All posts by Helle Møller

Retired from a long working life as secretary/assistant in UN and EU institutions. Freelance stress counsellor and proofreader/copyeditor. Now living in Berlin.

Favourite recipes

Roasted garlic soufflé

04/01/2013 Helle Møller

I used olive oil in stead of butter, and soy milk instead of wholemilk, and I also took the soufflé out of the oven a little bit too early, which all might explain why it is not quite as ‘photogenic’ as I hoped it would be. It is fluffy and light as a feather, though, and there is a delicious smell of garlic everywhere …. It does not ‘deflate’ or collapse, and leftovers can be reheated gently

3-4 large heads garlic, left whole, plus 4 garlic cloves, crushed

1-2 tblsp olive oil

½ l whole milk

1 medium onion, sliced

3 large thyme sprigs, or mix of thyme, oregano and rosemary

2 bayleaves

1 whole clove

10 black peppercorns

1 green chili, sliced

7 tblsp butter

75 g plain wheat flour

4 large eggs, separated

4 additional egg whites

200-300 g crumpled or grated goat’s cheese (I guess other cheeses such as gruyère and parmesan will do if you do not like goat’s cheese)

1 pinch grated nutmeg

Heat oven to 200°C.

Cut the tips off the whole heads of garlic, place them on a large sheet of foil and drizzle each with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap them together in foil and bake till very tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. When they are cool enough to be handled, squeeze the garlic out of the skins.

Meanwhile, bring milk, crushed garlic cloves, onion, herbs, bay leaves, clove, and peppercorns to the boil in a medium saucepan, remove from heat, cover and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.

Butter a gratin dish (the one on the photo measures 22 cm x 30 cm and is 7 cm deep) thoroughly with 1 tablespoon butter.

To start the roux/bechamel, melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a heavy medium saucepan and whisk in the flour. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, 5 minutes.

Strain milk mixture through a fine-meshed sieve, then add to roux, bringing it to the boil, whisking, then simmer, whisking, for a couple of minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in the eggyolks one at a time.

Whisk in roasted garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper.

Fold in the cheese.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they stay in the bowl when you turn it upside down. Then stir one-third of the egg whites into the bechamel/yolk mixture to loosen it and then fold in the remaining whites.

Transfer mixture to gratin dish and bake at 200°C for 20 to 30 minutes. It should go quite brown and crisp on top.browned on top.

Serve with a salad or a soup (or both).

Favourite recipes

Ris à l’amande (or risalamang)

30/12/2012 Helle Møller

Ris à l’amande is – despite the French-sounding name – a Danish dessert traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve. Usually, it is served in a large bowl and each guest helps her- or himself to an unsightly blob with some cherry sauce poured over. I have never found that particularly appetizing, especially after an already rich meal and since the dessert in itself does not have much flavour. I have therefore attempted to add a bit more flavour, and to serve it in a more attractive way. If you prefer the ‘blob’ serving method, just skip the part with the gelatine and tian rings. For a more traditional flavour, use porridge rice instead of risotto rice, sugar instead of marcipan, and halve the amount of vanilla.

When we eat this on Christmas Eve, one whole almond is concealed in the dessert, and the person who gets the almond gets a present.

2 dl risotto rice

1 l wholemilk

2 vanilla pods, quartered lengthwise enabling the grains to be distributed in the porridge.

150 g macona almonds – skins removed – and chopped (not too finely)

5 dl whipping cream

50 g grated marcipan

2 tblsp. Amaretto (almond liqueur) (can be substituted by milk or cream)

5 gelatine leaves

Soak the gelatine leaves in plenty of cold water.

Bring rice, milk and vanilla to the boil and simmer gently, stirring slowly but fairly constantly for about 20 minutes. NEVER turn your back on it! It burns on the bottom easily and if that happens, you have to start over. After about 20 minutes you will have thick porridge and the rice should be done. Transfer the porridge to a large bowl removing the vanilla pods.

In a small pot, heat the amaretto to the point of almost boiling, and take it off the heat. Melt the drained gelatine leaves in it till there is no trace of the gelatine. Mix a large spoonful of the porridge thoroughly into this mixture and then place it back in the porridge, stirring thoroughly.

Add the marcipan and the chopped almonds and let the porridge cool.

Whip the cream to a not too solid foam and mix into the cooled-off porridge, distributing the whipped cream evenly in the mixture.

If you wish, arrange the dessert in the required number of tian rings and leave to set overnight.

Favourite recipes, Miscellaneous

Peanut sauce

27/12/2012 Helle Møller

Peanut sauce

2-3 dl home-made or store-bought peanut butter, creamy or crunchy, to taste

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 slices ginger or 4 slices galangal, peeled and very finely chopped, or grated

Some fresh chili, to taste (or add a dollop of your favourite chili sauce at the end)

3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

1 tsp shrimp paste

2 tsp palm sugar

2 tblsp fish sauce

2 tblsp soy sauce (superior light)

3 tblsp hoisin sauce

Juice of one lime

½ tin coconut milk

A dollop of your favourite chili paste (see a recipe here: http://www.hellemoller.eu/?p=319), or sambal oelek (see a recipe for a homemade sambal oelek-type sauce here: http://www.hellemoller.eu/?p=645).

Fry the onion, garlic and ginger in olive or peanut oil over medium heat (should not brown) for a minute or two.

Add all the other ingredients and stir, bringing to the boil.

If you want the sauce thinner, add more coconut milk or water.

Keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for a week or two, and can also be frozen, but without the coconut milk. This should be added at the time of serving, while reheating.

Favourite recipes

Vietnamese roast duck (vit quay)

17/11/2012 Helle Møller

Vietnamese roast duck (vit quay)

Marinade for a 2.5 kg duck:

1 dl fish sauce (nuoc mam)

2-3 tbsp soy sauce

2-3 tbsp honey

1-2 tbsp five-spice powder

1 tsp ground ginger

The duck must be completely dry on the outside before applying the marinade. Mix the ingredients for the marinade well and rub all over the duck inside and outside the skin (rub the skin to loosen it so that you can get your fingers between the meat and the skin). Leave uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours. Turn from time to time.

Stuff 100 g fresh root ginger, finely chopped, cloves from 1 garlic, peeled and lightly crushed, 2 lemon grass stalks, halved lengthwise and lightly crushed, and 5 spring onions, lightly crushed, into the duck and tie the legs together. Poke holes in the skin all over.

Roast for 45 minutes at 220 C, breast side down on a rack, basting regularly with the juices from the pan. Turn the duck over and repeat for another 45 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Favourite recipes

Masala aubergine

13/10/2012 Helle Møller

This is one of my favourite aubergine recipes and an old faithful.

2 large aubergines cut into wedges
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
6 tbsp mustard oil
2 tsp kalonji
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
8 tbsp yoghurt
1 dl water
4 red or green chillies, deseeded and sliced
1 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds

Rub the aubergine pieces with salt and turmeric and set aside for ½ hour.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and brown the aubergine pieces.

Drain on paper towels.

Lower the heat to medium and add the kalonji. After a few seconds add the turmeric, chilli powder, salt, sugar and yoghurt. Stir fry for a minute.

Add the water, and when it boils, add the aubergines and chillies and cook for five minutes, stirring carefully.

Sprinkle with ground roasted cumin and serve with rice, as a vegetarian meal or as accompaniment to a meat dish.

Favourite recipes

Malay braised duck in aromatic soy sauce

05/10/2012 Helle Møller

I love duck, and I am so glad they can be easily found in the shops this time of year. This version is my current favourite and I make it several times each season.

The leftovers keep for days, and can of course be frozen, and is delicious for breakfast, lunch and dinner, thinly sliced in salads, shredded, with hoisin sauce, in wraps, etc.

A tip: Obviously, the skin does not become crispy using this recipe, but you may be able to peel it off, sizzle it on a hot pan, and leave it on kitchen towel to crispen up.

1 duck, approx 2,5 kilo

Three tblsp fivespice powder

40 g fresh turmeric

40 g fresh galangal

6 garlic cloves

3 tblsp sesame oil

18 peeled whole shallots

5 lemon grass stalks, halved lengthwise and slightly crushed

6 cinnamon sticks (Ceylon or Sri Lanka – NOT Cassia)

12 star anise

18 whole cloves

Sliced chili peppers (optional, to taste)

6 dl light soy sauce and 1,5 dl dark soy sauce

4 tblsp brown sugar

Rub the duck thoroughly, inside and outside, with fivespice powder. Refrigerate uncovered for at least eight hours, or overnight.

Chop turmeric, galangal and garlic cloves and grind to a smooth paste. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat sesame oil and stir in the spice paste till it becomes fragrant.

Stir in whole shallots, lemon grass stalks, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, chili and the two types of soy sauce.

Add brown sugar and stir till it has dissolved.

Place the duck in the pan, ‘baste’ by turning it in the liquid, and add 6 dl water and bring to the boil. .

Continuing to turn the duck over every hour, cover and simmer very gently for 3-4 hours or until the meat starts to fall off the bones. In fact, in some cases the entire carcass falls apart when you try to shift it, so don’t expect anything like a traditional, photogenic, roast duck.

I freeze the juices/fat to reuse at least one more time.

The life of a Danish pensioner in Berlin