Morning Glory – Oeufs en Cocotte with Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

tammikuu 27, 2015 Sini│My Blue&White Kitchen

Oeufs en Cocotte with Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomatoes | My Blue&White Kitchen

For a couple of months now, I've bought most of the eggs I use in my kitchen from a farmer for whom his chickens' health and what they eat are the number-one priority. The chickens can roam freely and have the option to go outdoors 365 days a year. These chickens can smell the first greens of spring, feel the warm summer sun on their skin, watch the days get shorter in fall, and experience the beauty of the white Nordic winters. And you can taste all of that in the eggs. The yolks are deep yellow in color and the texture is creamy; they're the best eggs I've eaten.

I'm happy that I've found a product that matches my idea of ethical and sustainable living and consumption, tastes delicious, and is an excellent example of the farm-to-table movement. My money goes directly to the farmer which is, as I believe, the best scenario for both the consumer and the producer. And you know, happy chickens.

For over a decade, I've only bought organic eggs or, better still, eggs from a local, small farmer where I can be sure that the chickens are being ethically raised and held. Standards of how chickens must be held to be called "organic" or "free-range" vary from one country to another, and I encourage you to do some research on what those terms really mean should you be interested in where your eggs come from. Naturally, the same applies to all animal products and, well, to produce in general.

Be interested, care, ask.

If you live in Southern Finland and are interested in ethically raised, fresh eggs, join the Facebook group and check out the dates. The farmer drives around Southern Finland on a regular basis selling his products.

After my love letter to eggs, I should come up with a dish that puts them into good use, right? So today, I'm sharing a recipe for Oeufs en cocotte, one of the fanciest sounding yet easy and quick to prepare dishes for breakfast or brunch. I mean, we could talk about baked eggs but who wants to call them by that name, especially when they have such a fancy sounding French name? This is a dish that makes your guests look at you in awe, sing an ode to the beauty of eggs, and ask for the recipe. You think I'm exaggerating? Try it yourself.

I first stumbled upon this French breakfast classic on either Béa's or Aran's blog and have been an avid fan of this luscious dish ever since. Oeufs en cocotte can be adapted to one's liking and the season. The possibilities are endless! Look what's in your fridge and get inspired by the produce of the season. Last week, I had spinach which I wanted to use up. The idea of tomatoes crossed my mind, so I grabbed a glass of sun-dried tomatoes for a dose of sunshine (cause fresh tomatoes are obviously not in season). Créme fraîche works really nice, especially during the colder months as it makes the dish extra creamy and comforting, so I decided to use some.

The result was a lovely breakfast; one that I couldn't wait to share with you.

Oeufs en Cocotte with Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 large handful (1 lightly packed cup) spinach, washed
4 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp crème fraîche
2 eggs
4 tsp heavy cream
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
nutmeg
a bit of finely sliced scallions

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Butter or oil two ovenproof ramekins.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the crushed garlic and spinach until spinach starts to wilt. Add a pinch of salt and the sun-dried tomatoes. Remove skillet from heat. Discard the garlic glove.

Put a layer of crème fraîche in each ramekin and top with the spinach mixture. Crack an egg in each ramekin. Pour 2 tsp of heavy cream over each egg white avoiding the egg yolks. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Finish with finely sliced scallions.

To make a water bath, put the ramekins in a baking dish. Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the oven. Pour steaming hot water (hot tap water works fine!) into the baking dish to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Serve warm.

Hello 2015 – Nordic Canapés with Roe & Gravlax

joulukuu 28, 2014 Sini│My Blue&White Kitchen

Nordic Canapés with Roe & Gravlax | My Blue&White Kitchen

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas in good company and enjoyed delicious food and got a chance to relax for a few days! If you're like me, you're surprised by the approach of New Year's Eve. It's quite ridiculous as Christmas and New Year are always just one week apart from each other, but every single year I find myself kind of surprised by their proximity. Suddenly, one has to change from Christmas mood to the celebration of a new, hopefully exciting year.

Some of you may have made plans for New Year's Eve. Maybe a party at a friend's house or a casual get-together? Or maybe you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all and consider spending a night at home. Or you're hosting a New Year's Eve party yourself (awesome!). Well, for all of you who haven't yet decided what to serve next Wednesday whether to friends, family, or just yourself, I have a Nordic treat that I strongly recommend you to consider.

I call these Nordic canapés as they really are a culinary love letter to Nordic flavors. Dark rye bread is topped with smetana, a kind of sour cream from Eastern and Central Europe, finely diced red onion, roe, gravlax, and dill. These are super easy and quick to prepare, look absolutely stunning, and taste amazing. In my world, there's no better way to welcome guests into your home. Serve with a glass of sparkling wine and welcome 2015 with a broad smile.

Nordic Canapés with Roe & Gravlax

I recommend dark rye bread or Nordic potato rye bread/limpa (which I actually used), but crispbread or lightly toasted toast would work as well. Use whatever roe you like the most or are able to find; this time, I used vendance (the orange one in the pictures) and European whitefish (the yellow one). You can make gravlax yourself or buy it from a trusted source. Always make sure the gravlax is fresh; it should be consumed within a couple of days.

dark rye bread or Nordic potato rye bread/limpa
butter
smetana or full-fat sour cream
red onion, finely diced
fish roe, thawed if frozen
gravlax, cut into thin slices
dill

Cut out canapés using a cookie cutter of your choice. I used a round one with a diameter of 4 cm / 1.5". Lightly butter each piece. Top with smetana or full-fat sour cream, finely diced red onion, roe or gravlax (or even both), and dill. Serve and enjoy!

The Recipe I Had To Share – Rose Pistachio Shortbread

joulukuu 16, 2014 Sini│My Blue&White Kitchen

Rose Pistachio Shortbread | My Blue&White Kitchen

I didn't actually plan this to happen. Maybe you think "but she already posted a cookie recipe a few weeks ago!". Well, I can't blame you. This is probably considered "bad food blogging" to some standards, as a nice mix of different kinds of recipes is seen as being the ideal. However, as I'm not really organized when it comes to blogging at the moment (Will there be a post next week? What will it be about? Guys, I have no idea.), you're going to see what's going on in my kitchen anyway, blog or not. As it's December and holiday season, it's mostly sweet things, such as cookies. Okay, and pomegranate seeds in my morning yogurt but that's another story.

At 9pm last week, I suddenly got the urge to bake a batch of rose shortbread. You know when inspiration hits and there's just no way you could resist running into your kitchen? That happens every now and then, or at least it does happen to me. I was inspired by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks and Ashley of Gather & Feast who both blogged about rose shortbread a while ago. As I was making the dough, the idea of adding pistachios crossed my mind (probably cause I'm a sucker for Aran Goyoaga's Pistachio Sandies; a must-bake). First, I planned to make only round cookies, but that tiny dalahäst cookie cutter wanted to play along as well so I let him. He's just too cute, right?

I still wasn't completely sure whether I would blog about these beauties or not, but after getting rave reviews from a bunch of wonderful women at my most favorite yarn store, I knew I had no choice. It would be madness to keep you in the dark.

These are lovely for the holiday season but they would also be wonderful to serve at a wedding or a baby shower. Please note that the scent, strength, and quality of rosewater varies depending on which brand you use. If in doubt, start by adding only two thirds of the amount of rose water the recipe calls for, taste, and add more if necessary. The flavor should be present but not overwhelming. For these cookies, I used Steenbergs organic rose water.

Hope you're all having a wonderful and not too stressful pre-Christmas week!

Rose Pistachio Shortbread

makes 3 to 4 sheets, depending on the size of your cookies

300 g (5 ½ dl; 2 ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp fine sea salt
200 g (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
100 g (1 dl + 1 tbsp; ½ cup) granulated sugar
1 egg (European size M; U.S. size L)
1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
1 tbsp rose water
1 tbsp dried rose petals + more for sprinkling
45 g (¼ cup) pistachios, roughly chopped

In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined. Scrape down the bowl if necessary. Add the vanilla and rose water and mix. Add flour and mix until just combined. Finally, add the rose petals and pistachios. The dough will feel quite sticky, but resist the temptation to add more flour, as this would result in hard shortbread. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll out the dough to about 0,5 cm / 0.2" thick. Cut out the shortbread using a cookie cutter of your choice. Place onto the prepared baking sheets. Should the dough get too warm, put it back to the fridge for a while, as it's easiest to work with a well chilled dough. Sprinkle with rose petals.

Bake on the middle rack for 10 to 15 minutes or until they start to get golden brown around the edges. Should you bake shortbread of different sizes at the same time, be sure to take out the smaller ones earlier. Remove from the oven. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Let cool completely before storing in a tin box or a jar.

Glorious Green Couscous Salad

lokakuu 23, 2014 Sini│My Blue&White Kitchen

Green Couscous Salad | My Blue&White Kitchen

A few weeks ago I was at the grocery store wondering what to make for dinner. I stood in the middle of the vegetable section seeking inspiration. What should I make? My mind was blank. And then I knew it: couscous salad. I took my phone, typed "couscous Ottolenghi", and hit the search button. Scrolling. Finally my eyes locked on the title that said "Green couscous". There it was: my dinner inspiration. Thank heaven!

Why Ottolenghi, you may ask. Well, there are certain guys whose taste buds I truly trust and Yotam Ottolenghi surely is one of them. His recipes never fail to amaze me, and his take on food, especially vegetables, is quite unique. If you haven't made his recipes yet, I encourage you to dive into his culinary world, and if you don't have his books yet, I encourage you to run to the next bookstore. Like right now even if the temperatures are below zero (greetings from the north, everyone!).

The original recipe calls for parsley but I used kale instead. Actually, this was a result of a misunderstanding. You see, I thought I had a bunch of parsley in my fridge, but as I realized once I got home, I didn't. What I had, however, was kale. Thankfully, it turned out that kale worked great in this recipe! I, furthermore, omitted the green chili and added some tanginess with freshly squeezed lime juice. Inspired by the Israeli Couscous Salad from David Lebovitz, I added some dried fruit when I made it for the second time yesterday. I think the dried fruit made this salad even better and more interesting than it already was.

This salad is one of the best things I've eaten in a while. Packed with herbs and flavor, it makes a great side or main dish. The first time, I had it with grilled salmon and plain yogurt. Yesterday, I first had a serving for lunch and served it as a side with veal roast for dinner. I can also imagine that it would be lovely served with braised lamb or basically any kind of grilled fish. To make a vegetarian-friendly meal, top it with grilled halloumi or feta and pomegranate seeds.

It's a great dish to serve for brunch or a get-together. It's pretty to look at, relatively quick to make (ready in 15 minutes), and can easily be made ahead; it will keep in the fridge for up to two days. Awesome work lunch, anyone? Double or triple the recipe as needed and be ready to respond to numerous recipe enquiries.

Green Couscous Salad

adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi, p. 255
serves 4

2 ½ dl (1 cup) whole-wheat couscous
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp ground cumin

for the herb paste
packed 1 heaping dl (packed ½ cup) roughly chopped kale
2 ½ dl (1 cup) chopped cilantro
2 tbsp chopped tarragon
2 tbsp chopped dill
2 tbsp chopped mint
6 tbsp olive oil

1 heaping dl (½ cup) unsalted & shelled pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 large handfuls of arugula, chopped
lime juice, to taste
1 heaping dl (½ cup) diced dried fruit, such as apricots, cherries, cranberries, or sultanas

optional: plain yogurt, to serve

In a small pot, bring 160 ml (¾ cup) water to a boil. Take off the heat, add couscous, cover, and leave for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, fry the onion on medium-high heat until soft and golden. Add salt and cumin. Mix and let cool slightly.

To make the herb paste, place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth. Set aside.

Combine the couscous and herb paste in a large bowl. Use a fork to fluff up the couscous. Add the onions, pistachios, and arugula. Add lime juice to taste. Finally, top with the dried fruit. Serve lukewarm.

Overnight Oats + A Promo Code For Stitch Linens

lokakuu 16, 2014 Sini│My Blue&White Kitchen

Are you familiar with Marta Greber and her blog What Should I Eat For Breakfast Today? Well, I have to blame her and her gorgeous blog for having been madly obsessed with overnight oats for the last couple of months. It all started with this post last August. See how pretty and tempting that breakfast bowl is? I wanted that deliciousness in my life, made my first batch of overnight oats, and so the love story of me and overnight oats began.

Porridge is an institution here in the north. I think most people start their day with a bowl of warm and comforting porridge. There are even food trucks that sell nothing but porridge (!!). But, you know, I've never been a morning porridge person myself. Yes, I enjoy a bowl of rice porridge in winter (although, not for breakfast, except on Christmas Eve when it's an obligatory part of our Nordic Christmas traditions) as well as farina porridge a couple of times a year, but I've never been attracted to the regular cereal porridges that are all too often rather tasteless and bland. Oh and the consistency can certainly be an issue as well. I haven't grown up eating porridge every single morning, so it's nothing I have an emotional connection with. It's nothing I crave. Well, not until I saw that post about overnight oats that is.

What I love about overnight oats is that it a) can be, as it name already says, prepared on the night before and b) is ridiculously versatile and can be adapted according to the season as well as to one's preferences & diet. My first overnight oats was a combination of oats + apple juice + grated apples + yogurt + nuts + berries. I immediately fell in love with this breakfast and have enjoyed it in the early (and late) morning hours several times a week for the last couple of months. It makes a great breakfast to-go when made in a mason jar or can be enjoyed as a healthy and filling midday snack.

The overnight oats ratio is easy to remember: 1 part of oats to 1 part of liquid. As liquid, you can use juice, such as pure orange or apple juice, milk, plant milk, or even water. Furthermore, you can add some spices to the mix, such as cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, or ginger. Or what about grated apples, pears, or carrots?

There are, of course, endless topping possibilities that I like to change according to the seasons. Some of my favorites are:

nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, cashews, etc.)
fruit & berries (apples, pears, plums, figs, berries of all kind, etc.)
dried berries (cranberries, raisins, figs, cherries, berry powder, etc.)
sweeteners (agave nectar & honey)
plain yogurt, nut butter, jam, etc.
toasted coconut flakes, seeds, bee pollen, cacao nibs, candied ginger, puffed amaranth, etc.

This week, I've been having my oatmeal with pure orange juice, cinnamon, plain yogurt, gorgeous, local pears (seriously, these are the best pears I've ever had), pluots (bought them for the first time last week and am obsessed by their beauty and sweet flavor), toasted coconut flakes, wild hazelnuts that I brought with me from Germany (they look like acorns, though), almonds, pistachios, and bee pollen (a new ingredient in my kitchen). Because of the sweetness of the pears and pluots, I don't even feel the need to add any sweetener.

Are you in the overnight oats game already? What's your favorite combination? I would love to hear!

Overnight Oats

for 1 hungry soul

This dish is gluten-free as long as you make sure your oats aren't contaminated with gluten. Oats are gluten-free themselves but are often manufactured in factories that also handle other, non-gluten-free grains. Check that your package specifies that the oats are gluten-free. To make this dairy-free, simply use plant-based dairy.

1 ½ dl (⅔ cup) rolled oats
1 ½ dl (⅔ cup) pure orange juice
½ tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp yogurt + more to serve

toppings of your choice (here I used pears, pluots, coconut flakes, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, & bee pollen)

Mix together the rolled oats, orange juice, and cinnamon. Cover and place in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.

If using coconut flakes, toast them in a dry pan on medium-high heat while stirring regularly until fragrant and light golden brown in color.

While I most often skip this step myself, note that soaking nuts increases their nutritional value and makes them easier to digest. Hazelnuts and Brazil nuts make an exception as they don't contain enzyme inhibitors and pistachios and macadamia nuts' taste may alter, so I don't soak them. To soak, simply place the nuts in a bowl, cover with twice as much water, and let soak for 6 to 12 hours or overnight. Rinse and use immediately or store in the fridge for up to a week.

In the morning, mix 1 tablespoon of yogurt with the soaked oats. Top with more yogurt, fruit, berries, nuts, or whatever your culinary heart longs for and enjoy!

See those gorgeous blue & white linens I've used in these pics? They're from STITCH and are handmade by Blair, a design student (how cool is that??) in a tiny apartment in NYC (even cooler, right?). I have a special place in my heart for small, brilliant companies and artisan products and immediately fell in love with the look and feel of her high quality linens. Aside from these blue & white linens, my favorites probably are the French Green Dinner Napkins. That color is amazing!

Here's some awesome news: you get 15% off from all STITCH products from today until January 31th with the promo code LOVEBLUE&WHITE. They'll launch some brand-new fall & holiday colors in the coming days so stay tuned! This may be the perfect little something to get to your loved ones for Christmas. I mean, they even offer custom made linens soon.

Hop on over to stock up your collection of linens! Cause let's be honest: one can never own too many. Am I right or am I right?

Disclaimer: Linens provided by STITCH.