Tag Archives: main course

Parma Wrapped Hake with Kimizu Sauce

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160518 Parma Wrapped Hake with Kimizu Sauce-2943

Kimizu Sauce is both creamy and light. This is one of the few instances I actually cook with sugar because the sauce will not be the same without it. Roasted asparagus sprinkled with sea salt, grilled salmon or any other salty dish should go nicely with this sauce. In this recipe I serve it together with parma wrapped hake. Dairy free and low fodmap.

Serves 4

3 parsnips
500 g hake, fillets
4 large basil leaves
Black pepper
4 slices of Parma ham (or Serrano)
4 tooth picks

Kimizu Sauce:
3 egg yolks
Dash of salt
3 tbsp of rice vinegar
1,5 tbsp of sugar

3oo ml quinoa, cook according to manufacturers instruction
Black olives, chopped
1 lemon, zest from the whole and juice from ½

Spinach
Salt and pepper

1. The parsnips make for a beautiful addition but are not essential to the dish. If you have a dehydrator, slice the parsnips thinly and dry at about 45C overnight. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and grind some salt on top.
2. Prepare the hake parcels. On a piece of ham, place 1 leave of basil, a generous amount of pepper and a piece of the fish (about 125 grams). Wrap the ham around the fish and secure with a toothpick.
3. The sauce: Whisk the yolks in a bowl with a round bottom and add the salt, sugar and vinegar. Place the sauce over a pot with boiling water and whisk continuously. You must whisk vigorously with no breaks until the sauce has thickened. If you take a break the eggs will coagulate and you end up with scrambled eggs… The sauce will become think and “foamy”. When the sauce is thick enough (after about 5-6 minutes) remove it from heat and place the bowl in another bowl containing cold water and ice cubes. This is so that the sauce will quickly cool. The sauce is to be served at room temperature (or chilled).
4. Cook the quinoa. When done combine with the olives and lemon.
5. Fry the spinach, season.
6. If you have a steam oven please use it. The fish will be so moist and tender. If not, set oven at 180C and cook for about 12 minutes, until done.

Roasted Vegetables

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160127 Roasted Vegetables-1125Anything goes here. I’ve put together a meal consisting of my favourite vegetables. The most important is to cut the vegetables in appropriate sizes so that they will be done at the same time. With this dish, I think that the Chevre Dip and the Apple Mustard Sauce goes really well.

1 red onion
1 large courgette
Chestnut mushrooms
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 large parsnip
3 Jerusalem artichokes
1 large carrot

Oven at 210 C

  1. Place all cut up vegetables on a large baking tray.
  2. Drizzel with oil, add some salt and pepper
  3. Roast in oven for 45-55 minutes (depending on the size of your vegetables).

Chicken Chorizo Casserole

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1601 Chicken Chorizo Casserole-1031 A chicken dish full of flavours inspired from a Louisiana recipe. For some added heat, I like to choose the picante chorizo. A dish that is well suited to be prepared in advance and just re-heated before serving.

Serves 6

600 g chicken fillets, cut into pieces
3-4 tbsp soy sauce

1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
Olive oil to fry in
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp thyme

600 g chopped tomatoes (canned)
4 bay leaves
200 ml chicken broth

200 g chorizo (dry cured pork sausage), sliced and halved
100 ml single cream
Salt and pepper

Red, green and yellow peppers, thinly sliced
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Cooked rice
Chili flakes

  1. Marinate the chicken in soy sauce for about 20 minutes.
  2. Combine the peppers, seasoning and lemon juice, set aside to marinate a bit.
  3. Cook the rice.
  4. Fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add the spices.
  5. Add the tomatoes, broth and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  6. Add the chicken, simmer for another 20 minutes (until done).
  7. Add the chorizo and the cream, simmer for another 5-6 minutes.
  8. Remove the bay leaves.
  9. Season if needed.
  10. Serve the casserole with peppers and rice, sprinkle with chili flakes.

1601 Chicken Chorizo Casserole-1054

Almond Crusted Cod with Sweet Potato Wedges, Roasted Carrots and Tomato Sauce

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160113 Almond Crusted Cod-0968
This dish is inspired by a Swedish salmon recipe with mustard sauce. It is a dairy free/low fodmap recipe.

Serves 6

1 kilo cod loins

Crust:
70g almond, blanched and roughly chopped
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped dill
Salt (from a salt mill)

Tomato Sauce:
12 (1,5 kg) tomatoes, cut each in 4 wedges, then in half creating 8 pieces from each tomato
2 red peppers, cut into pieces
1 fennel bulb, cut into pieces
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Roasted Carrots:
I kilo carrots, halved lengthwise
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup (100% pure)
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Sweet Potato, wedges
Salt
Olive oil

2 lemons, wedges
Oven at 200C

  1. Roast tomato sauce vegetables with oil, vinegar and seasoning in 200 C 40 min
  2. Coat the carrots with the oil, syrup, juice and seasing and roast them for 20 min in 200 C
  3. Roast potato wedges with the oil and salt for 30 min in 200 C
  4. Combine the ingredients for the crust
  5. Spread crust over fish
  6. Bake in 200 C oven for 10-12 minutes (depending on thickness of the fish)
  7. With a hand held blender, briefly process the roasted vegetables into a sauce.
  8. Serve with lemon wedges on the side

 

Tomato Cod with Crushed Potato and Saffron Vegetables

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151230 Tomato Cod with Crushed Potato-0971

This dish is easy to prepare in advance. The vegetable saffron mix and the sauce can be made beforehand and the vegetables just heated before serving. Only the fish should be prepared in the last minute. A beautiful, colourful and very tasty meal.

Serves 4

600 g Cod
Salt

Olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 red pepper
Salt and pepper
0.5 g saffron
200 ml vegetable stock

4 tomatoes, sliced
Parsley, chopped

6 medium sized potatoes, scrubbed, skin on
Salt and pepper
Optional, 3-4 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese

Sauce:
200 ml Greek yogurt
100 ml Quark
2 tbsp chopped dill
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped leek
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Oven at 200C

  1. Place the fish fillets in an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with some salt and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
  2. Boil the scrubbed potatoes. When done, use a potato masher (or a fork) and slightly crush the potatoes. Don’t make mashed potatoes, just crush them slightly. Season. (Stir in the parmesan cheese.)
  3. Sauté the vegetables (excluding the tomatoes) in some oil, season with salt, pepper and saffron, add the stock, let simmer 5-10 minutes.
  4. Combine the ingredients for the sauce.
  5. Place the vegetable saffron mix on a plate. Add the fish. Put the tomato slices and parsley on top. Add the sauce and the potato.

Sweet and Spicy Cod with Kale Cake

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151209 Sweet and Spic Cod with Kale Cake-9424
Kale is a wonderful, nutritious and tasty vegetable. If you can’t find kale, spinach is a good substitute. The combination with this cod makes for a tasty, light and healthy dinner.

Serves 6

6 pieces cod loins, about 120-150 g each

Dressing:
1 red chili, finely chopped, seeds removed
½ lemon, juice and zest
1 lime, juice and zest
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp rice vinegar
1-2 tbsp mango chutney
1 tbsp olive oil

Kale Cake:
500 g frozen Kale, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
150 g feta cheese, crumbled
100 ml crème fraiche
1 red onion, chopped
A few drops of Tabasco
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Oven 200C

  1. Combine the ingredients for the dressing. Pour over the fish and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Thaw the kale and squeeze out excess liquid.
  3. Mix eggs, crème fraiche and feta cheese. Add the kale and onion. Season. Pour into a greased ovenproof casserole. Bake for 30 minutes.
  4. Place the fish in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Zander with Serrano Wrapping and Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach

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151202 Zander with Serrano Wrapping sida-9408
If you can’t find Zander, any white, firm fish fillet can be used. Sometimes I add a few drops of sherry to the mushrooms but it is not necessary, Portobello mushrooms are so full of flavour on their own.

Serves 4
500 g Zander fillets, skin and bones removed
4 slices Serrano ham
2-3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
0.25 g saffron strands
150 g Cherry tomatoes, red and yellow, halved
Spring onions, green part only, finely sliced
100 ml white wine
½ cube chicken stock
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter

Basil, shredded, for decorations

100g fresh spinach leaves
300g Portobello mushrooms, sliced
Butter

Rice, cooked according to package instructions

  1. Cut the fish into 4 portions, wrap the ham around it. Fry in butter on medium heat for a few minutes per side.
  2. Melt the saffron in a frying pan and sauté with the garlic in some olive oil. Add the tomatoes and spring onions. Then add the wine, stock, salt and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes.
  3. Take off heat and stir in the butter.
  4. Fry the mushrooms and the spinach in separate pans
  5. Arrange the mushrooms and spinach on the plate. Fill a ring mold with rice. Add the fish on top and spoon the tomato sauce on top. Finish by decorating with basil.

Potato and Parsnip Bake with Ham

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151125 Potato and Parsnip Bake-0745

A straightforward, easy recipe, but oh so tasty! Guests tell me it is possibly the best potato casserole they’ve had!

6 potatoes, thinly sliced
1 parsnip, thinly sliced
250 ml single cream
100-200 ml Gruyere cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
A few tablespoons of butter

Sliced cooked ham
Cucumber
Mango
Herbs
151125 Ham for potato and parsnip bake-9392

  1. Oven at 180C
  2. Grease a casserole
  3. Layer potato, parsnip, salt and pepper and a bit of cheese.
  4. Continue layering with a last layer of potato.
  5. Finish by pouring the cream and placing a few knobs of butter on top.
  6. In oven 50-60 minutes.
  7. Serve with ham, decorated with cucumber, mango and herbs.

Saffron Chicken with Quinoa Patties

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151021 Saffron Chicken w Quinoa Patties DSC_8911A light, dairy free (if you take out the Parmesan cheese in the patties), festive meal. Since a lot of it may be prepared in advance, it makes for a good Friday dinner when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

Serves 6

Quinoa patties:
400 ml quinoa (preferably a mix of different colours)
800 ml vegetable bouillon
A few drops of Tabasco
2 whole eggs
2 tbsp of Parmesan Cheese (or more)
2 tbsp of Chia seeds
Olive oil for frying

Saffron Chicken:
800 g chicken fillets, pieces
Salt and pepper

1 leek, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small bulb fennel, chopped

600-700g chopped tomatoes
0.4 g saffron
1 tsp of red curry paste (or more if needed)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1-2 cubes chicken stock

Black olives, pitted

Decorations:
Parsley, chopped
1 Carrot, make swirls with a peeler

Quinoa Patties:

  1. Boil the quinoa according to directions on package. Usually about 20 minutes. Do not undercook. Better to add 5-8 minutes on the cooking time.
  2. When done let cool.
  3. Add whisked eggs, Tabasco, cheese and Chia seeds. Let stand at least 30 minutes to allow the Chia seeds to swell.
  4. Over moderate heat, fry the quinoa in small round shapes. Not too thick nor too large, otherwise too difficult to flip. They are rather brittle. If using more cheese they will be sturdier. Fry for 8 minutes per side, until coloured.
  5. Can be made in advance and then reheated in a frying pan.

Saffron Chicken:

  1. Oven at 200C
  2. Place the chicken pieces in greased, ovenproof dish. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. In a deep pan, over medium heat, fry the vegetables until soft. Then add remaining ingredients (except the olives) and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Stir in the olives. Pour over chicken and place in oven for 40 minutes.

Serving:

  1. Place 2 patties per plate, slightly on top of each other.
  2. Using a ring mold, spoon the casserole into a circle and drizzle some sauce around it.
  3. Add the chopped parsley and the carrot swirls.

Seafood Saffron Casserole

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151014 Seafood Saffron Casserole-9008

Light and delicious, quick to make and can partly be prepared in advance. The perfect Friday dinner party menu when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

Serves 4

500 g sea bass fillets or other white, firm fish (such as cod)

150 g large, peeled shrimp
200 g mussels, no shell (optional)

1 leek, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2-4 tbsp olive oil
 
400g chopped tomatoes
150 ml white wine
1 cube fish stock
0,4 g saffron (to release the full flavour, add the strands to the wine 30 minutes before cooking)
Salt and pepper

Parsley, chopped
 

  1. Sauté the vegetables in a large, deep pan.
  2. Add the tomatoes, wine, fish stock and saffron.
  3. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Add the fish
  5. Simmer another 10 minutes (until the fish is done)
  6. Add the shrimp and mussels, re-heat but do not boil.
  7. Serve with parsley on top.

Spicy Beef Casserole with Nutty Fruity Quinoa

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151007 Spicy Beef Casserole with Nutty Fruity Quinoa-9063

This fantastic casserole I’ve found in a magazine and now love to cook with very few adjustments. The nutty fruity quinoa goes well with the many spicy flavours of the casserole. Take care with the chili and the red curry paste as to not make it too spicy. I usually remove the seeds of the chili, taste a small piece of the flesh and then decide if I can use all or just part of it. Tasting and adjusting the seasoning is key when making a casserole.

Serves 4
500g lamb or beef, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 spring onions, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
3 tbsp ginger, freshly grated
1 chili, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 tsp red curry paste
1 dl water
2 tsp gluten free soy sauce
100 g spinach

Nutty Fruity Quinoa:
300 ml multicolored quinoa (mix of red, black and white), washed
600 ml of chicken or vegetable broth
Dried mango, chopped into small pieces
100g of pecans, dry pan roasted and chopped

  1. In a hot pan brown the meat, season with salt and pepper
  2. Add garlic and spring onion , sauté until soft
  3. Add cinnamon, ginger, chili, curry paste, water and soy sauce
  4. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stalk.
  5. Add the spinach, heat until wilted.
  6. Cook the quinoa in the broth according to directions of the package. Add the mango and pecan pices.

Spicy Cod in a Vegetable Garden

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Spicy Cod in a Vegetable Garden-8873

Marinated, Spiced Cod with Cauliflower Quenelle, Steamed vegetables with Basil Sauce and Broccoli Puree. A delicious, easy and light dish that is very fun to arrange on the plate and serve.

Serves 4
Marinated Spiced Cod:
450g cod fillets, skinned and boned and sliced into serving portions

Marinade:
25 ml fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Finely chopped parsley and coriander, about 100 ml
A pinch of salt
A pinch of ground paprika
A pinch of chili powder

Flaked almonds
Thinly sliced lime

Basil Sauce:
5 g parsley
20 g basil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp rice vinegar
50 g walnuts
1 garlic clove

150 ml olive oil

Cauliflower Quenelle:
One large head of cauliflower, stems and leaves removed, cut into smaller pieces
60g Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper

Broccoli Puree:
1 medium size heads of broccoli (about 200g) cut into florets
Salt
50 ml single cream
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of nutmeg
1tbsp butter

Vegetables in Napkin Ring:
1 carrot, cut into long strips
1 parsnip, cut into long strips
4 thin, miniature asparagus
1 courgette, cut into long strips
1 small cucumber

  1. Combine all ingredients for the marinade and pour over the fish, refrigerate for a few hours. In order for the marinade to better penetrate, make a few cuts into the fish.
  2. Heat oven to 200C. Place the fish in an ovenproof dish. Season with salt and place the lime slices on top. Sprinkle with flaked almonds. Baked in oven for about 20 minutes.
  3. Place all ingredients for the basil sauce, except the oil, in a blender and process until smooth. While processing, slowly add the oil. Set aside.
  4. Boil the cauliflower in salted water until soft. Drain well (if too much water remains you will have to add more cheese to be able to form the shapes of quenelles). Using a hand held blender, puree the cauliflower in the pan. Add some Parmesan cheese, mix well and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Boil the broccoli florets in salted water. When soft, process into puree with blender. Add some cream, salt, pepper, lemon juice and nut meg and process futher. Lastly add the butter.
  6. Make sure the carrot, parsnip, asparagus and courgette are about the same length. Steam (or microwave) the vegetables until soft but still crunchy (the carrot and parsnip a bit longer than the other). Cut thick slices from the cucumber and remove some of the inside as to create a vegetable napkin holder.

Assembly:

  1. Place a spoonful of sauce on a plate.
  2. Prepare the vegetable napkins by placing the cooked vegetable strips inside the cucumber ring and add to the plate.
  3. Spoon the broccoli puree into a piping bottle/bag. Garnish the plate with some long piped lines and place a slice of fish on top.
  4. Using two spoons, create quenelle shapes from the cauliflower mix.

Cauliflower Spiced Rice with Tomato and Cinnamon Chutney

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Cauliflower rice DSC_8795

To get the best result for the rice, make sure you use a large enough frying pan so that the cauliflower can be fried in a thin layer. The chutney recipe is simple but delicious. The cinnamon provides an interesting, different flavour but don’t forget to discard it after about 15 minutes as it will overpower all other flavours otherwise. Can be served with marinated tofu (see previous recipes) or maybe a few pices of grilled halloumi cheese.

“Rice”:
Cauliflower, 1 medium size head (about 1 kilo)
2 red onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp ginger, finely grated
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

150 g Cashews
Chili flakes
1 tbsp honey

Parsley, chopped

  1. In a food processor, blitz the cauliflower crowns (the stalks and hard core removed) into small, grain like pieces.
  2. Using a large pan and some olive oil, fry onion until soft, add garlic and then ginger.
  3. Turn up heat – add the blitzed cauliflower rice and fry over high heat , constantly stirring, until slightly coloured. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. In separate pan, toast the cashews, when done add honey and chili flakes.
  5. Combine all plus the chopped parsley.

Chutney:
12 tomatoes (1 kilo), quartered
1 onion, halved and sliced
50 ml red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 cinnamon stick
chili flakes

  1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and let simmer on low heat for 40 minutes.
  2. After 15 minutes, discard the cinnamon stick.

This chutney may be served hot or cold.

Grilled Halloumi: IMG_7661

Vegetable Medley with Marinated Baked Salmon

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09 Baked Salmon with Vegetable Medley DSC_8355

A light and beautiful dish. Use any vegetables that you can turn into spaghetti strands.

1 kilo fresh salmon, skinned and boned, cut into pieces

Marinade:
100 ml gluten free soy sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated

2 large carrots
3 large parsnips
1 zucchini

oil to sauté in
Salt and pepper

 

  1. Combine the marinade, place salmon pieces in a plastic freezer bag, pour the marinade on top. Refrigerate 1 hour.
  2. Heat oven to 150 C. Remove the Salmon pieces from the marinade and bake for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Using a spiralizer/spiral slicer, create spaghetti like noodles out of the vegetables.
  4. Sauté the spaghetti in the oil. To remove excess oil, place for a moment on paper towels.
  5. Season

Sweet and Spicy Meatballs with Tricolore Pepper Salad and Walnut Cabbage

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Sweet and Spicy Meatballs with Tricolore Pepper Salad and Walnut Cabbage 0658

These meatballs are so rich and full of flavour so they don’t need anything else than a salad or two to go with them. In this recipe I have combined the meatballs with a pepper salad, a walnut cabbage salad and a honey chili sauce.

The Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

To make the perfect meatballs, you need a binder. Here I have substituted the traditional breadcrumbs/egg mix for some Chia seeds. The Chia seeds provides the binding agent through the gel it will form with the liquid. Chia also ensures moist and delicious meatballs. Some people use mashed potatoes instead but please try the Chia, it is well worth it!

Serves 4

500 g ground beef
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ grated yellow onion
Fresh coriander, chopped
1 cm ginger, grated
2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
2 tbsp chia seeds

Glaze:
50 ml gluten free soy sauce
1 teaspoon of rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey

  1. Mix all the meatball ingredients together. Let sit in the refrigerate for 30 minutes in order to let the Chia seeds swell and form the gel.
  2. Heat the oven to 225 C. Line an oven sheet with greased baking parchment.
  3. Form small balls and place on baking sheet.
  4. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until cooked through.
  5. Combine the ingredients for the glaze.
  6. Pour the glaze in a (non-stick) frying pan and fry the meatballs a few minutes.
Tricolor Pepper Salad

1 orange pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
Juice from ½ lemon
Salt and black pepper

  1. Half and slice the peppers very finely using the fine blade on a food processor or a mandolin.
  2. Mix in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper.
Walnut Cabbage

200 g red cabbage
20 ml red wine vinegar
60 ml walnut oil
40 g walnut halves

  1. Discard the outer leaves. Quarter the cabbage and cut off root.
  2. Taking a few leaves at the time, cut the cabbage into very fine strips. Place in bowl.
  3. Heat the vinegar and pour over cabbage. Add the oil. Cover bowl with cling film and shake to cover evenly. Let sit to soften a few minutes.
  4. Toast the walnuts.
  5. Mix the walnuts into the cabbage just before serving.
Honey Chili Sauce

150 ml greek yoghurt
2 tsp crushed chilli
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients.