Pickled Red Onions

Pickled Red Onions

These pickled onions are so good on a hotdog or a burger. Skip the raw onions and give these a try, you will not regret it. 

Danes like pickled things. My parents had a large vegetable garden, so my mom pickled a lot of the vegetables. I think most cultures pickle their different crops and even fish and meats to preserve them, for times with less abundance of fresh produce. Nowadays we do not have to preserve our produce, because of the global trading. You will always be able top get fresh strawberries, even in January. In my point of view this makes them less special, and you do not appreciate them as much, when you don't have to wait for the seasons.  From an economical and environmental standpoint, eating local produce when they are in season makes more sense. In a perfect world I would do that, and in my imperfect world I strive to do that.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium red onions

• 1 cup (240 ml) vinegar, I prefer a white vinegar

• 1 cup (200 g) sugar

• 10-15 peppercorn (I used red)

• 2 dried chilies

Directions:

Scald a glass jar and lid with boiling water, set aside. 

Thinly slice the red onions. Place the sliced onions in the glass jar.

Bring the vinegar to a boil, and dissolve the sugar in it. Add the spices and let it come to a boil again. Pour the hot vinegar over the onions until they are covered. Put the lid on, and let the onions cool down, 
Serve the onions on hotdogs, burgers or as a tangy side to your dinner.

Enjoy!

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower was a weird vegetable for me growing up. My mom boiled the h.. out of it, and like many overcooked vegetables it went on my "I don't like that" list. Please DO NOT overcook and especially over-boil your vegetables. 
You can prepare cauliflower so many ways, or just eat it raw, but by roasting it whole like this you get a great nutty flavor, with a crispy surface with a tender and almost creamy center. It might be time consuming but its well worth the wait. 

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

• 1 large cauliflower, the one I used was yellow to start with

• olive oil

• salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven with a cast-iron skillet inside to 375℉ (190℃).

Break off and discard the outer leaves from the cauliflower. Cut off the bottom of the stem, being careful not to cut off any of the florets. Using a small sharp knife to cut out the hard core of the cauliflower.  

Rinse the cauliflower, not drying it again. Place the cauliflower core-side up on the cutting board, and drizzle it with olive oil. Rub the oil all over the surface, and sprinkle with sea salt.

Place the cauliflower core-side down in the hot cast-iron skillet. Place an ovenproof pan filled with hot water, to create steam in the oven. Roast the cauliflower for 1½-2 hours, basting it 2-3 times with more olive oil. You want to end up with a nice brown color on the surface and a nice tender inside. You can roast the cauliflower under the boiler for a brief moment in the end to add some more color.

Serve the cauliflower to your favorite protein.

Enjoy!

Smashed Chickpea Salad

Smashed Chickpea Salad

I love chickpeas, they are very filling and full of protein (9g/100g*) and dietary fiber (8g/100g*). Like lentils, chickpeas is easily flavored while cooking and by what ever you dress it with. 

I really like the tanginess and the specks of salty olives and chili peppers. Overall this chickpea salad is a simple, quick weekday side. I served it with beer can chicken, an all-time favorite in my house.

This recipe is adapted from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook.

Serves 3.

Ingredients:

• 450 g cooked, cooled chickpeas

• 100 g green olives, pitted and thinly sliced

• 3 small pickled chilies, sliced

• 1 handful Italian parsley, chopped

• ½ teaspoon freeze dried buckthorn

• 35 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Soak and cook the chickpeas according to instruction on the package, or like Chickpea and Carrot Salad a la Thomas Keller. If you are in a hurry use 2 cans of chickpeas, drain and rinse them. 

Mix all but the olive oil and smash the salad with a potato masher, until you have a coarse mixture, with chunky pieces. Dress the salad with the Olive oil, and season it with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Enjoy!

* In the boiled chickpeas.

Fennel salad

Fennel salad

Fennel salad - who comes up with things like this?

One of my danish friends gave me a book on salads by Claus Meyer called Salatværksted (Salad workshop). A great book with salads for every season. One of the first I had to try was this Fennel Salad. It's light, crispy and phenomenal with Salmon. What it lacks in color, it has tenfolds in taste.

• 4 small or 2 medium fennels

Dressing: 

• 1/4 cup Lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons Sugar
• Salt 
• Pepper (freshly ground)

Direction:

Wash the fennels, cut it very thin on a mandolin. Put the fennel slices in ice cold water. 

Thinly sliced fennel and the dressing.

Mix the ingredients for the dressing, season with salt and pepper.

Drain and wipe the fennels dry with kitchen towel. Mix the fennel with the dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy