Smörgåstårta

Smörgåstårta means "sandwich cake" in Swedish, and it is exactly what its name suggests: a big sandwich that looks like a cake. But delicious and fancy looking sandwich that is.

White sandwich bread is used to create cake layers and it is filled with creamy mayonnaise-based mixture to which shrimps, or smoked salmon, roast-beef, eggs...have been added. And decoration is as important, it just has to look fancy.

It is usually made for big dinner/lunch parties because of its many advantages: it is very easy to make, you can change the size of it in the last minute , it looks fabulous and it is super delicious.
No big parties around here so I decided to make a mini version for a weekend lunch for two. So cute, so delicious.

Smörgåstårta
makes 2 mini individual cakes
6 slices sandwich bread (I used wholewheat bread)
salomon filling
1 tbsp mayonnaise mixed with 1 tbsp crème fraiche
1 big slice smoked salmon, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill, chopped
shrimp and egg filling
1 tbsp mayonnaise mixed with 1 tbsp crème fraiche
16 small cooked shrimps, chopped
1 boiled egg, chopped
decoration
3 tbsp mayonnaise mixed with 2 tbsp crème fraiche
4 small cooked shrimps
1/2 slice smoked salmon cut in two
2 cherry tomatoes, halved
some dill
16 this slices fresh cucumber

Cut off the bread crust. In two small bowls combine all ingredients for each filling. Season wit salt and pepper.

Put one bread slice on a plate, spread half of the smoked salmon and cover with the second bread slice.

Spread evenly half of the shrimp filling.

Put the third bread slice on the top. Make the second mini cake. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour or two. Frost the cake with the mayonnaise-crème fraiche mixture, decorate and serve.

Fish tacos

Fish tacos can be made with any type of white flaky fish. And fish it self can be prepared any way you like it fried, baked, steamed. Add some fresh tomato salsa (pico de gallo), tortillas and all together gives more than perfect fish tacos...pure addiction!

Fish tacos
serves 2

400 gr white flaky fish (I used cod)
2 limes
some chili
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
10 tortillas (10 cm in diameter)
pico de gallo

2 avocados
1 lime

Marinate the fish with limes, chili, mince garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside. Make tortillas or if you have them already done heat them in the oven until you prepare the salsa. Make pico de gallo and set aside.
Heat some oil in a frying pan and cook the fish for couple of minutes on both sides. Fish is done when it nicely flakes without being dry.

Take a tortilla, put some fish in the middle, top with pico de gallo and a slice or two of avocado.

Salmon, dill and potato gratin

This was supposed to be a tart, but I left out the pastry so it became a delicious salmon, dill and potato gratin. I used sour cream (10% fat) instead of cream (32 % fat). The reason is in the parentheses. And as the most potato dishes is best eaten right away.

Salmon, dill and potato gratin
serves 4
adapted from BBC Good Food
400 gr potatoes
3 dl sour cream
2 eggs
3 tbsp chopped dill + for decoration
salt and pepper
200 gr smoked salmon

Preheat oven, 190 C. Slices the potatoes and cook in salted water for about 8 minutes. When done drain well. Beat together sour cream, eggs, dill, salt and pepper. Slice the smoked salmon in stripes.

In a dish (1,2 liters) put half of the potatoes over the bottom, pour over the half of egg mixture and put half of the salmon stripes. Repeat with remaining ingredients once again. Bake for about 25 minutes. When done let cool for 10 minutes, decorate with fresh dill and serve.

Shrimps with mango

When you add shrimps and coriander to the Mexican style mango you get the most amazing summer starter. Or you can also add some cooked rice and you will have a wonderful summer main dish.

Marinade and vinaigrette are made with the same ingredients, so you just need to mix everything together and divide between two bowls, one for the shrimp marinade and other one for the vinaigrette.

Shrimps with mango
serves 2

200 gr raw shrimps, peeled
1 mango

1 lemon or 2 limes
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or 1 fresh chili
bunch fresh coriander
salt and pepper

Chop coriander. Grate the lemon peel and squeeze the juice. Put in a bowl and add olive oil, cayenne pepper, chopped coriander, salt and pepper. Divide between two bowls. In the first bowl add shrimps and set aside.

Cut the mango so that you have two halves. Cut each half in small cubes, be careful not to cut through skin. Turn inside out, peel of the cubes and add to the second bowl with the vinaigrette.

Heat a pan. Cook the shrimps until cooked through, about 2 minutes each side. Add to the mango and serve.

Italian tuna balls

I think this is the best recipe for tuna in a can. It’s brilliant. I used tuna in water instead of tuna in oil; I drained it and added some lemon olive oil, it worked great.

Smoked mussels with tomatoe and ginger sauce

This is my entry for a monthly Swedish event called “Cyberkocken” (Cyberchef). Every month four ingredients are chosen by the blogger who is hosting the event and you are supposed to make a dish that includes all those four ingredients. This month ingredients were given by Anne at "Anne’s food" and they were: mussels, ginger, cilantro and something smoked.

I immediately knew that I want to make a dish with smoked mussels, as I really like them a lot. The only mussels I like more are scallops. But given the ingredients smoked mussels were perfect.

After some looking through my recipes I figured out that I want to wrap them in phyllo dough and make a dipping sauce as well. In a Lufthansa magazine from last summer I found a wonderful tomato and ginger sauce.


Smoked mussels with tomatoe and ginger sauce 
100 g mussels
some cilantro
2 tbsp melted butter
3-4 sheets phyllo dough

4 tomatoes
½ fresh ginger
1 chopped onion
1 chopped garlic glove
juice from one orange
a bit of chili
olive oil

Fry tomatoes and onion for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and orange juice. Cook for another 5-10 minutes. Add some chili, salt and pepper. Let it cool.

Mix mussels with cilantro. Melt 1 tbsp butter. Take one sheet of phyllo dough and spread the melted butter over it. Put another phyllo sheet over it and cut in squares. I got 12 squares from one sheet.

Put a bit of the sauce on a square and put the mussel on the top. Role it like a spring role. Do the same with the rest of the mussels /squares and when done spread some melted butter on the top. Bake on 200˚C until they get golden, 10-15 minuter.

What’s left of the sauce I mixed and used as a dip sauce.