Tag: mushrooms

New Years Eve 2015

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New Year’s Eve. A bit like Marmite – some people hate it, some people like it. I’m definitely in the latter category. I like all the cosiness Christmas brings, but I’m not a fan of the stodgy food that we traditionally eat in Scandinavia, so New Year’s is for me the perfect opportunity to cook and eat food I really like. Food worthy to end the year.

The last few years I’ve spent the evening with my closest friends and we have worked out the perfect New Year’s Eve menu, for us at least.

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We start off with champagne, Swedish Kalix (bleak) roe, butter-fried bread, creme fraiche and chopped red onion., with champagne. It’s the most simple thing – yet incredibly delicious (and very Scandi!).

Next we have lobster, usually with melted garlic butter, and this year I opted for caramelised garlic butter – another simple and delicious dish!

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For mains we usually have fillet of beef, with potatoes and greens. This year the beef fillet was served with mini Pommes Anna (made in a muffin tin), mange tout and a mushroom sauce with Dijon mustard.

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For pudding we had individual chocolate pavlovas with chocolate crème and creme fraiche (whipped cream would be better but I forgot it), decorated with daim and Noblesse chocolate thins. A jug of chocolate sauce was put on the table so everyone could help themselves.

Lobster with caramelized garlic butter, serve 4

2 lobsters, cooked 

1 whole garlic

100 g salted butter, at room temperature

a bunch of parsley 

1 slice of lemon, cut into 4

4 slices of baguette

The day before (or at least a few hours ahead of) serving: Wrap the garlic in tin foil and bake for 40 mins in 180C oven (until soft). Leave to cool.

Mix the butter with as much caramelized garlic you like. It’s sweeter and not as strong as fresh garlic, so I thought 5 cloves was a good amount. Chop the parsley and mix in. Add pepper too. Roll into a roll and cover with cling. Place in the fridge to set. 

To serve: Cut the lobsters in half lengthways, remove the gooey bits in the head and the bowel string. Rinse the shell with the meat still inside. Crack the claws and get the meat out. Place in the shells and place the shells in an ovenproof dish. Cut the butter into thick slices and distribute on the lobster halves. Place in 180C oven for approx 10 mins until the lobsters are hot and the butter has melted. Serve immediately with a piece of lemon and a slice of baguette. 

Mini Pommes Anna with thyme, serve 4

Adapted from Bon Appetit’s recipe.

850 g potato of a firm variety (Maris Piper works well)

100 g butter

a bunch of fresh thyme 

salt, black pepper

Preheat oven to 180°C . Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Brush 8-10 wholes in the muffin tin all over with butter. Line bottoms with parchment-paper rounds. Arrange 1-2 small thyme sprigs in center of each round. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon butter into bottom of each cup.

 

Add chopped thyme and garlic to remaining butter in saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

 

Using food processor, moulinex or mandoline, slice potatoes crosswise into very thin rounds , placing them in a large bowl as you work. Pour herb butter over and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat well.

 

Divide potato slices among muffin cups, layering overlapping slices to create a circular pattern. Lightly press center of each to make compact. Drizzle any remaining butter and seasoning from bowl over.

 

Cover muffin pan tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake until potatoes can be pierced easily with the tip of a knife and are golden brown, about 35 minutes.
Remove foil; invert a rimmed baking sheet over pan. Turn, lightly tapping on counter, releasing potatoes onto sheet. Rearrange any slices that may have fallen out. Discard parchment.
Individual chocolate pavlovas, served 4

Translated from and Adapted after Roy Fares’ recipe.

Chocolate crème:

50 g dark chocolate

30 g (3) egg yolks

37,5 g caster sugar

15 g maizena corn starch

1/2 tsp vanilla

175 ml milk

10 g butter

Pavlovas:

37,5 g dark chocolate

70 g (2) egg whites

110 g caster sugar

4 g maizena corn starch

1/2 tsp white wine vinegar 

Chocolate sauce:

50 ml caster sugar

50 ml cocoa

50 ml cream

15 g butter

To decorate:

300 ml lightly whipped cream

1/2 packet daim balls (or a chocolate bar, chopped)

12 Noblesse chocolate thins or similar 

4 sparklers

Chocolate cream: Chop the chocolate and place in a bowl. Mix egg yolks, sugar, corn starch and vanilla in another bowl. Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan and mix it into the egg yolk mixture (little by little as to not scramble the eggs). Pour the egg yolk milk mixture into the saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened. Cook for another 2 minutes, on low heat, to get rid of the corn starch flavour. Pour the custard over the chocolate, add the butter and mix until the chocolate has melted. Cover with cling and place in fridge until cold. 

Pavlovas: Chop the chocolate and place in a bowl, melt either over boiling water or in the microwave. Pre-heat oven to 150C. 

Beat the egg whites until foamy and add the sugar bit by it while beating until stiff and glossy. Add the corn flour and vinegar and mix carefully with a spatula. Drizzle with the melted chocolate and create a marbled effect by folding the mixture 2-3 times with a spatula. Divide the meringue mixture into four small rounds on a lined baking tray. 

Bake in the middle of the oven for 60 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the meringues in the oven while cooling. Let the meringue discs cool completely. 

Chocolate sauce: Mix sugar, cocoa and cream in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Let the mixture simmer for 3-5 minutes. Leave to cool completely. 

Assembling: Place a meringue disc on each plate. Fill up with the crème and top with whipped cream. Decorate with daim, noblesse and sparklers. Heat up the sauce and serve it in a jug on the side.  

 

 

 

This year’s Christmas drinks party

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I had some of the girls over for Christmas drinks the first Saturday in December and it was so much fun! Last year I had a larger gathering with both girls and boys, but this year I just didn’t have enough time or energy to prepare something big, but rather than not organising anything at all I preferred to scale it down. I do hope I have more time and energy last year for a proper Christmas party with lots of canapés, but I’m not making any promises.

To start with we had prosecco (and quite a lot of it!) and savoury canapés, starting with warm crisps with browned butter, grated comté, lemon juice and cress. I love these so so much! I know it’s making crisps even unhealthier, but it is so worth it. I mentioned the browned butter right?!

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Thereafter I put out a little DIY project with crostinis. I had a large bag filled with crostinis and three jars on a silver tray with different spreads to put on top; bean spread with sage, hot smoked salmon spread (the girls favourite!) and a new version of chicken liver parfait (recipe to follow soon) and cornichons.

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After that I passed around a board of prosciutto parcels filled with cream cheese mixed with chopped sunblush tomatoes. It’s the easiest recipe ever (three ingredients!) but always goes down well.

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We then moved on to the hot food. First up were these puff pastry squares with mushrooms, grated cheese, creme fraiche and parsley. IMG_7468

Then the mini Janssons frestelse that all my London friends adore! Janssons frestelse is like a creamy potato bake (with grated potato) with anchovies. It sounds rather odd I know, but everyone who’s ever tried it loves it, I promise!

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Having finished the savoury canapés it was time for the sweets and glögg! I put it all out on the table at once to people cook pick and choose. The rocky road I made this year is probably the best one yet (recipe to follow), mainly because it has honeycomb in it and it really works!! I also tried to pretty them pieces up with snowflakes (which I tend to use on everything this time of year!) and edible glitter.

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I also served gingerbread with blue cheese, but this time I substituted Stilton for St Agur, which works even better.

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I also made these mini saffron pannacottas that I like to make every year – I’m so lucky my friends are happy to eat! 

 

 

Poached egg with girolles, Västerbotten cheese and toasted hazelnuts

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My first attempt at cooking a 63C egg didn’t work too well, as I tried to multitask and wasn’t paying attention the whole time. Big mistake. Huge. So instead I poached eggs. And served it with butter-fried girolles, Västerbotten cheese and toasted hazelnuts. It was delicious but I still dream of perfecting that 63C egg and serve it with girolles. I mean, is there anything better than a runny egg yolk with garlicky mushrooms?! I don’t think so.

Listening to my favourite food podcast (in Swedish) I learnt a new way to toast nuts, in the oven. So much better than in a dry frying pan. It will change your life. I promise. All you need to remember is 150C for 15 minutes.

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Poached egg with girolles, Västerbotten cheese and toasted hazelnuts, serves 2

2 fresh eggs

a splash of vinegar 

200 g girolles

1 tbsp butter

1 garlic clove, chopped

salt, pepper

chopped parsley

2 tbsp grated Västerbotten cheese (or comté)  

20 hazelnuts

Pre-heat the oven to 150C. Pour the nuts into an oven-proof tray and toast for 15 minutes. Clean the mushrooms and fry in butter with the garlic until golden brown. Add salt, pepper and parsley and put aside. 

Take a large saucepan and fill half of it with water from a just boiled kettle. Bring the water to a gentle simmer (it should not boil) and add the vinegar. Pour ice cold water into a bowl and have a slotted spoon at hand. Crack and egg into a mug or cup. With a spoon, create a whirl in the pan and lower the mug/cup with the egg into the water and pour it out. Repeat with a second egg and let them poach for 3 minutes. Remove with the slotted spoon and place in the cold water for a few minutes. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towel. 

Re-heat the mushrooms is needed. Divide them between to plates, leaving a hole in the middle for the egg. Scatter with grated cheese. Chop the nuts and scatter. Serve immediately. 

Truffled mushroom crostini

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Twice in December I made these truffled mushroom crostinis for my friends. Above with chantarelles and chestnut mushrooms and below with only chestnut mushrooms as I was feeding lots of people and fresh chantarelles aren’t exactly cheap. What’s great about the recipe is that it can feed anyone. It’s vegan and works for people sensitive to dairy, and if you make glutenfree crostinis this works for coeliacs as well.

When using the chantarelle mushrooms I added a bit of cream for added creaminess, so feel free to do that if you like, but plenty of oil (or use butter) is enough moisture for me.

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Truffled mushroom crostini (vegan), makes quite a few

1 large baguette

mild olive oil

400 g mixed mushrooms

oil for frying

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 tbsp porcini mushroom and truffle paste (I used this one)

salt, black pepper

chopped parsley for serving

Slice the baguette, place the slices on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in 180C oven until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Leave to cool. 

Slice the mushrooms. Fry until golden in oil on medium heat (preferably in batches). Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so. Add the truffle paste, salt and pepper. Divide between the crostini and topped with chopped parsley. 

Brunch style baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms

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One of the best – and certainly the easiest – ways to cook eggs for a large number of people is undeniably baking them in a large ovenproof dish.

These eggs with wilted spinach and fried mushrooms are really delicious and so very easy to make. I served them at a brunch with crispy bacon (and a smorgasbord of other brunchy things).

Baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms, serves 8

12 eggs

300 g fresh spinach

150 g mushrooms (I used chestnut mushrooms)

butter for frying

oil for the dish

Rinse and slice the mushrooms. Fry in butter, add salt and pepper. Remove from the saucepan and wilt the spinach in a little butter in the same saucepan. Remove any excess liquid. Grease an ovenproof dish and add the spinach and mushrooms and mix the two. Divide evenly across the dish and make twelve hollows for the eggs. Crack the eggs into the hollows and place the tray in a 200C oven for 10-15 minutes, until the eggs are just set. Add salt and pepper before serving. 

Mushrooms, courgette and feta in pitta bread

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The most satisfying way for me to cook is to look in the quite empty fridge and forage a few ingredients and turn them into a delicious meal. It is definitely a challenge but this is usually when I come up with some really good dishes I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.

I really despise food waste and am trying my best not to throw produce away so that’s the main purpose of fridge foraging but I like the fact that I can turn this into something really delicious too.

This dish came about when I had some sad looking mushrooms lying about in the fridge together with some spring onions and an opened packet of feta. Together with some courgette, aleppo pepper and garlic in a toasted pitta it turned out to be a great dish. Lots of umami and tang from the feta combined with a bit of heat. A perfect weekday supper.

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Mushrooms, courgette, spring onions and feta in pitta, serves 1

about 8 chestnut mushrooms, washed and sliced

1/2 medium courgette, thinly sliced

4 spring onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/2-1 tsp aleppo pepper or similar (a pinch of cayenne pepper works well)

2-3 tbsp crumbled feta

oil for frying

salt, black pepper

toasted pitta to serve

Heat up the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and let them brown then add the spring onions and courgettes and fry for another five minutes. Add garlic and aleppo pepper, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add the cumbled feta. Serve with toasted pitta. 

Pasta with mushrooms and leek

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New year’s resolutions. Usually I am against them myself although others seem to do well with a dry or healthy January (well done, guys!). I actually made a small resolution this year and it is totally food related of course; to cook more from my cookbooks.

I have a bit of a, ahem, cookbook addiction and since I don’t want to stop buying new shiny ones I thought I’d better utilise the ones I’ve got. So far I have already cooked a few things from my newly acquired ‘Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course‘, among other things this pasta recipe with mushrooms and leek.

It sounds very ordinary and it sort of is, yet very delicious. The sauce is silky without being too rich (especially with a splash of white wine added to cut through the cream) and the fried mushrooms and leek are very tasty. I also like that the pasta in this dish is lasagne sheets although the dish is quite far from a regular or even open lasagne. But it really works and I prefer it to many other pasta shapes.

Pasta with mushrooms and leek, serves 2

Adapted from ‘Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cooking Course‘.

For once I followed the recipe dutifully, apart from one small addition; a splash of white wine in the cream sauce.

8 chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

1 leek, washed, trimmed, quartered and sliced

oil for frying

salt, pepper

250 ml chicken stock

100 ml double cream

1 tbsp white wine

4-6 lasagne sheets

To serve: grated parmesan, optional

Heat up the oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add the sliced mushrooms. Add the garlic after two minutes and the leek after another two. Fry until the mushrooms are golden and the leek has softened. Season.

Add the chicken stock and let it reduce for five minutes. 

In the meantime, cook the lasagne sheets in salted water until al dente, for four minutes. Add the cream to the mushrooms and a splash of wine and let it thicken. Season to taste. Remove from heat and submerge the lasagne sheets in the sauce. Plate prettily and serve with or without grated parmesan.  

Mushroom ravioli with trumpet mushrooms, girolles and sage butter

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It was a while ago I made pasta but last Saturday I had a whole day to potter around the kitchen so out came the pasta maker.

I’m still quite amazed at how easy it is to actually make the pasta. Making ravioli out of said pasta is a little fiddly but not difficult at all. And it is so very delicious!

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The filling with shallots, garlic, mini portobello mushrooms, dried ceps, parsley and ricotta is simply divine and easy to make. Served with fried shallots, trumpet mushrooms and girolles as well as sage butter this is such a satisfying autumn dish. Ideal for dinner parties (you can make it ahead) or a romantic evening at home with a significant other.

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Hanna’s mushrooms ravioli, serves 2-3

double batch of pasta dough

polenta

3 tbsp butter, for frying

3 small shallots, finely chopped

1 large garlic clove, grated

300 g mini portobello mushrooms or other flavourful fresh ‘shrooms 

2 tbsp dried ceps (porcini) covered with hot water and drained 

2 tbsp chopped parsley

salt, black pepper

75 g ricotta

To serve:

1 handful dried trumpet mushrooms and girolles, covered with hot water and drained 

1/2 shallots, finely chopped

50 g salted butter

5 sage

parmesan, finely grated

Melt the butter in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add onions and garlic and fry until translucent for about five minutes (be careful not to brown it). Add the mushrooms (both dried and fresh) and fry until nice and golden and all the juices have evaporated from the pan. Add the parsley and season generously. Leave to cool completely. In a food processor pulse the mixture until it is finely chopped (but not a mush). Mix with the ricotta and adjust the seasoning. Keep in the fridge until needed. 

Make the pasta dough according to the instructions. After it has rested divide it into 3-4 pieces. Flatten each piece out and run it through the pasta maker, twice on the 0 setting and once on every setting up to 5. Sprinkle your work surface with polenta (for the pasta not to stick) and place the pasta sheets on top. Measure with your ravioli stamp how close you can place the dollops of filling on one pasta sheet and place teaspoon sized dollops of the mushroom ricotta mixture on that sheet. Dip two fingers in water and ‘brush’ the surface of the pasta, all around the dollops, with your fingers. The water will act as glue between the pasta sheets. Carefully place another pasta sheet on top of the one with the filling (brush off the polenta first). Start at one end and carefully encase the filling in the pasta, making sure there are no air bubbles and that the pasta sheets stick in between the filling. Use your ravioli stamp to cut out the ravioli. Place on a plate or baking sheet sprinkled with polenta. Cover with clingfilm until needed.

Repeat the process using up all the pasta dough, including the scraps left from cutting out the ravioli.   

To cook; bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the ravioli (if a lot cook in batches) and let it cook for 2-3 minutes (they should rise to the surface). Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer straight to the deep serving plates.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the shallots and mushrooms in some butter. Season. Place the rest of the butter in a small saucepan and let it melt. Add the sage.

Spoon the sage butter on top of the ravioli, scatter the mushrooms around and top with plenty of grated parmesan. Serve immediately. 

 

Tagliatelle with mushrooms, spinach and parmesan

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When I cooked this yesterday my flatmate asked me if I really liked my pasta with mushrooms, and even though I do, I guess she has seen me eat it quite often since I moved in and I don’t like it that much. But it is a great supper to whiz up when you’re lacking energy but need some comforting home cooking. Adding spinach brightens up the dish and adds another earthy flavour that I love. Plus it makes it feel almost healthy. At least I keep telling myself that.

Tagliatelle with mushrooms, spinach and parmesan, serves 2

2 portion tagliatelle 

2 tbsp salted butter

1 garlic clove, grated

150 g mini portabello mushrooms (or other flavourful ‘shrooms) 

2 tbsp dried ceps (porcini mushrooms)

4 tbsp recently boiled water

150 g fresh baby spinach

2 tbsp philadelphia or double cream

greated parmesan 

salt, black pepper

Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. Slice the portobello mushrooms. Place the dried ceps in a small bowl and add the hot water and leave to soak for a minute or so. Squeeze out the excess liquid using a spoon and the edge of the bowl. Save the liquid. 

Melt the butter in a medium frying pan and add the grated garlic. Fry the mushrooms (both fresh and dried) until golden on medium heat. Add the spinach and let it wilt. Add grated parmesan. Add the mushroom broth and the philadelphia or cream. Mix until a silky but thin sauce. Add salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and add to the pan and let some of the sauce evaporate until it gently coats the pasta without being runny. Serve with more grated parmesan. 

Little puff pastry quiches with mushrooms and cheddar

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These little quiches are far tastier than they look. They’re also super easy to make yet still tastes wonderful. And they’re so versatile. I had some for supper the other day with only some dressed rocket on the side. They would also work well at a brunch or picnic and can be served either warm or cold. Perfect when the weather is this unpredictable.

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Puff pastry quiches with mushrooms and cheddar, makes 6

1 roll butter puff pastry 

250 g chestnut mushrooms 

butter for frying

1 garlic clove

150 mlcreme fraiche

100 ml grated mature cheddar + more for topping

salt, black pepper

Roll out the puff and cut it into six squares. Butter six holes in a muffin tin and cover with the puff squares. Prick the bottoms with a fork and pre-bake in a 180C oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

In the meantime, slice the mushrooms. Melt a large knob of butter in a frying pan and add the pressed garlic. Add the mushrooms and fry until golden on medium-high heat, for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. 

Mix the grated cheese with creme fraiche, salt and pepper. 

Divide the fried mushrooms between the pastry cases. Top with the cream fraiche mixture and scatter some more grated cheese on top. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes. Serve warm or cold.