Today’s story is really easy to tell but not as easy to write down (and in a few seconds you’ll understand why).
Last Friday I did the stupidest stupidest thing. Something I think everyone who has used an immersion blender can relate to. I was pulsing ingredients for some mung bean burgers when a few pumpkin seeds got stuck in the blender. I used my finger to get them out and … accidentally touched the power button!!! I am not going to make you lose your appetite, but there were blood. And tears. Lots of them. One week later I am still in pain, but it looks like I will at least still be a 10 fingered girl (even though one of the fingers will probably never be as pretty as before). As for the mung bean burgers. Well they will have to wait a while before making it onto this blog.
Instead we made some Christmas gifts. I made a few batches of Christmas granola. I was inspired by an old recipe that you can find here and this gluten free version. I didn’t use so much dried fruit this time, only some goji berries. And I only sweetened it with apple syrup. It’s super delicious and a very popular gift.
We also made pomegranate and thyme jam that we will post next week, and our own version of the swedish Christmas drink Glögg. Scroll down for the recipe.
If you haven’t heard of glögg before it is a kind of spiced mulled wine that you drink for Advent in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. It is normally very sweet, so David made his own version on frozen blueberries and only sweetened it with apple syrup. He made one alcohol free, one with red wine and one where he also added some rhum. I don’t drink alcohol often, but even I fell in love with this, it taste like christmas in a cup.
Blueberry Glögg
Makes around 3 large bottles
If you can’t find unsweetened apple syrup you can also use 1/2 cup honey or agave.
500 g/4 cups/1 liter blueberries, frozen will work too
1 cup/2,5 dl unsweetened apple syrup
3 cups/7,5 dl water
1 orange, zest
10 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean, , sliced lengthwise
20 raisins
2 whole star anise
1 inch/2,5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 bottle of red wine
2 shots/80 ml of rhum (optional)
1. Place blueberries in a large sauce pan together with apple syrup and water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat.
2. Let it gently simmer for about 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to pulse it smooth.
3. Add the grated orange zest and all spices and let everything gently simmer for at least 20 more minutes.
To make it with wine:
4. Add a bottle of red wine (and 2 shots of rhum if you want it even stronger). Heat it, without bringing to a boil. Strain through a sieve and pour on sterilized bottles. Or serve it straight away in small cups together with some raisins and blanched almonds.
To make it alcohol free:
4. Add 2 cups water instead of the wine.
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