June 2010 – Scandelights

Baby back ribs

Published on June 30, 2010 by Hanna1 Comment

This ‘recipe’ is hardly considered cooking; the oven does all the job for you, but this is a great dinner when you can’t be bothered to cook but don’t want to order in.

Baby back ribs 2 portions

0.5 kg rack of loin ribs

barbecue marinade, I used Newman’s Own

Put the oven on 175-200 centigrade, it all depends on the oven. I have to put mine on 175 otherwise the ribs get dry and a bit burned. Take a big oven dish and put the ribs meatside down and brush some marinade on the rack, just enough to coat it. Bake for about 30 minutes, they should have a lovely brown colour by now and your house will smell divine. Turn the rack around and brush some marinade on the other side, put back in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Take them out and cut them up – that’s it!

In the meanwhile I made some potato wedges that needs about 40 mins-1hr in the oven (potato cut in wedges, coat lightly in olive oil + spices (BBQ or Cajun is great with the ribs)). Serve with coleslaw for an American feel and some nice sauces. On my plate we have cold bearnaise sauce, and creme fraiche with sambal oelek. Enjoy!

Mexican chicken quiche

Published on June 29, 2010 by Hanna1 Comment

In Sweden we eat a lot of quiche, I have no idea why, but you find quiche recipes everywhere. This is not a traditional quiche, but it’s very tasty. You find the original recipe in Swedish here, since this is not my own recipe, but enjoy it anyway! 🙂

Mexican chicken quiche

Pastry:

Either readymade puff pastry (which I used) or:

50 grams butter (at room temperature)

150 ml plain flour

1 tbsp water

Just mix together and cover the quiche dish. If you use puff pastry, roll out and cover the dish. Peck wholes in the pastry using a fork. Pre-bake at 225 degrees for 10 minutes.

Filling:

5-8 feferonis or pickled jalapenos

1/2 grilled chicken, de-bone and cut into smaller pieces

10 button mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, or shallots, chopped

150 grams cream cheese

1/2 jar chunky salsa (preferably homemade)

300 ml grated cheese

Fry the onion, mushrooms and chicken, add the salsa and cream cheese and simmer a few minutes. When the pastry is cooked, sprinkle the chillis over the base, then add the chicken mixture. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is golden.

Serve with a nice salad.

Brownie cupcakes

Published on June 29, 2010 by Hanna2 Comments

This is not really a brownie recipe, but I don’t know how else to describe them. They are moist, a bit gooey in the middle but crisp on the outside. Best way to find out is to make a batch!

Originally this recipe is for a springform, make sure to butter the tin and dust it with breadcrumbs or flour so the cake won’t stick to the tin. In Sweden we call this Kladdkaka.

Pimm's and brownie cupcakes with whipped cream. Only one word for that: yum!

20 Brownie cupcakes or one kladdkaka

300 ml granulated sugar

150 ml plain flour

4,5 tbsp cocao

1 tsp vanilla sugar

a pinch of salt

2 eggs

150 grams melted butter

Mix all the dry ingredients together, pour in the eggs and the butter and stir. Pour into cake cases. Bake in 200 centigrade oven for about 15 minutes. When cool, pipe some whipped cream on top and decorate with silver balls and strawberries. These keep for days (without the cream on top) in a plastic bag or cake tin.

Canapes: Cheese straws with walnuts and honey

Published on June 28, 2010 by Hanna3 Comments

If it is up to my best friend to decide, I would serve these all the time. Of course, I really like them too.

Cheese straws with walnuts and honey

1 roll puff pastry

blue cheese (I chose a Danish one, but Stilton works fine)

walnuts, chopped

acacia honey

Cut 2 10cm-strips off the roll of puff pastry. Place on a baking sheet. On the short side of the rectangles, slice into 1 cm wide strips. Keep them close together and crumble the blue cheese on top, sprinkle some walnuts and coil some honey over it. Place in the middle of a 200 centigrade over until golden, it takes about 10 minutes. Serve while still warm.

Canapes: salmon rolls

Published on June 28, 2010 by Hanna2 Comments

This is a real classic Swedish canape! You can substitute the salmon with smoked ham if you want a meat version.

Salmon rolls

8 soft wheat tortillas (1 packet)

200 grams cold smoked salmon

100 ml creme fraiche

fresh grated horseradish

salt and pepper

Mix the creme fraiche with some horseradish to your taste, season with salt and pepper. On each tortilla, spread a thin layer of the creme fraiche mixture. Cover it with salmon, but make sure it doesn’t hang out anywhere. Roll the tortillas tightly and place with the opening down on a plate. Cover with cling film and store in the fridge until it’s time to serve them. When serving them, slice them into 1,5 cm slices and put on a plate.

Canapes: aubergine with caviar

Published on June 28, 2010 by Hanna1 Comment

This is a recipe from Tina Nordström, a famous TV chef in Sweden.

Aubergine canape with caviar

1 aubergine

olive oil

1/2 jar caviar (it is salmon caviar in the original recipe but any other kind will do)

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 bunch of dill, chopped

Peel the aubergine and slice into 1/2 centimeter wide slices. Heat up olive oil in a frying pan, medium heat, and fry the slices until soft and golden. You need quite a lot of olive oil for this. When done, let cool and then chop them up. Mix the aubergine with the other ingredients, put in the fridge until cool and serve on baguette or crisp bread.

Canapes: Skagenstyle prawn salad on endives

Published on June 28, 2010 by Hanna1 Comment

In sweden this Skagenröra, prawn salad is a classic starter on buttered toast, but works as a canape on endives (chicory) too. You can use the green ones if you like, I just thought it looked pretty with the red endives. 🙂

Skagenstyle prawn salad on endives

1 endive

100 grams fresh peeled prawns

4 tbsp mayonnaise (I used Hellman’s)

3 tbsp creme fraiche

1/2 lemon, juice from

1/2 bunch dill, chopped

Take all the leaves of the stem of the endive, rinse, let dry and place on a plate. Chop the prawns roughly, chop the dill finely and mix together with creme fraiche and mayonnaise. Squeeze the lemon juice over it and stir. Season with salt and white pepper if you want. Place a teaspoon-ful on the leaves. Use a small lemon wedge for decoration. (Take a lemon slice and cut it into 8 wedges).

N.B. Skagen is a seaside town in Denmark, known for its fishing harbour, its amazing lights and the Skagen painters. Visit sometime, it’s lovely!

Canapes: cherry tomatoes with feta crème

Published on June 28, 2010 by HannaLeave a comment

Easy (but a little bit fiddly) summery canapes! The recipe is from this Swedish food blogg, I have changed it slightly and translated it to English.

Cherry tomatoes with feta crème

20 cherry tomatoes

200 ml drained greek yoghurt

1/2 block of feta

1 clove garlic, pressed

fresh basil

salt & pepper

Cut the tomatoes into halves and take out the seeds. Crumble the feta into a bowl and mix with yoghurt, garlic and chopped basil, season to taste. Fill the tomatoes with the mixture and decorate them with whole leaves of basil.

Midsummer!

Published on June 25, 2010 by HannaLeave a comment

Today in Sweden it is Midsummer, Midsommarafton, which we of course celebrate with food and drink. Compulsory is pickled herring, new potatoes, chives, meatballs, beer and snaps. For dessert it is always strawberries because they are in season, so it could either be strawberries and cream or a strawberry gateau.

Most people dance around a maypole (see left) and most girls make a garland to put in their hair. The reason for these celebrations is the pagan tradition of celebrating the summer solstice, this time of year was believed to be magical…

Glad midsommar, everyone!

For more info, have a look here.

Hummus

Published on June 24, 2010 by HannaLeave a comment

I like to make my own hummus, it’s not as smooth and creamy as the store-bought ones but much tastier! I use lots of lemon and parsley in mine.

Hummus

1 can (400 grams) chickpeas

olive oil

1 lemon, juice from

1 clove of garlic, pressed

1 bunch of parsley, chopped

Drain the chickpeas and mix together with olive oil, you need more than you think but choose yourself how you want the texture to be. Then add the lemon juice, parsley and garlic and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy with toasted pitta or with any other bread!