Vegetarian

Zucchini Barley Cakes with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Ricotta

August 23, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

The zucchini gets a bad rap sometimes, largely because of its prolific nature. If you plant zucchini in your vegetable garden, you know what I mean. They tend to come in fast and furious, getting larger by the minute. The next thing you know, they are taking up precious counter space in your kitchen demanding to be cooked or baked into something delicious. Even if you don’t personally grow zucchini, chances are you’ve been “gifted” a bag or two by someone who does. It is nearly impossible (or desirable for that matter) to eat one’s entire harvest of zucchini alone. Some of it must be shared. Know that you are doing a great service to your zucchini-growing friends when you graciously accept their home grown offering. You’ve taken a bit of the burden of preparing and consuming these bountiful summer squash off of their shoulders and they are grateful for it.

If you are currently experiencing your own glut of zucchini, either as a gardener or as the recipient of a well-meant gift, I encourage you to spare one or two for a batch of these Zucchini Barley Cakes. They make a fantastic vegetarian dinner served alongside a simple sauce of summery Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with olive oil, garlic and basil and a dollop of creamy ricotta cheese.

Salt Your Zucchini

shredded zucchini in a colander — *Salt your zucchini!*

One important thing to know about zucchini…they are about 95% water. So when you want to make something crispy from a zucchini it is wise to salt it beforehand in order to draw some of the moisture out of the vegetable prior to cooking it. This is easily done by tossing the shredded zucchini with coarse salt and letting it drain in a colander for 10 minutes or so. Transfer the salted zucchini to a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much moisture as you can before continuing with the recipe. What looked like 4 cups of zucchini when you started will shrink down to about 1 cup after salting and wringing it out thoroughly. Know that I am, deep down, a lazy cook. I would not ask you to take this step of salting and wringing if it weren’t absolutely necessary. Believe me, I’ve tried. You will end up with soggy cakes that don’t hold together well if you skip this step.

Chill

Your Zucchini Barley Cakes will greatly benefit from a quick chill time in the fridge, just 20-30 minutes will do. This helps the mixture hold together as you transfer the cakes into the skillet. Better yet, do your future self a favor and make a batch of these the day before you want to cook them. Cover them with plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge. Won’t you feel clever and prepared when dinner is practically done tomorrow night!

When you’ve had it with zucchini bread and are ready for something new, pull a zucchini or two from that pile on the counter and give these a try. Let me know how they turn out in the comments!

Zucchini Barley Cakes with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Ricotta

Delicious and hearty cakes made with pearl barley, zucchini and fresh herbs served alongside roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh ricotta cheese. A delicious late summer vegetarian dinner!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 1 hour (including chilling time)
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 12 cakes
Category: vegetarian
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

For the Zucchini Barley Cakes:

1 pound zucchini

1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling

2 cups cooked and cooled pearl barley (see note below)

3 large eggs

3 scallions, minced (Both white and green parts)

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

For the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes

3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Whole milk ricotta cheese for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Shred zucchini on the large holes of box grater. Transfer to a colander and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Allow zucchini to sit for about ten minutes and then transfer it to a clean cotton kitchen towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set aside.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add zucchini and remaining ingredients except oil. Combine thoroughly.
Using a large ice cream scoop or a metal measuring cup, transfer a ¼ cup portion of the mixture to a baking sheet. Press down and shape gently to create a cake that is about ¾ inch thick and 3 inches wide. Repeat with remaining mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to a day. You should have about 12 cakes.
While cakes are chilling, make the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. Combine all ingredients except vinegar and basil in a 9 x13 baking dish. Stir to combine. Transfer to the oven and roast until tomatoes are soft and beginning to burst, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and add vinegar and basil.
Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to a large nonstick skillet. Heat over medium heat until just shimmering. Using a thin spatula to help you, carefully add 6 cakes to the skillet (they may be a little fragile). Cook until golden brown on the first side, about 3-4 minutes. Flip each cake over and continue to cook until golden brown on the opposite side and cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with additional coarse salt. Carefully wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and add remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Repeat with remaining cakes. Serve with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and a generous dollop of ricotta cheese.

Notes

To cook pearl barley: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add 1 cup pearl barley. Cook over medium-high heat until tender, about 30-35 minutes. Drain and chill. (If you are in a hurry and want the barley to cool quickly, spread it out on a baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator.) This makes about 3 cups of cooked pearl barley which is a little more than you will need for this recipe.

Adapted from Megan Gordon’s Whole Grain Mornings

Keywords: barley, zucchini, cakes, vegetarian, summer, cherry tomatoes

Roasted Peach Ginger Ice Cream

August 16, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Making homemade ice cream feels nostalgic to me, like something from a bygone era. I picture kids on a front porch cranking the handle of one of those wooden ice cream makers that required large quantities of rock salt in order to make it work. And the truth is, in our modern world complete with a dizzying array of pre-packaged ice creams available in the freezer section of the grocer store, making your own ice cream at home is hardly necessary. But perhaps this is exactly why we should bother to undertake the activity. Sometimes something slow, a kitchen project that takes a little time and planning, is just what we need to help us shift gears from our faced-paced, on-the-go 24/7 lives.

You will need an ice cream maker for this project, and thankfully they’ve come a long way since the days of hand cranks and rock salt. Simply push a button and the machine does the work for you. Consider it a worthwhile investment, a promise of countless batches of cold creamy goodness for years to come. I’ve had my ice cream maker for over 20 years and it’s still going strong!

On Wednesday I wrote about the joys of having a jar of fruit compote in the fridge. This Roasted Peach Ginger Ice Cream is just one more delicious idea for putting that compote to good use. The ice cream itself is simply a classic custard base made with cream, milk and egg yolks. Add your Roasted Peach Ginger Compote towards the end of churning and boom! Peach ginger ice cream. Couldn’t be easier.

Tips and Tricks for Smooth and Creamy Ice Cream

Ice cream is incredibly straightforward and simple to make, but it is a process, and there are definitely a few tips and tricks for ensuring that it’s creamy and delicious every time:

Remember to freeze the work bowl of the ice cream machine in advance. Ice cream making is not for the impulsive, the impatient or the spontaneous. It’s an activity that rewards planning and preparation. The work bowl of your ice cream maker must be thoroughly chilled prior to successfully churning ice cream. See the manufacturer’s instructions for specific details for your particular model, but this may take anywhere from 24-48 hours. During the summer months, I just keep the work bowl in the freezer so that when I’m ready to make a batch of ice cream it’s ready to go.
Temper the egg yolks prior to adding them to the milk and cream mixture. There is a very good reason that the recipe asks you to SLOWLY mixing about a cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks prior to adding them back to the pan. This process is called tempering and it helps ensure that your eggs don’t solidify once they hit the shocking heat of the cream mixture. We want creamy custard here, not scrambled eggs.
Strain the custard base once it has finished cooking. Some recipes will skip this step, but if you don’t strain the mixture, you run the risk of having little bits of cooked egg in your finished project. Not good. Better to be on the safe side and strain.
Cool the mixture COMPLETELY before putting it into the fridge. Ice crystals are the enemy of smooth and creamy ice cream. One of the reasons we use an ice bath to cool the custard base down quickly and completely is so that condensation doesn’t form after you cover the mixture and cause additional water to find it’s way back into the custard (water that will eventually freeze and become icy). I will let my custard sit in the ice bath until it is cool to the touch and then cover and transfer it to the refrigerator.
Don’t skimp on the cooling time prior to churning. To prevent ice crystal formation, it’s important to make sure that the mixture is good and cold before it goes into the ice cream maker. I almost always make my custard base one day and churn it the next.
Add a little vodka to the fruit compote. This is a little trick I picked up from the good people at America’s Test Kitchen. The freezing point of vodka is lower than that of water, so adding a little to your fruit helps keep it from freezing to the point that it becomes hard and icy.

Maybe ice cream making is just the thing to put on your to-do list this weekend to help you slow down and squeeze every ounce of goodness from these waning days of summer. If you are a krumkake baker, whip up a batch of those as well to use as ice cream cones….they are darling and the perfect light and crispy compliment to the peach ice cream. By Sunday night you’ll be sitting on the porch basking in the warm glow of an August evening, ice cream cone in hand, fully appreciating the slow rhythm of the season.

Roasted Peach Ginger Ice Cream

Easy and creamy homemade peach ginger ice cream

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 15 minutes + at least 3 hours chilling time
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours
Yield: 4 cups
Category: dessert
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Ingredients

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 ½ cups whole milk

¾ cup sugar

Pinch of fine sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg yolks

1 generous cup Roasted Peach Ginger Compote

2 tablespoons vodka

Krumkake for serving, optional

Special Equipment Needed:

Ice Cream Maker

Instructions

Place a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl that is set inside a larger bowl containing ice and water.
Whisk egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar together in a separate medium bowl. Set aside.
Heat cream, milk, remaining ½ cup sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming and just below a simmer.
Slowly and pouring in a steady stream, ladle about 1 cup of the warm cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Transfer the cream and egg mixture back to the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and is just beginning to bubble.
Immediately strain custard through the prepared fine mesh strainer and add the vanilla. Allow it to cool in the bowl over the ice bath, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has come to room temperature. Cover and transfer the custard to the refrigerator to cool completely, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
Transfer custard to an ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer’s directions. Meanwhile, add the vodka to the Roasted Peach Ginger Compote and stir to combine. Add compote mixture to the ice cream during the last few minutes of churning, making sure that it is distributed thoroughly. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until ready to use. Serve in krumkake cones if desired.

Roasted Peach Ginger Compote

August 14, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

I have extolled the virtues of the fruit compote here on the blog before. In fact, this is my third compote recipe in only six months of blogging! Here’s why I think everyone should have a jar of seasonal fruit compote in the fridge at all times:

They are easy to prepare. Simply toss cut fruit with your sweetener or choice and any additional flavorings and let it roast in the oven for 40 minutes or so. Done.
It is a no-fuss method for making the most of seasonal produce. Have a bunch of peaches/apples/pears/strawberries from the farm stand that are ripe and ready to go but not feeling up to making a pie at the moment? Perfect! The compote is your simple solution to preserving the life of your fruit without turning it into a complicated project.
Compotes are better (and easier) than jelly or jam. Compotes can be used in place of jam or jelly on your morning toast, and they typically contain less sugar and have better, truer fruit flavor. An all-around win!
They freeze beautifully. Most compotes will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks (not that you won’t finish it before that), but they also store well in the freezer for a few months. For when you need that taste of summer peaches come January.
And the number one reason to make compotes part of your cooking repertoire…..they are INCREDIBLY versatile.

Let me expand on the versatility piece. Once you have a jar of this peach compote in your fridge, for example, the options beyond your morning toast are endless. A few suggestions:

Layer it with skyr or Greek yogurt and granola for a morning breakfast parfait (this is SO good….like peach crumble for breakfast)!
Spoon on top of a Nordic Buttermilk Waffle with some whipped cream.
Stir into your morning oatmeal with a little cinnamon and whole milk or cream.
Use it in place of the strawberry rhubarb compote in these barley scones to create a ginger peach version.
Sandwich it in between two layers of vanilla cake with some pastry cream and top with whipped cream and fresh peaches. Peaches and cream cake!
Use it in place of the blueberry filling in these rye crumble bars.
Spoon on top of vanilla ice cream (so simple and delicious).
Rye crispbread + cream cheese + compote = tasty and easy breakfast or afternoon snack.

And I’m sure you’ve already thought of some ideas beyond what I’ve suggested here. It’s no wonder that fruit compotes are popular in the Nordic region where growing seasons are short and preservation of seasonal goodness is paramount. This week, stop by the farm stand and pick up a batch of peaches and give this one a try. I can’t wait to hear how you choose to put it to use in your own kitchen!

Roasted Peach Ginger Compote

A delicious and simple roasted fruit compote with just a hint of ginger. So simple and versatile!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: Just under 2 cups 1x
Category: compote
Method: roasting
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Scale

Ingredients

6-8 ripe peaches, about 2 ½ pounds

4-5 thin slices of fresh ginger (no need to peel)

Pinch of fine sea salt

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed (more to taste)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel peaches using a serrated peeler (alternatively you can score the bottom of each piece with an “X” and dunk into boiling water for 30 seconds or so. The peel should come off easily at this point). Remove the pit and slice each peach into ½ inch chunks. Transfer to a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Add remaining ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula. If your peaches aren’t particularly sweet, feel free to add a couple of extra tablespoons of brown sugar. Transfer baking dish to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Stir the compote and return to the oven and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes.
Set aside to cool slightly. Serve or store tightly covered in the fridge for up to two weeks or freeze for longer storage.

Keywords: peach, ginger, compote

Roasted Beet Hummus

August 8, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Hummus is, quite simply, a miracle food. Protein-rich and deliciously creamy, it is the cornerstone of the quick and easy lunch or afternoon snack….add some pita chips or flatbread and sliced veggies and you’ve got yourself a meal in a matter of minutes. While there is no shortage of tasty hummus varieties available at the grocery store (I am partial to Trader Joe’s Cilantro Jalapeño), making your own hummus at home is quick and easy and yields a far more delicious result than the pre-packaged variety.

Creamy, earthy and with just a hint of sweetness, this Roasted Beet Hummus is one of my favorites, particularly at this time of year when there are more beets in my garden than I know what to do with. And can we talk about that color? There are simply not enough naturally hot pink foods in the world.

Tips and Tricks for Smooth and Creamy Hummus

Making your own hummus is hardly rocket science, but I do have a few tips for ensuring that your Roasted Beet Hummus is the best that it can be:

Roast the beet until tender. A roasted beet is done when you can easily slip a knife through it with little resistance. This takes anywhere from 45 to an hour in a 400 degree oven for a medium-sized beet. It’s best to err on the side of over-roasting in this situation as we will be pureeing the beet in the food processor and want it to be as smooth as possible.
Puree the beet while it is still warm. I am a big fan of roasting a batch of beets at the beginning of the week and refrigerating them for later use. A beet from the fridge will not yield as smooth of a hummus as one that is still slightly warm from the oven, however. For this recipe you will want to use a beet that has been freshly roasted just for the occasion.
Puree the beet first with a little hot water and olive oil prior to adding the remaining ingredients. This will help break down the beet as much as possible.
Roast the garlic alongside the beet. Since we are already turning on the oven to roast the beet, why not through the garlic cloves in there as well? As opposed to raw garlic (which is what most hummus recipes call for) roasted garlic is mellow and sweet, a perfect compliment to the beet.
Puree thoroughly. Don’t be afraid to let that food processor run! You really can’t overprocess here. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the work bowl occasionally to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
Season properly. Be sure to taste the final product to see if it needs additional salt or lemon juice. I always need to add some additional salt at the end.

Give this gorgeous and delicious hummus a try, even if you don’t consider yourself a beet fan. It’s kind of a “gateway to liking beets recipe’ in my opinion. If you are feeling ambitious, bake a batch of Soft Nordic Flatbreads with Garden Herbs to serve along side for a Scandi-inspired vegetarian lunch or hearty snack.

Roasted Beet Hummus

A delicious, creamy and visually stunning homemade hummus with just a hint of earthy sweetness thanks to the addition of a roasted beet. Perfect for dipping!

Author: Kristi

Ingredients

For the hummus:

1 medium beet, scrubbed and trimmed

2-3 cloves of garlic, unpeeled

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for roasting the beet and garlic

1 tablespoon hot water

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

½ teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons tahini paste

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste

To garnish:

Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Chopped fresh parsley or chives

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle beet and garlic cloves with olive oil and rub to coat evenly. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and roast until tender, about an hour. Unwrap and allow to cool slightly.
Once the beet is cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to rub the skin off of the beet. Slice into quarters and place in the work bowl of a food processor. Peel the roasted garlic and add it to the bowl along with the beet.
Add one tablespoon of olive oil and the hot water. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add remaining ingredients except olive oil. Process again until smooth. While the machine is running, slowly add remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil through the feed tube. Continue to process until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Transfer hummus to bowl. Season to taste with salt. Chill until ready to serve.
To serve, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or chives, if desired.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

July 18, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Well, it was bound to happen. The temperatures here in Nebraska hit the triple digits today, and the last thing anyone feels like doing is turning on the stove. Sure, you can fire up the grill and cook outside, but honestly once we are in “Excessive Heat Warning” territory, I’m inclined to spend as little time outside as possible. I did manage to squeeze in a walk at 8:00 this morning when the temperature was a mere 80 degrees, but other than that it has been an indoor day. This native Minnesota girl doesn’t do so well once the mercury climbs above 90.

But I keep a close eye on the forecast and when I saw this heatwave coming I decided it was high time I came up with a chilled soup with Nordic vibes to bust out for occasions just like these. I studied in southern Spain in college, and during those unbearably hot days in August and early September my house mother would prepare a big bowl of gazpacho to keep in the fridge. Every meal began with a small bowl of this cooling, delicious elixir. I wanted to come up with something with the same sense of refreshing ease and seasonality, but with ingredients common to the Nordic region.

Cooling cucumber, vibrant yellow and jalapeño peppers and creamy avocado form the base of this easy vegetarian soup. The preparation itself couldn’t be simpler…a brief stint in the blender followed by a few hours in the fridge. Done. When you are ready to serve, a few simple garnishes really elevate this soup from good to great: Chopped farm stand tomatoes, sautèed tiny bread cubes and a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil. Tuck the recipe for this refreshing and easy little soup away for those sultry summer days, or if you live in Nebraska go ahead and stop by your local farm stand ASAP and whip this up for a light supper this evening, or lunch tomorrow. I hear this crazy heat will be with us for a couple more days. Hopefully this soup helps get you through it as we dream of cooler weather ahead.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

Refreshing cucumber, vibrant peppers, fragrant dill and creamy avocado come together in this vegetarian no-cook soup. A delicious, cooling elixir for hot days!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes + 2-3 hours cooling time
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: soup
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Vegetarian

Scale

Ingredients

For the Soup:

1 ½ pounds cucumbers, coarsely chopped

1 yellow pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

1 large avocado, peel and pit removed and coarsely chopped

¼ cup skyr or greek yogurt (preferably full-fat)

2 tablespoons lemon juice, more to taste

2 teaspoons coarse salt, more to taste

For the Croutons:

2 cups of ½ inch bread cubes (I like sourdough or a rustic country loaf)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For Serving:

Extra-virgin olive oil

Chopped fresh tomato

Croutons

Instructions

Make the Soup: Place half of the chopped cucumber in the blender. Blend until it is completely liquid. Add the remaining cucumber, peppers, garlic and dill and puree until completely smooth. Add avocado and skyr and blend again. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons coarse salt. Blend one last time. Transfer to a bowl and adjust seasonings as necessary (you may want a little more lemon juice and/or salt). Cover and chill at least 2-3 hours or until ready to serve.
Make the Croutons: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes. Sauté until crisp and lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and season with coarse salt and pepper. Set aside.
Ladle the chilled soup into individual bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh tomato and croutons. Serve immediately.

Notes

Adapted from Lagom: The Swedish Art of Eating Harmoniously by Steffi Knowles-Dellner and Love Soup by Anna Thomas.

Keywords: chilled, soup, cucumber, no-cook, vegetarian

Roasted Pear Compote with Cardamom, Vanilla and Fresh Ginger

February 26, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

roasted pear compote on rye crispbread with cream cheese and coffee — *Rye crispbread with cream cheese and roasted pear compote*

It’s time we had a little chat about cardamom. Citrusy, spicy, floral….it is, shall we say, a very complex and exotic spice. Although native to India, cardamom has somehow managed to find its way into many traditional recipes for Scandinavian baked goods. The Nordic countries are famous for their cardamom buns, cakes and cookies. How did this far-flung spice find its way from India to Scandinavia? Some claim that the Vikings brought it north with them after encountering it on their travels to the Byzantine Empire (now Turkey) or possibly Constantinople (now Istanbul). Others say it was first brought to mainland Europe when the Moors established a presence on the Iberian peninsula, and it made its way to Scandinavia from there. Whatever the circumstances, cardamom is the darling spice of the Nordic baking world.

It is not, however, beloved by all. I once bought my daughter a large cardamom-laced sugar cookie from a Scandinavian bakery. She eagerly took a big bite, unaware of the cardamom lurking inside, and spit it out, disgusted. “Mom, why does my cookie taste like soap!?” Oh, how my Swedish, Norwegian and Danish ancestors must have rolled in their graves upon hearing this! Clearly I had not done as good of a job raising her as I thought I had. Not enough exposure to cardamom and now the taste was unpleasant, foreign and apparently soapy to her. We joke that it might make a good title for her memoir someday: Why Does My Cookie Taste Like Soap? Discovering my Nordic Heritage the Hard Way (coming to a book store near you in 20 years or so). As I said, not beloved by all.

To be honest, I didn’t like cardamom as a kid either. I now enjoy it in small doses ( a little goes a LONG way), and I feel like some of the recipes I encounter are a bit heavy handed with this potent spice. If you are new to cardamom or are trying to convince your children of its deliciousness, I would suggest a light touch at first…a quarter or half teaspoon of it here or there. I also recommend buying the pods and grinding the seeds inside yourself rather than purchasing ground cardamom. You will be rewarded with a much truer flavor.

This pear compote is delicately laced with freshly ground cardamom, and I absolutely love it. It makes a delicious topping for toast, crispbread, porridge and granola served with filmjölk, yogurt or milk of your choice. Or you can just eat it with a spoon! According to Live Lagom: Balanced Living the Swedish Wayby Anna Brones, compotes are a very common way to serve fruit in Sweden. This one is my take on a pear compote I made in cooking school some years back. In class we used it as a filling for a gingerbread cobbler, which is something to consider. The combination of pears and gingerbread is utterly magical.

Roasted Pear Compote with Cardamom, Vanilla and Fresh Ginger

This delicious fruit compote makes a perfect topping for rye crispbread, porridge, granola, oatmeal….the options are endless!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 12 ounces 1x
Category: compote
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Scale

Ingredients

5-6 small to medium-sized Bartlett pears, peeled and cut into ¾ inch cubes

2 tablespoons honey

Seeds from 2 crushed cardamom pods, ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle

4–5 thin slices of fresh ginger (no need to peel)

a pinch course salt

½ vanilla bean

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients except vanilla bean and lemon juice in an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish.
With a small sharp knife, split vanilla bean down one side of the pod.Open up the pod and lay it flat on your cutting board. Using the back of your knife, remove the black seeds from the interior of the pod by scraping from one end of the open pod to the other. Place seeds and empty pod in the baking dish along with the other ingredients.
Bake for 45 minutes, stirring half way through, or until pears have softened considerably.
Remove the pan from the oven. Using a spoon, remove and discard the vanilla bean pod and ginger slices. Mash pears with a potato masher or the back of a fork until they are create a chunky, rustic mash. Add lemon juice. Taste the mixture and season with additional lemon juice, salt or honey to taste. Once the compote has cooled, transfer to a clean jar and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Keywords: compote, pears, cardamom, ginger, Scandinavian, Nordic