Lavender Polenta Cake from Brooklyn Kitchen

The good thing about my new job is I get to watch beautiful videos about food.  One being from Kate Previte of Brooklyn Kitchen, a short form recipe videos.

You can see the video here at a new online channel called Scenic Collection.  If you subscribe to the channel and download the app you can make 10 second clips from the videos and share on social media too.

Kate shared the recipe of Lavender Polenta Cake with Scenic and I want to share it with you because it is delicious. If you want to know more about talented Kate Previte visit her website here.

Photo courtesy:©Kate Previte / Brooklyn Kitchen  – Stills from the Video Lavender Polenta Cake

Lavender Polenta Cake yield: one 8-inch cake, about 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1.5 Tbsp culinary or English lavender flowers
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 Tbsp brandy
• 1 Tbsp vanilla paste or extract
• 3/4 cup polenta, plus additional for coating pan
• 2 cups almond flour*
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp powdered sugar, for dusting
• a few sprigs of lavender, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF (or 180ºC). Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and dust with polenta.

By hand or in a stand mixer, beat butter with sugar and lavender until smooth and light. Add the eggs and beat to combine — on low if using an electric mixer — then add the almond extract, brandy and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the polenta, almond flour and wheat or gf flour and whisk or mix by hand until uniformly combined.

using a sturdy wooden spoon, gradually mix the dry ingredients into the egg and butter mixture until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The top of the cake should be a light golden brown.

Photo courtesy:©Kate Previte / Brooklyn Kitchen

Let the cake cool for 10–15 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool for 10 minutes more. Dust with powdered sugar using a handheld strainer and top with lavender sprigs, if using.

Serve warm or at room temperature. The cake will last for about 6 days on the counter if covered in cling wrap, or a bit longer in the refrigerator.

Photo courtesy:©Kate Previte / Brooklyn Kitchen

*Almond flour can be purchased in stores, but is also a handy by-product of homemade almond milk. After straining your almond milk, spread wet almond meal out on a sheet pan and place in a warm oven (pilot light only) for about 2 days. Grind in a food processor or blender to remove chunks and store in a sealed container in the freezer until ready to use.

Scenic Collection – my new job

I haven´t posted much lately because I have been working on a project called Scenic Collection with a friend and we will be launching in April.  No surprise, there will be food involved, but also other fun lifestyle-related topics.

We wrote a blog post about what Scenic Collection is, it´s a lovely read:)

 Peace in the eye of the storm

And please go check out our facebook page and give it a little like, we will keep you updated there.

Of course we are all over social media and you can find links on our homepage ScenicCollection.com

Cheers, Soffía

 

 

Vikingsushi at Breiðafjörður

Breiðafjörður is a beautiful bay in the west of Iceland,where you find over 3000 small islands and skerries.

 

You can go on a boat trip around the bay, and one boat offers “vikingsushi” , where a net plough is put in the ocean  and soon they bring  up a net full of fresh delicious seafood like, scallops, crabs and sea urchins.  This must be the best scallops I´ve ever had and the freshest for sure.

 

 

The bird life around the Islands is wonderful as well.

The Kiss

 

 

 

 

Summertime – The green energy drink

It has been a while.  I have been eating,  just not blogging.

I just got back from a vacation in Canada.  I went to see my sister in Vancouver and  friends in Kamloops,  where I used to live.  We put a little twist on the trip by going on a cruise to Alaska.
After watching Northern exposure back in the days I have always had a thing for Alaska. 🙂  More about the trip later.

Now I am back in rainy Iceland,  very refreshing.

One of my favorite drink in the morning these days is the green energy drink, kale, mango, bananas, mint and some berries and a dash of orange juice.  I offered my 4 year old daughter to try it and asked if she wanted to taste my drink “The green thunder”. Yes, she did and liked it.  The next day she asked me if was was making the green drink again and said, not quite remembering the name of the drink “ Mom, are you making “The green booger”

(In Icelandic I called it “Græna þruman” but she said “Græna slumman”. )

 

The green booger

• Handful of kale
• 10-15  leaves of mint
• 1/2 mango
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup orange juice (or any juice)
• Few raspberries

All in a blender.  The mint is essential here.  If you have not tried kale in a smootihe I urge you to try it.  It is delicious.

 

 

I am doing something new now,  writing this blog on my phone.  Therefore I am going to post some pics I have been taking with the phone camera after I got back home from my vacation.

Hvalfjörður

My hens.

We had a very aggressive rooster, so we asked a friend to help us to get rid of it.  Only few days later the hens were so much happier and totally different hens, they were outgoing, friendly, adventures, the one that had lost some feather grew it back and looks fab.

Finally I have happy hens.

Flowers in the evening sun

Evening walk with a friend

The neighbors

Chicken Cannelloni

It´s been quite a while since I posted a recipe, so long that I think I haven´t said HAPPY NEW YEAR! hehe.  I have been thinking lots of blog posts in my head and now that I am sitting here writing this I don´t remember anything i have been wanting to blog about.  I have been reading fun books I want to tell you about, one is called “On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee. It is a very interesting book and even though I am not the scientist type and have troubles understanding all the English scientific words it´s very educational.  A really good book to have in your cook book collection.

A local newspaper asked me for a recipe.  I decided to make Cannelloni with chicken, served with a good loaf of bread and lightly cooked fresh spinach.

Do I need to say:  As much as you can, buy fresh, buy local, buy food you can trust that is good, buy organic that you know for sure is organic.

Chicken Cannelloni with spinach. 

Lasagna sheets:

• 300 g stone milled organic flour
• 3 eggs

Mix together in a food processor for 30 sec and then by hand  or by hand only.  Flat out the dough with a rolling pin or a pasta machine and make thin lasagna sheets.

The filling:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 dl heavy cream
• Handful of fresh basil
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper, teaspoon each

Mix all ingredients very well together in a food processor.

The tomato sauce:

• 1 bottle (about 500 ml ) Tomato passata
• 1-2 shallots (onion)
• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra: 

2 dl Mozzarella, shredded

Spinach, cooked in  EVOO

Lightly cook the finely chopped onion in a tbsp of EVOO to soften it up, add the tomato passata and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Ta ta you got a mild and tasty tomato sauce.  Make sure you use a good passata.

Put the filling on the lasagna sheets, about 3-4 tablespoons per sheet.  Roll it up.

Pour the tomato sauce in an oven proved dish, not all though, place the lasagna sheets on top.  Pour over the rest of the sauce on top of the sheets so they are soft when cooked.

Bake for about half an hour.  Add the shredded mozzarella and bake for another 10 minutes.

Saute the spinach with a little bit of good extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).

Make sure you got lots of pamagiano reggiano shredded on top of the whole thing.

Follow Soffia Gisladottir’s board The house by the sea on Pinterest.

Rye-tortilla with veggies and a foggy day

We got the craziest fog the other day and we watched it crawl into the fjord. In fifteen minutes we went from sunny clear sky to a total fog so I couldn´t see the house next a cross the road.

I had spent the day outside baking rye bread as I often do since It can get rather smokey if I do it inside.  Then I made few  tortillas for lunch using the Icelandic flat bread recipe.  If you like the taste of rye this you must try.

Rye tortillas with veggies

The tortillas

• 200 g rye flour
• 100 g whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 -3 dl boiling water
• All purpose flour when rolling it out.

Blend all ingredients together, pouring the water in little at a time.  It´s like making any bread dough, or  like tortillas.  Roll it out in thin tortillas and bake on a hot pan, about 1 minute each side.

I use white flour for dusting, while rolling out the dough.  I do the same as if it was Roti or any other flat bred, make golf ball sizes balls and roll them out, bake on a hot pan, each side for 1 minute or so.

The Chili sauce

• 2-3 tablespoons Sweet chili sauce
• 1 cup Mayo

Mix well in a bowl.

The Yogurt sauce

• Ab milk or greek yogurt
• Cucumber
• Red onion
• Salt
• Turmeric
• Fresh oregano or good quality dried one

Dice the red onion and the cucumber. Mix everything well together in a
bowl.

The Veggie Salad

• Red bell pepper
• Yellow bell pepper
• Spring onion
• Carrots
• Garden greens

Dice the peppers and the onion, scred the carrot. Mix.

Serve little of everything on a flatbread. I had some melted cheese as
well.

I put shredded cheese on the hot flatbread so it mmmmmmmmmmmmelted.

Here you find the Icelandic flat bread recipe

First we had a beautiful sunset and a little cloud sneaking in…

Then I placed my camera on a tripod and took a photo with the timer every minute for about 20 minutes

This is what happened…

The first photo was taken at 22:42 and the last one at 23.01 in the evening.

Sandwich cake – smörgåstårta

I made this cake for my son on his first birthday.  When you are this little you are not getting a bite of a chocolate cake so I decided to make a cake he could taste.  There for I made a pretty cake made of bread, a fancy sandwich cake.

In Icelandic we call Sandwich cake, “brauðterta”, translated “bread tart”.  It is made with bread and lots of mayo.  This version is easy on the mayo though and it is really tasty. A smoked salmon is perfect in sandwich cake.  Here we made a mousse out of the salmon with some Crème fraîche.  This recipe uses also cream cheese and I tell you, smoked salmon and cream cheese is the perfect combo.

I got this recipe from Saveur.  Follow this link to get the recipe.  Read on to see how I pulled this off…

First of all, I buy a classic sandwich cake bread in the store, since this kind of food has been a tradition in Iceland for a long long time.  It is a soft white bread.  You can of course bake your own or go to the bakery and buy a nice loaf.  You can see below how it is cut length wise.

The first layer was the salmon mousse and cucumbers.

Then we get a bread and on top goes butter, salmon, mustard sauce…

…and the salad

Another bread and repeat until you finish the slices of bread, I had 5 slices.

Then you get your creative side out and decorate it with sliced egg, little cooked shrimp, smoked salmon

and flat leave parsley.  But first you put the cream cheese on the cake, like you were putting a frosting on a normal cake.

I made roses out of the salmon… it is easy you just roll up the strip of salmon.

I had left over bread and made triangle sandwiches with mousse, parsley and salad.

The birthday boy was happy with the cake and most of all loved drinking milk with a straw…muuu

We drove around the fjord, close by we have a farm, they sell the nicest organic lamb and pork.

The goat got comfy at the cafe.

The Perfect Pizza – part III – Top that

Rule number one, do not over stack, the bread gets soggy…unless you like it over stacked and soggy.

Less is more and make sure you´ve got quality ingredients.

When I make pizza with for example, pepperoni, cheese, onion, fresh chili  and mushrooms I don´t put much of each, that would be over stacking…

What I listed above with fresh ruccola and fresh basil after it comes out of the oven is my favorite pizza toppings.

look at that green pepper corn, mmmm

I get a quality salami with green pepper and i use fresh mozzarella. The green pepper corns in the salami give such a wooonnnnderful flavor

Some how no matter what I put on my pizza it´s always good.  I have used left over Indian food (lamb in cashew-tomato sauce, mango chutney…), left over Cuban sandwich (ham, pork, pickles, mustard…), left over dumplings (ground pork, fennel, chili…).

So what it the key to the perfect pizza toppings?

• Less is more
• Quality ingredients
• Fresh basil and fresh mozzarella
• Don´t be afraid to try new things instead of making always the same pizza… You can always make the usual one next time or make two, the usual one and a new one.

My favorite: (as seen below with pictures)

• Creme fraice mixed with cheese and jalapeno
• Ground lamb, fresh red onion, parsley and lemon
• Green pepper salami, mushrooms, onion, chili and ruccola, with passata and fresh mozzarella
• Dijon mustard, feta cheese and olives

One of my favorite pizza has only on top a mix of Creme fraice, shredded Montery Jack type of cheese and jalapeno (either canned or fresh, both works) .  Mix well and season with salt and pepper and spread it on the rolled out pizza dough.

Photo: Björn Árnason

Another favorite is Lahmacun. I urge you to try it, and please use ground lamb instead of ground beef.

Last but not least, don´t forget to make a Calzone once in a while…

The very last one, try this one, it´s a crowd pleaser, The topping: Dijon mustard, feta cheese and olives.  Spread the Dijon mustard on the rolled out dough, top it with olives and feta.  So good i tell you, soooo good.  Perfect for the grill this summer with a glass of chilled white wine.

Pizza – Everything you need to know about making the best crust – Part I

Pizza – Everything you need to know about making the best pizza sauce – Part II

Pulled pork and coleslaw

First day of summer in Iceland was last Thursday, it´s a national holiday.  People dress warm and go out for a stroll in a parade with a big band and scouts holding the Icelandic flag.

Pulled pork

• A piece of pork shoulder
• Salt
• Pepper

Put the shoulder in a pot and fill it with water so the water goes over the pork.  Put in an oven for 6-8 hours at 150°c.

We were at a summerhouse and didn´t have a steak pot but thankfully we found a big pot that fit the oven and the pork.

When the pork is ready you need a good bbq sause to go marinade it with.  I made a pot of sauce and threw the pork in after tearing it a part from the bone, that was easy after all the cooking in the oven.

Use your nicest bbq recipe. It might be something like this.

• Scalott
• Onion
• Fennel
• Chile
• Garlic
• Brown sugar
• Sherry vinegar
• Can chopped tomatoes or can of tomato sauce
• Mustard
• Butter

Chop, melt butter, fry veggies, mix everything together, boil…

Coleslaw is a must with pulled pork.  It freshens it up a bit.  I did a homemade coleslaw and it was very good.

• Cabbage, schredded
• Carrots, shredded
• Creme fraishe
• Salt
• Pepper
• Apples, scredded
• Lemon juice (fresh)

I served it with melted mozzarella and fresh spinach  as well.  Use the best sandwich bread you can find. I used Ciabatta.  Even a homemade naan might be really good.  If you got no good bread a Mexican tortilla or a Roti might work.  (Homemade of course!)

While the pork was boiling we went for a drive around the country side and to see hot springs.  The weather was a bit cold so the hot water made lots of steam.

The group photo

The green.  Sweet colors of nature

The bubblee hot spring…very hot

Chinese Dumplings and I had few interviews last week

Homemade is the best, fresh and you know what you are eating.  I am not much of a pig person, but I can buy organic Icelandic pigs, fed with Icelandic corn and it was very good.  This is the best meal I´ve made so far this year.

Make sure you´ve got quality ingredients.

Chinese Dumplings

Dough

• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups water
• Flour for dusting

Mix, kneed until smooth, set aside for 30 minutes.  Roll it out into a long sausage. cut into small pieces, about 2 cm.  Roll out like a pizza dough

Filling

• 500 g ground pork
• 1 Napa cabbage
• 1-2 spring onions
• 1 tablespoons grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

Dipping sause

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
• Finely chopped chili pepper (if you like some spice to it)

Mix well.  Serve in a bowl on the side with the dumplings.  You might need to double the recipe or just make as much as you think you need.

Mix everything well together

Flatten out the dough and make thin, round cakes.  I cut mine with a large glass.

Add a tablespoon or two of the ground pork mix to each cake.

First I fry them, then I add water water and boil it.

Serve the dumplings with a good soy sauce

Dip the Dumplings in the Soy

Eat.

I think it´s important to get the bottom of the dumplings fried, not only boil them, to get some texture.

I had some left overs, both dough and ground pork, what do you do?

 Of course you flatten out the dough and make dumpling pizza.

I have been interviewed few times last week because I made apps for kids teaching them the alphabet, numbers, colors and more.  There are no apps like that in Icelandic for kids, probably because this is not a big market.

All our apps so far are for free and we made it in English as well.  Take a look at the website, www.soffia.net,  where you can also play the alphabet and the numbers if you do not have an Android phone.

I made few apps a year ago, then I was on a maternity leave and wanted to do more apps.  I  teamed up with a girl named Helga and we call our project Lean Laundry.

I am very proud of us, we are both on maternity leave now, and between taking care of babies, the house, doing laundry and cooking dinner we make educational multimedia material for babies and kids.

Check us out on Facebook and put a little LIKE on us.

Learn the Icelandic alphabet or if you have kids, take a look at the English version.  More to come!