Doc V's Healthy Kitchen

In October I finally found a ceramics class nearby. I always dreamed of doing that. After 10 lessons with lovely people and Jacqueline, our amazing teacher, I’m convinced this hobby will become a new passion, without neglecting my other passions.

Our everyday candlelight dinner is completely docV’style. Ottolenghi, Delicious.nl and Sabrina Ghayour are a perfect match.

Sabrina Ghayour inspired me for an eggplant salad. Cut 2 eggplants in slices of 1 cm. Brush them with oil. Put on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Bake for 20-30 minutes in a hot oven of 220°. Turn halfway. Mix 2 table spoons of honey with 2 table spoons of pomegranate melasse, pepper and salt. Brush the mixture on both sides of the slices. Bake for another 10-15 minutes. Turn halfway. Cool down. Spread on a nice plate. Finish with chopped coriander and ground pistachio.

A perfect match is an Iranian wedding rice dish which I found in the Christmas edition of delicious.nl. For 2p, rinse 120 grams of basmati rice thoroughly. Put in lukewarm water for approximately 1h. Change the water a few times. This proces helps to obtain a fluffy rice. Boil the rice 5 minutes in salted water. Drain. Put 2 table spoons of sunflower oil in the pan. Put the rice in the pan in the shape of a pyramid. Put 2 cardemom pods in the rice. Make a few holes with a wooden spoon ( to allow the steam to escape). Mix 1,5 table spoons of melted butter with 1 table spoon of water. Sprinkle on the rice. Put a kitchen paper or thin towel on the pan and close with the lid( the steam has to remain inside). Heat the pan on a medium fire for 2-3 minutes. Then put the fire as low as possible or use a flame divider. Allow to cook for another 30 minutes. Remove the lid. Mix the rice with chopped wild fennel ( or dill), the dried zeste of an untreated orange, 30 grams of dried red berries ( cranberries). Spread on a plate in the shape of a pyramid. Finish with some zeste and dill.

To ease your life, serve both dishes at room temperature. Add the famous Ottolenghi salad The best side dish ever and grilled halloumi.