Happy new year, birds!

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It seems we have hundreds of birds here these days. And I love it! I think they all are born under our roof and thus belongs to our family. And of course they also deserve some festivities!
I have made melted fat and thrown in whatever I had in my cupord of cereals, millet, corn,sunflower seeds, etc. Then I put it into my muffin forms,with a thread in the middle. Then out in the cold for half an hour before I took them out of my muffins forms and hung them up outside.
I have used melted animal fat, but could have used coconut fat or any other fat that goes hard when cooled down.

Light in the dark...

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Saffron pears for the new years celebration!

Pics by johanna

These are my absolute favorite pears ! A recipe so simple to make yet so sophisticated... The combination of pear and saffron is out of this world.
I serve it with whipped cream and caramelizes slivered almonds sprinkled on top .Et voila...a dessert
worthy any grand occasion.

2 kg organic pears
2 l water
1 3/4 l  unrefined cane sugar
2 g saffron
1 lemon plus water to cover the pears .

Peel the pears (you can leave the stalk on for decoration) and put them into the lemon water to prevent discoloring.
Miz water, sugar and saffron in a casserole. Boil up and stir till the sugar has melted.
Put in the pears and let them gently cook for 15 -25 min. depending on the size and softness of the pears. If the pears all fit into the casserole, cook them in different batches.
You can leave the pears to cool and enjoy them right away, or you can pour them into clean,hot glasses and leave them till the right occasion appears.

pics by johanna

pics by Johanna

Pickled green tomatoes

The last flowers and the last tomatoes...i want to make them last as long as possible.
The flowers have a limited time, but the tomatoes I can make to last for quite some time.
This pickled tomatoes my mom used to make when I was little.
And I remember very well my mothers meatballs, potatoes, vegetables and the green tomatoes!
An unbeatable combination in my young years.
Now I make the pickles every year with the last batch of unripe tomatoes . And it goes just as well with curries as with meatballs...

1 kg green tomatoes
4 dl vinagre
4 dl water
Cook together for 10 min and let it rest over night.
Then throw away the water,skin the tomatoes and cut them in two or four, depending on size.

1,5 dl vinagre
a splash of water
750 g brown sugar
1 vanilla pod
Cook the tomatoes in the mixture for two minutes and take them out. Keep cooking
the sauce for 10 more minutes and then add the tomatoes for a final boil before pouring into
clean, sterile glasses . Put the lid on and leave the glass lid  down till cooled off.
Store in a cool place.

pics by Johanna