FROM EUROPE
WITH LOVE THE PASSION, INSPIRATION
AND RECIPES OF
15 TOP CHEFS
©Big Green Egg Inc. Big Green Egg®, EGG®, EGGhead®, convEGGtor® and EGGmitt™ are Trademarks or Registered Trademarks of Big Green Egg Inc.
Right now, thousands of chefs in Europe are preparing fantastic and mind-boggling dishes on their Big Green Egg. The success of the Big Green Egg in Europe is partly thanks to them. Taste – that is what the chefs are interested in. And taste is what the Big Green Egg is all about! This booklet is a showcase of the culinary possibilities of the Big Green Egg from the perspective of the ‘Old World’. The chefs participating have very much enjoyed contributing to this recipe book and hope that you will all try out the dishes for yourselves! Enjoy and let life taste good!
Big Green Egg Europe
RUUD JANSEN
Ruud and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? It’s already been 9 years! What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? Smoke, smell, taste and experience! Always part of Culinair On Tour! What inspires you? Experimenting, and colleagues and guests who share their experiences during conversations about the EGG! What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? European chefs are creative and pay a lot of attention to presentation. In my opinion, the Americans are more robust EGGheads and specialists in rubs in combination with slow cooking. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? Dorade wrapped in parma ham with rosemary baked in a salt crust with freshly pressed roasted lemon with thyme and garlic. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? Roasted langouste with a large pan of paella.
Ruud Jansen
Monkfish smoked in heritage beetroots on cedarwood with Vitelottes, avocado crème, roasted almonds and Affilla Cress Serves 4 50 g (1.8 lb) Vitelottes 500 g (1.1 lb) monkfish fillet 200 g (7 oz) Dutch heritage beetroots 50 g (0.1 oz) coarse sea salt 10 g (0.4 oz) roasted almonds Affilla Cress extra virgin olive oil For the avocado crème: 1 avocado 100 ml (1/2 cup) cream ½ tsp lemon juice salt and pepper Accessories 100g (3.5 oz) Pecan Wood Chips 2 Cedar Wooden Grilling Planks convEGGtor Stainless Steel Grid 1. Wash the potatoes and boil them in their skins in lightly salted water until al dente. Drain them and leave them to cool. Put them in the fridge for 12 hours so that the purple colour really comes through. 2. Remove the skin from the monkfish and cut two fillets off the backbone. Peel the beetroots, cut into large pieces and turn to pulp using the food processor. Rub the sea salt and beetroot pulp into the monkfish. Put in a bowl, cover, and leave to marinate in the fridge for 5 hours. 3. Soak the Wood Chips and the Grilling Planks and heat up the Big Green Egg to 75°C (167°F). Sprinkle the glowing charcoal with the soaked Wood
Chips, put the convEGGtor in the EGG with the legs facing upwards. Put the monkfish fillets, with the pulp, on the Grilling Planks, then put them in the grid. Close the lid and leave to smoke for 30 minutes. 4. In the meantime, peel the potatoes, cut them into slices and make the avocado crème: Peel the avocado and remove the stone. Cut the flesh into large pieces, boil in the cream and then puree with the blender. Season with the lemon juice and pepper and salt. Put the crème in a piping bag with a smooth nozzle. 5. Take the monkfish fillets out of the EGG and scrape off the beetroot pulp thoroughly. Cut into pieces and arrange on the plates. Garnish with the potato slices, avocado crème, roasted almonds and Affilla Cress and sprinkle with olive oil.
HELMA WORTELBOER
Helma and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? I bought my first Big Green Egg about 15 years ago, just for myself, to go in the garden. I thought it was brilliant. When I opened a cooking studio in 2005, the EGG was a key feature there and it was heavily used. Now the whole Big Green Egg family is there. And I introduce new fans to the EGG every week. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? The EGG makes so many things possible. It has excellent temperature regulation and the opportunities for experimenting are endless. What inspires you? The most inspiring thing is the enthusiastic people around you. But inspiration is everywhere, if you’re open to it. What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? I’ll find out when I’m there, but I have noticed that a lot of chefs use the EGG just to finish off meals. That’s a shame, because using the EGG from start to finish creates a better taste. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? Fish – simply plucked from the water, and put on the grid in its skin. As pure as possible. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? I have already worked with the EGG in various countries and it’s wonderful to use it with local produce. The biggest compliment is putting a big smile on the face of the supplier or local chef! Like when I made squid tapas in Spain and the chef ate them all himself saying they were the ‘best ever’. Or when I lightly smoked springbok for a springbok farmer in South Africa who was convinced that you couldn’t cook springbok on the BBQ. The next day he came back with a friend. In Italy I have only ever cooked porchetta on an open fire, but it must be wonderful on the EGG. By which I mean a whole and well-fed piglet ;-)
Helma Wortelboer
Artisan bread with aubergine and pepper puree and slow-cooked lamb roulade Serves 2 400 g (14 oz) lamb shoulder (with skin) 2 cloves of garlic 1 small shallot 1 sprig of rosemary, thyme and oregano 6 olives 3 pieces of lardo (optional but delicious) 1 aubergine 1 red pepper 1 bulb of fresh garlic ½ bunch of parsley
high-quality olive oil Maldon salt flakes high-quality bread, preferably artisan sourdough coarsely ground pepper Accessories convEGGtor Stainless Steel Grid 1. Heat the Big Green Egg, with the convEGGtor and the Standard Stainless Steel Grid, to 60°C (140°F). Take the lamb out of the fridge. Peel the garlic and shallot, pluck the rosemary needles and the thyme and oregano leaves. Blend the olives, and the lardo if using, into a paste using a small food processor or blender. 2. Cut the meat away from the skin (do not discard) and remove any membranes or large pieces of fat. Cut the meat horizontally to create a thin flap. Spread the paste onto it, then roll it up and bind it with butcher’s string. Wrap up the roulade in the skin and bind it using the string too.
Put the lamb roulade on the grid, close the lid, and leave to cook for approx. 5 hours. 3. Take the roulade off the grid and leave it to rest a short while, so the roulade becomes firmer. Remove the convEGGtor, put the grid back and increase the temperature of the EGG to 160째C (320째F). Put the aubergine, pepper and garlic on the grid, close the lid and grill the vegetables, turning them every so often. The exact cooking time depends on the size of the vegetables. Allow about 40 minutes. Pull off the parsley leaves and chop finely. 4. Cut the aubergine flesh finely, mix with olive oil, salt flakes, and finely chopped parsley to taste. Peel the pepper, remove the stalk and the seeds and puree the flesh. Mix the puree with a small amount of olive oil. 5. Cut the bread into slices and spread with a thin layer of pepper puree. Crush a roasted clove of garlic onto the puree, then spread it out. Then spread a layer of aubergine paste on top. Carve the roulade into thin slices and distribute them across the pieces of bread. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and parsley and sprinkle some drops of pepper puree onto the plate to decorate, if you wish.
JAN-DIRK ZONNENBERG
Jan-Dirk and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? 8 or 9 years. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? Temperature control. What inspires you? Traveling through Asia and Europe. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? Venison backstrap fillet stuffed with goose liver and marinated in truffle oil. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? A whole ostrich in an XXL on a beer keg...
Jan-Dirk Zonneberg
Bagels with smoked salmon Serves 15 one 3 kg (6.6 lb) salmon, cleaned 120 g (4.2 oz) sugar 54 g (1.9 oz) salt 1 onion 15 bagels (or alternative bread of your choice) 1 shallot ½ bunch parsley 2 tbsp capers 250 g (0.55 lb) mayonnaise 6 sprigs basil Accessories Apple Wood Chips convEGGtor (2x) Stainless Steel Grid (2x) Instant Read Digital Thermometer 1. Put the salmon in a bowl and mix together the sugar and salt. Rub the sugar mixture into the salmon then cover and leave in the fridge for 2 days. 2. Soak a handful of Apple Wood Chips in water and heat up the Big Green Egg to 100°C (212°F). Peel and half the onion and put the onion halves into the abdominal cavity of the salmon. This keeps it nicely in shape and makes it easier to remove the flesh from the bones. 3. Sprinkle the soaked Wood Chips onto the hot coals, place the convEGGtor and the Stainless Steel Grid in the EGG. Put the salmon on the grid, close the lid of the EGG and adjust the temperature to 65°C (149°F). Leave to slow cook for 1 to 1.5 hours at a core temperature of 40-45°C (104-113°F). Check the temperature using the Instant Read Digital Thermometer.
4. In the meantime, heat a second Big Green Egg fitted with a convEGGtor and the Stainless Steel Grid. Alternatively, heat the oven to 175째C (347째F). Half the bagels and grill them for approx. 12 minutes (crust side up). Peel and finely chop the shallot, and finely chop the capers and the parsley. Mix with the mayonnaise. Pick the leaves of the basil. 5. Spread the bagels with the mayonnaise and top with the basil leaves. Use a breadknife to cut the skin off the salmon along all the fins, the tail and behind the head. Carefully pull the skin loose and throw it away. Scrape the flesh off the bone using a spoon, working from the head down to the tail. Top the bagels with the smoked salmon.
IJSBRANT WILBRENNINCK
IJsbrant and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? 10 years. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? That it’s green. My favorite color :-) But seriously: That it’s a closed system, so you can regulate the temperature and air circulation very accurately. What inspires you? My insatiable hunger. What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? I think that European chefs make smaller dishes. And that we work more with crustaceans and shellfish and other ingredients than meat. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? I haven’t discovered an absolute favorite. There are so many options. It depends on the season. In winter I love partridge and in summer I love sardines, for example, or a delicious leg of lamb. Anything is possible. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? I experiment with all kinds of things all the time.
IJsbrant Wilbrenninck
Smoked oysters with mango pickle For 24 oysters 24 oysters For the sauce: ½ leek quarter of an unripe Papaya (not green, unripe) 1 drop of sesame oil per oyster 2 drops of hazelnut oil per oyster 1 drop of fish sauce per oyster 1 drop of lime juice per oyster 1 tsp cane sugar 1 tsp golden syrup 2 tsp chilli sauce 1 tsp hoisin sauce 1 tsp Kikkoman Less Salt soya sauce For the mango pickle: half a hard mango 1/4 red onion 1/4 part cane sugar 1/2 part white wine vinegar 1/4 part water 1. Make the mango pickle first. Peel and half the mango, remove the stone and cut the flesh into very small pieces. Peel the onion and cut into half rings. Mix the sugar, vinegar and water together and leave the mango and the onion to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours. 2. Heat up the Big Green Egg to 200°C (392°F). Break the oysters open partially. 3. Clean and finely chop the leek. Skin and half the papaya, scoop out the seeds and cut the flesh into very thin strips. Mix the leek and papaya with the sesame oil, hazelnut oil, fish sauce, lime juice, cane sugar golden syrup, chili sauce, hoisin sauce and Kikkoman Les Salt soya sauce.
4. Put the oysters on the grid of the EGG and steam them for approx. 30 seconds in their own moisture. Take them off the grid, remove the upper shell and scoop some sauce (make sure leek and marinated papaya is included) and mango pickle onto it. Make a colourful presentation of it.
BAREND KRAMER
Barend and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? I have been working as a caterer with the Big Green Eggs for 4 years. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? It never lets you down, whatever the environment or weather conditions. What inspires you? The Internet and trendy new cookbooks. What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? I think we – European chefs – use more variety in our cooking and work with vegetables more. In your opinion, what is your favourite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? American blade steak marinated in thyme, garlic and lemon, grilled on the Big Green Egg. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? Tenderloin marinated in sea salt wrapped in wet cotton cloths.
Barend Kramer
Roasted eggplant with chermoula, couscous and citrus labne Serves 4 2 medium-sized eggplant 40 ml (2.5 tbsp) olive oil For the chermoula: 2 cloves of garlic 2 tsp cumin powder 2 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp mild paprika powder 1 tsp chilli flakes 2 tsp pickled lemon peel 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil For the couscous: 150 g (5.3 oz) couscous 150 ml (2/3 cup) vegetable stock 50 g (1.8 oz) raisins 6 sprigs of coriander 6 sprigs of mint 50 g (1.8 oz) green olives 30 g (1.1 oz) roasted almonds 3 spring onions lemon juice to taste For the labne: 120 g (4.2 oz) Greek yogurt lemon zest and juice to taste Accessories Hickory Wood Chips convEGGtor Stainless Steel Grid Drip Pan (or ovenproof dish) 1. For the couscous, soak the Wood Chips and heat up the Big Green Egg to 70째C (158째F). Sprinkle the glowing charcoal with the soaked Wood Chips,
put the convEGGtor and the Stainless Steel Grid in the EGG. Put the couscous in the Drip Pan (or ovenproof dish), place on the grid and close the lid. Smoke for 1 hour. 2. Meanwhile, make the chermoula: Peel and finely chop the garlic and mix with the cumin powder, coriander powder, paprika powder, chilli flakes, pickled lemon peel, salt to taste and the olive oil. 3. Take the Drip Pan or ovenproof dish off the grid, shut the lid and heat up the EGG to 180째C (356째F). Put the couscous in a bowl, add the stock and cover the bowl. 4. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Score the flesh with a knife, ensuring that the peel remains intact. Spread the chermoula over the flesh of the eggplant halves. Place the eggplant on the grid, skin side down, close the lid and grill for 30-40 minutes. 5. Meanwhile, for the couscous, soak the raisins in 50 ml (1/5 cup) warm water for 10 minutes. Finely chop the coriander, mint and olives and roughly chop the almonds. Cut the spring onions into thin rings. 6. For the labne, mix the Greek yogurt with lemon zest and juice to taste. Mix all the ingredients for the couscous together with salt and lemon juice to taste (keep apart some of the finely chopped coriander and mint to garnish). Put an eggplant halve onto each plate and scoop the couscous and labne on top. Sprinkle with the olive oil and the chopped coriander and mint that you kept for the garnish.
THOMAS AND JENNY
Thomas & Jenny and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? Since summer 2011, Jenny and I have been working almost daily with Big Green Egg and we enjoy every second. We use it in our restaurant, for catering, classes and at home! What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? It cooks at a very stable temperature and keeps the natural taste and moisture of the food. It is a lifetime adventure in flavor, and is very easy and safe to use. What inspires you? We create recipes every day for our restaurant. Whether we choose meat, vegetables or seafood, we know exactly how we will cook it on the Big Green Egg with the EGG’s endless possibilities for creating flavors. The EGG itself and our brainstorming gives us inspiration. Jenny and I are like Yin & Yang – our ideas combined provide the balance for our recipes! What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? We think the flavor profiles are different. In Europe the natural taste of the ingredients are most important, but it seems to us that in the US rubs and marinades dictate the taste of the dish. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? It’s hard to pick just one, every product is very special when cooked on the Big Green Egg, from vegetarian dishes, to meat and seafood, we love it all, but you can’t go wrong with cuts like prime rib, brisket and a good steak ;) What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? Too many things to mention... but we try new things all the time... with the Big Green Egg the sky’s the limit.
Thomas and Jenny Eriksson-Fröhlich
Quiche topped with a grilled glazed shrimp For 8 mini quiches 8 peeled shrimps (size 16/20) For the pastry: 110 g (4 oz) cold butter 250 g (0.55 lb) plain flour 2 egg yolks 2-4 tbsp cold water For the filling: 4 eggs beaten 200 ml (4/5 cup) crème fraîche 150 ml (2/3 cup) sour cream 30 g grated Beaufort or Gruyère cheese
1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme 1 tbsp freshly chopped oregano 2 tbsp chopped cherry tomatoes 4 tbsp chopped spring onions For the glaze: 100 ml (2/5 cup) tomato pulp 100 ml (2/5 cup) apple juice 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp Worchester sauce 1 tbsp sambal 2 tbsp flaming dust rub (or ½ tbsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger powder, a pinch liquorice powder, ½ tsp roasted fennel seeds, a pinch of anise powder and a pinch of chilli) Accessories convEGGtor Stainless Steel Grid
Grill Gripper The EGGmitt BBQ Glove
1. For the pastry, cut the butter into pieces. Mix with the flour and egg yolks in a food processor and add the cold water while mixing. Mix until you get a nice consistency. Lay the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out very thinly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 2. For the filling, beat the eggs and mix with the crème fraîche and sour cream with a food processor. Carefully use a spoon to mix the cheese, herbs, chopped tomatoes and spring onions. Add salt to taste. 3. Mix all ingredients for the glaze in a sauce pan and heat them. Let to simmer (not boil) for 15 minutes. 4. Heat up the Big Green Egg, with the convEGGtor and the Stainless Steel Grid, to 175°C (347°F). Butter eight muffin tins, and cut out eight dough circles that fit in the form. Place the circles in the tins and put the filling in. Place on the Stainless Steel Grid, close the lid and bake for around 18-20 minutes until the quiches are golden brown and the filling has a solid consistency. 5. Take the quiches out of the EGG. Lift the grid with the Grill Gripper, remove the convEGGtor with the EGGmitt BBQ Glove on and put the grid back. Brush the shrimps with the glaze and grill, 3 minutes on each side, with Big Green Egg lid closed. 6. Put a shrimp on every quiche and drizzle some of the glaze on top.
FLORIAN KNECHT
Florian and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? I´ve been using the EGG for about 8 years now... but time doesn´t matter, I’m happy that I found the EGG and the EGG found me ! Still having so much fun - every time! What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? Easy to light, fast on temperature, perfect heat control, Germans approach their hobbies very technical. Oh… and indeed only if you grill a burger – it’s just more juicy with the same crust and grilling technique than on a regular bbq. With the technical approach, the Big Green Egg is simply the END SOLUTION! I have tried many many grills, for me personally and if you view it technically there is simply no better and efficient way to grill. What inspires you? I travelled a lot and it’s just exciting to apply and try new dishes on the Big Green Egg, I have a faible for Japanese Cuisine. What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? I think in Europe the approach to prepare dishes on the Big Green Egg is different. The USA is the home country of BBQ, in Europe we do more grilling and baking. In total it´s the mix of inspiration, new dishes and classic dishes... In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? PIZZA! Parma ham, gorgonzola, pear slices, and just a little honey. And slow roasted pork belly for 6h with a maple glaze ... served in a little bun with pickled carrots and Hosin/Sriracha sauce. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? Whole hog in a XXLarge EGG!
PETER BOOTSMA
Peter and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? Not that long – since 2013. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? That it’s actually a complete outdoor kitchen; good for both low and slow, and hot and fast. The charcoal consumption is very efficient, it’s stable and it has excellent moisture regulation. What inspires you? Everything and nothing. My favorite thing is experimenting with things that aren’t in the books yet. What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? I think that American chefs primarily go for traditional dishes, but European chefs experiment more. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? Hmmm, I have lots! But a nice blade steak or bavette have to be my favorite. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? I actually want to work more with offal.
Peter Bootsma
Grilled bavette with rendang sauce Serves 4-6 One 700-1000 g (1.5 – 2.2 lb) bavette For the rendang sauce: 1 onion 1 garlic clove 1 red chili pepper 10 candlenuts piece of laos root, approx. 4cm sunflower oil 2 kaffir lime leaves 2 stalks of lemongrass 2 Indonesian bay leaves 1 cinnamon stick 5g (0.2 oz) coriander seeds 5g (0.2 oz) cumin seeds 10g (0.35 oz) salt 1 tbsp turmeric 1 400 ml (1 ¾ cups) can of coconut milk Accessories Stainless Steel Grid Cast Iron Dutch Oven Grill Gripper convEGGtor Instant Read Digital Thermometer Cast Iron Grid Cast Iron Grid Lifter 1. Heat up the Big Green Egg, with the Stainless Steel Grid and the Cast Iron Dutch Oven, to 120°C (248°F). Peel and roughly chop the onion and the garlic. Remove the stem and the seeds from the chilli pepper and peel the laos. Put these ingredients in a blender and blend to a smooth paste.
2. Heat up a dash of olive oil in the Cast Iron Dutch Oven and add the paste. Close the lid of the EGG. After approx. 10 minutes, add the kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, Indonesian bay leaves and cinnamon stick and leave to cook for approx. 15 minutes. This smells wonderful! Meanwhile, grill the coriander, cumin seed and salt on the stove in a dry pan. Use a pestle and mortar to make this into a fine rub and mix with the turmeric. 3. Pour the coconut milk into the Cast Iron Dutch Oven and mix well. Reduce the temperature of the EGG to 100°C (212°F) and leave to simmer gently for approx. 3 hours until the rendang sauce is the right thickness. Take the Cast Iron Dutch Oven out of the EGG and put the lid on the pan to keep the sauce warm. Remove the grid using the Grill Gripper, then put the convEGGtor in and replace the grid. Bring the temperature of the EGG to 80-100°C (176-212°F). 4. Put the bavette on the grid and close the lid of the EGG. Cook the meat until it has a core temperature of 42-45°C (107-113°F). Check the temperature using the Instant Read Digital Thermometer. Take the grid with the meat on it out of the EGG and put the Cast Iron Grid in using the Cast Iron Grid Lifter. Shut the lid and turn the temperature up to 220°C (428°F). 5. Put the bavette onto the grid and grill on both sides until the meat has a core temperature of no more than 53°C (127°F) Leave to rest, then cut along the grain into nice thin pieces. Spoon the rendang sauce into a bowl and present the pieces of bavette on top.
LEONARD ELENBAAS
Leonard and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? 5.5 years. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? It’s energy efficient, and allows excellent control of the very constant temperature. What inspires you? My constant experiments and reinventions; not looking too much at what others are doing. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? My own pure and natural E-number-free marinade-free pulled pork. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? ...Where to start?!
JEROEN HAZEBROEK
Jeroen and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? Since 2006. After a disappointing third place at the Dutch BBQ championships on another grill, I got talking with the man who imported them. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? Reliability. Under certain circumstances, the EGG is always consistent. That is of great value to a chef. What inspires you? Suppliers of new products, course participants and students with questions, customers with complaints. What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? I think Europeans use it more as a grill, Americans use it more as a smoker. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? Pork belly. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? There isn’t much more to experiment with, to be honest. I have already tried out everything I do in the restaurant kitchen. Crème brûlée, soufflé, pâté, smoked eel, you name it.
Leonard Elenbaas, Jeroen Hazebroek & Coen van Dijk
Smoked pork belly with sweet ‘n’ sour carrot, fennel and cauliflower with piccalilli crème Start preparing this recipe well in advance. The pork belly needs at least 3 days to cure and the piccalilli tastes best when prepared a few days in advance. Serves 6-8 1kg pork belly For the cure: 2 cloves of garlic 100 g (3.5 oz) sea salt 50 g (1.8 oz) white caster sugar 4 juniper berries 1 bay leaf 1.2L (5 cups) water For the piccalilli: 120 g (4.2 oz) sea salt 200 ml (3/4 cup) warm water + 1L (4 cups) cold water ½ butternut squash, in small cubes ¼ celeriac, in small cubes ¼ diakon, in small cubes 1 carrot, in small cubes ½ cucumber, deseeded, in small cubes ½ cauliflower, in very small rosettes 1 onion, finely diced 25 g (0.9 oz) mustard powder ¼ tsp nutmeg, ground ½ tsp chilli powder 13 g (0.45 oz) kurkuma, ground 10 g (0.35 oz) ginger powder 90 g (3.2 oz) cane sugar 20 g (0.7 oz) potato starch 600 ml (2.5 cups) vinegar For the sweet ‘n’ sour brine: 500 ml (2 cups) water
500 g (1.1 lb) sugar 500 ml (2 cups) vinegar 1 carrot 1 fennel ½ cauliflower Accessories 4 large hickory chunks convEGGtor Drip Pan Stainless Steel Grid 1. Make the cure first: Peel and halve the garlic and bring to the boil with the other ingredients for the cure. Leave to cool and put the pork belly in the cure. Make sure it is fully submerged. Put in the fridge and leave for 72 hours. 2. For the piccalilli, dissolve the sea salt in warm water and add the cold water to the solution. Cure the sliced vegetables in the salted water for 24 hours. 3. Drain the vegetables for the piccalilli in a sieve. Mix all the spices with the sugar and the potato starch. Mix in a dash with vinegar to form a mushy consistency. Bring the rest of the vinegar to the boil in a pan on the stove and mix in the spice mixture. Add the vegetables and leave to cook for approx. 5 minutes. Leave the piccalilli to cool and spoon into clean pots with lids. You can store these for several months in the fridge if you handle them hygienically. The piccalilli is at its best a few days after it is made. 4. For the sweet ‘n’ sour brine, heat up the water and dissolve the sugar into it. Stir in the vinegar and leave it to cool. Clean the vegetables and cut the carrot and fennel into wafer-thin slices. Cut the cauliflower into small rosettes or cut the larger rosettes into thin slices. Put the vegetables into separate bowls and add the sweet ‘n’ sour brine. Leave for 24 hours. 5. Heat up the Big Green Egg to 130°C (266°F). Spread the chunks out over the charcoal and put in the convEGGtor with the legs facing upwards. Cover the bottom of the Drip Pan with water, put on the convEGGtor and put the Stainless Steel Grid in the EGG. Bring the temperature of the EGG to 110ºC (230°F). Put the pork belly on the grid, close the lid, and leave to smoke for approx. 5 hours.
6. Put the amount of piccalilli you wish to use into a blender and blend until smooth. (Use the rest of the piccalilli at a later date.) Remove the pork belly from the EGG and cut it into nice slices. Divide the sweet ‘n’ sour vegetables and the piccalilli crème across the plates.
COEN VAN DIJK
Coen and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? Eight years, and the last two very intensely. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? It is so much more than a BBQ; it is so versatile. Plus the fact that is gives everything a very recognisable smoky taste. What inspires you? Mostly the ingredients themselves. I love the challenge of preparing products in a surprising way. What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? That’s what I’m hoping to discover on my visit to America. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? A fried rack of Iberian pork (pata negra), rubbed with a bit of garlic and sage. And paella (that smoky-tasting rice is wonderful). What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? A whole suckling pig. Not because I don’t know how, but just because I haven’t gotten round to it yet.
Leonard Elenbaas, Jeroen Hazebroek & Coen van Dijk
Green lamb curry with paratha Serves 8 2 kg (4.4 lb) diced lamb or lamb leg meat 3 green peppers ½ chilli pepper 2 onions 4 cloves of garlic 2.5-3 cm (1 inch) fresh root ginger 2 tsp kurkuma 1 tbsp cardamom powder 1 tbsp vadouvan or garam masala 1 tsp cumin powder 3 tbsp sunflower oil 250 g (8.8 oz) spinach pepper and sea salt For the paratha: 300 g (10.6 oz) flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 250 ml (1 cup) lukewarm water 100 g (3.5 oz) soft butter Accessories Stainless Steel Grid Cast Iron Dutch Oven Flat Pizza Baking Stone 1. Heat the Big Green Egg up to 150°C (302°F), with the Stainless Steel Grid in it, and the Cast Iron Dutch Oven on top of that. Cut the lamb, if you are using leg meat, into 3x3cm cubes. Remove the stalk and the seeds from the peppers and slice into large chunks. Peel and roughly chop the onions and garlic. Peel and grate the root ginger. Blend the pepper, chilli pepper, onion, garlic, root ginger and spices in the food processor or blender until it becomes a smooth paste.
2. Heat up the olive oil in the Cast Iron Dutch Oven and roast the lamb on all sides. Add the vegetable paste, shut the lid of the EGG and reduce the temperature to bring the pan to a gentle simmer. Leave to gently simmer for about 3 hours. 3. While the curry cooks, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt for the parathas. Use a food processor with a dough hook. Now add the water and continue kneading until a firm ball has been formed. Knead for a few more minutes to make the dough stiff. 4. Divide the ball into three equal parts and roll out thin on a floured worktop. Brush one dough sheet with about 20 g (0.7 oz) butter and fold shut. Now fold it a couple more times until you have a square package. Roll it out again into an elongated shape that fits on the Flat Baking Stone. Do the same with the other dough balls. 5. When the curry is ready, take the Cast Iron Dutch Oven from the grid. Heat up the Flat Baking Stone on the grid of the EGG and increase the temperature to 150째C (302째F). Puree the spinach in the food processor or blender and stir into the lamb curry. Season with salt and pepper. Put the lid on the Cast Iron Dutch Oven so the curry stays warm. 6. Put a paratha on the Baking Stone. Close the lid and cook for approx. 8 minutes until brown and cooked through. Turn often and brush with the remaining butter every so often. Bake the other parathas in the same way. Serve the curry with the parathas.
RENÉ BRIENEN
RenĂŠ and Big green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? 4 years. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? The delicious, dirty taste. What inspires you? Everything and nothing, but above all nature. What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? In America, food can never be seasoned too much. European chefs tend to leave the products to do the talking! In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? My favorite is grilled asparagus, but mussels and lobster, too. What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? Fish prepared in a salt or clay crust.
René Brienen
Cooking in hay René Brienen’s surprising culinary technique of slow cooking in an oldfashioned hay box caught the media’s attention and he made his television debut pickling a ham. René often uses hay as an extra ingredient when he cooks on the Big Green Egg, too. The hay box Hay boxes were all the rage just before World War I, but it’s likely that they have existed for much longer. They are simple slow cookers that allow meals to cook over the course of several hours. While the temperature drops at a rate of approx. 5°C (41°F) per hour, this can be further slowed by improving the quality of the insulation (e.g. by using hay, blankets, pillows etc.). A hay box prolongs the cooking time, as it were, and potatoes, rice, pasta, stews and more can all be cooked to perfection in this energy-saving device. Essential to the flavor René begins with beautifully marbled pork, which is essential to the flavor. The meat is pickled in a process that could take up to two full days. Pickling draws moisture from the ham and intensifies its flavor. The brine contains 8% sea salt, an amount of which is absorbed by the ham. Furthermore, you can add your own ingredients to the brine according to taste, such as peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, star aniseed... whatever you feel like. A nostalgic aroma After 48 hours, the ham is rinsed off and brought to room temperature (approx. 18°C (64°F). The ham is them placed in a strong broth at 100°C (212°F) made from poultry, veal and – an important aromatic component – hay, which has a nostalgic aroma that plays a key role in the entire preparation process and experience. Once the ham is in the pan, René brings the temperature back to 100°C (212°F), after which the broth is allowed to cool to 80°C (176°F). During this process, the core temperature of the ham reaches 68°C (154°F) in an hour and a half.
Flavor transfer Together with an amount of wet hay, the hot ham is then placed in the dry hay, which carries the aromas of juniper berries, bay leaf and cloves, of the hay box and everything is covered with blankets. It is important that there are no empty gaps left over. Before the lid of the box is closed, René makes sure to insert an electric thermometer in the ham, so that the temperature can be monitored outside the box, as the lid must not be opened again. The hay box is then placed in a spot where it may remain undisturbed. The grand finale About 12 hours later, the ham is ready. It’s still warm and the aroma of the hay has transferred to the flavor of the ham. The ham may be removed from the box and it will need to be cleaned up a bit, as some of the hay is apt to stick to it. The ham is rubbed with raw cane sugar and Limburg apple syrup to get it ready for the grand finale: René drenches it in Dutch gin before setting it alight with a gas burner in order to lightly singe the outside flesh. Finally, the ham is sliced and served with trimmings. Hay in the Big Green Egg René uses a similar technique when cooking on a Big Green Egg, where he uses its residual heat to cook the meat. After pickling, the ham isn’t placed in a hay box. Instead, the EGG is brought to a temperature of 150°C (302°F) with the Flat Baking Stone on the grid. A layer of hay is placed on the Flat Baking Stone, upon which the ham is placed before being covered with a second layer of hay. When the meat catches fire, the lid of the EGG is shut, together with all sources of air. If you’ve begun cooking your ham in the morning, it will be ready by the end of the day, beautifully smoked in the hay. This technique, with the brine, the hay and the Big Green Egg will add unique flavors to the meat and as above, the ham is finished with the grand finale before being served with potatoes and asparagus, for example.
ROBERT LOBENSTEIN
Robert and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? I don’t know exactly, but at least 12 years. What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? That you can do everything on it, from boiling to smoking... What inspires you? Everything actually, different cuisines, then converting recipes for the Big Green Egg... What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? I understand that US chefs use it more as a traditional BBQ, European chefs experiment a lot. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? A piece of pork that isn’t too lean, with a bit of salt, slow cooked with a bit of smoke... What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? No idea. I’ve done a lot with the Big Green Egg in the last 12 years, including in cafés, bars and restaurants, so it’s hard to say.
RALPH DE KOK
Ralph and Big Green Egg How long have you been working with the Big Green Egg? I have been using the Big Green Egg professionally since 2007! What is the greatest advantage of a Big Green Egg? Apart from the obvious... the EGG can be used in a professional kitchen environment where you can cook on it to one-degree accuracy! What inspires you? As innovator in outdoor cooking, creating new flavors is part of my job. It inspires me to invent new techniques and bend the rules a bit to create that new dish. What is the greatest difference between European chefs and American chefs? Personally, I use the EGG to add extra flavor to all kinds of food like vegetables and fish, not just meat; not necessarily by using different kinds of wood, but also making use of extreme high- or very low temperatures, for example. I think American chefs use the EGG most often for grilling and smoking meat; European chefs perhaps use less smoke as well. In your opinion, what is your favorite dish of all time prepared on the Big Green Egg? One day that could be a reverse grilled c么te de boeuf (a two and a half inch thick ribeye steak on the bone) and the other a slow roasted potato with sea salt on an oak plank... What do you want to experiment with again on the Big Green Egg? A slow roasted potato with sea salt on an oak plank...!
Ralph de Kok
Slow roasted, glazed pork belly with wasabi crunch, grilled red pepper sauce and caramelized pineapple Serves 8 3-4 pounds pork belly 120 g (4.2 oz) garlic purÊe sea salt 10 bay leaves 1 bunch thyme 1 pineapple borage or cilantro For the pepper sauce: 3 red chilli pepper ½ red bell pepper
1 shallot 1 garlic clove 1 tbsp sunflower oil 240 ml (1 cup) water 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce For the glaze: ½ inch ginger root 1 garlic clove 1 red chilli pepper 2 tbsp sunflower oil 3 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce 2 tbsp mirin fu 2 tbsp sake 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 120 ml (1/2 cup) water For the wasabi crunch:
225 g (0.5 lb) wasabi coated peanuts 2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds 1 sheet nori 2 tbsp fried onions Accessories Cast Iron Grid Cast Iron Grid Lifter convEGGtor 1. Rub the garlic purée on the pork belly, sprinkle with sea salt and cover with the bay leaves and thyme. Marinade in the refrigerator overnight. 2. For the red pepper sauce, heat the Big Green Egg with the Cast Iron Grid to 180°C (356°F). Grill the chilli and red bell peppers, the shallot and the garlic with the lid closed for about 10 minutes. Remove from the grid and cut into small pieces. Heat the sunflower oil in a skillet and fry the veggies for 5 minutes. Add the water and sugar and boil for another 10 minutes or until most of the moisture has vaporized. Put in a blender and mix into a smooth sauce. Stir the sweet soy sauce through the pepper sauce. 3. For the glaze, finely slice the ginger, garlic and chilli pepper and fry in a skillet with the sunflower oil. Add the sugar and all liquids except the water. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes. Pour through a sieve, put back into the skillet and add the water. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer until it forms a syrupy sauce. 4. For the wasabi crunch, put all the ingredients into a blender and pulse a few times. 5. Cut off the stem end and the bottom of the pineapple. Cut off the skin. Lift the Cast Iron Grid with the Cast Iron Grid Lifter, place the convEGGtor and put back the grid. Heat to 150°C (302°F). Place the pork belly and pineapple on the grid and cook for about 90 minutes, turning the pineapple every 10 minutes but leaving the pork to cook. 6. Cut the pineapple into very thin slices and put on a plate. Slice the pork belly and lacquer with the glaze. Put on the plate and sprinkle the wasabi crunch over the pork. Add the grilled red pepper sauce and garnish with borage or cilantro.