beetroot sandwiches with seaweed salad and wasabi

This is super good and very simple. I am actually not sure about the origin of the seaweed, but the beets are seasonal!

Ingredients:
Two round beets (around 250 g)
100 g fresh seaweed salad (you can buy it at the fish store)
around 2 tsp wasabi
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

Method:
Cut 24 very thin slices of the beets. For this it is good to use a mandolin iron if you have one of those.
Put the slices together two and two with some seaweed salad in the middle. Put a dab of wasabi on top and sprinkle with the roasted sesame seeds.
Three sandwiches per person for a little starter or a snack


(this recipe was found on the website of Politiken.dk)

If the stew fits.

Every "seasoned" cook has a little notebook in which they keep favourite recipes jotted down from here and there. Whilst I would never consider myself a cook - more of a epicurean experimenter - I too have such a notebook. Mostly I have no idea where the recipes come from but this next one I think may be courtesy of the wonderful Claire MacDonald; a super cook who frequently uses seasonal Scottish (very similar to Swedish) produce in her food.

The original recipe calls for dumplings, however, I found the meat and vegetables itself hearty enough so have omitted them (also, secretly, when I try to make them they always fall apart). The recipe also suggests peeling the carrots and parsnips, personally I think life is too short. I don't have pictures for this post, but then stew probably falls into the category of "tastes better than it looks"

n.b I think this is a "start the day before" recipe which might put some off, but trust me its worth it!

Winter Beef Stew

Stew Ingredients:
4 tbsp sunflower oil
1 kg of stewing beef
2 tbsp flour
2 onions (chopped "lagomly"*)
1-2 garlic cloves (chopped finely)
2 carrots (chopped "lagomly")
2 parsnips (chopped "lagomly")
half a turnip, (peeled and chopped "lagomly")
2 leeks (sliced)
2 sticks celery (sliced)
2 beetroots (peeled and chopped "lagomly")
2 pints of beef stock

• Heat the oil in a heavy casserole dish
• Put the beef and flour (and some salt and pepper seasoning) into a bag (if your veg came in a polybag why not use it) and toss until thoroughly coated
• Brown the beef in the hot oil and remove using a slotted spoon, before cooking the onions in the remaining oil.
• Once the onions are a nice golden colour, stir in the garlic.
• Add the vegetable and stock. Once the stew has reached a gentle simmer, return the meat to the pan.
• Pop on the lid and cook in a moderate oven (about 180-200°C) for 2 hours.
• Take it out the oven and let it cool (hence why this is a "day before recipe").
• Once the dish is cool (or before you plan to serve the stew) return the pot to the moderate oven until it reaches a simmer. This takes between 30minutes -1 hour. Then let it simmer for 30 minutes or so. Just enough time for a nice brisk walk in the winter snow.
• The stew can be served on its own, with crusty bread, mash potatoes or dumplings. Whatever tickles your fancy.
  

* chopped "lagomly" = neither fine nor chunky but rather just right

Oven baked root vegetables with spice

This is another great and easy recipe from Hanne Holm

INGREDIENTS
3 medium large beetroots (ca 300 g) peeled and cut into small boats
5-6 potatoes (ca 400 g) peeled and cut into small boats
3 carrots (ca 300 g) peeled and cut into sticks
2 parsnips (ca 200 g) peeled and cut into sticks
1 leek in slices
4-5 shallots in boats
4 bay leaves

DRESSING
6 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
2 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp dry oregano
3 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground pepper

GARNISH
parsley, chopped

COOKING
Prepare all the vegetables and have all ingredients ready.
Mix olive oil with lemon juice, cumin and oregano and add salt to taste. Put a little of the dressing in the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Mix the vegetables and the bayleaves onto the dish, pour the rest of the dressing over and turn the veggies carefully so that all are covered in dressing.

Bake in the oven for app. 1 hour on 180°C, or until the vegetables are tender - turn them occationally. Garnish with parsley before serving.

I love to serve a tahini dressing to this as I really think that the rich bitter taste goes well with the sweetness of the baked veggies.
It is also good to sprinkle sesame seeds on the vegetables before putting into the oven.

Impress your friends with a Local, Seasonal Climate Friendly 3 course Meal!

Climate Friendly Recipes:

Entree: (Red Beet Soup)

Ingredients:

5 yellow onions

10 garlic cloves

about 300g parsnip

oil

1/2 dL sugar

2.5kg beetroots

Fresh ginger

5 teaspoon thyme

3 L water

5 carrots

5 potatoes

1 dL fresh parsley

1dL basil

salt

2 dL oat cream

Method:

Chop onions and beetroots. Fry onion, garlic, ginger and sugar in oil. Add root vegetables, water and thyme (the water should just cover the root vegetables) Cook until the vegetables are soft – approximately one hour

Mix soup and ad the spices. Add the oat cream depending on the colour of the soup you want. If you add it now the colour will be more pink. If you want a redder colour, add it in a swirl on top of the soup upon serving.

Main Course: Bean Patties, Skåne Potatoes with Coleslaw

Bean Patties

Ingredients:

1.5 L cooked beans

3 carrots

3 parsnips

6 yellow onions

About 5 tablespoon oil

3 tablespoons parsley

3 teaspoons paprika powder

1 ½ teaspoons pepper

5 tablespoons mustard

salt

2.5 dL plain flour

oil for frying

Method:

Blend beans with a stick blender or in a food processor. Chop onions and fry with paprika and pepper. Mix together all ingredients and bean mixture with wet hands. Fry on both sides

Skåne Potatoes:

Ingredients:

5 – 6 kg potatoes

5 -6 yellow onions

oil

1.5 L oat cream

rosemary, salt and white pepper

Method:

Peel and chop potatoes into cubes, Cut onions & fry potatoes in oil and then add cream. Cook for about 15 minutes until soft. Add spices

Coleslaw:

Ingredients:

White Cabbage

Carrots

Dill

Salt

Method:

Cut/grate coleslaw and add salt. Leave in refrigerator for about 1 hr until it gets juicy. Add carrot and finely chopped dill. Add mayonnaise (see recipe below) and blend thoroughly

Linmajonnäs:

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon crushed linseed

½ teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoon warm water

2 dL extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mustard

2 – 3 teaspoons apple vinegar

Approximately 50 mL water

Method:

Grind the linseed as much as you can using a pestle and mortar. Mix it together with warm water, salt, mustard and vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes at room temperature. Add oil a little at a time whilst you mix with a spoon. Add vinegar and a little water. Serve with coleslaw (recipe above)

Dessert: Spiced Apple Hot Cake (well something cake like anyway!)

Ingredients:

1.5 dL oil

1.5 dL semolina

Approximately 10 apples

About 4 dL of sugar

4.5 dL oat milk

1.5 L water

6 teaspoons cardamom powder

3 grams saffron (remove if you want to be super climate friendly!)

1 ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

Fry semolina in oil. Move it around the fry pan until it becomes a cooked colour and starts to smell good. Chop apples in small pieces and stew with sugar and spices. Cook up with water and oat milk and then lower heat. Cook until semolina is soft. Should be served cold with cardamom powder on top. Vanilla cream would go well with this!

Recipes from Hållbart Universitet/Lund Students for Sustainability - http://www.hallbartuni.tk/

Beet Dip

Ingredients:

5 Red beets

3 dL. yoghurt

2 cloves garlic

0.6 dL. lemon juice

cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika (one pinch of each)

pepper (to taste)

Method:

Cook beets for 40-60 minutes until tender

When cooked rub off skins

Process in blender (food processor)

Add yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice and spices

Goes well with crackers, bread or knäckerbröd!

(picture taken from artfarmla.com)