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Spring in Rome and an Orange & Fennel Salad

March 21, 2016 by aplough

A recent trip to Italy has inspired me to cover my table in seasonal fruits and vegetables. Leaving a snow-covered Helsinki behind, we arrived in Rome to sunny-cloudy skies, early buds just emerging on trees, low levels of tourists (a huge win!) and pleasant temperatures that required only a light jacket and scarf for warmth while touring this beautiful city.

Rome is one giant museum, and best seen by walking around, so we were glad we’d packed great walking shoes. Everywhere you look, there are bits and pieces of ancient Rome, with layers brought in by all the subsequent generations, each looking to make their mark on the city they call(ed) home, while literally and figuratively building on the work and lives of the city’s previous residents. We visited the major sites: the Colesseum, Forum, Pantheon, Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica. We stepped inside multiple churches to enjoy the intricate architecture, artwork, and in some delightfully surprising cases, groups of locals singing and enjoying their daily lives.

We wandered down winding side streets leading to courtyards and plazas and parks in the back streets of Rome.

We took selfies and panorama shots, alongside other tourists from around the world, in front of the fountain by the Spanish steps; from the rooftop of Castle d’Angelo, in front of ruins in the Jewish Ghetto, in the midst of headless statues inside the Forum. We sat overlooking the Tiber river, watching the world go by, enjoying the unscheduled days and the warmth of the Spring sunshine.

And we ate. We dined on the usual suspects of pizza and pasta…

…and the more surprising and enjoyable offerings on the menu: arugula salad topped with fennel and orange; local goat cheese and toasted hazelnuts on dark greens; zucchini, sundried tomato and pecorino souffle; Roman-style artichokes – Carciofi alla Romana; and became completely addicted to Brutti ma Buoni – the “ugly but delicious” cookies made from toasted hazelnuts – a completely irresistible chewy-crunchy (we went back to the same bakery 3 times).

We enjoyed gelato from Gelateria del Teatro – more than once. We consumed many, many oranges and blood oranges – too many to count.

We drank cappuccinos literally all over the city, soon discovering our favorite places for the first cup of the morning, the second cup an hour or so later, the place to go after lunch, the mid-afternoon pick-me-up. When in Rome… We drank coffee as the locals did: standing up at the coffee bar, knocking back a freshly pulled espresso shot, or sitting at the outside tables, enjoying a cappuccino while watching the world go by.

Here’s what we discovered while walking and eating our way through Rome for four days:

The local pasta and pizzas are great, but eat these daily and you’ll soon be craving vegetables – the pasta dishes tend to be very simple, for example the cacio e pepe made with cheese, butter or olive oil and black pepper over pasta – a delicious dish, but one screaming to be served with a side of vegetables or a salad. One trick is to ask for two plates and share the pasta dish, and then order several of the vegetables or salads along with it. Trust me, your gut, waistline and energy levels will thank you for this.

The most interesting dishes were found in from the list of appetizers, side dishes or salads. It is here that the local chefs are most adventurous, and where some of the best food in Rome. Sometimes, we ordered only side dishes – and these turned out to be our best meals.

Local markets let you see what’s in season. During our visit in early March, the markets were loaded with wild asparagus, broccoli rabe, and artichokes. So whenever we came across these items on the menu, we ordered up! Wise choice – they were always fresh and delicious. The broccoli rabe at Pizzeria del Francesco was steamed and then dressed with garlic toasted in olive oil and a generous douse of black pepper – a perfect predecessor to the crisp pecorino, wild asparagus white pizza, topped with a fresh egg and baked in the wood-fired oven.

When looking for good food, here are a few rules:
- Don’t rely only on the guide books – their recommendations will likely lead you to places overcrowded with tourists and dishes that are less than stellar. Instead ask a local in their late 20’s thru early 50’s where they eat. They are likely to give you the address of the trendier new restaurants cooking up Italian food with a modern twist.
- If the menus are in English only, skip it.
- If you’re looking for food after visiting a tourist attraction, follow the “rule of 3” shared with us by tour guide Chad: turn your back on the tourist site; walk 3 blocks in any direction and the food will be 3 times better and 3 times cheaper. It’s true.
- Don’t look for dinner before 7:00 PM. Expect to pay extra for bread, water, plus a service fee.
- You want a restaurant in which (most) of the guests are speaking Italian. If not, keep walking.
- The best food is found on the side streets in smallish restaurants.
- Use the local WiFi to check out “restaurants near here” on Google maps. You’ll get up-to-date comments from people like you about restaurants in the vicinity. We had really good luck with this, and found one of our favorite restaurants, dar sor Olimpio al Drago in Trastevere this way.
- Be adventurous. Try foods you’ve never heard of. Share dishes so you can enjoy more new flavors without stuffing yourself.

Pecorino, Zucchini & Sundried Tomato Souffle; Eggplant Involtini; Carciofi alla Romana; Tiramisu

To get you started, here are three of our favorite food stops from the trip:

dar sor Olimpio al Drago, Piazza del Drago 2 in Trastevere – Impeccable service in a charming restaurant, and where we found one of my favorite dishes of the trip: a souffle of pecorino cheese, zucchini and sundried tomato. Everything on the menu was excellent. Unusually for us – we ate here twice!
Gelateria del Teatro, Via dei Coronari, 65 – This is one place where the guide books get it right – truly the best gelato in Rome with authentic gelato flavors masterfully made in-house. Your only regret will be limited capacity as you’ll want to try every single flavor.
Baylon Cafe, Via di San Francesco a Ripa 152 in Trastevere – fresh juices and the best cappuccinos in the city. Also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Well-loved by the locals and has a wonderful staff and decor that made me smile. This place really felt like “home”.

In case it may be a while before you visit the Eternal City, here’s a refreshing Spring salad inspired by our trip. This simple combination makes the best of a few ingredients, so look for the best quality of each that you can find. This will be on our Easter table, reminding us of those delightful days in Rome, and promising that Spring is nearly here – even in Helsinki.

Orange, Fennel and Carrot Salad

1 head of Lollo Rosso lettuce, or dark greens of choice
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced lengthwise, reserving 8 whole slices from the center.
1 orange, peel and outer pith cut away, cut into fourths and then into slices, reserving a few slices
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin, short strips
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon high-quality balsamic vinegar

Wash the dark greens and spin dry. If large, cut into bite-sized pieces. Place the greens in a large bowl. Add the fennel and orange except for reserved slices, and the carrot pieces. Add salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. Toss well to coat vegetables with the dressing.

Divide the vegetable mixture between 2 plates for a main course and 4 plates for a side dish. Garnish with reserved fennel and orange slices. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 as a main course and 4 as a side dish.

Have you been to Rome? Share your favorite food stops and tips in the comments below! Dreaming of Rome? What would you love to see or eat there?

Do you know Greek food? And a recipe for Roasted Chicken.

November 13, 2015 by aplough

A few weeks ago I spent one, long, glorious day exploring every single stand at the Helsinki Food Fair. There were so many delicious things to taste and subsequently take home to cook with, that you’ll be hearing about some of the ingredients I picked up along the way through the next set of posts. This year, the Mediterranean region was well-represented: Italy, Spain and Greece.

For the moment, I want to focus on Greece, whose products I have been happily sampling and experimenting with during the weeks since the food fair.

The Greek booth was my favorite section, because it held so many surprises. It was tucked way back in the corner, and I noticed it first because of the oranges. Piles and boxes of beautiful, flavorful Greek oranges were on display, and I happily accepted the offer to take a few home. Across the aisle was the main booth for Greek cuisine, sponsored by the Finnish-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce.

It wasn’t all about food: Pureshop had hand-made soap made from Extra Virgin olive oil. When I asked what it was best used for, owner and founder Ioulia Marini answered “as an all over body soap!”. So I did. I used it to wash my face – and it’s never felt so smooth. I used it all over my body and it worked beautifully. I even used it to wash my hair, and loved the silky feel it left. In my opinion, this is the perfect soap. Now, I use it every single day.

Now back to the food, because there was a lot of it and the flavors were incredible.

The friendly team at the booth were displaying items and offering tastings of a broad arrange of Greek food products. Take yourself beyond the Greek salad, past the moussaka and souvlaki (all wonderful dishes, mind you), and feast for a moment on Chliapas Dry Cured Halkidiki olives (these disappeared quickly and were amazing in texture and flavor – I wish I knew where to buy more!); olive oil from Golden Tree; honey from Melife with flavors of thyme, pine tree, fir tree and blossom – some of the nicest honey I’ve ever tasted; capers in brine that went perfectly with a Pumpkin tagine I made later; sea salt, sun dried tomatoes with herbs and capers in olive oil from Yakinthos; and mildly sweet carob biscuits that would be perfect with the Dictamus herbal teas on display from the island of Crete. After a taste of the olives or bite of bread dipped in that golden-green oil, you begin to understand the advice Golden Tree shares: “Eat olive oil…do only good.”

And then those carefully cultivated herbs from the Laconian Herb Society tucked into beautiful packaging, with names like “This is Chicken”, “This is Beef” and “This is Sage” that left no question as to where these herbs should be used. These are native herbs, grown in between the olive and orange groves near the shoreline or at high altitudes. They are hand-picked to order and carefully preserved without industrial methods, and both the fragrance and flavor are potent and delicious.

I sprinkled “This is Chicken”, a blend of Greek oregano and thyme, over a few bone-in chicken thighs, added a few lemon slices, onion, and some olive oil, and roasted them low and slow in the oven for a few hours. But instead of using the beef seasoning over a the animal meat in question, I decided to add “This is Beef”, a blend of rosemary and Greek thyme, to a pan of parsnips and carrots for roasting, with a drizzle of Grecian fir tree honey from Melife and sprinkle of smoked sea salt. Seriously delicious.

The herbs were high-quality and pleasantly fragrant, with the well-matched herbs blending together to form a tasty and flavorful dish. I’ll be reaching for these spices again and again over the next few months, I know.

Bring Greece into your kitchen for the day with these comforting flavors that will warm your belly and delight your taste buds.

Roasted Chicken and Roasted Root Vegetables with Greek Herbs

Roasted Chicken with Oregano and Thyme

4-6 bone-in chicken thighs
2 yellow onions, peeled, cut into quarters and then into thin slices
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 organic lemon, cut into thin slices
1/2 cup Greek olives
1 heaped tablespoon of Laconian herbs “This is Chicken”, or 1/2 tablespoon each of thyme and oregano
2 tablespoons Greek olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 160°C / 325°F.

Pour one tablespoon of oil into a heavy-bottomed casserole dish and spread to coat the bottom and sides of the dish. Arrange the chicken thighs (remove the skin if you wish) in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over the chicken. Arrange the onions, lemon, olives and garlic evenly over and around the chicken pieces. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.

Cover the pan with foil or a lid and place in the oven to cook for 45 minutes. Remove the foil or lid, increase the heat to 200°C/400°F and cook for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is nicely browned.

Roasted Parsnips & Carrots with Rosemary and Thyme

4 parsnips, peeled and cut into sticks
4 carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into rounds
1.5 teaspoons Laconian herbs “This is Beef” or 3/4 teaspoon each of rosemary and thyme
1 tablespoon Greek olive oil
1 tablespoon of Greek honey, warmed slightly
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the vegetables, then place them into the oven along with the chicken once the chicken has 30 minutes of cooking time remaining.

Combine the vegetables, and all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir with your hands or a spoon to make sure the mixture is well combined. Pour the vegetables out onto a parchment-lined baking tray and arrange them in a single layer. Bake them in the oven until the are tender when pierced with a fork, and slightly crispy around the edges

To Serve:

Arrange 2/3 of the vegetables on a serving tray. Arrange the chicken, lemons, olives and onions on top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the vegetables over and around the chicken, top with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, and serve.

Serves 4-6

Healthy & Homemade Granola

July 25, 2015 by aplough

Granola!!!

I almost can’t believe I haven’t posted this recipe for granola before. It’s absolutely a staple in this house: I make it every single week. If I’m going to be visiting someone overnight, I often make a big batch and bring it as a hostess gift. If we go to the cabin, we have big container of this along for the ride. If we head out on a road trip, we bring it too – then all we need is a container of yogurt and maybe some fresh fruit in order to make a healthy snack – nice to have when the only thing along the way are gas stations and fast food restaurants with their waistline-expanding, toxic-filled, horrible tasting options.

I first posted a granola recipe 5 years!!! ago when I had this recipe published in the Helsingin Sanomat, Finland’s main newspaper. This granola has evolved a lot a long the way: simplified, made healthier, and, in my opinion, much, much better.

Oatmeal is great for heart health for adding fiber to the diet, while the seeds add much-welcomed vitamins, minerals and wonderful flavor. Maple syrup is a nice alternative to refined sugar, while olive oil adds healthy fats. Win-win all around!

Mix the ingredients while the oven heats up and then it’s 30 minutes before you’ll be pulling a beautifully golden, fragrant, delicious granola from your oven.

A few notes:

oats are naturally gluten-free, but if you or someone you will be sharing this has issues with gluten, be sure to seek out a certified gluten-free oatmeal
Always, if possible, use the large, old-fashioned oatmeal flakes. It really makes a difference here
Honey can be substituted for the maple syrup. Just know that it can darken more quickly, so keep an eye on it starting around the 20-minute mark.
I like my granola with seeds, usually, but feel free to swap in or add in any kind of nuts.
If you want to add dried fruit, wait until you remove the pan from the oven and then add the fruit to the top of the hot granola, allowing it to sit and plump up as the granola cools for best results.

and without further ado:

Healthy, Homemade Granola

6 cups/1.5 liters old fashioned, large-flake raw oatmeal
1.5 cups/4 dl mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup/1.25 dl genuine Maple syrup
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir the syrup, oil and vanilla together and pour over the dry mixture. Mix really well to make sure the oats are all well-coated in the wet mixture. Pour onto a parchment-lined oven tray.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until it turns a nice golden brown color. Remove from the oven and allow the mixture to cool completely in the pan. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Makes 7 cups/ 18 dl

Love Oatmeal? Try these options too:

Love this recipe? Like it, Share It, and let me know how you’ve used it in the comments below!