Moms Barbecue Burgers

And I return after a ridiculously long hiatus and just a little late for the 4th of July. This is a recipe that my mother invented for one of my brothers birthdays and has been a stapple summers dish ever since. We bake the hamburgers in the oven because it saves time when you are making a lot of them and it doesn't dry them out as much as frying or grilling can do.

(excuse the blurriness, was using my brothers phone at the time)

500g of minced beef or a even mix of pork and beef
1 egg
2dl ketchup
1dl vinegar
1dl water
1 onion, finely chopped
3tsp brown sugar
3tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Mix together the meat with the egg, some salt and pepper and any other flavorings you want.

Shape the meat into relatively thin patties and place them on an oven pan.

Bake them at 175ºC for about 30min.

Melt some butter in a large pot and fry the chopped onion in it until it goes soft and transparent (you don't want them too brown for this, you want them to almost disappear in the sauce later.)

After the onion goes soft add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil then let simmer for a little while to reduce the sauce.

Taste the sauce often and add more of an ingredient if you think it needs it until you get the right tanginess you want.

Place the burgers in the simmering sauce, if there isn't enough sauce add more water to it and reduce it again until all the burgers are evenly coated.

Serve with a nice potato salad, some nice buns and something cold to drink.

Enjoy!

Moving time

I wont be posting any recipes for a few days as I move out of my apartment.

White Chocolate And Caramel Sauce

A rich, smooth sauce that is perfect with ice-cream and/or fresh fruits and berries. You can of course easily skip the cognac.


1 1/2dl cream
4tbl unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3tbl sugar
175g white chocolate, broken into chunks
2tbl cognac


Pour the cream into a heat resistant bowl and place over a pan of barely simmering water.

Add the butter and sugar and stir until smooth.

Remove the bowl from the pan.

Mix in a few pieces of chocolate at a time and wait until they have melted before adding more.

Pour in the cognac once the chocolate is all mixed in stir the sauce smooth.

Let cool off until it's at room temperature.

Serve with ice-cream, fresh fruits and berries or with a sweet pie or crumble.


Enjoy!

Tortellini Salad

A nice hefty salad that makes for a great party dish. Fresh fruit works very well as a dessert afterwards as it complements the salty and savory flavors of the salad.


1 bag of cheese filled tortellini (ca, 250g)
ca, 1dl Italian dressing
2 bell peppers, cut into strips (one red and one yellow looks best)
8-10 cocktail tomatoes, cut in half
ca, 20 olives, mixed and seedless
2-3dl cheese, in small cubes
1/2-1dl fresh basil, finely chopped
ca, 12 salami slices


Cook the tortellini according to its own instructions.

Drain the pasta and mix it with the dressing while still warm in a bowl and set aside a let cool.

Prepare the vegetables and mix them into the cooled off pasta together with the cheese and basil.

Roll the salami slices into cones and push them into the salad so that they stick upwards like tasty flowers.

Serve with some nice bread to soak up the dressing afterwards.


Enjoy!

Russian Mincemeat Pan

While not genuinely Russian this pan uses red beats and is served with sour cream for that faux Russian experience.


400g mince meat
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
1/2 salt
1 pinch of black pepper
2tbl soy
2dl pickled red beat, finely chopped
1dl pickled cucumber, finely chopped


Fry the onion and then add the meat.

Once the meat is done flavor with salt, pepper and soy.

Mix in the red beats and cucumber and let simmer for a few minutes.

If the pan seems a bit dry add a little water to it.

Serve with boiled rice and sour cream.


Enjoy!

Sponge Cake

This simple sponge cake is delicious on its own but can easily be flavored with vanilla or lemon, and just as easily be turned into a Victoria sponge or used as the base for a cake. To make a Victoria sponge simply slice the cake in half, so you have a top and bottom, and fill it with any jam that you like and let stand for a while so that the jam can soak in a bit.


200g butter or margarine, room temperature
2dl flour
2dl sugar
4 eggs
1tsp baking powder


Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Beat everything together using an electric whisk until creamy.

Pour into a greased or non-stick cake tin.

Bake in the oven at 180ºC for 15-25min until it is a light golden brown.

Let it cool off on a wire rack.

Serve slices of it plain with tea or coffee or with some fresh berries and whipped cream.


Enjoy!

Prince Bertils Filled Minute Steaks

It took me a while to find a translation for the Swedish "lövbiff" (leaf beef) but I finally found out that it was usually called minute or cube steak.


8-10 slices of minute steak (ca. 500g)
1 red onion, finely chopped
3-4tbl blue cheese, grated
2-3tbl unsweetened mustard
salt
pepper


Fry the onion in a little bit of butter for a few minutes and then let it get cool.

Mix together the onion, cheese and mustard.

Spread the mixture evenly between the steak slices.

Fold the steak slices in half and fasten each one with a toothpick so they don't come apart when you fry them.

Fry the steaks for about 1 1/2 minute on each side. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with boiled or fried potatoes, green peas and blackcurrant jelly.


Enjoy!