TABLE Magazine’s Dutch correspondent Marian Flint brings us a story of Old World chocolate. The Netherlands is famous for its skill with this most seductive of sweets — here in a savory spice blend perfect to perk up a salad.
Just north of Amsterdam, near the Zaan River in Zaandijk, a bustling cacao industry took root in the first half of the 19th century. The windmills in Zaandijk were used to grind the cacao beans.
This region still processes large amount of the world’s cacao beans. Amsterdam is the world’s biggest transshipment port for cacao beans. Zaandijk attracts visitors from around the globe. Everyone always remarks about the aroma of chocolate in the air.
Chocolate and Spice Dukkah from Smells Like Chocolate
That’s why Smells Like Chocolate is the name of Ingmar and Kinito’s shop. Here you can find craft chocolates from specialty producers from around the world. They recently visited cacao plantations in Kinito’s native country of Angola and made chocolate with cocoa beans of Cabinda, which have a unique and delicious flavor. Their goal is to bring this unknown cacao origin to the market. They would like to share some of their recipes and would love to welcome you at Smells Like Chocolate when you travel next.
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Cacao Dukkah
- Yield: 6.5 ounces 1x
Description
Sprinkled over fresh salads, it adds crunch, depth, and a subtle chocolate aroma to every bite.
Ingredients
- 1.8 oz sesame seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds crushed
- 2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
- 0.4 oz cacao butter
- 2 tbsp cacao nibs, crushed
- 1.5 oz roasted mixed nuts, coarsely chopped
- 1.5 oz peanuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp cacao
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt flakes
Instructions
- In a skillet, dry-roast the sesame, cumin, and coriander seeds. Melt the cacao butter in a pan and add the cacao nibs, nuts, and seeds mixture. Roast for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cacao, chili flakes, and smoked paprika. Add salt to taste.
- Save the dukkah in a jar. Sprinkle on a salad made from romaine lettuce, lamb’s lettuce, mint leaves, avocado, fava beans, and goat cheese.
Food Styling and Recipe by Ingmar Niezen
Prop Styling by Marian Flint
Photography by Anna de Leeuw
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