Tortilla Espanola

When I say tortilla where I live most people immediately think about the round thin flatbread used when eating tacos. Apparently tortilla means "small torte" so just as the Mexican tortillas can be seen as "small tortes" so can the Tortilla Espanola. The spanish version is a small potato cake. Traditionally it's fried in a skillet but in this recipe it's baked in the oven. That way you can make a big portion and do as I did; cut it in small squares and serve as finger-food. This way you can easily serve a lot of people.


Ingredients;

4 large potatoes sliced thin preferably with a mandolin (goes faster and you can cut really thin slices)
4 tbs olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
1 onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
8 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano
a handful chopped herbs (whatever you have )
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F

Boil the potatoes until tender. Make sure they don't boil to long.... Drain and cool.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Place the olive oil, garlic, onions and peppers in a pan and cook over medium heat until soft and let cool. Stir in the potatoes.

In a large bowl beat the eggs, sour cream, cheese and herbs. Stir in the potato mix and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet and smooth the top. Bake for approx. 40 minutes, until golden brown. Use a pin to check that it is set in the center. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Lift by the ends of the parchment paper onto a cutting board or a plate. Carefully remove the parchment paper from underneath.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Salmon mousse

This yummy dish can be made the day before, just transfer to a plate and garnish just before serving. Adds a nice touch to any buffet. Can also be prepared in single serving molds and be used as an elegant starter.

Ingredients;

8 plates of gelatin or 2 Knox gelatin envelopes
3 1/3 cup sour cream (8 dl )
1 3/4 lb. baked salmon (800 grams)
2 tsp salt
juice from 1 lemon
dill (a couple of handfuls)
parsley

Add the sour cream to a bowl with salt and lemon juice. Taste, if you find its to sour add some sugar. Chop the herbs.
Whip the sour cream until stiff, add the herbs and the fish (flakes), blend well.
Sprinkle gelatin over a little bit of cold water, add some hot water and stir until completely dissolved. Add some of the fish mix to the gelatin and stir until well combined. Add the gelatin mix to the fish mix and combine. Pour onto a plastic wrap covered mold and refrigerate for at least 4 to 5 hours or until the next day. Empty the mold onto a plate, garnish and serve with crackers.

Cucumber Soup with Scampi

As it's getting gradually hotter outside the urge for lighter meals tends to sneak up on you. Last night was hot and humid and I just didn't fancy a hot or heavy meal. This cold Cucumber soup with Scampi was the perfect solution. Can very well be served as a starter or  main course. If used as a starter just serve less, if used as a main course serve more and perhaps add some more scampi as well and perhaps some grissini. Can also be served as a shot if you're serving finger food.

Ingredients;

2 big cucumbers (I use english cucumbers) approx. 2 lb

2 cups water 

3 tbsp chicken fond

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup yoghurt (preferably greek)

1 garlic clove

1 ripe avocado

1/2 (or 1 if you like dill) cup coarsely chopped dill

tabasco 

sea-salt

Garnish;

3 scampi per person

olive oil

salt/pepper

dill

Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut the cucumber in smaller pieces. Add them to the blender with the water, chicken fond, lemon juice, yoghurt, garlic and process until smooth. Add the avocado and dill (leaving some dill for the garnish) and process some more. Add water if needed then tabasco and salt (how much salt and tabasco is really a matter of preference). 

Put the soup in the refrigerator for a couple of hours so that it is could when served. 

Just before serving fry the scampi in a little bit of olive oil, add salt and pepper and put on skewers. 

Pour the chilled soup in soup bowls, glasses or whatever you prefer, add the scampi and some dill. Serve.

Hope you like it!!

Pharma wrapped Portobello Mushroom

An appetizer or a side-dish that can be prepared way ahead if time is limited.  I have used Prosciutto di Parma but you can use any other type of prosciutto, I have also used Boars Head Prosciutto and that worked fine. Bacon can also be used if you like that.

Ingredients;

As many slices of Portobello as you like
Prosciutto di Parma (a halv slice for every portabello slice)
2 garlic cloves to 12 portabello slices minced
Fresh thyme
salt and pepper
4 tbsp Olive oil

Preheat oven to 437 F.

Add the garlic to the olive oil. Dip the Portobello in the olive oil on both sides and put a thyme sprig on top, add salt and pepper then wrap the portobello in half a slice of the prosciutto. Go easy on the salt as the prosciutto adds a lot of salt to the dish by it selves. Up to this point everything can be made ahead and refrigerated.

When ready add the portobello to an ovenproof dish, drizzle some olive oil on top and bake in the oven for around ten minutes. The portobello is supposed to be nice and crispy but not burnt.

Eat warm or lukewarm!

Sesame seared Tuna with soy sauce

This dish can be made well ahead of time so that you don't need to stress last minute. Rather enjoy a glass of wine with the guests I would suggest. This recipe well be enough for 6 persons as a starter.

Ingredients;

Tuna;

1 pound raw tuna

3 tbs chopped cilantro

3 tbs chopped parsley

3 tbs roasted sesame seeds

1,5 tbs lime peel, chopped

salt and pepper

Cut the tuna in strips 1,5 x 1,5 inch and rub them with salt and pepper. Give them a quick fry in vegetable oil on all sides (only about 20 sec. on each side). 

Chop the herbs and combine with the sesame seeds and lime peel. Add the herbs to some glad squares (same amounts as yours tuna strips, divide the herb mixture among the glad squares). Put one strip of tuna on each glad square and cover with the herbs then wrap in the square. You can now put it in the refrigerator until serving time, at least one hour. 

Sauce;

1/2 cup Ketjap manis (sweet soy sauce)

1/2 lime, juice and peel

1 tsp minced ginger

1tsp finely chopped red chili

1 tbs chopped cilantro

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp regular soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Combine all ingredients. Let stand about 10 minutes and it is ready to be served.

Remove tuna from refrigerator and cut in thin slices. Arrange on a plate with the soy sauce and perhaps some arugula or another salad if you prefer. 

Prawns with green olive and caper ailoli

This is a dish you can use at a buffet arranging all the prawns on a plate with a bowl of the aioli on the side or as an appetizer neatly arranging the prawn and aioli on a plate.

Ingredients;

As many prawns as you like (the aioli will be enough for 20 prawns)
4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup lemon juice
Sea-salt and freshly ground pepper

For the aioli;

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp chopped green olives

1 tbsp salted capers rinsed and dried

1 clove garlic minced

Sea-salt and freshly ground pepper 

Aioli;

Place mayonnaise, olives, capers, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and combine. Set aside until ready to be served.

Prawns;

Place prawns, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowls. Stir so that all is combined. Allow to set for about 5 to 10 minutes before frying them in olive oil over medium to high heat for 2 minutes on each side or until they turn pink. 

On the picture they are served with julienne strips of parsnip that is fried in vegetable oil for as long as it takes to get a golden color. Perhaps not as long as some of the strips in the picture, they are not supposed to turn dark brown.

Brie-Mushrooms

I found this recipe in one of Ree Drummonds cook-books "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" a cook book that I highly recommend.

The dish can be used as a side-dish or appetizer or as one of many items if you're having a buffet.

Ingredients;

12 (or as many as you like) big white button mushrooms

Oliveoil

1/4 cup chopped parsley

4 garlic cloves minced

5 green onions sliced

A splash of white wine (if you have any..)

One 8 ounce brie cheese cut into bite sized chunks

Preheat oven to 350F

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop. Add oil in a skillet over medium heat, when oil is hot add the mushroom caps and toss them around until they soften. Transfer mushroom caps to a baking dish top side down. 

Throw in the parsley, garlic, green onions and mushroom stalks. Add the wine if you're using it. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes or until the flavors release. Remove from heat. 

Place a chink of Brie inside each mushroom cap then pour the parsley mixture on top. 

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. The dish is done when the cheese is all melted. 

Can be served straight out of the oven or at room temperature.

Love Them!!

Smoked Salmon Cream with Grisini in glasses

This dish was also part of our New Years Eve menu. You can find it in the same cook book as yesterdays Granité, "Gourmet" for nybegynnere. The dish doesn't necessarily need to be served in glasses, you can put the cream on crostini's or on a toast or put it in a bowl with crackers on the side as a spread.

Ingredients;

8 oz Philadelphia cheese
1/2 cup milk (I use reduced fat you can use whatever you want)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
6 tbsp good olive oil
1/2 pound of smoked salmon cut in small pieces
3 tbsp chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped thyme
1/2 tsp salt
5 rounds with the pepper mill

Put the cheese, milk, lemon and olive oil in the bowl attachment to the hand blender and blend for ca. 15 sec. Add the smoked salmon, herbs and spices and blend an additional 10 sec.
Put the smoked salmon cream in high glasses, top with some olive oil and grisini.

Eat and be merry!!

Spicy Clam and Tomato Broth

Christmas is over and the need for a change of hearts when it comes to the menu is in order. I have had a more than busy last two weeks with family coming in from Norway and no time for blogging but that doesn't mean that I have not been cooking. For my birthday on the 18th of december I got a new cook-book (actually I got far more than one...) from Donna Hay, Donna Hay Seasons and thats where I found this recipe. The original recipe also calls for couscous which I didn't use, not because I don't like it, I just wanted to taste it without first. If you want to use couscous just sprinkle 1/2 cup of couscous over the dish when its done, cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until the couscous i s ready.

Ingredients;


2 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp chili flakes (dry)
6 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups fish stock
4 cups water
1kg or ca. 2 pounds clams
Chopped cilantro to serve

Heat a large saucepan over high heat and add oil, garlic, chili and tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are tender. Pour over the wine, fish stock and water and bring to a boil. Add the clams (you should rinse them well to make sure all the sand is gone..), cover with a tight fitting lid and cook until all the clams are open. If some do not open at all discard them. Top with chopped coriander and serve with bread in bowls. Use the bread to get all the broth, it's really yummy.

Bon Apetit!