Asian coleslaw with cabbage, carrots, lime and sesame seeds #187

Asian coleslaw is a great fresh, crunchy and sometimes spicy variety of coleslaw that also can be served like a small appetizer or tapas even if you usually serve it as a side dish. In comparison to regular coleslaw this is very different, much fresher in both texture and flavor.

I use white cabbage as my base for the salad and then add what I might have at home, this time this was carrots, spring onion and a bunch of herbs but you can use celery, apples, beets, pears, papaya and a bunch of other vegetables.

Same goes for the dressing, in this recipe I used sesame oil, olive oil, lime juice and chili but you can use soy sauce, lemon, vinegar, sriracha, oyster sauce and make the salad equally good but different for every time you serve it. Only downside from regular coleslaw is that this one won´t keep for very long, I usually serve it the same day, you can save it one or maybe two days but it won´t be as good as on the first day. If you still want to prepare you can make the dressing and cut the vegetables a day ahead and dress the coleslaw a few hours before dinner time.

Asian coleslaw with cabbage, carrots, lime and sesame seeds

white cabbage
carrots
spring onion
lime
sesame seeds, roasted
sesame oil
olive oil
dried chili, strips or flakes
cilantro
chives
salt, pepper

The veggies

Wash the cabbage and slice thin, remove any big stems before, add to a big bowl and sprinkle with salt, leave for one hour. This make the cabbage softer and it will loose some of it´s water. Discard the water from the cabbage. Peel carrots and cut to thin strips, slice the spring onion and roughly chop the cilantro and chives. Combine all the vegetables in the bowl.

The dressing

With dressing you´ll need some measurements, for this dressing use 3 parts olive oil, 2 parts lime juice and one part sesame oil.

Combine olive oil and sesame oil,  wash limes and grate the skin into the oil, then squeeze and add the lime juice. Add the chili, sesame seeds and season with salt and pepper.

Final steps and plating

Combine the dressing with the vegetables and check the taste, adjust if necessary. Serve on small plates with a lime on the side or as a side. Good luck!

Roasted carrots with goat cheese, chives and lime #186

Here in Sweden it is a great season for carrots, they are cheap, tasty and beautiful and come in all shapes and colors, at least if you visit a good vegetable shop. I really like to serve vegetables almost on their own and let they play the main part of a dish. That approach might not work so well if you are serving a main dish but for a starter or in this case tapas it´s absolutely perfect.

I also felt while making this dish that I´ve probably been making something similar before, so I checked and for a trip down memory lane you can check out my previous recipe with roasted carrots, then served with Greek feta cheese instead.

Roasted carrots with goat cheese, chives and lime

carrots, any size, color or shape you like

butter

lime

soft goat cheese

chives

olive oil

salt, pepper

What to do

Trim and rinse the carrots, if the skin is thick then peel them as well, fry in a pan in a combination of butter and olive oil on medium heat until they are golden and almost cooked through. Check using a small knife while they are cooking so they don´t get to soft, adjust the heat if necessary. When done season with salt and pepper. 

Cut a lime into wedges and add to the pan, roast the lime with the flesh side down until it´s browned, almost burnt. Remove from the pan. Slice the chives.

Plating

Spread a spoonful of goat cheese on the bottom of each plate, add the carrots on top and squeeze a wedge of lime on the carrots, leave each wedge on the plate. Sprinkle the chives on top with a bit of salt, pepper and a few drops of olive oil, serve.

Eggs and soused herring on crisp bread #179

Eggs and soused herring on crisp bread? Well this is a very Swedish appetizer that is commonly served on Smörgåsbord, Christmas and Easter but can and are served year round. The main ingredients are soused herring that is a mainly Scandinavian type of pickled herring (read more on it here), boiled eggs, chives and red onion. The Swedish name for this type of herring is "Matjsesill" but you can also use Swedish anchovies that is called "Ansjovis" this is however very different from the Mediterranean anchovies.

Now for the name, it´s called "Gubbröra" in Swedish which pretty much translates to "Old man´s mess", not that mouth watering for your weekend appetizer is it? Well that is why I called it eggs and soused herring on toast. 

Now for the ingredients, there are loads of variations on this dish, some use soft boiled eggs, mayonnaise, creme fraiche, sour cream, different types of onions and even other herbs like dill. The recipe below is my version of it so feel free to experiment with the flavors.

I like to serve it on a crisp bread that is common in Sweden called "Knäckebröd", it´s a non sweet crispy bread mostly served for breakfast or instead of fresh bread for soups or smaller dishes. If you can´t find any then a dark rye bread is good as well.

Eggs and soused herring on crisp bread

I usually don´t write measurements for my recipes but since you most likely haven´t got a clue I will this time, I written the ingredients in parts form so use as much as you plan on serving.

8 parts boiled chopped eggs

4 parts chopped soused herring (discarded from the pickling liquid)

1 part chopped red onion

1 part chopped chives

1 part mayonnaise

1 part creme fraiche

Crisp bread or rye bread for serving

Combine all ingredients, season with pepper, if you think it´s lacking salt then use the picking liquid from the herring instead of regular salt.

Smoked salmon with horseradish cream, chive oil, dill, radish #178

Smoked salmon can be used in so many ways so if you get stuck in your cooking and need to come up with something new then getting some smoked salmon might be a good idea, it is very versatile and can be used for pastas, garnish soups, appetizers, pizza and sandwiches. This time I was in the mood for a fresh spring or summer appetizer so I made a horseradish cream, added a simple chive oil, a bit of dill and to add some crunch some raw radishes, that´s all it need!

Smoked salmon with horseradish cream, leek oil, dill, radish

smoked salmon

creme fraiche

horseradish

fresh chives

dill

olive oil

salt, pepper

radishes

Peel and grate the horseradish and combine with some creme fraiche, I use about 1 part horseradish to 6 parts creme fraiche, season with salt and pepper. Leave to rest for about one hour to two hours. Do not add any extra horseradish if you think it is to bland because the flavor will get stronger after marinating.

In a blender mix the chives with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, wash and cut the radishes into thin strips. Add the smoked salmon to a plate, add the horseradish cream, chive oil, some dill and the radishes, serve!

Baked parsnips with garlic and herb butter #166

This is a great snack or a perfect side to meat or fish. I use small parsnips and keep the skin on, just make sure you clean them so there´s no dirt left. Cut them and season with salt, pepper and garlic. I then wrap everything in tin foil and bake it in the oven. This is also great to cook on a grill and serve as an individual side to grilled meat. The herb butter is just that, butter and herbs and some olive oil mixed together.

Baked parsnips with garlic and herb butter

parsnips
garlic
salt, pepper
olive oil
mixed herbs, use your favorites I used parsley, chives, rosemary and sage
bay leaf

Wash and cut the parsnips in smaller pieces, dress with olive oil, salt, pepper, slice garlic and a bay leaf. Wrap the parsnips in tin foil and bake in the oven on medium heat until done, this took me about half an hour.

Mix the butter with the herbs and some olive oil. Once the parsnips are done remove from the oven and open the package, add a spoonful of herb butter and serve.

Asparagus with chili Bearnaise #167

Asparagus is one amazing vegetable but serve it pan roasted with a chili flavored Bearnaise and my God!
Ok, use fresh green asparagus, peel if they are thick but usually they are just fine to use as they are. Whip up some classic Bearnaise and season it with dried chili flakes or fresh chillies if you have some.

If you´re not in a tapas mood this is a great side to all grilled meats as well, just serve a lot, I guarantee success!

Also if you´ve never made a warm emulsion sauce like Bearnaise before then make a practice batch before you invite people over since it can be a bit tricky the first time or two, good luck!

Asparagus with chili Bearnaise

asparagus
chili flakes (or fresh chili)
clarified butter
eggs
red wine vinegar
tarragon
parsley
chives
salt, pepper
olive oil

For Bearnaise sauce you usually make a reduction using red wine vinegar, shallots, tarragon, pepper and let it all simmer for a while and then discarding the herbs and using the flavored vinegar with the egg yolks to start the sauce. This is a great way but it works fine to make it straight with the vinegar and add the spices and herbs as you go. Also there is some debate on which herbs should be added, I´m staying out of this debate, just make sure you use tarragon which is essential for the taste. This time I also added chives and parsley since those are my favorites.

Heat the clarified butter and set aside. Whisk together egg yolks with the vinegar and a little bit of salt and pepper. Carefully heat it during whisking on low heat until it starts to thicken, in most recipes this calls for a water bath but if you are careful it´s not a problem to do it on the stove. I use about one teaspoon of vinegar for each egg yolk and 1 dl / 1/2 cup butter for each yolk.

Once you have the egg and vinegar thick and warm remove it from the stove and start to add the warm butter a little at the time, if it gets to thick or starts to separate you can add a few drops of cold water to cool it down. Add all the butter and then season the sauce with all the chopped herbs and chili. Add more vinegar, salt and pepper if necessary. Roast the asparagus in olive oil in a pan and season with salt and pepper.

Baked potatoes with sour cream, chives & bacon #164

Baked potatoes is a classic side for all grilled meats but why always serve one big potato for each guest, using small tasty potatoes is more fun, looks better and each guest can eat as much or little as they like. This recipe can of course also be served on it´s own like a tapas. 

Baked potatoes with sour cream, chives & bacon

small potatoes

sour cream 

vegetable oil

chives

red onion

bacon

salt, pepper

Dice the red onion, slice the chives and dice and fry the bacon until crispy, leave to cool. Clean the potatoes if necessary, toss them in vegetable oil, salt and pepper and then roast them on high heat in the oven until golden. Remove and leave to cool for a few seconds and then cut them half way through and carefully break them open. Fill each potato with sour cream, chives, bacon and red onion, serve.

Salsiccia with braised tomatoes & garlic #159

Great salsiccia is always a special treat, usually I try to keep it simple since the salsiccia has loads of flavor I think it goes best with simple things. Here I roasted the salsiccia on low heat until done then roasted some garlic and tomato paste in the fat that gets left in the pan, add a bit of white wine, a bay leaf and some fresh small tomatoes. If you get some small pieces of salsiccia left over you can leave it in the sauce as well. Then just slow cook for about one hour and you´re done.

I got my salsiccia imported from Italy, that´s great but if you have a local butcher or shop that happens to make their own sausages then they usually have their own, if so then get theirs since it´s always more fun to support your local shops then buying the imported stuff.

Salsiccia with braised tomatoes & garlic

Italian fresh salsiccia (or similar with the same flavor profile)
bay leaf
water
tomato paste
chives
garlic
white wine
chives
olive oil
small whole tomatoes
salt, pepper

On low heat fry the salsiccia until golden and cooked trough, then add chopped garlic, a little bit of olive oil, tomato paste and a few small pieces of salsiccia. Let it roast for a few minutes. Add white wine, a little bit of water and the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and then leave to simmer on low to medium heat for about one hour. Season if necessary, then reheat the salsiccia and slice, serve with a spoonful of sauce and some of the tomatoes and some sliced chives.

Pan fried mussels with chives & croutons #158

Mussels in all forms are one of the most affordable and tastiest seafood you can make. It´s also very simple so if you´ve never cooked it before now´s the time. There´s not that much you need to worry about when cooking mussels besides over-cooking them, this will turn them chewy so keep the cooking to a minimum.

For this recipe I pan fried the mussels which give them a bit different flavor, what I do is that i steam them in water until they open up then quickly remove them and pick them from the shell. Then I simply pan fry them in butter and olive oil on high heat for a few seconds with a little bit of garlic and chives and serve straight away.

Pan fried mussels with chives & croutons

mussels
garlic
chives
white bread
butter
olive oil
salt, pepper

Rinse the mussels i cold water and remove any dirt that might be attached to the shell, add a bit of water to a big pot and bring to a boil. Add the mussels and steam until they open up, as soon as they have opened remove them from the water and leave to cool. Discard any mussels that have not opened.

Add a little bit of butter in a pan and cut the bread in croutons, roast the croutons in the butter until golden. Peel and slice the garlic, slice the chives. Add butter and olive oil to a pan and then fry the mussels with the garlic for about a minute, season with salt and pepper and then add the chives. Serve immediately with the croutons. Good luck!

Lomo with roasted pepper and herbs #156

Lomo is Spanish pork tenderloin that is dried in a similar way like salami, it´s very lean and is great if you like charcuterie but are not a fan of the fat that usually comes with it. Sometimes the Lomo is also flavoured with spices like paprika or herbs. To the lomo I simply added a piece of roasted red pepper that is marinated with some chives and parsley. A very simple tapas that is packed with flavor.

Lomo with roasted pepper and herbs

sliced Lomo
red peppers
vegetable oil
chives
parsley
salt, pepper
olive oil

Turn on your oven on maximum heat, coat the peppers with a little bit of vegetable oil and roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside to cool down. Peel the peppers and cut them i large squares. Marinate the peppers in the olive oil with chopped chives, parsley, salt and pepper. Add a piece of pepper for each slice of Lomo. Serve.

Blood orange, beet and fennel salad #155

Blood oranges are in season so it´s time to put some of these delicious fruits into good use. What I like about blood oranges is the extra acidity that make them great for using in more savory dishes. The salad is very simple, raw yellow beets, shaved fennel and a vinaigrette made from the juice from the blood orange, olive oil and a little bit of salt and pepper.

Blood orange, beet and fennel salad

blood oranges
fennel
yellow beets
cress
chives
olive oil
salt, pepper

Cut away the skin of the orange and cut out each wedge leaving only the meat of the orange. Squeeze the leftovers of the orange and set the juice aside. Wash the fennel and the shave thin slices of it using an potato peeler. If you are preparing this dish ahead of time you can put the fennel in some cold water with a little bit of lemon juice to keep it crunchy. It will loose a bit of it´s flavor so the best thing is to do it just before serving. Peel the beets and wash them then slice thin slices with the potato peeler.

Combine the orange wedges, fennel and beets and add a little bit of cress and sliced chives. Season with salt and pepper. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to the orange juice and add a little bit of vinaigrette to the salad.
Serve.

New Years recipe ideas when you´re not on a budget

New Years Eve is coming up and if you haven´t decided on what to serve I have picked some of my own favorite recipes from Delicious Tapas and have some great suggestions for you!

This is part four in this series and for this post I will focus when you have an unlimited budget and want to treat yourself and your guests to something extra.

All recipes can be found in their original post that I have linked for each dish. I haven´t suggested any dessert but since I´m not that much into desserts. But if I have to recommend something I would go for any great ice cream, because who doesn´t love ice-cream?

New Years menu when you´re not on a budget

Appetizers - these three appetizers can more or less be eaten using your hands and of course you will be serving loads of Champagne on the side.

Duck liver paté with rosehip jam and bread
Grilled asparagus with Parmesan cheese
Grissini with Parma ham and cream cheese

Starter

Tuna tartar with avocado and chives

Tuna is always appreciated and I love the freshness and elegance of this recipe, since the budget is not an issue get the best tuna you can find.

Main course

Lobster tail with caper aioli
Linguine with truffles cream and Parmesan

Combine these two recipes but instead but skip the caper aioli for the lobster and you can serve the lobster warm instead of cold.