as far as posible. We don’t use antibiotics and other medication and we minimise outside interaction as far as possible. For example, the animals are fed grains grown on thefarm’s own fields. The straw, a by-product of grain cultivation, is also used on the farm. Once the lambs reach a weight of 23 kg, they’re ready for slaughter and, together with numerous regional ingredients, their meat forms the basis of the tastiest dishes to emerge from the kitchen at Torreó de l’Indià.’

Read more on Page 21

Wine & olive oil In addition to Villa Retiro and the Masía Pla dels Catalans restaurant in L’Aldea, the prestigious Catedral Del VI in Pinell de Brai is also owned by the López catering family. This wine cathedral dates back to 1922 and was designed Cesar Martinell who studied under Gaudí. This magnificent building is situated in the Terra Alta winegrowing area, where wines have been produced for hundreds of years and, more recently, under DO status since 1982.

Catedral Del VI accommodates La Bodega Pagos de Híbera, a wine business run by brothers Fran and Joaquim López, who acquired their knowledge of wines at the Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona. The first wine, L’Indià Blanco, was brought to market in 2010. This 100% Grenache white wine is still the company’s showpiece. The L’Indià Blanco 2013 was recently awarded no less than 90 of a possible 100 points by wine guru Robert Parker.

In January the company forged an alliance with the Pinell de Brai wine cooperative with the aim of producing 45,000 bottles of wine and 30,000 to 40,000 litres of olive oil a year. Catedral Del VI is open to visitors who can enjoy a guided tour and find out more about the history and production of winegrowing.

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Taste the summer

When the days start to lengthen the fun is outside.

And what could be more delightful than to enjoy this tasty three-course menu with your friends or family on a balmy summer evening? Light up the Big Green Egg and Enjoy!

Would you like to get a tasty, inspirational three-course menu in your mailbox each month? Register for the ‘Menu of the Month’ at biggreenegg.eu Required utensils: • 4 Stainless Steel Grill Rings • Grill Tong • Cast Iron Grid • Drip Pan Round • Apple Wood Chips

Shopping list for four people

Scallops cooked in the shell with tomato and almonds

Grilled cod, new potatoes and fennel with horseradish and crispy bacon

Starter: • 1 yellow tomato • 1 red tomato • 1 avocado • 1 clove of fermented garlic • 10 g almonds • 4 scallops in the shell • 1 sprig of coriander • lemon juice to taste • olive oil

Main dish: • 4 cod fillets weighing 200 g • 200 g new potatoes, unpeeled • ½ fresh horseradish • 1 bulb of fennel • 1 lemon • 100 g smoked streaky bacon • 1 bunch of dill • 60 g butter • olive oil

Dessert: • 4 firm, tart apples • 4 tbsp. of lingonberry jam • 10 g roasted almond slivers For the vanilla custard: • 1 vanilla pod • 125 ml milk • 2 egg yolks • 1 tbsp. of castor sugar • ½ tbsp. of cornflour • 1 tbsp. of crème fraîche

Apple stuffed with lingonberries and custard

Preparation in advance: scallops Cut the yellow and red tomatoes into small dice. Halve the avocado, remove the stone and spoon the flesh out of the skin. Puree the flesh with a fork and season to taste with salt and pepper and a few drops of lemon juice.

Replace the puree in the skin. Make small pearls from fermented garlic by rolling it into small balls between your fingers. Finely chop the almonds.

Open the scallops with a blunt knife.

Grip the shell firmly with a dishcloth with the convex side downwards.

Insert the knife between the halves of the shell and cut along the flat half of the shell so that it cuts through the muscle. Open the shells and remove the scallops with a spoon. Remove the coral, rinse the scallops clean and replace them in the convex half of the shells.

Preparation in advance: cod Place the cod fillets on the working surface and tie a piece of kitchen string horizontally around each piece so that the flesh is held firmly together. Brush the pieces generously with olive oil on both sides. Wash the new potatoes and boil them for five minutes in salted water. Let them cool of a little and cut them in half.

Grate the horseradish, cut the fennel into slices. Insert a cocktail stick through each slice to hold it together.

Cut the lemon in half, squeeze out one half and cut the other into slices.

Sprinkle the fennel with olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Roughly chop the dill.

Clarify the butter: heat the butter, allow it to cool and remove the scum with a perforated spoon.

Preparation in advance: stuffed apple For the vanilla custard, slice the vanilla pod open lengthways and remove the seeds. Heat 110 millilitres of milk and the seeds in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light. Beat the cornflour into the remaining milk until smooth and stir into the boiling milk.

Reduce the heat, continue stirring and allow to cook for a few minutes.

Stir a little milk into the lightly beaten egg yolks and then stir these into the hot milk. Continue stirring until the mixture has the consistency of sauce and then remove the pan from the heat. Allow to cool and then stir in the crème fraîche.

Use a melon scoop to remove the core from the apples and hollow them out slightly. Make sure that the bottom of the apple remains intact. Spoon a tablespoon of lingonberry jam into each apple, fill up with custard and place the apples on the Stainless Steel Grill Rings.

Preparation: scallops Light the charcoal in the Big Green Egg and leave the dome open until the coals are glowing red. Sprinkle the scallops with a few drops of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Place the shells carefully onto the charcoal and cook for 3 minutes.

Turn the scallop flesh over with the Grill Tong, spoon the tomato blocks into the shells, sprinkle with finely chopped almonds and allow to cook for 1 minute longer.

Carefully remove the shells from the EGG with the Grill Tong and garnish with the garlic pearls and a coriander leaf. Serve with the avocado puree.

To prepare the main dish, place the Cast Iron Grid in the Big Green Egg and heat the EGG to a temperature of 190°C. Preparation: cod Lay the streaky bacon on the grid and grill for 15 minutes without turning.

Then grill the other side while grilling the cod fillets, new potatoes and fennel slices. Grill the new potatoes and fennel on both sides for about 10 minutes and then remove them from the EGG. Turn the cod over after about 8 minutes and grill for a further 4 minutes. Keep the dome closed during grilling. Remove the bacon and cod from the EGG. Cut the bacon into small dice, place in the Drip Pan Round on the grid of the EGG and fry them crispy in a few minutes. Remove the bacon from the Drip Pan Round and then add the clarified butter to heat up.

Make a bed of dill on each plate, lay a grilled cod fillet on top and sprinkle with the crispy fried bacon. Place the new potatoes, fennel slices and lemon and grated horseradish next to this.

Sprinkle the horseradish with the clarified butter and season to taste with pepper and salt. Serve immediately and meanwhile reduce the temperature of the Big Green Egg to 175°C and sprinkle four chunks of (unsoaked) Apple Wood Chips on the charcoal.

Preparation: stuffed apples Place the Stainless Steel Grill Rings with the stuffed apple on the grid and grill the apples for about 15-20 minutes, depending on size, until they feel slightly soft. Remove the Rings and the apples from the grid. Place an apple on each plate and cut them in half vertically. Sprinkle with the roasted almond slivers and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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Continued from page 19 Fran López regularly uses the Big Green Egg to prepare ingredients from his back yard at the Torreó de l’Indià restaurant. He prepared the following dishes especially for Enjoy!

You can read all about the ingredients and preparation methods in the recipe database at biggreenegg.eu

Continued from page 15

Premium Organic Lump Charcoal Using good charcoal is extremely important to achieve and maintain just the right temperature, lending added flavour when preparing ingredients and dishes alike. Big Green Egg charcoal consists of a perfect blend of oak and hickory! The large chunks of charcoal burn for ages and produce very little ash.

Large, Ebro Delta oysters with the salty smell of sea and shellfish

Charcoal Starters Depending on the size of your EGG, you only need two to three starter blocks to fire up the charcoal in the Big Green Egg. These natural starter blocks do not contain any chemicals and they do not give off an unpleasant smell or taste.

Grilled octopus with calçots and romesco sauce

With snakelocks anemone, grilled artichokes

Finely sliced Ebro Delta duck filled with hummus and dates

Slow-cooked lamb with smoked, roasted aubergine

Ash Tool, Grill Gripper & Stainless Steel Mesh Grill Scrubber These three tools are the answer to your prayers in terms of practicality.

The Ash Tool has a twofold function. It can be used to remove ash from the base and it functions as a poker. The Grill Gripper makes it easy and safe to remove the Cast Iron Grid from the EGG. The tool grips it tightly and is therefore ideal for lifting drip pans too. Using the Stainless Steel Mesh Grill Scrubber, which features an especially long handle, you can clean your EGG’s grid in practically no time. In contrast to wire brushes there is no risk of the bristles falling out after regular use. That’s because a patented stainless-steel sponge does the work. Almost worn out? After replacing the sponge, the Stainless Steel Mesh Grill Scrubber will be as good as new!

convEGGtor, our new name for the Plate Setter The ceramic convEGGtor works as a heat shield, protecting the food from coming into direct contact with the heat source. In effect, the indirect heat creates a brick-oven effect. This provides an ideal method of preparation for all oven dishes, cooking delicate ingredients, low-temperature cooking and for use in combination with Cast Iron Dutch Oven. The convEGGtor can be combined with the Flat Baking Stone for baking the most delicious bread and pizzas with an authentic crispy base.

Cast Iron Grid The Cast Iron Grid not only guarantees that characteristic grilled flavour, but gives your ingredients – including vegetables, meat and poultry – a nice diamond-shaped pattern too.

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Easy meal

The Big Green Egg isn’t just suitable for complex dishes, it’s also great for easy meals. Light your EGG, prepare and a delicious dinner can be on the table in no time. These tasty dishes are relatively simple, quick to prepare and therefore ideal for busy weekdays!

Bouillabaisse Serves 4 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

200 g cockles 200 g razors shells 400 g mussels 200 g squid, gutted and cleaned 200 g cod loin 2 onions 5 cloves of garlic 3 potatoes 1 fennel bulb 1 tbsp. olive oil a few threads of saffron 1 l shellfish stock Sambuca or Pernod corn starch 2 sprigs of tarragon 1 ciabatta 1 jar of aioli

Required utensils: • Cast Iron Grid • Cast Iron Dutch Oven 1. Heat the Big Green Egg, with the Cast Iron Grid, to 170°C. In the meantime, wash the shellfish in salted water and drain. Cut the squid into rings. Remove the skin from the cod and slice the fillet coarsely. Peel and mince the onion and garlic. Peel the potatoes, cutting them into chunks and cut the fennel into segments (retain some fronds as a garnish).

2. Place the Cast Iron Dutch Oven on the grid and heat a dash of olive oil in it. Start off the onion, garlic, potato and fennel. Add the saffron and douse with stock and Sambuca or Pernod to taste.

3. Close the EGG’s lid and adjust the temperature to 110°C (leave the lid off the Dutch Oven so the bouillabaisse gets that delicious grilled flavour).

Cook gently for 30 minutes.

4. Stir some corn starch through the soup with a whisk until the desired consistency has been achieved. Add the shellfish, the cod and the squid rings. Close the EGG’s lid and continue to cook for approx. 10 minutes until the shellfish open up.

Whilst waiting, finely chop the tarragon and slice the ciabatta.

5. Take the Dutch Oven off the EGG and grill the ciabatta. Serve the bouillabaisse on plates and garnish with finely chopped tarragon and fennel greens. Serve with ciabatta and aioli.

Noodles with bok choy, chicken and shrimp

Smoked sea bass with steamed vegetables

Serves 4

Serves 4

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • •

8 large shrimp 40 ml oyster sauce 20 ml soy sauce 20 ml ginger syrup 1 tsp. mustard 100 ml olive oil 12 de-boned chicken thighs 100 g sugar snaps 1 bok choy 20 g fresh ginger 3 cloves of garlic ½ chili 6 spring onions ½ bunch of coriander 250 g egg noodles 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 100 g bean sprouts sesame seeds

Required utensils: • Cast Iron Grid • Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon 1. Heat the Big Green Egg with the Cast Iron Grid and the Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon (smooth side up) to 160°C. In the meantime, peel the shrimp, halve lengthways and gut.

2. To make the marinade, whip together the oyster sauce, the soy sauce, the ginger syrup and the mustard, then add the olive oil drop by drop, stirring all the while. Halve the chicken thighs, put them in a bowl and mix with two thirds of the marinade.

3. Prepare the sugar snaps for cooking, then halve them. Wash the bok choy and cut into strips. Peel, then finely grate the ginger as well as peeling and mincing the garlic. De-seed the chili.

Then cut it and the spring onions into thin rings.

Coarsely chop the coriander. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the pack, then rinse with cold water and drain.

4. Drain the excess marinade from the chicken thighs. Brush the Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon with vegetable oil and brown the chicken thighs on either side. Add and fry the shrimp for 1 minute, then add the pepper, ginger and garlic.

Stir, then add the sugar snaps, the bok choy and the spring onions. Stir again, then mix with the noodles. Close the lid and heat for 1 minute.

Douse with the remaining marinade and add the bean sprouts.

5. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds and coriander.

• • • • • •

1 red bell pepper 1 yellow bell pepper ½ courgette 3 pomodori tomatoes 1 banana shallot 1 clove of garlic 2 slices of bacon 8 round shallots 100 g new potatoes 2 lemons 2 500 g sea bass, de-scaled, gutted and cleaned 8 sprigs of thyme 150 g mushrooms 4 sprigs of rosemary olive oil white wine 12 sprigs of water cress

Required utensils: • Cast Iron Grid • 1 thick Grilling Plank (you pick your favourite flavour) This recipe calls for the use of a thick Grilling Plank. Keep the temperature around 190°C with the thinner type. Don’t throw the Grilling Plank away after use as it can be reused several times.

1. Heat the Big Green Egg and the Cast Iron Grid to 230°C. Soak the Grilling Plank in cold water.

2. Remove the stalks and de-seed the bell peppers. Chop the bell peppers, courgette and tomatoes into chunks. Peel the banana shallot and cut into rings, then peel and mince the garlic.

Cut the bacon into strips. Peel the round shallots and the new potatoes and blanch both briefly.

Cut the lemons into thin slices.

3. Make roughly seven diagonal cuts into one side of the sea bass and fill the slits, alternating thyme and a slice of lemon. Divide the chopped, blanched vegetables, the remaining slices of lemon, the bacon, the mushrooms and the rosemary across two large sheets of aluminium foil. Sprinkle with olive oil and white wine, season with pepper and salt, then meticulously fold the foil closed.

4. Put the sea bass on the soaked Grilling Plank, put the latter on the EGG’s grid and close the lid.

Smoke the fish for approximately 10 minutes.

5. Put the vegetables in foil on the grid next to the Grilling Plank and cook with the lid closed for 5-6 minutes until tender.

6. Remove the Grilling Plank and the vegetables in foil from the EGG. Carefully remove the skin from the sea bass, loosen the fillets and season with pepper and salt. Open the foil-wrapped vegetables (be careful of the hot steam) and share the vegetables between the plates. Put the sea bass filet on top and garnish with water cress.

Saltimbocca with fried tomatoes, asparagus and new potatoes Serves 4 • • • • • • • • • • • • •

4 veal escalopes à 100 g 12 slices of Serrano ham 80 g grated Parmesan cheese the leaves of 4 sprigs of sage 14 sprigs of rosemary 8 green asparagus 16 unpeeled new potatoes 4 pomodori tomatoes 2 sprigs of thyme 2 cloves of garlic 120 g butter 1 tbsp. olive oil 20 g rocket salad

Required utensils: • Cast Iron Grid • Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon 1. Heat the Big Green Egg with the Cast Iron Grid and the Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon (smooth side up) in place to 180°C. In the meantime, cut every veal escalope into thirds, put every piece between two sheets of cling film and pound flat using the bottom of a frying pan.

2. Place a slice of Serrano ham on every flattened veal escalope, sprinkle on three quarters of the Parmesan cheese, add two leaves of sage and then roll up the meat, fastening it with a sprig of rosemary.

3. Cut the bottoms from the asparagus then blanch the asparagus for 1 minute in lightly salted water.

Wash the new potatoes and blanch these for approx. 10 minutes in lightly salted water. Halve the tomatoes and then mince the thyme and remaining rosemary needles. Peel and mince the garlic.

Sprinkle the herbs and the remaining cheese onto the tomatoes and season with pepper and salt.

Melt the butter in a pan, add the remaining sage and steep on low heat until the dish is finished.

4. Brush the Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon with olive oil and fry the saltimbocca for 5 minutes on either side. Remove from the EGG and allow to rest under aluminium foil for 5 minutes. In the meantime, place the tomatoes, asparagus and new potatoes on the Cast Iron Griddle Half Moon, close the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the asparagus and new potatoes over after 2 minutes.

5. Remove the vegetables from the EGG and halve the new potatoes. Share the saltimbocca between the plates, garnish with rocket salad and sprinkle with sage butter.

23

Enjoy!

Sunday, 15 June 2014 8th Big Green Egg Member Day Gastronomy will reign supreme on Sunday, 15 June at the 8th Big Green Egg Member Day at the Heerlijkheid Mariënwaerdt Estate in Beesd (the Netherlands). Tasting is the name of the game at this amazing event for young and old.

During the 2014 Big Green Egg Member Day, around 40 professional chefs from the Netherlands and beyond will converge to prepare

the most delectable dishes, from teasers to desserts. Visitors will be engulfed in the aromatic atmosphere permeating the Heerlijkheid Mariënwaerdt Estate, elevated into the world of culinary possibilities offered by the Big Green Egg. Unlimited tasting, watching the chefs prepare their dishes and loads of opportunities to ask questions. Do you already own a Big Green Egg or are you contemplating getting one? Then the 2014 Big Green Egg Member Day is a must

for you. Together, all the tasty treats, the musical entertainment and the special activities organised for the kids are sure to make the 2014 Big Green Egg Member Day an exciting, flavour-filled event for the entire family.

Itching to join in the fun? Order your ticket(s) via biggreenegg.eu. At a price of € 35 a head you can taste all the dishes to your heart’s content. Children aged 12 and below can join for free and there’s also free parking.

Next time in Enjoy!

We hope you enjoy all the recipes in this edition of Enjoy! Where the focus in this edition lies on tasty dishes for spring and summer, the next Enjoy! will be brimming with scores of autumn and winter recipes.

We’ll keep you inspired all year round…

Seasonal menus Taste the autumn & the winter ‘The chef’s back yard’ Delicacies from Limburg

Exceptional bread Baking without kneading Get an impression of the Big Green Egg Member Day using Layar.

Scan this page with the Layar app.

Health Seasonal vegetables on the grill Pure Piemonte The next Enjoy! with new, inspiring recipes will be available from your Big Green Egg dealer from mid-October 2014

New: The Big Green Egg Book The official launch of the Big Green Egg Book took place recently. The Big Green Egg Book is an amazing lexicon, complete with a foreword by Dutch Chef & Proprietor of the De Librije restaurant (3 Michelin stars) in Zwolle.

Step by step, the book clearly describes all the possible cooking techniques for the EGG: baking, roasting, stewing, grilling, smoking and slow cooking. With loads of basic recipes and slightly more challenging recipes from our ambassadors, the book serves as a valuable source of inspiration for

everyone who owns a Big Green Egg or hopes to purchase one soon. As you have come to expect, only the best seasonal ingredients are used and the Big Green Egg adds that subtle, unmistakable edge to the taste of all the dishes. The results?

Well, you can see them in the Big Green Egg Book, with tantalisingly beautiful photographs as well.

The Big Green Egg Book contains a wealth of information and recipes. It boasts 192 pages, measures 24 x 28 cm, and features a styling hard cover. For now,

the Big Green Egg Book is available in Dutch. The English version should hit the shelves soon. The book has a price tag of € 57 and is also available from all Big Green Egg dealers.

Monthly inspiration To be able to keep inspiring you, Big Green Egg mails out the ‘Menu of the Month’ which contains mouth-watering, three-course menus and recipe variations based on a specific product 12 times a year. The fabulous images and recipes clearly indicate how to prepare the dishes in your EGG. At the start of every new season we focus on a particular basic ingredient. Alongside background information on the ingredient concerned,

Ralph de Kok, Dutch 2010 BBQ Champion, owner of the Barbecue Paleis and EGG specialist, demonstrates a number of preparations and various cooking techniques. These nuance the flavour of one and the same ingredient leading to surprising results.

SVH guild master chef Michel Lambermon and executive chef Arjen Rector of ‘To Amuse’ are responsible for the three-course menus in the other months.

Would you like to automatically receive the ‘Menu of the Month’? If so, please register at biggreenegg.eu