Red Wine Marinated Pork Roast - Rödvinsmarinerad fläskstek

RED WINE MARINATED PORK ROAST
Rödvinsmarinerad fläskstek


Serves 6


3 lbs lean shoulder of pork
1 3/4 oz butter or margarine


Thickening:
1 to 2 tablespoons flour
finely chopped parsley


Cooking liquid:
½ bottle simple, red wine, nothing fancy
2 bay leaves
some dried rosemary
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 bunch parsley
2 carrots
1/4 celery root (celeriac)
15 shallots
½ to 1 teaspoon crushed dried juniper berries
finely chopped parsley




Put the meat in a bowl and pour over the red wine. Tie the fresh herbs together to a bouquet and put it with the dry herbs in the wine. Cover well and store cold while marinating. Turn it occasionally. After 24 hours, take up the meat (reserve the liquid) and wipe it off with paper towels.


Fry the meat in the fat until nicely colored on all sides and flavor with salt and pepper. Add the red wine liquid and let the meat slowly fry (or rather simmer) with the lid half on for about 45 minutes. Remove the herb bouquet, add the sliced carrots, the diced celery root and the peeled shallots. Put the lid on and continue frying/simmering for another 45 minutes or until the meat is tender, depending on thickness and quality of the meat. If necessary, you can add some bouillon to the meat. Boil the sauce together for a few minutes and flavor more if needed.


Carve the meat in suitably thin slices and put them on a warm serving plate surrounded with the vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, sauce and a green bean salad.


Enjoy!


Bella

Sunday Pork and Wine Stew - Vindoftande söndagsgryta

SUNDAY PORK AND WINE STEW
Vindoftande söndagsgryta

Lovely smells from wine and onions from a lovely stew simmering on the stovetop works like a magnet to get people to the table. Sautéed whole almonds gives it an awesome finish.

Serves 4

14 oz to 1 lb boneless pork, e.g. shoulder
12 small onions
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
salt
1 teaspoon paprika
0.8 cup water
0.8 cup white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 garlic clove
6 tomatoes
20 whole almonds


Cut the meat in rather thin slices. Peel the onions. Brown meat and onions in fat in a frying pan and then transfer it to a pot. Flavor with salt and other spices. Whisk out the pan with approx 0.8 cup water and pour this in the pot. Add wine, tomato paste and crushed garlic. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.

Scald and skin the tomatoes. Put them in the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Quickly boil the almonds in some water, then skin them and sauté them in some fat. Sprinkle them over the stew and serve with boiled rice or potatoes and a salad, preferably with leek if you like that. 

Enjoy!

Bella

Zabaglione-Baked Fruit - Zabaglionegratinerad frukt

ZABAGLIONE-BAKED FRUIT
Zabaglionegratinerad frukt

Zabaglione is a delicious Italian dessert sauce. Here I replaced the Marsala wine with a medium-dry white wine and flavored with orange.

Serves 4

1 mango
2 kiwifruits
4½ oz fresh or frozen thawed blackberries
3 egg yolks
0.4 cup sugar
0.4 cup medium-dry white wine
0.2 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons flaked almonds


Peel the mango and the kiwis. Cut the mango in thin wedges and slice the kiwis. Divide the fruit and berries on 4 oven-proof plates or serving Bowls.

Beat egg yolks and sugar until fluffy. Add wine and orange juice and pour it in a saucepan. Warm on low heat while beating until the sauce thickens. Blend in 2 tablespoons flaked Almonds. Pour the sauce over the fruit and sprinkle with remaining almonds.

Bake in the upper part of the oven at 480 - 525F for about 5 minutes or until the surface is slightly colored. Serve the dessert.

Enjoy!

Bella

Tea Punch - Tebål med vitaminer

TEA PUNCH
Tebål med vitaminer

6 glasses

4 cups water
6 teaspoons dried tea 
0.3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
9 oz fresh strawberries
1 orange
1 banana
1 cup chilled orange drink
(from concentrate diluted with water)
1 cup chilled lemon drink (as above)
2 bottles cold, dry, sparkling wine


Bring the water to a boil, add the tea and leave for 5 minutes. Pour through a sieve. Allow the tea to cool slightly and pour it in a large bowl. Stir in sugar and vanilla sugar. Cover the bowl and allow to get cold in the fridge.

Rinse, trim and split the strawberries. Scrub the orange and cut it in thin slices. Slice the peeled banana and put all fruit in the tea.

Just before serving, you add the fruit drinks and the sparkling wine.

Enjoy!

Bella

Citrus Punch - Citrusbål

CITRUS PUNCH
Citrusbål

A punch is a festive drink, and if you have many guests it's practical at that. Just don't forget to have a non-alcoholic option for those who don't use alcohol.

Makes approx 6 cups

1 orange
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
0.2 cup fresh lemon juice
0.6 cup citrus liqueur, e.g. Cointreau
0.4 cup vodka
ice cubes
carbonated lemon soda


Peel the orange and cut in small pieces and put it in a big bowl. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and pour on the fresh lemon juice. Leave for about 15 minutes in the fridge.

Mix in the alcohol and add the ice cubes, and fill upp with the carbonated drink just before serving.

Enjoy!

Bella

Summer Punch - Sommarbål

SUMMER PUNCH
Sommarbål

A nice, warm summer evening almost requires a refreshing punch!

Makes approx 6 cups

Approx 3 cups fresh strawberries
0.2 cup sugar
1 bottle White wine, nothing fancy
0.8 cup vermouth
7-Up or Sprite or Swedish Fruktsoda
ice cubes


Rinse and trim the berries and slice them (small berries can be whole). Put them in a large glass bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Add wine and vermouth and store in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Add ice Cold soda and ice cubes just Before serving.

You can substitute the wine with apple juice.

Enjoy!

Bella

Hot Chocolate Au Cassis - Varm choklad med cassis

HOT CHOCOLATE AU CASSIS
Varm choklad med cassis

I'm very fond of pouring alcohol into a lovely cup of hot chocolate. Swedish sweet arrack punsch is the favorite, but brandy, rum and even pear brandy (yes, it's true!) is delicious. In this recipe I tried adding a tablespoonful of cassis, blackcurrant liqueur, and with me it was a smash hit. Try it yourself and see!

1 glass

1 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
0.8 cup boiling water
approx 1 tablespoon cassis
0.4 cup cream, beaten until stiff


Stir cocoa, sugar and cream to a smooth mixture in a large cup. Pour on boiling water and stir, gently spoon in the liqueur and top with whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Bella

Black Sangría - Svart sangría

BLACK SANGRÍA
Svart sangría

Approx 6 cups

2 cups red wine
0.4 cup crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)
2 tablespoons sugar
approx 2 cups club soda or other sparkling mineral water
approx 0.8 cup blackberries
aprox 0.8 cup blueberries
approx 0.4 cup blackcurrants


Mix wine, crème de cassis and sugar. Add sparkling mineral water and berries and serve right away with lots of ice.

Enjoy!

Bella

Strawberry Fields

STRAWBERRY FIELDS

Serves 4

3½ oz strawberries
0.3 cup gin
2 cups strawberry ice cream
1.2 cups carbonated mineral water

Decoration:
2 strawberries


Thaw the berries if they're frozen. They should be rather cold. Mix to a purée that you pour into 4 glasses. Add the gin and stir. Spoon the ice cream into the glasses and fill up with mineral water. Top with half a strawberry on each.

Enjoy!

Bella

Blackcurrant Sangría - Svartvinbärssangría

BLACKCURRANT SANGRÍA
Svartvinbärssangría

Approx 8 glasses

1 bottle of chilled white wine, 0.3 cup
0.4 cup concentrated blackcurrant drink
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
a little more than 0.1 cup Sprite or 7-Up, chilled

Decoration:
2 lemons
redcurrants
currant leaves


Thinly slice the lemons. Mix all ingredients and serve in a pitcher with lots of ice.

Enjoy!

Bella

Strawberry Drink - Jordgubbsdrink

STRAWBERRY DRINK
Jordgubbsdrink

6 glasses

1.8 cups frozen strawberries
approx 0.95 cup dark rum
fresh juice from 1½ lime fruits
1.5 cup Sprite or 7-Up (or the Swedish "Fruktsoda" if you can find it)
mint leaves
lime slices


Mix strawberries, rum and lime juice. Add Sprite or 7-Up and stir. Pour in 6 glasses and decorate with mint leaves and lime and the occasional ice cube. If you want a sweeter drink, add some sugar when mixing.

Cheers!

Bella

Brandy Chicken - Konjakskyckling

BRANDY CHICKEN
Konjakskyckling

Serves 4

1 chicken, approx 2 lb 14 oz
some garlic cloves, crushed with salt
1 glass of brandy (and not your largest glass …)
2 tablespoons Dijon-type mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 chorizo, thinly sliced
1 finely chopped bell pepper
fresh thyme
rosé pepper
chopped parsley
salt


Rub the chicken inside and out with garlic and salt. Mix all other ingredients and stuff the chicken. Secure with toothpicks. Put in the oven at 390F and bake for 1 hour to 80 minutes. Make sure it doesn't burn and baste with the pan juices.

Enjoy!

Bella

Oven-Baked Whiskey Chicken - Whiskygratinerad kyckling

OVEN-BAKED WHISKEY CHICKEN
Whiskygratinerad kyckling

Excellent for when you are in a hurry or have unexpected dinner guests. For children, you omit the whiskey of course.

Serves 4

1 fried or grilled chicken
4 tablespoons whiskey
4 slices cheese, preferably Cheddar 
paprika
1 tablespoon butter or margarine


Cut the ready-made chicken in 4 serving-sized pieces and put them in a greased, oven-proof pan. Pour a tablespoon of the booze over each piece and cover with a slice of cheese after first having spread some butter or margarine on the top of each piece. Top with some paprika. Bake high up in the oven at 525F until the surface is nicely golden and the chicken is heated through.

Enjoy!

Bella

Refreshing fruit punch - Läskande fruktbål (alcohol)

REFRESHING FRUIT PUNCH
Läskande fruktbål

Blend a cool, refreshing fruit punch on a hot day and serve as a drink – a lovely way to quench your thirst and a splendid way to start a party.

Citrus punch

10 to 12 glasses

1 bottle dry white wine, 3 cups

1 ¾ cups citrus nectar or juice
1/3 cup lime juice
juice from 2 oranges
1 bottle Sprite or 7Up, approx 1 ¼ cups
strawberries or other berries

Mix wine, citrus nectar and fruit juices in a bowl. Add the carbonated drink just before serving. Add strawberries and serve.

Rosé punch

6 to 8 glasses

1 bottle rosé wine, 3 cups

2/3 to ¾ cup concentrated raspberry drink
1 bottle Club Soda, approx 1 ¼ cups
lemon slices

Mix wine and raspberry drink in a bowl or a large pitcher. Add club soda just before serving, add lemon slices and serve. The wine can be substituted with apple cider.

Enjoy!

Bella

Irish coffee mousse

IRISH COFFEE MOUSSE
Irish Coffee-mousse

The dessert for all Irish coffee lovers. A soft, silk mousse with a distinctive taste of coffee and whiskey. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it?

4 to 6 servings

3 gelatin sheets = 1½ teaspoon powdered gelatin

1½ tablespoons instant coffee
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
3 tablespoons whiskey
2/3 cup heavy cream

Decoration:

whipped cream
strawberries if desired
powdered coffee

Dissolve the gelatin according to package instructions. Heat the gelatin in a saucepan until it has melted. Add the instant coffee and half the sugar. Heat on low heat until the coffee is dissolved.

Beat the egg yolks with a fork and beat them into the saucepan, little by little. Heat on low heat while beating until the batter thickens. Blend in the alcohol and allow to cool.

Beat the egg whites until stiff in a bowl. Add remaining sugar and beat for another minute or so. Beat the cream until thick. Add the egg white and cream in the coffee mixture. Pour the mousse in a serving bowl or smaller serving cups or glasses and leave to set in the fridge. Decorate with whipped cream, sliced strawberries if wanted and some powdered coffee.

Enjoy!

Bella

A cup of coffee - En kopp kaffe

A CUP OF COFFEE
En kopp kaffe

You can rather easily make something extra out of an ordinary cup of coffee. Try these recipes using Swedish sweet arrack punsch (which I also love to splash in my hot cocoa!), rum and whiskey!

1 cup of each

Coffee Punschino

¾ cup strong, brewed coffee

1 teaspoon sugar
1½ to 2 tablespoons Swedish sweet arrack punsch
2 to 3 tablespoons whipped cream

Pour piping hot coffee in a cup or a glass and stir in sugar and punsch. Top with whipped cream and serve.

Coffee Polynesia

¾ cup strong, brewed coffee

1 to 2 tablespoons rum
2 teaspoons honey
orange peel

Pour piping hot coffee in a cup or a glass, add rum and stir in the honey. Decorate with orange peel.

Irish Coffee

¾ cup strong, brewed coffee

2 tablespoons whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons whipped cream

Pour piping hot coffee in a cup or a glass and stir in brown sugar and whiskey. Top with a dab of whipped cream, sprinkle with some brown sugar and serve.

Enjoy!

Bella

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Bourbon pork chops - Bourbonkotletter

BOURBON PORK CHOPS
Bourbonkotletter

The chops are marinated with herbs for extra delicious flavour. The whiskey sauce is a bit different but equally delicious, so I strongly advise you to try it out!

4 servings

4 pork chops

¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon dried tarragon
3 tablespoons cooking oil
salt, pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons whiskey
2/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons French mustard
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 crushed garlic clove
1 teaspoon Maizena

Wipe off the pork chops and put them on a plate. Mix the dried herbs with 2 tablespoons oil and brush the meat on both sides, then leave it for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and fry on both sides until nicely coloured and done. Take them up and keep warm. Beat whiskey, orange juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and Maizena together in the pan and let this sauce boil for a few minutes. Flavour to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the pork chops with boiled potatoes, lightly boiled vegetables or fried small onions and a green salad with orange wedges, with the sauce in a separate bowl.

Enjoy!

Bella

Horseradish "schnapps" - Pepparrotskryddad snaps

HORSERADISH SCHNAPPS
Pepparrotskryddad snaps

A variety with a great deal of "twang" from horseradish. Strain well before serving if you are to save this drink.

1 bottle

1 piece of fresh horseradish
zest from 1 lemon
1 small bottle of aquavit


Peel and grate the horseradish and cut off the lemon zest with a potato peeler. Mix with the aquavit and leave to draw for about 2 days.

Enjoy!

Bella

Another strawberry punch - Jordgubbsbål (retro)

ANOTHER STRAWBERRY PUNCH
En annan jordgubbsbål

8 to 10 servings

4 cups whole or sliced strawberries

1 orange in extremely thin slices
powdered sugar to taste (but bear in mind the
sweetness of the berries and the wines)
1 bottle Rhine wine (no, not Rhino!)
1 bottle Mosel wine
2 bottles neutral tasting, sugared soda
or 2 bottles cheap champagne
ice cubes

Alternate strawberries and orange slices with sugar in a large bowl and leave in peace to draw for about 2 hours. Add the wines and the soda or champagne and put the ice cubes in the bowl when serving.

Enjoy!

Bella

Fruit drinks - Fruktdrinkar (retro)

FRUIT DRINKS
Fruktdrinkar

1 glass of each

Banana coupe:

½ banana
fresh juice from ½ lemon
fresh juice from 1 orange
1 tablespoon light-coloured rum
ice cubes
tonic water

Mash and beat the banana until “foamy”. Add lemon and orange juice and flavour to taste with the rum. Pour the mix over ice cubes in a glass and fill up with tonic water.

Pineapple drink:
3 tablespoons crushed pineapple
1/3 cup grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon gin (optional)
ice cubes
tonic water

Pour the juices over the ice cubes in a glass, lace it with gin if desired and fill up with tonic water.

Apricot nectar:
¾ cup white wine, medium dry
¼ to 1/3 cup
apricot juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
ice cubes

Mix wine and fruit juices and pour the mix over ice cubes in a glass.

Enjoy!

Bella