Lemon Risotto with Scallops

Lemon Risotto with Scallops

We have something with risotto and scallops in our house. It is a great luxury you normally will get at a restaurant. But you can easily make it at home. Just make sure to have every ingredients prepared and ready to go. By making it at home you are sure to get the risotto perfectly al dente, creamy, and seasoned to your tasting. 

This risotto can be an appetizer or a full meal. 

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 6-9 scallops

Risotto:

• 40 g butter

• 2 small shallots, finely diced

• 175 g arborio rice

• 120 ml (½ cup) white wine

• 850 ml chicken stock, heated

• 40 g grated parmesan

• 1 lemon, zest and juice

• salt & pepper to taste

• parsley, minced for a sprinkle on top.

Directions

Heat butter in a sauté pan, sauté the onion until translucent. Add rice and cook while stirring, until all the rice are coated and they start to crackle. 

Pour in the wine, and let it simmer lightly until the wine is absorbed. 

Start adding a small ladleful hot stock at a time, letting the rice absorb the liquid before adding more. You want the risotto to cook for a low simmer, stirring constantly. Cook the risotto for about 25 minutes, until the rice are al dente, and they have a little bite, without being crunchy.

Add lemon juice, lemon zest and parmesan and cook till its melted making the risotto nice and creamy. Season the risotto with salt and pepper to taste. 

Heat a skillet over high heat, add oil and butter. When the fat begins to brown and smoke sear the scallops for 1½ minutes on each side. The scallops should have a ¼-inch golden crust on each side, while being translucent in the center. Place the scallops on top of the risotto and sprinkle with more lemon zest and parsley.

Serve Immediately.

Enjoy!

Baked Salmon with Sweet Mustard Sauce

Baked Salmon with Sweet Mustard Sauce

This is the best salmon ever. I know I've stated this before about a similar salmon recipe, but from now on, THIS is the way to cook salmon, no more adding any wine to the dish while baking!!

Normally I would serve a hollandaise, avocado hollandaise or a cold creme fraiche dressing with fresh dill with baked salmon. But this sweet mustard sauce was really good and paired really well with the salmon and spinach.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

Salmon:

• 2-3 portion-sized salmon, bones and skin removed
• ½ lemon, the juice from
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper 
• ½ teaspoon olive oil, for greasing the baking dish

Sauce:

• 120 ml (½ cup) heavy whipping cream
• 120 ml (½ cup) Ravigotte sauce, or a sweet mustard sauce
• 40 g soft cream cheese, as a thickener 
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Salmon:

Pre-heat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).

Place the salmon in the greased baking dish, drizzle with lemon juice, and sprinkle with lemon pepper. 

Bake the salmon for 12-18 minutes, until the salmon flakes easy with a fork. 

Sauce:

Mix cream cheese with cream and ravigotte sauce in a sauce pan, while heating. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the salmon with boiled potatoes and a sautéed spinach and the mustard sauce.

Enjoy!

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!

Green Fish Cakes - Grønne Fiskefrikadeller

Green Fish Cakes - Grønne Fiskefrikadeller

Fish cakes is an easy way to make picky kids eat fish. Serve them as finger food with bite-sized vegetables and a dipping sauce. In Denmark you will get a sweet tartar sauce, remoulade, with the fish cakes. You can also serve the fish cakes cold on a sandwich. 

Makes 12-15.

Ingredients:

Fish Cakes:

• 900 g cod, no bones or skin
• 3 eggs
• 300 ml cream (half & half or whipping cream)
• 35 g (⅓ cup) all-purpose flour
• 2 leeks, rinsed and chopped, 
• 2½ teaspoons salt
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 handful fresh dill, chopped

Spicy creme fraiche sauce:

• 200 ml creme fraiche (you can use sour cream)
• 1 jalapeno, grated
• about 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• juice from ½ lime
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Put the cod and salt in a food processor and pulse until it gets sticky. The idea is to bind the moisture so that the fish cakes don’t fall apart. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until combined.

Let the batter rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. (I tend to forget this part. 😇)

Mix the ingredients for the creme fraiche sauce in a bowl, and leave it to rest in the refrigerator until serving.

Using a spoon and your hand, make plum-size cakes and fry them in a mixture of half oil and half butter in a skillet, until golden brown on both sides.

Serve with boiled potatoes, a salad and a spicy creme fraiche sauce.

Enjoy!

Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze

I know the picture isn't perfect, but the taste is so so good. My brother was the one that told me about this mustard glazed salmon. In my mind this glaze is used to glaze a ham. And the caramelized pearl onions is a traditional side for roast beef. But as it turned out, the glaze worked perfect with the salmon. It added a mild smokey flavor to the juicy salmon. This dish will be on our meal plan in the near future again. Especially because I plan to add more fish to the table this year, and salmon being my husbands favorite fish. 

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 3 pieces salmon, or 1 larger piece
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon grainy mustard (I used Maille Old style whole grain dijon mustard)
• 5 tablespoons brown sugar
• 200 g (about half a bag) frozen pearl onions

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).

Brush an ovenproof dish with oil, and set aside.

Remove skin and bones from the salmon. Place it in the ovenproof dish, skin-side down. 

Mix mustards and sugar till you have a paste, this will be the glaze. Brush the salmon with the glaze. Place the pearl onions all around the salmon and pour the rest of the glaze over the onions. Bake the salmon for 20-30 minutes until its done, and the glaze is somewhat caramelized. Serve the salmon with boiled potatoes and creamed spinach.

Enjoy!