Salmon and Cauliflower

I think this the most elegant dinner we have done to date. Rich in butter and salt no doubt too...tasted like gold.

This is what I did:

Jerusalem artichoke and potato mash:
Peel and cut fresh artichokes(1/2 lb.) in cubes. Cook in a little milk and butter with a whole garlic clove and 2 small scallions in chunks. Cook on low till milk has been cooked into the chokes and they are soft and are starting to get a golden color. Mix in food processor then blend into regular mash potatoes with a spoon. Salt and pepper to taste. Place this on the plate first.

Top mash with a slab of sauteed cauliflower (cut slices of the entire tree so you get think gorgeous slab, sautee in lots of butter)

Then add the grilled filets of salmon...just lightly peppered and grilled. Place in oven a few minutes to cook through if desired.

Pour a little browned butter over the entire plate. (Melt butter then keep on medium heat till it starts turning golden brown and has a nutty delicious taste)

Enjoy!

Sourdough!!!

I baked. Looks professional, huh?

From the left they are a Potato loaf, wholegrain mini loafs, and a danish rågbröd. I am so proud of my first sourdough baking attempt. I used Pain de Martin's tips and recipes of course.

Enjoy!

Västerbotten Pie

I haven't really mastered the Swedish classics yet...I haven't even tried making many of them...slowly but surely I will soon. This saturday I decided to test out pickling some veggies and making a savory little pie for dinner. Turned out quite well for my first try. The veggies would have been much better if I waited a week or two but I was to eager to try them and eat them all up.

The pie:
Whole grain wheat flour
Butter

Mixed together till you get a really crumbly dough. Press out into pie forms. Fork small holes so the dough won't misform in the oven.
Bake for 10 mins at 200c.

Filling:
Smoked Salmon
Västerbotten Cheese (swedish)
Thinly sliced scallions
fresh dill
white peppar
egg and milk

Whisk one egg with a teaspoon of milk and pour over the pie then add a last layer of cheese so this can melt over as a delicious cover.
Bake until cheese has melted and got some nice brown color...takes about 15 minutes.

We served the pies with boiled peeled small potatoes, thin crisp bread, and gräddfil (sour cream) mixed with grated horseradish and lemon juice and zest, as well as my pickled veggies (Which I will post about at a later date, promise...I just want to do them properly once before sharing)

Enjoy!

Lux Lördag a.k.a. Shmancy Saturday!

Even though we may pretty much have just a student's budget we feel we are worth a little luxury dinner every week to really treat our selves. We go out to eat at restaurants very seldom because the prices are ridiculous in Stockholm and the we are almost always disappointed...plus we always feel we can make it better at home...and we do. Plus the process of menu planning is so enjoyable. At dinner we discuss future dinners. One could say food is our life but that would be dorky.

Saturday dinners are the best because I have a whole free day to myself to dream and shop and cook and Johan comes home from work early! My process is usually the same. I get inspired by something one of the cooks has made at work and try to recreate it at home or I look through one of my many marvelous recipes I have handwritten down, or page through my gorgeous cookbooks to get inspiration. Then I take my sweet time at the grocery store picking out the ingredients. I often hint at the menu during the day so that Johan can purchase a wine that will match. I love taking my time to set the table. I love when there is lots of cutlery and different sized glasses and carefully folded napkins and candles and flowers on the table.


We got quite a few previous dinners with gorgeous photos to match that I will try to upload soon.