Month: May 2011

Julia Child’s mock hollandaise

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We had this lovely plate of food for supper on Monday. The fish is called Mahi Mahi and although it originates from around Hawaii, our fillets came from fishes around the Spanish coast. Not that sustainable I know, but we were curious what it would taste like. It had a lot of flavour although the sparse seasoning with only lemon pepper and butter. The texture was quite firm so it held together well while cooking.  We had steamed new potatoes, fried leeks and steamed radishes alongside it. And of course the lovely sauce. The reason why I am writing about this in the first place.

In Mastering the Art of French Cooking it is called mock hollandaise. It tastes a bit like hollandaise and it contains both butter and egg yolk, but the main ingredients is actually stock. Which makes it a slightly healthier version than the real deal, and perfect for weekday indulgence. It is also easier to make as it doesn’t threaten to split like a proper hollandaise.

I will definitely be cooking this again. Thanks, Julia!

Mock hollandaise, serves 4

30 g butter

30 g flour

350 ml boiling stock (water + concentrated stock/stock cube works fine)

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp cream

salt & white pepper

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

60-120 g softened butter

Melt the butter (30 g)in a saucepan, add the flour. Combine and then add ALL of the stock at once. Whisk properly. Remove from heat.

Mix the egg yolk with cream in a bowl. Add the stock mixture drop by drop while whisking. When half or so is incorporated, add the rest in a thin stream while whisking. Pour the sauce back into the pan, heat up and let it boil for 5 seconds. Remove from heat. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Just before serving add your chosen amount of butter while whisking to incorporate (away from heat). Serve straight away.

Sicilian omelette

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Yet another recipe courtesy of the lovely Nigella. This omelette is quick, filling and absolutely delicious despite the fewingredients. I love omelettes, since I learned that I prefer them creamy instead of set, and they’re even better with cheese on. Perfect for brunch, lunch or for supper when you’re in a hurry.

Sicilian omelette, serves 1

2-3 eggs

a splash of cream/milk/water

salt/white pepper

butter for frying

creamy goat’s cheese

fresh mint

Beat eggs and liquid. Season. Melt butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Pour in the batter and turn the heat down to low heat. Cook the omelette until it starts to set. Add cheese and mint. Fry until it had the consistency you prefer. Serve straight away. 

Fried leeks with paprika sauce

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We enjoyed a tapas style dinner on Saturday (for a while at least, then I got a tummy ache and had to lie down *sigh*) and I made these nice little things. The recipe is from Ottolenghi’s Plenty, but I didn’t follow it exactly. The sauce I made up myself and it worked really well with the leeks.

Fried leeks with paprika sauce, serves 2

3 leeks, trimmed

1 egg, beaten

 breadcrumbs

salt, white pepper

at least 500 ml vegetable oil

200 ml creme fraiche

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt, white pepper

1-2 tsp paprika

Cut the leeks into 5 cm long pieces. Boil in salted water until soft (about 15 mins). Drain. Heat up the oil in a pan. Dip the leeks first in the beaten egg then in the seasoned breadcrumbs. Fry until golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel.

Mix creme fraiche, lemon juice and spices. Serve.

Tapas style dinner with baked brie

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We went out for dinner on Friday with a few friends to celebrate that Ian is another year older. So on Saturday we had a typical Friday dinner, tapas style little bits. Love that!

We had prosciutto and saucisson with crema di balsamico, melon, nice crusty bread, cornichons, radishes and baby plum tomatoes, chilli jam, truffle honey, baked brie with rosemary and fried leeks with paprika sauce. The latter will get its very own post tomorrow, but the delicious (and ridiculously easy) brie is here:

Baked brie with rosemary, serves 2

4 chunks of brie (2×2 cm)

fresh rosmary

(a dollop of honey if you like)

4 pieces baking parchment

Place cheese + rosemary (+ honey if you prefer) on a piece of the baking paper and fold it into a little parcel. Place in a baking tray and put in a recently turned off oven (I had mine on 200C) for about 5 minutes until it is all gooey and soft and tastes of rosemary. 

Salad with beetroot and goat’s cheese

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When I eat a salad I want it to be a substanstial one with ingredients like chicken, bacon, cheeses, avocado etc, so i actually feel full for a long time, otherwise I don’t see the point. Don’t get me wrong, I love salads and vegetables, but they aren’t very filling on their own.

Last week I made this salad with the classic combo of beetroots and goat’s cheese. It is lovely and fresh, but still fills you up.

Salad with beetroots and baked goat’s cheese, serves 2

2 little gem lettuce

chives

4 fresh beetroots

mild chèvre

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 part white wine vinegar

2 parts extra virgin olive oil

salt, white pepper

crema di balsamico

optional: pine nuts and other vegetables

Cut the green off the beetroots and boil them (unpeeled) in salted water until they’re soft, about 30-40 minutes. Leave to cool before rubbing off the skin with your hands. Cut in wedges and leave to cool. Rinse the lettuce and divide between two plates. Cut the chives and sprinkle over the lettuce. (Add other vegetables). Cut the goat’s cheese in two, place on a roasting tray, add salt, epper and crema di balsamico. Bake i 200C for 5-10 minutes. Place in the middle of the salad, and add the beetroots. Mix the dressing, season to taste and pour over the salad. Add some more balsamico. Serve with bread or croûtons. 

Roast chicken with lemon and za’atar with potato salad

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Loving the weather right now! Here in London it has been around 20C for a while now, and the sun is shining every day, although battling the clouds from time to time. And this weather just calls for lighter food, don’t you think? On Sunday I did a different take on the Sunday roast with a whole roast chicken, flavoured with za’atar, sumac and lemon served with a classic French potato salad and a side salad. Easy peasy and sooo good! Try this at home, folks.

Roast chicken with lemon and za’atar with potato salad, serves 2

1 medium chicken

30 g softened butter

1 tbsp za’atar

1 tsp sumac

1/2 citron

salt, black pepper

400 g new potatoes

150 ml creme fraiche

2 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tsp dijon mustard

salt, white pepper

chives

Heat the oven to 200C. Rinse the chicken and place in a roasting tray. Mix butter with spices and the zest from the lemon. Make a cut i the skin on each breast, and place most of the butter there. Smooth it out underneath the skin so it covers most of the breasts. Brush the bird with the remaining butter. Add some more salt and pepper. Place the lemon in the cavity. Place in oven for about an hour. It is done when the meat juices are clear from the thigh joint. Leave to rest a little before serving.

Boil the potatoes, leave to cool. Dice. Mix creme fraiche, mayonnaise, mustard and seasoning. Add the potatoes. Cut the chives with scissors and add to the salad before serving. Stir to combine. 

Custard whip for cakes

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In Sweden you can buy a product called Vaniljvisp (vanilla whip) and it is like a vanilla custard that you whip with your electric whisk until it is nice and creamy. The homemade version of this (which of course is even more delicious) is what I served with the last dish on Sunday’s brunch; rhubarb cake.

This cake can be made with any fruit/berries you like, but I prefer it with rubarb. And make this whip with it, because it is loooovely. Unless you’re pregnant, or for other reasons can’t have raw eggs.

I found the recipe on a nice Swedish blog called Linneas skafferi.

Custard whip (uncooked), serves 6-8

3 egg yolks

3 tbsp icing sugar

1 tbsp vanilla sugar

300 ml whipping cream

Mix egg yolks, icing sugar and vanilla sugar. Whip this until fluffy with an electric whisk. In a seperate bowl, whip the cream fluffy (not too much). Pour this into the yolks and mix it all together until it is fluffy and nice. Serve immediately. It separates slightly when left standing, but just stir it and it comes together again. Keeps for a few days in the fridge.

American breakfast pancakes

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When five of my girl friends came for brunch on Sunday, I treated them to nice bread rolls, oeufs en cocotte and american pancakes with maple syrup. The pancake recipe is from Nigella’s book How to be a domestic goddess, and they are delicious. Serve with maple syrup (mandatory) and crispy bacon (optional).

American breakfast pancakes, serves 6

225 g plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

a pinch of  salt

1 tsp sugar

2 eggs, beaten

30 g melted butter

300 ml milk

butter for frying

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat the eggs in another bowl and add to the flour mixture. Add the milk bit by bit and lastly the butter. Transfer to a jug and fry in butter until golden on both sides. Serve with maple syrup and maybe crispy bacon. 

White breakfast rolls

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This recipe is from one of the contestants (she was the runner up) in the Swedish version of Masterchef. Jennie is really talanted and I have tried the recipies from her blog before.

These rolls are delicious for breakfast at the weekend. I served them for brunch on Sunday when I had my girls over, and they went down a treat with butter, Gouda cheese, smoked ham and preserves.

The original recipe is for 20 rolls, but I made mine slightly larger and settled for 16 instead.

White breakfast rolls, makes 16-20

75 g butter

500 ml milk

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp honey

5 tsp dried yeast

1.1 – 1.2 l plain flour (400 ml strong Canadian + 700 ml plain flour)

egg wash: 1 egg + 1 tbsp milk, beaten

Maldon salt

Melt the butter and add milk, salt and honey. Heat up the mixture until finger temperature. Pour it into a bowl and add the yeast. Stir so the yeast dissolves. Add the flour and knead the dough. Leave it slightly sticky in the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 30 minutes. With dry yeast I usually put the bowl in the oven on 50C, so it rises properly.

Knead the dough again and cut into 4 pieces. Cut each piece into four pieces, roll and place on a baking sheet. Cover again to rise for another 30 minutes. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle salt on top and bake in 225C oven for 8-10 minutes. Leave to cool cobvered on a wire tray.

Lamb fillet with celeriac gratin and porcini sauce

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We ate like kings on Saturday! First the asparagus with parmesan and wild garlic mayo, then lamb fillet with celeriac gratin and a wonderful sauce with port and porcini mushrooms. It was one of those days when everything came together. The meat, the gartin and the sauce was a great combination that would work any season really. With the lamb rolled in chopped parsley it felt quite spring like, and a celeriac gratin feels so much lighter than a potato gratin. Yum!

Lmab fillet with celeriac gartin and porcini sauce, serves 2

The meat:

2 lamb fillet about 150-200 g each

butter and oil for frying

salt, back pepper

chopped parsley

The gratin:

4/5 celeriac

3 tbsp cream

200 ml milk

2 tsp plain flour

1 clove of garlic, pressed

salt, white pepper

breadcrumbs

3 tbsp butter, in dollops

The sauce:

1 shallot, finely chopped

12 g dried porcini (ceps) mushrooms, soaked and squeezed on th excess fluid, chopped

2 tbsp port

200 ml cream

concentrated game stock

colouring agent

salt, white pepper

Start with the gratin. Peel the celeriac and cut into 5 strips. Slice for of these into thin slices (1-2 mm). Put them in a pan of boiling water for a few minutes. Drain. Grease an oven dish (about 15×25 cm) with butter and add the celeriac. Mix milk, cream, flour, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and  pour over the celeriac. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and distribute the dollops of butter on top. Bake in 200C for about 40 mins or until the celeriac is soft and the gratin is golden brown on top.

Fry the meat on high heat in butter and oil on all sides. Lower the heat and fry for about 5 minutes longer. Remove to tin foil, wrap it around, and leave to rest.

Melt a knob of butter in a sauce pan and fry the onions soft without browning, add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes longer. Add the port and let it most of it bubble away. Add the cream, while stiring, bring to the boil. Add colouring agent, stock, salt and pepper to taste. Also add the meat juices from the tin foil.

Roll the meat in parsley and cut each fillet into 3 pieces. Plate and serve with green beans.