<異國風情篇之瑞典聖誕紅花包> Swedish Lussekatt (Saffron Bun)

原來我已經有幾個月沒有更新我的日誌~ 時間過得太快! 上一次我還沒有開始我人生新的一頁呢! 今年2013的聖誕節可說是一年的結尾, 亦是我夢想的開始~ 轉眼間我已回家好幾個月, 上了算是第一份正職差不多兩個月, 學會了不少! 新工會從明年的一月開始, 所以特意回到英國兩個星期~ 對呀, 當了上班一族後就不會有兩星期的長假期旅遊呢!在香港時都沒有這樣的閒情逸志去做飯焗蛋糕~ 難得還在渡假, 所以今天就下定決心要做應節的聖誕面包! Lussekatt - 照字面譯是紅花貓咪的意思~ 為什麼是貓咪? 到現在我還是不知道呢~我個人挺喜歡紅花的味道~ 市面上有已磨好的紅花粉, 但比乾紅花瓣, 這些粉都不是100%純正, 雖然用粉做出來的包顏色都比較美! 

I  cannot believe it has been already a few months since I last updated my blog! Time flies right? Last time I posted was the time when I still have not begun my new page of life. This Xmas will wrap the best year of my life to an end, yet accompanied the greatest start of my dream.  I have learned much from my first real job during last one month or so. My dream job starts January 2014, so I decided to come back to UK for a short visit. I guess once start working, it is almost impossible to have two weeks straight day-off. Lussekatt- literally means saffron cat. Why cat? what a pity that I still do not know the answer although I have been living in Sweden for quite some years. I personally like the smell of saffron. There are powdered saffron in the marketing for sell, however it is comparatively less pure than dried saffron thread, despite powdered saffron makes the bread look brighter in color. 

<異國風情篇之焦糖洋蔥芥末焗羊胸>Roast golden lamb breast with mustard and caramel onions

我本人不太喜歡羊肉, 可能心理上總是覺得羊肉很多時都會很強的羊味道! 這方面, 我比較習慣中式濃味炆的做法! 可是, 有時候調味料太重會搶走肉的鮮味! 原本今天我也是想隨便的一鍋炆了算, 但覺得我應該打破自己心理上的障礙, 去嘗試新的做法!  (其實也是因為我懶不想去超市買炆肉的材料...呵呵) 最後, 我就地取材, 拿出我廚房裡有的材料去做! 結果, 出來的味道比我預期的好, 還以為焗肉會乾, 但反而很軟, 肉汁還在! 而且做法材料比中式的還要容易. 雖然調味料不多, 但至少我也能接受到這個羊味! 所以大家絕對值得試一下! 特別有客人的時候, 做西式感覺會優雅高貴一點~~~
I always think that lamb sometimes has a really strong taste which I often can not endure. Therefore, I often prefer to cook lamb in Chinese style, like with a lot of spices and etc.. However I do agree that, too much spices will overwhelm the natural freshness of the meat. Its unfair to lamb I guess?

<異國風情篇之自家御好燒>Home-style Japanese Okonomiyaki

不知道大家有沒有試過日本的御好燒呢? (日语：お好み焼き) 坦白說沒有! 我第一次接觸是來自日本的他給我弄的～他跟我說，　大板的御好燒是最出名的（他從讚岐來的）！　可惜，　第一次的印象的確很一般！　哈哈，他某一位大板朋友看到我上載的照片立刻狠狠批評這位徒弟跟他學無所成! 哈哈~~ 從此之後, 我跟他都很努力的去研究, 由第一次做每一口都是厚厚的面粉, 第二次太水不成形, 這次我們終於成功做出美味的御好燒~ 這個食譜是經我們不停參考不同的方法,作出適當的取捨, 加入我們自己的口味!! 雖然我沒有試過真正的, 但我相信這個是最理想及適合每個人的自家做法! 

Have you ever tried Japanese Okonomiyaki? I have not tried the REAL one as I have never been to Japan ( how pity...) The very first time I tried was the time when my Japanese friend made it for me. He told me that Osaka is famous for their Okonomiyaki. 

<異國風情篇之意大利香草弗卡夏面包> Simple Focaccia bread with herbs

終於到了夏天, 英國天氣反覆無常, 這年的夏天比之前都遲來了! 每一天對著沒陽光的天色, 人都變得沒生氣! 今天天氣非常好, 陽天猛猛的曬著後花園, 一陣陣清風吹向你的臉, 心情都特別輕鬆!  剛剛新鮮焗了意大利麝香草弗卡夏面包, 軟軟的包加上淡淡的橄欖油跟香草的味, 又是一個理想的下午茶. 這個做法是非常簡單快捷, 無需任何酵母! 配料其實非常簡單隨意, 因為沒有某幾種配料, 所以我只用了麝香草! 但橄欖, 乾番茄等都是很好的配搭!!

Finally we have bright sunshine in UK which happens rarely! Indeed this year the summer comes quite late compare to previous years! Good weather, good tea-time can certainly boost up our mood! Today I would like to share this very simple Focaccia bread recipe! This time I purely used thymes~ it also tastes very yummy with olives, sun-dried tomato or a bit of cheese on top!

<異國風情篇之意大利白酒蘑菇合桃管子面>Baked white wine mushroom and walnut cannelloni

已經有一段時間沒跟大家分享美食了, 因為上兩個月太繁忙的關係都沒有空餘的時間研究食譜! 今天終於有時間去試新的菜式! 我一向都有收集不同食譜的習慣~ 這裡的超市每幾個月都會出免費的小冊子, 內附不同的食譜, 當然它們都是為了宣傳超市貨品而印刷!

It has been such a while since I updated my blog. Due to stressful examination period, I did not have spare time to explore and try out recipes until today! I have a habit of collecting interesting recipes from anywhere, newspaper, internet or magazines! I love to collect them and put them into a folder like a photo album. In United Kingdom, you could easily find free recipes from the supermarket magazines, certainly these are used for advertising their own products, yet sometimes you may discover something interesting!

<異國風情篇之瑞典忌廉賓> Swedish Semla

每年的二月, 我都會好急不及待去斯德哥爾摩(我認為) 最好的一間咖啡室, 叫個Semla慢慢享受~ 其實我都現在都不太清楚為什麼瑞典人要特別二月才會吃..   當我來到英國, 在沒得選擇的情況下... 就要學整我人生第一個的Semla~ 呵呵

Every Feburary is the only time when cafe starts selling Semla, which is like a pastry bun fill with delicious almond paste and cream. I am ashamed to say, till now I still do not quite understand why there is such a Semla tradition... Since I cannot find it in U.K, this year I tried to bake my own Semla for the first time. God blessed me, it turned out better than I expected!

<異國風情篇自家芝心瑞典肉丸>Homemade Swedish cheesy-meatball

想起以前在瑞典的時候我從來都沒有覺得肉丸有什麼特別好吃, 到處都可以買到的食物我們都不會怎樣留意它們美味的地方, 但直到我再到另一個國家生活才發現原來瑞典肉丸(瑞典語:Köttbullar, kött-肉, bullar-丸)在外國都挺有名氣. 哈哈, 當然別人一講到IKEA都會說起瑞典肉丸, 薯蓉跟特別的醬汁, 雖然自己做的永遠都不及外邊買的, 但也別有一番風味, 今天我想跟大家分享我平常在瑞典的時候食的'自製芝士肉丸''

When I was still living in Sweden, I have never paid attention to Swedish meatball. Perhaps we never treasure or value the uniqueness of something until we find it ' hard to reach'.Meatball is called  Köttbullar( kött-meat, bullar-ball). I realise that meatball is so popular in everywhere else, especially when IKEA is being mentioned. People usually describe how good the meaballs ' brown sauce', mashed potato are. Although home-made is never the same like the one we eat outside/buy, it is still delicious and ' special'.  This is my own recipe which I often used when I was a teen living in Sweden! Nothing tricky, nothing professional, just a simple recipe made by a (used- to- be) lazy  teen 

<異國風情篇瑞典煙三文魚焗薯>Swedish style smoke salmon potato-gratin

今天我想教大家做一道傳統瑞典聖誕餐的菜式~~ Potato-gratin ( 瑞典文: Potatis-gratäng) 其實這是源於法國的菜式, Gratin dish的意思是指用一道用淺的容器焗成表面金黃色的餸菜~~ 有很多不用的Gratin 款式~ 大家不妨搜尋一下~

做之前要提醒一句, 這道菜絕對不適合正處於減肥狀態的女士!!但一次半次...~~~~~~又無妨呢!!
Today I am pleased to teach you one traditional Swedish xmas dish which you may easily find on the Xmas dining table at a Swedish home (Swedish: Potatis gratäng) Gratin originates in France, in which '' Gratin dish'' is referring to a shallow dish which is used to bake stuff until golden brown. There are many different types of gratin nowadays, feel free to search around and see if there is any others you may feel attracted to!