Roasted tomato and sweet potato soup with a drizzle of basil oil

I'm back!
Sorry, it's been a while.. Hope you are all well, and dodging all the seasonal germs that are out there. Happy new year by the way, better late than never.
The new year often comes with the sudden need to revalue ourselves and the way we live our lives. We have this urge to better who we are. Stop smoking, lose weight, drink less alcohol, get more physically active and so on.
I agree that it's good to try to improve ourselves. In fact, that should be an ongoing activity throughout the year, and throughout are lives for that matter.
I am however sceptical to new year resolutions. I think as soon as we call it "a new years resolution" we're heading for a fall. Realistically, how many new years resolutions have you actually followed through?
Speaking for myself, I can't even mention one.
I believe that change will come when you are well prepared, you are in the right mind set, and you are ready to make the commitment to change.
And that will not just happen automatically, because you need to change your calendars.
The "home improvement" I am working on is to get moving more.
It so easy when the weather is cold and grey to get a bit lazy. That has definitely happened to me. Leaving me feeling tired and sluggish. I can't wait for the spring to come and lift this old grey woolly blanket and shower the ground with pretty flowers.
But until that happens I'll make a head start with this revitalizing delicious soup followed by a quick power walk across the back fields. Who knows, maybe I'll find some early signs of spring.

Roasted tomato and sweet potato soup serves 6

• 16 tomatoes
• 1 big sweet potato
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 table spoon of tomato puree
• 200ml single cream
• chicken or vegetable stock
• salt, pepper and granulated sugar to taste

Cut the sweet potato in half (length ways) and place in the oven with the garlic (skin on) and the tomatoes (whole). Roast on a baking tray for about an hour in a medium hot (200C) oven, or until the skin of the tomatoes start to turn black. 
Leave it to cool down slightly, before you remove the skin from the tomatoes. It is very important to let the tomatoes cool down, since they will be extremely hot. 
Use a spoon to dig out the soft flesh of the sweet potato and place in a blender with the tomatoes and the garlic. You can easily squeeze out the soft centre of the garlic ones roasted. The roasted garlic has a much milder taste than if used fried or raw. 
Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. Use only as much stock as you feel necessary, to achieve the  right thickness  of the soup. I prefer a slightly thicker soup, but if you use more stock it will feed more people.
I use sugar to counteract the sourness in the tomatoes on offer in England this time of year. If your tomatoes has been grown in a warmer climate, sugar might not be needed.
Ones you are happy with your soup, heat it in a pan to ensure it is hot enough. But do not boil.
My finishing touch to the soup is a drizzle of basil oil. 
Simply bash a hand full of fresh basil in a pestle and mortar, slowly adding 100ml of  virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Heaven!
Enjoy!

Jansson's temptation and saffron pancake

I am off to spend the Christmas with the family in freezing Sweden. Can't wait for my Mum's Christmas food. It doesn't matter if I am using the same recipes as her, there is nothing like Mum's food.
All the Christmas presents are wrapped, and most of our bags are packed. The girls are playing and I' m having a quick break with a cup of coffee. Thought I would leave you with these  two, dead easy Christmas recipes.
The first one is Jansson's temptation- Janssons frestelse, a potato gratin with anchovies. My personal Christmas favorite. And as you might know with anchovies, it does melt into the dish, so it's not really a "fishy" dish. Many non fish eaters have been converted with dish dish- trust me ;-)

Jansson's temptation - Janssons frestelse

• potatoes (king Edward or similar)
• yellow onion
• milk
• cream
• anchovies
• butter 
• bread crumbs

I'm not going to complicate things by giving you measurements for this dish, because it's really not necessary. 
Use as many potatoes as it takes to almost fill up your chosen  ovenproof dish, ones you have peeled and cut your potatoes into thin "french fries". Finely slice one yellow onion and mix with the potato strips. Chop the anchovies roughly and add them as well. Pour over milk so it almost covers the lot, and top up with cream and sprinkle over the bread crumbs. Finish of with a few knobs of butter and bake in the oven for 3/4 of an hour - 1 hour 200C. The smell coming from the oven will be utterly heavenly.

The second recipe that I want to share with you is a dish that my auntie Tine makes for Christmas, Saffron pancake.
A traditional dish from the island of Gotland, the largest island in Sweden. 


Saffron pancake- saffrans pannkaka

• one lot of rice pudding (see earlier blog post)
• 0.5g of saffron (1g if you want a more intense taste of saffron)
• 6 dl milk
• 1 dl cream
• 4 eggs
• blanched and chopped almonds
• 1/2 dl sugar

Grind the saffron with a little bit of sugar in a pestle and mortar.
Mix the powder with the milk and cream, and add it to the rice pudding.
Add the eggs one by one, the sugar and the almonds (leave some for decoration).
Pour the mixture into an oven proof dish and scatter the remaining almonds on top.
Bake until the mixture is set 200C. This will depend on the depth of your oven dish app. 30-45 min.
Serve with a geneorous helping of whipped cream and a dollop of your favourite jam.

Enjoy!

 I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for the support you all have shown me from all over the world. And for all you positive comments and advise. They put a smile on my face every time! 
I'll be back in the new year with more mouth watering recipes.
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!

Love
Jenny

Rice pudding- Tomtegröt - Risgrynsgröt

In Sweden, the tradition of elves goes far back in time. In the olden days they believed that elves helped out around the house and the barn, stable etc commonly known as a "house elf", hustomte. Making sure the animals were happy, crops grew and cup boards were full. But in return, it was important to look after the house elf, or else he would get up to mischief. And he could be a very grumpy so and so. One way to stay on the good side of him was to give him rice pudding, tomtegröt on Christmas eve. But you had to make sure to put a big dollop of butter in the middle, because that's the way he liked it.
And the Santa that comes on Christmas eve ( the main day of our Christmas celebration) has his roots in that old tradition. Less Disney and "coca-colafied", if you know what I mean.
The YouTube clip is of a story called "The Tomten" and shows how hustomten is looking after all the animals at the homestead.
And if you want to make some tomtegröt for your "hustomte" this Christmas, or treat the people that you love. This is how you make it:

Tomtegröt  6.port

• 3 dl pudding rice
• 5 1/2 dl water
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10dl (1 litre) full fat milk
• Cinnamon stick (can be left out, if preferred)

Boil the rice, water and butter for 10 minutes.
Add the milk, the cinnamon stick and the salt, and simmer for 3/4 of an hour-1 hour. Stir occasionally.
To make a "de luxe" version add a splash of cream when you add the milk.
The tomtegröt is traditionally eaten with a tablespoon of golden syrup or a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar ( only hustomten likes butter on his tomtegröt). Some like it with a splash of milk, but I prefer it without. However, a cup of glögg wouldn't go a miss ;-)
Enjoy! 

Rice Pudding

Christmas spiced red wine - Glögg

So you have made your lussebullar and your pepparkakor, now you definitely deserve a drink.
This is the Swedish equivalent to mulled wine or glühwein.
A "Christmassy" drink that will warm you from the inside out.
Traditionally drunk in a small cup with a few raisins and almonds (blanched) in the bottom.
You can also make a non-alcoholic version with blackcurrant squash, or if you like it a bit stronger, you simply add 1 dl cognac. 

Glögg

• 1 bottle of red wine
• 1 dl sugar
• 2 1/2 dl water
• half a thumb sized piece of ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 8 cloves
• 1 tsp cardamom seeds
• 1 slice of orange peel

Crush the ginger and break the cinnamon in half (if needed).
Bring the water and all the spices to the boil, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
Sieve, and mix with the sugar and red wine. Heat the mixture, but do not boil.
Serve with a few raisins and almonds.

Enjoy responsibly!

Swedish gingerbread - Pepparkakor

The first Sunday of Advent...

On Sunday it will be the first Sunday of Advent. This is when we light the first candle of four in our advent candle holder.

The countdown to Christmas has begun. You've got your "lussebullar", now it's time for the next Christmas "must have", pepparkakor.

The Swedish gingerbread is slightly darker than the British version, and tastes less of ginger, and more of allspice I'd say. They are very easy to make and the kids will love cutting out the shapes.
The perfect thing to bring the whole family together, and get into the spirit of Christmas.

PS. The gingerbread will taste extra good if you crank up the volume to some loud cheesy Christmas tunes.
Also, I would like to add that this recipe should come with some sort of warning.... They are addictive... I have already eaten seven, just writing this post.. Well, it is almost Christmas after all..

To make your own:

Gingerbread-pepparkakor app. 100-120

• 2dl granulated sugar
• 3/4 dl water
• 3 tablespoons of golden syrup
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 125g butter
•  app. 8 dl of plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Let the sugar, water, syrup and spices boil in a pan for a couple of minutes. Keep stirring.

Take the pan of the heat and add the butter. Let it melt in the mixture.

Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda with a little bit of water, and mix with the flour.

Mix it all together and let the dough rest over night.

Heat the oven to 200C

With a rolling pin, try to get the dough fairly thin.
Or do as my adorable baby sister Sara always said when we were kids " I'll make them thick, so I can see which ones are mine", nice try.. . The thinner you make them the crispier they will turn out though.
Cut out shapes with your most "Christmassy" biscuit cutters, and bake in the oven for abut 5 minutes.
The smell from the oven should be heavenly.
Let cool down on a baking rack.

Enjoy!!

METRIC TO U.S. CONVERSIONS

1 deciliter = 3.3814 fluid ounces

1 deciliter = 6.1024 cubic inches
1 deciliter = 20.29 teaspoons
1 deciliter = 6.76 tablespoons
1 deciliter = 27.05 drams
1 deciliter = 0.423 cups
1 deciliter = 0.845 gills
1 deciliter = 0.21134 pints
1 deciliter = 0.10567 quarts
1 liter = 33.814 fluid ounces
1 liter = 61.024 cubic inches
1 liter = 67.6 tablespoons
1 liter = 270.5 drams
1 liter = 4.23 cups
1 liter = 8.45 gills
1 liter = 2.1134 pints
1 liter = 1.0567 quarts
1 liter = 0.26417 gallons
1 liter = 0.029353 firkins

Sankta Lucia

The smell of saffron buns baking in the oven is enough to send any Swede head first into the spirits of Christmas.
Traditionally these are baked to be enjoyed during the lead up to Christmas, Advent, and especially on the 13th of December when we celebrate Saint Lucia.
I found this beautiful film clip on You tube showing a traditional  Swedish Saint Lucia procession.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw5NmXkXjlY
Saint Lucia is bringing some much needed light on the longest night of the year (according to the legend) and a freshly baked saffron bun and a cup of hot chocolate is bringing some much needed warmth (according to me).

Saffron buns- Lussebullar app.30 buns

• 1g saffron
• 50g yeast (I prefer fresh yeast, but dry works too)
• 150-175g butter 
• 5dl milk
• 1dl sugar
• 1,5l plain flour
• a small pinch of salt
• raisins

Grind the saffron with a tablespoon of sugar, until completely dissolved.
Melt the butter and add the milk and the saffron, it needs to be lukewarm (or slightly warmer if you are using dry yeast).
Mix the yeast with a little bit of the fluid, to dissolve it. Add the sugar, salt and most of the flour.
Work it till a soft, smooth dough. Leave to rest for about 30 min under a tea towel.
Work the dough gently and for two big logs. Cut into strips and form into sausage shapes.
Working from both sides at ones roll towards the middle to form a tight S-shape. Place two raisins in the centre of each "curl" (see photo). Leave to rest again for a further 30 min.
Egg wash, to guarantee the most golden lustre. Bake in the oven 225C for 5-10 min.
Enjoy with a cup of coffee or steaming hot chocolate!

Christmas is approching fast..

Christmas recipes coming next week


I have had a little blog-break as you might have noticed. I hope you all have been well and haven't given up on me.
From next week I will start posting mouthwatering Christmas recipes. Gingerbread, Jansson's temptation etc.
Meanwhile, me and the girls are putting our cookie cutters to use, by making this salt dough garland.

                Please drop in and see me next week, and we will get this Christmas party started!!