Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Lassi Rosewater Yogurt Popsicles
From my humble corner of the kitchen world, Im not quite sure what to make of the molecular gastronomy thats happening at top restaurants. While I chop vegetables and simmer marmalade, chefs at fancypants venues are rendering ingredients unrecognizable. Im still in awe of things like slightly savory ice creams (I literally started giggling the one time I tasted a pink peppercorn sundae), and cant imagine vegetables turned into squishy bubbles, peanut butter and jelly rendered into powder, or air and smoke considered legitimate ingredients. Its all far beyond me these days. The closest I come is turning a drink into a popsicle.
Ive always been a big fan of lassis, the yogurt drink enjoyed at Indian restaurants. Usually theyre featured flavored with mango, and occasionally show up salted instead of sweetened (which can lead to disappointing mistakes, unless you favor a savory beverage). But my favorite is the plain sweet lassi. As someone who always picked vanilla ice cream over strawberry, thats probably no surprise. But the sweet lassi is far from plain. Its got tang from yogurt, a bit of sugar to sweeten, and rosewater to lend a lovely perfume (beware overdoing it, or it might be a bit too much like perfume). I also like to mix in a bit of cardamom, though its still sweet and refreshing without. I know its pretty humble, but on days like these it feels like the perfect bit of kitchen magic.
Lassi (Rosewater Yogurt) Popsicles
I freeze my popsicles in these nifty molds I bought with some cooking store credit, but you can use anything: paper cups, a loaf pan (slice after freezing), or, adorably, shot glasses. If you dont have handled molds, you can pick up popsicle sticks at a grocery or craft store. In a pinch: chopsticks! You can also substitute buttermilk for both the yogurt and milk, for a nice variation.
2 cups yogurt (low-fat yields an icier pop, full-fat is creamier)
1/2 cup milk
6 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp rosewater
1/4 tsp cardamom (optional)
Whisk together all of the ingredients. Let sit a minute, and then whisk again until the sugar has dissolved. Pour into your desired posicle mold, and freeze until firm (usually overnight). Enjoy.
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Ive always been a big fan of lassis, the yogurt drink enjoyed at Indian restaurants. Usually theyre featured flavored with mango, and occasionally show up salted instead of sweetened (which can lead to disappointing mistakes, unless you favor a savory beverage). But my favorite is the plain sweet lassi. As someone who always picked vanilla ice cream over strawberry, thats probably no surprise. But the sweet lassi is far from plain. Its got tang from yogurt, a bit of sugar to sweeten, and rosewater to lend a lovely perfume (beware overdoing it, or it might be a bit too much like perfume). I also like to mix in a bit of cardamom, though its still sweet and refreshing without. I know its pretty humble, but on days like these it feels like the perfect bit of kitchen magic.
Lassi (Rosewater Yogurt) Popsicles
I freeze my popsicles in these nifty molds I bought with some cooking store credit, but you can use anything: paper cups, a loaf pan (slice after freezing), or, adorably, shot glasses. If you dont have handled molds, you can pick up popsicle sticks at a grocery or craft store. In a pinch: chopsticks! You can also substitute buttermilk for both the yogurt and milk, for a nice variation.
2 cups yogurt (low-fat yields an icier pop, full-fat is creamier)
1/2 cup milk
6 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp rosewater
1/4 tsp cardamom (optional)
Whisk together all of the ingredients. Let sit a minute, and then whisk again until the sugar has dissolved. Pour into your desired posicle mold, and freeze until firm (usually overnight). Enjoy.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Israeli Couscous Picnic Salad
As Ive mentioned before, the game of Iron Pantry Chef reigns supreme at our house (also known as "what can I make for dinner without leaving my house to purchase additional ingredients?"). A few months back my boyfriend came up with an entry consisting of a can of turnip greens (dont ask) that were pureed and cooked with some sauteed garlic, asafoetida, turmeric, chili flakes, and a few other random ingredients. The resulting olive-drab puree was used to sauce a bag of gnocchi from the pantry. I dubbed it "Saag of the South,"and in addition to earning high marks in the categories of Originality and Best Use of Available Ingredients, it was actually surprisingly tasty. As a rule, this game is thrifty, time efficient, and keeps your pantry from gathering dust. But last week I was aiming for an Iron Pantry Chef meal that was so delicious Id want to make it again, even if I had to (gasp) shop for ingredients. This couscous salad is totally that meal.
Friday was the sort of spring weather that verges on summer. I sent out a message to see if any friends wanted to meet for a sunset picnic at the top of a local park. It was an impromptu decision, and since my guests would only have a few hours notice, I figured theyd probably just pick up snacks en route. As befitting a good impromptu host, a more substantial contribution on my part seemed in order, to round out the picnic meal.
Ive always been blown away by the oh-I-just-threw-this-together salads on 101 Cookbooks, where chef Heidi Swanson casually surveys her pantry and farmers market purchases, and creates a dish Id pay good money for. Her creations toe that often-difficult line of being substantial main dishes, while also feeling light and healthy. With this thought in mind, I grabbed a bag of large-pearl Israeli Couscous off the shelf. I cooked it up with some saffron, and a few pinches of some random Georgian spice mixture Id picked up at the Russian market (optional, of course). A cup of cooked wheat berries were lolling about in the fridge from an aborted bread project, which added a bit of toothsome contrast to the soft couscous (you could substitute any other nubby grain, such as barley or farro). I chopped some mint from a neighbors yard, and the last of the bolted cilantro from a friends garden. A can of fava beans added protein, some toasted hazelnuts added crunch, and lemon and crumbled feta sparked it all up. I briefly flirted with violating Iron Pantry Chef protocol and running to the store for some asparagus to blanch and add. But it didnt need it. This recipe is lovely as it is.
Israeli Couscous Picnic Salad
serves 6-8 as a picnic dish
1/2 cup wheat berries
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
pinch saffron
1/2 bunch cilantro, washed, dried and coarsely chopped
2 sprigs mint, washed, dried and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted
1/4 cup feta, crumbled (can be omitted for a vegan variation)
1 can fava beans, rinsed and drained (available at Middle Eastern groceries - these fully mature beans may be labeled Ful Madamas, and are different from fresh green favas, although the latter might make a nice substitution)
juice and zest from 1 lemon
~2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
Place the wheat berries in a sauce pan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat until its just high enough to maintain a simmer. Cook until the wheat berries are tender, ~45 minutes. Some may split open, but most will be intact, and there should be no hard white centers remaining. Drain any excess water, and set aside.
While the wheat berries are cooking, prepare the Israeli couscous. In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the couscous, saffron, and a pinch of salt. Lower the heat until its just high enough to maintain a simmer, cover, and let cook until the water is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through, ~10 minutes.
Set the grains aside to cool somewhat (so that they wont melt your feta and wilt your cilantro--I tossed them in the refrigerator for a bit to speed this process). While the grains are cooling, gather and prep the remaining ingredients, and place them in a large bowl. Add the cooled couscous and wheat berries, tossing gently to combine. Season to taste, and add more olive oil if needed to moisten, or lemon juice if desired. This salad keeps well, and is delicious at any temperature.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Roasted Plum and Walnut Sundaes
Early in July, my dear friend broke her leg. Im not talking about a small, clean break, with a few days of pain and a few weeks in a cast. Im talking about surgery, pins and plates, about weeks of painkillers and not being able to put your foot on the ground for almost three months. Thats nearly a whole season of being bedridden. In the beginning, we ate a lot of ice cream.
As far as bedridden summertime consolation prizes go, ice cream is a pretty great one. Over the Summer Of The Tibial Plateau Fracture, I ate ice cream several nights a week. Taste-testing the difference between chocolate gelato (Talenti was the front-runner). Deciding if hot fudge sauce was better over lavender or vanilla ice cream (opinions here were split). Whether cardamom was delicious or "too perfumey" (again, a split decision). It was a delicious way to spend an indoor summer. And I didnt want to give it up just because the season changed.
And so the ice cream continues! But it needed a bit of an autumnal makeover. I grabbed a bag of Italian prune plums, the only fruit that seems to be in season these post-berry/pre-apple days. Eaten out of hand, theyre not really my favorite — sweet but unexciting, lacking the punchy tartness of most other plums. But roasted with a bit of sugar and lemon, they slump into rich fuscia sweetness, more complex, more inviting. And theyre perfect with vanilla ice cream. Add a sprinkling of walnuts, and its a perfect autumnal sundae. Even if youve moved out of summer and onto new pursuits (such as re-learning how to walk without crutches), its still a sweet way to cap off an evening.
Roasted Plum and Walnut Sundaes
serves 4
3/4 pound Italian prune plums
scant 1/4 cup sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 large handful toasted walnuts
Preheat your oven to 400° Farenheit.
Cut the plums in half, remove the stones, and slice them into quarters. Sprinkle with the sugar and lemon juice, and roast until the plums are soft and somewhat collapsed, and the juices have come out and thickened just slightly, ~20 minutes (the juices will thicken further upon standing, so dont worry too much about that). Remove from the oven, and let cool slightly (lest you melt the ice cream like I did).
Scoop out the ice cream, and top with some of the plums and their juices, and a handful of walnuts. Enjoy.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Hood Strawberry Shortcake
Pretty much every American kid can easily remember Cookie Monster, the prototypical chaos muppet who roamed Sesame Street in search of, well, cookies. But evidently Cookie Monster now sings a slightly different song. One of balance and moderation. Who knew? In a nod to our lackluster national eating habits, Cookie Monster now sets an example by enjoying a healthier spread of fresh fruits and vegetables. He still eats cookies—I mean, after all, hes still Cookie Monster. But the new mantra is that a cookie is not something to go batshit crazy for in a flurry of noms and crumbs. No, a cookie, Cookie Monster now realizes, is a sometime food.
I should probably be dismayed at the tempering of such pure sugar-seeking id. But in truth, I find it kind of adorable. And totally understandable. A cookie is a sometime food. As it should be. Fresh fruit is usually a perfectly reasonable dessert, especially in these sweet harvest days. But sometimes, you want something a bit more indulgent.
Like many parts of the country, Oregon has a spread of unique strawberry cultivars. But the most beloved of these are the Hoods. People await their all-too-brief season with a sort of fanaticism, and farm stands will often put out signs with the single word, "hoods," that causes lines of cars to pull over. Theyre sweet, theyre tart, and theyre just so intense that they pretty much put you off of the tasteless supermarket behemoth strawberries forever. Im happy to eat them out of hand, or stirred into a bit of yogurt. But every now and then, I want something a bit more.
Strawberry shortcake is my sometimes food. I take the nature-perfect, good-for-you hood strawberries, and ruin it all with a warm, crumbly, buttery biscuit, and a big blob of barely-sweetened cold whipped cream. And Im not sorry. Occasionally Ill toss a bit of cornmeal into the biscuit dough, some fresh herbs into the berries, or some leftover creme fraiche in the whipped cream. But really, its delicious as is. Because yes, hood strawberries are perfect as they are. But a bit of shortcake can make things even better. Sometimes.
Strawberry Shortcake
adapted fairly heavily from James Beard
yields 8 shortcakes
2 pints strawberries
3 Tbsp sugar (or more, if your strawberries arent as sweet as our Hoods)
1 2/3 cups flour (I like to sub in 1/3 cup rye or whole wheat pastry flour), plus more for rolling/cutting biscuits
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (substituting coconut oil for part of the butter is particularly lovely)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (substituting coconut oil for part of the butter is particularly lovely)
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
scant 3/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
1 egg white, slightly beaten, or a splash of cream
a few spoonfuls sugar (coarse sugar is especially nice)
scant 3/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
1 egg white, slightly beaten, or a splash of cream
a few spoonfuls sugar (coarse sugar is especially nice)
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Slice the strawberries, and place in a bowl with the sugar. Mash about half of them with a potato masher, leaving some whole but creaming enough smaller bits to hold the mixture together. Set aside to let the juices come out.
Preheat oven to 375º Farenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment or grease it well.
Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar in a medium bowl. Cut the butter in pats into the flour, and press with the heel of your hand to form fat flakes. Turn from the bottom to bring up the flour mixture, and repeat the process until all of the butter is reduced to flakes or bits. Press the hard-boiled egg yolks through a sieve into the bowl, and toss a few times, until theyre coated with flour and mixed throughout.
Pour the half-and-half or cream into the flour mixture, and toss together until most of the flour is incorporated (as with most baked goods, under-mixing is better than over-mixing). Lightly flour a counter or work surface, and gently knead the dough until it just comes together. Pat or roll it out to a 3/4" thickness, and cut into rounds with a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Gently press together any scraps and cut until all the dough is gone.
Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, brush with the egg white or cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until set and just beginning to brown, ~12-15 minutes. Let cool very slightly.
Split the still-warm biscuits, and top with the berries and whipped cream. Devour.
Labels:
hood,
shortcake,
strawberry
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Çılbır Poached Eggs on Garlicky Yogurt
Sometimes it takes a summer heat wave to remember how delicious the simplest things can be. A cold gin and tonic. Lying in the backyard looking up at the stars. A bowl of vanilla ice cream with fresh blackberries. Poached eggs and garlicky yogurt.
I know, I know. On the surface, a meal of eggs and yogurt sounds kind of basic, unexciting (if not downright unappleaing). But in truth, its phenomenal. The yogurt is tangy and savory, a perfect pillow for a runny poached egg. Topped with a drizzle of red pepper-infused oil and scooped up with some crusty bread, its pretty near perfect.
This classic Turkish combination takes many forms — sometimes theres dried mint or sage leaves, or melted butter substitutes for the olive oil. Ill scoop it up with some toasted flatbread, a baguette, or the random ends of Russian rye from the freezer. Its quick enough for a quick weeknight supper, or too-hot-to-cook summer afternoon. As with any pared-down recipe, it helps to start with quality ingredients. But with the right building blocks (flavorful chiles, farm-fresh eggs and good bread), and the right Turkish inspiration, simplicity can be oh so delicious.
Çılbır (Poached Eggs on Garlicky Yogurt)
adapted from several traditional recipes
serves 2
garlicky yogurt:
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, pressed
salt
seasoned oil:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon flavorful-but-not-hot red pepper (Aleppo or Marash are particularly nice), or a hefty pinch smoked paprika
4 eggs
crusty bread for eating
optional additions:
chopped fresh tomatoes
a handful of olives
steamed or sauteed greens
To make the yogurt sauce: In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic, and salt to taste. Set aside.
To make the seasoned oil: Pour the olive oil and pepper in a saucepan, and gently heat over a medium-low flame until the oil just warms and takes on color from the pepper (you dont want to overheat and darken things). Turn off and let sit.
Poach the eggs — there are numerous tutorials on this, but Im fond of slipping a cracked egg into a whirlpool of barely-simmering water with a splash of vinegar, and simmering until just barely set.
To assemble: Lay down a bed of the garlicky yogurt on a plate, and ladle two poached eggs on top. Add whatever additions you favor, then top with a sprinkling of salt and a good amount of the seasoned oil. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Almond Covered Thumbprint Cookies
I once heard about a book that espoused a particularly appealing version of the "balanced diet" approach to weight loss. Say you want to have a milkshake? Well, it advised, have a milkshake! Just have a small one. And not every day. And accompany it with a big pile of steamed broccoli, and call it dinner.
At the time, I remember thinking that sounded great. Not as some sort of balanced system of penance and reward — simply because I like both of those items a whole lot, and a meal composed of the two would be across-the-board wonderful. Its often what I default to, especially when nobody else is around to mitigate. To whit: for a recent solo dinner, I ended up roasting and eating a pound of Brussels sprouts, followed by a few fresh-from-the-oven buttery, jammy cookies. And it was great.
I recommend these cookies as part of anyones balanced brassica-filled meal. Ive made thumbprint cookies before of a more hippie, oat-and-whole-grain-filled sort. I like that variation, but these have a buttery simplicity thats hard to beat. A rich, plain short dough, rolled in almonds that toast up in the oven, then filled with jam (in this case, a runny undercooked raspberry version Id made, which was perfect for the task). Even without the Brussels sprouts, they more than hold their own.
Almond-Covered Thumbprint Cookies
adapted from Nikole Herriott, via Lottie and Doof
yields ~20 cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg, separated (I used two smallish eggs, which worked great)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
scant 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 cups raw almonds, chopped (you want them small enough to adhere to cookies, but big enough to provide a nice bite)
~ 1/4 cup jam of your choosing (raspberry is especially nice)
Preheat your oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment, or grease them well.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until well-mixed and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until well mixed. Stir in the flour and salt, and mix until the dough just comes together (you can add a spoonful of water if needed).
Scoop your dough out into generous tablespoons and roll into balls (you should have about 20). Lightly whisk the egg whites, and places the almonds in a shallow bowl. Roll each dough ball in the egg whites to coat, then in the chopped almonds (you can use a little pressure if needed to make them adhere). Place the cookies on sheet, with a bit of space between them (they shouldnt spread all that much).
Press on each cookie, to flatten into a chubby disk. Using your thumb, or the handle of a wooden spoon, make a nice wide intent in the center of each cookie. Spoon a bit of jam into each indent (you may not be able to fit much more than a generous 1/4 teaspoon). Bake in the preheated oven until just beginning to turn lightly golden, ~15 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool. Best eaten in the first day or two.
Labels:
almond,
cookies,
covered,
thumbprint
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
How to make Danish æbleskive
We are enjoying Scandinavian traditions this time of the year. It is so much fun! We look forward to do Scandinavian cooking, holiday decorating and celebrations with our family and friends. A great weekend afternoon snack to make for our family is Danish aebleskiver or in Danish æbleskiver.
Traditional æbleskive are served with sugar or jam. There are a variety of recipes. Some recipes require buttermilk and other recipes use wheat flour. Below is a typical æbleskiver recipe with buttermilk.
When and where do the Danes eat æbleskiver?
In Denmark, æbleskiver are common to have before Christmas and served with gløgg on the sidewalk cafes. If you are in Tivoli, the restaurants offer æbleskiver as a snack too. Æbleskiver can be bought fried and frozen at supermarkets, only needing heating in an oven.
Trivia: Did you know that æbleskive is singular and æbleskiver is plural?
One theory is that Vikings during a battle didnt have the proper cookware to make pancakes. The Vikings greased their dented shields and poured the batter on them over a fire which created the the round shape æbleskive.
Another theory is that in the 1600s, the Siam government pushed the European Christian missionaries out of their country including Danes. A Dane brought back a pan from Thailand designed to make Thai delicacies. Once the Dane returned to Denmark, he used pancake batter in the pan and created a new treat called æbleskive.
Trivia: Did you know that the Danish meaning of æbleskiver is apple slices?
*how to make Danish Christmas rice pudding with cherry sauce dessert recipe (Risalamande med kirsebærsauce)
*how to make Swedish Glogg for Christmas & cold evenings! (glögg or mulled wine recipe)
*how to make aeblskiver (æbleskiver)
*how to make Danish Christmas Klejner
*how to make easy Danish cucumber salad (arguksalat)
*how to make Danish sugar browned potatoes (brunede kartofler)
*how to make Danish red cabbage (rødkaal)
These recipes are perfect for the holiday season. Please let us know what you think! Glædelig Jul and Merry Christmas♥ !
Our Scandinavian recipes including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish are on http://.blogspot.com/
Follow us either on Twitter @, Blogger, Google+, Google Pages, Pinterest and Subscribe to our YouTube Chanel Scandinavian Today! Lets get cooking Scandinavian foods!
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What is an æbleskive?
These are traditional Danish pancakes but in the shape of a sphere or a doughnut hole.Traditional æbleskive are served with sugar or jam. There are a variety of recipes. Some recipes require buttermilk and other recipes use wheat flour. Below is a typical æbleskiver recipe with buttermilk.
How to make æbleskive
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 a cup of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup vegetable oil or butter for frying
- An aebleskive pan
- 1 long knitting needle or a fork or a skewer
- You can add 1 tsp cardamomand/ or peal of 1/2 lemon
- Below the video is an example of how to make aebleskiver.
Directions:
- Place the æbleskive pan on a stove top and lightly oil or butter the pan.
- Pour in about 2 tablespoons of the batter into each cup.
- As soon as they get bubbly around the edge, turn them quickly with a knitting needle. (In Denmark, the Danish cooks traditionally use a knitting needle.)
- Continue cooking, turning the ball to keep it from burning and it creates the characteristic spherical shape of an æbleskive.
- Remove all of the æbleskiver from the pan and generously sprinkle with powdered sugar. Traditionally æbleskiver are served with raspberry jam, strawberry jam or sugar.
- If you want to get creative, you can fill æbleskiver with fruit, chocolate, jam or cheese. Now a days, æbleskiver are served for either breakfast, as an hors doeuvre, dessert or light supper.
What is an Aebleskive Pan?
The æbleskive pan is a special cast iron pan used specifically to make æbleskiver. Pans are usually made of cast iron because it allows good heat conduction. The traditional is a cast iron pan indented with seven holes, about 2-1/4 x 1 inch deep, which gives you a finished æbleskive the size and shape of a golf ball. The pan exists in versions for gas and electrical stoves (the latter with a plain bottom). Now a days it is easy to find an æbleskive pan from either buying it online or at a retail store such as William Sonoma. Also, the traditional models in hammered copper plate exist but are today used primarily for decoration. Sometimes the traditional models are found in flea markets or antique shops.When and where do the Danes eat æbleskiver?
In Denmark, æbleskiver are common to have before Christmas and served with gløgg on the sidewalk cafes. If you are in Tivoli, the restaurants offer æbleskiver as a snack too. Æbleskiver can be bought fried and frozen at supermarkets, only needing heating in an oven.
Trivia: Did you know that æbleskive is singular and æbleskiver is plural?
This history of Æbleskiver
Nobody knows when and where æbleskiver was first made. However, there are interesting theories and legends of how the æbleskiver were created. Below are a couple of fun theories.One theory is that Vikings during a battle didnt have the proper cookware to make pancakes. The Vikings greased their dented shields and poured the batter on them over a fire which created the the round shape æbleskive.
Another theory is that in the 1600s, the Siam government pushed the European Christian missionaries out of their country including Danes. A Dane brought back a pan from Thailand designed to make Thai delicacies. Once the Dane returned to Denmark, he used pancake batter in the pan and created a new treat called æbleskive.
Trivia: Did you know that the Danish meaning of æbleskiver is apple slices?
*how to make Danish Christmas rice pudding with cherry sauce dessert recipe (Risalamande med kirsebærsauce)
*how to make Swedish Glogg for Christmas & cold evenings! (glögg or mulled wine recipe)
*how to make aeblskiver (æbleskiver)
*how to make Danish Christmas Klejner
*how to make easy Danish cucumber salad (arguksalat)
*how to make Danish sugar browned potatoes (brunede kartofler)
*how to make Danish red cabbage (rødkaal)
These recipes are perfect for the holiday season. Please let us know what you think! Glædelig Jul and Merry Christmas♥ !
Our Scandinavian recipes including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish are on http://.blogspot.com/
Follow us either on Twitter @, Blogger, Google+, Google Pages, Pinterest and Subscribe to our YouTube Chanel Scandinavian Today! Lets get cooking Scandinavian foods!
Monday, September 22, 2014
Israeli Couscous with Garlic Scapes Shrimp and Feta
The first green asparagus of spring get a whole lot of love. Which I wholly understand — its been a long winter, and theyre totally delicious. But just a month or two behind them, there’s another green shoot that deserves its own parade: the garlic scape.
Garlic scapes, also known as garlic curls, or, adorably, whistles, are the twisted green tops of garlic plants. They’re generally cut to about eight-inch lengths, ranging from slightly bent stalks to irregular curlicues. Scapes are harvested in late spring/early summer (the season is hard-to-predict and fairly brief, but is happening right now in Portland) as a neat little gardeners trick: trim off the tips before the seed pods swells and matures, and in exchange that energy goes towards making larger garlic bulbs underground. And, as an added bonus, you get to eat the scapes.
Like garlic itself, scapes pack a punch when raw (though they’re not quite as intense as the bulb). You can use this to your advantage, adding a fine mince to dishes that will benefit from a strong flavor. But with just a bit of heat, scapes’ harshness softens, leaving a mellower garlic note, paired with their spring-green taste.
Scapes are easily turned into a pungent pesto—its got some bite, but can be tamed by tossing with hot pasta or spreading on bread and placing it under the broiler. They can be brushed with oil and tossed directly on the grill, or bathed in vinegar for a pungent pickle. Like spring ramps, scapes work especially well when paired with mellow ingredients that let their flavor shine through: cook them up with eggs, pasta, or creamy dairy-rich dishes.
For this dish, I put the scapes up against a backdrop of saffron-scented couscous, along with briny-sweet shrimp, creamy feta, and bright fresh mint leaves. Its simple enough to throw together for a weeknight dinner or picnic, but elegant enough for a fancy meal. I trimmed the scapes into bite-sized lengths, to make it a bit more manageable, but if youre game its far more fun to leave them as they are — like little green scraps of ribbon from your own spring garden party.
Israeli Couscous with Garlic Scapes, Shrimp and Feta
yields ~4-5 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups Israeli couscous
1 ½ cups water
1 cup vegetable broth (or just use all water, and add a bit more salt)
½ teaspoon salt
1 hefty pinch saffron
juice of ½ lemon
6-8 garlic scapes, cut into pieces or left whole
1 pound shrimp, shelled
⅓ cup crumbled feta
a handful fresh mint leaves, roughly torn if they’re large
salt and pepper
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the couscous, and cook for a few minutes, stirring so that the couscous is coated with oil and lightly toasted. Add the water, broth, saffron and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat until it’s just high enough to maintain a simmer. Simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender, ~8-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit, covered, to absorb any remaining liquid for a few minutes. Then add the lemon juice, stir to fluff/combine, and add salt and pepper to taste (you can also drizzle in more olive oil if you want). Transfer to a serving platter.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic scapes, and saute for a minute or two, until they turn bright green and tender. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, and scatter on top of the couscous.
Add the shrimp, and saute for a few minutes, stirring, until pink and cooked through. Season with salt, and scatter, along with any pan juices, on top of the couscous and scapes. Top with the feta and fresh mint, and serve.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Cucumber and Lemon water with a hint of mint A refresing summertime drink with Scandinavian flavors!
Are you tired of drinking plain water or having trouble hitting your eight glasses of water everyday? Try this fun recipe to make refreshing, zero-calorie cucumber lemon water with a hint of mint! What is terrific with this drink is that you can personalize to taste. The more slices of either cucumber or lemon you have in the pitcher the stronger it will taste. Also, the longer you leave both in the pitcher the taste will be stronger too. To start you might just want to have 2-3 slices of both the cucumber and lemon. Then, keep adding if you like the water to be a little stronger.
Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber, scrubbed well
- Lemon/Lime, (optional)
- Warm water
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- pitcher of water(tap or mineral water)
Instructions
Trim and discard ends of both the cucumber and the lemon. Cut both the cucumber and lemon into into thin slices. You will probably only need half a cucumber for the pitcher of water. It really depends on the size of pitcher you like.
Fill a pitcher up of either tap water or your favorite mineral water. Combine cucumber and water in large pitcher; steep for 1 hour, and serve over ice. Many times I like to go to the grocery store and pick up my favorite Norwegian water.
Now you are ready to serve with ice! For a stronger taste, let the water sit in your refrigerator for an hour prior to serving. Many times I like to add mint leaves either right into the pitcher of cucumber and lemon water or in the glass. Mint makes the drink even more cooling and refreshing.
Other alternatives is to add fresh berries or orange slices too! Enjoy!
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Black Sesame and Pear Tea Cake
Like many people, I tend to go for the classics when it comes to sweets. Especially this time of year. I like chocolate. I like vanilla. I like ice cream sundaes and creamy puddings and my neighbors chocolate chip walnut cookies. But, as I recently discovered, I also like black sesame and pear tea cake. Actually, I love it.
I know, it sounds strange. And looks a bit greyish and unappetizing. But its so good! Theres the nutty richness of the sesame seeds, the basic buttery sweet-but-not-too-sweet background, and the juicy bits of pear throughout it all. Although the recipe called for fresh fruit, I used some canned pears from last fall, and they worked beautifully (and the sesame seeds were left in the freezer from these why-havent-I-made-them-since-July bagel bombs, making this a surprisingly thrifty pantry project). Id be the first to admit that this doesnt seem like it would make anyones short list of favorite desserts. But paired with a cup of tea, or a glass of wine (in the interests of science, I sampled it both ways), itll definitely surprise you with just how perfect it is.
Black Sesame and Pear Tea Cake
adapted from Bon Appetit
Despite the fact that all of the pictures of this cake were somewhat sunken, even those baked up by master bloggers, I was convinced that with my room-temperature butter and eggs, masterful aerating technique, and light-as-a-feather folding, I would prevail with a perfectly domed cake. But I didnt. Ah well — perhaps thats just how this recipe rolls. Its still amazing, no matter how it bakes up.
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup almond flour or almond meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup black sesame seeds, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature1 1/3 cups sugar, plus additional for topping the cake
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large ripe-yet-firm pear (fresh or canned), peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, and tossed with a few spoonfuls flour right before using
Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit, and butter and flour a loaf pan.
Sift together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir in 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds. Set aside.
Take the remaining 1/2 cup black sesame seeds, and grind them until they form a thick paste (this is easiest in a spice grinder, but with enough patience and scraping, you can use a blender). Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and well combined, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add the sesame paste, and beat another minute, then add the egg and yolk, and beat until pale and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
Fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just barely combined, then 1/2 the buttermilk. Repeat, ending with the flour, then fold in the pear. Pour into the loaf pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with a few spoonfuls of sugar. Bake until a tester comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 1/2 hours (yeah, I know thats a crazy big range, but the reports seem to back it up — mine definitely took the full hour and a half). Let cool in the pan, then turn out, slice, and enjoy.
Sift together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir in 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds. Set aside.
Take the remaining 1/2 cup black sesame seeds, and grind them until they form a thick paste (this is easiest in a spice grinder, but with enough patience and scraping, you can use a blender). Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and well combined, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add the sesame paste, and beat another minute, then add the egg and yolk, and beat until pale and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
Fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just barely combined, then 1/2 the buttermilk. Repeat, ending with the flour, then fold in the pear. Pour into the loaf pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with a few spoonfuls of sugar. Bake until a tester comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 1/2 hours (yeah, I know thats a crazy big range, but the reports seem to back it up — mine definitely took the full hour and a half). Let cool in the pan, then turn out, slice, and enjoy.
Friday, September 19, 2014
How to Make Parsley Sauce Persillesovs
Below is a parsley sauce that is traditional over thick slices of bacon or fish. It really is a delicious sauce and worth trying.
Ingredients:
Kitchen Utensils
Wash and chop the parsley finely.
Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat.
Add the flour and whisk until the flour is absorbed into the butter (this a "roux"). Stir for about 2-3 minutes until it becomes thick, smooth and pale beige in color..
Add the milk gradually about 1/3 at a time, and whisk constantly. Keep stirring and bring to boil. You dont want this to burn. Stir constantly for about 5-6 minutes until smooth and thick.
If the sauce is too thick, you need to prime with milk or water. If it is too thin, boil a little more. Avoid the sauce tasting like flour by stirring well and carefully.
Turn down the heat. Add chopped parsley (and lemon juice optional). Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 1-2 minute without boiling.
Cover to keep warm until you are ready to serve. Serve over potatoes, fish, or bacon. Enjoy!
Read more »
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 tablespoons or 50 g of butter
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 1 3/4 cups of milk (other options is fish stock, chicken stock or beef stock)
- 1 large bunch of washed parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
- optional: 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Kitchen Utensils
- cutting board
- small-medium heavy saucepan
- wooden spoon
Wash and chop the parsley finely.
Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat.
Add the flour and whisk until the flour is absorbed into the butter (this a "roux"). Stir for about 2-3 minutes until it becomes thick, smooth and pale beige in color..
Add the milk gradually about 1/3 at a time, and whisk constantly. Keep stirring and bring to boil. You dont want this to burn. Stir constantly for about 5-6 minutes until smooth and thick.
If the sauce is too thick, you need to prime with milk or water. If it is too thin, boil a little more. Avoid the sauce tasting like flour by stirring well and carefully.
Turn down the heat. Add chopped parsley (and lemon juice optional). Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 1-2 minute without boiling.
Cover to keep warm until you are ready to serve. Serve over potatoes, fish, or bacon. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Piedmontese Nut Cake with Wine Poached Pears
The beginning of fall feels like a series of doors closing: no more lazy sunlit evenings, no more bicycling without gloves, no more waking up to a warm house. I just taught a visiting European friend the phrase "picnic weather," only to have to cancel tonights picnic after the rain started. The Portland skies have been dark lately, and the adjustment can be pretty rough. But after mourning summers departure, you remember the lovely things about fall. Toasty fireplaces, for one. And this cake.
This is no springtime dessert. The cake is rich with ground nuts, and topped with boozy poached pears. The recipe was originally adapted by the lovely Travelers Lunchbox blog, which took Italys Piedmont tradition of poached pears and nut-rich cakes, and combined them into one dessert. Im a big fan of such one-pan ventures. The cake is buttery and sweet, and nubby with ground nuts. But then its topped with pears that have been poached in wine and sugar, and brushed with a syrup reduced from the same. I first made this last year, for no real occasion, and we felt sort of reckless with our good fortune as we cut thick slices to have for a snack.
Like the Plum Custard Tart, this is a dessert that ranks high on the prettiness scale. But unlike the tart, these jewel-like fruits arent resting on a bed of trembling custard. Theyre on a much heartier landing pad of nut-filled cake. To fortify you for the cold autumn nights ahead.
Piedmontese Nut Cake with Wine-Poached Pears
adapted from The Travelers Lunchboxs Piedmontese Hazelnut, Pear and Marsala Cake (I felt compelled to rename it, as my version was missing two of the three titular ingredients), initially adapted from the Piedmontese Hazelnut Cake in Michele Scicolones 1,0000 Italian Recipes
If youre aching to make this cake, but your pears are a bit under-ripe, dont worry -- theyll soften in the poaching liquid, and will be tender and flavorful by the time theyre out of the oven.
For the Pears:
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup Marsala (or other sweet fortified wine, such as Port or Madeira)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 medium pears, peeled, halved and cored
For the Cake:
1 1/2 cups finely ground hazelnuts (traditional) or almonds (also good)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9-inch pan (a springform is nice if you have it, but anything will work).
Combine the sugar, wines, water, vanilla and pears in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, and then reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the pears just begin to get translucent, and are tender when pierced with a fork (about 30 minutes). Remove pears from the poaching liquid, and set aside to cool. Continue simmering the poaching liquid to reduce (more on that later).
In a large bowl, sift together the nut meal, flour, baking powder, and salt. If the nut meal isnt ground finely, you can either sift through a larger amount of nut meal to yield 1 1/2 finely-ground cups, or leave as is for a more rustic cake. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, mix well. Fold in the dry ingredient mixture, stirring until just combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Place the poached pears, cut side down, on top of the cake in a pretty pattern. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven.
While the cake is baking, continue simmering the poaching liquid until it has reduced to about 1/2 cup (it will be thick and syrupy, and the color will have darkened). When the cake is out of the oven, brush it with this syrup, covering both the cake and the pears. Wait a moment for the syrup to be absorbed, and then repeat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Hot Toddy
Theres a picture of me at age one or so, sitting in the middle of a bucolic field, wearing adorable footed pajamas, and screaming my head off. We had taken a family trip to a local educational farm, where in addition to viewing the antique harvesters and free-ranging chickens, you could purchase bottles to feed to the wet-eyed baby goats and cows and such. But when I saw those bottles, chocked full of Purina Instant Goat Formula, I wanted them for my very own, and no amount of logic could convince me that they werent for human consumption. Screaming ensued.
My parents were undoubtedly trying to protect me from some species-jumping zoonotic virus and the like, but they were also protecting me from this sad fact of life: often the things you covet end up not being what youd thought theyd be at all. As any kid who has chomped a square of baking chocolate can attest, this is one of the disappointing realities of growing up.
I experience this same oh-I-thought-this-would-be-much-better wash of disappointment whenever I drink mulled wine. It promises toasty happiness, a boozy warm blanket on cold days. But instead, it often delivers a heavy, overly-sweetened and overly-seasoned concoction, too cloying to enjoy. Im someone who normally lightens up my sweet sangria with a good splash of something bubbly to cut through, so I suppose its no surprise that mulled wine is often a let-down for me. I much prefer a hot toddy.
Toddies take many forms, but my favorite is simple cup of weak tea, brightened up with lashings of lemon and ginger, sweetened (but not too much) with a bit of honey, and spiked with a shot of bourbon. Its barely a recipe at all, but is one of the most satisfying ways to warm up (and slow down) on cold days. The grown-up world has its disappointments, sure. But man does it have its benefits.
Hot Toddy
yields 2
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 bag black tea (use decaf if your constitution requires)
1/2" ginger, scrubbed and sliced into thin coins
1 lemon
1-2 tsp honey, or to taste
2 shots bourbon (rum is also fine, if you prefer it)
Set the teabag and ginger in a container with the hot water and let steep. While steeping, juice the lemon (reserving a couple slices for garnish if desired). Add the lemon juice and honey to taste. Remove the teabag, and divide the liquid between two cups. Add a shot of bourbon to each, stir and enjoy.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Couscous Salad with Spinach Feta Cherry Tomatoes and Herbs
Sometimes Im all over the perfect dish for the season, anticipating things a few weeks out. These past few weeks Ive been chafing at the bit with a lovely concord grape recipe, calling a circuit of grocery stores every few days to ask Are they in yet? How about tomorrow? Maybe Monday? Im surprised the produce departments keep answering the phone. But other times, well -- not so much. And so, as the cold and windy rains roll into Portland, I present to you the perfect picnic dish. On the bright side, itll still be good for Autumnal potlucks.
As Ive mentioned before, Im a sucker for the combination of spinach and feta. But instead of a warm and uber-cheesy casserole, this is a light, herb-studded couscous salad (even healthier if you, like me, go with whole wheat couscous), with bright and juicy cherry tomatoes offsetting the small amount of briny feta. The spinach is just slightly wilted enough to be manageable and allow you to stuff copious amounts of it into the finished salad (using the residual heat of the couscous along with the old Mediterranean trick of rubbing it with salt), but its still bright green and fresh-tasting. Thanks to a sweep at the farmers market I used a combination of fresh basil, dill, parsley and mint, but it would be good with a few handfuls of whatever fresh herbs you have.
And speaking of things you think of just in the nick of time, heres an article about matzo ball soup, in honor of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year that begins tomorrow night. Perhaps getting a bit more on top of things will be one of my resolutions.
Couscous Salad with Spinach, Feta, Cherry Tomatoes and Herbs
makes a sizable picnic or potluck contribution, or serves ~6 as a light main dish
2 1/2 cups water or broth
2 cups whole wheat couscous
~1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 bunch spinach, washed and chopped fairly small
3 scallions, thinly-sliced
1 large handful fresh dill, chopped
1 large handful fresh parsley, chopped
1 large handful fresh mint, chopped
1 small handful fresh mint, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
scant 1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes (Im currently obsessed with sungolds), halved, or quartered if theyre large
salt and pepper
Heat the water or broth (salt it if youre using water) to a boil in a pot. Add the couscous and a dollop of olive oil. Stir and bring it back to a boil, then turn off the flame and let sit, covered, for five minutes.
While the couscous is sitting, place the spinach in a large bowl. Sprinkle it with a bit of salt, then scrunch it in your hands to distribute the salt and cause the spinach to wilt slightly. Top with the scallions.
When the couscous is done, fluff it with a fork, and tip it on top of the spinach and the scallions, letting the heat of the couscous soften the greens. Let sit a few minutes while you chop the remaining fresh herbs.
After the couscous has sat for a few minutes, add the remaining herbs along with the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice. Toss, mixing the ingredients well (which will also cool off the couscous a bit). Add the feta, cherry tomatoes and a few grinds of pepper, and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings and olive oil/lemon juice balance as needed. Serve warm or cold.
Monday, September 15, 2014
How to make Danish Red Cabbage Rødkaal Danish side dish for dinners and leftovers
How to make Danish Red Cabbage Rødkaal. Danish side dish for dinners and leftovers By Danish cook Karen Grete.
This side dish is a stable in all Danish homes.This is a perfect dish to make ahead. If you make enough Danish red cabbage, it is great as a left over food to reheat the next day.
Ingredients:
* 1 red cabbage
* 1 cup of apple vinegar
* 2 cups of water
* 1 teaspoon of salt
* 1/4 cup of sugar
* a little pepper for taste
* add a couple of teaspoons of red currant
Simmer for about 2 hours.
Please share and like our video. For more Scandinavian cooking videos please subscribe to our channel too! Thank you!
Instruction:
Cut an entire red cabbage in half. Remove and discard tough outer leaves and the white center from the red cabbage. Then, with a sharp knife slice the red cabbage into thin slices. Then, place all of the sliced red cabbage into a heated simmering pan. Then, add apple vinegar, 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 cup of sugar and a little bit of pepper. It has to cook for about 2 hours in order for it to get soft enough. In the meantime, you can do other things while you are waiting for it to cook. After 2 hours, add a red current or cranberry jelly for flavor. Some people enjoy caraway seeds for flavor.
What to eat with the Danish Red Cabbage Rødkaal? In Danish homes, red cabbage is served either at dinner or lunch. Traditionally, the Danish red cabbage accompanies meat dishes. Danish hot meals such as frikadeller (Danish meat balls) or flæskesteg (roast pork with crackling) has the Danish red cabbage as a side dish. Christmas (Jul) dinners always has the Danish red cabbage. If you make enough Danish red cabbage, it is great as a left over food to reheat the next day. Also, Danish cold lunches such as an open sandwiches, known as smørrebrød, are decorated with a variety of fine ingredients including the danish red cabbage as a topping.
We hope you enjoyed the Danish red cabbage video and recipe! If you like this danish red cabbbage recipe as a side dish, please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel Scandinavian Today. Our channel has videos including
*how to make Danish Christmas rice pudding with cherry sauce dessert recipe (Risalamande med kirsebærsauce)
*how to make Swedish Glogg for Christmas & cold evenings! (glögg or mulled wine recipe)
*how to make aeblskiver (æbleskiver)
*how to make Danish Christmas Klejner
*how to make easy Danish cucumber salad (arguksalat)
*how to make Danish sugar browned potatoes (brunede kartofler)
*how to make Danish red cabbage (rødkaal)
These recipes are perfect for the holiday season. Please let us know what you think! Glædelig Jul and Merry Christmas♥ !
Our Scandinavian recipes including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish are on http://.blogspot.com/
Follow us either on Twitter @, Blogger, Google+, Google Pages, Pinterest and Subscribe to our YouTube Chanel Scandinavian Today! Lets get cooking Scandinavian foods!
Read more »
This side dish is a stable in all Danish homes.This is a perfect dish to make ahead. If you make enough Danish red cabbage, it is great as a left over food to reheat the next day.
Ingredients:
* 1 red cabbage
* 1 cup of apple vinegar
* 2 cups of water
* 1 teaspoon of salt
* 1/4 cup of sugar
* a little pepper for taste
* add a couple of teaspoons of red currant
Simmer for about 2 hours.
Please share and like our video. For more Scandinavian cooking videos please subscribe to our channel too! Thank you!
Instruction:
Cut an entire red cabbage in half. Remove and discard tough outer leaves and the white center from the red cabbage. Then, with a sharp knife slice the red cabbage into thin slices. Then, place all of the sliced red cabbage into a heated simmering pan. Then, add apple vinegar, 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 cup of sugar and a little bit of pepper. It has to cook for about 2 hours in order for it to get soft enough. In the meantime, you can do other things while you are waiting for it to cook. After 2 hours, add a red current or cranberry jelly for flavor. Some people enjoy caraway seeds for flavor.
What to eat with the Danish Red Cabbage Rødkaal? In Danish homes, red cabbage is served either at dinner or lunch. Traditionally, the Danish red cabbage accompanies meat dishes. Danish hot meals such as frikadeller (Danish meat balls) or flæskesteg (roast pork with crackling) has the Danish red cabbage as a side dish. Christmas (Jul) dinners always has the Danish red cabbage. If you make enough Danish red cabbage, it is great as a left over food to reheat the next day. Also, Danish cold lunches such as an open sandwiches, known as smørrebrød, are decorated with a variety of fine ingredients including the danish red cabbage as a topping.
We hope you enjoyed the Danish red cabbage video and recipe! If you like this danish red cabbbage recipe as a side dish, please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel Scandinavian Today. Our channel has videos including
*how to make Danish Christmas rice pudding with cherry sauce dessert recipe (Risalamande med kirsebærsauce)
*how to make Swedish Glogg for Christmas & cold evenings! (glögg or mulled wine recipe)
*how to make aeblskiver (æbleskiver)
*how to make Danish Christmas Klejner
*how to make easy Danish cucumber salad (arguksalat)
*how to make Danish sugar browned potatoes (brunede kartofler)
*how to make Danish red cabbage (rødkaal)
These recipes are perfect for the holiday season. Please let us know what you think! Glædelig Jul and Merry Christmas♥ !
Our Scandinavian recipes including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish are on http://.blogspot.com/
Follow us either on Twitter @, Blogger, Google+, Google Pages, Pinterest and Subscribe to our YouTube Chanel Scandinavian Today! Lets get cooking Scandinavian foods!
Sunday, September 14, 2014
How to Make Carrot Apple Salad Gulerod æble salat
Ingredients
Kitchen Utensils
Preparation
1) Add into a bowl a half a cup of lemon juice and honey
2) Wash and core 2 large fresh apples. Peeling the apples are optional. Grate (coarse or fine) the apples on a grater into the bowl of lemon juice. The lemon juice keeps the sliced apples from turning brown. Mix the apples quickly in the bowl.
3) Wash and peel the carrots. Grate the carrots on a coarse or fine part of the grater in a large bowl. Another option is to use a food processor and transfer to a bowl. Mix everything in the bowl.
4) Add both the raisins and the almonds. Mix everything in the bowl
5) Taste and add in some more honey if you think more is required.
6) Pop the salad into the fridge until you need to serve it.
You now have a delicious apple and carrot salad!!!
Read more »
- 2 carrots
- 2 large green or red apples
- 1/3 cup of raisins
- 2 tablespoons of chopped almonds
- 1/2 a lemon of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
Kitchen Utensils
- 1 large bowl
- 1 grater or food processor
- 1 knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 potato peeler
Preparation
1) Add into a bowl a half a cup of lemon juice and honey
2) Wash and core 2 large fresh apples. Peeling the apples are optional. Grate (coarse or fine) the apples on a grater into the bowl of lemon juice. The lemon juice keeps the sliced apples from turning brown. Mix the apples quickly in the bowl.
3) Wash and peel the carrots. Grate the carrots on a coarse or fine part of the grater in a large bowl. Another option is to use a food processor and transfer to a bowl. Mix everything in the bowl.
4) Add both the raisins and the almonds. Mix everything in the bowl
5) Taste and add in some more honey if you think more is required.
6) Pop the salad into the fridge until you need to serve it.
You now have a delicious apple and carrot salad!!!
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Fish a la Bilbaino
Like most of my fellow cooks, I have a fairly burgeoning spice cabinet. I love the fusty notes of turmeric, the Eastern European sharpness of dill, the nutty depth of sesame oil and surprising savory-sweet brightness of cardamom. I also love how a seasoning palette can come together, like the instruments of an orchestra, to create a symphony of flavor. Sure, if used with a heavy hand, they can become muddy. But at their best, they transform your basic building blocks, elevating them to something richer and better.
It turns out that not everyone shares my enthusiasms. And despite having a renown gastronomy, the Basque spice cabinet is... a little bare. If you don´t count each type of pepper separately, my friend Iñaki´s tiny shelf contains only the addition of thyme, cumin, saffron, and a dusty container of curry powder that´s probably never been opened. We´ve had lengthy debates about the benefits of seasonings, with Iñaki maintaining that they´re just a crutch of people who need to hide sub-par ingredients. Last week we rode the Artxanda Funicular to panoramic beauty on the top of BIlbao, and looked at a monument to the many groups that fought against Franco (where the expected socialists and communists were joined by batallions of local hiking clubs). As we looked down the lists of names, I asked Iñaki about his political affiliations. ¨I have no party,¨ he claimed. ¨I am only anti-spices.¨
And much to my surprise, I am gradually undergoing a similar political conversion. Despite the lack of seasoning (or perhaps because of it), the amazing local ingredients shine. Farm-grown vegetables and just-caught seafood really don´t need much adornment, beyond a drizzle of olive oil and salt. And lest you, like me, furrow your brow at the idea of a beloved dish composed of little more than fish in a garlicky vinaigrette, let me tell you: it´s great.
As with most simple preparations, the beauty of this is in the details. Needless to say, you start with great fish (we´ve prepared it with hake and horse mackeral, both locally-caught and fresh). What could just be a boring vinaigrette is given depth from sauteed garlic, then poured over the fish and back into the saucepan to emulsify with the fish gelatin, adding flavor and body to form a rich, cohesive sauce. I still maintain a love for the full symphony of complex, seasoned dishes (and even managed to win fans for this Moroccan herb jam, although it contains both smoked paprika and cumin). But the art of simple cooking, like a haunting solo performance, can be its own sort of perfection.
Fish a la Bilbaino
via Iñaki Guridi (with tips for sauce emulsification courtesy of his sister)
serves 4
~1 1/2 lbs relatively mild-flavored fish
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thickly sliced
3 Tbsp white wine or sherry vinegar
1 handful parsley, finely minced
salt to taste
Bake or poach the fish until fully cooked (details of this will depend upon the source and size of the fish used).
While the fish is cooking, begin the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over a medium-high heat, and saute the garlic until just begins to darken (we have made this with both golden and barely-colored garlic, and I think I prefer the former). Add the vinegar and parsley and boil for a minute, stirring to emulsify.
When the fish has finished cooking, pour the sauce over it. Let sit for a moment, then gently tip to sauce back into the skillet. Bring to a boil for a minute or two, stirring rapidly to emulsify, until the sauce has reduced very slightly (if your fish gave off a lot of liquid in cooking, this may take an additional minute or two). Transfer the fish to a serving plate, pour the sauce over the top, and serve. Add salt to taste.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Korova Cookies aka World Peace Cookies gluten free
I dont usually do that much gluten-free baking. But for world peace, I make an exception.
Recently the lovely blog Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef posted something of a road map of the journey you take in gluten-free baking (and gluten-free living). Living gluten-free is about learning the ins and outs of a whole new palette of starches. And its a hefty palette -- different gluten-free starches have different properties, so if you want something that binds, aerates, flakes, and all that good stuff, youre going to have to combine a variety of ingredients and techniques. I dont have too much experience with the gluten-free pantry pantheon, so when I want to bake for gluten-free friends, I usually turn to tried-and-true recipes, and follow them exactly.
But last week, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef threw down the gauntlet. Well, the friendly, collaborative sort of gauntlet. After an uncharacteristically spectacular recipe failure, they solicited feedback in developing a gluten-free version of Korova Cookies, also known as World Peace Cookies. Their version turned into a melty mess on the cookie sheet, and so they asked for thoughts, comments and suggestions as to how to come up with a dough that more closely resembled its inspiration.
The cookies in question are a chocolatey-salty version of buttery sablés. These French cookies are so named for their sandy texture, sort of like a crumbly shortbread. In this version, developed by the failsafe Dorie Greenspan, theyre given a shot of cocoa powder, some chopped chocolate and a hefty dose of salt, and according to her neighbor they might just be the secret to world peace. Who could say no?
As any gluten-free baker knows, developing a crumbly texture isnt usually much of a problem. I turned to the somewhat nubbly rice flour as the main ingredient, with some tapioca starch and sorghum along too, and a teensy bit of xanthan gum to bind (this ingredient can be found at most health food stores, but can also be easily obtained from any of your gluten-free friends in exchange for the promise of cookies). Gluten-free sablés need a bit of structure to stand up to all that butter, but not at the expense of their crumbly short texture. I turned to egg yolks, removed from their more structurally-solid whites. I also swapped out some of the butter for an ingredient that may seem strange: hard-boiled egg yolks.
I first saw hard-boiled yolks used in a strawberry shortcake recipe last summer, and it turns out that theyre not all that uncommon, and are even used in some traditional sablé recipes. They lend a delicious richness, but without the water content and binding properties of raw yolks, or the melting potential of butter. I was aiming to try a few variations, but after a spectacular cookie disaster of my own (more on that later), I was pretty cookied out, and just made the one. But the gluten-free gods seem to have smiled, because it was indeed the one. Chocolatey and salty (in a way that seems to deepen the chocolate flavor), with a delicate texture. World peace to follow? We can only hope.
Korova Cookies (aka World Peace Cookies), gluten-free
adapted from the World Peace Cookies in Dorie Greenspans Baking: From My Home to Yours, inspired and informed by Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef
yields ~28 cookies
1/2 cup rice flour
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp coarse salt (fleur de sel if youve got it, kosher salt if youre me), or a heaping 1/4 tsp regular salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
2 raw egg yolks
1/2 cup chopped chocolate, or 3/4 cup mini chips (if using the latter, chop a few up into scraps, to get those little bits that will melt into the batter and make it all the better)
Sift together the rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, cocoa powder, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Set aside.
In a mixer, cream together the butter with the brown sugar and sugar until theyre light and fluffy. Add the salt, vanilla, and crumble in the hard-boiled egg yolks. If youre mixing by hand, you may want to pass the yolks through a seive to make sure they are broken up into small pieces, but with a mixer and the granular sugar, you should be fine. Mix another minute or two, until the mixture is well-combined and fluffy. Add the raw yolks, and stir until just combined.
Add your dry ingredients, mixing until they are completely incorporated. Mix in the chopped chocolate until it is evenly dispersed. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap or waxed or parchment paper (or, if youre me, a cut-open plastic bag because you dont seem to have either of the other items). Take half the dough, shape it into a chubby sausage with a 1 1/2" diameter, and wrap it tightly in your covering of choice. Repeat with the remaining dough. Refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat your oven to 325 degrees farenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats, if youve got them (or else just grease them well and hope for the best).
Take out one of your dough tubes, and slice the cookies into hefty 1/4" discs (I might have been closer to 1/3"). Set the rounds of dough onto one of the prepared sheets, leaving a few inches between (they will spread). Bake 12 minutes -- the cookies should be set enough to have something of a crust, but they will not be close to being firm or done. Remove, and let cool on the sheets. Repeat with remaining disc. The cookies will remain slightly soft when warm, but firm up upon cooling. Theyre delicious either way.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Honey Ginger Cake Recipe Honning Ingefær Kage Opskrift
When I bake the Honey Ginger cake, it brings back memories visiting my grandfather as a child. He would go to the local bakery and I buy me a slice of ginger cake. Hope you enjoy this recipe.
Ingredients
Kitchen Utensils
1: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter, honey and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cloves, ground ginger and cinnamon.
3: Add the flour mixture a little at a time into the egg mixture. Mix with an electric mixer. Continue adding a little at a time of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then fold in the candied fruits.
4: Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, a loaf pan. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan Bake in the center of a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 50 to 60 minutes.
5: Insert with a toothpick or a long skewer into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. If the toothpick comes out moist, then bake the cake a little longer.
6: Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve with coffee, tea, milk or even hot chocolate! Enjoy!
Honey Ginger Cake Recipe - Honning Ingefær Kage Opskrift by Karen Grete & Heidi (mother/daughter team).
We hope you enjoyed the Honey Ginger Cake video! Please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel Scandinavian Today. Our channel has videos including
*how to make Danish Christmas rice pudding with cherry sauce dessert recipe (Risalamande med kirsebærsauce)
*How to make St Lucia Buns - A Swedish Saint Lucia Saffron Bun Recipe - Lussekatter
*how to make Swedish Glogg for Christmas & cold evenings! (glögg or mulled wine recipe)
*Janssons Temptation A Swedish Christmas dish - Janssons Frestelse
*How to make Swedish Sour Cream Cucumber Salad with Dill. svensk gurksallad.
*How to Make Marzipan for Scandinavian Baking & Candies A simple homemade recipe- marcipan - marsipan
*Brunsviger - A classic Danish cinnamon coffee cake
*how to make aeblskiver (æbleskiver)
*how to make Danish Christmas Klejner
*how to make Danish sugar browned potatoes (brunede kartofler)
*how to make Danish red cabbage (rødkaal)
*How to make Danish Cucumber Salad (Agurksalat)
*How to Make Marzipan for Scandinavian Baking & Candies A simple homemade recipe- marcipan - marsipan
Our Scandinavian recipes including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish are on http://.blogspot.com/
Follow us either on Twitter @, Blogger, Google+, Google Pages, Pinterest and Subscribe to our YouTube Chanel Scandinavian Today! Lets get cooking Scandinavian foods!
Read more »
Ingredients
- 2/3 cups of honey, liquid
- 5 ounces of butter
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves, ground
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1 to 2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1/2 a cup of candied fruit cake mix, chopped
- 1/8 cup of candied ginger, chopped
Kitchen Utensils
- large bowl
- medium bowl
- electric or hand mixer
- wooden spoon
- measuring cup
- toothpick or long skewer
1: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter, honey and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cloves, ground ginger and cinnamon.
3: Add the flour mixture a little at a time into the egg mixture. Mix with an electric mixer. Continue adding a little at a time of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then fold in the candied fruits.
4: Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, a loaf pan. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan Bake in the center of a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 50 to 60 minutes.
5: Insert with a toothpick or a long skewer into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. If the toothpick comes out moist, then bake the cake a little longer.
6: Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve with coffee, tea, milk or even hot chocolate! Enjoy!
Honey Ginger Cake Recipe - Honning Ingefær Kage Opskrift by Karen Grete & Heidi (mother/daughter team).
We hope you enjoyed the Honey Ginger Cake video! Please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel Scandinavian Today. Our channel has videos including
*how to make Danish Christmas rice pudding with cherry sauce dessert recipe (Risalamande med kirsebærsauce)
*How to make St Lucia Buns - A Swedish Saint Lucia Saffron Bun Recipe - Lussekatter
*how to make Swedish Glogg for Christmas & cold evenings! (glögg or mulled wine recipe)
*Janssons Temptation A Swedish Christmas dish - Janssons Frestelse
*How to make Swedish Sour Cream Cucumber Salad with Dill. svensk gurksallad.
*How to Make Marzipan for Scandinavian Baking & Candies A simple homemade recipe- marcipan - marsipan
*Brunsviger - A classic Danish cinnamon coffee cake
*how to make aeblskiver (æbleskiver)
*how to make Danish Christmas Klejner
*how to make Danish sugar browned potatoes (brunede kartofler)
*how to make Danish red cabbage (rødkaal)
*How to make Danish Cucumber Salad (Agurksalat)
*How to Make Marzipan for Scandinavian Baking & Candies A simple homemade recipe- marcipan - marsipan
Our Scandinavian recipes including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish are on http://.blogspot.com/
Follow us either on Twitter @, Blogger, Google+, Google Pages, Pinterest and Subscribe to our YouTube Chanel Scandinavian Today! Lets get cooking Scandinavian foods!
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