Apricot/Habanero Ketchup

Apricot/Habanero Ketchup

We have all had tomato ketchup, but I wanted to try using apricots, since I have so many on my tree. Honestly this ketchup could be a family favorite. I might have to cook another batch before the apricots are gone for the year. If you're not into spicy food, just leave out the habanero and add some more black pepper and maybe even some star anise. 

Ingredients:

• 2 kg fresh apricots, washed, pitted and cut in half

• 500 g sugar

• 4½ dl apple cider vinegar

• 2-3 habanero chilies, without seeds

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 whole nutmeg

• 8 whole cloves

• 10 black pepper corns

• ½ teaspoon yellow mustard seeeds

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a large pot, and bring it to a boil. Boil while stirring until the apricot is soft and mushy. Turn the heat down, and let the ketchup simmer until reduced to the desired consistency. This will take quit some time. Remember to stir regularly.

Blend the ketchup in a blender and run it through a sieve. Before adding it to scolded glass bottles. If you're not using this ketchup right away, you need to process the bottles for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. See National Center for Home Food Preservation for additional information on safe food preservation.

Enjoy!

The Danish version:

Abrikos-Habanero Ketchup

Ingredienser:

• 2 kg friske abrikoser, vaskede, udstenede og skåret i halve

• 500 g sukker

• 4½ dl æblecidereddike

• 2 habanero chilier, uden kerner

• 1 stang kanel

• 1 hel muskatnød

• 8 hele nelliker

• 10 sort peberkorn

• ½ tsk gule sennepsfrø

Directions:

Kom alle ingredienserne i en stor gryde og kog det op indtil abrkoserne er møre og bløde. skru ned for varmen. Kog videre indtil du får den ønskede ketchup konsistens. Det tager noget tid. Rør tit i gryden, så ketchuppen ikke brænder på.

Blend hele blandingen, og si den igennem en sigte, inden du kommer ketchuppen på skoldede flasker. Hvis du ikke skal bruge al ketchuppen med det samme, så skal du henkoge den i ovnen til den er steril. Se National Center for Home Food Preservation for mere information om fødevaresikkerhed ved syltning.

Velbekomme!

Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Cauliflower

One of my favorite vegetables is cauliflower. It's very versatile, I use it as rice, raw in salads, boiled, roasted, everything goes with Cauliflower. 

These roasted cauliflower florets are a perfect side for a roasted chicken. 

Ingredients:

• 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• salt
• shaved parmesan 
• (capers)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475℉ (250℃).

Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet. Drizzle the cauliflower with olive oil, and season with the lemon pepper, cumin and salt. Place baking sheet in the oven and cook for 18-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting. I like a good caramelization on the cauliflower, so I put them in the oven before the oven is preheated all the way.

Remove cauliflower from the oven and sprinkle with the Parmesan and some capers (if you have some). Serve immediately while still warm.

Enjoy!

The Danish Version:

Ristet Blomkål

Ingredienser:

• 1 medium blomkål, skåret i buketter
• olivenolie
• 1 tsk citronpeber
• ½ tsk spidskommen
• salt
• høvlet parmesan 
• kapers

Fremgangsmåde:

Varm ovnen op til 250℃.

Kom blomkålsbuketterne i et ovnfast fad i ét lag, eller læg dem spredt på en bareplade. Hæld olivenolien henover. Drys citronpeber, spidskommen of salt på, og vend det hele rundt så alle buketterne er dækkede. (dette kan også gøres i en frysepose før man kommer blomkålen i fadet/på pladen.

Kom blomkålen i ovnen og bag dem i ca 18-25 minutter, vend dem rundt undervejs, så de får en jævn farve. 

Tag blomkålen ud af ovnen og kom parmesan og kapers (hvis du har nogle) henover, og server den straks.

Velbekomme.

Quinoa fruit salad

Quinoa fruit salad

I have a thing about colorful foods, I really like my meals to have a least 3 colors to be a healthy meal. Well, it might not hold up scientifically, but I think it's a good guideline.

When we start with the BBQ season, I like to make a good salad to eat with the meat or fish going on the grill. Today I craved fruit, and I had some cooked quinoa in the fridge, so I mixed up this fruit salad, that would go perfectly with a piece of grilled lamb.

Ingredients:

Quinoa:

• 100 g quinoa
• 2,25 dl water
• salt (to taste)

Fruit:

• strawberries
• raspberries
• blueberries 
• mango
• pineapple

Dressing:

• 1 lime, juice of
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

Directions:

Quinoa:

Rinse the quinoa. Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add salt to taste. Let the quinoa stand, covered, for 5 minutes. If any more water remains, drain it. Let the quinoa cool.

Dressing:

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

Fruit:

Rinse, peel and slice the fruit and put them in a bowl. Add quinoa and dressing, and serve the fruit salad.

Béarnaise Sauce made in a blender

Béarnaise Sauce

This is not a healthy sauce by any means. But a little goes a long way. I grew up with béarnaise sauce made from a powder like Knorr bearnaise sauce. Well, we had it occasionally, but never made from scratch. We poured way to much sauce on the plate, and we loved it, we didn't know better. I would rather have a little dollop of real béarnaise with my steak, than having it swimming in a sauce made from a powder. But then again - you cant beat the accessibility of the  powder sauce, everybody can make it, and the taste is always the same. But sometimes it's ok to splurge and make the real thing. By making this sauce yourself, you will know what you put into your mouth. I love when I don't need a degree in chemistry to know what's in my food. 

Disclaimer: This sauce is made with raw eggs. I recommend using pasteurized eggs. This would minimize the risk of getting Salmonella food poisoning. You can find pasteurized eggs in some supermarkets here in California, on safeeggs.com you can see where to find them in your neighborhood.  In Denmark you'll find it right next to regular eggs. For tips and information on how to handle eggs, check out FDA’s website. The Danish version of FDA,  Fødevarestyrelsen also has advisory on eggs. 

Ingredients:

Reduction:

• 1 bunch fresh tarragon
• 2 small or 1 medium shallots, minced
• ¼ cup (½ dl) white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup (½ dl) dry white wine
• 3 whole black peppers (for the reduction)

Sauce:

• 3 egg yolks
• 200 g butter, clarified 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Tarragon leaves, finely chopped

Directions:

Reduction:

In a small saucepan, combine sprigs of the tarragon, shallots, vinegar pepper and wine over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat, strain the liquid and set it aside to cool.

The sauce:

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over very low heat.  Let simmer gently until the foam rises to the top of the melted butter. Once the butter stops spluttering, and no more foam seems to be rising to the surface, remove from heat and skim off the foam with a spoon. The foam is the milk solids from the butter. The clarified butter should be about 172℉ (77℃).

Blend yolks and bearnaise reduction together. With the blender running add ⅓ of the butter in a slow steady stream, yes it will splatter. Once it emulsifies, turn the blender speed up to high and add the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper and blend for another second. Add chopped fresh tarragon leaves. Set aside in a warm spot to hold the sauce. 

If you need to reheat the sauce, do it over al very low flame and constantly stirring.

Enjoy.

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

I'm trying to cut down on the starchy sides at dinner time. I wanted to try another way to eat brussels sprouts. I  been cooking with brussels sprouts in my brussels sprouts purée, and the crispy salad on top, made me think of making a salad.

Ingredients:

• 10-12 medium brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

• 1 handful hazelnuts, toasted with honey

• 1-2 blood oranges

Dijon vinaigrette:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• blood orange juice (I squeezed the core after filleting it

• salt & pepper

Directions:

Dressing: Shake the ingredients in a mason jar, season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl toss brussels sprouts and shallot together with the dressing until everything is well-coated. Plate the salad and top with blood orange fillets and hazelnuts.