Cherry and Camembert Salad

Happy New Year!

I'm starting the New Year with this summery salad that combines some of my favourite flavours: sweet cherries and dried cranberries with creamy Camembert, toasted nuts, peppery greens and tangy balsamic vinegar. I love salads like this on a summer's day - light, but perfectly filling to get you going until the next meal.

There are no exact measurements as I like to throw in ingredients as I please. Just follow your taste buds to adjust the flavours accordingly.

Cherry and Camembert Salad

a couple of big handfuls of mixed salad leaves

a handful of fresh cherries, halved and stoned

a few sliced of Camembert or Brie (in room temperature)

a small handful of mixed nuts, toasted until fragrant

a couple of tablespoons of dried cranberries

2 tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil

Mix all and enjoy!

Oat and Rosemary Cheese Biscuits

After a busy week I've been hit by an unexpected cold and was forced to take it easy this weekend. I've taken naps, done a couple of light strolls on the beach and enjoyed some much needed R&R.

These oat and rosemary cheese biscuits are perfect for a quiet weekend. In fact, they would not be out of place at a brunch, picnic or even when those unexpected guests drop by and you have nothing to offer.

Feel free to alter the ingredients to your liking; rolled spelt or rye instead of oats, different herbs (fresh or dry) and experiment with stronger/milder cheeses. These are a tasty little treat no matter what and packed with flavour.

Oat and Rosemary Cheese Biscuits

(makes 7-10)

(recipe inspired by Valio)

50g rolled oat/spelt/rye

1/2 tablespoon wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 egg

25ml olive oil

50g grated cheese

pine nuts, poppy seeds or sesame seeds, to sprinkle (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk in the egg and the oil and add the cheese. Stir to combine.

3. Use a spoon to form the batter into disks, leaving space between each biscuit. Sprinkle with seeds, if you like. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until firm and golden. Enjoy warm.

Haloumi with vegetable medley

 

Happy Friday friends!

Today I'm sharing a little weekend snack recipe with you. I love the flavours in this dish, and the mellow vegetables pair nicely with the salty halloumi cheese. It's a perfect snack to enjoy when you have a little time to spend in the kitchen, just chopping away. I was very lucky to win a new knife set recently, and testing the new knives made chopping even more enjoyable.

 Haloumi with vegetable medley

(recipe inspired by Earth to Table)

(serves 2-4)

200g haloumi cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

200g eggplant, cut into small cubes

100g red capsicum/bell pepper, cut into small cubes

10 brown mushrooms, cut into small cubes

1 white onion, finely chopped

10 green olives, cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

pinch of dry sweet basil (optional)

freshly ground black pepper

sea salt

fresh parsley

fresh mint

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the mustard seeds. Add all vegetables and cook for about 10 minutes or until soften.

2. Add the sherry vinegar and season the mixture. Leave to cool slightly before adding in the fresh herbs before serving.

3. Cut the haloumi into slices and fry on each side until soften. Spoon some medley on top of each slice and serve immediately. You can store the rest of the medley in the fridge and serve with fish, tofu or bread.

 

Asparagus and Haloumi Salad

 

I cannot think another vegetable that would scream "SPRING!" more than the mighty asparagus does. As soon as I see these fleshy greens appear in the green grocers and at the markets, I know that spring has truly sprung and the warmer weather and the sunny days are finally here. I don't think there is any magic as how to best enjoy them - just look for young and green spears, and I personally prefer the thinner ones as they tend to be sweeter in flavour and not as woody as the thicker ones.

This quick lunch is such a breeze to prepare. I love haloumi for its saltiness and it really gives a lovely contrast for the mild asparagus. You could use hazelnuts, macadamias or walnuts in place of slivered almonds, and if you don't have raspberry vinegar, just replace it with some balsamic - I think that'd be just as tasty. 

  

Asparagus and Haloumi Salad

(serves 2-4)

200g haloumi, cut into slices

1 bunch of asparagus, washed and trimmed

small handful of slivered almonds

raspberry vinegar

extra-virgin olive oil

1. Bring water to a boil in a large kettle. Add the asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain, then refresh the asparagus under running cold water. Set aside. 

2. Dry-fry the slivered almonds in a frying pan until golden brown. Set aside.

3. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the haloumi slices on both sides until golden. 

4. To assemble, divide the haloumi slices and the asparagus on the plates. Sprinkle each portion with slivered almonds and drizzle with raspberry vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

Oven baked fruit with Finnish buttermilk cheese & News!

 

As a Finnish ex-pat there are quite a few things I miss from my home country. I've listed some of them here before, but dairy products and cheeses are still amongst the most missed items on the list. Finnish buttermilk cheese is something I am, however, able to somewhat replicate here in Australia and I've wanted to experiment with it for a while now. 

I adore cheese and that is probably why I got so obsessed with making this buttermilk variety at home. The texture resembles that of ricotta and on its own its very mild and quite tasteless. There are many versions of this cheese and it is surprisingly versatile, but it is ever so simple to make with just a few ingredients you most likely already have at home.

I used the same batch of cheese to make both sweet and savoury cheese (which I'll share with you another time) and I was very happy with the way it turned out! The sweetened cheese pairs beautifully with some oven roasted fruits and dried cherries. All you need is a bit of raw honey for sweetness and you have a lovely little dessert waiting to be relished.

Oven baked fruit with Finnish buttermilk cheese*

(recipe for the cheese adapted from Kotiruoka)

1 litre buttermilk

2 large free-range eggs

1,5 litres milk (low fat or full fat)

100g skim milk powder

(lemon juice)

1 tbsp raw honey

1 apple

1 pear

1 tbsp raw honey

dried cherries

Lightly beat the eggs and the buttermilk until well combined. In a large saucepan, heat the milk until warm (42C). Whisk in the milk powder and continue to heat until almost boiling. Take the saucepan off the heat and whisk in the buttermilk mixture. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave in a warm place for about an hour. Add lemon juice (a few tablespoons) if there is no curd forming on top of the mixture. You will need to keep the mixture quite warm for this to happen. Once the mixture has curdled, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the curd and place it into a sieve lined with a cheese cloth and placed on top of a bowl. Cover the curd with the cheese cloth, place some weight on top and refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours or overnight. After this, sweeten the cheese with a tablespoon of raw honey.

Preheat oven to 170C. Cut the fruit into wedges and place in an oven dish. Drizzle the fruit with some raw honey and bake until tender. Serve the fruit with the buttermilk cheese and sprinkle with dried cherries.

*Note to the recipe. I made a whole batch of cheese and then divided it into two. For this sweet variety you will only need half of this amount.

PS. I have some exciting news to share with you! My first recipe for the brand new website called Honest Cooking has just been posted!! Go and have a look, I hope you like it!!

Grilled watermelon and haloumi salad

 

Just as I thought I will finally get to enjoy the cooler weather here in Sydney, the Mother Nature goes and throws in another scorcher with 30 degrees heat. I shouldn't be complaining, I suppose, as soon enough I'll be telling you it's too cold and we have no proper heating. 

So lets just say, to enjoy the last days of summer and the beautiful watermelons I've been wolfing down like there's no tomorrow, I decided to try an idea I once read in a Swedish cookbook by Tina Nordström. I've always been a huge fan of her bubbly personality and thick Skåne (Southern Sweden) accent and I knew her idea of grilling a watermelon was not a dumb one. 

Unlike Tina, however, I wanted to pair the watermelon with some gorgeously salty haloumi and deep, rich balsamic dressing. I'm glad I did, as the salad was just perfect for a hot day and I will most certainly be making this one again! 

 

Grilled watermelon and Haloumi salad

(Serves 2)

1/2 seedless watermelon, cut into thick slices

1 tsp ground Hungarian paprika

1/2 tsp chili flakes (more if you like it hot)

1 tbsp olive oil

200g haloumi, sliced

pinch of ground paprika, extra

1 sprig of fresh thyme

mixed salad leaves, to serve

olives, to serve

{Dressing}

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic

1 tbsp raw honey

Heat a frying pan or a grilling pan on high. Brush the watermelon slices with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and chili. Place the watermelon slices on the pan and fry on both sides for a couple of minutes. Set aside. 

Fry the haloumi slices on both sides until golden and soft. Combine the dressing ingredients.

Place some salad leaves on a platter, top with watermelon slices and shredded haloumi. Add olives and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.

Grilled Peaches and Haloumi Salad

There is something about the combination of fruit and cheese that I just can't resist. Think of figs and goat cheese, quince paste on a cheese platter, pear and blue cheese, cherries and feta... they all seem to compliment each other so perfectly. This simple grilled peaches and haloumi salad is celebrating summer and of what is officially left of it here in Sydney.

 

I go crazy for the stone fruit when they hit the markets, and love snacking on them as they are or occasionally making a salad like this one. Haloumi is a long time favourite of mine and I can't resist myself buying some every now and then. Lets celebrate the seasons!

 

Grilled Peaches and Haloumi Salad

(Serves 2)

2 peaches, cut in half and stones removed

1 tbsp olive oil

200g fat-reduced haloumi cheese, cut into slices

handful of rocket

few sprigs of lemon thyme

2 tbsp pomegranate balsamic

3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Heat a grill pan on high. Brush the peaches with a little olive oil and place cut side down on the grill. Leave on the grill for a few minutes, but be careful not to burn them! Grill the haloumi slices on both sides until just soft. Arrange the rocket on a platter, scatter with slices of the grilled peaches and haloumi. Sprinkle with lemon thyme and toasted pine nuts and finish off by a generous drizzle of pomegranate balsamic. Serve as a light meal.

Enjoy the flavours of the season!

Fig and Goat Cheese Tart

Hi there, how has your week been so far?

I wanted to make something little special for today, something that would make everything seem a bit brighter and the worries a bit smaller. This fig and goat cheese tart is perfect for that occasion and real indulgence food for me. I love the sweet figs, the soft goat cheese and the crispy crust. I love the caramelised balsamic together with lemon thyme sprinkled generously over it. And I love cutting a slice and savouring each mouthful.

I hope you are all well and enjoying each day!

 

Fig and Goat Cheese Tart

{Crust}

1 cup organic wholemeal spelt flour

1 cup organic white, unbleached spelt flour

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup cold water

pinch of salt

{Topping}

5 figs, cut into slices

120g goat cheese

2 tbsp caramelised balsamic

few sprigs of lemon thyme

To make the crust, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Roll the dough onto a sheet and place on top of a tart tin (33cm x 12cm). Press the dough into the tin and smooth the edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Blind bake the crust for about 20 minutes. Prepare the topping: cut the figs in half and then into slices. Once the crust is ready, remove from the oven and top with the fig slices. Brush the slices with the caramelised balsamic, top with some lemon thyme (saving some for serving) and crumble over the goat cheese. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.




Serve with extra caramelised balsamic and sprinkle generously with lemon thyme.

 Enjoy!

Olive, Sun-dried Tomato and Feta Loaf

I like to think that food can take you around the world in your own kitchen. When I'm feeling home sick, I find myself cooking more Scandinavian foods and I instantly feel connected again. If I want to reminisce our recent trip to Japan, I gather together ingredients we enjoyed whilst there. With olives, sun dried tomatoes and feta, I am travelling around the country side in Southern Europe.

This loaf is dotted with luscious olives, sun dried tomatoes and soft feta cheese. All ingredients I love treating myself every once in a while. I've used a little rye mixed with spelt to create a healthy and earthy taste that marries well with the salty companions.

Come, take a bite and travel with me!

Olive, Sun-dried Tomato and Feta Loaf

1/2 cup organic rye flour

1/2 cup organic white, unbleached spelt flour

3/4 cup organic wholemeal spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

4 large free-range eggs

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup (20 or so) small olives, pitted and finely chopped

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

100g fat-reduced feta cheese, chopped into tiny cubes

tiny pinch of dried thyme

Preheat oven to 180C and prepare a medium size loaf tin. In a bowl, sieve together the flours, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, add the milk, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and a pinch of thyme. Fold the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wired rack, and enjoy warm.

Enjoy!

Quinoa with Figs and Goat Cheese

Every year I wait eagerly for the fig season. I find this gorgeous fruit utterly fascinating, delicate and glamorous. It makes me happy just to see them appearing in stores and markets, and I instantly start thinking of recipes to use them for. There is no wrong way of enjoying this fruit: it's delicious on its own complexity, it pairs wonderfully with honey and nuts and it is the Queen of any cheese platter.

This simple dish doesn't ask for anything else but good ingredients - fresh figs are essential. I love the softness pared with quinoa and the crunchy pistachios, and the natural sweetness of the figs and raw honey. Rose petals are such an easy way to make any dish that little bit extra special.

Quinoa with Figs and Goat Cheese

(Serves 2)

1 cup quinoa

2 figs

50g goat cheese

2 tbsp raw honey

2 tbsp pistachios

rose petals, for serving

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the figs in a small over proof dish and cut a cross section on top of each fruit. Gently open the fig and place the goat cheese into the cut. Drizzle with honey and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the goat cheese and the figs have softened.

While the figs are in the oven, rinse the quinoa and place in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Drain out any extra liquid, then spoon into small dishes.

Sprinkle the figs with chopped pistachios and spoon over any extra honey left on the dish. Place the figs on top of the quinoa and sprinkle with rose petals.

Enjoy!

Rye Crusted Goat Cheese and Cloudberry Cups

 

Ever since we left Finland I've been craving for cloudberries. We really got spoiled there, we ate cloudberries (frozen from the previous season) like there was no tomorrow and there is no doubt this luxurious berry is my all time favourite. It's been nearly a month now since we left my home country and my craving for this berry is coming back stronger by the day. My only consolation was a jar of cloudberry jam I always keep in the fridge for emergencies and although it doesn't compare to the rich flavour of the real berries, it's my second best (and only) option to satisfy my cravings.

These lovely rye crusted cups with goat cheese make a perfect pair for the cloudberry jam. They are fragile, crumbly and delicious and the goat cheese is soft and creamy, just like it should be. I loved the addition of lemon thyme, it's quickly becoming my favourite herb and I now have it growing in my tiny kitchen!

Rye Crusted Goat Cheese and Cloudberry Cups

(Makes 6)

50g unsalted butter, slightly softened

60g rye flour

20g plain wheat flour

tiny pinch of salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

25ml milk

100g goat cheese

6 tbsp cloudberry jam

fresh lemon thyme, for serving

Mix the dry ingredients with butter, add the milk and mix into a smooth dough. Divide the dough into 6 portions and press each portion into greased muffin tins cups. Place in the fridge for 10-20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 175C. Bake the cups for 10-15 minutes, remove from the oven and top with goat cheese cut into 6 portions. Place back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and got a bit of colour. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Remove the cups from the tin (carefully!) and top with cloudberry jam. Sprinkle with fresh lemon thyme.

Enjoy!

Rye and Wheat with Beets, Carrots and Goat Cheese

It was one of those days when I (literally) half-ran home from work because I had an idea of what I wanted to cook. I have a very active mind; I just can't stop it from wandering on to recipes, ingredients and flavour combinations whenever it gets a chance. I'm also a very impatient person, and sometimes it's excruciating to wait hours before I can roll up my sleeves and get cracking.

This dish was one of those recipe ideas. I knew I was on the right track when I bought that packet of goat cheese, I had those beets in my fridge and was craving for taste of walnut oil. I'm not normally a wine lover, but for some reason this dish really seemed to call for a glass. In my opinion, a little luxury to brighten up a working week is exactly what one needs every now and then ;-)

Rye and Wheat with Beets, Carrots and Goat Cheese
(Serves 2 hungry diners)

1/2 cup rye grain
1 cup wheat grain (wheat berry)
2 medium beets, unpeeled and left whole
2 carrots, unpeeled, chopped in half or thirds
fresh rosemary
70g goat cheese
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp walnut oil + extra for serving
pinch of salt
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted, for serving

Place the rye and wheat grains in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil and simmer for about 40 minutes. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.

While the grains are cooking, place the beets and carrots in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil and let simmer for 30-40 minutes or until just tender (remove the carrots earlier as they will cook faster). Peel the beets under running cold water, peel the carrots and chop into chunks.

Season the grains with apple cider vinegar, walnut oil and a pinch of salt. Add rosemary (as much as you like), carrots, beets and the goat cheese in chunks. Toss everything to mix and plate. Sprinkle with pine nuts and drizzle with extra walnut oil.

Have a lovely start for the week!

Cherry Salad with Feta and Macadamias

We are back in Sydney from our holidays. It took us almost 30 hours door to door, and once again my body is struggling to cope with the jet lag and the climate change. This also happened to be the first time I was suffering from bad motion sickness during all our flights (sorry if too much information), and it really made travelling much worse. It will take me days to get back to normal, but I am trying to take it easy, eat well and get plenty of rest.

It is summer here in Sydney and although it has been a wet start for the season, we are still enjoying warm weather and occasional sunshine. After coming home I was not rushing to get back in the kitchen, seeing I wasn't feeling well, but I did manage to put together a salad which was probably exactly what I needed.

You might think combining cherry with feta cheese is a strange idea, but it actually works well in this salad and the flavours seem to marry well together. The salty creamy feta is delicious with sweet cherries, and the sherry vinegar gives the salad a nice tang. Add macadamias and dried cranberries for some texture and you'll have a tasty little salad!

Cherry Salad with Feta and Macadamias

handful of fresh cherries, pitted and halved
handful of rocket
2-3 tbsp macadamia nuts, cut into halves or quarters
2 tbsp dried cranberries
50g feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sherry vinegar

Combine all the salad ingredients in a bowl. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil and vinegar and stir to combine. Coat the salad with the dressing and serve.

Leipäjuusto - Bread Cheese

Happy New Year's Eve everyone!

We are taking it easy this New Year's Eve and spending it here in Finland with my family. We are planning a selection of interesting nibbles for tonight, but I'll share more of that with you later ;-)

I couldn't possibly leave out a post dedicated to one of my favourite Finnish cheeses, leipäjuusto (leipä=bread, juusto=cheese), also known as Finnish squeaky cheese. I've made sure to enjoy this mild and highly addictive cheese daily while in Finland; either with a hot cup of coffee or with cloudberries. Inspired by our trip to Japan, I also paired leipäjuusto with kaki (or persimmon), and found it works surprisingly well!

I wish you the best of health for the upcoming year; eat well and enjoy!

Leipäjuusto with cloudberry sauce

Persimmon & Leipäjuusto with Cloudberry Sauce*
(Serves 4)

4 persimmons
leipäjuusto (about 50g)
150g cloudberries, pureed

Cut out the tops of the persimmons and scoop out the insides. Set aside. Chop the leipäjuusto into small cubes and cut the persimmon flesh into pieces. Mix the cheese with the fruit and fill in the persimmon cups with the mixture. Drizzle the mixture generously with the cloudberry sauce.

*You can try replacing the cheese with another mild cheese and use cloudberry jam (made into a runnier paste with some water for example) as a substitute. Cloudberry jams are available in most Scandinavian shops and IKEA.