Salmon Burger

Salmon Burger

A lighter and more summerly take on a regular burger. 

Normally when I think burger, I think of a bun with a beef patty, but of cause there are many other possibilities. This combination is perfect for a summer-night dinner.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

Salmon patty:

• 500 g (about 1 pound) fresh salmon
• 1 egg
• ½ jalapeño, minced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ lime, the juice from
• 1½ dl (½ cup) panko breadcrumbs 
• ½ teaspoon salt

Guacamole:

• 3 avocados, pitted, peeled, and diced
• 1 jalapeño, finely diced
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lime, the juice from
• 1 handful fresh coriander, chopped
• salt to taste

And:

• hamburger buns
• arugula 
• red onion rings

Directions:

Guacamole:

In a large bowl, gently fold the avocados, cilantro, lime juice, jalapenos, garlic, and cumin together. Season to taste with salt. The more you mix, the creamier and less chunky the guacamole get.

Salmon patties:

Remove skin and bones from the salmon. Chop the salmon with a knife, so you get a chunky paste. Add salmon and the rest of the ingredients to a bowl mix it well. 

Form 4-5 patties, and place them on squares of parchment paper. This will make it easier to transfer to the grill.

Heat you grill or grill pan, and grease it with some olive oil. Cook the patties for about 4 minutes on each side. 

Toast the hamburger buns. 

Place arugula on the bottom of the burger bun, place the patty with a big tablespoon guacamole and onion rings on top. 

Enjoy!

Warm Asian-Style Slaw

I love a crunchy slaw. Normally I use napa cabbage and a spicy asian-style dressing, like I used in the angry tacos. But adding the peanut butter to this warm slaw, gives the slaw a nice creaminess. 

This slaw will be perfect for a weekend BBQ, or served with tacos with an asian twist.

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons grated Serrano pepper
• 4 tablespoons creamy peanutbutter

Slaw:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 carrots, julienned
• ½ small red cabbage
• ¼ green cabbage
• ½ english cucumber, julienned
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• some fresh coriander, chopped
• season with salt

Directions:

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing, set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok. Sauté carrots while stirring for about a minute,  add the cabbage and keep stirring, while cooking for about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients and dressing, tossing well to coat.

Serve immediately. 

Enjoy!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I have been experimenting with stuffing chicken breasts for years. I wanted to stuff cheese and some kind of vegetables. Most cheeses will melt and disappear during the cooking process, but somehow goat cheese works perfectly, and the flavors from the scallions and bell peppers pair well with the chicken and sage.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons goat cheese
• 5 scallions, finely sliced
• ¼ red bell pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon water
• 2-4 sage leaves
• 6 slices prosciutto
• 100 ml white wine
• a splash cream, optional

Directions:

 Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).

Mix the goat cheese with scallions, bell pepper and water, so you have a paste. Place a chicken breast on the cutting board. Cut a pocket into the breast horizontally from the side. Place half the cheese mixture into the pocket you just made. Place a sage leave on top of the chicken breast. Wrap 2-3 slices prosciutto round the chicken breast, to lock the mixture inside. Place chicken breast in an ovenproof dish. Repeat with the other chicken breast.

Pour the wine and cream into the dish, and cook the chicken in the oven for 40-45 minutes. 

Serve the chicken with pasta and a nice salad.

Enjoy!

Ginger Chicken

Ginger Chicken

I love clean thai dishes with few ingredients and this it a hit in my book. The ginger is a lovely bright flavor and it pairs perfect with the oyster sauce and the chicken.  It will be back on the menu in my house again soon. Nadia you are a star.

Recipe adapted from Foodfanatic Thai.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, diced 

• 250 g shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 1-2 onions, depending on size, cut into small wedges

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 40 g ginger, cut in thin sticks

• 100 ml (about ½ cup) oyster sauce 

• 100 ml (about ½ cup) chicken stock

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• 1 teaspoon palm sugar, or regular sugar

• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

• oil for frying

• 5 scallions, sliced

• 1 chili, thinly sliced for topping

Directions:

Wash and slice all the ingredients, so you have everything ready to go in the wok/pan. 

Heat oil in a wok, add the garlic just to get fragrant a few seconds, then brown the chicken, while stirring. Add the onions and cook until almost translucent, it takes a few minutes. Add, mushrooms, ginger, oyster sauce, sugar, pepper, fish sauce and stock. Cook for a few minutes until all the ingredients are tender and the chicken is just done. Finally add the scallions, and let then just warm before serving. 

Serve the ginger chicken over rice or cauliflower rice, sprinkle with chili to add some heat.

Enjoy!

Pork Roullade with Prunes

Pork Roullade with Prunes

My mom loved this kind of pork roulade called rullesteg (rolled roast) in Danish. It might have been the prunes that made it special for her. And I have to agree with her, the prunes gives this roast a sweetness that pairs well with the pork and the saltiness.

Don't get me started about the gravy. Danes are a meat, potato and brown gravy kinda people. The sauce or gravy should be spooned over the potatoes and not just used as a small amount of dipping sauce. The sauce from a roast like this makes the most fantastic sauce. All the flavors from the roast is concentrated in the cooking liquid, making the sauce to die for.  I normally only make a sauce like this at christmas when we have roasted duck or/and Danish pork roast, but this roast calle for the traditional brown sauce. 

Ingredients:

• 1½ kg (3 lbs) pork belly, no skin
• 200 g pitted prunes
• salt & pepper
• butter and olive oil for the searing
• 4-500 ml (2 cups) water

Directions:

Cut off any large chunks of fat, but don't make it too lean. Trim the ends so they are straight.   Lay the pork belly flat on a cutting board and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides. Place the prunes on the pork belly along one of the sides. Roll the pork belly into a tight sausage keeping the prunes in the center. Use cooking twine to tie the meat up all the way.

Heat butter and oil in a pot, and sear the roast on all sides. Add the water, turn heat to low and let to simmer for about 90 minutes, turning a few times during the cooking process.  

Remove the roast from the pan, and let rest on a cutting board, before slicing.

Extra: Make a sauce from the cooking liquid, by adding cream (or whole milk) to the pan, and bring it to a boil. Thicken the sauce with a thick mixture of water and all-purpose flour. Add browning (kulør) to get the brown color. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.

Serve the roast sliced thin with boiled potatoes and some kind of vegetables.

Enjoy!