Coconut Banana Upside-Down Cake - Banankokoskaka upp-och-ned

COCONUT BANANA UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Banankokoskaka upp-och-ned

1 cake

For the dish:
1 3/4 oz butter or margarine
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 - 2 1/2 bananas

Cake batter:
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup coconut flakes
1 3/4 oz butter or margarine
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Heat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour the edge of a round baking pan, holding approx 6 cups.

Melt the fat and pour it in the pan. Make sure it's evenly distributed over the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Split the bananas lengthwise and put them with the cut side down in the bottom of the pan.

Bring the milk to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut flakes, so they get to swell in the milk. Melt the fat and set aside to cool. Beat eggs and sugar white and fluffy, sift in the flour and baking powder and then add the milk-coconut mixture. Blend gently. Last, gently add the melted, lukewarm fat.

Pour the batter in the pan over the bananas and bake in the lower part of oven for 40 - 45 minutes. Allow the cake to rest in the pan for a few minutes, then gently unmould to cool.

You can use a springform pan, but make sure it's absolutely tight so that the sugary glaze won't ooze out during baking (been there, done that, got the burn mark). 

Enjoy!

Bella

Italian Apple Pancake - Äppelpannkaka från Italien

ITALIAN APPLE PANCAKE
Äppelpannkaka från Italien

For this, you'll need a non-stick frying pan with a diameter of about 7 - 8 inches with rounded edges plus a plate, slightly larger than the pan. :-D

Serves 4

2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 small, tart apples
3 tablespoons raisins
butter for frying

Decoration:
1 tablespoon sugar
or a glaze made of 1/3 cup powdered
sugar and 3/4 tbs water

Beat the eggs lightly and add milk, flour, salt, sugar and vanilla sugar. Beat until smooth. Melt the fat. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Add apple slices, raisins and melted butter to the mixture.

Melt some butter in the frying pan, pour in the batter and make sure all apples and raisins are evenly distributed. Fry on low heat until the batter has set.

Turn the pancake upside down on a greased plate (see info above). Melt some more fat, turn the pancake and fry on the other side. Sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with glaze. Serve instantly.

Enjoy!

Bella

Marinated Fillet of Pork - Marinerad fläskfilé

MARINATED FILLET OF PORK
Marinerad fläskfilé


Serves 4

Approx 1 lb 3 1/2 oz fillet of pork
2 tablespoons mustard, preferably French-type
1/4 cup sherry, madeira or port
1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice
black pepper
ground allspice
ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Put the meat on a plate and rub it with mustard. Mix wine, fruit juice and spices and pour this over the meat. Put the plate in a cold place for 6 - 12 hours.

Take up the meat - save the marinade - and put it on a greased, oven-proof plate. Sprinkle with brown sugar and put in the oven, slightly below the middle, at 425F for about 30 minutes or until the thermometer shows approx 170F. Brush occasionally with the marinade.

Cut in thin slices and pour the gravy over the meat. Serve and enjoy!

Bella

Onion and Tomato-Filled Chicken - Lök- och tomatfylld kyckling

ONION AND TOMATO-FILLED CHICKEN
Lök- och tomatfylld kyckling

Filled chicken tastes lovely and lasts much longer, plus you don't need that many accompaniments or side dishes - maybe just some salad and bread. This ranks a 5 out of 5 for us.

Serves 4

1 fresh or frozen chicken, approx 2 lbs
2 teaspoons salt
white pepper
1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 - 3 onions
4 tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Rinse and wipe off the fresh chicken, slightly thaw the frozen bird. Remove the bag with the innards if it's sold with the chicken (in Sweden it mostly isn't sold any longer which is a pity).

Mix salt, pepper and paprika and rub the chicken with this. Peel the onions and slice the tomatoes. Cut it all in thin wedges. Mix onions and tomatoes and flavor with basil and salt.

Cover the bottom of a greased, oven-proof dish with tomato and onion wedges. Stuff the rest in the bird, which you put on top. Add fat in pieces here and there on the chicken.

Cover and fry in the oven at 350F for about 35 minutes, then remove the lid and fry for another 25 minutes or so. Increase the heat to 400F during the last 15 minutes. Make sure it's done before serving - the juices should be clear and transparent! 

Enjoy!

Bella

Heavenly No-Bake Mousse Cake - Sagolik moussetårta

HEAVENLY NO-BAKE MOUSSE CAKE
Sagolik moussetårta

Delicious! Cool, elegant and requires no baking in the oven, a perfect finish of a festive dinner!

Serves 8

1 1/4 cups crumbled wholewheat biscuits, e.g. McVities' Digestives
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
3 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup peach juice or orange juice
4 gelatin sheets = 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
3 large, peeled peaches, preferably fresh
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup cottage cheese

Mix crumbled biscuits with chopped pecans, fat and honey. Press out the dough in the bottom of a round dish with loose edges, which should have a diameter of approx 9 inches.

Bring peach or orange juice to a boil in a saucepan and add the gelatin - if you use sheets, soak in cold water first for 5 - 10 minutes and squeeze out as much water as you can before adding them to the juice.

Slice the peaches. Bring them to a boil together with brown sugar and lemon juice. Let simmer for about 5 minutes or until the peaches are tender. Stir in vanilla sugar, put half of the peaches in a bowl and set aside.

Finely purée remaining peaches in a food processor or mixer. Add yogurt, cottage cheese and the gelatin mixture. Work it all together in the food processor to a creamy mixture. Put the reserved peaches on the dough layer, pour over the yogurt mixture and chill for 3 hours.

Enjoy!

Bella

Lovely Ham Rolls - Fina skinkrullar (retro)

LOVELY HAM ROLLS

Fina skinkrullar

In the 70s, we loved making stuff with puff pastry in Sweden, and I dare say this is a typical 70s recipe. And it's delicious!

Makes 1 roll, serves about 6 people

1 frozen puff pastry plate

Filling:
1 small leek
1/3 cup smoked ham
1/3 cup strong grated cheese
spice mix, Italian, French or whatever
a few drops of water

Take out the puff pastry and leave for about 15 minutes. Make the filling.

Shred the leek and sautee in a frying pan. Shred the ham and let sizzle with the leek for a bit, then flavor to taste with spice mix and cheese. Add a little water, so that the mixture becomes firm but still juicy.

Roll out the puff pastry to measure about 8 x 9 inches. Spread out the filling over the surface, roll it up and put the roll in a lightly greased oven-proof dish or on a baking plate. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with some poppyseeds.

Bake at 400F for 25 to 30 minutes or until nicely colored.

Enjoy!

Bella

Orange-Filled Honey Buns - Apelsinfyllda honungsbullar

ORANGE-FILLED HONEY BUNS
Apelsinfyllda honungsbullar

Makes approx 30 buns

1 1/4 cup milk
1 3/4 oz fresh yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 lightly whisked eggs
grated peel from 1 orange
3 1/2 oz melted butter or margarine
4 3/4 cups flour

Honey glazing:
1/3 to 1/2 cup honey
5 tablespoons sugar
2 oz butter or margarine

Orange filling:
2 1/2 oz butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
grated peel from 2 oranges

Warm the milk to 98F. Crumble the yeast in a bowl and dissolve it in some of the milk. Add remaining milk. Mix in sugar, honey, salt, eggs, orange peel, and fat. Add the flour, little by little. Work the dough until smooth and pliable and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Honey glazing: Mix honey, sugar, and butter. Bring to a boil and pour in a roasting pan.

Take up the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Cut in 2 and roll out each part to a rectangular "cake". Spread on the fat, sprinkle with sugar and orange peel, and roll them up. Cut each roll in 15 pieces and put them, cut side up, in the roasting pan with the honey glazing. Cover and let rise for 25 - 30 minutes.

Bake in the middle of the oven at 390F for about 25 minutes. Unmould immediately on a rack to cool. Enjoy!

Bella

Old-fashioned Cake from Halsingland + old spooky legend

OLD-FASHIONED CAKE FROM
HÄLSINGLAND + old spooky legend
Gammaldags sockerkaka från Hälsingland


Hälsingland is a region up north in Sweden, famous for the big "hambo" competition (hambo is a Swedish folk dance). A special tune of the hambo is the "Hårgalåten", something like "The Horga Tune". It's very old, and legend has it that once there was a young boy and girl who wanted to dance the "hambo" so badly that suddenly the devil appeared, playing a never heard tune on his fiddle. The youngsters were enchanted and couldn't stop dancing,
their feet just kept moving and they couldn't stop, so they fell over the edge of the Hårga mountain and thus danced to their death. In July each year the big competition is held in Hälsingland, and the Horga Tune is sure to be played many times. It's really mysterious and very Swedish ... I just wish I could find a way to post a recording of it! Anyway, maybe this cake is served then, who knows! It's delicious in any case!

Makes 1 cake

4 oz butter or margarine
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup dark molasses/treacle
2/3 cup strong coffee
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 1/2 oz finely chopped almonds
3/4 cup raisins

Heat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour a baking pan, holding 8 cups.

Melt the fat. Separate the eggs. Beat egg yolks, sugar and molasses until fluffy, add the melted, cooled butter and strong coffee. Mix flour, bicarbonate, cloves, cinnamon, almonds and raisins and stir this into the batter. Beat the egg whites stiff and gently fold them in. Pour the batter in the dish and bake in the lower part of the oven for 50 - 60 minutes.

Enjoy!

Bella

Veal Schnitzel "Romana" - Kalvschnitzel "Romana"

VEAL SCHNITZEL "ROMANA"
Kalvschnitzel "Romana"

4 servings

1 lb thick flank of veal

7 oz fresh mushrooms
1 teaspoon salt
white pepper
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup marsala wine or dry white wine
dried basil
dried oregano
1 bunch parsley

Cut the meat in very thin slices and pat them out lightly. Trim and slice mushrooms. Coat the meat with flour flavored with salt and pepper. Fry until golden brown in browned butter or margarine for about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a serving pan.

Quickly sauté the mushrooms in the fat, add wine and herbs and let simmer for a few minutes. Pour the lovely mushrooms over the meat, sprinkle with lots of chopped parsley and enjoy with asparagus, green peas and boiled rice.

Bella

Fresh Berry Compote with Frozen Cream - Bärkompott med frusen grädde

FRESH BERRY COMPOTE WITH FROZEN CREAM
Färsk bärkompott med frusen grädde

Serves 4

1/3 cup heavy cream
approx 15 oz canned pears with liquid
2 cups fresh strawberries
3/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup raspberries
1/2 - 1 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar

Beat the cream until rather stiff and put the bowl in the freezer for at least 1 hour. Pour off the liquid from the pears but reserve it. Purée the pears in a mixer and pour them in a bowl. Rinse strawberries and blueberries if necessary. Remove the "knobs" from the strawberries and trim the raspberries.

Pour all berries plus maple syrup or sugar in the mixer and process to a smooth mixture. Mix in the pear puree and add some of the reserved liquid. If necessary, flavor with more maple syrup or sugar to taste.

Take out the cream just before serving. Pour the berry compote in serving bowls and decorate with some frozen cream. Enjoy!

Bella

Ida's Lemon Cake - Idas citronkaka

IDA'S LEMON CAKE
Idas citronkaka

1 cake

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
2/3 cup melted butter or margarine
3/4 cup milk, boiled and cold
fresh juice and grated zest from 1 lemon

Beat eggs and sugar for about 2 minutes. Add flour, baking powder, vanilla sugar and the melted, cooled fat. Stir in the milk and lemon juice and then flavor with grated lemon zest.

Pour the batter in a greased, oven-proof cake pan, holding about 6 cups, and bake at 435F for about 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Bella

Auntie's Garlic Chicken - Mosters vitlökskyckling

AUNTIE'S GARLIC CHICKEN
Fasters vitlökskyckling

Serves 4

1 fresh or frozen chicken, approx 2 lbs 10 oz
5 - 6 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
pepper
1/3 cup white wine
3/4 cup ripe, strong, grated cheese
2/3 cup chicken bouillon
1/3 cup cream
salt
pepper
1 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch + some cold water
2 teaspoons chopped parsley

Thaw the chicken if you use frozen chicken. Peel and slice the garlic. Put the garlic under the skin and inside the chicken, then flavor with salt and pepper.

Put the chicken in an oven-proof dish and pour on the wine (you can also use concentrated apple juice). Bake in the lower part of the oven at 400F for about 45 minutes. Take out the chicken and pour the gravy in a saucepan.

Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken and bake for another 15 minutes. Make sure the chicken is ready - no pink or colored meat juices, just clear and transparent all the way.

Pour bouillon and cream in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Flavor to taste with salt and pepper. Stir the cornstarch with some cold water and stir this thickening into the gravy. Let boil for about 1 minute, then mix in the parsley.

Cut up the chicken in suitable serving pieces and serve with the sauce, boiled rice or potatoes and a salad. Enjoy!

Bella

Oven-Baked Apples with Caramel Cream - Ugnsbakade äpplen med karamellgrädde

OVEN-BAKED APPLES WITH
CARAMEL CREAM
Ugnsbakade äpplen med karamellgrädde

Serves 4

For this recipe, the apples are best if you make them the same day they will be served.

4 apples
1 oz almond paste
1 oz almonds
1 egg white
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream

Core the apples but keep them whole. Chop the almonds and mix with grated almond paste and one egg white to a batter. Melt the sugar in a frying pan, but make sure it doesn't burn. Brown the apples in the caramel for a few minutes, then put them with the holes pointing up and press the almond mixture into the holes. Pour over the cream and put in the oven at 400F for 10 - 15 minutes. Check so that the apples don't turn mushy - when they're ready, they look a little "blown up", and that's exactly what they're supposed to look like. The skin starts to burst and the apple gets slightly bigger.

Serve one apple per person with the caramel cream from the frying pan on top. These apples are delicious with vanilla ice cream. 

Enjoy!

Bella