Bilberry chutney

One of the perks of having guests over is having tons of leftovers afterwards. Super delicious dishes that can be enjoyed later with almost zero effort. Like fine dining convenience food. For one of our holiday dinners, a guest of ours brought us a scrumptious duck liver pâté that we served as an appetizer with…

Scallop carpaccio with oca and mashua

Today, Finland celebrates 102 years of independence. For me as a Finn, December 6 is correspondingly special. I try to pay homage to Finland’s war veterans and reflect on the luck of peacetime. Culinary-wise, we enjoy traditional Finnish dishes, sometimes with a twist. Seafood and potatoes are typical to the Finnish cuisine. This year, clams…

Herb soup 🌱

Summer is long gone and autumn is taking over. The chilly temperatures turn nature orange; green will soon be a past memory. Before that happens to my kitchen garden, I collected the very last herbs and turned them into a hearty, plant-based soup. Peel and chop parsnip, parsley root, yellow carrot and shallot. Sauté the…

Oatotto with caramelized pear and roasted horn of plenty 🌱

Some time ago, I joined the Swiss Food Discovery project, which is aimed at raising awareness of the Swiss culinary heritage. In order to educate myself (as I’m not indigenous), I bough a book taking me on a journey through time to the origin of Swiss cuisine. In the book, I came across a meal called…

Caramel custard (Brönnti Crème) 🇨🇭

Caramel custard is my next dish for for the Swiss Food Discovery. In German, this dessert is called “Brönnti Crème” translating to “burnt custard” in reference to the burnt sugar and protagonist of the custard. The sugar is not burnt, though, but rather caramelized into a very rich and luscious syrup. And that’s the secret of…

Figs • Parma ham • Ricotta • Olive herb

Never change a winning team! That’s what I though, when I created this plating exercise around some of Italy’s finest ingredients. On a dollop ricotta, place fig slices and Parma ham in an overlapping circle. Top the figs with olive herb. Surround with roasted pine nuts, olive oil drizzle, balsamic vinegar pearls and geranium petals.

Minted tzatziki on citrusy lamb loin

Cucumber and garlic are two of the ingredients in this month’s Food Blog Challenge basket by Foodblogs Schweiz. Cucumber and garlic are also two of the key ingredients in tzatziki. In this dish, I serve it on beautifully seared lamb loin with pleasant citrusy notes. Shred and drain a cucumber. Drain 150 g Greek yoghurt….

Poached cherry tomatoes, pan-seared watermelon and marinated strawberries on grilled halloumi 💚

Today, I was playing around in the kitchen. Experimenting with shapes and textures. I ended up with a trio of spheres, all in red but all cooked using different techniques. What do you think about the outcome? Score a shallow cross in the skin on the bottom of the cherry tomatoes. Cover the tomatoes with…

Melon salad 🌱

Last week, I treated myself to a set of new bowls. Not because I needed them, but because I couldn’t resist their beauty. I have a weakness for black tableware, as you’ve probably already noticed. Those of you familiar with my last post will recognize them. They are so versatile – and that’s what I…

Chilled beetroot soup with dill pesto

My mother makes the most wonderful borscht. I love the marriage between sweet beetroot and sour vinegar. The smetana topping echos the acidity and caters for a pleasantly contrasting softness. This chilled summer version is my take on the Ukrainian classic. For the soup, boil 500 g washed beetroots until tender. Peel them and blend…

Green asparagus panna cotta with morels 💚

Right before Easter, I spend an amazing week in bella Italia. In Venice, to be more precise. Souvenirs being an integral part of the travel experience, I couldn’t return home without a physical reminder of the trip. What did the foodie buy? Silicone portion molds in different size and shape, of course. One of which…

Mother’s Day Pavlova

Mother’s Day is around the corner. Show your appreciation with a luscious pavlova topped with soft vanilla custard, sweet lemon balm pesto, sun-kissed strawberries and raspberries as well as spectacular spring blossom. I should work in copywriting, shouldn’t I? Pavlova: Whisk 2 egg whites and 30 g caster sugar until white. Add 70 g caster…

Birthday number cake

Today, my big one turns six. It feels like she was a baby yesterday. I still remember holding her in my arms for the first time. She was so tiny and totally dependent on me. Now, she’s a big girl, who can cook risotto with a little help and ride the bus all by herself….

Raspberry mousse in dark chocolate cups 🌱

Today, I treated myself to a new kitchen utensil – a silicon sphere freezer mold. I didn’t buy it in order to make ice, though. I intended to use it for spherical desserts, like this one. Chocolate cups: Melt 25 g dark chocolate and coat the bottom half of the sphere mold. Let set in…