Norway

Sorry for the lack of posts recently - haven't been doing so much inspired cooking due to a few stresses at home, but I promise I will post properly later this week. Some on Jamie O and some on haggis and maybe some other recipes in between... I would have done some posts this weekend, but I feel it a bit inappropriate in light of the awful tragedy that happened in Norway on Friday. My heart goes out to all those affected. It is quite shocking that something like this could happen in such a peaceful and safe country. It is reminiscent of the attack in Stockholm in December last year, and makes one wonder who is next. With the rise of the far right wing movement in Finland, one can only hope that here we will not be beset by similar horrors.

Walnut and goat's cheese salad with maple syrup dressing and sirloin steak

We had this for dinner earlier and it was a lovely, light dinner, considering the heatwave we have been experiencing (30C heat, in Finland!). I quite enjoy sweet salads and having experimented a couple of times with maple syrup dressing, this recipe I got from a friend is the best that I have tried. This was ridiculously simple/quick and really tasty. If you don't want to have it so sweet you could replace the maple salad dressing with something else such as a goat's cheese vinaigrette. You can also replace the salad greens if you can't get those particular ones - crunchy salad leaves are best in my opinion.

I apologise for the lack of a picture - I got carried away with eating it before I remembered!

Ingredients

• 70 g walnut halves (1 bag)
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 pots of frisee salad
• 1/2 pot of baby beet greens (viinisuolalehti)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 tbsp Dijon mustard (or any other mustard you have in your fridge) 
• 100 g goats cheese
• 300 g sirloin steak
• pre-made frozen garlic bread

 Method

1. Preheat oven to 150C
2. Mix sugar and water together in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved, add walnut halves and toss to coat.
3. Lay walnuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 20 minute.
4. Chop up the salad leaves (Frisee and baby beet greens) and put in a nice serving bowl.
5. Using a fork, combine the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, oil and salt and pepper together until well mixed and then toss into the salad.
6. Cut up the goat's cheese into small pieces (around 1cm cubes) and toss into the salad and try and make sure they aren't sticking together to much.
7. Take out the walnuts when done and allow to cool. They will also become hard and crunchy once they have cooled.
8. Put the garlic bread in the oven and cook according to instructions
9. Meanwhile, warm up a pan with a little bit of oil on the hob,
10. Cook the sirloin steak for about 4 minutes per side if you like it medium-well done. Obviously you should cook it to your preference :) and there is plenty of good advice on the web about that.
11. Leave the sirloin to rest for about 5 minutes.
12. Meanwhile toss the walnut halves into  the salad.
13. Serve the salad onto plates and the garlic bread as well.
14. Slice the sirloin into thin strips and place onto the salad and serve.

 Hyvää Ruokahalua!