August 2012 – Page 3 – Scandelights

Grilled oysters

Published on August 6, 2012 by HannaLeave a comment

While home in Sweden I got into watching some of the summer programs on telly, and one TV chef called Tina Nordström cooked dinner with Swedish celebreties. In one program she met with a talk show host in the archipelagoa and put oysters on the barbecue. Something both me and my parents really wanted to try, so we did.

Dad was also great at opening the oysters and of course got to do the man-job and light the barbecue.

I really enjoy osysters, but this was the first time I had them warm, but it was just as nice as cold ones.

How to:

Fire up the barbecue and wait for the coal to warm up. Open the oysters and discard of the ‘lid’. Place the oysters directly on the hot coal and wait for them to heat up and shrink a little. Remove from heat and de-attach the oysters from the shells. Add lemon juice and 1-2 drops of tabasco.

Denmark: Gisselfeld, Zealand, Denmark

Published on August 2, 2012August 2, 2012 by HannaLeave a comment

My parents are good at coming up with nice places to visit, both at home in Skåne and across the waters in Denmark. As we were driving down towards the islands Lolland and Falster we stopped at Gisselfeld Abbey; a castle with a lovely orangery, park, shop and restaurant.

The orangery is really big and contains lots of different plants, and although I find it beautiful I definitely have a shorter attention span to such things than my gardening mother.

Isn’t it beautiful?!

Outside of the orangery there was a nice display of pots and plants and inside it was full to the brim with geranium and little orange trees.

I really appreciated the beauty of this place but when the blod sugar levels drop I was really pleased to find the restaurant on the grounds.

The restaurant and cafée was just as nice as the gardens. The tables were wooden and painted in a dark green and there was a box filled with cushions by the counter to put on your chair and sit comfortably. Even the table decorations were thought through and consisted of edible pea shoots. How clever!

Both mum and dad went for the Paris patty; a beef patty served on bread with a poached egg on top and served with three different sauces. Simple but well cooked.

I was super hungry and went for the homemade burger served with quickly pickled cucumber and homemade dressing. Very nice!

Gisselfeld Klostercafé

Gisselfeldvej 12

4690 Haslev

Denmark

Arctic char with new potatoes and a most fabulous sauce

Published on August 1, 2012 by HannaLeave a comment

Hi!

I am now back in the UK after two lovely weeks on the south coast in Sweden. Only downside was being without internet for most of that time, hence the silence.

My first supper in Sweden mum spoiled me with fried Arctic char, a fabulous fish that is a bit difficult to find in the UK so I thoroughly enjoy it when I go back home. We had new potatoes, steamed carrots and a lovely sauce with it. The sauce is already in the blog’s archive, but is worth mentioning again as it makes a nice piece of simply prepared fish into a feast.

Most things are coastal blue in the summer house, even the tableware.

Pan-fried Arctic char, steamed new potatoes and carrots and that divine sauce.

Strawberry ripple icecream with strawberries from my parent’s garden for dessert.

Herb sauce with lime, serves 4

50 g butter

250 ml creme fraiche

200 ml milk

50 ml dry white wine

1 tsp dijon mustard

concentrated fish stock

3 egg yolks

20 g mixed fresh herbs

1/5 lime, the zest

salt & pepper

Mix all the ingredients apart from the yolks and herbs in a saucepan. Stir until it has boiled for a few minutes. Then add the sauce to the yolks bit by bit until they have soaked up everything. Heat the sauce up so it thickens but it must not boil. Add the herbs and serve.