Author Archives: EvaH

Chocolate Rum Cake with Chocolate Creme Anglaise, Vanilla Chantilly and Berries

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CB Genoa Chocolate Cake IMG_4910

This cake takes a bit of time but is well worth the effort. As it is quite rich, I prefer to use miniature molds to keep each serving quite small. This dessert is based on a recipe from the chef school we attended.

Serve as part of a menu with:
– Starter: Summer Salad with Basil Walnut Dressing
– Main Course: Caribbean Chicken with Avocado Rice and Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Chocolate Crème Anglaise:
1 vanilla bean (pod)
250 ml whole milk
3 egg yolks
50 g sugar
275 g dark chocolate, chopped

The cake:
2 egg whites
200 g ground almonds
6 tbsp icing sugar
30 g butter
4 eggs
15 g gluten free flour (rice flour works very well)
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
¼ lemon, grated peel
4 tbsp rum

Chantilly:
200 ml cream
20 g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Decoration:
Strawberries
Chocolate shavings

Chocolate Crème Anglaise:

  1. Slice the vanilla pod lengthwise. Scrape out the interior.
  2. In a saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla to a boil.
  3. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and thick.
  4. Pour the hot milk onto the eggs and sugar taking care to stir continuously so the eggs don’t set.
  5. Return the mixture to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon over low heat until mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. DO NOT BOIL.
  6. Pour the Crème Angailse over the chopped chocolate and gently mix until the chocolate has melted.
  7. Cool the chocolate and refridgerate for about an hour until thick enough to place in a piping bag fitted with a round tip.

The Cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
  2. Butter small molds.
  3. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Set aside.
  4. Mix the ground almonds, icing sugar and egg whites together in a thick paste.
  5. Beat the eggs into the almond mix, one at the time. Whisk for about 5 minutes, the mix should be pale and thick.
  6. Fold in the sifted flour, cocoa and baking powder, add the melted butter.
  7. Pour into the prepared molds, let the batter come to two-thirds up the side.
  8. Bake until done. A knife blade comes out clean when inserted. About 12-15 minutes depending on size of molds.
  9. From a spoon, let a few drops of the Rum drop on the cakes.
  10. Turn out of molds and place on rack to cool.

Vanilla Chantilly:

  1. Whisk the cream and icing sugar together with the vanilla until it holds in soft peaks.

Assembly:

  1. Place a chocolate cake on each plate.
  2. Pipe elongated balls of the chocolate cream all around the top.
  3. Cut strawberries in a decorative shape and place on top.
  4. With two spoons, form a chantilly cream quenelle on one side of the plate and sprinkle some chocolate shavings on top.

Cheese Ball with Black Lumpfish Roe

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A beautiful appetizer to be served with crackers, celery or maybe cut up cucumbers. Can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge.

0306 Cheese Ball-0807

As it is quite rich, it goes well with a light main course, such as the Asian Monkfish and the Cool Creamy Strawberry Dessert.

150 g Philadelphia Cream Cheese
3 tbsp crème fraiche or sour cream
½ finely chopped red onion
70 g lumpfish roe

  1. Mix the cream cheese, crème fraiche and onion together.
  2. Transfer to a bowl covered with cling film, turn upside down onto plate and remove the cling film. You now have a smooth half ball.
  3. Spread the roe on top.

Asian Monkfish with Bomba Rice and Asparagus

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This light dish can be prepared in advance and is an absolute favourite of mine. On the day of the dinner, all you need to do is to put it in the oven when the guests arrives. It goes well with the richer Cheese Ball starter and the Cool Creamy Strawberry dessert.

0306 asian monkfish _DSC0856

Serves 4
600 g skinned and boned monkfish fillets, cut into pieces of equal size.

Marinade:
1 cm grated root ginger
½ large green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Grated rind from ½ lime
Juice from 1 lime
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped

Bomba Rice (a Spanish rice that will absorb much more liquid than other rice. Becomes very tasty and moist)
Vegetable broth, 3 times the amount of the rice
Asparagus

1. Mix the marinade ingredients together for in a bowl. Can be done the day before.
2. Pour over fish. Marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Oven 200 C until done, about 25 minutes
4. Cook the Bomba rice in 3 times the amount of vegetable broth
5. Cook the asparagus in salted, boiling water for 3 minutes, dip in ice water to retain the green colour

Cool Creamy Strawberry Dessert

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This is a quick and beautiful strawberry mousse. For an elegant Friday menu, serve after the Cheese Ball starter and the Asian Monkfish.

0306 cool creamy strawberry dessert _DSC0720

Serves 4

 

500 g fresh strawberries
4 table spoons of whipping cream
Sugar to taste

 

  1. Puree strawberries with a bit of sugar (optional) in blender.
  2. When smooth, pour half of the puree into 4 glasses
  3. Add the cream to the blender, blend well. Spoon the remaning mixture on top in the glasses.
  4. Chill several hours.
  5. Serve with cut up strawberry on top.

Green Pea Soup with Horseradish

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2005 Green Pea Soup -7199

Pea soup may not sound too exciting but this dish is always very popular with my dinner guests. The vermouth is crucial and it really needs to be Noilly Prat. The horseradish makes the soup a bit spicy.

Let the Baked Fillet of Hake with Gremolata follow this Pea Soup, and for a dessert I recommend the Roasted Fruit with White Chocolate.

Serves 8 as a starter

1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter
500 g frozen green peas
800 ml chicken broth
50 ml Noilly Prat vermouth
200 ml crème fraiche
Black pepper
50 ml whipping cream
50 ml sour cream
Fresh horseradish, finely grated, to taste
(can be substituted with a mix of sour cream and wasabi paste)

  1. Sauté the onion in butter.
  2. Add the peas, the chicken broth and Noilly Prat.
  3. Let simmer for a few minutes. Then puree with hand mixer so it becomes a smooth soup.
  4. Add the crème fraiche. Bring to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes. Take off the heat.
  5. Whip the cream, add sour cream and grated horseradish.
  6. Serve in small bowl with a dollop of horseradish mix on top.

Baked Fillet of Hake with Gremolata

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2005 Baked Fillet of Hake -7151

A fabulous fish dish that will suit most people. The recipe comes from a popular Swedish fish restaurant. The sauce can be used in other dishes as well. Be generous with the sauce because your guests will ask for more!

Serve after a starter of Green Pea Soup and with a sweet ending of Roasted Fruit with White Chocolate.

This dish requires quite a bit of time in the kitchen, but is well worth it. The sauce and the potato mix can be prepared in advanced and then reheated.

If you can’t find hake, cod loins or another thick fish fillet to your liking works just as well. (Actually, for this illustration, I didn’t find hake but used cod instead).

 

Serves 6

1,2 kilo fillet of hake, with skin
Salt
2 tbsp butter

Sauce:
4 echalion shallots (“banana shallots”)
2 tbsp butter
500 ml fish broth
300 ml white wine
50 ml white wine vinegar
300 ml double cream
10 parsley stalks, crushed
½ lemon, zest and juice
2 tbsp butter

Vegetable mix:

2 large baking potatoes
1 large fennel
150 g black olives, pitted
100 g sundried tomatoes (in oil)
2 tbsp butter
Salt

Gremolata:

1 lemon
4 garlic cloves
Flat leaf parsley
1 tbsp butter

Sauce (this part may be prepared in advance and later heated. If so, keep refrigerated covered by cling film):

  1. Finely chop the shallots. In a saucepan, sauté until translucent, do not brown.
  2. Add the broth, wine and vinegar. Let boil over high heat until it has reduced to about half in volume.
  3. Add the cream, parsley stalks, lemon peel and juice. Reduce to half by boiling.
  4. Strain the sauce into small pan and leave off heat. Add a little butter (will thicken the sauce a bit more) and maybe salt and pepper.

Vegetable mix:

  1. Peel potatoes and cut in small cubes. Rinse with cold water (removes some starch before frying).
  2. Cut fennel in small cubes (same size as the potato).
  3. Halve the olives.
  4. Drain the tomatoes and cut in pieces.
  5. Over medium heat, brown the potato in butter. Add fennel and sauté for a few more minutes. Add olives and tomatoes.
  6. Set aside. Will be re-heated later.

Gremolata:

  1. With a potato peeler, peel the lemon thinly (take care not to include too much of the white part as this is bitter). Slice the peel very thinly to form long “threads”.
  2. Shred the parsley leaves.
  3. Cut the garlic cloves in thin slices and sauté in butter until golden.
  4. Mix the lemon peel, parsley and garlic together.

 

Fish:

  1. Oven on 125C
  2. Sprinkle the fish with salt.
  3. Place the fish in melted butter in hot pan with skin side down. Fry until the skin is golden brown. Do not turn.
  4. On a greased oven proof dish, spread ½ of the gremolata to cover an equal area to the fish. Place the fish on top, skin side up this time, and place the dish in the oven until done (about 25-30 minutes).

 

Finishing:

  1. Heat the vegetable mix.
  2. Heat the sauce; whisk to give it a bit of a foam.
  3. To serve, spoon the vegetable mixture around the fish. Pour a little bit of the sauce around the mix, serve the remaining sauce on the side and the 1/2 gremolata on top.

Roasted Fruit with White Chocolate

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2005 Roasted Fruit -7165

This is an easy but absolutely amazing dessert! To be served together with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Why not start the meal with the Green Pea Soup followed by Baked Fillet of Hake with Gremolata and with a sweet ending of this simple but elegant dessert.

Equal amounts of:

Strawberries
Kiwi
Banana
White chocolate, grated at least 150 g for 6 people. Make sure you have a thick layer of chocolate on top of the fruit.

Set oven to high grill setting,.

  1. Quarter the strawberries, cut the kiwi in similar size pieces and slice and halve the bananas. The fruits should all be about the same size.
  2. Sprinkle the fruit with a generous serving of grated white chocolate.2005 Roasted Fruit making -7221
  3. Roast in oven 5-10 minutes, until the chocolate is melted and lightly browned.
  4. Serve immediately with ice cream or whipped cream.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Caramelized Leek and Chorizo

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stuffed mushrooms IMG_4981

A wonderful, light appetizer. For a Sunday menu, why not serve this appetizer, followed by Roasted Balsamic Tomato Soup together with Oat and Raisin Rolls and with a sweet ending of Raspberry Pie with Crème Anglais.

Serves 6

6 mushrooms, stems removed
Olive oil, to fry in
1 leek, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
50 g chorizo, cut in small pieces
Juice from ½ an orange
Salt and pepper

  1. Roast the mushrooms in an oven at 200C for about 25 minutes
  2. In a small frying pan, sauté the shallot in a little olive oil. After a few minutes, add the leek and fry another 2-3 minutes
  3. Add the chorizo and pour in the juice.
  4. Let slowly simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Place mushrooms on a serving plate. Add a spoonful of the chorizo mixture.

Roasted Balsamic Tomato Soup

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Roasted tomatoes provide a great base for a soup. The balsamic vinegar gives sweetness while the harissa paste provides some heat. For a Sunday menu, why not serve an appetizer of Stuffed Mushrooms, followed by the Roasted Balsamic Tomato Soup together with Oat and Raisin Rolls and with a sweet ending of Raspberry Pie with Crème Anglais.

Serves 4

12 medium size tomatoes, skinnedRoasted tomatoe soup IMG_4858
3 tbsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Fresh basil, shredded
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
300 ml vegetable broth
2 tsp harissa paste
Salt and black pepper (if needed)
Parmesan cheese and basil to garnish

  1. To skin the tomatoes, cut small cross at one end of the tomatoe and let simmer in water for a minute. The skin will curl up and can thereafter easily be removed.
  2. Quarter the tomatoes and place on oven tray. Sprinkle with basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Let roast in 180C oven for 30 minutes.
  3. Place in a pot and add a bit of the stock. With a hand held food processor, puree the tomatoe mixture. Add the remaining stock and the harissa paste. Let simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. If needed, add some black pepper.
  4. Serve with basil and Parmesan shavings on top.

Oat and Raisin Rolls with Cream Cheese and Chives

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These rolls have been a favourite in my family for many years. With the tanginess of cranberry and the sweetness of the raisins, they are wonderful with cheese or just on their own.

Please try to find the Psyllium Husk. You will not regret it. The most important ingredient in gluten free baking!

For a Sunday menu, why not serve an appetizer of Stuffed Mushrooms, followed by a Roasted Balsamic Tomato Soup together with the Oat and Raisin Rolls and with a sweet ending of Raspberry Pie with Crème Anglais.

gluten free raisin buns DSC_065110 buns

500 ml milk heated to 37C (if fresh yeast is used. If using dry yeast, pls follow manufacturers instructions)
50 grams fresh yeast (equivalent to 2 x 7 g dry yeast packages)
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp psyllium husk (or try Xanthamgum)
100 ml greek yoghurt (plain)
1 tbsp mix of ground seeds of anis and caraway (or any other spice you like)
0,5 tsp salt
100 ml cranberry sauce
200 ml rolled oats (gluten free)
100 ml raisins
700 ml gluten free flour mix (not the self rising kind)
Egg wash and some oats to garnish

  1. Mix milk, yeast, oil and psyllium husk – let sit 10 minutes to form a gel
  2. Add all remaining ingredients and work with a dough mixer for 10 minutes.
  3. The dough should be quite stickygluten free raisin bunsDSC_0641
  4. Proof around 30 min (cover with a towel and set in warm place)
  5. With 2 spoons, form “buns” and place on baking sheet.
  6. Proof 30-40 min
  7. Egg wash (brush with a whisked egg )
  8. Sprinkle the buns with oats (for decoration)
  9. In oven 225 C 10-12 min.
  10. Let cool under a kitchen towel.

Cream Cheese and Chives

  1. Slice the chives finely
  2. Mix with Cream Cheese
  3. Add a few drops of lemon
  4. Salt and pepper