Dillolía

Dill oil

I've often been served wonderful food with gritty green oil in Iceland - I find it really exciting! Want this too! So I do it myself.


Ingredients

120 ml grape seed oil
60 g dill
20 g parsley


Preparation

Put the oil in a blender with the fresh dill and parsley...

... and mix very, very thoroughly.

Then strain or at least pour through a sieve.

The dill oil should be used within a few days, as it contains fresh herbs that would otherwise spoil.

But I find it simply fascinating in terms of color and taste (like here in the halibut soup)!

[Translated from here.]

Gamla Bakaríið in Ísafjörður

The "Old Bakary"

The first bakary in Iceland was Bernhöftsbakarí. It was founded in Reykjavík in 1834. I already visited it on my "Reykjavík Food Walk".

The second bakary in Iceland followed in 1868 in Akureyri und the thiord one in 1871 Ísafjörður. This still exists and runs as "gamla bakaríið", literally meaning "the old bakary".

On the square in front of the store, you normally can see this beautiful old car advertising the bakary.

In addition to the salesroom, the bakary has a guest are, where you can sit and have breakfast, drink coffee and eat cake. But we didn't try it.

On one afternoon sduring our stay in Ísafjörður we took a look at the old bakary. Unfortunately we were quite late. Hence the choice of cake was manageable. And the young sales assistant seemed a bit clumsy, when she wrapped up our order. Anyhow, this did not bother us.

We bought following selection: rabarbarasnitta (rhubarb cake), skúffukaka (chocolate cake) and vínarbrauð (Vienna bread, here made with yeast dough).

I can recommend all three kinds of cake. Child no. 2 was deeply impressed by the Vienna bread.

[Translated from here.]

Bláberjadraumur frá Litlibæ

Blueberry dream from Litlibær

When we were in Litlibær, a historic peat farm in the Icelandic Westfjords, in the summer, Sigríður, who hosts her guests here so wonderfully in the summer months, shared a few of her recipes with us - like this recipe for a really great blueberry cake. The purest blueberry dream!


Ingredients

130 g margarine
125 g flour
125 g oat flour
75 g sugar
75 g brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp blueberry jam
280 g frozen blueberries


Preparation

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

Let the margarine melt.

Then add the remaining ingredients except for the jam and the berries and knead everything into a smooth dough.

Set a third of the dough aside for now.

Then put the remaining dough into a greased or baking pan lined with baking paper.

Spread with the jam and add the frozen blueberries on top.

Then carefully pluck the remaining dough over the berries and distribute it.

Then bake the cake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) upper and lower heat for about 25 minutes.

Bon appetit!

[Translated from here.]

Grautarlummur

Grit buffer

This is once again a very classic Icelandic dish, as many Icelanders still know it from their Amma (= Grandma) - Lummur, Icelandic "pancakes", as a wonderful "leftover" use for yesterday's leftover rice pudding. Perfect!


Ingredients for approx. 12 pieces

200 g rice pudding
200 g flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 pinch of vanilla
200 ml milk
50 g raisins


Preparation

In a large bowl, mix the rice pudding with the flour, sugar and baking powder.

Then add the egg and vanilla.

Finally stir in the milk and raisins.

Stir the dough until you have a nice, smooth mixture.

Then pour the dough into a pancake pan in portions using a tablespoon...

...and fry briefly on both sides until the Lummur have become nice and golden brown.

Then sprinkle with sugar and serve with fresh fruit, compote or jam.

[Translated from here.]

Bláberjasulta frá Litlibæ

Blueberry jam from Litlibær

When we were in Litlibær, a historic peat farm in the Icelandic Westfjords, in the summer, Sigríður, who hosts her guests here so wonderfully in the summer months, shared a few of her recipes with us - like this recipe for homemade blueberry jam.

Ingredients

1 kg of blueberries
750 g sugar
1 packet of Melatin / Gelfix or similar.
1 Tbsp sugar


Preparation

Place the washed blueberries in a large pot with the sugar and cook for about 30 minutes.

Then mix the packet of Melatin / Gelfix or similar with a little sugar, ...

...put it in the pot and let it simmer for a few more minutes, stirring constantly.

Fill the jam directly into freshly boiled jars and close tightly.

The jam not only tastes wonderful as a spread, but also with waffles or, as here, with Lummur, Icelandic "pancakes".

Bon appetit!

[Translated from here.]

Byggsalat með berja

Barley salad with berries

This is really a typical Icelandic meal with typical Icelandic ingredients:

Barley grows in the country and has been traditionally used in Icelandic cuisine for centuries, as have blueberries, which are currently in peak season. And spinach is also common in Icelandic cuisine - as is blue cheese, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. And everything together results in this delicious barley salad.


Ingredients for 4 persons

250 g rolled barley
600 ml water
1/2 tsp salt
150 g fresh spinach
125 g fresh blueberries
120 g blue cheese
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 pinch of black pepper


Preparation

Bring the water and salt to the boil in a large pot.

Add the rolled barley to the boiling water and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

Then let the cooked barley cool down well.

Wash the spinach thoroughly and place in a large bowl.

Wash the blueberries too.

Dice the blue cheese and add it to the bowl with the spinach along with the blueberries.

Stir in the cooled barley.

For the salad dressing, mix the rapeseed oil with the salt and pepper and pour over the salad.

Stir thoroughly, let it steep briefly and then serve.

[Translated from here.]

Bláberjadagar í Súðavík

Blueberry days in Súðavík

At this time, at the end of August and beginning of September, the peak of blueberry collecting in Iceland has been reached.

A particularly great blueberry region, for example, is the area around Súðavík in the Icelandic Westfjords. Súðavík is a small town on Álftafjörður (= "Swan Fjord"), an extension of the Ísafjarðardjúp. For several years now, the "bláberjadagar", the "Blueberry Days", has been taking place here every summer towards the end of August - a big festival all about blueberries.

The Arctic Fox Center in Súðavík

(Photo: July 2018)

This year, the Blueberry Days will take place from August 30th to September 2nd, 2018 (Thursday to Sunday), with many different activities for the entire family, from sporting events to barbecue evenings, music by the fire in the evenings or a cinema for the children, plus of course a shared event Blueberry picking.

In keeping with the season, I'll introduce you to a few of my favorite blueberry recipes on Facebook in the next few days!

[Translated from here.]