TUNA LOVE

This tuna salad is great to make at the start of the week so you can just bring some everyday to work or school for lunch. I usually have it on some wholemeal sourdough bread or rye bread.

You need:

4 canes of tuna in water (drained)

1/2 red onion

1 orange capsicum

2 tbsp of lemon juice

(Your choice: 2 tbsp of sour cream or natural yogurt)

100 g of mayonnaise

2 sticks of sellery

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 chili

How to:

Finely chop all the ingredients. This is important for the texture of the salad. Add it all to a bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir. Add the lemon juice as well as the mayo (and sour cream). Mix until you get a creamy salad. Put in a sealed container. There you have a healthy lunch, in no time at all! 

ENJOY! 

xx

SPRING INSPIRED DINNER TABLE

Are you having guests this weekend and you have no idea on how to set the table? I like to keep it simple, yet I want it to look like I've made an effort. Use seasonal flowers that are easy to find. Also, be creative with what you can find outside your door!

Do dress a boring white serviette I used christmas old three decorations supposed to be reindeers antlers as well as a little branch from a shrub outside. Cheap and elegant.

I like to use many different sized vases in one environment. This is actually old jars, you can use any type of them. Add random flowers. I have used tulips and hyacinth, some different branches etc. I have gone for a subtle color scheme - light blue, white, purple and pink.

To tie the whole table together I have used silver in both the cutlery and also the candle holders. I have kept it simple by using white candles. Another think that I have done to tie the flower compositions together is to use ivy branches from one end to the table to the other end, as seen in the photos. 

Good luck!! 

CHINESE 5 SPICE CRUNCHY CHICKEN SALAD

Best warm salad ever!!!!!

You might think that "warm salad" sounds a bit weird, but its actually really nice! Its also very healthy and contains loads of good bursts of flavour.

You need for 2 people:

2 chicken or duck breast filets (ideally with skin)

1 large handful of bean sprouts

Seeds from 1 pomegranate apple

65 g of rocket salad

65 g of a red lief salad

15 sugar snaps chopped

2 cloves of garlic finely sliced

1/2 green apple in small dices

1/2 chili finely sliced 

1 tbsp of finely sliced ginger

Chinese 5 spice

Salt and pepper

Sunflower oil

How to:

Start by frying the garlic, chili and ginger in a very hot pan with a good splash of oil. Fry until crispy. When done, put it on a paper towel to remove some of the oil. This will also keep the ingredients crispy. PS! Keep the oil for later when you are frying the chicken. This is because the oil will be full of good flavours from the chili, ginger and garlic.

Prepare the other salad ingredients in a bowl.  Then slice the chicken or duck filets in small squares and season with a generous amount of "Chinese 5 spice", salt and pepper. Fry in a hot pan. While the chicken is still warm add it to the salad. Mix. Put the salad in a nice serving bowl and sprinkle over the chili, ginger and garlic you made earlier. 

Theeeen EAT!

Enjoy! 

xx 

A PASSION-ATE PANNA COTTA

Yogurt vanilla panna cotta with passion fruit syrup - if I had to choose my last dessert ever - this receipt is high on the list. 

I made this the other weekend for the first time, and it is inspired by an Australian receipt. It is not made  like a traditional panna cotta, because the cream is not heated with all the ingredients. I think this way is simpler and there is no way you risk the gelatin from separating from the rest. This is a dessert you can WOW your guests with!

You need for 6 people:

Panna cotta:

6 dl cream

2 dl natural yogurt

8 table spoons of honey

Seeds from 1 vanilla pod

5 gelatin sheets softened in water

Syrup: 

8 passion fruits

Juice from 1 lime

1,5 dl sugar

1 dl water

How to:

Whisk the cream until it is half-part thickened and add the yogurt. Heat up the honey with the vanilla seeds and add the gelatin. Stir until the sheets have melted. Then add the honey mixture into the cream base and whisk until it is smooth. Pour the panna cotta mixture into your chosen moulds. Leave in the fridge for 4-5 hours until it has hardened. 

20 minutes before serving make the syrup. Add all the ingredients into a pot and simmer until thickened. It takes about 10-15 minutes. Cool off so it doesn't melt the panna cotta. When it has reached an ok temperature pour the syrup over the panna cotta and serve. 

Good luck and ENJOY!

xxx 

SEASON FAVOURITES

Thought I'd share with you some of my recent favourites....

I love fresh flowers, and this season hydrangeas are a big hit! It is so beautiful in its own glory. Just put it in a clear vase and it does its job!

Another favourite is to serve your guests these ones when they arrive at your dinner party or simply for some drinks. Creme fraiche, pomegranate seeds, smoked reindeer meat and rosemary on a savory cream cracker. YUM!

Here's a little something else I like to serve. It is very decorative as well which I like!

A splash of colour to your outfit when the days are getting colder and darker is a MUST!

And a last favourite this season is to enjoy a good beer. There are so many out there now, so next time you are picking up your normal brand or type - try something new! Micro breweries are popping up everywhere, its very exciting. My favorites are pale ales, weiss beer and IPA. Try one:) 

Have a good autumn!

AUTUMN CHICKEN

AUTUMN calls for hearty food and this Norwegian classic "Kylling frikasé" is not only that - it is also very very yummy. Be prepared to spend a few hours in the kitchen for this meal though, cause it calls for some preparations. However, long cooked food is very healthy and all the goodness in the vegetables and meat are left in the stew.

You need:

1 large fresh chicken around 1,5 kg

6 carrots

water

peppercorn

5 shallots

3 dl of chicken stock

1/2 handful of fresh thyme

3 bay leaves 

3 parsnips (pastinakk)

1/2 celeriac (sellerirot)

3-5 parsley roots (persillerot)

1-2 large handful of leaf parsley

flour

salt and pepper to season 

How to:

First part the chicken. You first remove the legs - use the knife and find the joint. This is where it is easiest to cut. You can cut the rest of the chicken in two, yet you can just put it whole into the pot. If you want to filet it more - you can follow the breast bone and remove both breasts. Add it to a big pot as I have below and add one carrot, the shallots, the bay leaves, peppercorn and thyme. Fill it with water so it covers the chicken. You can also add some chicken stock for extra flavor. Leave to boil for 45 minutes. 

While the chicken is cooking you can prepare the rest. Peel all the root vedge and cut them into nice similar sized cubes. This will help them cook at the same time.

When the chicken is finished you strain the stock that has been created by the chicken etc. This liquid is like heaven! You add all your chopped vedge into this stock and leave to boil on low heat for 5 minutes. While this is happening remove the chicken flesh from the bone and cut into nice bits. It is mainly the breast-filets you will have to cut. 

When the vedge is done, strain them and leave aside. Take a glass with a lid and add 3 tablespoons of flour and 1 dl of water. Put on the lid and quickly shake. This creates a thickener (no lumps!!) that you add to the stock. Also season with salt and pepper. Boil this and leave to simmer for a few minutes until you see it thickens.

When you are happy with the sauce add the chicken pieces and vedgetables as well as the fresh chopped parsley. You can serve with potatoes - but its no must! 

ENJOY!

STUFFED CHICKEN FILET WITH SAGE AND GARLIC

Hmm.. you are probably thinking of what to have for dinner this weekend? What about chicken? This meal is tasty, fun and different. Combining the smoothness of potato pure with boysenberry sauce and chicken stuffed with butter, garlic and sage... it is simply a flavour bomb! 

You need for 2 people:

2 chicken filet breasts

a handful fresh sage

2-3 cloves of garlic

5 potatoes

80 g butter

1 dl cream/full fat milk

250 g boysenberries

3 tbs of balsamic vinegar

1 red onion

1/2 squash 

approx. 20 sugar peas

salt and pepper

kitchen thread

1 dl sugar

2 tbs honey

1 dl water/white wine

How to:

First make the garlic and sage butter by chopping the sage and garlic very finely. Add the butter (around 30 g), stir and set a side. Then take a pot and add the wine, boysenberries, sugar, vinegar, a couple of sage leaves and honey. Let boil on low heat so it reduces. In the end, just before serve, ad a table spoon of butter.

Prepare your potatoes and put them in a pot, turn on the heat and let them boil for 20 minutes until tender. Prepare your wedge, but them in nice delicate squares.

Take the two chicken breasts and cut them slightly open on the inner side of the breast. Stuff them with butter, and close them up using a kitchen tread that you tie to one side and work your way around the whole filet. Tie on the other end as well. When you're done the butter should not be showing. Its closed in and all the yummy juices will stay inside the chicken. 

When the chicken is prepared, the potatoes should be finished soon. Start by frying the chicken filets on full heat on both sides - season with salt and pepper. Turn down to low when they have gotten a golden color. Let rest on low heat in the pot under a lid for about 7 minutes. Turn of heat and rest for another 5-7 minutes. While the chicken is resting, fry the wedge, this only takes about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. For the potatoes, add 50 g butter, 1-2 cloves of finely chopped garlic and some cream and pure the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Plate up all the ingredients - remember to remove the thread around the chicken! And you're ready to eat. 

ENJOY!

xxx