Vanilla Panna Cotta with Apple Compote

It's Friday! So, time for dessert. I've been playing a lot with panna cottas lately. They're so delicious, so much fun, and so simple to make. They do require time to rest in the fridge, to firm up, but other than that, they're really a breeze.

I made this one for my pal Nico who talked about a great apple panna cotta he had eaten on a trip. I don't know if this came very close, but everyone loved it and it's Per's favorite out of all the ones I've made.

The basic idea is a spicy apple compote, topped with a creamy vanilla. The compote is quite loose and runny - you could add gelatin to it if you want it to set more, but I personally like the contrast. The apple compote is definitey best if it's left to infuse overnight, but if you're in a hurry, it will work anyway.

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Apple Compote
Serves 4

Apple Compote:
3 apples (I used Pink Lady)
50 ml brown sugar
50 ml homemade vanilla sugar (or regular sugar)
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1/2 blood orange, juiced (or a regular orange)

Peel the apples and cut into small dice. Mix all ingredients in a small pot, bring to a boil and let it simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes. (You can leave it for longer if you want it to be mushier.)

Pour everything into a bowl, cover with plastic, and place in the fridge over night. On the next day, remove the spices, and divide the apples and some of the liquid in small ramekins or cups.

Vanilla Panna Cotta:
300 ml heavy cream (35-40% fat)
1 gelatin leaf
50 ml homemade vanilla sugar (or regular sugar)
1/2 vanilla pod

Soak the gelatin in cold water for five minutes. Meanwhile, heat sugar, cream and vanilla until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the vanilla. Squeeze the water from the gelatin and add it to the cream. Stir well, until dissolved. Carefully pour the panna cotta over the apple compote and place in the fridge to firm up for at least four hours.

Recipe in Swedish:
Vaniljpannacotta med äppelkompott

Pea Omelette with Goat's Cheese

Phew - I'm beat! The "american" buffet was a huge hit, and everyone walked away satisfied. I took very few photos, unfortunately - but I did manage a few, and I'll write more about it this weekend.

You might want to attempt something new for breakfast this weekend. And this is just that: a gorgeous omelette (or an omelet, if you prefer) from Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food. I know, I'm totally pushing that book (which is funny considering I don't even have it - I borrowed mine at the library) but it truly is lovely. This omelette was breakfast a few weekends ago, and it was absolutely great. If you love goat cheese, obviously. But we do.

Pea Omelette with Goat's Cheese
Serves 2

70 g bacon, diced
100 g peas (defrosted if frozen)
5 eggs
100 g goat's cheese - the kind that comes in a thin log, in slices
salt, pepper
parmesan

for the salad:
rocket (arugula)
olive oil
red wine vinegar
dijon mustard
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 250°C - use the grill option if your oven has it, or a broiler.

Make a simple vinaigrette for the salad - use olive oil, a little vinegar, some mustard, salt and pepper. Don't dress the salad just yet though!

Fry the bacon until crispy, in a big frying pan that's also oven-proof. Add the peas.

Beat the eggs lightly and add them to the pan. Shake it carefully so that the eggs are evenly distributed. Place the goat cheese rounds on top as soon as the omelette begins to settle a bit, and sprinkle with some salt and black pepper.

Grate a little parmesan on top of the omelette. Place it in the oven for a few minutes, just so that it sets completely.

Dress the rocket with the vinaigrette. Cut the omelette into slices, and serve with the salad.

Recipe in Swedish:
Ärtomelett med getost

Pico de Gallo

Is today over yet? Almost? Oh, good. Because it has *not* been a good day. No particular reason, except I've been stressing beyond belief, trying to get everything ready for our big meeting tomorrow. That meeting, the one where I needed to fix an "American" buffet. So I've been shopping, planning and prepping, doing all kinds of things, including a triple batch of chocolate chip cookies, and blue cheese dip with carrot and celery sticks, and a big bowl of pasta salad as per Jason's suggestion. Main food will be bagels with pastrami - probably not very authentic pastrami, but at least it says so on the package. I hope people will be reasonably happy!

And speaking of happy. I recently discovered Pico de Gallo, this simple but very bright-flavoured mixture of tomoatoes, onions, lime and cilantro. Oh god, it's so good. I know I'll be making it over and over again this summer because there can be nothing better with barbecue than this.



Pico de Gallo

5 medium tomatoes
1-2 jalapeños
1 yellow onion
1 large bunch fresh coriander
1-2 limes, juiced
salt

Chop the tomatoes, jalapeño and onion. Let the tomatoes drain off a little in a sieve if they're very juicy. Finely chop the coriander. Mix everything, add lime, season with salt.

Told you it was simple.

Recipe in Swedish:
Pico de Gallo

Portobello Toast with Caramelized Onions

Here's another recipe that I found in Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food. Like I've already said, that book was really inspring, and since I only borrowed it from the library for a few weeks, I made a lot of things all at once. This was definitely a winner - it's so simple, but so tasty. And it was my first time buying portobello mushrooms actually - nice, but I don't know that they're all that different from regular (and much cheaper) button mushrooms. So I think I'll stick to that. Here's some more info on the Portobellos.

I wouldn't mind this mushroom-onion mix with something else than toast, either. Say, on a pasta? Or with some scrambled eggs? In an omelette, for that matter? The possibilities are endless...

Portobello Toast with Caramelized Onions
Serves 2

6 small shallots
200 g portobello mushrooms
some fresh thyme, or in my case, 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
salt, pepper
butter
1-2 tbsp sherry vinegar
flat-leaf parsley
some good bread

Slice the shallots and the mushrooms. Crush the garlic clove, but don't chop it. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and fry the shallots, the garlic and the thyme. Fry for a few minutes, then add the sugar and lower the heat. Continue frying as you stir the shallots, letting them brown a bit.

Add the mushroom, and a pat of butter. Fry until the mushrooms have shrunken and lost most of their liquid. Add a splash of sherry vinegar, and let it reduce a bit. Season with salt and pepper, and finish with some chopped parsley.

Toast your chosen bread, divide the topping, and serve right away.

Recipe in Swedish:
Toast med Portobello och karamelliserad lök

Live life the Bowmore way

As you might know, this year is a leap year, which means that a few days ago, February 29, only occurs every four years. In Sweden, this is called a Scottish year, and that was the Scottish day. Which brings me to... scotch.

Bowmore is many people's favorite single malt. It's produced on Islay, which means that it's very smokey and peaty. Personally, I like my whisky a bit softer and smoother, but I do like a variety called Bowmore Enigma. Anyway, enough about that. Bowmore has recently launched a new site, called The Bowmore Way, that does a nice job of positioning the brand.

Here's a small video clip from them - there are lots more on the website, with useful tips like how to prevent garlic breath, or how to fold a rose napkin. That's life, the Bowmore Way!

A good weekend

We've spent the weekend with Per's family in Motala. Today, we went to his nephew's christening - this little cute boy is now formally known as Theodor.



I've got to show you what was served. My mother in law is great with cakes and cookies, and she and Theodor's other grandmother had baked up an impressive array of goodies for all the guests.



These cookies were my favorite. Oatmeal lace cookies sandwiched with buttercream and dipped in chocolate - yum!



Checkerboard cookies and one that I don't really know the name of, but it was crispy and delicious.



Buttery shortbread.



Swiss roll with apple jam.



And Per's very favorite cake - three layers of yellow cake with mashed banana, vanilla custard and strawberry jam, covered in whipped cream, halved grapes and milk chocolate. It's what he wants for his birthday every year.



Yesterday, we had some lovely chicken on toast for dinner - it's a stuffed chicken breast with parma ham inside and topped with parmesan, on a toast with fried mushrooms and spring onions, all nesting on a bed of salad. It was drizzled with a warm balsamic vinegar glaze - delicious!



And of course, with coffee - some homemade cookies. It just wouldn't be Swedish "fika" without it.

One-Bowl Blondies

I made these wonderful little blondies a few days ago, and I won't even bother to tell you how good they were, because it'll won't take you more than half an hour to whip up your very own batch. Go! Go!

I found this at Smitten Kitchen - thank you, thank you, thank you.


One-Bowl Blondies
Makes 16

110 g butter, melted
250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla sugar
pinch of salt
250 ml (1 cup) flour

and any or all add-ins, like
-dark chocolate
-white chocolate
-toasted nuts
-dried fruit
-mashed bananas
-whisky
-espresso

I added about 50 ml (that's a little more than three tablespoons) each of dark and white chocolate, and 100 g of toasted hazelnuts.

Heat the oven to 175°C, and butter a small oven pan, about 20*20 cm.

Mix the brown sugar with the melted butter. Add the egg and vanilla. Stir in salt and flour, and any add-ins you'd like. Pour this into the pan, and bake for 20-25 minutes - it should be a little gooey when you pull it out.

Freezes very well, re-heats perfectly in the microwave, and for real decadence, serve with some whipped cream and possibly a few berries.

Recipe in Swedish:
En-skåls-Blondies