Here is another festive recipe by Miisa Mink of the Nordic Bakery.

Recipe:  Salmon with Rye and Beetroot Salad

Root vegetables and fish are typical ingredients in festive meals. The beetroot salad is often served with herring but this year we decided to create a simple version of that traditional salad that goes well with salmon. Steaming is a quick way to prepare the fish so be wary of not to over cook it. Cooked rye kernels are a great whole grain side dish that in its appearance is similar to rice but goes better with salmon in our opinion.

Beetroot Salad

Serves 4

4 beetroots, scrubbed well and unpeeled (approx 400 g uncooked)
2 small carrots, scrubbed well and unpeeled (approx 200 g uncooked
½ apple (pink lady or similar), pealed and chopped to ½ cm chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan, cover beets with water and bring to boil. Simmer gently for 30 – 40 minutes. Once beetroots are soft, but al dente, remove from water and set aside to cool down.

Boil carrots in a same way for about 15 – 20 minutes, remove from water and set aside to cool down.

Peel beetroots and carrots, chop into ½ cm chunks and mix with apples. Add olive oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve cold.

 

Cooked Rye Kernels with Lemon Thyme

Serves 4

900 ml vegetable stock
160g rye kernels
sea salt
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
7 g fresh lemon thyme, leaves only
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Bring vegetable stock to boil. Add rye kernels and salt, reduce heat and simmer for 35 – 40 minutes or until cooked, stirring occasionally. Drain and place on serving plate. Add oil and lemon thyme and mix well. Season to taste. You can serve rye kernels hot or cold.

 

Steamed Salmon

200g fresh salmon pieces (with the skin) per person
100 ml water
100 ml cooking white wine
3 tbsp lemon juice
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper,
olive oil

Put water into a saucepan and place steaming rack into the bottom. Place two salmon pieces skin side down onto the rack at a time. Pour little white wine and lemon juice over the salmon. Bring the liquid to boil. Steam for 3 – 4 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper and drop a little olive oil on top. Remember to add water into the pan if you cook more salmon. Serve immediately.

Thank you to Miisa for letting me reproduce her recipes.  If you like this I thoroughly recommend the Nordic Bakery Cookbook.

You know the occasions when you have asked people for supper, then you get home 5 minutes before they are due to arrive and nothing is prepared?   I think that a bowl of dip is the perfect casual starter.  Easy to throw together from store cupboard staples and the contents of my co-op veg box, the colour is guaranteed to make anyone smile.     Rather than using tinned beans all the time I usually cook dried beans then freeze them ready to be used, it is cheaper and better for the environment and I prefer the taste.     However tinned beans are undeniably highly convenient and I keep a few tins in the cupboard ready for instant useage.

I am a huge fan of the vaccum packed cooked beetroot, they will keep for ages, taste great and add a vibrant splash of colour.   The dip was actually far more colourful than the photo shows.

This is another contribution to my series of easy, economical and healthy recipes of what to do with the contents of the co-op “boxes” for the Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project run by Sustain – also part of the Making Local Food Work programme funded by the Big Lottery.

Beetroot and Cannellini Bean Dip (Serves 4)

1 tin cannellini beans (410g)
1/2  packet cooked beetroot (or about 4oz / 125g)
glug olive oil
1 clove garlic
zest of one lemon
1 spring onion* (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Simply open the can of beans and rinse well.  Put all the ingredients into your food processor (or into a tall pot and use a stick blender) and blend well.   Season to taste.    Serve with crudites and strips of pitta bread.   I used some chives from my window box to garnish – you could use the green part of a spring onion finely chopped.

* I have noticed a growing trend to call spring onions “salad onions”.     I am suspecting some directive that has decided that as they are not exclusively available in the spring that the name is a misnomer?   I almost prefer the American term “scallion” which to me aptly alludes to a scally wag and youthfulness?