The Biggest Hobo

So I made these for the first time for a little Christmas get together I was having in Oslo and they were so good I had to make them again a week later in Scotland. They are a Christmas tradition in Norway, but I think they are good all year round :)


Pepperkaker


Makes shitloads!

• 150g butter
• 100ml sugar syrup
• 160g golden caster sugar
• 100ml whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground balck pepper
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 450g plain flour

Method

This is another very easy recipe. Surprisingly delicious.


chicken paprika  


Serves 4

• 4 chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks)
• 1 heaped tablespoon of paprika
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 dessertspoon plain flour
• 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
• 450g ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 150ml chicken stock
• 2 long sweet red peppers, seeded and chopped into small strips
• 500ml of soured cream
• salt and freshly milled black pepper

This is not a particularly healthy recipe, but is does taste just like a good take away. Perfect for those hangover days, and quicker than waiting for a delivery :)


Easy sweet & sour chicken 


Makes about 4 generous portions

• 9 dessert spoons of tomato ketchup
• 3 dessert spoons of malt vinegar
• 4 dessert spoons of dark muscovado sugar
• 3 big garlic cloves
• 3 chicken breast fillets, cut into chunks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 red peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 can of pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 pack of sugar snap peas, chopped
• big handful of roasted and salted cashew nuts

crispy golden yorkshire puddings

So I LOVE yorkshire puddings, and personally feel that no roast dinner is complete without them, and certainly not a Christmas dinner.
I don't think there is any excuse in buying the ready made ones as making them is so so simple and they taste much better!


Makes about 8 

75g Plain flour
1 egg
75ml milk
50ml water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (beef dripping gives a better flavor if you have it)
salt and freshly milled black pepper

NB: I tend to double the ingredients if there are more than 4 people. If you cook too many, people always tend to have seconds or snack on them later.


Method:
1. Preheat oven at gas mark 7, 425F (220C)
2. Add a little (about half a teaspoon) of vegetable oil to each of the individual pockets in the roasting tin, and place that in the oven.
3. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
4. Break the egg into the well and beat, gradually incorporating the flour.
5. Beat in the milk, water and the seasoning.
6. Get the roasting tin out of the oven and place the tin over direct heat while you pour the batter into the sizzling hot fat. You want to fill each pocket up about half way depending on how deep they are on your tin.
7. Return the tin to the oven on the highest shelf. The puddings will take 20-25 minutes to rise and become crisp and golden. Serve as soon as possible.

So I decided to make this fish soup as it was one of the few things that seemed to be part of the 'original' Norwegian cuisine menu. I have never tasted it, (other than my own now) so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it turned out quite lovely and warming on a very snowy day in Norway!




creamy norwegian fish soup (fiskesuppe)

• 100g butter
• 100g plain flour
• about a pint of fish or vegetable stock
• 2 medium carrots, chopped into discs
• 1 large leak, finely chopped in strips(just the white bits)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 or 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
• 12 peeled raw tiger prawns  (approx)
• 12 small scallops (approx)
• 2 whole fish fillets (white fish)
• 300ml double cream
• 1/2 small bunch chopped fresh parsley
• salt and freshly milled black pepper

1. 
   Method:
   1.Melt the butter, add the onion and let the onion sweat on a medium heat.
   2. Once the onions have gone soft and see through, add the flour, stir for about 2 minutes without browning the flour.
   2. Add the stock at intervals, stirring all the time, let it boil gently for 5-10 minutes.
   3. Add the garlic, carrots, leek and potatoes and turn the heat right down.
   4. Let simmer for about 30 minutes, then add the prawn, scallop, fish and the cream.
   5. Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the fish and shellfish are tender.
   6. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
   
   

 

Deserts and baked goods always go down well at home and this is a firm favorite. The whole thing is usually eaten within a couple of days so I try not to make it too often, as an attempt not to turn into one! It's funny when somebody says that they are not that into food and then they hoover down your banana bread...ehem ehem Maria...


banana bread

• 250g plain flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• pinch salt
• 115g butter
• 115g dark brown soft sugar (I usually do half dbs sugar and half golden caster sugar, but it doesn't matter too much)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• About 4 mashed over-ripe bananas (the bananas HAVE to be over-ripe as they give off much more flavor)
• 2 heaped Teaspoons cinnamon
• About 100g of chocolate chunks -dairy milk or something

(you can also add some lemon and orange zest for added flavor, about half of each, but i prefer without)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture. Pour mixture into prepared loaf tin.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a knife inserted into centre of the loaf comes out clean. Leave to cool in tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire cooling rack.


Enjoy :)

So Hannah suggested I start a blog documenting everything I cook while I am on my travels. Mainly because i cook and bake everyday as have not much else to do. Maria, who I cook for, does not enjoy eating in the slightest, so I kinda made it my challenge to try and get her to enjoy food. Now obviously she is never going to enjoy it as much as I do, but I feel my efforts may be futile. So as I said before Hannah suggested I make a blog of my recipes and maybe somebody else could enjoy it!


So yesterday I made:

Tender and crisp chicken legs with sweet tomatoes