All Entries in the "THE KITCHEN CORNER …" Category

APPLE MOJITO IN THE SNOW

If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! You would think that the magnificent country of Iceland was the mecca for skiers from around the world. The paradise for those brave enough to ski down our breathtaking mountains and enormous glaciers. Hell – helisking should be our [...]

BACON SPINACH GRILLED SHIITAKE MUSHROOM SALAD

Here comes the recipe I promised! It´s a really nice salad – slightly complicated to prepare – but well worth the effort. The balsamic fig dressing is just delicious and adds so much to this salad. Personally, I would never have thought of this combination myself but that´s why I love watching the Chef when [...]

GRILLED FRUIT KABOBS WITH COCONUT APPLE RUM GLAZE

It´s Friday – which consequently means that the weekend is just around the corner. Since my diet is going so amazingly well (not) I´m thinking about celebrating with style and use the opportunity to share this delicious dessert with you guys. Let´s not forget that I have tickets to see Björk tonight – with the [...]

GRILLED PIZZA WITH SMOKED SALMON AND ARUGULA

This is quite possibly the best pizza I´ve ever tasted – and I lived in Italy! (Althoguh Italian pizzas are the best) – but this combination – the smoked salmon and the arugula is utterly delicious. It´s quite easy to make. The pizza dough recipe is mine …. yes I know it´s unbelivable but I´ve [...]

Sunburst Bourbon & Brown Sugar Marinated Grilled Steak Salad with Pineapple-Ginger Dressing

Steak salads are my absolute favorite. It´s really a no brainier – by mixing the two you combine healthy living food with the most guilt ridden one (I´m not talking junk food here). This one is a particular favorite. The pineapple-ginger dressing is to die for and the sunburst bourbon & brown sugar marinade is [...]

I DREAM OF GINGER (AND VOKDA)

It´s Saturday night – well almost – so I´m contemplating my options. I´m home alone with my one year old since the Chef is in the Bahamas launching the new menu for the restaurant and …

GRILLED CITRUS-GINGER MARINATED SHRIMP

Well I thought is was about time that I posted a new recipe. This one should not fail you since it´s utterly delicious and really quite simple to make. I could say a lot about this dish – but I´ll spare you. All I can say is that I gladly vouch for it since I´ve eaten it a few times now and absolutely love it.

FIRECRACKER RUBBED GRILLED TUNA

Our long awaited TV series GRILLAÐ – which basically means, “Barbequing” aired last night here in Iceland. At the same time we celebrated the publication of a book that carries the same name and features the recipes from the show – plus many more.

HAPPY HOUR: BLUE MARGARITA

Here in Iceland we are still technically waiting for the summer to come. It really is quite upsetting to say the least but global warming hasn´t pulled through this summer. I´m really not taking the matter of global warming lightly but to be honest we´ve been having great summers for the past few years and we´ve grown accustomed to nice weather.

HAPPY HOUR: MARTINI

This is a delicate subject but I find my self sounding a bit like a seasoned alcoholic when I post these drink recipes, reminiscing about people, places and alcohol. But who cares! Before I met the chef I was accustomed to the simpler things in life.

HAPPY HOUR: BAHAMA MAMA

This first cocktail is called Bahama Mama and it sure takes me back to the Bahamas. It´s almost the national drink there – or at least the national tourist drink. Sometimes served in a fresh coconut, it is always the perfect drink. It´s delicious, beautiful and very alcoholic. You can of course do it the virgin way but not for me – at least tonight. So this one will be on the menu tonight…

STEAMED SALTED COD

Until quite recently Icelanders always prepared their salted cod for eating by cooking it in water. Of late chefs in Iceland have been developing different methods, many of which have become very popular, since they have proved to draw out the flavor of the fish and have really turned this formerly quite humble food item into gourmet fare. Here is one method developed by one of Iceland´s best chef´s and one of our best friend Siggi, who runs a highly esteemed restaurant on the top floor of a high-rise in the Reykjavík area in Iceland.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH GINGER AND CHILI

The first time I tasted this dish was at the remote area of Snæfellsnes – Iceland. There is a glacier there – called Snæfellsjökull which is one of the most famous sites of Iceland, primarily due to the novel A Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864) by Jules Verne, in which the protagonists find the entrance to a passage leading to the center of the earth on Snæfellsjökull.

SEMI RAW TROUT WITH WAKAME SALAD

This salad is not really a salad – it´s more like heaven on a plate! It´s ridiculously good and quite easy to make (although I have no idea what most of these ingredients are – but then again – I´m not the chef here!). I have however tasted it and it is beyond words – so here is the recipe – I really hope you give it a try.

THIRSTY ANYONE? ONE CANTALOUPE GRANITA COMING UP!

I made a promise last week to do a number of drinks here on The Basic Cookbook. I´m not backing out of that by any means – and I promise that the drinks will be mind blowingly amazing and sure to make you giggle just a little bit!

DELICIOUS PEAR AND ALMOND CAKE

So since the theme of April is “All things healthy!” I thought it would be appropriate to share this ridiculously delicious pear and almond cake. See… the pears and almonds are super healthy so it´s kind of a no brainer – right?

EGGS BENEDICT ON A SUNDAY MORNING

I remember the first time I had Eggs Benedict! It was on a Sunday morning back in the days when the Chef was still trying to impress me. I was on one of my visits (this is way before we moved in together and his place – the ultimate bachelor pad – had a drum set instead of a dining room table!). I had slept in (those were the days) and was awaken by the incredible smell of Hollandaise sauce. There was also a mimosa and of course the Eggs Benedict. It was one of the most magical mornings in my life.

MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR!

Once a year there is a day where you can eat chocolate buns all day long. I call them buns for a lack of a better word but this day is a tradition in Iceland and I celebrate it (or try to) wherever I´m in the world. The only problem is that they are kind of tricky to make and last year… well that was a sad story.

RUSTIC TART WITH APPLES AND PLUMS

Ok – I know it´s kind of crazy starting the week off with a tart but hey – you only live once. This recipe is simple, not too sweet and I absolutely love it. It will be a healthy week though – I promise… but a freshly baked tart – with a nice cup of coffee is something to kick the week off just right…

CRÉME BRULÉE

My and Volli have one thing in common (well, actually a few others but bear with me): we like simple food – but for very different reasons. Volli likes things to be straight forward which is kind of how he is but me… well I just lack the skill to create anything complicated in the kitchen – so the simpler the better.