Meat – Scandelights

Recipe: Meat Fondue

Published on February 7, 2022 by HannaLeave a comment

When I was little (in the late 1980s, early 1990s) fondues seemed the height of fashion. I remember my parents once taking me to a restaurant to eat meat fondue when I was really little and it was so exciting! We also used to eat fondues at home and still do, as we all love it.

In Sweden it’s quite popular with a broth fondue (you cook the meat in the broth) but in my family we have always preferred oil.

My first ten years in London I didn’t eat a single meat fondue here (although you can in some places) but I of course had it with my parents when I went home to visit. Meat fondues are just not that popular here; it’s the cheese fondue that has found traction here. In fact, if you just say fondue in Sweden you mean the meat version, but if you say it here in the UK people will presume you’re talking about cheese!

But then I met my boyfriend, who had, not just one, but two cast iron fondue pots in his cupboard and grew up eating meat fondues too. With oil. So last year in lockdown we had a few fondue nights. I learned how to make cheese fondue (more on that later) and merged both of our meat fondue traditions into one.

It was so much fun (it’s a great date night or small dinner party activity) and so yummy! This year I might do a fondue for Valentin’e Day or maybe even two (a meat one AND a chocolate one). We’ll see.

Our Meat Fondue, serves 2

Meat: We decided on three types of meat; beef, pork and chicken, and I went for the fillet in all three cases. About 100 g of each type of meat per person, which is quite a lot, but we managed.

Potatoes and vegetables: I definitely prefer warm potatoes, so made potato wedges, but fries or chips would work too. I’m used to having just a salad but thought it would be fun to cook vegetables in the fondue pot as well. We had mushrooms, broccoli and peppers. The broccoli was our favourite!

Sauces: I made homemade bearnaise sauce and a sweet chilli creme fraiche sauce to go with the chicken and pork. Both delicious!

Fondue pot, fuel and oil: We used one fondue pot for two people, but for four people I would recommend two pots if you have, as it gets crowded otherwise and the meat doesn’t cook as fast. I ordered gel fuel from Amazon which worked so well and felt easier to handle than liquid fuel. It also didn’t smell very much. Most important with oil is that it’s one that can take high temperatures, like vegetable oil, warm pressed rapeseed oil or groundnut oil. I also heat it up properly on the stove first and then transfer it to the fondue pot, so it’s warm to begin with. I recommend three forks (or maybe even four) per person, with two it’s a bit too slow, especially if you cook the vegetables too.

Recipe: Wild Garlic Hummus with Crispy Za’atar Mince, Vegetables and Pitta

Published on June 4, 2021 by HannaLeave a comment

While browsing my fellow food blogger Charlotta’s site I came upon a recipe of crispy mince with hummus that immediately brought me back to my trip to Syria ten years ago. Hummus is often served with toppings in the Middle East, rather than on its own.

So without even glancing at her instructions, I decided to make my own version. I usually make my dill hummus, but this time I substituted the dill with wild garlic (I’ve put it in everything this spring!) and it was so good!

I fried beef mince really crispy in oil and seasoned it with za’atar, salt and pepper and added cucumber, tomatoes and pickled red onions. And pitta bread to scoop it all up, of course!

Loved this! And know I will make it often for supper as it’s quick but delicious!

Wild garlic hummus with crispy za’atar mince, vegetables and pitta, serves 2

1 batch wild garlic hummus (recipe below)

250 g beef mince

2 tbsp mild olive oil

2 tsp za’atar

salt and pepper

a squeeze of lemon

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

10 cm cucumber, sliced in 1,5 cm slices and cut into four

pickled red onions

5 large mint leaves, thinly sliced

small bunch of parsley, chopped

2 toasted pitta breads to serve

Fry the mince on high heat in the oil until brown and crispy. Add more oil it it seems dry. Add za’atar, salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Place a large dollop of hummus in a bowl and spread it out. Top with the mince, cucumber, tomatoes, pickled red onions and herbs. Serve with toasted pittas.

Wild garlic hummus

1/2 can (200 g) good quality chickpeas, drained and rinsed

50-75 ml mild olive oil

1 tbsp tahini

1/2 lemon, the juice only

small bunch (5-6 large leaves) wild garlic

plenty of salt and black pepper

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a food processor, mix the chickpeas with tahini, olive oil and wild garlic until smooth. Add lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Keeps for 5 days in the fridge.

Recipe: Smash Burgers at Home

Published on July 24, 2020 by HannaLeave a comment

One of the foods I really missed in lockdown was a good burger. As we were in the countryside we couldn’t even get a takeaway, although I believe most burger restaurants were closed anyway.

§So there wasn’t much to do but make my own. And since I had a hot Aga to cook on, I thought it was the perfect time to finally try the smash burger. It sounds complicated, but it’s in fact a super simple burger, made from only minced beef, salt and papper, that you sort of smash down on a hot surface to cook, creating lovely crispy bits as it’s not round and uniform. My favourite burger chain Shake Shack does this and their patties are lovely!

I made smash burgers a few times and even though they all turned out quite well, I did learn a few things through trial and error that I thought would be helpful to share:

The cooking surface (be it an Aga – if so use the hottest plate, a frying pan, or a sheet pan on the barbecue – yes, I’ve tried that too!) needs to be HOT. Very hot! Sizzling hot. Especially as I like my burger a bit pink in the middle.
Divide the mince into smaller burgers creating thin crispy patties that you can layer, rather than one fat patty. This was you get more crispy bits, a juicier centre and all around a nicer burger.
The coarseness of the mince matters. I’ve found that finely ground mince works the best here as it holds together better and makes it easier to make flat patties.
The fat content matters a lot. The best would of course be to buy beef and fat and mince it yourself at home, but if you buy minced beef in the shop make sure you get as much fat as you can. Minimum 12% but 20% is the dream. Lean beef is not for burgers as the flavour is in the fat.

Smash burgers, serves 2

This is based on two double burgers, if you prefer a single burger just add more buns and toppings.

400 g finely ground good quality 20 % fat beef mince

neutral oil

salt and pepper

4 plastic cheese slices

2 good quality (the softer the better!) brioche burger buns

2 lettuce leaves

2 tomato slices

1 batch Fake Shack sauce

other toppings of choice

Remove the meat from the fridge an hour before cooking. Once at room temperature, divide the meat into 4 sections that hold together. Unwrap the cheese and get the lettuce, sauce and tomatoes ready. Cut the buns in half.

Pre-heat the oven to 175C. Add a little bit of oil to coat your cooking surface (frying pan, Aga sheet or oven tray on the barbecue) and heat on really high heat.

Add the meat, leaving lots of space around. Do batches rather than crowding the pan if not much room and flatten the meat down hard with a spatula. Hold down to get crispy bits. Turn the burger around and cook the other side. Season well on both sides and add cheese. Let it melt properly then remove from pan to a plate and let rest for a minute.

Toast the burger buns in the oven for approx 30 seconds. Then build your burger. Shack sauce on both bun halves. Lettuce on the bottom half, followed by the burger, tomato slice and top bun.

Recipe: Slow-Cooked Short Rib with Caramelised Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Published on April 28, 2020 by Hanna1 Comment

This comforting hug of a dish was a real hit! Both to cook and, of course, to eat. Cooking wise the oven does most of the work for you; tenderising those short ribs so that they completely fall off the bone when you try to pick them up. Together with the caramelised garlic for the mash, also cooking in the oven at the same time, the scents in the kitchen were a pure delight, and a good indicator of how nice our supper would be.

And indeed it was! Is there anything more joyful than a comforting plate of food that just fits together like peas in a pod?! Soft succulent umami full short ribs marriages so perfectly with the velvety and fluffy mashed potatoes with a lovely hint of earthy and sweet caramelised garlic.

The short rib recipe is courtesy of the brilliant What’s Gaby Cookinghttps://whatsgabycooking.com/garlic-red-wine-braised-short-ribs/, although a bit modified, but the caramelised garlic mashed potato recipe is all my own.

Red wine braised short ribs, serves 2-3

Adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking’s recipe.

900 g bone-in short rib of beef

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1/2 celery stalk, chopped

1 tbsp plain flour

1/2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 -1 bottle red wine

a few sprigs each of parsley, thyme, oregano and rosemary

1 bay leaf

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

400 ml beef stock

Preheat oven to 180C. Season short ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a casserole dish on medium-high heat. Brown short ribs on all side and transfer to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot.

Add onions, carrots, and celery to pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until well combined and deep red, 2-3 minutes. Stir in wine, then add the short ribs back in. Bring to a boil; lower heat to medium and simmer until wine is reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Add all herbs to pot along with garlic. Stir in stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven.

Cook until short ribs are tender, approx 2 hours. Transfer short ribs to a plate. Strain sauce from pot and spoon fat from surface of sauce and discard; season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on a pillow of caramelised garlic mashed potatoes.

Caramelised garlic mashed potatoes, serves 2-3

2 heads of garlic

650 g King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into similar sized pieces

3 tbsp salted butter

approx 50 ml whole milk

salt and pepper

While the short ribs are cooking, cut the top off the garlic heads and wrap in tin foil. Place them in the oven until soft, approx 40-60 minutes. Remove until needed for the mashed potatoes.

Boil the potatoes just about covered with salted water on medium-low heat until soft, approx 15-20 pieces, depending on the size of the potato pieces. Drain water and let them sit uncovered for a minute. Add butter and some of the milk and either mash with a masher or beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add more milk as you go. Take the foil off the garlic heads and squeeze out the caramelised garlic into the mashed potatoes. Stir well and add more as you taste. Season well and serve with the short rib.

Recipe: Fillet of Beef, Pommes Anna, Mushroom Sauce with Cognac and Charred Spring Onions

Published on April 14, 2020 by HannaLeave a comment

New Year’s Eve feels so far away. Was it only three months ago?! But I still remember the lovely evening we had, and the food I cooked of course.

After plenty of bubbly and nibbles we had lobster with beurre blanc, and after that we had fillet of beef with pommes Anna, mushroom sauce with cognac, broccoli and charred spring onions. So yummy!

I cooked the fillet of beef whole, giving the end bits to Emma who prefers her more cooked, the medium pieces for the boys and the rarest for me. My guess work worked out well but I suggest you use a thermometer to get it just right.

I made the sauce the day before and heated it up while the rest was cooking but the rest I did the same evening. Luckily my friends have an open plan kitchen dining room so it’s easy to cook and be sociable at the same time.

Fillet of beef, Pommes Anna, mushroom sauce with cognac, broccoli and charred spring onions, serves 4

800-1000 g fillet of beef

butter and oil for frying

salt and pepper

1 kg maris piper (or similar firm potatoes), peeled and thinly sliced

150 g salted butter, melted

salt and peppar

300 g tenderstem broccoli

1 bunch spring onions, washed and trimmed

Mushroom sauce:

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp neutral oil for frying

100 g fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced

30 g dried black trumpet mushrooms (porcini works too but then you probably need a bit less)

400 ml double cream

1/4 vegetable stock cube

1-2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp cognac

salt and pepper

Start with the potatoes as they need the longest time to prepare (and can be kept warm if needed). Add some melted butter to a cast iron (or oven proof – if you haven’t got one, use a springform) frying pan and cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of potato slices. Add more melted butter, salt and pepper and continue to layer (each slice overlapping others) until it’s full. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top and add something heavy and oven proof as a weight on top. Place in 200C oven for approx 15 minutes, then remove the weight and the paper and cooked until golden on top and soft in the middle (pierce with a pairing knife), approx 45 minutes all together. If it’s getting too brown cover with tin foil. Can be kept warm until needed covered in foil on a 150 C heat.

Next brown the beef on all sides in butter and oil on high heat. Add salt and pepper and place on an oven tray covered in oil. Add garlic and maybe some herbs and place in a 200 C oven until a few degrees shy of the temperature you want. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into 1cm though slices. If you want your beef really rare, brown it early but don’t put it in the oven until the potatoes and the sauce are well on their way. You can cook the vegetables as the meat is resting.

For the sauce, cover the dried mushrooms with boiling water in a bowl for a few minutes. Fry the onions and garlic until soft in butter and oil. Remove from pan, add more butter and oil if needed and fry the fresh mushrooms. Season and add it to the fried onions. Lastly, fry the rehydrated dried mushrooms and season. Add the other mushrooms and the onions back to the pan and lower the heat. Add the cream and stock cube and bring to a gentle boil. Add the dijon mustard and cognac and season to taste. If it’s too thick add a little water or fresh cream to make it thinner. Keep warm or reheat just before serving.

Boil the broccoli for approx 3 minutes, until it’s softened a bit but is still a bit crunchy. Drain and cover with kitchen towel. Fry the spring onions in a fry frying pan on high heat until charred.

To plate, cut the Pommes Anna into wedges, add the sauce, vegetables and the meat on top. Add some extra salt and pepper and enjoy!

Recipe: Beef and Ginger Stir-fry with Rice and Sesame Broccoli

Published on January 31, 2020 by HannaLeave a comment

This recipe is so easy to make that I managed it when I was tired and shaky and almost wished I had ordered a takeaway. But it doesn’t take long to make at all, and tastes so good it just can’t compare to a takeaway.

It’s full of flavour and feels silky and light although you’re eating steak. It’s so delicious it has become one of my new favourite recipes – especially suitable for Friday nights in when we want something fast but delicious enough to celebrate the end of a work week and this fits the bill perfectly.

Beef and Ginger Stir-fry with Rice and Sesame Broccoli, serves 4

Adapted from Bon Appétit’s recipe.

ca 450 g skirt steak (I used bavette which worked really well)

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp + 1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp salt + more

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium sweet onion, sliced

7cm ginger, peeled, very thinly sliced

ground black pepper

80 ml water

3 tbsp butter, cut into pieces

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

To serve:

cooked rice

Cut the steak into large strips. Toss in a bowl with sugar, sesame oil, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp salt to coat and let sit 20 minutes.

Heat up oil in a frying pan on high heat and let it coat the bottom of the pan. The oil should be shimmering and you should see some wisps of smoke—if it’s not hot enough, the meat will steam instead of getting deeply browned.

Add the steak to the pan in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, until brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. Turn steak over and add onion, ginger, lots of pepper, and the water. Cook, tossing often, until onion is just tender and ginger is softened, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and add butter, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tbsp soy sauce. Toss until butter is melted and coats the steak. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Divide rice among bowls and top with beef stir-fry and serve with sesame broccoli.

Sesame broccoli, serves 4

2 packets tenderstem broccoli (approx 300 g)

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil rostad sesamolja

4 tsp sesame seeds

1/2-1 lemon or lime, the juice

salt and pepper

Trim the dry ends of the broccoli. Place in a large frying pan and almost cover with boiling water. Add salt and cook for about a minute on high heat. Drain and return to the hot pan. Add sesame oil and squeeze with lemon. Toss and add sesame seeds and season. Serve alongside the rice and beef stir-fry.

Recipe: pork fillet en croûte (v. 3) with mushroom crème

Published on October 24, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

This mushroom crème is EVERYTHING! I have used it in the past with meat both at a New Year’s Eve party and for more casual suppers and now I’ve incorporated it into a new recipe.

It works SO well with the pork and puff pastry, and adds that lovely earthiness that mushrooms have to the dish, along with plenty of flavour and a bit of creaminess. Just love this so much. You can obviously use it in a Beef Wellington as well but there is just something about pork and mushrooms that work so well!

Pork fillet en croûte with mushroom crème, serves 2-4 (four as part of a three course meal, two as a stand alone dish)

1 large pork fillet (500g+)

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp neutral oil

salt, black pepper

1 roll all butter puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

Mushroom crème:

125 g chestnut mushrooms

1 handful dried ceps (porcini) in pieces

1 shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp Cognac

50 ml double cream

salt, white pepper

Brown the pork fillet on all sides in the butter and oil and medium heat. Season well. Leave to cool completely.

Soak the ceps for a few minutes then squeeze out the excess liquid. Chop all the mushrooms roughly. Heat up a knob of butter in a frying pan/ on medium heat and add shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Fry slowly adding more butter if needed. Once the mushrooms have browned, add the mustard and Cognac and let the liquid evaporate. Add the cream and let the mixture thicken. Blend to a smooth paste using a stick blender. Adjust the seasoning. Leave to cool completely.

Take the puff pastry from the fridge and roll it out. Spread out the mushroom crème but leave the edge without filling. Place the pork fillet on top of the puff pastry and roll into a parcel. Pinch together the edges to seal. Place on a parchment paper lined baking tray and decorate the top of the pastry with a small knife. Make two holes (chimneys) to let the steam out. Brush with beaten egg. Bake in a 200C oven until the pastry is golden brown and the meat almost cooked through, approx 12-15 minutes (or until the temperature of the meat is 62C). Rest for 5 minutes, then cut into thick slices and serve.

Recipe: pork fillet with lemon and thyme

Published on July 9, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

This thinly sliced and seriously tender pork fillet is such a good recipe to have to hand in the summer months as it can be served warm or cold and goes with pretty much anything. I personally think a potato salad, a nice green salad and some cold pale rosé is perfect, but it would work equally well with an array of different salads, pasta salads and sides on a buffet. And this parmesan créme is delicious to serve with it!

A quick note on pork: I prefer to cook mine slightly pink as it makes the meat so much more tender. The reason we have always been told to make sure pork is well done is because of trichinosis, but there has not been a single case of it from meat produced in the UK for more than 30 years because of rigorous testing (the last case in Sweden was almost as long ago; in 1994) , so it’s perfectly safe to cook it pink. Interesting article here.

Pork fillet with lemon and thyme, serves 2

1 pork fillet, ca 500 g

Marinade:

100 ml rapeseed oil or mild olive oil

1 garlic clove, sliced

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 lemon, sliced

sea salt and black pepper

For cooking:

butter for frying

Decoration:

sea salt and black pepper

1/2 lemon, juice only

approx 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (taken off the sprigs)

1 tbsp thyme oil or nice olive oil

Trim away any sinews and fat on the pork fillet. Season all over. Place in a ziplock bag (or bowl) and add garlic, lemon, thyme and oil. Close the bag and make sure the marinade is evenly distributed around the meat. Place in fridge overnight.

Remove the meat from the fridge about an hour before you intend to cook it. Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Heat a frying pan on medium-high heat and add butter to the pan. When melted, add the meat whole and brown it on all sides (even de the ends). Add a little salt and pepper. Place the meat in an oven-proof dish and cook in the hot oven for 8-10 minutes (a few minutes longer if you want to make sure it’s not pink in the middle, but it does cook on the residual heat as well). Cover with foil and let rest for five minutes. Slice thinly and arrange on a platter. Add salt and pepper and decorate with thyme leaves. Drizzle with thyme oil and lemon juice.

Recipe: slow cooked venison with Hasselback potatoes and cream sauce

Published on March 11, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

In between Christmas and New Year back in Sweden we cooked venison one night, using a recipe from a Swedish cook who also likes to go shooting so I really trust his game recipes.

The original recipe called for elk meat but it worked just as well with venison. The cut is near or around the rump; one that needs to cook slowly to become tender. So this will take a bit of time but it’s not difficult at all and definitely worth it. The tender meat and the creamy sauce (with all the jus from cooking the meat) is just amazing. Serve with Hasselback potatoes and broccoli and tarte tatin and vanilla ice cream for dessert. So yummy!

Slow cooked venison with Hasselback potatoes and cream sauce, serves 6

Translated from and adapted after Per Morberg’s recipe in the book Morberg Lagar Vilt.

1 kg venison rump (off the bone)

salt and pepper

1 carrot

1 onion

1/2 leek

3 tbsp tomato purée

300 ml game stock

200 ml red wine

2 bay leaves

1 sprig thyme

6 juniper berries

Creamy sauce:

the jus from the meat

500 ml double cream

3 tbsp blackcurrant jelly

salt and pepper

Trim the meat and rub in plenty of seasoning. Brown the meat on all sides in a large casserole dish.

Cut the carrot and onion in large pieces. Wash the leek and cut it into large pieces as well. Add it all to the casserole dish and let it brown for a few minutes.

Add tomato purée, stock, wine and herbs. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat until simmering and let it simmer with the lid on until cooked through (until the meat is 65-70 C in the middle), approx 45-60 minutes (maybe more). Turn the meat and baste it a few times. Remove the steak from the casserole pan and cover with tin foil.

For the sauce: sieve the jus and pour it into a clean saucepan together with the cream. Bring to the boil and let it slowly thicken. Stir occasionally. Add the jelly and season to taste.

Cut the meat into thin slices across the grain of the fibres. Serve with the sauce and Hasselback potatoes.

NYE 2018

Published on January 18, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

I’m very fond of New Year’s Eve and have been since I was a child. It always felt like a special night and think it still does today. I like to dress up, eat and drink well and spend it with dear ones.

This year it was just four of us and a little toddler, but it was a lovely evening. The boys played golf while Emma and I cooked and played with the little one and as soon as the boys were back we got some nibbles and wine out. Then we continued with champagne and more nibbles until my goddaughter was asleep.

I had made three types of nibbles; crisps with smetana, bleak roe, chopped red onions and dill, Toast Lingstrom and my girolle toasts 2.0. I love all of these snacks and they were substantial enough to keep us going for a while. The champagne we had was delicious too and definitely one I will buy again: Pol Roger Brut Vintage, 2009.

After the nibbles we sat down for a three-course meal. First lobster with garlic butter, browned butter and lemon.

Followed by fillet of beef with garlic butter, potato terrine with cheese and herbs, green beans, tenderstem broccoli and red wine jus.

And for pudding we had a well-loved classic; churros with cinnamon sugar, chocolate sauce and three minute ice cream.