red currant baiser cake

just looking at these pictures now, i am drooling over my keyboard... nice. and oh so ladylike. anyhow, so i spent a really nice evening yesterday with a friend (and i actually did succeed in being ladylike, for a few hours, cough). it never fails to amaze me how beautiful (from the outside as much as from the inside) friends i have. those girls sure make a boring day glamorous, time and time again! and the realisation: some girly chit-chat lifts the soul higher. 

but... it also made me aware that i've probably written too many not so positive things and sorry stories in the past few days and weeks. am i really this depressed? no, i'm not at all, in fact. it just all sums up to the fact: i need a holiday! is all. but i'm perfectly happy with my life, in fact, some things have never been better. 

but now i won't folter you anymore. here's the recipe for the (german, again) cake recipe /again from my dear, passed away aunt herta). enjoy!

red currant baiser cake

ingredients:

160 g flour

100 g butter

100 g sugar

100 g ground hazelnuts

2 egg yolks

optional: a bit of milk or water, if too firm

350 g red currants, washed
180 g sugar

4 egg whites

directions:

preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. line a spring form with parchment paper. combine the butter and the flour (with your hands). add the sugar and the nuts and the yolks. combine well. then spread out onto the spring form (with no rim), press firm. bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the bottom is very dark and caramelized (otherwise it won't be half as good, my mom points out all the time). remove from the oven. 

destem the red currants and spread them evenly on the (still warm) pastry bottom. combine the egg whites with sugar and whip stiff. spread the egg whites onto the currants with a spatula, creating some peaks (like little snowed-on mountain peaks). now add the upper grill function in the oven. bake until the baiser / egg whites on top are golden and firm. remove and let cool.

german cheesecake

cheesecake is something i find it hard to pass down... what sounds so american (at least to my mostly american readers, hello!) is in fact something typical german, also. the baked version of the american cheese cake is in fact, in germany, often made with curd (quark). i've eaten this cake on numerous family events, as this recipe was passed down from my aunt herta (may god rest her soul). i kind of like the thought that something from her lives on with the collection of well tested recipes...

cheesecake (german style)

ingredients for the shortcrust:

200 g flour

100 g butter

1 egg yolk

1 pinch salt

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. water

for the cheese mix:

4 eggs, separated

200 g sugar

500 g curd / cheese (translates as 'curd', quark, in german)

500 g cream 

20 g corn starch

2 tbsp. vanilla sugar

2 tbsp. lemon zest, grated

1 tbsp. lemon juice

directions:

prepare the shortcrust (e.g. following this recipe) and cool in the fridge for half an hour. grease a spring form and line with the shortcrust pastry and put back in the fridge. preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. 

beat the egg yolks in a bowl. add the sugar, slowly, and keep on stirring until the mix is foamy. add the curd and stir to combine. fold in the cream, starch, vanilla sugar, lemon zest and juice. whisk the egg whites stiff and fold in. pour the curd mix into the pastry lined spring form (it should reach the upper rim of the cake). bake for 60 minutes, until the top is slightly golden-brown. remove and leave to cool - however the cake is best consumed still slightly warm.

potato crisps with tahini yoghurt dressing

true fact: i can never resist an oddly colored, oddly shaped or oddly named (or all of the three combined, in one) vegetable. it's so tempting, to come up with an idea of what to turn them into. it's what my daydreams are made of (okay, that, and the nightstands i posted yesterday...). so, potatoes, oddly colored ones... i just love them, especially the blue purple ones! these here (in three colors) were a sort-of present from my roomie (i might have forced him to offer me, like, half of his batch...), that he dug out of the ground in his mother's vegetable garden. look, what i turned them into!

potato crisps with tahini yoghurt dressing

ingredients:

10 - 12 medium sized potatoes, in three colors (mine were yellow, red and purple-blue)

1/2 cup natural greek yoghurt

2 tbsp. tahini (sesame paste)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup rocket, coarsely chopped

1 large tomato, diced

1/2 lemon, juice

1/4 olive oil

2 tsp. fleur de sel

directions:

preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. wash the potatoes, and peel them, if you prefer (I couldn't be bothered). cut them in sixth, lengthwise. cover the potatoes in the olive oil, add 1 tablespoon of fleur de sel and roast in the oven until crispy, for 25 to 30 minutes. remove from the oven and let cool slightly, for two minutes or so.

in the meantime prepare the tomato (dice) and chop the rocket. combine the yoghurt with tahini, the minced garlic, lemon juice and other tablespoon of fleur de sel. place the potato crisps on a platter, sprinkle with the yoghurt-tahini dressing, the rocket and last but not least the tomato dices. serve tepid.

ps: i'm not the biggest fan of arugula / rocket... (true fact number 2). i do like them, however, coarsely chopped, as a topping for a salad or even a warm dish. when chopped and in tiny doses, its slightly bitter fragrance blends so nicely with the others'. it's not exactly rocket science (haha, i'm one for the jokes...) to chop them up - but it's so good.

nightie night

things i am currently mentally planning to adopt for my home, or the bedroom, to be specific, include a mirrored nightstand (on both sides of the bed, naturally, as i'm a fan of symmetry in the home), two (likewise) silver cowhides and two (dito) stacked silver crystal ball lamps. this might appear a bit nude and colorless, to you. well, combined with a natural wooden floor, some lush linen curtains (maybe in a light seafoam green), a nicely textured bed linen throw (made of actual linen, or maybe with a few tassels, for fun) and maybe a wooden, large mirror or a large antler over the bed, i think you're done, i'd say? i bet you'd have the sweetest of dreams and would sleep like a baby in this sheer cosiness.

1 mirrored nightstand via pottery barn

2 silver and white cowhide via maisons du monde

3 stacked crystal balls lamp via pottery barn

mini pavlova (or actually meringues) & pomegranate rosewater syrup

of all kitchen disciplines, the one i fancy and dream about the most must be the patisserie. though i clearly like all of them, especially everything involving veggies, the ability to prepare stunning, cute, sweet, surprising little treats awes me the most. sadly, i lack a few all of the skills requested from a good patissier. namely: accuracy. though i try pretty hard, i just find myself not being able to stick to any recipe (note: i hope my future colleagues at the modern pantry won't read this, huhumm). 

so naturally, i fear the process of home-made sweets that are beyond just the normal loaf. like maccarons, special layered cakes, profiteroles, or meringues... my mom and i recently made a pavlova together, though, and i felt it didn't seem that complicated, after all. and it turned out pretty good. so i dared to make one, all by myself, in a mini version (i am a sucker for all things mini desserts). aren't these whimsy? there is actually a dollop of vanilla whipped cream missing, before adding the pomegranate and rosewater syrup and the pomegranate seeds on top. but heck, i just thought the meringues look cute as buttons, as they were.

mini pavlova (or actually meringues) & pomegranate rosewater syrup

ingredients:

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice, to clean the utensils

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. corn starch

for the syrup: 

1 pomegranate, deseeded

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp. rosewater

optional: 

250 ml cream, whipped

1 vanilla bean, extracted

3 tbsp. sugar

directions:

preheat the oven to only 100 degrees. this is an (i guess) important first prep step: sprinkle the lemon juice on a paper towel, and wipe it over the bowl and all the utensils that will be in touch with the egg whites prior to beating them (i.e. also the mixer forks), spatula etc. this will remove any potential grease. beat the egg whites with the baking powder, first, for a few minutes, until mostly stiff. add the sugar only then, and the corn starch. beat on until very white-shiney and stiff. 

shape little meringue ponds with a spatula freestyle, or perfect little heaps with a confectioner's pipe, on a baking sheet. you should get between 8 and 12 meringues, depending on their size. place in the oven and dry (not bake) for an 1.5 hours or until dried out and hard from the outside. turn off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven to cool completely.

for the syrup heat the water with the rosewater and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then add the pomegranate seeds and remove from the heat. laeve to cool. if you like, prepare the whipped vanilla cream. then assemble the pavlovas (like i noted, i didn't add the cream in this version, so that you can see the meringues in all their beauty): put a dollop of the vanilla cream on each of meringues, then drizzle with a little pomegranate rosewater syrup and a few pomegranate seeds.

autumn vibes

a lot of you probably don't like to hear it (given that i know a lot of people who consider themselves summer lovers), but let's face it: autumn is just around the corner, anyhow... so here are two pieces (or actually three) that i'm currently dreaming of for my autumn / winter wardrobe: a skinny leather legging and a large, decorative, warm fox fur stole to wrap around the neck and pile on top of a cashmere belted coat. for the next autumn will be there, no matter what, come rain, come shine.

picture source: leather leggings, coat and fur stole

confit artichokes (the modern pantry style)

as i told you, i'm going to stand on the chef's feet help to cook at the modern pantry in london, for two weeks in september! am i looking forward? yes! but i'm also a teeny, tiny bit afraid... like, i dream of knives and cutting off my extremities with the very sharp, professional knives, like, only every night, but apart from that i'm totally sane and looking forward... laugh.

so, in order to be prepared at least a bit (given that i'm a complete cooking rookie with no solid skills at all), i ordered their cookbook and dug into the first few recipes. of course, i started with the artichokes, right away! because, as you know, my fondness for artichokes goes a long, long, long, very long way... it's a love story.  

when i looked at this recipe though, i was skeptic. confit obviously actually means 'cooked and boiled in oil'? and for only five minutes, total? how could this possibly render them tender, without deep frying them? 

let me assure you: those unusual artichokes globes were the best i ever tasted. i made them twice so far - and the process (i.e. the preparing of the artichokes) is not a quick one, at all. you will love them cut into slices, on top of your pasta al pomodoro. you will love them with baguette, dunking the bread in the left-over oil. and you will basically lick your fingers just eating them plain, as a starter. 

my conclusion? well, my career at the modern pantry hasn't even started... but already i'm a huge fan of their kitchen (which becomes obvious, given the many pictures i had to post today). it's like, why have i never thought of boiling my artichokes in olive oil...? duh! 

confit artichokes (the modern pantry style)

adapted slightly, at least the second time around, and written down in my own words

ingredients:

4 large, firm artichokes

4 organic lemons, zest and juice

1 fresh, purple garlic bulb, cloves removed

6 sprigs estragon

6 sprigs rosemary

6 sprigs thyme

3 bay leaves

3 tsp. fleur de sel, more to taste
1 tsp. black pepper corns, crushed in a mortar

750 ml olive oil

directions:

prepare the artichokes. note: this is a time consuming process! but i promise once the globes are prepped, the rest is pretty quick and simple. i learned from the modern pantry that you can leave the globes as a whole (like i did before, here) - but still leave a crown of the inner, tender leaves on. that actually looks nice and is also a good way not to throw away anything of those goodies. what you will need is: some disposable rubber gloves (to prevent your hands and nails from turning brown...), a sharp (alas preferably not plastic but metal) melon baller to remove the inner hay, a sharp knife for the trimming and a bucket full of ice cold water with the juice of 1 lemon.

start by removing the outer leaves until the slightly purple ones appear. trim the artichoke leaves from the top, so that only about 2-3cm remain and the spiky parts are cut off. make sure to cut away all wooden or dry parts at the bottom, too, as this won't get much softer with cooking. now start to remove the hay from the inside by using the melon baller. scratch everything out, carefully, without hurting the hearts. when everything is removed apart from the leaves crown, place in the lemon-ice-water until further use. proceed with all of the globes.

prepare the flavors for the cooking: remove the cloves from the garlic bulb, half each one. then remove the zest from all 3 remaining lemons, and squeeze their juice. wash the herbs and pat dry.

now heat all of the olive oil in a (not too small) saucepan, over medium heat (important here is not to heat the oil too much, as it will end up in deep frying the artichokes instead of boiling them). when the oil is warm (not sizzling), add the garlic cloves. when they are soft, after about 3-4 minutes, add the lemon zests and herbs. wait for about 2 minutes. then, one by one, add the globes to the oil, letting them sink in carefully. close the lid and let cook for 2 minutes. remove the lid, add the lemon juice, salt and pepper, close the lid again, turn up the heat and cook for another 5-10 minutes. note: the modern pantry advises to only cook the globes for maximum 5 minutes, and to not overcook them. i strongly agree! the bite is what makes them special. but still, as i had very, very large artichokes, i figured the fives minutes weren't enough... i went with about 7 minutes, at least, on this stage.

turn down the heat to zero, remove the lid and let the artichokes cool in their oil. season with more fleur de sel to taste. when cooled completely, place in an air tight container, like a weck jar or a soupière, or simply cover with cellophane foil and place in the fridge. the artichokes can be stored for up to 1 week in the fridge. note: the oil can be stored, too and used for pasta and other mediterranean dishes! it will add a nice zesty flavor, you will find.

on using the artichokes: as mentioned above, i'd use them sliced over spaghetti (or any other pasta) al pomodoro, or whole as a starter, accompanied by baguette, on top of a salad or in lavish italian style sandwiches... oh, yes please.

white bean & roasted garlic hummus

i've come to a realisation that worries me: summer is pretty much almost already over... though we are currently lucky to have beautiful sunshiney weather, the light is already close to autumn's soft, silver rays. the leaves have started to brown. the chestnuts are up on the trees, in their light green, spikey cocoons, just waiting for the right amount of wind to take them down, any minute now. normally, i wouldn't be one to worry about this fact, as i love the colder seasons (or the seasons at all) and usually find myself looking forward to wearing warm, knitted clothes and mittens and furry boots (that's my inner inuit, for you)...

but, well... i guess i'm just a bit blue. summer is over, and i haven't accomplished hardly any of the things that were on my summer list. i didnt host a picnic, i never dipped in the lake, i didn't even go for a bike tour (except for the short ride to work and back)... it's saddening. on top of it all, and istead of just enjoying the good weather now, while it lasts, i can't help but feel slightly reluctant... shall this bloody summer, that came with so many expectations and high hopes, pass, without any special memories made. i don't care. honestly, let's just fast forward to december. then winter can have me whole, with all it's soothing gloominess. until then, my friends, some comfort food for both, you and me (i'm fully aware that i might need it more than you, and here's to hoping i will feel better, soon, and tell you funny stories of bikinis or ice creams...).

white bean & roasted garlic hummus

ingredients:
1 cup dried white beans, cooked according to directions, or 1 can cooked white beans
1 fresh garlic bulb, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 lemon, juice
1 tbsp tahini
1 drop harissa or chili paste
3 tbsp. olive oil
fleur de sel
sumac, sweet pepper, olive oil, and 3 sprigs thyme, for garnish

method:
if you use dried white beans, soak them overnight in water. drain and cook according to directions (i added an onion, a carrot, one leek and some herbs to the boiling water) for 50 minutes or until tender. drain and let cool. if, however, you use tinned beans, drain and clean under the running water.

in the meantime, preheat the oven to highest heat. wrap both garlic halves separately in aluminum foil. place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes or until garlic is tender and slightly caramelized. remove from the oven and the foil and let cool. remove each bulb individually with a fork.

combine the beans, garlic, tahina, lemon juice, harissa and olive oil in a blender. pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy. add the yogurt, combine well. season with salt and, if necessary, more harissa for spice. spread in a bowl. decorate with sumac, a dusting of sweet pepper and an extra drizzle of olive oil. serve with warm flatbread or together with various salads in a tortilla.

emerald green

my favorite color of all times has got to be emerald green. in general, i'm rather the neutrals kind of girl. meaning i'm very fond of whites, greys, beiges and any sort of sandy shades. but when it comes to an actual dab of color, for anything - be it a dress, a bag or a decor element for the home - it's got to be dark, velvety green hues. 

those particular curtains had me dreaming forever now, i simply wasn't able to get them out of my mind. so i'm posting them here now for your enjoyment. i'm so sad i haven't yet painted my walls elephant grey (like the ones in the picture) as they would have been the perfect companions for such green accents. never say never though, right?

picture source: splendid sass

avocado heirloom tomato salad

after two sick days without going out of the house once (not nice...) i managed to go out yesterday with my mom. it was a good thing to see other people again, laugh. she treated me to an asian meal (nice), which was very welcome, given that i didn't eat let alone cook any proper meal for a few days... this simple avocado salad was about the peak of what i cooked for myself. hello, lazy gal! but i promise the week has me back already. it's going to be a good week (it still wouldn't hurt if you crossed your fingers... thank you).

avocado heirloom tomato salad

ingredients:

1 avocado

1 cup heirloom tomatoes, halved

1 cup parsley, minced

1 lemon, juice

2 tbsp. olive oil

fleur de sel

directions:

halv the avocados, drizzle with a few drops of the lemon juice. half the tomatoes, mince the parsley, assemble on top of the avocado halves. drizzle the olive oil and rest of the lemon juice on top, season with fleur de sel.

tribute to an island

i spent 5 short days on the northern german island sylt. not nearly enough time, but still enough to discover the beauty of the nature. the island comes up with energizing, rough winds, sandy dunes, soft green hills, wild rose hip bushes on end, a very clean, green ocean as far as the eye can see and to top if off a tremendous silver light, that's particular to the northern region. accompanied by the screams of giant seagulls, tucked into a beach towel, hidden in a beach chair - well, there's no better way to forget the everyday trouble and listen to what your heart is telling you. if you listen closely.

london shopping list

you might already have read about my big plan, me going to london in september! two weeks of cooking at the modern pantry. i can't wait! in between cooking and learning new things, i am of course planning to hit a few of my favorite london based stores (i'm only a girl, after all). like fortnum & mason, harvey nicks, topshop, harrods' food hall etc. i like to be well prepared - even or especially when it comes to shopping - and i think these here are a few things that are on my london shopping list so far.

1 london restaurants guide by fortnum & mason

2 iphone sleeve by smithson

3 agenda by mulberry

4 silver plated tea caddy spoon by fortnum & mason

5 fudge by fortnum & mason

6 trench coat with leather lapels by topshop

7 polka dot fur slippers by gap

8 gold sparklers by harvey nichols

cheerful skulls

this picture makes me smile. i can't get over the beauty of those painted skulls that lucy of fashionmenow posted. i'm fascinated by skulls in almost any shape and functionality. it's like a magic spell that they have over me. my love for them is infinite, i think. skulls and i are lovers for life. i'm mad, i know. 

i particularly like skulls as objects with no other impact or use than simply to add a bit of edge, color and glamour to an interior space. considering this, though, people often find it pretty surprising that my home isn't actually a skulls museum... in fact, i've only got one - my precious candle skull. i would love to give a home to many more chic skulls though, in the future. and these... the cheerfully, mexican style painted and adorned ones... well. where can i sign up? i'd happily order a dozen, laugh. diala, if you read this: i will contact you, asap now to beg you to send me a few (alas, i am assuming that they're available on every street corner, which is, probably, rather silly but also a bit cute of me, right?).

love & skulls forever

xo

scarlett

picture source: via fashionmenow here

green spinach & herbs gnocchi

today: happy thoughts (from away) and a recipe to you! xo

green spinach and herbs gnocchi - with beurre noisette

ingredients:

2 cups ricotta
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed (you can also used thawed spinach)
1 cup parsley leaves, cleaned, minced
1 handful mint leaves, cleaned, minced
1 cup flour
1 cup semolina
1 garlic clove, minced
olive oil
salt, pepper
pinch of musk

4 tbsp. butter
5 sage leaves, thinly sliced
10 g dried porcini, minced
pinch of musk
fleur de sel

directions:
note: you can also use thawed spinach but then you won't have to make this step. in a large saucepan, heat a bit of olive oil. sweat the minced garlic for a few seconds, before adding the (whole) spinach leaves. heat through until leaves are shrunk together. remove from heat, let cool. then pat dry with some kitchen paper and mince.

in a large bowl combine the ricotta, eggs, parmesan flour and semolina (be careful with the semolina, only use it to add firmness to the mix). add the minced steamed spinach and the minced herbs. combine well. season with flour and salt and a pinch of musk.
 

heat a large saucepan with salted water. preheat the oven to low. dust a work space with flour. take 1/4 of the pastry and roll it into about 2cm thick ropes. cut into thumb wide pieces. cook the gnocchi in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until they appear on the surface. put in a oven proof pan, drizzle with olive oil and place in the warm oven. proceed with the other batches.

when gnocchi are finished cooking, place all of them together in the oven for a few minutes to heat through (and also to dry out a bit; you will find they're much better like that).

heat the butter in a small saucepan, slowly, on low heat, to make beurre noisette out of it. add the porcini crumbs, sage, a pinch of fleur de sel, black pepper and musk, each. serve.

new take on tortillas

i am currently away - a mini summer vacation! i've been craving a holiday, lately. there has been so much going on. so whil i'm off, i take it as a good opportunity to go mobile- and blog-free while i'm gone... but i've already prepared some posts for you. so here's the first with a good question for you: what to cook when gourmet girl friends are visiting? 

i wanted to present a variety of tiny, unagitated, simple things. first, i didn't know how to combine them. eventually, i thought why not just put them all in a corn tortilla? here's the result: corn tortilla, with roasted cumin aubergines, white bean roasted garlic hummus (coming soon), raw heirloom tomato relish, quinoa herb salad (with cilantro, mint and parsley), fresh fried corn and garlic yoghurt. wrap it up nice, enjoy (in that case no worries if your eating habits don't look that elegant, with tortillas you've got a relevant excuse). uhm, i'm currently hungry just looking at it... enough of those pictures now. i'm on a vacation! yay! happy first of august (i.e. national day) party to all swiss! see you soon. xo