Scandelights

Lunch at Amanda Boman, Gothenburg

Published on April 24, 2013April 23, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

On Friday morning when I arrived in Gothenburg the sky was grey and the rain was pouring down. Much like London a few weeks ago.

Since the weather was so miserable I didn’t really want to be outdoors and suddenly I was standing outside Saluhallen, a covered food court with both shops and restaurant. Of course I went it and had a look around. I wanted something warming for lunch and settled for a bouillabaisse at Amanda Boman.

Included in the lunch was also a side salad, freshly baked sourdough, coffee or tea and three types of cakes and biscuits for afters.

The fish soup was fresh with plenty of vegetables as well as chunks of fish and seafood. The two big dollops of lime aioli made it delicious. The bread and cakes were lovely too, and really liked this little oasis in the food court.

Amanda Boman, Stora Saluhallen, 411 17 Göteborg, Sweden

Food bloggers unite!

Published on April 23, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

This past weekend I was in Gothenburg to meet up with other Swedish food bloggers. Last year I met up with more or less the same gang in Ystad, and this time it was time to visit Gothenburg, Sweden’s second largest city, situated on the West Coast.

We ate and drank a lot, did a food tour around town and enjoyed the sun as much as we could. It is such a nice idea to meet up, share ideas and network like this. A more in-dept description of the weekend’s activities is yet to come.

Breakfast at Megan’s.

Published on April 20, 2013April 18, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

Last weekend I finally got to try Megan’s, that my flatmates rave about all the time. It’s located in the Fulham end of Kings Road and just a walk away from the flat.

I took my parents here for breakfast and we all enjoyed the rustic feel to the place. And the food of course.

Daddy had the full English and wasn’t very hungry for the rest of the day. It came – as it should – with baked beans, fried eggs, mushrooms, sausage, bacon, tomatoes and toast. All fresh and nice.

I can never resist an Eggs Benedict so that’s what I had, although this was a more modern version of it. It was toasted sourdough instead of the muffin, and cured ham instead of cooked or smoked and with the addition of rocket for freshness. The eggs were perfectly poached and the quite thin hollandaise felt quite light and airy and had a nice flavour to it. So I was very happy!

Mummy, who wasn’t all that hungry had the scrambled eggs, and that is the most dofficult thing for restaurants get right. Maybe because everybody has different preference.

These were a bit to dry for our liking, but they were still quite good. With her croissant mum tried the different jams that was placed on the table – a nice touch.

Having breakfast here is a bit like having a very well cooked homemade meal somewhere else. It is not gourmet, but fresh, good produce and tasty. And so nice when you can’t be bothered to cook yourself!

Megan’s Restaurant & Deli
571 Kings Road, London SW6 2EB

Dinner at Colbert, Chelsea

Published on April 17, 2013 by Hanna1 Comment

Since it opened some time last year, Colbert has been on my very long lists of restaurants to try.

I have always loved The Wolseley, not just the food, but the whole atmosphere, the excellent service and the grand interior.

I expected Colbert to be similar, and it is in many ways, but there is one major difference – the grandness. It is just not as palpable at Colbert. The restaurant is smaller and the lower ceiling height makes it feel cozy but not very grand. But the air of a forgotten time is still there with the impeccable china (so pretty!), linen napkins and silver cutlery.

It is also more relaxed, which is intentional I am sure, with a few tables outside for passers-by or for a quick cigarette before going back in.

But enough about the ambiance, how was the food?

It got mixed reviews from us. Us being mother, father and I.

Mother chose the soup du jour as her starter; a green pea soup with smoked ham and creme fraiche. It was tasty, but not amazing.

Daddy also chose a soup (it was a cold day); fish soup with croutons and rouille. We (I had the same dish as my starter) expected pieces of fish in the soup but instead the soup was smooth. It had a nice flavour, but because of its texture and the lack of fish pieces it was a bit boring to eat. The croutins were nice and crispy but the rouille didn’t taste of much until a hint of heat hit you at the end. All in all it was a decent soup, but far from amazing.

But my starter was, however, amazing. I received a giant slice of the smoothest chicken liver parfait I’ve tasted, framed with butter. Stunning (see top photo). The flavours were fantastic, the texture perfectly smooth and the little jewels of sauternes jelly added both acidity and some sweetness. It also came with toasted brioche which was soft and buttery without being too rich.

Daddy settled for the Minute Steak for his main course, like me he likes his meat. This steak was a sirloin, cooked perfectly and with plenty of smoky flavours from the grill. It came with a herb butter, crispy frites (they were really good actually) and a side salad.

But mummy’s maincourse was the best of them. I so wish I had ordered the same. Her trout was cooked really well and served with samphire, fried mushrooms and the most amazing creamy sauce it was a real treat. She had some new potatoes on the side which was the perfect pairing.

We actually, I don’t know how, had room for pudding. Dad chose a classic creme caramel that I helped him finish and it was really good, up there with mummy’s homemade one.

Mummy, who chose the daily specials all the way through her meal, was tempted byt the pear and almond tarte, that I also helped her with. It was lovely, just very rich.

Despite the mixed quality of the food, everything was good. We are just an especially picky bunch, and the food we really enjoyed was very very good. I like the relaxed atmosphere and the, for me convenient location, and will definitely be back. But I think I will skip the fish soup next time.

Colbert

50-52 Sloane Square

London SW1W 8AX

Borough Market

Published on April 16, 2013 by Hanna2 Comments

Any London foodie worth its name must have visited Borough Market. It is one of my favourite places on earth so I was happy to accompany my parents there when they were visiting.

They love food as much as I do, and visiting the market on a Friday morning we had plenty of time to browse and decide on what to eat.

We started our tour in the Green Market which is part covered and part outside. This is where most of the hot food and lunch vendors are and the amazing smells of barbecued meats and melted cheese makes you instantly hungry.

All three of us wanted raclette to start and we shared two (ginormous) portions, which was more than plenty.

Before that we had tasted (and bought) some amazing choccies from Artisan du Chocolat.

In the newly renovated Three Crown Square, we tried an amzing comté cheese from The French Comté, so good mummy and daddy bought some to take to Sweden. My best find was foraged wild garlic from Kent.

In Jubilee Place I had a super fresh oyster and we all tried the fried scallops with bacon and beansprouts from Shellseekers.

I absolutely adore this place and love coming here on weekends buying ingredients for the same evening’s meal. And most importantly, the British new season asparagus is coming soon. In the words of Arnold: I will be back.

Crispy gnocchi with lardons, rocket and pecorino

Published on April 10, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

Since I moved to London five years ago I have developed my food skills a lot. I am a better cook and I think even more about food than I did before, which I actually thought was impossible.

And because I am older and also have adopted the British ways a little, I do what I can not to waste food.

I don’t rely on use-by-dates, I use my nose and eyes instead. I utilise the freezer a lot, and plan my meals according to what I have in my fridge that needs to be used up. In fact, I find it so satisfying to use up things I have at hand to create a nice meal, that I sometimes prefer that to trying new exciting recipes. It is hands on problem solving, and very gratifying.

This dish is all about using up leftovers but it is also a very tasty way of doing so.

Crispy gnocchi with lardons, rocket and pecorino, serves 1-2

1/2 batch left over gnocchi

100-125 g lardons, finely chopped

a decent knob of butter

salt, pepper

1-2 handfuls rocket

grated pecorino for serving

Fry the lardons crispy on medium heat in a frying pan. Transfer to a plate and add the butter to the fat in the pan. Fry the gnocchi crispy on both sides and add the lardons back to the pan. Add the rocket and let it wilt. Season well. Plate and serve with grated pecorino.

Potato gnocchi

Published on April 9, 2013 by Hanna3 Comments

I have thinking about making my own gnocchi for quite some time, as I find even the fresh store-bought varieties rather unappetizing. They are either rubbery or to squidgy when what I want are fluffy little pillows.

This recipe from the fabulous book, The Geometry of Pasta, produces just that. But compared to homemade pasta these are SO filling. Fluffy yet dense might be a good description.

I served my lovely little dumplings with the sauce I meant to eat them with all along; the creamy tomato sauce with sage and it was delicious!

Potato gnocchi, serves 2 (at least)

Adapted from The Geometry of Pasta.

1-2 large floury potatoes (400g)

50 g plain or 00-flour

1 large egg

grated nutmeg

a pinch of salt

Boil the potato/es whole with the skin on until cooked all the way through. Drain and leave to cool slightly. Pierce with a fork and peel off the skin with a small knife. Put the potato through a ricer and measure up 300 g of the riced potato. Place in a bowl and add the other ingredients. Work into a smooth dough, but don’t handle it more than necessary.

Divide the dough into sections and roll each piece into a finger-thick roll on a floured surface. Cut into little pillows and press with a fork if you like them to have a pattern.

Add to boiling water and cook for 2 minutes from the time they have reached the surface. Drain and serve straight away with sauce and grated parmesan.

Raspberry gateau

Published on April 6, 2013April 4, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

Last time I baked for the office I made Mary Berry’s fantastic white chocolate cheesecake and this traditional Swedish gateau.

It is easy to be home blind, and I didn’t realise how much cream we use in Sweden until I moved here. We have it in a sauce instead of gravy and in or with pretty much any cake.

This is a pretty standard gateau with jam (crushed berries with sugar works too), custard and cream. The sponges are made without butter and that makes them slightly less moist, but also less crumbly and lighter, so it is very easy to assemble this cake.

Raspberry gateau, serves 8-10

Sponge:

4 eggs

200 g caster sugar

1 1/3 tbsp water

160 g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

Flling:

150 ml thick custard

150 ml firmly whipped cream

200 ml seedless raspberry jam

To decorate:

300 g whipped cream

20 g fresh raspberries

Beat sugar and egg until pale and fluffy. Add the water. Mix flour and baking powder and incorporate well. Divide the mixture between two even sized spring forms, greased and lined with a round of parchment paper. Bake in 175C for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the sponges cool completely before assembling the gateau. Mix custard and cream. Spread raspberry jam on top of the first sponge base then slather with the custard cream mix. Spread jam underneath the second sponge and place on top. Cover the whole cake with cream and pipe decorations on top. Decorate with fresh raspberries.

Creamy tomato sauce with sage

Published on April 4, 2013 by Hanna2 Comments

I’m really struggling with the weather at the moment, and all the jokes about a Swedish person being used to the cold are so getting old. Fact is, I am not. In fact, most Swedish people (at least from my end of the country) hate the cold. And even though the winters are long and cold, the well-insulated houses help a lot!

Anyway, those cold windy days when life feels utterly miserable there are a few things that could cheer you up. Friends, wine and food. All three together is of course the best combination, but any of the three on its own can help too.

One evening when I actually had planned to make potato gnocchi but ran out of steam after walking home in the freezing wind from the tube, I settled for what I would have served my gnocchis with; a creamy, warming tomato sauce.

We all know that a great flavour combination is tomato and basil, but with sub-zero temperatures outside that felt way too summery. Instead I opted for another herb that feels just as Italian – sage.

I see this as my winter version of tomato sauce. And that splash of cream feels necessary to fight the cold too.

Creamy tomato sauce with sage, serves 3-4

1 tin (ca 400 g) good quality chopped tomatoes

1/2 tin water

ca 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp soft brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp dried sage (or about 1 tbsp fresh, chopped)

1/2 tsp each of oregano, rosemary and lovage

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 garlic clove, grated

salt, black pepper

50 ml single cream

Pour tomatoes and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Let it reduce and thicken. Add vinegar, herbs, garlic and sugar. Cook until it feels thick enough. Add the cream. Season to taste with salt, sugar and black pepper.

Serve with spaghetti and plenty of grated Parmesan or Pecorino.

White chocolate cheesecake

Published on April 3, 2013 by Hanna1 Comment

The March cakes for the office were only two as some people took time off to have a longer Easter break. And since we had burgers for lunch the same day I expected some cake to be left over. But no, they went down a treat!

Especially this white chocolate cake courtesy of Mary Berry was very popular! It is not too sweet, and that is probably part of the success. That, and using good quality chocolate. There are so many bad and far too sweet versions of white chocolate in the shops. I used Green & Blacks and it was good enough to eat plain and really worked in the cheesecake too.

I decorated my cake with Easter eggs as it was the Thursday before Easter, but other choccies or some fresh berries work well too.

White chocolate cheesecake, serves 8

Adapted from Mary Berry’s recipe.

Base:
50g butter
25g dark chocolate
150g digestive biscuits, crushed

Filling:
300g white chocolate, broken into pieces
400g full fat cream cheese
150 ml soured cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

To serve:
Dusting of cocoa powder

Pre-heat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the base of a Ø 20 cm spring form cake tin with non-stick paper. Melt butter and chocolate in small saucepan over a low heat. Stir in crushed biscuits and press evenly over the base of the tin – chill in the fridge.

Break the white chocolate into a bowl and melt very gently over a pan of hot water (do not allow the chocolate to become too hot), stir occasionally with a spoon until runny and smooth.

Whisk the cream cheese and eggs together in a large bowl until smooth, add soured cream and vanilla and whisk again until completely smooth with no lumps. Stir in the melted chocolate and mix together.

Pour in the tin and spread evenly over the chilled base. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes until firm around the edge and just set in the middle. Remove from the oven. Using a small palette knife run the knife around the edge of the tin and then allow to cool and chill. Remove the outside ring and lift base onto serving plate.