Soft Liquorice Caramels

Soft Liquorice Caramels

Sweet Liquorice bliss

I think liquorice is a scandinavian thing. Well Germans like it too. Salty, sweet and spicy liquorice is candy in Denmark. A couple years ago liquorice started showing up in chocolate, desserts and food in general. My childhood friend would claim that we teased her when she ate liquorice and chocolate together, but I don't remember that.

Laste year I made some chewy from but soft caramels made from condensed milk from Anne au Chocolat' website. Having a craving for liquorice I tried to make them again but this time adding liquorice and other small changes. For me this combination was close to perfection.

I used Bülow Raw Liquorice Powder, Fine Liquorice Powder and Sweet Liquorice Syrup. Bülow has been one of the most innovative producers of liquorice in years. I think it's thanks to Johan Bülow that we have all these new liquorice products. 

This is my take on the caramels

Ingredients:

• 1 can condensed milk
• 75 g butter
• 175 g sugar
• 2 tablespoons sweet liquorice syrup
• 2 teaspoons raw liquorice powder
• 3 tablespoons fine liquorice powder (coating)

Direction:

Melt butter, sugar syrup and condensed milk over medium heat. Keep stirring until everything is melted. Turn up the heat and simmer the caramel for about 10 minutes till it reaches 257℉ (125℃).

Remove from heat and mix in the liquorice powder.

Pour the caramel into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, and let the cool in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours. Cut the caramels into cubes, and roll them in the fine liquorice powder, and wrap them in candy wrappers.

Enjoy.

Note:

Next time, I think I will freeze the caramels and cover them with chocolate, because the caramels bled, and got very sticky. 

Waipi'o Stack Breakfast a la me

Waipi'o Stack Breakfast a la me

On my first vacation to Hawaii, I had a Waipi'o Stack Breakfast at Island Lava Java. One of the best breakfasts ever. I crave salt for breakfast, so for sure the Waipi'o Stack is right up my alley. Well, the setting didn't hurt the experience in any way. 

The Waipi'o Stack is two eggs over easy, stacked on wheat toast with applewood smoked bacon, fresh avocado, tomato, arugula and chipotle aioli.  

This is my take on it:

The view from the cafe.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 slices sour dough bread (preferably Tartine Country Bread)

• 4 eggs

• 4-6 slices applewood smoked bacon

• 1 avocado

• 1 tomato

• 1 handful arugula

• chipotle aioli

Directions:

Cook the bacon until crisp using your favorite way, in a skillet, in the oven or in the microwave. Set aside.

Rinse the arugula, and pad it dry in a kitchen towel. Wash and slice the tomato; peel and slice the avocado and toast the bread.

Crack eggs in two bowls, two eggs in each.

Heat a small non-stick skillet over low heat and add butter. As soon as the butter stops foaming, add two eggs to the pan. Cook eggs over low heat until the whites stops being translucent. Now gently flip the eggs with a spatula/turner, be careful not to break the yolks. Count to 10 and flip the eggs back or put at plate upside down on the pan, and flip the whole thing.

 Assemble the stack:

Spread chipotle aioli on bread, add arugula, then tomato slices, bacon and eggs. Place the avocado on top. Serve immediately with a cup a fresh fruit.

Enjoy! 

The Danish version:

Waipi'o Stack

Ingredients:

• 2 skiver godt brød.

• 4 æg

• 4-6 skiver god bacon

• 1 avocado

• 1 tomat

• 1 håndfuld rucola

• chipotle mayonnaise

Rist brødet og steg baconen.  Bland mayonnaise med chipotle. Spejl æggene. 
Smør brødet med mayonnaisen, læg rucolaen på, derefter tomatskiver, den stegte bacon og til sidst læg æggene på. 

Skær avocadoen i skiver og læg dem ovenpå æggene. 

Server straks.

Spicy Peach Soup with Shrimps

Spicy Peach Soup with Shrimps

This sweet and spicy soup is one of my go-to soups in the fall.  You can make as spicy as you like, and use chicken as filling, if you don't care for shrimps.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

• 2 teaspoons curry

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 420 g canned peaches, drained (save the juice)

• 1 can chopped tomatoes

• 2 teaspoons chicken base

• 3 cups water (750 ml)

• salt & pepper

• 5-10 drops Habanero Tabasco

• 12 large shrimps.

Topping:

• Peach, finely chopped

• 1 red chili, thinly sliced

Direction:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the curry and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add onion and garlic, and cook until the onions are translucent. Add peaches (save some for topping), tomatoes, chicken base, water, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes. Blend the soup smooth with a immersion blender or a regular blender. *

Return the soup to the saucepan to heat. Season with habanero tabasco, salt lemon pepper and the juice from the peaches.

Add the shrimps and serve as soon as the shrimps are done. Serve with a slice of good whole wheat bread.

* Be careful when working with hot soup in a blender. You have to work in batches, even though all the soup fits in the container. Because the liquid builds up steam, and can blow the lid off the blender. 

The Danish version:

Rejesuppe med Tigerrejer

Ingredienser:

• 1 tsk kokosolie

• 2 tsk karry

• 1 lille løg, hakket

• 2 fed hvidløg, finthakket

• 420 g ferskner fra dåse, drænet vægt (gem lidt af saften)

• 1 dåse hakkede tomater

• 1 terning hønse bouillon

• 7,5 dl vand

• salt & peber

• 5-10 dråber Habanero Tabasco

• 12 tigerrejer

Topping:

• Fersken fra dåse, tyndtskåret

• 1 rød chili, i tynde skiver

Sautér løgene, hvisløg og karryen i kokosolien indtil løgene er blevet bløde. Tilsæt ferskner (gem lidt til toppings), tomater og bouillon og vandet. Lad suppen koge i ca 45 minutter. Blend suppen med en stavblender eller en almindelig blender. *

Kom den blendede suppe tilbage i gryden, og smag til med saften fra fersknerne, habanero tabasco, citrnpeber og salt.

Tilsæt rejerne og server suppen lige så snart rejerne er nok. Server suppen med en skive god brød.

* Vær forsigtig, når du blender varm suppe. Blendt lidt af gangen, gerne lettere afkølet. Da dampen fra suppen kan få låget til at hoppe af. 

Scallops with Forbidden Rice

Scallops with Forbidden Rice

Sometimes I just crave certain foods. One of these is scallops. I love these small slices of heaven. Normally we wrap the scallops in bacon and put them on the BBQ, The crispy bacon is so good with the scallops. But one night dining at our local steakhouse I had their scallops with forbidden rice. OMG - it was so yummy. It was sweet, spicy, crunchy and soft at the same time. So today I tried to copy the dish from memory. And to be honest, I think this is a pretty good replica. I hope you like it.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 4-6 scallops

• butter and extra virgin olive oil for searing

Sauce:

• ½ can coconut milk

• 3-4 teaspoons green curry paste

• 1 jalapeño

• ½ cup frozen petit peas

• ½ teaspoon lemongrass paste

Forbidden rice:

• ½ cup forbidden rice

• ¾ cup water

• salt

Topping:

• tomato chutney

• frisée salad

Directions: 

Start cooking the rice according to instructions on your rice. I cooked mine for about 35 minutes.

Prepare the sauce. Mix all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. The Vitamix blender heats the sauce, but if using another blender heat the sauce. This is way to much sauce for the dish, but You need some volume to use the blender. 

Heat your skillet over high heat, add oil and butter. When the fat begins to brown and smoke sear the scallops for 1½ minutes on each side. The scallops should have a ¼-inch golden crust on each side, while being translucent in the center. 

Serve immediately. 

The Danish version:

Kammuslinger med Sorte Ris

Ingredienser:

• 4-6 kammuslinger

• Smør og olivenolie til stegning

Sauce:

• ½ dåse kokosmælk

• 3-4 tsk grøn karrypasta

• 1 jalapeño

• 1½ dl frosne ærter

• ½ tsk citrongræspasta

Ris:

• 1½ dl sorte ris

• 3 dl vand

• salt

Pynt:

• tomatchutney

• frisée salat

Start med at koge risene efter instruktionerne på pakken. Jeg kogte mine i ca 35 minutter. Herefter lod jeg risene trække i gryden i ca. 10 minutter.

Tilbered saucen. Bland alle ingredienserne i en blender indtil du har en jævn sauce. Jeg bruger en Vitamix blender, som kan varme samtidig med den blender. Så hvis du ikke bruger en Vitamix, så opvarm saucen lidt inden serveringen. Der er for meget sauce i forhold til ris og kammuslinger, men dette skyldes, at der skal en vis volumen til, når man blender.

Sæt en stegepande over på høj varme, tilsæt olie og smør. Når smørret er blevet brunt kom kammuslingerne på panden og steg dem ca. 1½ minut på hver side. Du skal helst ende op med en gylden overflade på hver side og en lidt gennemsigtig midte. 

Server med det samme.

Poularde au Bayard - Chicken in White Wine

Poularde au Bayard

Poularde au Bayard was a dish my parents mad when they had people over. It's a dish where all the work is in the preparation. It's slow food at its best.

I think the recipe came from a pamphlet my mom got from the local butcher, but the details are lost in history. I remember that we all loved this chicken dish, and it was a treat when we had it. I removed most of the butter, because I don't need to have my meals dripping with butter. In my opinion there's no loss of flavor.

Ingredients: 

• 1 large chicken
• 3 carrots
• 4 tomatoes
• 4 onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 garlic clove
• 24 whole cloves
• 1 cup white wine
• butter and olive oil for searing
• ½ teaspoon tarragon
• ½ teaspoon basil
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon rosemary
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder or a garlic clove
• salt & pepper

Onions with cloves

Directions: 

Peal the carrots and the onions and wash the tomatoes. Cut the carrots into 1 inch pieces. Press the cloves in the onions, 6-8 in each.

Clean and pad the chicken dry. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add butter and oil to a large pot. It should fit the chicken and all the vegetables. I use a 6.5 liter (6.8 QT) pot. Brown the chicken in the butter/oil. Get a good sear on it for flavor and color. Take the chicken out of the pot again.

Put the tomatoes, carrots and the onions in the bottom of the pot with all the spices. Add garlic, bay leaves and the wine and the chicken on top and put the lid on. Let it simmer for 45-60 until tender (170° F) 

Carefully take up the chicken and vegetables. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch in cold water, and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Carve the chicken and serve it with the vegetables and boiled potatoes.

The Danish version:

Poularde au Bayard - Kylling i hvidvin

Ingredienser:

• 1 stor kylling 
• 3 gulerødder
• 4 tomater
• 4 løg
• 2 laurbærblade 
• 1 fed hvidløg
• 24 hele nelliker
• 2,5 dl hvidvin (jeg brugte næsten en hel flaske)
• Smør og olie til stegning
• ½ tsk estragon
• ½ tsp basilikum 
• ½ tsk paprika
• ½ tsk rosemarin
• ½ tsp timian
• ½ tsp hvidløgspulver eller 1 fed hvidløg
• salt & peber

Kyllingen rengøres og tørres godt og drysses med salt. Derefter brunes kyllingen, i smør/olie og tages op igen. Nu kommes de hele tomater og gulerødderne skåret i skiver med i bunden af gryden sammen med laurbærblade, hvidløg og løgene, der har fået stukket nelliker i sig. Hvidvinen tilsættes. Kyllingen lægges ligeledes ned i gryden og steges mør med låg over. Dryp tit med skyen. Saucen jævnes med maizena og evt. Lidt fløde. Kyllingen parteres og serveres med små kartofler