recipe – Page 15 – Scandelights

Recipe: blood orange pannacotta

Published on February 25, 2019 by Hanna1 Comment

Blood orange season is still going strong and of course I had to incorporate the little gems into a fragrant pannacotta, using both the zest and juice. Topped with blood orange segments this is a real stunner!

Blood orange pannacotta, serves 2

250 ml double cream

25 ml demerera sugar

the zest from 2 blood oranges

the juice from 1 blood orange

1 + 1/4 gelatin leaves

To serve:

orange segments from the left over blood orange

Pour the cream and sugar into a nonstick pan and put on medium heat. Add the zest and orange juice to the cream and heat it up until almost boiling, stirring occasionally with a whisk.

Meanwhile soak the gelatin in cold water.

Take the cream mixture off the heat. Squeeze the water out of the gelatin and add it to the warm cream. Whisk to make sure it has dissolved then pour the mixture through a fine sieve, to remove the zest and any lumps, and into a jug. Leave to cool for a few minutes then divide the mixture between the pots or glasses you will use for serving. Leave to cool. Then transfer to the fridge and leave them to set for 3 hours.

Before serving, cut the remaining peel off the left over blood orange and cut into segments.

Recipe: classic Moules Marinère my way (with or without potato)

Published on February 21, 2019February 21, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

If I lived closer to a good fishmonger or a supermarket with a good fish counter, this could easily become a Friday tradition; buying a net of juicy mussels, cooking them the classic way with wine and cream, open a nice bottle of white wine to go with them and eat them with some nice crusty bread.

And if I wanted to make the supper a bit more substantial – I would just add potato. I know the potato part isn’t all that classic, but it’s a really nice way to make the mussels more into a main course. And since I use the same recipe I’m basically giving you a two for one here.

Classic Moules Marinère, serves 2

1 kg fresh mussels

2 small shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil

100 ml dry white wine

300 ml double cream

(3 firm potatoes, peeled and diced)

chopped parsley for serving

Rinse the mussels to get rid of any grit. Remove the beards and throw away any mussels that are broken or don’t close if tapping them.

Add butter and oil to a large pan and put on medium heat. Fry the onions and garlic for a few minutes without browning. Add the wine and let it bubble a little. Add the cream and stir. Add the mussels and cook with the lid on for a few minutes until the mussels have opened their shells. Season to taste. Scatter with freshly chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread for dipping.

If you want to add the potato; cook the diced potato in salted water until soft when piercing with a knife. Drain and add to the mussels before serving.

Recipe: blood orange salad with biscotti

Published on February 14, 2019February 21, 2019 by Hanna1 Comment

After a freezing few weeks London is heating up. I’m sure we will get another bout of cold weather at some point, but I’m making the most of the warmer weather (right now it’s 12C and sunny!) when I can.

The promise of spring always makes me excited for the produce we’re about to receive. Mamma have actually picked wild garlic at home in (the south of) Sweden already and I can’t wait for asparagus season.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, as we have another season to enjoy right now; blood orange season. It’s short and sweet (quite literally) and I love these ruby oranges so much. Because when they’re in season they’re always juicy and full of sweetness, unlike regular oranges out there. Same with the texture; they’re more delicate somehow. And absolutely delicious as they are. Which is why I served them sliced with a little vanilla, lightly whipped cream and store-bought biscotti. Simple as can be!

Blood orange salad with biscotti, serves 2

3 blood oranges – at room temperature

1 clementine or 1/2 blood orange, the juice

1/2 tsp icing sugar

a small pinch of vanilla

fresh mint to serve

Serve with:

biscotti

lightly whipped cream

Wash the blood oranges and well and dry them. Cut away the “top” and “bottom” (I know, oranges are round but I mean the ends where the indentations are). Then continue to cut away the rest of the skin and the white bits too. Slice the oranges from top to bottom. Arrange the orange slices on a plate. Mix the citrus juice with icing sugar and vanilla and drizzle it over the plate. Decorate with mint. Serve with biscotti and lightly whipped cream.

Recipe: pizza bianco with truffle salami and burrata

Published on January 24, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

I heart truffle. If I sea truffle on a menu my mouth starts watering and I have to have it. And I savour every bite. So imagine my delight (and surprise) when I found a packet (yes, packet – not even in the deli counter!!) of thinly sliced salami with truffle in my Swedish supermarket. I immediately grabbed a burrata nearby and decided on making this pizza.

Which I loved as much as I thought I would. I heart truffle. And burrata. But a nice grassy olive oil is key too.

Pizza bianco with truffle salami and burrata, makes 1 pizza

1/4 pizza dough

flour for rolling

2-3 tbsp creme fraiche

1/4 buffalo mozzarella, torn into smaller pieces

100 ml grated Västerbotten cheese (mature cheddar works too)

16-20 thin slices truffle salami (I actually found mine in the supermarket)

1 burrata

1-2 tbsp good grassy olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

Roll out the dough with the help of a rolling pin on a floured surface. Place the rolled out pizza base on a parchment paper covered baking tray. Spread out the creme fraiche on the pizza base. Divide the mozzarella and the grated Västerbotten cheese. Bake in a 220C (200C fan) oven for 8-10 minutes, until the base is crisp, the cheese has melted and the whole thing is golden brown.

Remove the pizza from the oven and cover it with truffle salami. Tear the burrata into smaller pieces and scatter them on the pizza. Drizzle with nice olive oil. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt and add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.

Recipe: saffron cake with white chocolate

Published on January 14, 2019 by HannaLeave a comment

In Sweden anything with saffron is considered Christnassy and festive, and that’s the reasoning for making this chewy saffron and white chocolate cake for the book club Christmas dinner.

It’s very yummy without being too sweet and although quite pretty it would have been even prettier with the intended icing. I was convinced I had icing sugar at home but there was none in the cupboard, so I served it plain and that worked well too. I had creme fraiche on the side (that was intended for the frosting) but lightly whipped cream works well too.

Saffron and white chocolate cake, serves 10

Translated from and adapted after Ica’s recipe.

150 g white chocolate

150 g butter

1/2 g saffran

160 g caster sugar

60 g plain flour

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

Frosting:

200 ml crème fraiche

50 ml icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Garnish:

pomegranate seeds

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Butter and flour a 24 diameter springform. Melt chocolate and butter in a Bain Marie or in the microwave. Add the saffron and leave to cool/dissolve a for a few minutes.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowla and add to the melted chocolate. Add egg and vanilla and mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the springform and place in the middle of the oven. Bake for 23-25 minutes. Leave to cool.

Beat crème fraiche, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and quite set and spread ut onto the cake. Add pomegranate seeds.

Recipe: Clementine prosecco drink with rosemary

Published on December 25, 2018December 25, 2018 by Hanna3 Comments

Merry Christmas, dear readers! I hope you’re all having a wonderful time celebrating with dear ones.

We celebrated yesterday (as is customary in Sweden) and I will tell you all about it later, but thought I would post a quick cocktail recipe – perfect to make any leftovers feel a bit more festive!

I made this for the book club Christmas dinner, and we all loved it! It feels wintery and festive without being to sweet. I also made star-shaped canape’s with puff pastry, blue cheese, walnuts and honey and they always go down a treat.

Clementine prosecco drink with rosemary, makes 6

Adapted from Ica’s recipe.

2 sprigs rosemary

3 tbsp caster sugar

400 ml freshly squeezed clementine juice

400 ml tonic water

1 bottle prosecco

rosemary sprigs to garnish (optional)

In a pestle and mortar, mix together the rosemary and sugar. Mix the rosemary sugar with the juice. Divide between glasses. Fill up with prosecco and add some tonic to finish. Serve straight away.

Recipe: broccoli cheddar soup

Published on December 4, 2018December 4, 2018 by HannaLeave a comment

I love broccoli! Which you can see in the archives here at Scandelights. And luckily broccoli is one of those rare vegetables that both taste nice AND is good for you. Hurrah!

This soup, however, might be more good for the soul than the waist, as it has a hefty amount of cheese in it. But, isn’t that what we need this time of year?! Something warm and comforting in a bowl, that’s both delicious and nutritious (thanks to the broccoli).

Broccoli cheddar soup, serves 4-6

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s recipe.

4 tbsp butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

60 ml plain flour

120 ml milk

120 ml cream

950 ml vegetable or chicken stock (from a good quality cube is fine)

1 bay leaf

salt and black pepper

565 g broccoli, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

225 g grated mature cheddar + extra for garnish

Melt the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk and cream until smooth. Add the stock, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the pan and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning if needed, but keep in mind the cheese will add some salt as well. Mix the soup with a stick blender to your desired texture. Back on the stove, add cheese and whisk until melted, about 1 minute.

Serve in bowls, garnished with grated cheddar. Serve with crusty bread.

Recipe: tagliatelle with prawns, tomatoes and mushrooms

Published on November 8, 2018November 18, 2018 by Hanna1 Comment

I made this pasta with prawns, mushrooms and tomatoes back in Sweden in August for my parents and I for supper and we all really enjoyed it.

It feels fresh and light although it has cream in it and the prawns work so well with both tomatoes and mushrooms.

And it’s actually the tomatoes that steal the show for me! Look out for those little bursts of juicy sweet tomato that comes with almost every bite. I had the luxury of using my mother’s homegrown cherry tomatoes in different colours (they were delicious!) but any small tomatoes in season will work just as well (I’ve made this dish a few times since August using store-bought on-the-vine British cherry tomatoes).

Tagliatelle with prawns, tomatoes and button mushrooms, serves 3-4

500 g fresh tagliatelle

1-2 shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

plenty of butter and neutral oil for frying

200 g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

50 ml dry white wine

150 g cherry tomatoes, cut in half

300 ml double cream

1/2 stock cube (fish or vegetable)

400 g frozen Atlantic shell-on prawns, defrosted and peeled (or approx 250 g fresh ones)

approx 2 tsp caster sugar

salt and pepper

chopped parsley

Fry onions and garlic in butter and oil on medium heat without browning. Remove from pan. Add more butter and oil to the pan and fry the mushrooms on medium-high heat until golden brown. Season and remove from pan. Add a little more oil to the pan and add the tomatoes and let them cook on medium geat for a few minutes. Add the wine and let some evaporate before adding cream and stock cube (no water). Stir and let the sauce thicken. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms and season to taste with sugar, salt and pepper (the sugar will balance the acidity from the tomatoes). You want the sauce to have depth and taste a lot as the pasta will dilute the flavours. Cook the pasta in a large pot and drain.

Take the sauce off the heat and add the prawns. Stir and add the pasta. Mix properly so every strand of pasta is coated with sauce. Adjust the seasoning if needed. Top with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Recipe: garlic and herb sauce

Published on October 23, 2018 by HannaLeave a comment

Growing up in the countryside in the south of Sweden I didn’t realise how lucky I was to grow up in such an idyllic place. Fast forward to present time living in a big city, where getting fresh herbs and locally grown vegetables can be quite tricky at times.

So my first night in Sweden this summer I cooked us a fairly standard summer meal of pork fillet, salad and potatoes. Normally I would cook the meat on the barbecue to get that charred flavour, but due to the first barbecue ban in my life time (even in your own garden – it was that dry) I had to make do with the stove and oven. And sitting outside in the sunshine it was still a lovely meal.

Mainly because of the sauce I literally threw together on the spot. It’s a simple cold sauce with mainly creme fraiche and a little mayonnaise as a base (us Swedes make sauces like this ALL the time), but what made it so nice was the mix (and quantity) of fresh herbs from the garden. An absolute treat for this city girl and something I used to take for granted when I lived at home.

Garlic and herb sauce, serves 3-4

300 ml creme fraiche

2 tbsp mayonnaise (preferably Hellman’s)

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp Acacia honey

3/4 small garlic clove, finely chopped

approx 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme and parsley

salt and pepper

Mix creme fraiche and mayonnaise. Then add mustard, honey, garlic and herbs and leave for a while for the flavours to develop before serving. Season to taste.

Recipe: blueberry galette

Published on October 17, 2018October 17, 2018 by HannaLeave a comment

My last day in Sweden for the summer was a Sunday in August and instead of just making it a travel day (i.e. boring!) I invited by best friend and her family to the summer house for a nice lunch with me and my parents.

As a group we get on so well and you wouldn’t think we weren’t all the same age! I love it and as it’s also stress-free inviting people over who you know so well it was the perfect ending to my two+ weeks in Sweden.

As my best friend and her husband has a baby who now walks on her own but then was desperate to master the walking we decided against a sit down starter. Instead we had some cheese straws and wine standing up chatting and running after the little one. For the main course we had arctic char with boiled potatoes, vegetables and a sauce with lumpfish roe. Very traditionally Swedish!

And for pudding I made this blueberry galette! It was an instant hit (Emma, bestie, sorry it’s taking me so long to write this up – but here you finally have the recipe!), although my dad would have liked it a little bit sweeter. I, on the other hand, like the fact that it’s not too sweet as you can really taste the freshness of the blueberries this way, and it doesn’t feel all that indulgent serving it with ice cream, but pouring cream or lightly whipped cream would work well too.

Blueberry galette, serves 4-6

Adapted from Bon Appetit’s recipe

Dough:
205 g (385 ml) plain flour
2 tsp caster sugar
115 g chilled salted butter, cut into pieces

Filling:
350 g blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tbsp potato flour (or cornstarch)
1 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
60 ml caster sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 tbsp milk or cream

Mix flour and sugar in a bowl. Add the softened butter and either work with your fingers until you have a sandy consistency or pulse in a food processor until you reach that sandy texture.

Add 4 tbsp cold water and mix into a dough. Add another tbsp if needed until the dough has formed. Shape into a disc, cover with cling and chill for an hour.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Toss blueberries, potato flour, lemon juice and caster sugar in a large bowl.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until 30 cm diameter. Carefully transfer the rolled out dough to a parchment-lined baking tray. Mound blueberries in the middle of the of the galette, leaving 5 cm as a border. Fold the edges over, overlapping slightly. Brush dough with milk/cream and sprinkle generously with caster sugar.

Bake until the crust is dark golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 45–50 minutes. Leave to cool before serving.