Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Orange and almond sponge cake (Gateau A L’Orange Et Aux Amandes)



    This sponge is like a perfect Sunday morning. It is delicate and delicious. From "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"  by Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle and Julia Child.

This is delicious for Sundays and for any day. Also enjoy watching this film

Batter:
- ¼ pound butter
-2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 3 egg yolks, room temperature
- Grated rind of 1 orange
- 1/3 cup strained orange juice
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup pulverised almonds
- ¾ cup sifted cake flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar

Egg whites:

3 egg whites, room temperature

1. Butter and flour a round 9-inch cake pan; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Measure out all the ingredients.
2. Melt the butter and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, gradually beat the sugar into the egg yolks and continue beating until mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted. Add orange rind, juice and almond extract. Beat for a moment until mixture is light and foamy. Then beat in almonds, and finally the flour.
3. Beat the egg whites and salt together in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Sprinkle on the sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. (They should stand in upright peaks on the beaters when lifted.) Using a rubber spatula, fold the cool, melted butter into the cake batter, omitting the milky residue at the bottom of the pan. Stir one-fourth of the egg whites into the batter, then delicately fold in the rest. With the spatula, cut down through the center of the mixture to the bottom of the bowl, then draw the spatula toward you against the edge of the bowl, and up to the left and out. Continue folding, rotating the bowl, until the whites have just a few remaining patches left.
4. Immediately turn into prepared cake pan and run the batter up to the rim. Bake in middle level of preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed and browned lightly, the top is springy when pressed, and a needle plunged into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven and let stand about 10 minutes, until cake begins to shrink from sides of pan. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and reverse onto a rack, giving it a small, sharp, downward jerk to dislodge it. Immediately reverse so puffed side is up. Let cool an hour. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Christmas






    This year we have stayed in Cambridge. We are working during this period and unfortunately, it has been difficult to go to Spain or Sweden. However, we have brought Christmas at home. Christmas Day was especially nice. Cambridge was sunny, we walked by the river and planned the dinner: Bouillabaise and rådjurswallenberg with hasselbackpotatis and raw lingoberries.

The Bouillabaise requires a bit of time but is really festive and comfort food at the same time. There are loads of ways to do it, but we followed, more or less, this receipt at BBC. The rådjurswallenberg, a sort of deer burger, very nordic, simple and elegant.

Well, I hope you are having a nice time with the ones you love and see you all soon.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Mill Road Winter Fair 2013

 





    Saturday afternoon, we walked around Mill Road Winter Fair. We arrived home after having tried some food and with some special groceries.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Richmond and Sunday Roast in The Paradise

 A rainy and cold day. Walking in Richmond Park watching deers and orange colours on a grey day. After that, a delicious and very generous Sunday roast in The Paradise, in West London.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Bananas and Avocados in La Palma



 
Sometimes your choice is so right that it surprises you. That happened with La Palma. It was what I needed. Quiet, beauty, sea and sky. Time to walk, to talk, to calm the mind and to enjoy a gorgeous island.  And of course, the best bananas and avocados, ever.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Autumn day

 
    When I woke up it was raining. Autumn is definitely here, which is the perfect excuse to prepare onion soup and have girolles on toast, one of my favourite things. Such a shame that it is so hard to find wild mushrooms in England.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Roasted Chicken

 
Roasted chicken is one of those thing that can transport me, directly, to my childhood. For some years ago, "take away" in Spain was going to the nearest place where you can buy a roasted chicken in Sunday or in a Bank Holiday. They were good, but anything to do with a roasted chicken at home with veggies, potatoes and herbs.

Yesterday was not a Sunday neither a bank Holiday but I had the day off and I fancied something substantial. Now that I live in England, I can say that yesterday we had a Sunday Roast in Thursday.

Directions

1 free range or organic chicken
3 onions
1 fennel
1 bulb garlic
potatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper
1 lemon
herbs: thyme, rosemary...
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 240 C.
Pile all the veggies and garlic into the middled of a tray and drizzle with olive oil.
Drizzled the chicken with olive oil and add salt and pepper.
Put the lemon, pricked, and the herbs inside the chicken's cavity.

Place the chicken on top the veggies and put into the oven to 200 C for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Place the potatoes 45 minutes before finishing.

Monday, September 30, 2013

Sunday Flower Market and Lily Vanilli




   
This weekend I have had a great time in London. It is always welcome to leave the "country" and "get lost" in London. Among other things, yesterday morning Jakob and I walked around Sunday Flower Market and ate delicious sweets at Lily Vanilli

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Late barbecue




It's getting dark, it's getting cold but we can still have barbecues.

Last Sunday Jakob did, among other things, two swedish classic, Swedish stick bread and chocolate baked bananas, or as I called it, el barco vikingo!

Barco vikingo: 1 banana, unpeeled, and chunks of milk chocolate.  Make a slit in the banana, place the chocolate and cook on the barbecue until the skinks have blackened and the chocolate has melted.


Friday, September 6, 2013

Pink beans



    Pink beans, yes, first time that I cook them! Never is too late. They are delicate and semi-sweet. They work brilliantly in a salad. Some fresh ingredients: tomato, pepper, chive, giant couscous and dill. Then, you can prepare a vinaigrette, whatever you fancy. Simple, good and fresh!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls


    These spring rolls are delicious, healthy and perfect for a picnic.