Kanilskyr með berja

Cinnamon skyr dessert with berries

Here is a recipe for a wonderfully uncomplicated but delicious Skyr dessert that is also very easy to prepare. (I've only prepared half of the recipe here, so please don't be confused by the amount of ingredients in the picture.) If you like, you can also prepare a Christmas version - just use gingerbread instead of oatmeal cookies!


Ingredients for 6 servings

700 g vanilla skyr
1 env powdered gelatin
200 g white chocolate
100 g oatmeal cookies
100 g frozen blueberries
2 tsp cinnamon


Preparation

First, chop the oatmeal cookies thoroughly...

...and mix with a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Then divide the mixture evenly into 6 small bowls (or on the bottom of a flat bowl, glass dish or similar).

Distribute the frozen blueberries fairly evenly over the ground cookies.

Mix the vanilla Skyr with the powdered gelatin.

Melt the white chocolate in a water bath...

...and then stir into the Skyr mixture as well.

Then spread the chocolate skyr mixture over the layer with the berries, carefully smooth it out and dust with the remaining cinnamon.

Let it sit in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 hours and then serve.

[Translated from here.]

Stenglusúpa

Macaroni soup

I came across this recipe for "milk noodle soup" in an old Icelandic cookbook from Akureyri from 1945, which I happened upon during my last visit to Kolaportið, the flea market in Reykjavík. And it was love at first sight!


Ingredients for 2 servings

800 ml low-fat milk
1 stick cinnamon
100 g macaroni
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp sugar
1 pinch of salt


Preparation

Pour the milk into a pot, then place the cinnamon stick in the cold (!) milk and heat slowly over medium heat.

When the milk starts to boil, add the pasta and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

Then whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a separate container, then add to the soup.

Add the pinch of salt and mix everything thoroughly.

Then serve the soup straight away.

[Translated from here.]

Fiskgratin með makkarónum

Fish gratin with macaroni

Dishes with macaroni can also be found in old Icelandic cookbooks from the 19th or early 20th century, although they usually still refer to "stenglur" - and then say "makkaroní" in brackets. In today's Icelandic, the "makkaroní" have become "makkarónur", and "stenglur" is often no longer found in the dictionary. The Icelandic language is also constantly changing!


Ingredients

100 g macaroni
600 g cod
1 onion
2 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
200 ml milk
200 ml fish broth
1 tsp salt
1 pinch of pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
50 g crabs
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs


Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) upper/lower heat.

Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions, then drain the water and place the pasta in an ovenproof baking dish.

Peel the onion, chop it finely and fry it in the butter in a large pot

Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces and fry briefly with the onion pieces.

Remove the fish from the pot and add it to the pasta in the baking pan along with the crabs.

Pour the milk and fish stock into the pot, bring to the boil and then thicken with the flour to create a nice thick sauce.

Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Mix the fish, the cooked macaroni and the shrimps in the ovenproof dish, pour over the sauce and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) upper and lower heat for about 30 minutes.

Then serve the finished gratin with fresh salad.

[Translated from here.]

Djöflaterta með súkkulaði kremi

Devil's cake with chocolate cream

Djöflakaka, or devil's cake, is a sweet, fluffy chocolate cake called in Iceland.

This isn't just Djöflakaka, but rather the hardcore version: Djöflaterta, or devil's cake. Two layers of chocolate cake with a lot of sweet cream. I served this cake to the entire family on the occasion of my granddaughter's first birthday - and the cake was really well received!


Ingredients

For the dough

150 g brown sugar
125 g margarine
150 g powdered sugar
2 eggs
260 g flour
1 tsp baker's ammonia
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp baking cocoa
1 Tbsp cappuccino powder
400 g sour milk

For the cream

500 g powdered sugar
200 g cream cheese
200 g butter
4 Tbsp baking cocoa
1 tsp ground vanilla
2 tsp cappuccino powder


Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) upper/lower heat.

Place butter, sugar, powdered sugar and eggs in a large bowl and whisk well.

Then add the flour, the baker's ammonia and the baking powder, the baking cocoa and the cappuccino powder.

Add the sour milk and mix everything well.

Then put the dough into two springform pans (approx. 24 cm in diameter) lined with baking paper...

...and bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) for about 30 minutes until the dough is cooked through (test with a toothpick!).

Then take the cake layers out of the oven and let them cool thoroughly.

Then prepare the cream:

Place all ingredients in a tall mixing vessel and stir vigorously.

Carefully remove the first layer from the mold, place it on a cake plate or similar and spread about 1/3 of the cream on it.

Remove the second base from the mold and place it carefully...

...and then cover the whole cake with the remaining cream.

Then put the finished cake in the fridge for at least 4 hours and serve well chilled!

[Translated from here.]

Rósakálssalat

Brussels sprouts salad

Yay, there are fresh Brussels sprouts in the store again!

This recipe comes (slightly adapted) from one of the Icelandic cooking magazines that I always have around the living room - my sister had looked through it and, as she is a passionate Brussels sprouts fan, asked me to translate this recipe. And if I had already translated it... this fall I was eagerly waiting for the first fresh Brussels sprouts so that I could try out the recipe. (To be honest, it also works wonderfully with frozen Brussels sprouts.)

Even my husband, who generally has a somewhat difficult relationship with Brussels sprouts, was pleasantly surprised!


Ingredients for 4 servings
(as a side dish)

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp hot mustard
3 Tbsp oil
1 pinch of coarse sea salt
1 pinch of black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 head red cabbage
3 large carrots
1 - 2 apples

1 Tbsp oil
250 g Brussels sprouts
3 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 pinch of paprika powder
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme


Preparation

First, mix the vinegar, mustard and oil in a large bowl and season with salt, pepper and thyme.

Peel and grate the carrots and apples and add them to the salad dressing in the bowl.

Halve the red cabbage. Wash and clean half the head, remove the outer leaves and first cut everything into narrow strips, then cut crosswise.

Add the red cabbage to the grated carrots and apples, mix and leave to steep briefly in the refrigerator while you prepare the Brussels sprouts.

Heat the oil in a large pan.

Clean the Brussels sprouts and halve the florets.

Fry the florets in the pan.

Add the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, paprika, salt, pepper and thyme and fry for a few minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the warm Brussels sprouts over the salad and serve immediately.

[Translated from here.]

Generational change in Litlibær

The next generation is now taking over the management

I already told you about the old Litlibær turf farm in the Icelandic Westfjords last summer...

...and I still think about the warm invitation and the great waffles we got there with a big smile on my face. For me one of my absolute favorite places in the Westfjords!

During our visit we had a conversation with Sigríður Hafliðatóttir and her daughter Guðrún, both of whom had spent a lot of time with us, and to my particular delight, Sigríður had also given me a few of their recipes.

Sigríður with her daughter and me in the summer of 2018

Now the 2019 season is over - Sigríður was in action for 133 days in a row throughout the summer, without a break. But now it's enough, says Sigríður - next year her daughter Guðrún and her husband Friðfinnur will take over the management of the café and look after the farm.

I would like to thank Sigríður and her daughter Guðrún once again and I am happy that things will continue in Litlibær next season!



[Translated from here.]

Brúnkálssúpa

Browned cabbage soup

Yes, I know - this is cabbage soup. That doesn't sound sexy, it smells like it's cooking, it doesn't look particularly good and it automatically makes me think of the "cabbage soup diet". But, seriously - it tastes damn good!

I served the soup (really classic Icelandic home cooking, the recipe comes from an 80-year-old Icelandic cookbook!) to my family for dinner - the little one is a passionate soup fan anyway, but the older one is also cautious about the soup approached, opened his eyes wide and expressly found it “really delicious”. Oh yes, that makes you happy!


Ingredients for 4 servings

1 head of white cabbage
3 Tbsp margarine
1 Tbsp sugar
1 l hot meat broth
2 carrots
Salt and pepper to taste
1 - 2 Tbsp smoked ham, if desired


Preparation

Clean the head and chop it finely.

Put the margarine and sugar in a large pot and brown slowly.

Add the chopped cabbage and sauté until lightly browned.

Clean, peel and chop the carrots. Add the carrots to the cabbage.

Then pour the hot meat broth over it and let everything simmer for about 45 minutes.

Then season with salt and pepper to taste, and if desired add 1-2 tablespoons of chopped smoked ham.

Well then - enjoy the food! Njóttu matarins!

[Translated from here.]