PREPARATIONS

• Place the beef shanks on a rack over a drip tray or a deep baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the oven at 250°C on the grill setting for about 25 minutes, until browned and starting to render fat.
• Meanwhile, cut carrots, onions, and celery into large chunks. Sauté the veggies with crushed coriander seeds and peppercorns in a large pot with a bit of olive oil. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
• Add water to the pot and toss in bay leaves.
• Remove the beef shanks and bones from the oven and add them to the pot. Cover with the lid and simmer for about 2 hours.
• Once the cooking time is up, strain the broth through a sieve into a measuring cup. Discard the vegetables and bones, and set the meat aside in a bowl. If you want to go the extra mile, strain the broth through a cheesecloth, though it’s not essential for this recipe. You’ll need 600 milliliters of broth and all the meat for this cottage pie.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Peel and halve the potatoes, then place them in a medium pot with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, gently heat milk and butter in a small pot until the butter melts. Grate Parmesan and slice chives into fine rings—set both aside. Finely dice the onion, peel the garlic, and dice the carrots into small cubes. Weigh the peas and set everything aside.
3. Once the potatoes are soft, drain the water. Add the warm milk-butter mixture and mash the potatoes. Stir in cream cheese and Parmesan, then season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Finally, fold in the chives. Cover and set the pot aside.
4. Heat olive oil in a large pot or ovenproof pan. Sear the ground beef, remove it, and set aside.
5. Add the onions and carrots to the pan and sauté briefly. Press or finely grate the garlic, sauté for a moment, then stir in tomato paste and cook briefly as well.
6. Dust with flour and stir well. Add the ground beef and beef shank meat, then deglaze with the beef broth. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, paprika, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are soft. While it simmers, finely chop the parsley.
7. Once the carrots are soft, stir in the peas and parsley. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread the meat mixture evenly into an ovenproof dish. Smooth it out, then spread the mashed potatoes on top, smoothing and optionally decorating the surface.
8. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the edges are bubbling. Switch to the grill setting and cook for 5–7 minutes until the mashed potato topping turns golden brown. Let the cottage pie rest briefly before serving.

1. Place the marzipan in the freezer for about 20–30 minutes, then grate it coarsely using a cheese grater.
2. Warm the milk and cream in a pot without bringing it to a boil, then remove from heat.
3. Mix the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract thoroughly in a bowl. Add the grated marzipan and stir well.
4. Gradually add the egg yolk mixture to the warm milk-cream mixture, one teaspoon at a time, stirring constantly until combined. Return the pot to medium heat and stir until the sauce thickens. For a firmer consistency, mix 1 tsp of cornstarch with a bit of water, add it to the sauce, and briefly bring it to a boil. Remove from heat.
5. In another pot, mix cherries, cherry juice, lemon juice, powdered sugar, and cornstarch. Heat over medium heat until the mixture thickens and the cherries soften. Remove from heat.
6. In a separate pot, combine oats, almond milk, vanilla extract, salt, and your choice of sweetener (e.g., date syrup). Bring to a boil, stirring until the oats are soft.
7. Layering: Spread a portion of the oatmeal in a small bowl, then add a layer of cherry sauce. Cover with the remaining oatmeal, smooth the surface, and pour the marzipan sauce over the top.
8. Garnish with a candied cherry. Serve immediately or prepare as overnight oats.

PREPARATIONS

• Here’s the recipe for mulled wine oil. You’ll need about 3–4 tbsp of it.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grab a baking dish, drop in the butter, and pop it into the oven for a few minutes and let it melt.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir in milk and a splash of vanilla extract until it’s all smooth, creamy, and totally lump-free.
3. Carefully pull the now-buttery baking dish out of the oven. Pour the batter right over that melted butter. Trust the process – it looks weird now, but it’s all part of trust the process. Sprinkle pecans on top and follow up with a layer of brown sugar. Finally, add the caramel candies. Whole or crushed? Dealer’s choice.
4. Next, get that kettle boiling and slowly pour the hot water over everything in the dish. Yes, everything. No stirring allowed! Just trust me on this one.
5. Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and smells like a caramel dream.
6. Take it out and let it cool for about 30 minutes. Patience is key – the caramel sauce underneath thickens and gets all creamy during this time.
7. Scoop it into bowls, drizzle with that caramel sauce hiding underneath, and top with a big ol’ scoop of vanilla ice cream.

PREPARATIONS

• Chop the shallot and garlic cloves into small, fine pieces. Take the salsiccia sausage out of its casing—either tear it into chunky bits with your hands or crumble it up, whichever feels less chaotic. Slice the gorgonzola into chunks—don’t overthink it; it’ll melt anyway. Wash the baby spinach thoroughly and spin it dry. Set everything aside.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Melt some butter in a large pan over medium heat. Toss in the shallots and cook until they’re glossy and translucent. Add the garlic and stir it until your kitchen smells incredible.
2. Deglaze with a splash of white wine. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes to let the alcohol cook off. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat to a simmer and stir in the cream. Let this dreamy mix simmer gently for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the salsiccia.
3. Toss the sausage bits into a cold pan. Slowly heat it up so the fat renders out—no extra oil needed! Cook until the pieces are golden and crispy on the outside. Deglaze with another splash of white wine, simmering until most of the liquid evaporates and you’re left with a creamy coating. Toss in the walnuts, a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt, and a drizzle of honey. Stir everything and let it caramelize for 1-2 minutes. Add fresh oregano and thyme, mix, and let those flavors pop.
4. Keep your cream and broth mixture on low heat. Stir in the Gorgonzola until it’s completely melted into the sauce—smooth, rich, and irresistible. Grate in some fresh nutmeg, then stir in more oregano and thyme. Add the spinach and stir until it wilts down. Keep everything warm and cozy over low heat.
5. Fill a large pot with water, bring it to a boil, and add the gnocchi. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Drain the gnocchi and toss them directly into the Gorgonzola-spinach sauce. Stir until every pillowy bite is coated in the sauce.
6. Plate the gnocchi in deep bowls. Spoon the crispy salsiccia-walnut mixture on top and finish with a shower of freshly grated Parmesan.

PREPARATIONS

• You can buy ready-made dulce de leche or order it online, but it’s also easy to make at home ahead of time. Just grab a 400g can of sweetened condensed milk, remove the label, and place the can in a pot. Fill with enough water to completely cover the can, then bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Be sure to keep the can covered with water the entire time – if the water evaporates, just add more. After the 2.5 hours, pour off the water and let the can cool completely before using the dulce de leche inside.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Use a food processor to blend the Biscoff cookies and softened butter until they’re crumbly. Press the mixture evenly into a pie dish, covering the bottom and sides completely. Chill the crust in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice the bananas evenly and sprinkle with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning. Place the banana slices in the fridge until you’re ready to use them. Next, pour the cold cream into a tall container, add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, and whip until stiff peaks form. Chill the whipped cream in the fridge until needed. Prepare the chocolate shavings by running a vegetable peeler along the narrow edge of a chocolate bar. Set the shavings aside.
3. Open the can of dulce de leche and take the crust out of the fridge. Spread the entire can of dulce de leche evenly over the crust.
4. Take the banana slices out of the fridge and arrange them over the dulce de leche so that the entire surface is covered.
5. Now, take the whipped cream and spread it evenly over the bananas. Finally, sprinkle the chocolate shavings on top for decoration.
6. Serve the pie immediately or keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

1. First, peel the onion and garlic cloves and set them aside. Finely chop the parsley and dill, placing them in a medium bowl. Add the ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Grate the onion and garlic finely and add them to the mixture as well. Mix everything thoroughly and form the mixture into small balls, about 40g each, roughly the size of a ping-pong ball.
2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat with a bit of clarified butter, and sear the meatballs on all sides until they are nicely browned. They don’t need to be fully cooked through yet, as they’ll finish cooking in the sauce. Be careful not to let them get too dark, as this can cause bitterness in the final dish.
3. While the meatballs are cooking, wash the potatoes, dry them well, and cut them in halves or quarters, depending on their size. Set them aside.
4. Once the meatballs are seared, remove them from the pan and set them aside on a plate. Return the pan to the stove and deglaze with white wine, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Let it reduce for about 5 minutes. Strain the liquid through a sieve to remove any larger bits, then set this liquid aside.
5. Now, place the pan over low heat, melt the butter, and whisk in the flour to create a roux, stirring constantly until you have a smooth, creamy paste. Let it cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously to remove any raw flour taste. Gradually add the beef broth in several stages, whisking each time until the sauce is smooth and comes to a light boil before adding the next portion. Finally, pour in the reserved liquid and the cream, stirring well. Season the sauce with Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
6. Add the prepared potatoes to the sauce, cover, and let them simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until they are tender.
7. While the potatoes are cooking, place the frozen peas in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Drain the peas and set them aside. Finely chop a bit more parsley and dill for garnish, and prepare the lingonberries and crème fraîche.
8. Once the potatoes are soft, return the meatballs to the sauce, stir everything together, and let it simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through and heated.
9. To serve, divide the potatoes, meatballs, and sauce among deep plates. Top with peas, a dollop of crème fraîche, a spoonful of lingonberry jam, and fresh herbs. Enjoy!

1. Peel and dice the onion. Roughly chop the pre-cooked chestnuts and set both aside.
2. Heat a medium pot over medium heat with a bit of olive oil, then sauté the onions until translucent. Next, add the chestnuts and let them cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the beef broth and cream to the pot, bring to a boil, then cover and let it simmer on low heat for about 20-30 minutes, until the chestnuts are soft.
4. While the soup is cooking, heat a large pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Meanwhile, cut the toast into cubes. Add cinnamon, dried chili flakes and salt to the butter, stirring well. Add the toast cubes and toss so they’re evenly coated in the spiced butter. Cook for a few minutes until the cubes are crispy. Set aside.
5. Add thyme to the soup and blend everything with an immersion blender until smooth. Season the soup with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and more thyme if needed.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with cream and leek oil, and top with the toasted croutons. Optionally, sprinkle with a bit more ground pepper and enjoy!