Scandelights

Recipe: bruschetta with burrata

Published on June 6, 2019June 6, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

I hardly think I’m the first person to think of this combination, but since I like to pair burrata with everything tomato-y here we are. And it’s a winner! I love the classic bruschetta but the burrata adds another dimension with its creaminess and makes the dish a little more sophisticated (but also more difficult to eat with dignity).

I could start every dinner party, luncheon and gathering with this and some rosé from now until August and have happy guests – I’m sure of it. Or if you want to skip the bread, make a classic caprese salad (basically the same ingredients) but with burrata instead of mozzarella. That’s what I did with the leftovers and it was delicious too! But bruschetta is great for a crowd as you don’t need plates (although they are quite handy), just serve these with plenty of napkins!

Hanna’s bruschetta with burrata, serves 4-6 as a starter or as nibbles

1 large baguette

olive oil

1 garlic clove, cut in half

4-5 vine tomatoes

1 handful fresh basil, finely chopped

sea salt, black pepper

2 small burrata or 1 large, at room temperature

Slice the baguette thinly on the diagonal. Place on a parchment covered baking tray. Drizzle with oil and rub the bread with the garlic. Toast the bread in a 200C oven until golden, approx 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile chop the tomatoes and place in a sieve or colander to remove the excess liquid. Transfer to a bowl. Chop the garlic used for rubbing the bread and mix that in as well as the basil. Add oil, salt and pepper.

Remove the toasted bread from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Place on a plate or platter, top with the tomato mixture. Tear the burrata into smaller pieces and put some on each bruschetta. Drizzle with olive oil and top with black pepper. Serve immediately with plenty of napkins.

Nights in, cinema and concert!

Published on June 5, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

Monday last week was a bank holiday, so lovely! I started the day with a lie-in and toast with Nutella for breakfast while somebody was away playing golf. So indulgent with Nutella, but that’s what weekends (and ball holidays) are for, right?!

For lunch we had leftover pancakes with whipped cream and blueberries before going to the park to play with my boyfriend’s nieces.

Back home I made roast chicken, roasted vegetables, Greek-is salad and tzatziki for dinner and we saw the last ever episode of Big Bang Theory (sob) – can’t believe it’s been going for 12 years! And an episode of Billions.

The next day I was in complete denial about the work week and made a cooked breakfast before work!

In the evening I had a quiet evening in front of Now TV (Sky’s streaming service) with Chernobyl (great series!!) and The Rookie. For dinner I made an almost-poke-bowl, which I often cook if it’s just me for dinner.

On Wednesday evening I had leftovers for dinner; tzatziki, feta and salad from the weekend, meatballs from the freezer and some freshly made potato wedges. Instead of watching TV I caught up on some of my favourite podcasts (Swedish Säker Stil and Bad on Paper) and read.

Thursday evening was book club night at Anna’s who was a terrific hostess feeding us lovely vegetarian food!

Even though it was a short work week it felt really long, so on Friday we celebrated with burgers and cinema. We saw Rocketman which I really enjoyed, apart from maybe the ending which was a bit meh.

We had a lovely lie-in on Saturday followed by a cooked breakfast. Then I went shopping for a baby present before heading across town (literally) to the Olympic Park for a concert with Muse.

We had burgers (again) in the sun at Shake Shack before heading into the stadium, but they actually had lots of food options there too.

The concert was amazing (my first time seeing Muse) and we had such a fun evening. But it was a long day as it took us ages to get back to our side of London.

Sunday we had another cooked breakfast (needed after the night before – we walked so much!) before we went to visit my boyfriend’s sister and her family. We played with the children and cuddled their new baby girl!

In the evening I made an easy chicken gratin with rice and before that we had a burrata salad with tomatoes and basil (can’t get enough of that right now!) and watched the latest episode of Billions before heading to bed.

Recipe: rösti with avocado, creme fraîche and lumpfish roe

Published on June 4, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

This recipe might be the best Scandi brunch recipe yet. Rösti with creme fraîche and lumpfish roe (or bleak roe) is a retro starter from the 1970s that I grew up with in the 1980s and I still eat it regularly now too, but for supper.

By adding avocado the dish feels more current (thanks avocado toast, for that!) than retro even though half an avocado topped with creme fraîche and lumpfish roe was another popular starter back in the day, so all I’ve really done here is to combine the two.

Rösti with avocado, creme fraiche, lumpfish roe and red onion, serves 2

2 large potatoes

1 avocado, sliced

2 large spoonfuls creme fraiche

2 topped tsp lumpfish roe

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

butter and oil for frying

Peel and grate the potatoes on a coarse setting. Shape into two rounds and fry in butter and oil until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Season well. Plate the rösti and top with avocado, creme fraîche and lumpfish roe. Scatter with chopped red onions.

Recipe: molten chocolate cake 2.0

Published on May 31, 2019June 1, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

This classic of a pudding is still a favourite of mine. There is something so comforting about a warm and gooey chocolate pudding that it makes me really happy. I already have a recipe for this on the blog, but I must say that this recipe is even better hence why I’m blogging about it again!

I prefer to serve my molten chocolate cakes with vanilla ice cream as I love the contrast between the warm cake and the cold ice cream but you whipped cream and berries works just as well.

Molten chocolate cake 2.0, serves 2

Adapted from Smitten Kitchenäs recipe.

55 g unsalted butter

2 tsp cocoa (and more to decorate)

85 g dark chocolate

a pinch of sea salt

1-2 tbsp sugar

1 egg +1 egg yolk

Pre-heat the oven to 230C. Butter two regular sized ramekins and cover with a think coating of cocoa.

Break the chocolate in smaller pieces and place in a bowl together with the butter. Melt the chocolate and butter until 2/3 melted either over a Bain Marie or in a microwave. Beat until it has all melted. Add sugar and salt. Lastly add the egg and egg yolk and beat an extra 20-30 times extra (important) until a glossy mixture. Add the cocoa and mix it in.

Divide the batter between the ramekins. Bake for 7-9 minutes and leave to cool for a minute. Turn onto plates (use pot holders!) and powder with cocoa. Serve with vanilla ice cream and eat immediately.

Quiet week, date night and a Sunday walk

Published on May 30, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

Last week was nice weather-wise and it finally felt like late spring, early summer. So lovely to walk around in a skirt without being cold!

I started the week with a night in on Monday. I watched Station 19 (a new discovery for me) and went to bed early.

The next night I was too tired to cook properly so made my favourite spinach dip and called that dinner.

On the Wednesday night I was supposed to have dinner with two girl friends but it got cancelled so I did some errands and made myself fish tacos instead.

The next day I took the train down to the New Forest for work and stayed for the day. Back in London again that evening I made my favourite fast food: rösti with creme fraîche, lumpfish roe and chopped red onions. It’s really speedy and perfect after a whole day away with trains, delays and traffic jams.

On the Friday I did some errands and stayed in with Shake Shack and Netflix. A whole (work) week at home is rather rare for me, but it was a real treat and definitely needed!

Despite the quiet week I thoroughly enjoyed my lie-in on Saturday and a morning of taking it easy. I had breakfast and chatted to my best friend for a good hour – such a treat! In the evening we had date night at Trinity and ate so many yummy things that we could have rolled all the way home.

Sunday lie-in followed by tea in bed and brunch at home with American pancakes, crispy pancetta, blueberries and obscene amounts of butter and maple syrup. YUM!

Then we went for a walk on Wimbledon Common and made friends with several goslings, a heron and some squirrels. It’s amazing how close to nature you are in London.

After our walk we did the most of the weather (it wasn’t raining) and had a glass of rosé in a cosy beer garden before we went back home and watched an amazing wild life documentary in 3D.

I made delicious shrimp rolls for dinner and afterwards we watched the super tense film A Quiet Place. Brilliant film!

Recipe: spaghetti with tomato, burrata and crispy parma ham

Published on May 29, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

Who else loveeees burrata? I’m a huge fan and I think it’s easier to find decent burrata than mozzarella in the supermarket these days. That makes me a little sad, as I think good quality buffalo mozzarella should be readily available but as I love burrata, I’m glad it has become more accessible. Still, get the best you can find as even though the supermarket version is decent there are better ones out there!

My favourite pairing with burrata is definitely tomatoes, as the natural acidity and sweetness in them just works so well with the creaminess of the cheese. I love a caprese style salad with burrata and that’s where I got the inspiration for this dish. With the addition of crispy parma ham for texture.

Adding the tiniest amount of cream to the tomato sauce, like I’ve done here, really changes the flavours of it and I think it goes even better with the burrata this way. But only use a small amount of cream, as I think the tomatoes should still be prominent.

Spaghetti with tomato, burrata and crispy parma ham, serves 3

400 g spaghetti

6 slices parma ham

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tbsp light olive oil

270 g cherry tomatoes, halved

100 ml white wine

chopped basil

2 tsp caster sugar

salt, black pepper

6 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp herbs de provence

2 tbsp double cream

To serve:

1 burrata, at room temperature

grated parmesan

more chopped basil

Pre-heat the oven to 200C fan. Place the ham slices on parchment covered baking tray and put it in the oven for 7 minutes or until crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Cook the spaghetti al dente according to the instructions on the packet. In the meantime, make the tomato sauce. Add oil to a medium sauce pan and put it on medium heat. Add the garlic and shortly after the cherry tomatoes. Let them soften and caramelise. Once mushy add the wine and basil and stir occasionally. Add sugar to taste.

For more sauciness, add 6 tbsp tomato sauce and the herb de Provence. Add the cream and lower the heat while the sauce is thickening a little. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar.

Drain the pasta and add it to the saucepan. Mix throughly and divide between bowls. Top with the burrata torn into smaller pieces. Finish off with grated parmesan, chopped basil and the crispy ham.

London: amazing sushi at Dinings SW3

Published on May 27, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

When my childhood friend Therése comes to visit she always prepares a list of what she would like to do, see and eat. As we both like to plan I thoroughly embrace it and it makes hosting so much easier!

One thing on her list is always the same; sushi. So I book a different restaurant each time. Last year we went to Sushi Atelier and this year we went to Dinings SW3 that’s been on my list forever (well, since it opened).

Dinings SW3 feels very established in a cosy mews near Walton Street and it definitely has that South Ken vibe. It’s on the swankier side, but I love that!

The menu is extensive and although the tasting menu looked amazing we preferred to choose our own dishes. We thought we had ordered a the perfect amount of food, but some of the maki rolls were a lot bigger than we anticipated so in the end it was a bit too much but we almost finished everything. We both struggle to leave good sushi, even if we’re beyond full.

The first thing we ordered was the tar tar chips with scallops. We only had one each but next time I will order more of these. They’re so pretty and delicious!

I love miso soup and couldn’t resist this one with lobster, tomato and chives. And to no one’s surprise it is definitely the best miso soup I’ve eaten.

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Next we had a steamed bun slider with tempura prawn each – also really nice, but probably my least favourite out of our spread.

Then we moved on to the sushi. Wow! The nigiri with avocado and jalapeño mayonnaise was just amazing. And the semi-fatty tuna was equally mind blowing.

The grilled miso aubergine was delicious too but almost too much to share between two. It was exactly how I expected it to be; soft and sticky with a caramelised flavour too it. So lovely!

The salmon maki was another favourite, it just tasted so pure. I can’t describe it any other way.

The next two maki rolls were the big ones. The first one with tempera prawns was amazing but rather filling.

And the double crab roll was so impressive with snow crab in the roll and deep fried soft shell crab on top. It was huge and so good but we did struggle to finish it.

At this point the table next to us received the lobster maki and I got a small case of food envy, but it was good in a way, because now I know what to order on my next visit!

Dinings SW3, Lennox Gardens Mews, London SW3 2JH

Recipe: green pea soup with creme fraîche and bleak roe

Published on May 24, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

I know, green pea soup is nothing new. But, it’s really delicious (and nutritious!) and made even more delicious topped with creme fraîche and bleak roe.

Mamma had this at a restaurant and told me how the combination really works, so obviously I took her word for it and tried it too!

And now, I hope you take my word for it too. Because it really does work and makes this lovely soup even more dinner party worthy than it was before.

A note on bleak roe. I realise it’s a fairly Swedish ingredient, but any nice of fish roe or caviar would work here. It’s that slightly salty tang that works so well with the creaminess of the soup.

Green pea soup with creme fraîche and bleak roe, serves 2

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 tbsp neutral oil

300 g frozen petit pois

water to cover

a dash of concentrated vegetable or chicken stock

100 ml cream

approx 3 tbsp dry white wine

To serve:

2 tbsp full fat creme fraiche

2 tbsp bleak roe

Heat up a sauce pan and add oil. Add the onions and fry on medium heat without browning. Add the frozen peas to the pan and just about cover them with water. Bring to the boil and let it boil for a minute or two. Drain but keep the water on the side. Blitz the peas with about two small ladles of the water until you have a too-thick soup. Pour it back into the pan, add cream, wine and stock and bring to the boil again. Add more liquid if the soup is too thick. Season. With two spoons shape eggs of the creme fraîche and place in bowls. Do the same with bleak roe and place on top. Place on the table and pour in the soup.

Dinner out, nights in and a weekend in the country!

Published on May 23, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

Last Monday was a regular work day. Monday is definitely not my favourite day of the week but this one was made better with burrata left overs for lunch.

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For dinner I made an omelette with ham, cheese and mushroom. Such a great way to clear out the fridge and get a healthy supper at the same time!

The rest of the evening I took it easy reading the book club book.

Tuesday was a busy work day and I had to run for my dinner date with my friend Lotta visiting from Sweden. We had a lovely catch up at Temper Covent Garden and we sat outside even though it was a bit cold. So Swedish of us, haha.

Wednesday evening I took it easy at home and read Reese Witherspoons book Whiskey in a Teacup. Such a sweet book!

The next day I packed for the weekend, had a poke bowl for dinner and I got completely hooked on Station 19 (a spin-off to Greys Anatomy that I discovered that night). Love easy watching series!

On Friday we ordered pizza from our favourite Franco Manca before we drove north to Northamptonshire. On Saturday we did a lot of gardening during the day and in the evening we were invited to a dinner party.

Sunday we did some more gardening and then sat in front of the fire in the evening before driving back to London late in the evening to avoid the worst of the traffic.

Recipe: oysters au gratin with Västerbotten cheese and wild garlic

Published on May 22, 2019 by Hanna1 Comment

I love oysters; both au naturelle and cooked. So you can only imagine that I felt like I was in heaven when I visited Cape Cod a few summers ago. I don’t think I ate anything other than seafood while I was there!

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When cooking oysters at home, I think the au gratin concept is the best approach, as it’s easy, quick and seriously delicious!

This recipe with Swedish Västerbotten cheese and wild garlic is perfect for spring (and you can of course substitute the Swedish cheese with parmesan or even cheddar) and we followed it up with asparagus (some harvested in our own garden!) and hollandaise sauce as well as prawns (cooked and smoked), homemade mayonnaise and wild garlic bread. It was quite the feast and such a treat to enjoy it with my parents! As we don’t see each other all that often we try to make it special when we are together.

Oysters au gratin with Västerbotten cheese and wild garlic, serves 3 as a starter

With two more courses two oysters each was the perfect amount, but if you’re having a light main course I would recommend three oysters per person.

6 fresh oysters

3 tbsp double cream

3 tbsp grated Västerbotten cheese

1/2 – 1 tsp Dijon mustard

approx 6 wild garlic leaves, finely chopped

salt, black pepper

To serve:

nice bread

Open the oysters with an oyster knife and discard the top shell. Cut loose the oysters but keep on the shells and place in an ovenproof dish. Mix cream and mustard in a bowl and add cheese and most of wild garlic. Season well. Spoon the mixture over the oysters, enough to cover them and sprinkle some more wild garlic on top. Place under a hot grill or in a very hot oven (225C) until bubbly and a little brown, approx 3-5 minutes. Serve with baguette or crusty bread to soak up the juices.