Filled Ground Beef Patties with Mashed Potato Gratin - Fyllda biffar med gratinerat potatismos

FILLED GROUND BEEF PATTIES

WITH MASHED POTATO GRATIN

Fyllda biffar med gratinerat potatismos

These cheese-filled beef patties are served with a lovely tomato sauce and mashed potatoes au gratin. You can use any kind of ripe cheese for the filling.

Serves 4

1 lb 5 oz ground beef

1.7 oz cream cheese

1.7 oz grated, ripe cheese

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

salt, pepper

butter or rapeseed oil

Mashed potatoes:

1 lb 5 oz "floury" potatoes, King Edward type

2 egg yolks

0.2 cup rapeseed oil

grated, strong cheese

Tomato sauce:

3 garlic cloves

1 small onion

1 can crushed tomatoes, approx 14 oz

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon dried oregano

For serving:

salad

Potatoes:

Peel the potatoes and boil until tender in lightly salted water. Pour off the water and mash the potatoes. Mix with egg yolks, oil and cheese. Distribute it in small oven-proof serving bowls or one a little larger, and bake in the oven at 437F for about 20 minutes.

Tomato sauce:

Roughly chop the garlic and finely chop the onion. Boil the crushed tomatoes with onion, tomato paste and oregano over low heat for about 15 minutes.

Shape the ground beef into patties and make a thumbprint in each. Mix cream cheese, grated cheese and parsley and place a small dab into each hollow. Pinch together. Flavor with salt and fry until golden in butter or oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Serve with the sauce, the mashed potatoes and a salad.

Enjoy!

Bella

Bean Stew Provencale - Böngryta Provencale

BEAN STEW PROVENCALE

Böngryta Provencale

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

5.3 oz finely diced celeriac (celery root)

1.1 lb diced potatoes

2 onions, cut in wedges

2 crushed garlic cloves

0.8 cup white wine

2 cups water

2 vegetable bouillon cubes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

0.8 cup creme fraiche

½ teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 lb 12 oz mixed beans, canned

½ small lemon

Topping:

croutons

cherry tomatoes in wedges

thyme

Heat up some oil in a pot. Fry celeriac, potatoes, onions and garlic without coloring for about 2 minutes. Pour in wine, water and bouillon, put a lid on and boil for 20 minutes. Add thyme, creme fraiche and flavor to taste with salt and cayenne. Stir and gently turn in rinsed, drained beans when the stew is really heated through. Flavor to taste with lemon juice and top with croutons, tomatoes and some thyme.

Enjoy!

Bella

"Poor Knights" with Cheese and Ham - Fattiga riddare med ost och skinka

"POOR KNIGHTS" WITH CHEESE AND HAM

Fattiga riddare med ost och skinka

Serves 2

2 eggs

1 to 2 tablespoons regular milk

4 slices sandwich bread

1.7 oz cream cheese

2 slices cheese

2 slices smoked ham

butter and a neutral-tasting oil

for frying

Lightly whisk eggs and milk in a bowl. Spread cream cheese on two of the slices of bread and put on cheese and ham. Cover with the other two bread slices and press together a little. Dip on both sides in the egg-milk mixture and transfer to a hot frying pan with oil and butter. Fry until nicely colored over low heat until the cheese is well melted.

You can also put Dijon mustard and sliced red onion in between for more taste (I prefer it that way).

Enjoy!

Bella

Spaghetti with Squash and Anchovies - Spaghetti med squash och sardeller

SPAGHETTI WITH SQUASH AND ANCHOVIES

Spaghetti med squash och sardeller

Serves 4

14 oz spaghetti

2 garlic cloves

4 anchovy fillets

1.1 lb cherry tomatoes

1 squash

3½ oz grated Parmesan cheese

olive oil

lemon juice

salt, black pepper

Boil the pasta and prepare the other ingredients while it's cooking.

Finely chop garlic and anchovies. Split the tomatoes. Split the squash lengthwise and remove the pips, then roughly grate it or shred with a potato peeler. Mix garlic, anchovies, tomatoes, squash and Parmesan. Drain the pasta and stir it into the anchovy mixture.

Drizzle with some olive oil and squeeze some lemon juice over it. Flavor with salt and black pepper and blend well.

Enjoy!

Bella

Carrot Soup with Curry and Coconut - Morotssoppa med curry och kokos

CARROT SOUP WITH CURRY AND COCONUT

Morotssoppa med curry och kokos

Serves 4

4 carrots

0.8 cup water

1.6 cup coconut milk

1.1 lb carrot juice (sorry for strange 

measurement)

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon sambal oelek

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 teaspoon salt

1 vegetable bouillon cube

3½ oz chopped cashews

Parsley creme:

0.8 cup creme fraiche

1 crushed garlic clove

0.4 cup chopped parsley

Peel and thinly slice the carrots. Boil until tender in water and half of the coconut milk. Mix them with the liquid until smooth and blend in the other ingredients, except for cashews, in the soup. Bring to a boil and flavor to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the parsley creme. Serve the soup with the creme and sprinkle with chopped cashews.

Enjoy!

Bella

Easy-Made Fish Soup - Lättlagad fisksoppa

EASY-MADE FISH SOUP

Lättlagad fisksoppa

Serves 4

1 onion

1 to 2 garlic cloves

approx 10.6 oz fennel

2 tablespoons butter

some saffron

0.8 cup white wine (optional)

4 cups water

2 fish bouillon cubes

0.8 cup creme fraiche

8.8 oz fillet of cod

8.8 oz fillet of salmon

3 tomatoes

salt

2 tablespoons roughly chopped

fresh thyme

Peel and chop onion and garlic. Cut the fennel in small pieces and save the green "dill" for decoration if you wish. Sauté onion, garlic and fennel in a saucepan with butter for about 3 minutes. Add saffron and sauté for 1 minute. Add wine, water and bouillon cubes, put a lid on and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the creme fraiche.

Cut the fish in cubes and dice the tomatoes. Bring the soup to a boil, add fish and tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes. Flavor to taste with salt, add thyme and serve with bread.

Enjoy!

Bella

Chicken in the Oven with Parmesan Sauce - Ugnsstekt kyckling med parmesansås

CHICKEN IN THE OVEN WITH PARMESAN SAUCE

Ugnsstekt kyckling med parmesansås

This chicken is cooked in the oven with lots of vegetables and is served with a fantastic Parmesan sauce.

Serves 4

1.1 lb potatoes

2 red onions

3 bell peppers, different colors

1 oz salami in small slices

0.4 cup mixed olives

1 can artichoke hearts

3.3 lbs chicken drumsticks

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons dried rosemary

salt, pepper

arugula

Parmesan sauce:

0.8 cup creme fraiche

1 garlic clove, peeled and grated

0.4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt, black pepper

Preheat oven to 437F.

Scrub and slice the potatoes. Peel the onions and cut in wedges. Split, trim and cut the bell peppers in large pieces. Mix potatoes, onions, salami and olives and spread out in a baking paper-lined roasting pan.

Split the artichoke hearts  in the middle and put them in the pan. Distribute the drumsticks among the vegetables, drizzle with oil and flavor with rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for about 40 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked through.

Sprinkle with arugula and serve with the sauce (see below).

Parmesan sauce:

Bring creme fraiche and garlic to a boil. Stir in the Parmesan and flavor to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Bella

Pasta Au Gratin with Cheese, Mushrooms and Spinach - Pastagratäng med ost, svamp och spenat

PASTA AU GRATIN WITH CHEESE,

MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH

Pastagratäng med ost, svamp och spenat

3 kinds of cheese, mushrooms and fresh spinach makes this pasta gratin completely irresistible.

Serves 4

14 oz pasta of your choice, but 

preferably shells

14 oz mixed mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

approx 7 oz fresh baby spinach

approx 8.8 oz camembert

or brie cheese

8.8 oz mascarpone cheese

salt, pepper

3½ oz pitted black olives (optional)

approx 2½ oz grated Parmesan cheese

For serving:

salad

Preheat oven to 392F.

Boil the pasta in lightly salted water until it's al dente. Trim and slice the mushrooms and fry it in olive oil until lightly colored. Stir in the spinach and soften it up. Dice the camembert or brie and stir this into the pan together with mascarpone and the optional olives. Flavor with some salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta and pour it back into the saucepan. Stir in the mushroom-cheese mixture in the pasta and pour it all in a greased, oven-proof pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Serve the gratin with a green salad.

Enjoy!

Bella

Kale Pie with Figs - Grönkålspaj med fikon

KALE PIE WITH FIGS

Grönkålspaj med fikon

Serves 6

Pie dough:

1.2 cup flour

4.4 oz butter

2 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

1 onion

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

4.4 oz kale

salt, pepper

0.4 cup strong, 

grated cheese

3½ oz dried figs

1.7 oz walnuts

Egg setting:

3 eggs

0.8 cup regular milk

Decoration:

2 fresh figs

Pie dough:

Mix flour and butter to a crumbly dough, preferably in a food processor. Add water and quickly work to a dough. Roll or flatten it out in a pie pan, diameter approx 10 inches. Heat oven to 392F. Prick the dough and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes. Pre-bake the pie dough for 10 minutes.

Filling:

Peel and chop onion and garlic. Sauté the onion until tender in a frying pan with oil. Roughly chop the kale and sauté it with the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Flavor with salt and pepper. Add cheese, chopped figs and crushed walnuts and pour this in the pie pan.

Setting:

Beat eggs and milk and flavor with salt and pepper. Pour in the pie pan. Bake in the lower part of the oven for about 30 minutes. 

Decorate with figs.

Enjoy!

Bella

Meringue Ice Cream Cake with Strawberries - Marängglasstårta med jordgubbar

MERINGUE ICE CREAM CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Marängglasstårta med jordgubbar

Serves 4

Layer:

1.7 oz hazelnuts

1.7 oz flaked almonds

½ tablespoon flour

2 egg whites

0.2 cup sugar

Filling:

6 cups vanilla ice cream

Decoration:

4 cups strawberries

Preheat oven to 347F. Draw a circle, diameter approx 9 inches or the same as the baking pan you're using, on baking paper. Brush with oil.

Finely mix the hazelnuts. Blend with flaked almonds and flour. Beat the egg whites until stiff and add the sugar while beating. Turn the batter into the almond mixture, then spread it out into the circle in a thin, even layer. Bake for 10 minutes until slightly colored. Allow to cool on a rack, then loosen with a knife. Place in a springform pan.

Stir the ice cream until soft and spread it out on the meringue layer. Freeze the cake for a couple of hours, take it out and decorate with strawberries.

Enjoy!

Bella

Pistachio Milkshake - Pistagemilkshake

PISTACHIO MILKSHAKE

Pistagemilkshake

4 glasses

4 cups pistachio ice cream

1.6 cup regular milk

0.2 cup pistachios

Place the ice cream in a bowl or a food processor. Add the milk and process until well blended. Peel the pistachios and chop in small pieces. Pour the milkshake into glasses and decorate with the nuts.

Enjoy!

Bella

Vanilla-Filled Coffee Cake - Vaniljfylld sockerkaka

VANILLA-FILLED COFFEE CAKE

Vaniljfylld sockerkaka

1 cake, 10 pieces

3 eggs

1.2 cup sugar

1.2 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

0.4 cup boiling water

Filling:

4.4 oz butter

0.4 cup regular milk

0.2 cup sugar

some powdered vanilla

(not vanilla sugar)

Decoration:

powdered sugar

fresh berries

edible flowers if desired

Preheat oven to 392F.

Grease and flour a springform pan, diameter approx 9 inches. Beat eggs and sugar until white and fluffy. Stir in flour mixed with baking powder and boiling water. Pour in the baking pan and bake in the lower part of the oven for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

Filling:

Melt the butter. Add milk and sugar and boil on rather high heat for a few minutes. Beat in the vanilla and allow to cool.

Split the cake in two round layers and spread the filling in between. Put the cake together.

Decoration:

Sift with powdered sugar and top with berries and perhaps flowers.

Enjoy!

Bella

Orange Chocolate Squares - Apelsin- och chokladrutor

ORANGE CHOCOLATE SQUARES

Apelsin- och chokladrutor

30 squares

2 eggs

1.2 cup sugar

5.3 oz butter

1.8 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

0.6 cup regular milk

Coconut topping:

2.6 oz butter

0.4 cup dark molasses

0.4 cup fresh orange juice

0.8 cup sugar

2.4 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 437F.

Beat eggs and sugar until white and fluffy. Melt the butter. Mix flour, baking powder, vanilla sugar and cocoa. Turn in the flour mixture alternating with butter and milk. Blend to a batter and pour in a roasting pan lined with baking paper, 8 x 12 inches. Bake for 20 minutes and allow to cool.

Coconut topping:

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the molasses, orange juice, sugar and coconuts and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Spread the coconut topping gently over the cake and bake for another 7 minutes. Allow to cool and cut in squares.

Enjoy!

Bella

Clemenza's Stew - Clemenzas gryta

CLEMENZA'S STEW

Clemenzas gryta

Serves 4

3 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 cans crushed tomatoes,

each approx 14 oz

2 tablespoons tomato paste

0.2 cup red wine

2 tablespoons concentrated

veal fond

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

14 oz salsiccia

10.6 oz small meatballs

salt, pepper

fresh basil

For serving:

pasta

salad

bread

Peel and thinly slice the garlic and sauté in a pot with oil without coloring. Add sugar and vinegar and sauté for another minute. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, fond and Worcestershire sauce and boil for about 30 minutes.

Cut the sausage in small pieces and add to the stew with the meatballs. Boil for 10 minutes. Flavor to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with basil. 

Serve with boiled pasta, salad and bread.

Enjoy!

Bella

Mushroom-Baked Kassler - Svampgratinerad kassler

MUSHROOM-BAKED KASSLER

Svampgratinerad kassler

Serves 4

1 lb 5 oz kassler (warm-smoked,

boneless loin of pork)

8.8 oz mushrooms (champignons)

1 onion

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 tablespoon flour

0.6 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon veal fond

salt, pepper

0.4 cup grated cheese

8.8 oz cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

For serving:

boiled potatoes

sugarsnaps

Preheat oven to 437F.

Slice the kassler and place it in an oven-proof dish. Trim and slice the mushrooms. Peel and chop the onions. Sauté mushrooms and onion in butter in a saucepan until all liquid is gone. Sprinkle with flour and dilute with cream and veal fond. Boil for 5 minutes. Flavor to taste with salt and pepper and pour this over the kassler. Sprinkle with cheese.

Split the tomatoes and mix with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Place them around the kassler and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with potatoes and sugarsnaps.

Enjoy!

Bella

Chocolate Cuts with Raspberry and Icing - Chokladsnittar med hallonsylt och glasyr

CHOCOLATE CUTS WITH RASPBERRY

AND ICING

Chokladsnittar med hallonsylt och glasyr

40 cookies

Shortcrust:

9.7 oz butter or margarine

0.4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

2½ tablespoons cocoa

2 cups flour

1 egg yolk

Filling:

0.3 cup raspberry jam

Icing:

0.6 cup powdered sugar

3/4 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 347F.

Shortcrust:

Quickly stir the ingredients to a dough, by hand or in a food processor.

Roll the dough out to four sausages. Place them on paper-lined baking plates and make a hollow in the middle of each sausage. Fill the hollows with jam and bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes.

Icing:

Stir the icing together and drizzle on or just beside the jam. Cut in diagonals while still lukewarm.

Enjoy!

Bella

Quick and Easy Pork Stew - Snabba köttgrytan

QUICK AND EASY PORK STEW

Snabba köttgrytan

14 oz to 1.1 lb fresh ham

(or lamb) in cubes

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

approx 1 lb crushed tomatoes

1 veal bouillon cube 

or approx 2 tablespoons veal fond

approx 0.8 cup water

½ to 1 teaspoon salt

1 to 2 crushed garlic cloves

1 teaspoon mortared caraway

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 leek

approx 0.4 cup creme fraiche

For serving:

boiled rice

sliced tomatoes

Brown the meat lightly all around in fat in a frying pan or a pot, until slightly colored. Add the crushed tomatoes and bouillon cube or fond, water, salt, garlic, caraway and mustard. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes. 

Trim and rinse the leek well, then cut in approx 3/4 inch pieces that you transfer to the pot. Simmer it all for 5 to 10 minutes longer. Dilute with more water if necessary and stir in the creme fraiche. Serve with extra creme fraiche, rice and tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Bella

Apple-Filled Chicken with Cider Sauce - Äppelfylld kyckling med cidersås

APPLE-FILLED CHICKEN WITH CIDER SAUCE

Äppelfylld kyckling med cidersås

Serves 4

1 fresh chicken

5 to 6 rings dried apple

1 tablespoon raisins

1.52 fl oz Calvados

0.4 cup cream cheese

2 garlic cloves

1½ teaspoon fresh, chopped sage

some cayenne

1 oz chicken liver

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 teaspoon butter or margarine

Cider sauce:

0.8 cup chicken bouillon

0.8 cup apple cider

1 onion

1 apple

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, crumbled

Soak dried apple and raisins in the Calvados. Crush the garlic and mix with the cream cheese. Flavor with sage and cayenne. Melt some butter in a pan and fry the chicken liver for a few minutes. Allow to cool and cut in pieces. Cut the apple rings in pieces and blend all ingredients for the filling.

De-bone the chicken, place skinside down on the work surface and spread the filling on the inside. Roll up hard, like a Swiss roll, and secure with cotton string. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 392F.

Place the roll in a greased, oven-proof pan with about 0.4 cup of water and cook in the oven for about 45 minutes, until colored on the upper side and cooked through. Baste occasionally with the pan juices.

Cider sauce:

Peel and chop the onion. Peel the apple and roughly grate it. Sauté onion and apple in 1 tablespoon butter in a frying pan, pour the pan juices in the pan, add apple cider and bring to a boil. Flavor with fresh thyme, simmer for a few minutes and then process until smooth in a mixer.

Cut the filled chicken roll in slices and serve with the sauce and, if you wish, apple wedges fried with sugar and cinnamon until tender.

Enjoy!

Bella

Chocolate Coffee Walnut Cake - Chokladkaka med kaffe och valnötter

CHOCOLATE COFFEE WALNUT CAKE

Chokladkaka med kaffe och valnötter

1 cake, 8 to 10 slices

7 oz dark chocolate

6.2 oz butter

2 teaspoons freeze-dried espresso

3½ oz walnuts

3 eggs

0.8 cup cane sugar

0.6 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven for 347F. Grease and flour a round baking pan with a hole in the middle, capacity 6 cups.

Roughly chop the chocolate and place it together with butter and freeze-dried coffee in a saucepan to melt over low heat. Roughly chop the walnuts. Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy. Add the chocolate batter and walnuts, then flour mixed with baking powder and pour the batter in the baking pan. Bake in the lower part of the oven for about 50 minutes. Try with a tester.

Leave the cake for a while in the pan before unmoulding.

Enjoy!

Bella

Salmon Patties with Spinach Sauce - Laxfärsbiffar med spenatsås

SALMON PATTIES WITH SPINACH SAUCE

Laxfärsbiffar med spenatsås

Serves 4

1.1 lb fillet of salmon

3/4 teaspoon salt

pepper

½ tablespoon potato starch

1 egg

0.4 cup heavy cream

some cayenne

1 tablespoon chopped dill

0.6 cup dried breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter

Spinach sauce:

1 oz baby spinach

2 tablespoons fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped dill

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

0.6 cup creme fraiche

0.2 cup mayonnaise

salt, pepper

For serving:

boiled potatoes

lettuce

tomatoes

lemon wedges

Cut the fish in pieces and place in a food processor. Add salt, pepper, potato starch, egg, cream, cayenne and dill and process until smooth. Moisten your hands and shape the mixture into patties. Turn them over in the breadcrumbs and place on a baking paper, then fry in a pan with butter for about 3 minutes on each side.

Spinach sauce:

Put the spinach in a sieve and pour on boiling water. Rinse in cold water and squeeze out excess liquid. Mix the spinach, preferably in a hand mixer, and add basil, dill, parsley, creme fraiche and mayonnaise. Mix it all to a smooth sauce and flavor with salt and pepper.

Serve as suggested above.

Enjoy!

Bella

Juicy Almond Lingonberry Cake - Saftig mandelkaka med lingon

JUICY ALMOND LINGONBERRY CAKE

Saftig mandelkaka med lingon

1 cake, 8 pieces

0.4 cups almonds

1 lemon

3½ oz room-tempered butter

0.6 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

3 eggs

0.8 cup flour

1½ teaspoon baking powder

1½ teaspoon almond flour

0.6 cup lingonberries

Grease and flour a springform pan, diameter approx 9 inches. 

Roughly chop the almonds and scrub the lemon. Stir butter, sugar and vanilla sugar until fluffy. Stir in the eggs, one by one, and add finely grated lemon zest. Mix flour with baking powder and sift this into the batter while stirring. Turn in almond flour and chopped almonds. Gently blend in the lingonberries (save some for topping the cake).

Pour the batter in the pan and bake at 347F for about 30 minutes (try with a tester).

Enjoy!

Bella

Bean and Leek Soup - Bön- och purjolökssoppa

BEAN AND LEEK SOUP

Bön- och purjolökssoppa

Serves 2

½ leek

1 garlic clove

2 teaspoons rapeseed oil

1 can cannellini beans, approx 14 oz

2.4 cups water

1 vegetable bouillon cube

3½ oz cream cheese

½ teaspoon chervil

salt, pepper

Decoration:

radishes

leek

Trim, rinse and slice the leek. Peel and chop the garlic. Sauté leek and garlic in a pot with oil until the leek is tender. Add rinsed beans, water and bouillon cube and boil over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Beat or mix to a smooth soup. Flavor with chervil, salt and pepper and decorate with sliced radishes and sliced leek.

Enjoy!

Bella

Raspberry Coconut Cake - Hallonkaka med kokos

RASPBERRY COCONUT CAKE

Hallonkaka med kokos

1 cake, 8 pieces

4.4 oz butter

0.8 cup sugar

2 eggs

0.8 cup flour

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

0.4 cup flaked coconut

4.4 oz raspberries

Decoration:

raspberries

For serving:

whipped cream

Preheat oven to 347F.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Blend in sugar and eggs and stir in flour, vanilla sugar and flaked coconut. Spread out the batter in a greased springform pan, diameter approx 9 inches. Sprinkle with raspberries and bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool, decorate with lots of fresh raspberries and serve with whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Bella