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Bell Pepper Sauce

30 June, 2014 — Leave a comment

pepperbellsauce
Pasta sauces we know the best are those made with tomatoes and simmered for hours.
The longer it simmers the darker, thicker and sweeter sauce you will get.
Your Italian great-grandmother would be so proud if you served her this sauce with fresh pasta.

Although I love a good long-simmered sauce, I also love tasting the freshness of the vegetables used in a cold sauce.
For the warm season I definitely prefer such a fresh, cold sauce and it doesn`t always have to be a pure tomato sauce in my opinion. Like today, I made a pasta sauce on red bell pepper and most guests at my table finished their plate and asked for seconds so I think they liked it.

If you`d like to try it here`s the recipe:

(made for 500g pasta)

What you need

* 2 big red bell peppers
* 5 cherry tomatoes
* 2 cloves of garlic
* 1 dl olive oil
* 0.5 dl white wine (or lemon juice)
* Salt, sugar and black pepper to taste
* Fresh basil and oregano

What you do

Start boiling water for the pasta (remember salt in the water).
Cook pasta according to instructions on package.

Cut the vegetables and have in a blender.
Add the fluids, spices and herbs.
Blend well for at least 20-30 seconds.
Add more salt if it`s bland. More sugar if it`s sour. More wine/lemon juice if it`s too sweet and if you`re unlucky and get it too salty try balancing it out with more olive oil and sugar.

When the pasta is done drain it and while it`s still steaming hot have it back in the pan and pour over the fresh sauce.
Mix well and serve immediately.

Serve with a green salad.

ENJOY!

Tip:

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Pasta al Limone

13 June, 2014 — Leave a comment

pastaallimone

I made this pasta dish the other day and it turned out really good so I want to share it with you.
If you wish you could add chicken as you will see in the photo that I did.

WHAT YOU NEED

* 2 tbsp butter
* 2 tbsp grated lemon zest
* 2 cloves of garlic
* 1 shallot, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup white wine
* 1 cup cream
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* 500 g fresh pasta
 * 1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly grated parmesan cheese

Garnish:
 * 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon or basil)
* Grated parmesan cheese

WHAT YOU DO

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

In large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat and add lemon zest, garlic and onion. When it begins to sizzle add  white wine. When evaporated, add cream and lemon juice. Stir together for two minutes or until it comes to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Place fresh pasta into boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain.

Add pasta to lemon sauce in pan; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, toss lightly. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and additional parmesan if desired.

Serve with a glass of wine or cold lemon water.

Enjoy!

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Quinoa Salad

18 May, 2014 — Leave a comment

quinoa

Quinoa is a wonderful grain related to beetroot, spinach and tumbleweeds. It`s high in protein and lacks gluten. 2013 was the international year of Quinoa, about 4000 years after it was first discovered in South-America.

I believe I`ve said it a few times before and will probably keep saying it: try quinoa! If you haven`t tried it yet, then try it in this recipe.

Quinoa is easy to make, inexpencive, you can dress it however you like and it goes with everything.

I made this salad today to bring to a picnic as a side dish for a bunch of people and the eye measurement I used was a sort of 1/3 of each ingredient. You adjust this howerver you prefer.

WHAT YOU NEED

* Precooked quinoa (I always add vegetable broth to the water)
* Cherry tomatoes, cut in fours
* Cucumber, cut in smaller pieces (wheels and then in six)
* Spring onion, cut finely

Dressing:
* one part white whine vinagar
* two parts good olive oil
* half a part mustard (less if you use really strong mustard)
* a small teaspoon each of sugar, salt and black pepper.
* finely chopped garlic
* a shake of curry powder, cayenne pepper and paprika

WHAT YOU DO

In a serving bowl mix all the ingredients for the dressing. Start with the vinagar, then the oil and so on.
Stir well and remember to taste before adding the chopped salad ingredients. If the dressing is to sour or spicy add sugar.

Now add quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber and onion. Mix well to make sure that the dressing is evenly spread.

Serve and enjoy!

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Lemon Pie for Easter

15 April, 2014 — Leave a comment

IMG_0553

I love this pie!
It has this sweet and sour taste to it that I just cannot resist.
Usually I make it at Easter – all things yellow and all that – but it tastes wonderful all year around.

What you need for the pie dough:

* 125 g unsalted butter
* 80 g powdered sugar
* 250 g flour
* 30 g ground almonds
* 1 egg

What you need for the pie filling:

* 4 eggs
* 250 g sugar
* 2 big lemons (zest and grated peel)
* 50 g unsalted butter
Knead together powdered sugar, flour, ground almonds, crumbled butted and the egg.
Press the kneaded dough down in a 30 cm pie pan, prick bottom with a fork before baking in a preheated oven (225c) for 10 minutes. Let pastry cool before adding filling.

Beat egg and sugar for 4 minutes, mix in lemon peel and zest and add melted butter.
Pour the filling in the cooled off pie pan and stick in the oven again at 180c for about 20 minutes.

Let the pie settle before cutting into it.
Serve with peppermint tea or sweet white wine.

ENJOY!

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Norwegian Waffles

2 April, 2014 — 1 Comment

image
What is more Norwegian than waffles? Hm..maybe our brown cheese, which by the way would go perfect with waffles.

The Norwegian waffles are not like the Belgian ones which are thick and usually square. No, we like to make them thinner and heart shaped. Eat them topped with a teaspoon of sour cream and another teaspoon of home made blueberry jam and you have yourself quite a treat.
Yummy!

Norwegians call Wednesday “Little Saturday” so I find no problem with serving this treat mid-week.

WHAT YOU NEED
for 10-12 waffles

* 150g butter
* 400g all purpose flour
* 120g sugar
* 1,5 tsp baking-powder
* 1,5 tsp vanilla sugar
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 6 dl milk
* 2 eggs

WHAT YOU DO

Melt the butter and let it cool of a bit.
Have all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, add the milk and mix together with a hand-mixer till you get a smooth consistency.
Then add the eggs, mix again and at last the butter comes in the bowl and everything is mixed together once more.

Let the batter rest for about half an hour before pouring it, one spoonful at a time, onto a warm waffle iron.
Once golden, have the waffles on a cooking grate to keep them crispy.

Enjoy with butter and sugar, sour cream and jam or of course with the Norwegian brown cheese.

Image inspiration comes this time from sivbakerogsteiker.com

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