Lemon Curd and Cream Buns; Roasted Plantains with Ata Din Din; and Crispy Rice and Salmon Bowl

I’m playing catchup here. I had fallen so far behind in telling you about the cookbooks I’ve been using lately, I decided to do a three-in-one post. To start, I have to backtrack to Easter when I made the Lemon Curd and Cream Buns from Scandinavian from Scratch of which I received a review copy. It’s written by Nichole Accettola who operates Kantine in San Francisco offering Scandinavian-inspired dishes. At the restaurant and bakery, as much as possible is made from scratch including the sprouted rye bread. Accettola spent a year developing that recipe before opening Kantine. I had to take a stab at it myself and was delighted to use the bread for smorrebrod with smoked salmon. The book includes cookies, cakes, a whole chapter for fika, breakfast dishes, smorrebrod, and recipes for the dark Scandinavian winter. The Lemon Curd and Cream Buns looked irresistible with a pretty bit of filling decorating the tops. The buns are made with a Swedish semlor dough, and the filling is lemon curd with whipped cream folded into it. They’re as delightful as they sound. There are lots of pastries, both sweet and savory, made with Danish dough, lots of tarts, cookies I want with my coffee every day, and more to explore in this book. 

The second book I want to tell you about is My Everyday Lagos by Yewande Komolafe, and I received a review copy. It delivers the diverse flavors of Nigerian cooking from typical weekday meals to street vendors’ fare to celebratory dishes. Komolafe writes: “I am wary of making any kind of definitive statement through my cuisine” regarding the food of Lagos. But, she offers her “exploration of Nigerian cuisine … so that you may experience how we eat, why we eat what we eat, and what our food contributes to humanity’s palate.” The chapter of steamed starches, wrapped in banana leaves got my attention. I want to try Ekoki which is steamed maize pudding and some of the optional sauces to go with it. Also, Gbegiri is a bean stew served with colorful toppings and topped with bright, red ata din din. And, Burabisco is rehydrated dried cassava that forms the base of a salad shown in the book with sweet corn, cucumbers, and avocados. First, I set about making ata gige which is a puree of sweet peppers, onion and scotch bonnets, or habaneros in my case, and garlic. The ata gige was then simmered, oil was added, and it was thickened to form ata din din. The lovely, bright sauce was served with roasted plantains, and I look forward to making it again to serve with grilled fish or to top other vegetables. 

 

The third and final book is the latest from Jess Damuck, Health Nut, of which I received a review copy. I became a big fan of hers when Salad Freak appeared, and this new book continues the fresh, vibrant theme with more than salads. You’ll find breakfast options like Fluffy Buckwheat Pancakes and Golden Granola that quickly became a favorite. There are, of course, salads in this book too. I’ve marked the page for Lemony Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Avocado, and right away I tried the addictive Chopped Cucumber and Feta Salad. There are stir fries, soups, bowls, tacos, and even desserts. The Sweet Potato Bread with Miso Tahini Butter will be a fun, fall treat to try. I jumped right into the recipe for Crispy Rice and Salmon Bowl with Quick Pickles and Greens. Sushi rice was pressed into a baking dish and refrigerated to set overnight. Then, cut rectangles were cooked in a bit of oil to brown a bit. A soy sauce and fish sauce dipping sauce was prepped, cucumbers were quick-pickled, greens and asparagus in my case were cooked, and everything was assembled and served. And, there’s so much more nutritious inspiration throughout this book.