This seared tuna starter with pickled red onions, caper berries and honey mustard mayo is inspired by the most amazing appetizer I had in an Italian restaurant in Tivoli in Copenhagen about 15 years ago. Sadly, the restaurant is no more, but all these years I’ve never forgotten that appetizer! For many years I didn’t dare try and copy it for fear of being disappointed, but finally I decided to give it a go, and the result here is so good. I really should have done this years ago! When I was a kid we had lots of tuna, but back then in the ’80s and ’90s the tuna would…
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Lobster galore
The first time we made this lobster starter was for New Year’s, and it immediately became one of our lobster favorites. When Karen-Anne and I were planning our New Year’s dinner, as we always do weeks in advance, we’d already decided we were going to make something with lobster. Actually, we always make something with lobster when Karen-Anne visits. (When your friends voluntarily decide to cram themselves into a plane for eight hours just to visit you, they really deserve to be fed well!) Lobster is so elegant, festive and somewhat extravagant, but one of the perks of living in the northern part of North America is that lobster is…
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It’s Friday!
This is just the most easy peasy simple yet addictively delicious appetizer! Perfect for a Friday night to celebrate that you’ve finally arrived at the weekend. And perfect too with a glass, or two, of bubbles. When I serve these shrimp with cilantro lemon mayo dip the main challenge is to make sure I’ve made enough. More than once I’ve found that the whole platter of shrimp and dip I just put on the table a minute ago has already mysteriously vanished! You can easily prepare the cilantro lemon mayo dip in advance, but otherwise it’ll only take you 5 minutes max to whip up right before serving. Just make…
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Seared trout with caper dill sauce
Really good, crispy skin, pan-seared fish is something everyone deserves to learn how to make. Pan-frying is simply the preparation method that does most justice to fish and also brings out all the nuances of how fish should taste. This recipe for pan-seared trout with caper dill sauce gives you an easy step-by-step instruction for how to sear a piece of fish fillet without messing it up. For years the thought of pan-searing a piece of fish left me with nervous tics and sweaty hands. I simply had not had much luck with it. Every time I attempted it, it ended up looking like something the cat had already had…
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Cajun shrimp bread
We spent this March break doing a road trip through Louisiana and Texas, and had some pretty amazing encounters with real southern food classics. Even just writing about it makes me hungry! This Cajun shrimp bread was inspired by a Cajun crawfish bread we had one sunny afternoon in Louisiana. If you can get your hands on crawfish, I’d use that instead of shrimp, but alas, we don’t all live down south, and shrimp will also do nicely. The Louisiana kitchen is world famous for its spicy and flavorful Cajun and Creole tastes. In my mind, this recipe represents quintessential Louisiana food culture: great shellfish combined with hot Cajun spice,…
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The ultimate winter soup
In my book no soup beats a well-made classic French onion soup as the ultimate comforter on a cold winter’s day. It’s packed with taste, easy to make, not expensive and healthy too. The first time I had onion soup, though, I have to say I was a little suspicious. And it’s true that with its muddy brown color this dish will probably never win any beauty contests. But its understated appearance completely fooled me, and I was taken aback by this rich and flavorful soup. Though I try a lot of new dishes all the time, I very rarely get a really powerful tasting experience that immediately wins me…
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Zesty smoked salmon
Are you ready for spring? I know it’s only February, but I can’t wait for the sun to start warming up my patio and defrost my bones! I’ve already got the patio furniture lined up, and the rosé is in the fridge, so I thought I might just give it another notch with this savory zesty smoked salmon appetizer, or lunch if you like. Maybe it’s because I’m Scandinavian, but I could easily eat smoked salmon every day. It’s no secret that Scandinavians have had a particular liking for raw and raw cured fish since the Vikings, and some even claim that it was the Norwegians who introduced raw…
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Little heavenly ricotta bites
Need a great idea for an appetizer that is fast and easy to make and that will instantly charm your guests’ taste buds? In my book these little heavenly ricotta cream bites are the perfect appetizers. They are creamy, crunchy and light with that amazing freshness and fragrance that basil and lemon so perfectly provide. I’ve been making these for years, and every time I serve them, they seem to be gone before I know it, and my guests always ask for the recipe. I think it often comes as a surprise that these little pale rather innocently looking mouthfuls are so powerful and packed with taste. Because of the…
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Crispy fresh chicken lunch
In Denmark we like to make different mayonnaise based salads that are served for lunch with bread and/or a green salad. This chicken salad with apples and celery is a particular favorite of mine and was created by accident one day when I ran out of curry. Classic chicken salads in Denmark typically include curry or asparagus, but since I didn’t have either, I tried something else and ended up with a salad I thought was even more yummy than the one I originally intended. For me it is a go to recipe because it uses ingredients I usually always have in stock. I simply need to buy chicken and…
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Nutty pears and a Brie
This recipe for baked Brie with brandy pears, almonds and tarragon is truly a celebration of this wonderful cheese! Brie has been one of my favorite cheeses since I was a kid. I think I first discovered Brie when I was about 7 years old, and I was immediately won over by its deliciously soft and creamy texture. In fact so much so that I often found myself snacking on Brie to the point where I would eat up a whole one…sometimes in less than an afternoon. Oh, how I miss being a kid before I knew anything about calories! The good thing though about cheese, Brie included, is that…
