tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43226992594236412672024-03-14T14:50:19.648+02:00Cloudberry QuarkMiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-2821890050095854152007-09-13T14:16:00.000+02:002007-09-13T15:02:17.236+02:00Cyberkocken - vinnaren!Ja, nu har äntligen alla domare gjort sina omdömen (i ärlighetens namn så är det mest jag själv som sölat, tusen tack till Tiina och Micki för hjälpen) och kommit fram till en värdig vinnare, nämligen<br /><blockquote>"det alldeles garanterat UNIKA bidraget, som låter som nåt man läser på en restaurangmeny och inte riktigt vet om man skall våga pröva på, men som visar sig vara riktigt riktigt roligt i praktiken (kan en av domarna som själv hunnit pröva betyga)"</blockquote><br />det vill säga Brazilian Lindas <a href="http://brazilianlinda.blogspot.com/2007/09/cyberkocken-ntbottnar-med-kantarell-och.html">nötbottnar med kantarell- och rocculamousse toppad med söta bönor</a>. Grattis!<br /><br />Folkets val var däremot med god marginal Lilla Myzan med sin <a href="http://i-lillamyzans-kk.blogspot.com/2007/09/cyberkocken.html">fläskfilé med svamppasta och ruccola pesto</a>. Grattis!<br /><br />Nästa gång är det alltså <a href="http://brazilianlinda.blogspot.com/">Linda</a> som arrangerar, hoppas ni kan vara med då också!Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-66222750216422053822007-09-04T07:30:00.000+02:002008-12-09T07:36:42.538+02:00Cyberkocken - sammanställningenJag har ådragit mig en riktigt irriterande höstförkylning så nu blir det inte så mycket pladder här, bara en snabb sammanställning på månadens cybrkock-bidrag. Åtta stycken blev det, det tycks vara en ganska typisk fångst i det här sammanhanget. Ingedienserna var alltså rucola, nötter, gröna bönor och svamp, en ganska så enkel kombination i mitt tycke. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTsGl3U2_MZ05xn6rlrMo-hUTFUrtalOfTomLMCk3nlMhGQNboCAQWiOJvB-fn2MDfdBsnmRImBlujxrfTfSZAdKBotJGWSb9d77NTmsnLU5Gpek-iM4SgJQWwpNmcvlXptyndFS51kGW/s1600-h/Bild+018.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTsGl3U2_MZ05xn6rlrMo-hUTFUrtalOfTomLMCk3nlMhGQNboCAQWiOJvB-fn2MDfdBsnmRImBlujxrfTfSZAdKBotJGWSb9d77NTmsnLU5Gpek-iM4SgJQWwpNmcvlXptyndFS51kGW/s200/Bild+018.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106049410852993954" /></a> <b>I Lilla Myzan's kök</b> bjöds det på <a href="http://i-lillamyzans-kk.blogspot.com/2007/09/cyberkocken.html"><br />fläskfilé med svamppasta och ruccola pesto</a>. Det här var Lenas första Cyberkock-etapp, hoppas det blir många fler!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1256/1304583367_17998803d9.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1256/1304583367_17998803d9.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> I <b>Annes Mat</b> vankades det en höstligt värmande <a href="http://annesmat.blogspot.com/2007/09/risotto-fr-cyberkocken.html">risotto med kantareller och hasselnötter</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSJ0RrtTU_62jPhl80gk0kW58FWqrkjkGpUUaKwpgPYE131viTRB32ghUwgsEUo7woJ0An-UNKqoZf0h6RHpSYn7gcUe_kXeWANPGMj2meA65P2x8MzQnGda_h0nXHwE4UinF7qv9xGVJ/s1600-h/1301080321_b7ab9de9a3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSJ0RrtTU_62jPhl80gk0kW58FWqrkjkGpUUaKwpgPYE131viTRB32ghUwgsEUo7woJ0An-UNKqoZf0h6RHpSYn7gcUe_kXeWANPGMj2meA65P2x8MzQnGda_h0nXHwE4UinF7qv9xGVJ/s200/1301080321_b7ab9de9a3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106058494708825058" /></a> Hos Ilva i <b>Aglio e olio</b> blev det både förrätt och huvudrätt: <a href="http://agliolio.blogspot.com/2007/09/cyberkocken-svamp-grna-bnor-ntter-och.html">ugnsbakade champinjonhattar och så nätinnanlår med gröna bönor, karl johansvamp, ruccola, hasselnötter och balsamvinäger.</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1156/1305724016_131bcecbc9.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1156/1305724016_131bcecbc9.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> <b>Granivoren</b> var också med för första gången, med <a href="http://granivor.blogspot.com/2007/09/champinjoner-med-verraskning.html">champinjoner med överraskning</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_thNjBNhhHuw_v7TfxD5cn7TdiD4dPR0Eb2Ogv7ecgNF6RmqIuEBMs5E-5XfGLxtW7JM_PahtGG7HXSikJN3WhBLbX5nFvz8TFE0orwgY24Km0pDSsaiaTNKyuUcx8d6dOKhlSnx1zKf/s1600-h/hasselfisk2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_thNjBNhhHuw_v7TfxD5cn7TdiD4dPR0Eb2Ogv7ecgNF6RmqIuEBMs5E-5XfGLxtW7JM_PahtGG7HXSikJN3WhBLbX5nFvz8TFE0orwgY24Km0pDSsaiaTNKyuUcx8d6dOKhlSnx1zKf/s200/hasselfisk2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106051833214548914" /></a> <b>Middagstipset</b> fick med alla ingredienser av en slump! <a href="http://www.curious.nu/mat/639/hasselnoetsfisk-med-kantarell-och-ruccolabulgur">Hasselnötsfisk med kantarell- och ruccolabulgur</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULbvRuMwT4Z8a2y1Aae4Zw71A0Za5chMI0EtMJlMnYIWOXGskLe4yXNZ_tacRl2wFne-LmsZ13saooNzloy6LrG6jg5CL1-IGXBgYq0G1oNITSgmFSZSzoCAEobDjeNoMS5sZUVSxyzva/s1600-h/Porta+Bella.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULbvRuMwT4Z8a2y1Aae4Zw71A0Za5chMI0EtMJlMnYIWOXGskLe4yXNZ_tacRl2wFne-LmsZ13saooNzloy6LrG6jg5CL1-IGXBgYq0G1oNITSgmFSZSzoCAEobDjeNoMS5sZUVSxyzva/s200/Porta+Bella.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106052623488531394" /></a> <b>Lata Mamman</b> bjöd på <a href="http://lata-mammans-receptblogg.blogspot.com/2007/09/porta-bello-med-ljummen-sallad-p-rris.html">portabello med ljummen sallad på råris, gröna bönor och rucola samt sås av soltorkad tomat och valnöt</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLzIuzi6P7bwK6WtSpZZTE0ZONlvnvnFTKDj-hg3wSbBY_kj2iW4vfMs1Z3iKVTE8mQ2AHsLFm7lSgFH9tiXD7hLduqYLY6z6ZIy1aRR4-MnYIo3PCP4T0lxS_uFYyp_ONPbpGuZam35y/s1600-h/2007_0903H%C3%B6st0040.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLzIuzi6P7bwK6WtSpZZTE0ZONlvnvnFTKDj-hg3wSbBY_kj2iW4vfMs1Z3iKVTE8mQ2AHsLFm7lSgFH9tiXD7hLduqYLY6z6ZIy1aRR4-MnYIo3PCP4T0lxS_uFYyp_ONPbpGuZam35y/s200/2007_0903H%C3%B6st0040.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106053456712186834" /></a> <b>Broccoli</b> gjorde väldigt lockande <a href="http://broccoli2.blogspot.com/2007/09/ruccolagratinerad-lax-med-ljummen.html">ruccolagratinerad lax med ljummen potatissallad</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1157/1312610015_4b5d77e886.jpg?v=0"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1157/1312610015_4b5d77e886.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a> <b>Brazilian Linda</b> hade blogger-problem men hann ändå med med sina <a href="http://brazilianlinda.blogspot.com/2007/09/cyberkocken-ntbottnar-med-kantarell-och.html">nötbottnar med kantarell och rocculamousse toppad med söta bönor</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Dessvärre hann jag själv inte få till stånd ett bidrag, vilket kanske var tur i oturen eftersom hälften av min tilltänkta jury är bortrest den här veckan. Så nu består juryn av mig och två svenskatalande Quarkläsare, Tiina och Micki. Vi återkommer med resultat på veckoslutet, och tills dess kan ni också rösta på era egna favoriter i <b>folkets val</b>.<br /><br /><embed allowScriptAccess="never" saveEmbedTags="true" src="http://www.polldaddy.com/poll.swf" FlashVars="p=98534" quality="high" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="252" height="423" name="beta3" salign="tl" scale="autoscale" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" ></embed>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-7073312447757339632007-08-31T17:03:00.000+02:002007-08-31T16:04:25.008+02:00Ruokahaaste menikin arvonnaksi!Kuten <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/08/nest-suosikkiasi.html">alempaa</a> voitte todeta, puoliltaöin ratkennut haasteäänestys oli aikalailla kahden kauppaa. Tiukan kärkikaksikon muodostivat kaksi kalaherraa, ja äänestyksen napsahtaessa kiinni haasteveteraani Polkkapossun <a href="http://polkkapossu.blogspot.com/2007/08/osallistun-sittenkin.html">friteeratut pekoniin käärityt ahvenfileet punajuuri-rommi-smetanakastikeella</a> sekä Suu Auki-blogiuutuuden <a href="http://suu-auki.blogspot.com/2007/08/nieri.html">marinoitu nieriä hunaja-jalapeno-tartarilla</a> (kastike se selvästikin kalan tekee...) olivat aivan tasan tasoissa. Huh-huh!<br /><br />Koska maalikamerakuvasta ei tässä lajissa ole hyötyä (ai miten niin MM-kisaviikko...) ja itseäni moisten mestariteosten välillä valitseminen suoraan sanottuna hirvitti, päätin antaa arvan ratkaista, ja onni suosi tällä kertaa nieriää. Kuvakin on aikasta nami, eikö?<br /><br /><center> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/huono_ekonomi/1171067200/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1047/1171067200_948ec7aea9.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/huono_ekonomi/1171067200/">Arctic char</a> <br /> Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/huono_ekonomi/">huono_ekonomi</a>. </span></center><br /><br />Onneksi olkoon sekä <a href="http://suu-auki.blogspot.com">Mikolle</a>, joka saakin vetäytyä miettimään syyskuun haasteteemaa, että Polkkikselle, jolle uskaltaa kyllä menneiden perusteella luvata parempaa tuuria jatkossa.<br /><br />Lakkarahka kiittää kaikkia osallistuneita hienoista resepteistä ja vetäytyy vaihteeksi miettimään <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/08/cyberkocken.html">ruotsinkielistä ruokahaastetta</a> (*vink vink* siihenkin saa mielellään osallistua jos ruotsi edes auttavasti sujuu).Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-85887572270984481012007-08-29T10:38:00.000+02:002007-08-29T09:47:55.513+02:00CyberkockenÄntligen är det dags för höstens (ja, här har det åtminstone varit riktigt höstligt redan) första cyberkock-tävling. Det hela går alltså helt enkelt ut på att tillreda en måltid med fyra givna ingredienser (och så många andra du vill, naturligtvis).<br /><br />Från Ilvas lista på ingredienser lottade jag ut tre stycken, och sen var det bara att hitta på den fjärde, vilket gick ganska lätt för jag har haft svampar på hjärnan i några veckor nu redan och dessutom, se ovan: höst! <span style="font-weight:bold;">Cyberkockens ingredienser är den här gången:<br /><br />rucola<br />nötter<br />gröna bönor<br />svamp</span><br /><br />Bonus blir det om alla ingredienserna finns i samma rätt men såklart går det också med en meny. Om det är nåt du inte gillar, inte tål, eller bara inte får tag på går det bra att byta ut det mot något annat.<br /><br />Nu har ni alltså till måndag eftermiddag (kanske fem-tiden <b>svensk tid</b> i praktiken) på er att skicka in era bidrag, antingen genom att länka mig (i en kommentar här eller per mail till deinin@gmail.com) till bloggposten i fråga, eller (om det är nån som inte bloggar men ändå vill vara med) genom att maila text och (helst också!) bild till mig.<br /><br /><i><span style="font-weight:bold;">To my English-speaking readers</span>: I swear I'll have some actual cooking-made-by-me content here soon. Well, one of these days. The transition from summery foods to stews and soups is not going very smoothly here, as anyone eating my cooking lately will testify.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ja suomenkielisille vielä</span>: huomisiltaan (tai siis puoleenyöhön) asti voitte vielä antaa äänenne <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/08/nest-suosikkiasi.html">kalahaasteessa</a>.</i>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-44550102922074062552007-08-26T08:33:00.000+02:002007-08-26T07:44:16.016+02:00Äänestä suosikkiasi!Nyt on sitten kuukauden kalaruoat kokkailtu - ja ainakin itselleni löytyi monenmonta kokeilulistalle menevää keitosta. Pidemmittä puheitta arvon ehdokkaisiin:<br /><br />1. MonkeyFoodin Ylimuuli paneroi kalaa dukkah-seoksessa: <a href="http://monkeyfood.net/2007/08/16/dukkah-kalakala-dukkah/">puna-affen pähkinöinä</a>.<br /><br />2. Suu Auki oli meikäläiselle ihan uusi tuttavuus. Tarjolla olisi <a href="http://suu-auki.blogspot.com/2007/08/nieri.html">marinoitua nieriää ja hunaja-jalapeno-tartaria</a>.<br /><br />3. Otetaan ensin puoli kiloa voita... tyhjentää pakastinta ja taikoo esille <a href="http://puolikiloavoita.blogspot.com/2007/08/kalakuu.html">lohi-pinaattilasagnea</a>.<br /><br />4. Keittokomerossa taas hyödynnetään torin sienisatoa ja kokkaillaan <a href="http://www.keittis.vuodatus.net/blog/769404">rakuunalohta kantarellihöysteen kera</a>.<br /><br />5. Polkkapossun haastevastauksen nimi puhunee puolestaan: <a href="http://polkkapossu.blogspot.com/2007/08/osallistun-sittenkin.html">friteerattuja pekoniin käärittyjä ahvenfileitä ja punajuuri-rommi-smetanakastiketta</a>.<br /><br />6. Kulinaarimurujakin tarjoilee ahventa, vähän italialaisittain: <a href="http://valipala.blogspot.com/2007/08/elokuun-kalahaaste.html">parmesaaniahvenet</a>.<br /><br />7. Pastanjauhannassa jauhettiin tällä kertaa lohta: tuloksena <a href="http://pastanjauhantaa.blogspot.com/2007/08/lohipihvit.html">lohipihvit</a>.<br /><br />Äänestysaikaa teillä on torstaihin asti, voittaja julkaistaan perjantaina!<br /><br /><center><embed allowScriptAccess="never" saveEmbedTags="true" src="http://www.polldaddy.com/poll.swf" FlashVars="p=93616" quality="high" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="252" height="608" name="beta3" salign="tl" scale="autoscale" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" ></embed></center>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-87387714350262830382007-08-22T20:01:00.000+02:002007-08-22T19:55:11.975+02:00Challenge Time Ahoy!I'm in the (very enviable!) position of playing host to both a Finnish and a Swedish food blog challenge this month. Which is kind of lucky, because I'm having serious issues with getting food from the "shots on camera, recipe in head" stage to "edited pictures and post" one. Without further ado:<br /><br /><b>The Finnish one</b>: <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/07/tuuletuksia-ja-elokuun-ruokahaaste.html">elokuun ruokahaaste</a> alkaa olla loppusuoralla; lähettääkääpi kalapostauksenne minulle lauantai-iltaan mennessä!<br /><br />Samaten vinkkaan että koulu (tai koti-) ruotsin taitoja verestävät cyberkokkiosallistujat (lisätietoa alempana) saavat meikäläiseltä kymmenen pistettä ja papukaijamerkin. Ja keksejä. <br /><br /><b>And the Swedish one</b>: det är dags att välja ingredienser till <b>Cyberkocken</b> igen! Hos Ilva i <a href="http://www.agliolio.blogspot.com/">Aglio e olio</a> kan ni ge förslag på nya ingredienser att lägga till de här: muscovadosocker, rucola, soltorkade tomater, fetaost, gurka, nötter, gelatin, färsk spenat, hallon, kyckling, västerbottensost, quinoa, rädisor, och rödlök. Nästa onsdag, dvs 29.8, lägger jag sedan ut tre ingredienser lottade ur de förslagna, plus en extra (som jag nog redan har lite tankar kring). Sen har ni till måndagen (3.9) på er att laga en måltid med de givna ingredienserna, posta om den och länka mig till posten. (Blogglösa deltagare skickar sitt inlägg antingen till Ilva eller till mig, så lägger vi upp det på våra bloggar.) <br /><br />Bonuspoäng om alla indredienserna kommer i en och samma rätt, extrasuperbonuspoäng för alla finländare som vågar sig på att blogga på svenska. Men först ska det alltså ges ingrediensförslag, och det gör du <a href="http://agliolio.blogspot.com/2007/08/tomatrisotto-med-fnklsfrn-eller-risotto.html">här</a>.<br /><br /><b>And so it's not all Foreign Tongues, All The Time</b>: dear Quark readers - tell me about your experiences with mushrooms! Do you only eat the ones to be had in shops? Do chanterelle and porcini sneak in now and then? Or funnel chanterelle and horn of plenty? How about sheep polypore? (That's lampaankääpä / fårticka over here.) Enquiring minds want to know!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1203683125/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1359/1203683125_cd8a94158e.jpg" width="362" height="500" alt="sheep polypore" /></a></center>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-2706302892989962442007-08-14T22:56:00.000+02:002007-08-14T22:01:21.029+02:00Glazed Turnips for One<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1116758421/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1248/1116758421_dc9472f273.jpg" width="372" height="500" alt="Glazed Turnips" /></a></center>. <br /><br />I feel a bit like the turnips pictured above, sticky and slighly singed. It's about eleven hundred degrees out there. And a bit more in here. Last night I tried to make ice cream and it <i>wouldn't freeze</I>. Someone tell me about the housing situation on the North Pole, please?<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1116705115/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1267/1116705115_5e12b0c2b7.jpg" width="500" height="356" alt="Mmm, fresh garlic" /></a></center><br />If it weren't so infernally hot, I'd tell you about these glazed turnips, or turnip to be precise as I was feeding only myself on Saturday. But what can you do? Have some shots from Kauppatori (Salutorget) instead. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1116693631/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1080/1116693631_5713d90753.jpg" width="339" height="500" alt="Kauppatori market" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1117535288/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1095/1117535288_5b787ff217.jpg" width="500" height="335" alt="IMG_2057" /></a></center><br />One end of the market is a tourist trap full of horrible T-shirts and reindeer hats (which reminds me to cook Rudolf soon, I think we have some in the freezer), and there's a food court where fried vendace (yum) battles paella (um), but the part closest to Esplanadi is a genuinely fabulous market with wonderful if fairly pricey produce.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1117542818/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1411/1117542818_08479b63a9.jpg" width="335" height="500" alt="carrots & beets" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1116700891/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1011/1116700891_47c0c0f7f4.jpg" width="500" height="322" alt="sea of peas" /></a><br /></center><br /><br />None of this has anything to do with glazed turnips, except that I actually bought them there. Also chanterelles, but more on those later.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1117532724/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1409/1117532724_c309a2d3da.jpg" width="382" height="500" alt="radishes" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1116698181/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1234/1116698181_cf1f4fca08.jpg" width="500" height="337" alt="berry season" /></a></center><br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Glazed Turnips</b><br /><br />1 medium turnip, peeled and julienned<br />1 tsp butter<br />pinch each of salt and pepper<br />1 tbsp brown sugar<br />1 tbsp chopped parsley<br /><br />Melt the butter in a pan and add the turnip and just a splosh (like a tablespoon, tops) of water. Stir fry for just a minute or so until the turnip softens a bit. Add the sugar and a bit each of salt and pepper and stir until the sugar melts and goes all sticky. Mix in the chopped parsley before serving.<br /><br />This boatful of potatoes (at least I'm assuming it started out full of potatoes, but I'm not a very early riser) didn't have anything to do with turnips either:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1116707977/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1006/1116707977_bc804ec435.jpg" width="339" height="500" alt="Floating potato market" /></a></center></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-36242698611763744862007-08-13T23:49:00.000+02:002007-08-13T23:21:31.985+02:00BLT BaguetteI love sandwiches. I love them with just a bit of cheese, and maybe a few thin slices of cucumber, and now I'm just starving, I wonder if there's any roe paste left in the fridge... erm. Yes. Sandwiches. Are good made with toast, and usually even better made with rolls or baguettes or rye bread or... you know, any bread is good, really. (I wouldn't last a day on a low-carb diet. Possibly this was already glaringly evident.)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1084460172/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1107/1084460172_bad70791f4.jpg" width="500" height="350" alt="BLT" /></a></center><br />I haven't necessarily had enough BLTs to judge, but it is my firm belief that this is the best BLT known to man. Of course, it's not so much bacon-lettuce-tomato as parmesan-lemon-avocado-red-onion-bacon-lettuce-tomato. But that makes for an unwieldy acronym, so. <br /><br />As a bonus, it travels really well, wrapped in clingfilm, and is popular <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/deinin/1073683540/">not just with the two-legged-crowd</a>. <br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><span style="font-weight:bold;">BLT</span><br />adapted from the Swedish TV show <span style="font-style:italic;">Mat med Tina</span>, serves 2<br /><br />2 20-cm (or so) pieces of baguette<br />1 avocado (make sure it's nice and soft)<br />half a red onion<br />juice from half a lemon<br />4 slices of bacon<br />some sliced tomato<br />lettuce<br /><br />1 tbsp mayo<br />2 tbsp crème fraîche<br />2 tbsp finely grated parmesan<br />½ clove garlic, finely minced<br /><br />Slice the red onion finely, rinse in cold water and drain well. Chop the avocado and sprinkle with about half of the lemon juice. Sprinkle the rest over the bacon and fry in a large pan (this will be important later) until nice and crisp. Drain on paper towels, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.<br /><br />Mix together mayo, crème fraîche, parmesan and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix together avocado and red onion and season those as well.<br /><br />Split the baguette pieces and toast them in the bacon fat until nice and crispy. Spread the baguettes with the mayo mix and assemble the sandwiches. I'm sure you have your quirks about which ingredient goes next to which. It's OK, I won't judge.</span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-76297903019691756122007-08-13T19:24:00.000+02:002007-08-13T19:37:00.747+02:00Rhubarb-Strawberry Lattice Pie...but didn't you say you <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/05/rhubarb-white-chocolate-tart.html">didn't <i>like</i></a> rhubarb? you may ask. Yes, I did, and yes, I'm quite prepared to eat my words as well, for I have come around to this most enthusiastic of our homegrown goods (the gooseberries are just barely ripe, and the birds got most of the redcurrants). It's still going strong in the garden, although of course the stalks aren't <i>quite</i> as tender as in, say, June. Never mind, though, as this pie spends a whopping hour and a half in the oven - just the thing to go for in the middle of a heat wave! Whoops.<br /><br />I can't believe I haven't blogged about it here, but the summer's foremost dessert has been a <i>fabulous</i> <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/05/crumbling-crisp-convictions#more-242">crumble with rhubarb and strawberries</a> (I've adapted it somewhat - throw some oatmeal and nuts in the crumble, reduce the sugar in the fruit mix and use more rhubarb than strawberries) that for some reason just <i>refuses</i> to photograph. I hope I'll still have time for a last attempt, but we're fast running out of strawberry season, too, so it may have to wait until next year. Wonderful on its own, divine with vanilla custard or ice cream.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1105496929/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1263/1105496929_043346debf.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Rhubarb-Strawberry Lattice Tart" /></a></center><br />But back to <i>this</i> rhubarb dessert. With over a hundred reviews at epicurious (most of them debating the cooking time - I did reduce mine a bit because the lattice was starting to turn unattractive, but really I think the long stay in the oven gives this a rounded, jammy taste that I for one adored) I was fairly certain there couldn't be <i>much</i> wrong with it. I made my own crust because shortening is not something I'm familiar with, have access to, or am in favor of, and I don't know if things'd be different with the original, but I have to say I prefer pre-baked crusts. But that's really the only thing I'd change, and I'm usually known for my nitpicky habits!<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Rhubarb-Strawberry Lattice Pie</b><br />adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/4459">Bon Appétit, April 1997</a><br /><br />500 ml (2 cups) cups all-purpose flour<br />2 tbsp sugar<br />¾ tsp salt<br />175 g (6 oz) butter<br />100 ml (7 tbsp) ice water<br /><br />750 ml (3 cups) chopped rhubarb<br />1 l (4 cups) strawberries<br />100 ml (7 tbsp) soft brown sugar<br />100 ml (7 tbsp) sugar<br />50 ml (about 3 tbsp) potato flour<br />½ tsp ground cinnamon<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br /><br />lightly whipped egg for glaze<br /><br />Cut the butter into small cubes and pop in the freezer for 15 minutes. Mix together the dry ingredients for the crust, cut in the butter (I do this by pulsing it in a food processor) and add enough of the water (start with about 75 ml/5 tbsp) to make the dough gather in small clumps. Tip out on a piece of clingfilm and press together to form a cohesive dough. Divide the dough in two, one piece slightly smaller than the other, form into flat disks and wrap in clingfilm. Refrigerate overnight (or at least an hour).<br /><br />Hull and halve/quarter the strawberries and mix together fruits, sugars, cinnamon, salt & potato flour in a large bowl.<br /><br />Roll out the larger piece of dough on a floured surface and transfer to a buttered, floured pie form. Pour in the filling. Roll out the smaller piece of dough and cut into strip. Arrange the strips in a slanted lattice pattern and press the ends against the bottom crust to seal. Brush the lattice top with eggwash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 175°C (350°F) and bake for another hour. Let cool completely before serving.<br /></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-66500076359447200452007-08-11T21:47:00.000+02:002007-08-11T20:53:58.029+02:00Potato Salad with Peas...and the previously touted <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/08/tartar-sauce.html">tartar sauce</a>. After a fairly cool and rainy July (I swear I wasn't complaining about it! At least, if I was, I wasn't serious.) August has delivered some seriously sweaty days lately. Cue a diet of sandwiches, ice cream and, you guessed it, cold salads.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1083603049/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1174/1083603049_cb667f005c.jpg" width="340" height="500" alt="Potato Salad" /></a></center><br />At this point, new potatoes have been around for almost two months. I'm not really a new potato person (when my mother gets back to a computer after the weekend, she's going to disown me) but I think they work very well here, and not just because the cooking time is short. Along with some parboiled mangetouts/snowpeas, about half a cup of chopped pickled cucumber, and the rest of the tartar sauce, this turned into a super-fast supper. Almost superb, even.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1084464304/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1321/1084464304_ea2a6aa509.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Potato Salad" /></a></center><br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Potato Salad with Peas</b><br />serves 3<br /><br />1 pickled cucumber, chopped<br />150 g snowpeas<br />12 baby new potatoes<br />100-150 ml tartar sauce<br /><br />Boil potatoes in salted water until almost tender. Drain and let cool. Boil the snowpeas until almost tender, drain and run under a cold tap (or put in an ice bath) to stop the cooking process.<br /><br />Once the potatoes have cooled, halve or quarter them and toss with the chopped cucumber, snowpeas and tartar sauce. <br /></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-64294836126031998712007-08-11T21:41:00.000+02:002007-08-11T20:53:00.005+02:00Tartar SauceThis little bowl of sauce doesn't exactly look like a momentuous occasion or anything, but it actually contains my first-ever batch of homemade mayo. (Usually when I call for mayo in the recipes posted here, what I actually use isn't even the best commercial stuff, but <small>low-fat artificial gunk.</small> Where do I hand in my food cred, again?) To summarize: mayonnaise - not impossible. Also quite high-fat. Funny how making stuff from scratch drives these things home (puff pastry, I'm looking at you).<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/1084461472/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1276/1084461472_58428cf7a8.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Tartar Sauce" /></a></center><br />Although invented to go with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartar_sauce">steak tartare</a> (duh), tartar sauce is generally served with fish over here (fish fingers in particular - this was a regular and popular lunch at school) and we had some of this with simple breaded fish fillets that were devoured before I had any chance to take pictures and then threw the rest in a <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/08/potato-salad-with-peas.html">potato salad</a> - this makes a lot of sauce but the batch is easily halved. <br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Tartar Sauce</b><br />adapted from the Swedish food blog <a href="http://gittosmat.blogspot.com/2007/03/oh-jolly-good-fishnchips-my-dear.html">Kärlek, mat och folköl</a>, served three people twice, but your mileage may vary<br /><br />2 egg yolks<br />2 tbsp dijon mustard<br />2 tsp cider vinegar<br />a few drops tabasco sauce<br />250 ml oil<br />150 ml finely chopped pickled cucumber<br />100 ml capers, rinsed, drained and chopped<br />a big bunch each of parsley and chives, chopped<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Whisk together egg yolks, mustard, vinegar and tabasco until well combined. Add the oil a little at a time in a slooooow trickle, still whisking (I did this in a food processor). Mix in the cucumber, capers and herbs. Season with salt (if needed) and pepper to taste.<br /></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-76099702622330598612007-08-08T22:21:00.000+02:002007-08-08T22:08:03.714+02:00Radish & Mint SandwichesOh man. Remember when I used to post about every other day? I haven't been out of town or anything. I haven't even stopped cooking, although you may want to brace yourself for a slew of posts on the joys of fabulous sandwiches - for example, I've had the world's best BLTs <i>twice</i> this week, but more on that later - once I get around to it. The pictures just keep piling up on the hard drive, and doing something about them seems disproportionally momentous (it was probably the five thousand cat photos from <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/deinin/sets/72157601076065178/">my vacation</a> that did me in) and so nothing really gets done.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/976092067/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1417/976092067_b48a8c98ec.jpg" width="346" height="500" alt="Radish & Mint Sandwich" /></a></center><br />Except, as I said, sandwiches. I'll have something on egg sandwiches and BLTs and some other things later (see, I'm writing that here in the vain hope that something will happen) but for now let's talk about the ones I actually took, edited and uploaded pictures of, namely these radish and mint ones. The <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/cooking/holiday/kentucky_derby/recipes/11856">original recipe</a> was for <i>tea</i> sandwiches which is all very good if you want something dainty and thin and deceptively light-looking, and it's not that I didn't, but accomplishing thin-enough slices of bread just felt beyond me, and besides I happen to like this dark, partly whole-grain, pre-sliced bread, both for its taste and because it looks pretty next to the vibrantly colored radishes.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/977071102/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1166/977071102_0b65779943.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Radish & Mint Sandwich" /></a></center><br /><br />You know what would be the greatest thing since sliced bread, though? <i>Thinly</i> sliced bread. Again, if you live somewhere with easy access to said commodity, please don't tell me about it unless said place is Helsinki, Finland. Sometimes people talking about their groceries makes me want to cry. If you happened to have a recipe for a basic sandwich loaf (preferably not-completely-white) that is easily sliceable and doesn't crumble, that is a different story altogether. I have great faith in my kitchen cooling down to temperatures at which I could justify turning on the oven again. Maybe in November.<br /><br />Anyway. Radishes. Mint. Bit of mayo mixed with lemon peel (and juice) and salt and pepper. Sliced bread. Enjoy.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-74448032536193108452007-08-01T22:03:00.000+02:002007-08-01T21:09:52.878+02:00Goo Cake<div style="text-align: right;"><i>kladdkaka</i></div><br />Look, I'm just translating the name literally here! Kladdkaka is, as I see it, the Swedish version of a brownie, but generally it's baked in a thinner layer, and also left deliciously sticky. Not a fancy dessert by any means, but very easy and popular. The only tricky part is getting it out of the oven at the right time - too long and it's just your average boring cake, too short and, well, it's still a batter. (That said, the batter is, um, extremely edible. Or so I hear.) You want the edges of the cake to be quite firm, but a large area in the middle should still be well wobbly, as it'll firm up as it cools.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/976459049/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1413/976459049_85d8b90172.jpg" alt="Kladdkaka" height="500" width="369" /></a></center><br />This time I went with the zest of an orange for extra flavor, but like with brownies, there's really no end to how you can spice it up - nuts, liquor, flavorings like peppermint or coffee, you name it. (Another favorite of mine is a few tablespoons of cognac and about a cup of toasted nuts.)<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Goo Cake</b><br /><br />300 ml (1¼ cup) sugar<br />150 ml (5 fl oz) all-purpose flour<br />2 tsp vanilla sugar<br />½ tsp salt<br />75 ml (5 tbsp) cocoa powder<br />finely grated zest of one organic orange<br />150 g (generous 5 oz) butter or baking margarine, melted<br />2 eggs<br /><br />Mix together the dry ingredients and orange rind. Stir in the butter and then the eggs one at a time, just until it's evenly mixed. Pour into a buttered, floured pan and bake at 175°C (350°F)for about 20-25 minutes. Let cool and serve with whipped cream or ice cream and maybe some fruit or berries (raspberries are especially good).<br /></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-63997536408674401522007-08-01T20:01:00.000+02:002007-08-01T19:19:00.472+02:00Cauliflower & Spring Onion DalI eat a lot of lentils, usually in vaguely Indian stews, and so far these have been sadly underrepresented on this blog. This was pretty much what I lived on during my vacation, at least on the chillier days, but I actually went almost three weeks without taking a single food picture, so what you see is a reconstruction. (And wow, gas stoves are SO MUCH QUICKER than my regular electric one.)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/975516947/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1423/975516947_c2db1057a9.jpg" width="344" height="500" alt="Cauliflower & Spring Onion Dal" /></a></center><br /><br />I don't have a particular source for this recipe, but I think it's safe to say that everything I know about Indian cooking I learned from <a href="http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/">food</a> <a href="http://www.sailusfood.com/">blogs</a>.<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Cauliflower & Spring Onion Dal</b><br /><i>serves 1 greedy person as is, probably two with rice</I><br /><br />¼ tsp ground cumin<br />¼ tsp ground coriander<br />½ dried red chile<br />2 pods cardamom<br />3 whole cloves<br />about ½ cup moong dal (split, skinned mung beans)<br />about a cup of cauliflower florets<br />one fairly mature spring onion, chopped<br />oil for frying<br />about a cup of water<br />1 clove garlic, minced<br />2 tbsp dried coconut, toasted<br />1 tbsp ghee<br />1 tsp black mustard seeds<br />salt & pepper to taste<br /><br />Rinse the dal well. Heat the oil in a medium-sized pan until sizzling, add the first five ingredients and stir for about 30 seconds. Add cauliflower and the white bits of the onion and fry until the cauliflower is nicely browned. Stir in the dal and add some water, reduce the heat to a minimum and cover. Let simmer until the dal is very soft and starting to go mushy. Stir in the green bits of the spring onion, cover again and take off the heat. <br /><br />In a small frying pan, heat the ghee and add the mustard seeds. Let sizzle until the mustard seeds start to pop, pour over the dal and stir to mix.<br /><br />Note: if you're serving this with rice, it's probably a good idea to make it a bit less dry. So increase the water a bit!</span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-12188986139297055922007-07-31T20:59:00.000+02:002007-07-31T20:20:06.032+02:00Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Sandwich<div style="text-align: right;"><i>banh mi ga</i></div><br /><br />In my quest to master the art of Grilling Edible Food, I meant to explore a number of different marinades and glazes for chicken - we tend to eat a lot of chicken breast which really needs a bit of a kick to be worthwhile. Unfortunately, the first thing I stumbled upon was this recipe for five-spice chicken in vietnamese sandwiches, and we've pretty much been eating just this nonstop since. The marinade works wonderfully on chicken and almost as well on pork ribs, and it's pretty much perfection regardless of how you prepare it - grill, oven, pan. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/964208743/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1321/964208743_988920cf5c.jpg" alt="Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Sandwich" height="346" width="500" /></a></center><br />Despite all the times we've had these sandwiches lately, they've been almost impossible to photograph. Not because they're ugly, it's just that the photos don't... happen. (If you come here for the pretty pictures, please be advised that the one above was taken around 9 PM while I was walking the cat. Also: yes, after three weeks of constant sunbathing, I'm still this pale.)<br /><br />The meat is all well and good, then, but banh mi are really so much more. Thinly sliced meat chucked into a mayo-slathered baguette* along with cucumber, just lightly pickled julienned carrot and daikon, thinly sliced red onion and jalapeno peppers may not <i>sound</i> like the best summer meal ever, but believe me, it IS. In general I'm not much of a fan of pickled things, but together with the spicy-salty chicken... it's just <i>divine</i>. Everyone I've served them to has loved them.<br /><br />I know julienning this much carrots and daikon radish may seem like a lot of work - I happen to find it soothing - but making a big batch is definitely worth it as they'll keep for several days in the fridge. (I just had some on a slice of sweet-ish rye bread. Talk about fusion.)<br /><br /><br />*you're meant to use light bread and I must say I prefer it, but sometimes you've just got to make at least a game attempt at health-consciousness, hence the more rustic baguette in the pictures.<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Sandwich</b><br /><i>adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/233499">Bon Appétit, Dec 2005</a>, serves 4</i><br /><br />3 skinless, bonless chicken breasts<br />2 tbsp soy sauce<br />3 garlic cloves, minced<br />2 shallots, chopped<br />1 tbsp fish sauce<br />1 tbsp oyster sauce<br />1 tbsp sugar<br />1 tsp five-spice powder<br />1 star anise, ground<br /><br />100 ml sugar<br />100 ml white wine vinegar<br />pinch of salt<br />½ l julienned carrots<br />½ l julienned daikon radish<br /><br />4 20-cm (or so) pieces of baguette<br /><br />mayonnaise<br />thinly sliced red onion (soak in cold water for milder taste)<br />thinly sliced cucumber<br />1 jalapeño chile, thinly sliced<br />(fresh cilantro)<br />worchestershire sauce<br /><br />Mix together the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Turn the chickens in it to coat and let marinate in the fridge for a few hours.<br /><br />Stir the ingredients for the "pickle" marinade until the sugar's dissolved. Mix in the julienned vegetables and let stand in the fridge for at least a few hours, or overnight. Drain well before serving.<br /><br />Grill the chicken on medium/high heat until cooked through. Let cool just a bit and slice thinly.<br /><br />Cut the baguette slices open and grill the cut sides until slightly crispy. Spread mayo on the bottom half of the baguette, top with chicken, cucumber strips, carrot-radish pickle, red onion and (if using) cilantro. Sprinkle with jalapeño and worchestershire sauce, top with the top half of the baguette and eat.<br /><br /><br />(As for the original epicurious recipe: if you live in an area with ready access to "skinless boneless chicken thighs" please don't tell me about it, because I'm going to CRY.)<br /></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-71121145349392401512007-07-31T15:55:00.000+02:002007-07-31T15:30:15.344+02:00Tuuletuksia ja elokuun ruokahaaste<i>[I won the Finnish food blog challenge for June-July (whee!) so there'll be some food challenge-related blather here every now and then, since I'm the host for August. Scroll on past if Finnish is not your thing!]</i><br /><br />Grillatut nektariinit näköjään purivat muihinkin sen verran hyvin että <a href="http://polkkapossu.blogspot.com/">veteraanihoustaaja Polkkapossun</a> isännöimän grillaushaasteen voitto tumpsahti tällä kertaa rahkalaan! Kiitoksia kovasti kunniasta, meikäläinen virnuilee täällä kuin hangon keksi konsanaan. <br /><br />Elokuun ruokahaasteen aihe olikin sitten vaikeampi juttu, jota miettiessä meni tovi jos toinenkin (itse asiassa jouduin turvautumaan entten-tentteniin kahden vaihtoehdon välillä). Pari viimeistä etappia on kisattu valmistus- ja jalostusmenetelmän pohjalta, nyt palataan kesäisen iloittelun jälkeen tiukkaan raaka-ainekuriin. Elokuun raaka-aine on monipuolinen, nopeavalmisteinen (ja -liikkeinen), terveellinen ja ennen kaikkea MAUKAS vedenelävä eli <b>kala</b>. <br /><br />Inspiraatiota voi hakea vaikkapa Pro Kala ry:n <a href="http://www.prokala.fi/">kotisivuilta</a>, ja myös Maku-lehden sivuilta löytyy ihan kiitettävästi <a href="http://www.maku.fi/makuaskeleet/kalakoulu/">kalankäsittelyneuvoja</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Osallistuminen</span><br /><br />Haasteeseen voivat osallistua kaikki blogia pitävät henkilöt. Osallistua voi vain yhdellä ruoalla per blogi. Jos haasteruoan resepti ei ole postaajan oma viritelmä, on postauksessa kohteliasta ilmoittaa ohjeen alkuperä.<br /><br />Haasteruoka tulee postata 1.-25.8.2007 välisenä aikana.<br /><br />Haasteeseen osallistutaan ilmoittamalla haastepostauksen URL joko tämän postauksen kommenttiosioon tai sähköpostitse osoitteeseen deinin [at] gmail.com. Ilmoittautuminen päättyy lauantaina 25.8.2007, jolloin haastepostausten osoitteiden on oltava tiedossani.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Äänestys</span><br /><br />Haasteeseen määräaikaan mennessä ilmoitetut postaukset julkistetaan sunnuntaina 26.8.2007, jolloin alkaa myös äänestys. Äänestystapa ilmoitetaan haastepostausten julkistamisen yhteydessä.<br /><br />Äänestysaika päättyy torstaina 30.8.2007. Elokuun ruokahaasteen järjestäjänä jäävään itseni ulos sekä kilpailusta että varsinaisesta äänestyksestä. Jos äänestysajan päättyessä useammalla postauksella on yhtä korkea äänimäärä, valitsen minä voittajan näiden postausten joukosta.<br /><br />Voittaja julkistetaan perjantaina 31.8.2007.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Syyskuun ruokahaaste</span><br /><br />Elokuun 2007 ruokahaasteen voittaja järjestää syyskuun 2007 ruokahaasteen. Aiheen valinta, aikataulu, äänestystapa ja säännöt ovat hänen päätettävissään.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-63229236722065091092007-07-25T17:50:00.000+02:002007-07-25T17:02:06.114+02:00Paahdejälkkäri (Grilled Nectarines with Balsamic Syrup and Mascarpone)<i>This is my entry for the Finnish food blog challenge for June-July, the theme of which was grilled food. There's a writeup and recipe in English after the Finnish versions, as usual.</i><br /><br />Hupsista! Ihan meinasi unhottua koko ruokahaaste kesähuumassa vaikka jatkoaikaa saatiin peräti <a href="http://polkkapossu.blogspot.com/2007/07/kisa-jatkukoon.html">kuukauden verran</a>. Teemana siis Polkkiksen valitsema grilliruoka, mikä kyllä allekirjoittaneelle oli iiiihan vieras toimialue, rahkalassa kun noudatetaan perinteisiä sukupuolirooleja keittiöhommissa ja jätetään grillaaminen miehille. (Tai äidille. Tai kelletahansa vaan tulta pelkäämättömälle.) Nyt on sitten koko kesä grillailtu, ja meikäläiseltä sujuu jo ainakin <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/06/grilled-couscous-salad.html">vihannesten</a> ja <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/06/grilled-mustard-dill-salmon.html">kalan</a> grillaaminen Ihan Hyvin. Kanallekin on löytynyt suosikkigrillimarinadi jonka itse asiassa piti päästä haastevastaukseksi kun sitä on jo monenmonta kertaa kokeiltu ja aina hyväksi todettu, mutta kuinka ollakaan aika loppui kesken ja piti keksiä jotain kivaa pikaruokaa.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/896495454/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1134/896495454_71fda954ae.jpg" width="500" height="340" alt="Grilled Nectarines with Balsamic Syrup and Mascarpone" /></a></center><br />Tai siis pikajälkiruokaa. Ettei vaan <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/03/inkivrikuorrutetut-porkkanamuffinit.html">makeiden</a> <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/04/vuohenjuustotryffelit-goat-cheese.html">haastevastausten</a> <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/05/tryffelitytteiset-chiliperunaleivokset.html">suora</a> katkea. Noin yleisesti ottaen en ole mikään hedelmäfani - c-vitamiinit uppoavat paremmin marjojen ja vihannesten muodossa - mutta kuinka ollakaan grillissä nektariineistakin kehkeytyi ihan muhkea jälkkäri, pieni pala auringonpaahdetta sateista iltaa ilostuttamaan. Tästä voitaneen kiittää varsinkin balsamicosiirappia, jota voisi melkein syöda ihan sellaisenaan jäden tai marjojen kera...<br /><br />Paahdejälkkäri näyttää vaikeatekoisemmalta kuin on, lähinnä ehkä siksi että se koostuu neljästä osasta: sokerissa paahdetuista pistaaseista (voi korvata tavallisilla pähkinöillä), sitruunamehulla notkistetusta mascarponejuustosta (voi korvata esimerkiksi vaniljajädellä), balsamicosiirapista (koko reseptin juju, ja suoraan sanottuna ihan ilmiömäisen hyvää) ja sitten itse nektariineista (voi korvata vaikka persikoilla). Kaikki osaset kuitenkin valmistuvat alta aikayksikön, ja kaiken paitsi grillaamisen voi sitäpaitsi valmistella hyvissä ajoin.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/896496068/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1299/896496068_c73de2edca.jpg" width="364" height="500" alt="Grilled Nectarines with Balsamic Syrup and Mascarpone" /></a></center><br /><b>In English</b>: I seem to be making a habit of running very very late with my food challenge posts. This time I have an excuse though: after spending the first half of the summer learning how to grill (when it comes to cooking we subsrcibe to traditional gender roles in this household, and so as a girly-girl I usually stay well clear of the grill), I completely forgot about the whole thing until Polkkapossu posted a reminder. Yesterday. For today. Eeek!<br /><br />This may seem like a complicated recipe, and it does consist of several different parts: a pistachio brittle type thing (I'm sure plain nuts would also be lovely); mascarpone softened with a bit of lemon juice (I wouldn't say no to vanilla ice cream); a syrup made with balsamic vinegar (this is, quite frankly, genius, so shouldn't be fiddled with) and grilled nectarines (peaches would do as well, I think). So, sort of involved, yes, but all of these are fairly quick and very easy, and you can make everything except the grilled nectarines well ahead.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/896496582/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1126/896496582_3eadbde124.jpg" width="500" height="328" alt="Grilled Nectarines with Balsamic Syrup and Mascarpone" /></a></center><br />The balsamic syrup is really amazingly good, both sweet and tart and somehow rounded - I actually think it could stand completely on its own as a sauce for ice cream or berries. As it is, it made a fabulous glaze for the grilled fruit, and I'm not even someone who <i>likes</i> fruit very much (give me berries any day).<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Grillatut nektariinit mascarponella ja balsamicosiirapilla</b><br /><i>neljälle, inspis haettu <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/106651">täältä</a></I><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">pistaasit:</span><br />noin desi kuorittuja pistaasipähköitä, karkeasti rouhittuna<br />½ rkl voita<br />2 rkl fariinisokeria<br /><br />Sulata voi ja sokeria kasarissa, sekoita joukkoon pähkinät ja pidä liedellä kunnes sokeri kuplii ja tihenee. Levitä pähkinäseos lautaselle ja siirrä jääkaappiin jäähtymään.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">balsamicosiirappi:</span><br />25 g voita<br />2 rkl balsamicoviiniettikkaa<br />¾ dl fariinisokeria<br /><br />Sulata voi ja sokeri kasarissa, lisää balsamico ja kiehauta. Anna kiehua miedolla lämmöllä kunnes seos tihenee, 5-10 min.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">mascarpone:</span><br />200 g mascarponejuustoa<br />4 rkl sitruunamehua<br />(1 rkl tomusokeria)<br /><br />Notkista mascarpone sitruunamehulla. Sokerisyöpöt (esmes minä) lisäävät hiukkasen tomusokeria makeuttamaan.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">nektariinit</span><br />4 suht pehmeää nektariinia<br />1 rkl sokeria<br />1 rkl sitruunamehua<br /><br />Halkaise nektariinit ja poista kivi. Ripottele leikkuupinnalle sokeria ja sitruunamehua ja anna seistä sen aikaa kun grilli lämpiää. Sivele balsamicosiirapilla ja grillaa keskilämmöllä kymmenisen minuuttia, pari kertaa kääntäen. Annostele kuumien nektariinipuolikkaiden päälle mascarponea ja pistaaseja ja kruunaa koko komeus lopuilla kastikejämillä. Oli muuten hitusen vaikea kuvattava.<br /><br /><b>Grilled Nectarines with Balsamic Syrup and Mascarpone</b><br />serves 4, inspired by <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/106651">this recipe</a><br /><br /><b>for the pistachios:</b><br />about half a cup of pistachios, roughly chopped<br />½ tbsp butter<br />2 tbsp brown sugar<br /><br />Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the pistachios and sugar and stir on medium heat until the sugar starts to bubble and thicken. Spread the pistachios on a plate and transfer to the fridge to cool<br /><br /><b>for the balsamic syrup:</b><br />25 g (2 tbsp) butter<br />2 tbsp red balsamic vinegar<br />75 ml / 2½ fl oz brown sugar<br /><br />Melt sugar and butter in a pan, add balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Simmer on a medium-low heat unti the syrup starts to thicken.<br /><br /><b>for the mascarpone:</b><br />200 g mascarpone cheese<br />4 tbsp lemon juice<br />(1 tbsp confectioners' sugar)<br /><br />Soften the mascarpone with lemon juice. If you have a sweet tooth like me, add some confectioners' sugar.<br /><br /><b>for the nectarines</b><br />4 more or less ripe nectarines<br />1 tbsp sugar<br />1 tbsp lemon juice<br /><br />Halve the nectarines, remove the pits. Sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice. Heat the grill to medium-high, brush the nectarines with the balsamic syrup glaze and grill until nice and soft (about ten minutes for me), turning a few times. To assemble, dot each fruit half with a bit of mascarpone, sprinkle with pistachios and drizzle with leftover balsamic syrup. Serve immediately.<br /></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-32770729426916192552007-07-24T23:44:00.000+02:002007-07-24T22:52:28.909+02:00Summer Soup<div style="text-align: right;"><i>kesäkeitto / snålsoppa</i></div><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/888825684/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1140/888825684_aa4c4c4d2b.jpg" alt="summer soup" height="500" width="351" /></a></center><br />It's been a while since I featured a really really Finnish dish on this blog, bilberry pies aside. This is a somewhat controversial one, I think mostly because either the thought of vegetables in boiled milk puts you off, or it doesn't. (Insta-poll of six Finns in their mid-twenties to early forties says four in favor and two vehemently against.) It also has a slightly sweet taste to it, not just because of the milk but also because you're using the newest of the new season's vegetables, which of course are naturally sweet.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/888825692/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1111/888825692_309fb8efa6.jpg" width="372" height="500" alt="summer soup" /></a></center><br />The recipe comes from <a href="http://www.farmorscafe.fi/">Farmors Café</a>, a restaurant in the Finnish archipelago close to where our summer island is. I've never actually had summer soup there, but it's worth a visit for the cakes alone. :P<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Summer Soup</b><br /><i>serves four</i><br /><br />1½ l (6 cups) season's new vegetables, cut into chunks (carrot, spring onion, leek, caulflower, parsnip, sugarsnap & radish)<br />½ l ( 2 cups) small new potatoes, cut into chunks<br />1 l (4 cups) vegetable broth<br /><br />2 tbsp flour<br />200 ml (7 fl oz)milk<br />200 ml (7 fl oz) "cooking" cream (about 5-15% fat)<br />100 ml (3&frac; fl oz) cream cheese<br /><br />salt, pepper & sugar to taste<br /><br />parsley & a few thinly sliced radishes to serve<br /><br />Simmer the vegetables (save for the green parts of the spring onion) in vegetable broth until about half-done, then add the onion greens. In a separate pan, heat the milk and cream until almost boiling, then whisk in the flour. Pour into the soup pan (through a sieve if it's lumpy in spite of the whisking), add the cream cheese and continue cooking until the vegetables are done - you want them to be fairly soft but by no means mushy or anything. Season with salt, pepper and (optionally) a pinch of sugar. Serve with parsley and sliced radish sprinkled on top.<br /></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-13575068417643479502007-07-20T23:59:00.000+02:002007-07-21T15:07:24.888+02:00Women's Week Bilberry Pie<div style="text-align: right;"><i>mustikkapiirakka / blåbärspaj</i></div><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/860976614/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1230/860976614_8a7551edea.jpg" alt="Bilberry Pie" height="500" width="389" /></a></center><br />We're in the middle of Women's Week, (<i>naistenviikko / fruntimmersveckan</i>), which is what we call July 18th to 24th, when a lot of ladies with popular names celebrate their name day (including me, if only for my middle name). Scandinavians tend to acknowledge name days, usually with baked goods of some sort, and for my family (I share my middle name with my mom and grandmother) the tradition is to bake a bilberry pie from bilberries picked on our summer island - if there are any, which is the subject of much fretting during the preceding weeks.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/860976328/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1382/860976328_0faacfa36d.jpg" alt="Bilberry plant" height="500" width="370" /></a></center><br />Not this year though, as I got the first pie baked almost two weeks ago. This is, in fact, the third one I've had since - the summer's been both warm and rainy so far, so it's an excellent year for bilberries. I think English speakers could probably debate the pieness of this particular dish; it might be more of an, erm, double-sided... crisp? To be honest, the crumbles, cobblers, slumps and grunts kind of blur together for me. Anyway, the dough is incredibly simple, just the kind of thing to throw together in a poorly equipped cabin (although for gas ovens, heat it to 250°C and then turn down to 225), and while it might not be the neatest of desserts to eat, it's very very good. Especially with a bit of cream.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/860976988/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1152/860976988_8352522a21.jpg" alt="Bilberry Pie" height="314" width="500" /></a></center><br />The recipe is my mother's, and I think she got it from her mother, although it's not My Grandmother's Bilberry Pie which uses a different kind of dough. (Actually, I think the original uses only flour, whereas I went for part rolled oats for more texture.) If you can't get hold of bilberries, blueberries would probably work, although they're a bit bland in comparison.<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Bilberry Pie</b><br />75 g (2½ oz) cold butter<br />200 ml (7 fl oz) flour<br />100 ml (3½ fl oz) rolled oats<br />50 ml (generous 3 tbsp) soft brown sugar (<i>fariinisokeri / farinsocker</i>)<br /><br />500 ml / 2 cups bilberries<br />1½ tbsp sugar<br />½ tbsp potato flour<br /><br />Mix together the dry ingredients for the pie crust. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. With your fingertips, press half of this "dough" into the bottom of a 10-inch pan (don't bother with getting crust on the edges).<br /><br />Mix together bilberries, sugar and potato flour and spread onto the pie. Crumble the rest of the flour mixture on top and bake at 225°C (~450°F) for about 25 minutes, until the topping goes light brown and the filling beneath it is bubbly. Let cool for a while, but it is extremely good when still a bit warm.</span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-86403340079715275632007-07-20T23:34:00.000+02:002007-07-21T00:39:31.558+02:00Sommar & kål-och-lökröra (Summer and Cabbage-Onion Stew)<i>Scroll past the foreign blather to get to the recipe in English.</i><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/839053686/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1367/839053686_aaf5040545.jpg" width="387" height="500" alt="IMG_1342" /></a></center><br /><br />Efter några månaders mer eller mindre gediget matbloggande är det riktigt skönt att glömma allt som har med intressant matlagning att göra och bara röra ihop diverse ingredienser utan att bry sig om hur det ser ut. Mina barndomsminnen från sommarholmen utgår mer på väderlek etc (regn, regn, vind som blåser rakt igenom den skrangliga stugan, mygg, ågan om blåbären skall mogna i tid för en paj innan semestern tar slut, den årliga återläsningen av kåseriböcker äldre än jag själv, bromsar, sol och heta släta klippor, doften på Niveas solkräm - den som inte är vattentät doftar fortfarande helt rätt) än mat. Likaså bra, kanske, för nu när jag tänker efter handlar det mest om vattenkakao och sikanauta burkkött (med ris och burkmajs blir det rådigågga) - det känns som ett mirakel att vi överlevde, faktiskt. Eller åtminstone att mitt matinresse blev som det blev.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/829909095/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1172/829909095_c46f7ed0ab.jpg" width="500" height="324" alt="IMG_1303" /></a></center><br />När man har en hel stuga och ett helt (litet, gasdrivet) kylskåp för sig själv så kan man faktiskt laga kakao helt med mjölk om man vill. Och burkköttet ersätts med fördel med diverse linser. När man har en hel stuga och en hel (minimal, stökig) köksvrå för sig själv har man inte heller nån mamma där att laga mat, så man får själv försöka lista ut gasugnens förvecklingar. Det är mindre roligt än mjölkkakao.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/860974708/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1419/860974708_9683d03bdd.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_1610" /></a></center><br />Gasspis skall vara det bästa i mattillredningsväg, heter det. Nåt motsvarande lär ingen påstå om gasugnar, som väl mest är bra för att sticka huvet i om man vill sätta slut på sin miserabla tillvaro efter ett (ojämnt!) vidbränt frukostbröd för många. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/820618691/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1072/820618691_7a0f040b0d.jpg" width="358" height="500" alt="IMG_1037" /></a></center><br />Här följer ett recept som faktiskt inte är vackert, eller ens särskilt somrigt, men som passar bra att värma stugan med en kulen dag (alternativt då man försöker få slut på en nästan tom gasbytta så man kan byta in en ny och baka bröd utan att vara rädd för att ugnen skall slockna mitt i). Går bra med lite ris och en bit överblivet grillkött, en skiva stekt halloumi, eller helt som så. Som plus är ingredienslistan möjligtvis den kortaste jag nånsin skrivit, och både lökar och kål håller länge.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/838187313/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1353/838187313_01dceb8945.jpg" width="500" height="323" alt="IMG_1234" /></a></center><br /><br /><b>In English:</b> I had a wonderful vacation; gas stoves are lovely; gas <i>ovens</i> are mostly good for suicide; the shot below is as close as I got to taking a food picture. (What do you mean, it was a lot wordier in Swedish?) <br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/821466604/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1120/821466604_6de4fa9bcd.jpg" width="351" height="500" alt="IMG_0497" /></a></center><br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Lök-och-kålröra</b><br /><br />två små lökar<br />ett halvt (pytte)litet kålhuvud<br />1-2 msk smör + 1 tsk olja<br />(&frac2; tsk kumminfrön)<br />salt & peppar<br /><br />Skiva löken fint. Strimla kålen. Värm smör och olja i en kastrull med tätt lock. Häll i löken och stek under omrörning tills den börjar få lite färg. Tillsätt kålstrimlorna och lite salt (+ ev. kummin), vrid ner värmen så lågt det går, sätt på locket och låt sjuda i en halvtimme eller så (rör om alltid nu och då!), tills det hela är en sötaktigt brunaktig röra. Smaka av med peppar & mera salt. Mums.<br /><br /><b>Cabbage & Onion Stew</b><br /><br />two small onions<br />half a head of cauliflower<br />1-2 tbsp of butter + 1 tsp vegetable oil<br />(½ tsp whole cumin seeds)<br />salt & pepper<br /><br />Slice the onion and cabbage finely. Heat the oil and butter in a pan with a tight-fitting lid. Pour in the onion and cook, stirring, until it starts to get a bit of color. Add the cannage and a bit of salt (+ cumin, if using), lower the heat to as low as you can, cover and let simmer for about half an hour. Stir every now and then! You'll wind up with a brown, sweetish mush that looks <i>terrible</i>. Season with salt and pepper and eat it.<br /></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-8040004749048438542007-06-25T11:49:00.000+02:002007-06-25T10:52:42.002+02:00Taking OffThe Quark menagerie is heading off to summer pastures for a few weeks, so the blog will be going radio silent for a while. I can't even promise a backlog of fabulous things when I return as both groceries and cooking facilities are kind of incredibly basic. Oh well, at least the view is very nice:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/613246949/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1279/613246949_8cc1690754.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="gone to the island..." /></a></center><br />Enjoy your summer!Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-69402097461946428272007-06-24T10:35:00.002+02:002008-06-01T08:05:02.977+02:00Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut DressingDo you remember the first time you had peanut butter? Peanut butter wasn't much of a thing in Finland when I was growing up (understatement), so I do. I was a slow convert to the peanut butter straight up, not mixed with anything school (and I still don't get the PBJ sandwich, but then I don't want jelly anywhere near my sandwiches anyway), but used in spicy sauces (and peanut butter cookies, but that's a bit different) it has a more instant appeal, adding this smooth and creamy depth to, er, whatever you're mixing it with.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/571944685/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1039/571944685_0409c29ba8.jpg" width="385" height="500" alt="Noodle Salad" /></a></center><br />A noodle salad with carrots, bell pepper and scallions, in this case. The sauce is really the star of this thing, fabulously spicy and satisfying, so obviously you could, and should, play around with the amount and type of vegetables. (I did make it again later on with chicken, and that was lovely too, and for a more nutritionally balanced vegetarian option, mung sprouts would be <i>lovely</i>.) I chose to mix in just half of the dressing before serving, so everyone could add more to their plates according to taste.<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><b>Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing</b><br />adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/230922">Bon Appétit, Oct 2004</a>, serves 3<br /><br />75 ml (1/3 cup) peanut butter<br />4 tbsp soy sauce<br />2 tbsp rice vinegar<br />1 fresh red chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped<br />2 cloves garlic, minced<br />1 tbsp soft brown sugar <br />1½ tbsp ginger, minced<br />about 50 ml vegetable (or chicken) stock, or enough to make the above a fairly runny sauce<br /><br />150 g rice noodles<br />3 medium carrots, julienned<br />1 red bell pepper, julienned<br />1 bunch scallions, julienned<br /><br />(I find julienning things therapeutic. If you don't, this dish is going to be a lot less fun to prepare.)<br /><br />Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a food processor and blend until smooth. (I find that you need to chop the chili <i>really</i> finely for this to work at all, but your mileage may vary.)<br /><br />Bring a pot of water to the boil and throw in the carrots and bell pepper. Add the rice noodles, take off the heat and let stand for however long it says on the package. (3 minutes in this case, which was just perfect for the veggies.) Drain and run under cold water, then drain well again. Mix in the scallions and enough sauce to make it nice and slick. Serve as is or cold, with more sauce on the side.<br /></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-67535129437602834572007-06-21T18:41:00.000+02:002007-06-21T19:01:00.304+02:00Grilled Mustard & Dill SalmonFirst of all, I'm thrilled (and a little bit amazed) to have won the most recent installation of the Swedish food event <a href="http://annesmat.blogspot.com/2007/06/cyberkocken-vinnaren.html">Cyberkocken</a>. A huge thank you to <a href="http://annesfood.blogspot.com">Anne</a> for hosting, the judges for, um, voting for me, and most of all to the <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/06/risotto-med-musslor-rkt-bacon-mussel.html">mussles</a> for not giving us food poisoning in spite of the less-than-stellar treatment they got on the way home. <i>Tack!</i><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/571944987/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1310/571944987_b62916521f.jpg" width="500" height="351" alt="Mustard Grilled Salmon" /></a></center><br />Now that's out of the way, this was one of the things I thought about entering to the <i>Finnish</i> food blog challenge, the theme of which is grilled/barbecued food. I've only recently started enjoying <i>cooking</i> fish - I've always liked <i>eating</i> it - but this was one of my first times ever grilling fish. A big fillet of salmon lends itself really well to this purpose, as it's not going to overcook and turn dry in a matter of minutes the way smaller white fish would, and the ease of preparation was a major plus. The minus being... the taste of the topping. The mustard was a bit overpowering, and I was using bought mayo which was just a bit too sharp here. With some tweaking (maybe some yogurt or soft cheese replacing part of the mayo?) it'll be wonderful - you just slap the fish on the grill and top with the seasoning and leave it for about 20 minutes and it's done! - but it's not exactly a challenge entry yet. Good thing we got an extension due to our general summer laziness...<br /><br />Speaking of laziness, I'm just going to <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-salmon-with-dilled-mustard-glaze">link you to the recipe</a>.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-84002466076039503772007-06-20T01:21:00.000+02:002007-06-20T00:34:44.363+02:00Lemon & Chili Ice CreamHere's a newsflash: ice cream is hard to photograph. It melts. (Cloudberry Quark - bringing you the very latest in physics. Since, um, February.) Also our ice cream scoop is not made for scooping, I think.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/571449284/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1342/571449284_bb859adae8.jpg" width="349" height="500" alt="Lemon Chili Ice Cream" /></a></center><br />One of the problems with having a food blog, I've discovered, is that I rarely repeat fabulous recipes after I've blogged about them. Because what would I have to blog about <i>then</i>? It really takes some begging to make me repeat things, and even then, unless I'm strictly supervised, I tend to... tinker.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/571448926/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1119/571448926_1af31f382c.jpg" width="344" height="500" alt="Lemon Chili Ice Cream" /></a></center><br />This is more or less a repeat of the <a href="http://cloudberryquark.blogspot.com/2007/05/reilusti-eponnistunut-kakku-upea.html">incredibly lemony ice cream</a> from last month - the proportions are 4 yolks, 120 g sugar, 200 ml whipping cream, 100 ml light cream, 100 ml milk (or just 400 ml liquids to make it simple), zest and juice of two lemons and one fairly mild chili pepper. (It could have been zingier, is what I'm saying.) Throw in the chili with the lemon zest. The sauce is from Nigella's Forever Summer and is very simple: simmer <span style="font-weight:bold;">250 ml water</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">250 g of caster sugar</span> until it thickens (without stirring), dump in <span style="font-weight:bold;">one finely chopped chili</span> (again, not a mild chili necessarily), wait until it cools a bit, then stir and store in the fridge. <br /><br /><center></center>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com162tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322699259423641267.post-37997112442154664012007-06-19T23:24:00.000+02:002007-06-20T01:11:25.057+02:00Beet, Blue Cheese & Walnut SaladSeason's first beets are here! I find beets somewhat challenging to prepare, since roasting (and maybe grilling) is the only way to do it right, and it does take an age. (Actually it's not so much the time as the fact that you never know how long it'll take.) Once you're done, you sort of want there to be more to it than a bunch of, well, edible root veg. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinin/571448464/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1286/571448464_6c3da495bc.jpg" width="378" height="500" alt="Beet, Blue Cheese & Walnut Salad" /></a></center><br />Not to knock the old beets-with-butter side dish, which is after all a classic for a <i>reason</i> (it's not just the butter, either), but this time I wanted to go for another classic combo: beets, walnuts and blue cheese. The last time I went for this pairing, it was in somewhat unorthodox empanadas, but that's just too fussy for a weeknight in summer, so I turned to the trusty Epicurious for some salad hints. The dressing is, erm, less-than-beautiful (this is what comes of reading a recipe, thinking "yeah, I'll remember what to do" and then... not remembering what to do), but very tasty!<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Beet, Blue Cheese & Walnut Salad</span><br />adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/100673">The Figs Table by Todd English and Sally Sampson</a><br /><br />5 medium-sized beets, with stems trimmed to an inch or so of the root, scrubbed clean<br />1 tbsp or so of olive oil<br />a handful of walnuts<br />a few tbsp fresh chopped herbs; I used mint and basil<br />salt & pepper to taste<br />1 tbsp balsamic vinegar<br /><br />½ tbsp olive oil<br />¼ cup chopped walnuts<br />½ small red onion, thinly sliced<br />80 g (about 3 oz) blue cheese (I used Roquefort)<br />a few tbsp light cream<br /><br />Rub the beets with a bit of olive oil, wrap tightly in tin foil and roast at 200°C (400°F) for about 40-50 minutes, until tender. Let cool for a while, then rub the skin off and cut into strips/slices/whatever. Mix in walnuts and herbs and season with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. (If your salad <i>isn't</i> all wilted and sad, toss some in, too - the original used arugula.)<br /><br />Sautée the chopped walnuts in the olive oil and set aside. Whizz together cheese and cream in a food processor until smooth, add the cooled walnuts and the onion and run the blender for a while longer. Add more cream if it's too solid and more cheese if it's runny. Serve with the beets.</span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08094928918136322686noreply@blogger.com13