Crispy Pork with Parsley Sauce

Crispy Pork with Parsley Sauce

I am serving Crispy Pork with Parsley Sauce aka stegt flæsk med persillesovs for election night in America. In Denmark we have a term called 'valgflæsk' (election pork) meaning the hot air or elaborate promises politician give in order to be elected. So many Danes eat this crispy pork dish on election day in Denmark. 

For me crispy pork with parsley sauce was my favorite dish growing up. I always chose this as my birthday dinner, the most important for me was the potatoes and the sauce. 

In 2014 Denmark voted for their national dish, and crispy pork won in a landslide. 

I hope you will try out this old Danish classic dish, maybe even served with a cold beer.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• about 600 g (1½ pound) potatoes (I prefer fingerling potatoes)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 16-20 slices pork belly 

For the parsley sauce:

• 25 g butter
• 2½ tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 300 ml milk
• 100-200 ml water from the boiled potatoes
• ⅛ teaspoon sugar
• salt
• 1 cup finely chopped parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃)

Lightly sprinkle the sliced pork belly with salt on both sides. Place the pork on a wire rack over a sheet pan, so the fat can drain away from the meat. Roast the pork in the oven for 30-40 minutes turning it once or twice until the pork looks crisp and delicious, remove from the oven and place plate.

Bring the potatoes to the boil in lightly salted water, then simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Parsley sauce:

Melt the butter in a pan. Add the flour, mix with a whisk and warm through, making sure not to get any color on the mixture.

Add some potato water while whisking vigorously making a thick paste without any lumps. Add more water and milk until you have the desired consistency, you want it to be a bit on the thick side. Let the sauce boil a few minutes to get rid of the flour taste. Season the sauce with sugar and salt. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the chopped parsley.

Serve the crispy pork with the boiled potatoes and a large spoonful parsley sauce.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup.

I love the fall season. Fall is the best excuse to make soups, and butternut squash soups are a fall staple here in the US. I earlier posted a roasted version, and to be honest I can't tell which is the best. 

This version is made mostly vegetarian, if you loose the cream and the sour cream and bacon topping. The crispy tart apples plays well with the clean flavors from the soup.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

Soup:

• 1 butternut squash

• 2-3 large potatoes

• 2 carrots

• 1 chili pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 heaped teaspoon grated ginger

• 400 ml (1¼ cup) water

• ½ lemon, the juice of

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• 1½ dl (little over 1 cup) heavy whipping cream

Topping:

• 3-5 thin slices of bacon (+ a sprinkle ghost chili powder)

• 1 crisp apple, cut in small dices, dressed in juice from ½ lemon + ½ teaspoon honey

• roasted pumpkin seeds

• 1 chili thinly sliced

• creme fraiche (sour cream)

Directions:

Microwave the whole butternut squash for 2 minutes to soften it a bit, making it easier to cut.

Cut it in half, peel, deseed and dice the butternut squash. Peel and dice potatoes and carrots. 

Sauté the vegetables in a large pot in olive oil for a few minutes. Add water, chili, ginger and cumin. Bring it to a boil and cover it and cook it for 15-20 minutes, until the squash is tender.

Purée the soup in batches in a blender* until smooth. (You can also use an immersion blender.) 

Add the cream and season the soup with lemon juice, salt and pepper, heat soup through before serving.

Serve the soup hot with your favorite garnish and a slice of good bread.

*Be careful when blending hot liquids, it can make the lid pop off, and you may risk getting serious burns on you skin. You can remove the small cap on you blender lid and cover the lid with a clean kitchen towel. You need to hold on to the lid and towel. This will let the steam from the hot soup escape and avoid the lid from popping off. You can also get blenders like the Vitamix, where you can blend hot liquids, without any hassle.

Pot-Roasted Chicken

Pot-Roasted Chicken 

This family-style pot-roasted chicken was something we got for dinner a lot when I grew up. The chicken stay nice and juicy, because it's roasted in a liquid. And the sauce you get from this is heavenly. Like many other roasts, you get the most delicious sauce, with tons of flavors from the meat you are roasting. 

Whenever we have a pot-roasted chicken for dinner, I feel like I'm back home, in my parents vacation home. Some tastes and smells just bring you right back. I miss you mom and dad ❤️

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 1 large chicken
• 1 bunch parsley
• salt & pepper
• olive oil for searing
• 1 cup (2.5 dl) water
• 1-2 tablespoon  corn starch mixed with 3 tablespoon cold water
• a few drops gravy browning (or Danish Kulør)

Directions:

Pad the chicken dry. Season the chicken on the inside and on the skin with salt and pepper. Rinse the parsley, and put it inside the chicken.

Heat the oil over high heat in a large pot (that will hold the whole chicken). Sear the chicken about 5 minutes on each side, until it gets deep golden on all sides. Add the water, and let it get to a boil, turn down the heat, cover and let the chicken simmer away for about an hour.

When chicken is tender, remove from the pot. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and add the cornstarch mixture a little at a time (you may not need it all) to pot and simmer for a few minutes, until slightly thickened. Add some gravy browning, and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Carve the chicken, and serve it with boiled small potatoes, the sauce and Danish cucumber salad. 

Enjoy!

Brownie Batter Dip

Brownie Batter Dip

Brownie Batter Dip, I kid you not, there is such a thing. A delicious, creamy, chocolaty dip perfect for all chocoholics out there. It's extremely easy to make, and a sinful way to eat apple and pretzels. Like you need an excuse to eat apples and pretzels.

Ingredients:

• 110 g (1 stick) butter, salted and melted
• 150g sugar
• 65 g all-purpose flour
• 30 g cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
• 125 ml plain non-fat yogurt 
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1 tablespoon cold, strong brewed coffee
• colorful sprinkles

Directions:

Whisk the melted butter with sugar, and vanilla until combined. Add cocoa, flour, salt and coffee, mix until combined. Mix in yogurt, whipping it in with a hand mixer, for a creamy and soft dip. 

Put the sprinkles on top and serve the dip with sliced apples and pretzels. 

Enjoy!

White Cream Sauce with Tarragon

White Cream Sauce with Tarragon 

This tarragon sauce is my favorite sauce to serve with baked salmon, often I serve it with rice and fennel salad. It might be a pale plate of food, but it is packed with flavors, and truly a meal worthy of a King or Queen.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 knorr fish stock cube
• ¼ cup (½ dl) white wine
• 1 cup (2½ dl) heavy whipping cream
• 1-2 teaspoons tarragon 
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, cook the onions in the oil until translucent. Add the wine, cream, tarragon and fish stock, and bring it to a boil. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes. Season with salt and white pepper.

Serve the sauce with baked salmon or another fish.

Enjoy!