Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

Growing up, I was never a fan of soups.  Perhaps, I had not tried the "creamy " types of soup yet, as I remember the soup being filled "with stuff".  I was a very picky eater and a bowl filled with chunky, slimy vegetables, floating in broth, did not appeal to me.

Today, I love soup.

A few weeks ago, I visited the little Village of Millbrook, with my daughter.  We decided to have lunch at the local diner and my daughter ordered the the Cauliflower & Cheddar Soup.  It was delicious.

For the past two weeks we've had a marathon of soups for dinner.  I've made broccoli, tomato, carrot, leek, minestrone, farmer's soup and lastly  I decided to try and  re-create the Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup.  It was so good that I wanted to eat the whole batch by myself..

Here's the recipe.

Cauliflower Cheddar Soup  (use less or more liquid to determine the thickness)

• 1 head cauliflower, broken in florets
• 1 diced onion
• 2 chicken/vegetable bouillon cube + 1 cup of water ( or canned broth)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2  cups milk + 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch each of cayenne pepper, curry powder, white pepper and nutmeg.

• In a large saucepan, combine the cauliflower, onion, broth and bouillon. Cover and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender.  Drain.  Puree half and break the rest into small pieces.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Cook and stir until bubbly. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes longer or until thickened. Reduce heat; add cheese and seasonings. Pour over cauliflower mixture. Simmer slowly for 10 minutes (do not boil). 

Sill Sallad - Herring Salad

My contribution to our Swedish traditional Christmas Smörgåsbord  was Herring Salad.  I acquired a taste for this dish a few years back as I wasn't accustomed to eating the Sill Sallad.

Herring Salad 

Ingredients:

• 1 small jar pickled herring
• 3 cold boiled potatoes
• 5 sweet pickled beets
• 2 apples
• 1 tsp salt or pickled cucumber
• 2 Tbsp chopped onions
• 100ml beet  juice
• 100 ml whipped cream (whipped stiff)
• Decoration (parsley/dill, chopped egg)

---

Instructions:

Cut all the ingredients into small cubes and mix.
Add beet juice and fold in cream.
Decorate with chopped eggs and chopped parsley or dill.

Mamma's Havrekex - Mom's Oatmeal Crackers

Havrekex was always a must at Christmas when I grew up.

Havrekex

I don't recall any of my friends ever having Havrekex at their Christmas table,  but two Swedish friends of mine here in Canada makes them as well.    After some research on the web, it seems like the "crackers" are mainly baked in Northern Sweden and the recipes have been past down from generation to generation.

Some, prefer the "havrekex" a bit soft in the middle, almost like bread, and others want then crisp like a cracker.    Roll them a bit thinner and bake them slightly longer and they will become crisp.  I usually make a bit a each.

I like them with butter and cheese, or with a nice slice of leftover Christmas ham topped with either mustard or apple sauce. YUMMY!

Havrekex - Oatmeal Cracker

750g  rolled oats (oatmeal)
4 cups milk
400 gram melted butter or margarine
400 gram sugar
1 1/2 tbsp bakers's Amonia (Ammonium Bicarbonate)
1 tbsp baking soda
Flour

In large mixing bowl, pour milk over oatmeal and let sit overnight.

Melt butter/margarine and pour over oatmeal mixture.
Add sugar, mix baker's amonia, baking soda with some flour and add to mixture.   Continue adding flour until you have a semi firm dough.

Preheat oven to 200° C (400° F)
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough thinly, a little at a time.
(You may need to add more flour)
Use an ordinary rolling pin at first and then a cross-hatched rolling pin.  (or use a fork to prick the dough)

Use a round glass to cut out crackers. Position on baking sheets and bake for 10-12min.
If you roll the dough thin the crackers will become more crisp when baked, if you want them softer keep them a bit thicker.

Transfer crackers to a rack and cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.

Swedish Pepparkakor & Toblerone Shortbreads

Great Friday evening!

Hubby had a card game to attend so I had the house to myself.  Most people know me as a social butterfly; I enjoy people and I love socializing but there are days when I treasure being solitary.

So, Friday evening I poured myself a glass of Shiraz-Cabarnet, turned the radio station dial to 98.1, Toronto's Christmas Music Station, to get in the spirit.

And, I got to work. I started out by baking my annual Swedish Pepparkakor. They are so time consuming that I'd like to pass on them each year, but the kids really want them.  So, I bake them.   I remember being a little girl and my mother telling me she wasn't going to bake Pepparkakor any more, because they are a lot of work and she doesn't even like eating them.  Gee, I remember thinking, soon I'll be old enough to bake them myself.      

They do make the house smell like Christmas!

SWEDISH PEPPARKAKOR      Bake at: 410 degree F

1 ¼ cup margarine or butter (room temperature)

2 cups sugar

100 ml corn syrup (or golden)

1 tbsp ground ginger

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground cloves

1 tbsp baking soda

200 ml water

Approx. 6 cups flour

Stir/mix margarine/butter, sugar and syrup until blended.   Add spices, baking soda, and then add water and stir/mix until blended.  Add most of the flour and work until dough is not longer sticky.  Add more flour if needed.  Wrap dough in foil and let rest in fridge overnight.

Take dough out and let come to room temperature. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 410 degrees F.  On lightly floured surface roll out small amounts of dough until very thin. Cut with assorted cookie cutters.   Place on prepared cookie sheets. 

Bake 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Continue to roll, cut and bake rest of dough.

 Toblerone Short breads was next on my task list.  They are super easy to bake and so delicious.   The rice flour can be substituted for corn starch.

After tidying up the kitchen; I poured myself another glass; got the fire roaring; positioned my laptop on the coffee table;  settled in on the couch; and treated myself to some Swedish Web TV...

Life is good...even when I'm by myself..

Nutella Cake

Nutella never last very long in our house.
We love it on toast, on ice-cream but nothing beats eating it straight from the jar.
When I found a recipe for Nutella Cake on the web, I decided to give it a try.

A tub of nutella sounds a bit much but the cake does not need any additional sugar.   There is no flour added to this cake, so it might be a good choice for some with a wheat allergy. 

I baked it in a 9 1/2"  form, slightly larger than recommended.  The recipe says it serves 9,  I'd say it serves 10 -12 as dessert after dinner, as it is quite rich. The cake turned out moist but firm enough to cut into.

Nutella Cake

Nutella Cake
Serves 8
Nigella Lawson: How to be a Domestic Goddess
http://www.nigella.com/recipes

CAKE
6 large eggs -- separated
1 pinch salt
115 g soft butter
1 jar of Nutella (400 g)
1 tbsp Frangelico or water
100 g finely ground hazelnuts
120 g dark chocolate, melted

ICING
100 hazelnuts
125 ml double cream
1 tablespoon Frangelico or water
125 g dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Prepare a 9-inch spring-form pan: grease and line with parchment or wax paper.

Whisk the eggs whites and salt until stiff but not dry.
In a separate bowl, beat butter and Nutella together, then add Frangelico (I omitted this), egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts.
Fold in the cooled melted chocolate, add a dollop of egg white before gently folding the rest of them in a third at a time.
Pour into the prepared pan and cook for 40 minutes or until the cake's beginning to come away at the sides, then let cool on rack.

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan until the aroma wafts upward and the nuts are golden brown in parts: keep shaking the pan so they don't burn on one side and stay too pallid on others. If you use unpeeled nuts, transfer them to a kitchen towel, and rub, rub, rub. Most of the skins should come off. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, add the cream, liquer or water, and chopped chocolate and heat gently. Once the chocolate's melted, take the pan off the heat and whisk until it reaches the right consistency to ice just the top of the cake. Unmold the cooled cake carefully. Ice the top with the chocolate icing, and decorate with the hazelnuts. Serve with a lightly sweetened whipped cream.

I did not toast the hazelnuts. Turned out fine anyways.

Tjälknöl - Slow Cooked Roast

This recipe originated in northern Sweden and was traditionally made from Venison meat.  But beef will work just as well.   The roast is cooked from a frozen state at a very low temperature, around 167F.. for about 10 - 12 hour, and then marinated for 4-5 hours.

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove the roast from the freezer and place on roasting pan.  Place in oven and turn to 80 °C. (175 °F.)

Calculate the cooking time to about 6 ½ hours per pound (for a roast of 1,5 kg it will be about 10 hours).  After approximately 2 hours in oven, insert a meat thermometer.   The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 65-75°C.

Marinade

Water                     4 cups
Salt                        1/3 cup
Sugar                     1 tbsp
Black Peppercorn   7 ea
Juniper Berries        5 ea
Bay Leaf                 3 leaves

Mix the ingredients for the brine in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Cool.

Add the hot roast to the cooled brine.  Either place in double plastic bags or in a snug fitting container.I marinated roast in wide-mouth water jug, as I couldn't find a suitable container.  Place in fridge for about 4-5 hours.  Any longer and the meat will be too salty.  I took the meat out of the oven when it reached 65°C.. I'd probably leave it a bit longer next time as my family members thought it was too rare.

 Slice thinly and serve together with either scalloped potato or potato salad.  I also like a bit or horse radish on the side.   The history behind the Tjäknöl is that in the early 1980's Ragnhild Nilsson asked her husband to defrost a roast by placing it in the oven on very low heat.  Her husband forgot the meat in the oven overnight and when Ragnhild realized that the roast had been in the oven that long, she attempted to "save" the meat by marinating it in a mixture of salt and spices.  The roast became very tender and tasty.  In 1982, Ragnhild submitted the newly "discovered" recipe to a cooking competition in Sweden and won for best regional dish of Medelpad. (region of Northern Sweden.) I've seen some variations of the original marinad online.  Here's one I might try next time.   Marinade 2 cups water1/3 cup dark soya1/3 cup salt (or less)3 crushed garlic cloves1 tsp crushed black pepper  Or, maybe I'll create an Italian marinade with fresh herbs, garlic, balsamic vinegar, red wine, and a bit of olive oil.   

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

We are real soup lovers in our family.

I make sure to cook double batches of soup so that I can freeze some for later use.  My girls love to grab a "container" of soup for their lunches.

Today, I made Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup.  This recipe comes from my friend Diane, who's also a blogger.  She posted this recipe in January 2009.. and I have made  it numerous times since.  Here's a link to the recipe:
http://thingswelove2.blogspot.com/2009/01/comfort-soups.html

I actually added an apple to the recipe today but I didn't notice a difference in taste.  Leeks might  make a nice substitute for the cooking onion as well.  Maybe, I'll try that next time.

I have tried other Butternut Squash soup recipes, but somehow this one stands out.  Perhaps its the combination of roasting the squash first and then the addition of pears that makes it a bit different.   The combination of flavors complement each other perfectly.

A nice homemade soup, I could eat that almost every day.

Våffeldagen - Waffle Day

Today is Waffle Day in Sweden.  It is celebrated on the day that Archangel Gabriel appeared before Virgin Mary to tell her she was pregnant with Jesus, March 25th.

In the past, this day was called "Vårfrudagen", translates into something like Our Lady's Day, after the title of the Virgin Mary.  Over time people 'reshaped' the name to "Våffeldagen", which sounded somewhat similar.  Hence, the tradition of eating waffles.

So today, I treated the family to waffles with whip-cream and strawberry jam.  I would have preferred cloud-berry jam but it is real difficult to come by, especially the home made type.

Waffles come in many shapes and sizes, but in Sweden it's common with a heart shaped waffle, so when I found a waffle maker in Canada that produced heart shaped waffles, I had to have it.  I put it on my Christmas wish list one year, and Santa must have listened.

It's foolproof;  select your ideal texture, pour in the batter, close the lid, and wait for it to beep.  This is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets..

There are numerous recipes for waffles.  This is the one I went with today:

Waffles

100 gram butter
300 ml flour
Pinch of salt
400 ml milk
1 tsp baking powder

Melt the butter.  Cool.
Mix flour, salt, and baking powder in bowl.
Whisk in half the milk until smooth.  Add the rest of the milk and the melted butter.
Whisk until smooth.  Let rest for a few minutes.
Stir the batter in between waffles, as the flour tends to settle to the bottom.

Last time I made waffles, I used a different recipe and I thought they were better. I'm gonna have to experiment a bit.

Happy Shrove ( Pancake) Tuesday !

Today is Shrove Tuesday; the day before Lent.   Here in Canada we know it as Pancake Tuesday.

The teachers made the kids pancakes at school today; but that didn't stop my daughter from wanting them for dinner as well.

The  request was for Swedish pancakes though; crepes.  I actually never had "American pancakes" until I arrived in Canada.  As a child, "crepes" was served at dinner time at least a few times a month.  Mom would even get creative and make us a "pancake torte".  We never had syrup with the pancakes; we would either sprinkle some sugar or spread some nice homemade jam down the middle of the crepes, and then roll them up from one end and enjoy... For special occasions we would have whip cream.

So, as soon as I got home from work today, I quickly mixed up some batter to fry some crepes.

Basic Crepes Recipe

250 ml (1cup) flour 

1/2 tsp salt

600 ml milk

3 eggs
2 - 3 tbsp margarine or butter

 

1.  Mix flour and salt in a tall bowl. Add half the milk and mix until smooth.  Add the rest of the milk. Mix.  Add the eggs and whisk until blended.  Melt the margarine and add to batter.  Batter does not need to rest.

2. Pour approx. 1/2 cup of the batter in the center of a hot, lightly "greased"  frying pan (or crepe pan) . Tilt to spread the batter to the edges of the pan. Cook until the top is dry. Turn and cook the other side for about 15 seconds.

Stir the batter once in the while to keep the flour from settling to the bottom.

Makes about 10 large crepes.

Something I haven't eaten since I  was a child is Swedish Oven Pancake.  The pancake becomes puffy and golden brown, and is cut into squares.  Sometimes it's served for breakfast with fruit/jam etc., and  other times diced "pork" is added to the batter, and it becomes a quick supper meal.  I remember not being to fond of this dish, but I will give it a try again.  It's only been 30 years!

While we eat pancakes here in Canada for Shrove Tuesday, my family is eating Baked Brown Beans with Pork in Sweden.  And to round it off they'll have their Semlor for dessert.  Not sure if the beans is a local "tradition" as I know that some Swedes will have Pea Soup and Crepes for Shrove Tuesday.

Swedish Semla

A Semla is a traditional Swedish pastry, dating back to the 16th century.  Semla is a sweet bun filled with almond paste and whipping cream.

Buns are baking in the oven!

Traditionally, the Semla was only eaten on Fat Tuesday, but today one can find Semlas available in bakeries and stores from Christmas until Easter.  It was originally served in a bowl of warm milk, and some still prefer to eat them like this.   I don't ever recall seeing anyone eating it this way though.

"Semlor" - Finished Product!

My kids are well aware of this Swedish tradition and would be very disappointment if I didn't bake semlor for Fat Tuesday.

The same basic dough is used for Cinnamon Buns, so I made a few of those as well..

"Bulle" - Swedish Cinnamon Buns

Interesting Semla Fact: (sweden.se)
King Adolf Fredrik died on February 12, 1771, after consuming a luxurious banquet rounded off with 14 servings of hetvägg, semla served in a bowl of warm milk.

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Our whole family enjoy this dish; it's so quick and easy to prepare.  The coconut milk and the curry paste make a delicious sauce.  

I called home 10 minutes before leaving from work and told the kids to turn on the rice cooker.  So, it only took 20 minutes from the time I walked in the door to get dinner on the table.

RECIPE
Vegetable Oil
1 lb boneless chicken thighs (or breast), cut into bite size pieces
1 or 2 large onions, cut into chunks
1 can - 14 oz. coconut milk (for cooking)
Pinch of sugar
1/2 to 1 can - 4 oz.  red curry paste**
1 can - 14 oz. Mini Baby Corn (cut into pieces)
1 Red Pepper, cut into chunks or julienne
1 Green Pepper, cut into chunks or julienne
1 fresh lemongrass stalks, cut into pieces, the bottom parts smashed with the back of a heavy knife
2-4 kaffir lime leaves, torn slightly (to impart fragrance) Optional, but adds a nice touch!
Other Vegetables such as zucchini, carrots finely sliced on diagonal, green beans, sugar peas are optional.

These are the brands I like, make sure to purchase coconut milk for cooking!

PREPARATION

1. In a wok or large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil over high heat; 
2. Add onions and fry for 1 minute
3. Add and stir-fry chicken until browned, about 3 minutes. 
4. Add curry paste, a pinch of sugar and lemon grass (optional) and stir well to coat chicken.
5. Add red/green peppers and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, add miniature corn and kaffir leaves.
6. Pour in coconut milk and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and cook for approx. 5 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked.

If you are using other vegetables, add them in order of how long they'll take to cook.
For the first time, use only 1/2 can of curry paste and work up from there if needed.
Green curry paste can substituted  instead of red. I might try that next time.

My curry turns out different each time, as I use whatever vegetables I have available. Sometimes, I'll add two cans of coconut milk, depending on how much chicken or vegetables I'm using.    If you're looking for a vegetarian dish, you can omit the chicken, or substitute it with tofu.

Bon Aptite!

Cowboy Cookies

Had very good intentions of going to my yoga class, but unfortunately the car was not cooperating.  Dead batteries! 

So, on to plan B.  I went for a brisk walk, in the crisp cold weather, to purchase some eggs at our local Sobey's store.   Then I baked a batch of Cowboy Cookies.  Nothing like the aroma of freshly baked cookies!  Poor that souls who doesn't know what I'm talking about!  A friend of mine had mentioned that she made these cookies a few days ago, and I was very curious about them as I never heard of them before.  The recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart, and I assume they were good as they vanished very quickly.   A good friend stopped by for coffee and gave the cookies thumbs up, and my 13 year old son was certainly smiling when he realized that the aroma came from home baked cookies,,, what a treat!   

Today was a good day, I got to enjoy three of my simple pleasures; baking, friendship and the outdoors.  Life is Good!

Recipe
Makes about 5 dozen

• 3/4 cup pecans (3 ounces)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until darkened and fragrant, 10 to 13 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Into a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
3. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Beat in oats, chocolate, pecans, and coconut until just combined. (Dough can be covered with plastic and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
4. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray; line with parchment, and spray parchment. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared sheets, about 3 inches apart.
5. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges of cookies begin to brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Cowboy Cookies - Martha Stewart Recipes

Pölsa - Sweden's answer to Haggis

With Mom visiting from Sweden, I took the opportunity to have her cook up a huge batch of pölsa.   As a child, I was an extremely picky eater, but pölsa was actually a dish I enjoyed.  I probably know more people who dislike it, than like it.  I googled the word pölsa and here's Wikipedia's answer:

Pölsa is a traditional Swedish dish, very similar in taste and consistency to Scottish haggis. The main ingredients are liver, heart, onion, pot barley, and often beef mince or minced pork, mixed with stock, black pepper, and marjoram. It is usually served with boiled or fried potatoes, pickled beetroot, and sometimes a fried egg.

From an anonymous source:  "Pölsa tastes and looks like warm puke"... I'll dispute the taste part but it sure ain't no eye candy.

Here's a quick recap of how Mom made the Pölsa.

I purchased a large eye of round roast, which Mom cut into large chunks, along with the beef liver & pork, which is then simmered on low heat for a few hours with lots of ground all spice.  The recipe calls for a nice, fatty piece of pork as well, but since I couldn't find a suitable piece at the grocery store, I purchased a package of ground pork.  Pölsa was originally made during slaughter time, so that nothing would go to waste.  In modern times, ground beef and pork are often substituted for the real McCoy. 

Mom had brought the pearl barley from Sweden, as I have not been able to find such "delicate" pearls of barley here, which was soaked in water for a few hours.  Once the meat is cooked, it i strained and the liquid kept for later.  My dusty meat grinder came to life again, and the beef, pork and liver was finely grinded.

Then you simply mix the meat mixture with the cooked barley, which gets diluted with the cooking broth.   I like the consistency similar to a thick spaghetti sauce but it varies according to individual preference.  We kept ours a bit thicker since I'm freezing most of it and will dilute it when re-heating.  As pölsa freezes better without the onion, I will add some freshly shredded onion when reheating.

Pölsa is served with boiled potatoes and pickled beets, some add fried  a egg on top, YUM!

Mediterranian Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

There's been quite a while since I last hosted a dinner party and actually put an effort into preparing the meal.  I used to be a wiz in the kitchen, but I've slowly lost my mojoo. 

So when I recently decided to host a dinner party for 12, I had to put my thinking cap on.  I decided upon a Italian theme, as I had just hosted Swedish Christmas, and thought my husband would appreciate a meal suitable to his palette.

We started our meal with an antipasto plate of bocconcini, prosciutto wrapped melon, olives, grilled eggplant and zucchini.  What I like a about the antipasto plate is that it can be prepared well in advance.  For the first course, I made Risotto Milanese which I offered instead of a pasta dish.  For the second course, I served pork tenderloin stuffed with sundried tomato, cheese, prosciutto and fresh herbs, served alongside baby potatoes and green beans. 

For dessert, I made my traditional Christmas Tree.  This is a dessert that Dino's mother used to make during the Holiday, and ever since I was introduced to the "tree", I adopted it as one of my "must-do's" each year.  I never had the privilege of meeting my "mother-in-law" but it is nice to be able to honour and include her during the Christmas Season.

The food turned out excellent, and it was a great evening with lots of laughter and stories shared amongst friends.  If I could bottle it all, I would.

RECIPE - STUFFED MEDITERRANIAN PORK TENDERLOIN

I pork tenderloin

Sundried Tomatoes, chopped & drained of oil

Fresh Herbs, oregano, basil

Prosciutto

Mozzarella Cheese

Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper

Yarn

Cut open tenderloin (long side), but not all the way through and flatten slightly. Scatter tomatoes, fresh herbs on fillet.  Top with cheese and then prosciutto.  Roll back up and secure fillet with yarn.   Fry file in oil, salt and pepper.   Put in oven proof dish and bake for 15-20 min @ 175 C. (I usually add a little bit of Marsala wine at bottom of dish).   Remove and let rest under foil for 10 min.   Cut into 2cm wide slices. 

Serve with your favourite sauce, ready-prepared or make you own.

Swedish Porterstek (Porter Roast)

I considered myself a fairly good cook, but when it comes to cooking an oven roast, I never seem to produce a melt-in-your-mouth piece of meat.  I have found a fool-proof-way though, and that is by simmering the roast on the stove top.  The annual dinner at Grandma's house during Christmas break was often Porterstek.  I remember enjoying my share of meat & potatoes, drenched in gravy, so much that I always, always had seconds, if not thirds. 

So today, I decided to make a Porterstek. I got the cookbook out and looked up the recipe.  Most ingredients were in my pantry, but I had to take a long walk to the grocery store to pick up Black Currant Syrup and then to the liquor store for a bottle of porter.  It  is a type of beer in the Ale family with a distinct dark brew in color.   This beer was very popular amongst the dock and transit workers during the 1800's in England, hence the name "Porter".

The great thing about this roast is that once all the ingredients goes in the pot, it takes care of itself.   I thought it tasted wonderful, just like Grandma's; I actually had three servings.  The kids said that it was "okay", because the gravy reminded them of  glögg. (that's our Swedish mulled wine at Christmas time).    The gravy has a unique tangy taste to it, and like glögg, it is probably an acquired taste. 

Porterstek Recipe

Approx. 1  kg roast

Cocking Liquid:
300ml porter beer
50 - 100 ml black current syrup
75 ml soy
6-7 dried juniper berries
6-8 white or black peppercorns
2 tsp oregano or thyme
2 sliced onions
3 beef bullion cubes

Mix all ingredients in one pot that will fit roast snugly.  Bring liquid to a boil, add roast and let simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours.  Turn meat a few times throughout.  If you like to use a meat thermometer, remove meat when it reaches 75C.   Allow meat to cool in liquid for 20 minutes, before slicing thinly.

Strain cooking liquid and add water to to make 700ml.  Whisk 4 tbsp flour with 150 ml whip cream (or 18%), until smooth.  Add to cooking liquid, stir over medium heat until thickened.  Cook for 3-5 min. 
Porter Steak is a very well know dish in Sweden and  is usually served with potatoes, vegetables and black (or red) currant jelly.

Note:  A cup measures 250ml.

Broccoli Soup

My two girls love Broccoli soup. In our family, we often eat soup weekly during the colder months. I made this broccoli soup last week and had a request to make it today again. I try to make a large batch so that my older daughter can bring some leftover soup for her lunch. This soup is fast, easy and inexpensive to make as well as low-fat making it perfect for lunch or as an appetizer for dinner. It takes about 10 minutes to prep and another 15-20 minutes to cook.

Broccoli Soup              (4-6 servings)  

Recipe Source: Canadian Dairy Calendar   -  1 cup = 250ml

1 large bunch broccoli

1 medium onion, chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 tsp grated orange rind (optional)

½ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp pepper

Pinch dried pepper flakes

2 cups Milk (approx) (if using skim, use a bit less)

Salt to taste

1 cup grated Cheddar Cheese

1. Peel and chop broccoli stems; coarsely chop florets

2. In sauce pan, combine broccoli stems, onion, potatoes, garlic, broth, orange rind, thyme, pepper and red pepper flakes; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 min.

3. Add florets; simmer, covered for 5 min or until vegetables are softened

4. In blender, food processor or food mill; puree soup in batches, with Milk until smooth.

5. Return to pan and heat through but do not boil. Add more milk if too thick. Season with salt.

6. Spoon into bowls; sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese

For variety: Use crumbled blue cheese or Stilton instead of Cheddar cheese

I must admit that though I like this Broccoli soup, the Ale and Cheddar soup I had last week in Port Stanley takes the prize. I will have to find some recipes for that soup next week.

Lemon Parmesan Linguine

I used to be very creative in the kitchen, spending hours looking through cookbooks and magazines. Hence, I have a large collection of books with sticky notes, and recipe cutouts that I intended to try. Since I'm determined to get inspired again, I spent some time the other night planning my menu for this week. One of my children is vegetarian, so I opted for a Lemon Parmesan Linguine today. As soon as my daughter told me that "I should have made more," I knew it was "a keeper." It is a light, refreshing pasta dish for the summer, and quick & easy to make. Like simple pleasures in life, simple meals are often the best.

Lemon Parmesan Linguine
from Cooking at Home Magazine  - 1 cup=250ml

Linguine Pasta (454g/1lbs)
1 crushed Garlic Clove
1/3 cup Hard Butter (or marg)
1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 cup Freshly squeezed lemon juice
(about 1 medium)
1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp
1 tsp Freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup Chopped fresh sweet basil
1/2 cup Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
6 sliced Green Onions
Freshly grated parmesan cheese - to sprinkle.

Cook pasta in boiling water (and salt) in large uncovered pot. Drain well.
Saute garlic in butter (or margarine) in large saucepan on low for 1 minute.
Add next 4 ingredients. Simmer for 1 minute until hot. Add pasta. Toss to coat.
Add next 3 ingredients to pasta mixture. Toss. Heat for 2 to 3 minutes on low to heat through.
Turn into large bowl. Sprinkle with second amount of Parmesan cheese.

I added a drizzle of olive oil over the pasta and tossed at the end.

Serves 4-6.