This Norwegian Green Bean and Salmon Salad has been a long time family favorite. Full of protein and vegetables it can stand on its own as a one dish meal or it can be the star of a smorgasbord gathering. It’s also a snap to put together and tastes even better the next day. It looks pretty dressed up with sliced eggs with a bit of caviar on top or any other colourful vegetables. Great for picnics. Continue reading
Last Monday I saw an interesting cooking masterclass demonstration at the “Tempo dei Libri” event in Milan, one of the largest book fairs in Italy. There were editors from all over Italy and some even from the States. Of course I was drawn to the cookbook area which was full of every imaginable type of cookbook with the latest editions in print. The chef at the demonstration stressed that every recipe should dip from a palette of crunchiness, sweetness, sapidity, and a touch of acidity. The perfect mixture of these flavours can almost create a work of art if carefully assembled. Tasting this delicious salmon salad I could see (taste!) what he meant. Continue reading
Our local bakery makes this wonderful Sicilian type bread in the form of a Comet Star (Stella Cometa) during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Instead of making the usual savory Panettone (Panettone Gastronomico) with its various layers, I prefer using instead the star of this bread as the base for three layers that are filled. The tail end of the comet can then be sliced to accompany the meal. Continue reading
These potato pancakes are not like “latkes” which require grating or shredding. All the ingredients go into the blender which does all the work! Continue reading
Recently we had these delicious crunchy potato latkes (pancakes) at the beautiful Liepkalni Bakery and restaurant, halfway between Riga and Rezekne on the banks of the beautiful Daugava river. The delicate marinated salmon and sour cream transformed these latkes into a complete and memorable meal. Truly scrumptious! Continue reading
We had this delicious marinated salmon salad on a hot summer day in Riga, Latvia at the Muusu restaurant. It was simple but unforgettable in its freshness. This is a place we’ll come back to for sure next time we’re in Riga, right in the middle of the medieval Old Town. Continue reading
This salmon dish (Kulebyaka) is reputed to be one of the most difficult recipes to prepare. It was created by French chefs in imperial Russia for the Romanov family. Here I simplified it so anyone with a bit of cooking experience can prepare it. The basic ingredients are here, so the character of the dish is authentic. I used the great chef Auguste Escoffier’s “Le Guide Culinaire” (1903) as my guide. Some ingredients are practically impossible to find such as “vesiga” which is dried sturgeon’s marrow. I substituted it with finely chopped chinese rice noodles, similar in texture. Continue reading
This salmon chowder is healthy and easy to put together. There are few ingredients but it also makes for elegant dining. Continue reading
This is a very simple and refreshing salad (or one-dish meal). Perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day. Quick to assemble. I didn’t add the quantities; those can be adjusted to your taste and also what you have on hand. Continue reading
I got this wonderful layered beet salad recipe from my daughter-in-law. We had this as an appetizer for Christmas dinner at their home in London. It’s so complete it could be even a one dish meal. In Russian this salad is called “shuba” which means “fur coat”. Continue reading