Yvette Van Boven - Home Made in the Oven

Editor: Sarah Massey

Production Manager: Denise LaCongo

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019930873

ISBN: 978-1-4197-4044-2

eISBN: 978-1-68335-754-4

Copyright 2018 by Yvette van Boven

Original title De grote oven van Boven

First published in 2018 by Nijgh Cuisine, Amsterdam

Help, hand, and sounding board: Charlot van Scheijen

Editing: Volkskrant Magazine, Joosje Noordhoek, and Madelein ten Broek

The recipes in this book were previously published in Volkskrant Magazine

All dishes were photographed by Yvette van Boven except those on , which were photographed by Oof Verschuren.

Cover 2019 Abrams

Published in 2019 by Abrams, an imprint of ABRAMS.

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PLUM VLAAI,

APPLE TARTLETS,

These days I cook in a gas oven, after having used a convection one for years. By now I have built up a lot of experience with my gas oven and I know exactly how much hotter I need to stoke it in order to achieve the same result as in an electric oven.

I have a good-quality oven thermometer. Its clamped onto the rack inside the oven, and its there that I determine my oven temperature rather than by the temperature on the oven itself. The temperature you set your oven tovisible on the dial or a digital displaydoesnt necessarily correspond to the inside actual temperature. To accurately gauge this temperature you need an oven thermometer. For just a few bucks, you can buy one at any cooking or home goods store.

Each oven bakes differently. Some run hotter, other ones are slower. Even between ovens from the same brand there can be significant differences. This means your oven can take shorter or longer than the cooking times I suggest in the recipes. For this reason, I mention an average oven temperature in my recipes. Hence the cooking times in this book should be used as suggestions.

Its best to rely on your own experience with your own oven. Always check your dish, preferably slightly before the suggested cooking time, to see how its coming along and then decide for yourself whether to take it out or to bake it a little longer.

Once you have really gotten the hang of your oven, you will start using it more often. I cook at least half of my dishes in mine. Often more than one at a time. This way I keep my hands free to do other stuff in the meantime.

1 tablespoon = 15 ml

1 coffee spoon = 7 ml

1 teaspoon = 5 ml

Preferably use measuring spoons (those sets found in cookware stores) and common sense. Also, do taste as well; you will be the one who has to eat it later, so if you prefer something a little sweeter, saltier, zestier, or spicier than my recipe calls for, simply adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Your choice of good-quality ingredients can make or break the magnificent taste of your recipes. For instance, buy the tastiest olive oil or butter (no margarineyuck!) you can afford. You will really taste the difference. For the same reason, use homemade rather than store-bought stock. Make it by steeping vegetable trimmings or bones and carcasses, leftover after a meal. Keep them in a bag in the fridge and make a broth once every couple of days while youre cooking, as you are busy in the kitchen anyway. Its hardly any work and youll be throwing away less food too. Broths can always be stored in the freezer for later use.

Everyone should decide for him- or herself which meat to buy. I used to be more prescriptive and always include the word organic in my ingredients lists. But not everyone has the same ideals I do, and I know that organic meat from a reliable source is a lot more expensive. Therefore, my motto is: Eat meat less often, and when you do eat it, buy organic meat from animals that had been raised sustainably. Thats how I do it: better for both animals and the planet.

One last thing: I use organic eggs size M (for medium), the standard size found in the supermarket.

ZUCCHINI FRITTATA WITH NDUJA,

JANUARY

SWEET POTATO & SPINACH GRATIN

This dish pairs nicely with the meatballs from , but it works just as well as a stand-alone dish, served with a good salad. Serve in soup bowls as single portions and it will immediately look like a serious dinner. As if you really made an effort. Since most of us are eating a little less meat these days, I will give you even more inspiration for vegetable dishes in this book. So off we go, and remember: Anything made in the oven with cream and cheese will be a surefire hit with almost everyone. Even my hubby, Oof, normally not a fan of sweet potatoes, gobbled up two portions. Whos next?

serves 4

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (250 ml) heavy cream