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Coconut Macaroons

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Summer is ending, at least here in Sweden and at the moment I’m dreaming of a balcony in the East Village where the summer will last a little bit longer. My favorite baking treat this summer has been my simple Coconut Macaroons.

(makes about 25-30 macaroons)

50 gram (1/8  lb) butter
3 egg whites, room temperature (use the yolks for a Pasta alla Carbonara or a Mayonnaise)
50 ml (¼ cup) regular sugar
100 ml (½ cup) sucanat
200 gram flaked coconut

Melt the butter and set aside to cool down.  Whip the egg whites with regular sugar until stiff (its important that the bowl is absolutely clean before you start and that the eggs really are at room temperature).  Carefully blend in the sucanat followed by the coconut flakes and lastly the cooled melted butter. Let the mixture rest a little. Take a teaspoon and scoop up some of the mixture onto a greased baking sheet.  Repeat until the mixture is divided. Bake for about 12 minutes at 175°C. Let the cookies cool totally before storing them in a sealed container. Enjoy!

(Another cookie recipe: Hazelnut & Cinnamon Cookies)

Pan-fried Tarragon Mackerel

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When I was a little girl we used to go out fishing in a boat on the west coast of Sweden. Mostly we caught cod and mackerel but sometimes we also got garfish. The best thing about these boat trips was when we stopped at some tiny unsettled rocky island to have lunch. We collected firewood and broiled mackerel over an open fire. The fish was just cleaned and gutted, seasoned with salt and lemon and stuck on a wooden stick. Fantastic!

(for two persons)

one whole mackerel
sea salt
a neutral oil

butter
one shallot, finely chopped
one teaspoon brown mustard seeds
fresh tarragon, chopped

Rinse the whole mackerel and fillet the fish. Keep the skin on the fillets. If necessary pull out the remaining bones with a pair of pliers. Salt the fillets and let them cure for about half an hour. I suggest you make a fish stock with the remaining parts such as the head and the bones (not the guts).

Fry the Mackerel fillets in the oil on both sides until meat is white. At the same time melt some butter in another pan and saute the chopped shallot on low heat until soft and transparent. Add mustard seeds and fresh tarragon. When the mustard starts to pop its done. If necessary, to your own taste, add some more butter. Pour over the mackerel fillets and serve immediately with, for example, the mustard sauce below and some fresh summer potatoes.

Mustard Sauce
(for one mackerel)

200 ml (little more than ¾ cup) sour cream
one teaspoon mustard
dill, chopped
some lemon juice
honey (optional)

Stir in mustard and dill into the sour cream. Season with lemon and honey.

Hazelnut Baked Cauliflower

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This summer, when I’ve had the house full of guests, I’ve been in need of simple things that can be done quickly and feed several people. One of our favorites has been this Hazelnut Baked Cauliflower that we’ve served together with different kinds of salads or BBQ (works both with vegetables and meat).

one head of cauliflower
olive oil
fresh basil and oregano
garlic
handful of hazelnuts
salt and pepper
juice from ½ lemon

grated parmesan

Rinse the cauliflower and break up the florets into smaller pieces. Place them steams down in one layer on an oven dish. Chop basil and oregano finely and mix with olive oil, minced garlic and chopped hazelnut. Season with salt, pepper and some lemon juice. Pour mixture over the cauliflower and blend together. Let soak for 15 minutes. Bake in the oven at 400°F (just over 200°C) until al dente. Sprinkle a rich amount of grated parmesan on top. Serve immediately.

Lemon Tart

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kokblog_lemon_tart

Whats the point of using sucanat in a lemon tart filling? Isn’t it supposed to look gorgeously yellow against the golden brown crust? I guess it should… but I kind of like the sour surprise, when my guests take their first bite in something that looks like a pumpkin or a caramel pie! (and the taste is fantastic).

almond dough

100 ml (about ½ cup) regular flour
225 ml (about 1 cup) milled almonds
60 g (2 ounces) butter
5 tablespoons sucanat
a splash of water

lemon filling

3 eggs
150 ml (2/3 cup) regular sugar (probably recommended even if I use sucanat)
75 g (2.65 ounces)  butter, melted
fine peel of one lemon
juice from 2-3  lemons (depends a little how large the eggs are that you use)

Start to mix together butter, flour, almonds and sugar. When the butter is well divided add a splash of water. Work the dough together and let it rest in the fridge for at least one hour. Line a 9 ½ inch pie form. Pre-bake @ 175°C (350F) with pie weights to avoid the dough slipping down or bubbling up (I use dried chickpeas on top of aluminum foil). Remove the pie weights after 10 minutes and keep baking the pie shell for about 5 minutes. The crust should have got some color. Let cool.

Mix egg and sugar in a blender. Melt the butter and add it to the filling before adding lemon to your taste. Blend to a smooth filling. Pour it over the pre-baked pie shell and bake in the oven at 175°C (350°F) until the filling is firm, about 15-20 min.

Let cool. I think this cake is served best plain at room temperature (but it would’t hurt to shave some bitter sweet chocolate on top).

See also recipe for Ginger & Lime Tart

Mushroom Risotto

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kokblog_risotto_flowchart

For Mushroom Risotto I take whatever mushrooms I have at hand, fresh or dried.
Fresh mushrooms I cook as follows: Chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces. Heat up a pan without any oil or butter. Place the mushrooms into the pan and let their own liquid slowly cook into the mushrooms. When dry add plenty of butter. Cook until mushrooms have got some color and season with salt, thyme and just a touch of pepper.
Dried Mushrooms: Soak dried mushrooms for at least 30 minutes until soft. Drain and reserve the mushroom water for the stock. Sauté the soaked mushrooms in butter on medium heat until done. Season w/ salt, thyme and just a touch of pepper.

To make Risotto you will need plenty of stock, I suggest you make your own vegetable or chicken stock. For rice I use arborio rice or a brown, short grain rice (excellent but takes longer time to cook).

Above you can see a flowchart of  two of my favorite feeding options for Mushroom Risotto. I serve it w/ extra Parmesan and toasted walnuts… Enjoy!

If you never done a risotto I suggest you check out a basic recipe such as this one before you start.