The Potato, baked and cooked

Back in 1720, Jonas Alströmer visited England. He saw that the people there had begun to grow potatoes. But this new root crop was no success in Sweden at all. A war in Pommern in the late 1700´s, (a troublesome time), had the effect that hundreds of young Swedish soldiers learned to appreciate this root crop called potato. The real "potato boom" emerged when Swedish farmers understood that they could easily make strong spirit (brännvin) out of the potato. Since then the potato has been integrated in Swedish food culture in many ways.

Nowadays potato plays an important role in Swedish cooking. Potatoes are an excellent source of carbohydrates. Potatoes are high in fiber aiding the digestive system and they absorb water which makes you feel satisfied and less hungry. Potatoes are fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free and saturated fat free. They are high in Vitamin C and are a great source of Vitamin B6. All for a reasonable price!

A dish called "Hasselbackspotatis" originated at the resturant Hasselbacken in Stockholm (a very old restaurant). A recipe here 4 Anne´s Food .

Swedish Dill Potatoes: Scrub small new potatoes clean and drop into boiling salted water together with sprigs of fresh dill. Cook, covered, over moderate heat until tender or about 15 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Drain off the water and let the steam disappear. Serve at once.


Baked Potato Slices is a good substitute for fried potatoes. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Cut 3-4 potatoes in slices, 1-2 cm thick. Lightly grease a baking dish. Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, 1-2 teaspoons thyme and garlic. Bake until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Cake with Nuts

There are so many different types of chocolate cake. This one is a rich and quite sticky chocolate cake. The recipe does not call for melting chocolate in a double boiler. While small amounts of moisture can ruin melting chocolate, larger amounts do not seem to have that effect, as long as the liquid is mixed with the chocolate from the beginning of the melting process. Two rules are universal, regardless of the method. Be sure to use dry equipment and always first prepare the chocolate by cutting it into small pieces.













LAYER INGREDIENTS:
* 5 dl (300 grams) flour
* 1 dl cacao powder
* 1 ½ dl sugar
* 1 egg yolk
* 200 grams margarine

FILLING AND TOPPING:
* 75-100 grams Milk Chocolate Block (no dark chocolate)
* 2 ½ dl whipping cream
* 2 egg yolks
* ½ dl sugar
* 1 tablespoons flour

GARNISH: Walnuts, chopped hazelnuts or chocolate sprinkles

METHOD:

1. Combine all the layer ingredients to a smooth dough.
2. Allow dough to rest in a cool place for a while.
3. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces,
4. Roll out each piece into 25x25 cm squares, line baking sheets with parchment paper,
5. Place layers on baking sheets, bake for 8-10 minutes at 175 degrees C.
6. As for the filling; at first break the chocolate into pieces.
7. Combine chocolate with cream, sugar and flour.
8. Beat in egg yolks and simmer, continously stirring, until chocolate cream thickens.
9. Allow to cool, then spread chocolate cream between cooled layers and on top too.

Wok Classic

Quick and easy!

Findus Wok Classic - a colorful and crunchy mix of waterchestnuts, baby sweet corn, broccoli and carrots. Within 15 minutes you can enjoy Oriental food.















INGREDIENTS:
* 500 grams "Wok Classic" vegetables
* 200 grams fillets of chicken, cut into strips
* 300 grams egg noodles
* oil

MARINADE:
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2-3 Japanese soy
* ½ stock cube (hen or chicken)+ 2 tablespoons water

METHOD:
1. Marinate chicken for about 10 minutes.
2. Boil egg noodles according to package directions.
3. Pour off and reserve the marinade.
4. Stir-fry the vegetables.
5. Stir-fry chicken strips.
6. Mix chicken, vegetables, noodles and reserved marinade.
7. Reheat and serve.

Mango Chutney Chicken

A Swedish Chicken accompanied by Herbs de Provence, exotic Mango Chutney and Sambal Oelek (ulek).

Provençal herbs are a mix of aromatic plants, typically, but not always, dried. A combination of herbs including basil, fennel, lavender, marjoram (or mint), rosemary, savory, sage, and thyme. Variations may include additional herbs such as bay leaf, peppercorns, orange peel, and tarragon. These are all herbs grown in the Provence region of France.

Chutney is an Indian condiment made with fruit and/or vegetables, vinegar, herbs, and spices. Mango Chutney combines chunks of mango with hints of garlic and ginger. Chutneys can range in flavor, textures, and ingredients. Chutneys are exotic in taste without the fat and offer a burst of flavor. Chutney comes from the Hindu word "chatni," meaning "for licking" as in savoring or relishing an appetizing flavor or pleasing taste. The art of making chutneys dates back hundreds of years. In India, there are more than 3,000 varieties of chutney, and each family makes their own version. Chutney is more familiar in North America and Europe in a form that can be stored.

Sambal is a condiment used in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka - made from a variety of peppers, although chilli peppers are the most common. Sambal ingredients vary but they always include ground chiles as the base of the paste. Some versions include garlic and brown sugar. Oelek is a Dutch spelling which in modern Indonesian spelling has became Ulek.

This is a simple dish to prepare. Just a few ingredients, some simple cooking methods and you will have a dish full of rich flavor. Good enough to serve for company.











INGREDIENTS:
Serves 2
* 2 chicken legs
* 1 small red onion
* 1 green bell paprika
* 1 tablespoon butter
* salt, pepper
* 3/4 dl heavy cream
* 1/4 dl water
* 2 tablespoons Mango Chutney
* Sambal oelek
* 1 tablespoon frozen Herbs de Provence (optional)

METHOD:
1. Cut each chicken leg into two pieces (drumstick and thigh).
2. Peel and cut the onion into cloves.
3. Halve, deseed and slice paprika.
4. Slightly fry the onion and paprika in some butter, set aside.
5. Brown chicken pieces in butter on all sides, season with salt and pepper.
6. Place into a small pot, add cream, water and mango chutney.
7. Cover, let cook on gentle heat for about 10-20 minutes,
8. Then add onion and paprika, continue cooking until chicken is ready.
9. Finally add some Sambal oelek, Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with rice.

Rolled Oats Cake covered with Mocha Cream

Rolled oats have life beyond porridge, granola/müsli and cookies.
This cake is great for those who have a sweet tooth. Even if you have never baked a cake before you can impress your guests with this cake. The only trouble is the toffee sauce. It must not be too hard because then the cake will be a devil to cut.




Rolled Oats Layers
INGREDIENTS:
* 150 grams softened butter or margarine (not melted)
* 2 dl rolled oats (oat meal)
* 0,75 dl sugar
* 2 dl flour

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 175° - 200° C ( 350° - 400° F) .
2. Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
3. Thoroughly cream together all the ingredients.
4. Divide dough into two pieces
5. Press each piece with your fist into a round, roughly 20 - 23 cm in diameter .
6. Bake for 15 minutes and then allow to cool.

Toffee Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 ½ dl whipping cream
* 1 dl sugar
* 1 tablespoon butter (or margarine)
* 1 tablespoon golden syrup
* 1 tablespoon cacao powder

METHOD:
1. Combine cream, sugar, butter (or margarine), syrup and cacao powder in a saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil.
3. Simmer for 30 minutes or so (sometimes a few minutes more) until it has thickened
4. Allow to cool (it will thicken upon cooling).
5. Spread evenly between layers.

GARNISH:
* 2 - 3 dl whipping cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
* 2 tablespoons cold, strong coffee
* grated chococolate (or instant coffe powder)

METHOD:
1. Whip cream, add vanilla sugar and coffee.
2. Sprinkle grated chocolate (or some coffee powder) on top.

Gambas al Ajillo

If you like garlic you will enjoy shrimp in garlic - a popular Spanish tapas. This appetizer is ideal to make at home because it is best enjoyed immediately after cooking. The dish is easy and full of garlic flavor.











INGREDIENTS:
Serves 2 -3
* 500 grams shrimp, peeled
* 8 cloves garlic
* 1 small chili pepper
* 100 ml oil (olive oil)
* 1 tablespoon paprika (powder)
* salt, to taste
* parsley, finely chopped
* lemon juice (optional)

METHOD:
1. Peel and chop garlic.
2. Cut pepper in half, deseed, chop finely.
3. In a sauté pan or heavy frying pan, warm the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the garlic and chili pepper.
5. Sauté for about two minutes. Do not to burn the garlic!
6. Raise the heat, add the shrimps and paprika.
7. Stir well, then sauté about 1 minute.
8. Season to taste with salt (and lemon juice), sprinkle with parsley.
9. Remove from heat and transfer shrimp with oil to a warm plate or serve right from the pan.

Serve with lots of warm white bread to sop up the garlic oil .

Wafer Baskets with Arctic Raspberry Parfait

The Arctic raspberry (Rubus arcticus) can be found in northern landscapes of Alaska and Scandinavia. Its dark red fruit is considered as a delicacy and is very tasty. Uses: Jam, liqueur, flavour tea ... Rubus x stellarcticus can be grown in a garden. Its berry has the typical, exquisite arcticus aroma.



Make the best parfait with this easy recipe. (You can do this parfait with other preserves too, of course).

Parfait

INGREDIENTS:
* 4 egg yolks
* 1 dl icing sugar
* 3 dl preserve (jam)
* 3 ½ dl whipping cream

METHOD:
1. Place a bowl into a larger saucepan filled halfway up with simmering water.
2. Whisk egg yolks and sugar constantly until thick.
3. Remove from heat, whisk until cooled.
4. Stir in preserve.
5. Whip cream, combine whipped cream and preserve mixture.
6. Freeze.

Wafer Baskets

To make wafer baskets you will need a special "krumkake iron". The iron has a hinge and a long handle, with a fancy pattern that gets left on the cookie. Mine is bought in Norway. Maybe a cast iron plett/blini pan ( a Swedish pancake pan for small pancakes) works as well. I have not tried that.










INGREDIENTS:
* 125 grams butter
* 1 ½ dl sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 ½ dl water
* 3 dl flour

METHOD:
1. Melt butter.
2. Stir in sugar until dissolved.
3. Add the other ingredients.
4. Heat and greese the iron.
5. Spoon a tablespoon of batter into the iron.
6. Flip it over to cook both sides.
7. Then remove the hot cookie (kind of like a small, paper-thin crepe) which you quickly place on an up-side down turned cup or glass to harden (it stiffens rapidly!).

Fill the wafer baskets with parfait and some whipped cream on top.

GARNISH: Fresh or frozen berries

Salmon Mousse with Herb Sauce

Do you sometimes get leftovers? Fish leftovers? Salmon leftovers?

It is a rare thing for my family to have but when it happens a mousse is something I like to make.

A wonderful blend of flavours, a lovely smooth texture and a lovely appetizer to add to a buffet.




INGREDIENTS:
* 200 grams poached salmon, no skin, no bones, finely mashed
* 7-10 cm leek, very finely chopped
* 1 dl shrimps, peeled, very finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon red caviar
* 1 ½ dl crème fraiche
* 1 ½ dl mayonnaise
* 1 ml salt
* 1 ml pepper
* 5 gelatine leaves

GARNISH:
peeled shrimps
red caviar

METHOD:
1. Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes to soften, drain.
2. Allow the gelatine to melt slowly in a very small amount of water.
3. Combine salmon and all the other ingradients to a batter.
4. Add the melted gelatine and stir.
5. Pour batter into an oiled loaf pan.
6. Place in refridgerator overnight.












SAUCE:
* 2 dl crème fraiche
* 1 dl whipping cream
* 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons mustard
* bunches of dill, parsley and chives, finely chopped
* salt and pepper

METHOD:
1. Combine all the ingredients.
2. Salt and pepper to taste.

A Chocolate Cake with Coconut Icing

I have got a recipe of a cake, a delicious chocolate cake. The glaze is called "Kokostosca" (Coconut Tosca) in Swedish. No almonds.

INGREDIENTS:
* 4 eggs
* 5 dl sugar
* 2 dl butter, melted
* 5-8 tablespoons cacao powder, sifted
* 2 ml salt
* 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
* 3 dl regular finely milled wheat flour

ICING:
* 1 bag coco flakes, 200 grams
* 2 dl sugar
* 1 dl golden syrup
* 1 ½ dl whipping cream
* 90 grams butter

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
2. Line an oven pan, 25x35 cm, with a buttered parchment paper.
3. Beat eggs and sugar.
4. Whip in butter, a little at a time, cacao powder, vanilla sugar and salt.
5. Stir in flour.
6. Bake the cake for 10-15 minutes.
7. In the meantime, combine all icing ingredients, cook for 5 minutes.
8. Spread the icing evenly on the cake.
9. Bake for another 10 minutes.

Allow to cool and cut the cake into bars or squares.

Toscakaka (Tosca cake). A soft sponge cake covered in a golden almondy caramel. I am not sure, why cookies and cakes with a special type of icing, containing slices of sweet almond are called Tosca cakes or Tosca cookies in Swedish. Sometimes the Tosca cake is described as a Swedish classic coffee cake. I am not sure about that either. I believe the cake originated in another country. My mother, born in 1913, used to bake Tosca cake. She always made a rich short pastry at first, never a sponge cake.

A Bell Paprika Salad

Bell paprikas are a colorful requirement in the diet. Generally not low in cost. Sometimes they are cheap and quantity buying is recommended. Select paprikas that are free of bruises. The color can be green, red, yellow and orange. More rarely other colors. Green paprikas are unripe, while the others are all ripe. Green paprikas are less sweet and slightly more bitter than yellow, orange, or red paprikas.

How to freeze: Wash, cut them in halves, deseed and cook for 2-3 minutes. Allow to cool in cold water. Store in freezer bags. They will keep for 6 months in the freezer.

A colorful pickled bell paprika salad can be made that goes well with meat, fish and pasta sauces for example.














INGREDIENTS:
* 4 yellow bell paprikas
* 4 green bell paprikas
* 4 red bell paprikas
* 6 medium onions
* 3 dl distilled white vinegar (12 %)
* 6 dl water
* 5 dl sugar
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 1 teaspoon allspice
* 3 sprigs tarragon

METHOD:
1. Wash paprikas, remove stem and seeds.
2. Cut them into thin cloves.
3. Peel the onions, chop them roughly.
4. In a saucepan combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, allspice and tarragon.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
6. Add onion and paprika, cook for 3 minutes.
7. Put while hot in warm clean jars.
8. Fill to the brim and seal the jars immediately.
9. Store the jars in the refridgerator for up to 12 months. The paprikas will loose some color for such a long time, but not much.

A link to the recipe in Swedish 4 Paprikasallad

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

Traditionally, root vegetables have been considered low status. They belong to Swedish food culture and have always been important crops. Now they go very well with new food trends. You can chop, grate and slice them by hand and a food processor is not an absolutely essential piece of equipment. My root vegetables will be cut by hand.









INGREDIENTS:
* 6 potatoes (500 g)
* ½ swede (300 g)
* 4 carrots (300 g)
* 2 parsnips (200 g)
* 1 dl olive oil
* 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
* 3 fresh salvia leaves, chopped
* OR
* dried herbs 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon salvia
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 teaspoon salt
* parsley. chopped

Serves 4

DIRECTION:
1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees C.
2. Wash and peel potatoes, swede, carrots and parsnips .
3. Cut into cubes or bitsize pieces.
4. Pour some olive oil into a large baking sheet with slides.
5. Then place the root vegetables in a single layer.
6. Sprinkle and mix in some olive oil, salt, pepper and your choice of herbs.
7. Roast for 40 minutes until they are browned (over-browning makes them bitter).
8. Stir occasionally with a spatula to prevent sticking.
9. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.










I have found grilled or fried Halloumi, the Cheese of Cyprus, an excellent compliment to oven roasted vegetables.

Link to the recipe in Swedish 4 Ugnsrostade rotfrukter

Spreadable Butter Cookies

The Swedish spreadable butter Bregott is made of fresh Swedish whipping cream, Swedish canola oil, water and some salt. No preservatives, no emulsifiers or other food additives. The brand's signature is a cow on the package and it comes in different colors. The butter in the blue package contains sea salt. The green one is less saltier than the red one. (You have to go to Sweden to buy Bregott). This butter is meant to be used as a spread on bread, but the less saltier is well-suited for use in sweet baked goods, such as "Bregottkakor" - small and light cookies. So easy to make and perfect for children to help bake.

INGREDIENTS:
* 1 pkg Bregott (green) 300 grams (or butter)
* 1 ½ dl sugar
* 3 dl wheat flour
* 2 ½ dl corn starch
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 50-60 small paper baking cups

DIRECTION:
1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C.
2. Mix flour, corn starch and baking powder together.
3. Beat butter and sugar until well blended - butter cream.
4. Stir down flour mixture into butter cream.
5. Shape dough into small balls.
6. Place each ball in small paper baking cups.
7. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

Deep Fried Fillets of Perch

All species of perch are excellent food fishes. But there are lots of bones to deal with. I do not like to spend hours cleaning the fish I caught. Anyway, I have learnt how to fillet perch.









INGREDIENTS:
600 grams perch fillets
oil

BATTER:
2 dl flour
1 1/2 dl milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg white
1 ml salt

DIRECTIONS:
* Combine flour, milk, melted butter and salt in a medium bowl.
* Beat the egg white to stiffness and stir down.
* Dip fillets in batter one at a time.
* Place them in hot oil and fry until golden brown.
* Allow fillets to drain on paper towels.
* Keep them warm until all have been fried.
* Serve immediately with fresh potatoes and your favorite remoulade sauce.

Link to the recipe in Swedish 4 Friterade abborrfiléer

A Mincemeat Pasta Sauce (3 1/2 l)

The time has come to feed the freezer. Even though this sauce is usually paired with spaghetti, it is also good as a pie-filling or in a soup. The sauce has to simmer at least one hour or more.














INGREDIENTS:
2 kg ground meat
butter, oil or margarine
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme or 2 teaspoons oregano
1 bay leaf
100 g celeriac
2 carrots
4 yellow onions
2 cloves garlic
2 stock cubes
2-3 tablespoons flour
3 dl water
200 g tomato purée
4 pkg crushed tomatoes à 500 g
1 teaspoon sugar
parsley

DIRECTIONS:
* In a pan heat the butter/oil or margarine.
* Add the minced meat, brown a little at a time, breaking it up with a fork.
* Put the browned meat crumbs into the biggest pan or casserole you have got.
* Add salt, pepper, thyme or oregano and bay leaf.
* Peel and finely chop celeriac and carrots.
* Chop the onions or cut them into cloves.
* Sauté the onion, carrot and celery over low heat.
* Sweat the vegetables until they colour slightly.
* Add chopped garlic without browning.
* Add the stock cubes, sprinkle flour and stir.
* Add water and bring to boil.
* Stir down tomato purée, crushed tomatoes and sugar.
* Add chopped parsley.
* Cover the pot or casserole and allow the sauce to slowly simmer, stirring from time to time.
* After about one hour, check and adjust seasonings.

Link to the recipe in Swedish 4 Köttfärssås

Coco Bars

Easy to make! Easy to eat!

These sweets are somewhat similar to homemade Bounty Bars . The flavor reminds me of the Bounty bar you can buy, manufactured by Mars Incorporated, sold internationally.

INGREDIENTS:
*50 grams butter
*½ dl white syrup
*½ dl icing sugar
*2 dl whipping cream
*200 g coco flakes

GLAZE:
*175-200 g light chocolate (block)
*25 g *coconut butter

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, syrup, icing sugar and cream.
2. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Stir down dry coco flakes and blend well.
4. Push batter out onto a sheet tray covered with parchment paper.
5. Flatten out until it is about 1 ½ cm thick
6. Chill in the fridge, when cool, cut into bite-size pieces.
7. Melt chocolate and coconut butter.
8. To dip, use two forks, turn the pieces around into the melted chocolate mixture. Make sure you cover the entire piece. Let the excess drip off.
9. Set aside on a parchment paper covered sheet tray.

When all dipping is completed put them in the refrigerator to harden the chocolate.

I would very much like to convert quantities into other measurements but I have blog visitors from our entire world. In USA, I believe, the 8-oz cup is used. In Australia metric measures are used in conjunction with a standard 250-ml measuring cup. The pint, used in Britain and Australia, is 20 fl oz, while the American pint is 16 fl oz. Australian tablespoons differ from both the British and American tablespoons. Only the teaspoon holds approximately 5 ml in all three countries. Am I right or am I wrong? Besides, there are so many excellent online conversion calculators.

Recently I found a very helpful Swedish - English website called Recepthjälpen where I am able to look up Swedish food ingredients and immediately get the translation I need. This site have a metric converter too.

PS: I am not sure what the Swedish word 4 kokosfett means in other countries. Coconut oil, coconut butter, huile de coco, olio di noce di cocco, Kokosnussöl, aceite de coco? Correct or not? It is fat from the core meat of the coconut by presses or refining won disk fat. Help, please!

Link to the recipe in Swedish 4 Kokosstänger

Carrot Soup

How simple it is to make a tasteful soup from scratch!

INGREDIENTS:
*1 ½ l chicken stock (cubes)
*10 carrots
*1 pkg cheese spread with shrimp (400 g)
*2 dl crème fraiche
*salt and pepper

METHOD:
1. Grate carrots roughly
2. Bring stock to a boil
3. Cook carrots for about 25 minutes
4. Add cheese spread and crème fraiche
5. Salt and pepper to taste

Serves at least 4

GARNISH:
Chopped parsley or chives. When you want the soup to look more luxurious, you can add some peeled shrimps before serving it.

The cheese spread I usually buy is called Kavli Cheese Spread. I believe Kavli is available in other countries too.

Link to the recipe in Swedish 4 Morotssoppa

Homemade Olive Tapenade

INGREDIENTS:
*1 jar (200 g) green olives stuffed with sardells
*1 jar (200 g) black olives, seedless
*2 cloves garlic
*½ - 1 dl olive oil

METHOD:
1. Mince the olives finely
2. Press garlic
3. Stir in garlic and olive oil
4. Mix well













Homemade olive tapenade can be prepared using a mortar and pestle or a food processor. I prefer to use a knife to mince the olives until fine, and a whisk to incorporate the liquid since I like the chunky texture where I still can see the olives. This tapenade is perfect for a dark bread. It will keep in the fridge for at least one week, tightly covered.

The word tapenade comes from the Provençal word tapèno, meaning “capers,” which are a common ingredient. Olive-based pastes have existed in this French region for a long time. Nowadays small restaurants sometimes serve tapenade as a snack while you are studying the menu.

Link to the recipe in Swedish 4 Olivröra