Gluteeniton sitruuna kuppikakku / Lemon Curd Cupcakes (Gluten free)

In my family we have gluten intolerance, we however also have people without gluten intolerance. Now, one critique always posed to gluten free food is that it simply doesn't taste the same. I call bullshit. Indeed it would take a chef without having to make glutenfree food, to start making it and really requiring it to taste as good. I mean - why settle? This is the quest my mom set out to do, prove to everyone that gluten free food and baked goods are just as good if not better.

This has inspired me, so I challenge myself. I want to make everything gluten free, and so no one knows it is. This cupcake recipe is my own, through failure found. It's perfected and I challenge anyone and everyone to tell me it's not wonderful and tastes better than cupcakes made with wheat flour.

Base

125 grams butter

2 dl sugar

5 dl Semper Mix gluten free flour

2 tl  baking powder

1 dl Lemon juice (about 2lemons)
0,5 dl milk

2 eggs

lemon zest

Start by whipping butter and sugar together. I don't use an electric whisk, just my hands until it's well mixed, and then I whip it fluffy with a whisk or even fork. If you don't have the strength, use an electric whisk. Add eggs to the batter and keep mixing.
First mix the baking powder with the gluten free flour, and then add it to your mixture. Finally add 1dl or freshly squeezed lemon juice, use the zest from the leftover lemons, grate it and add to the batter. Check the consistency, sometimes it needs a little more liquid, in which case add about 0,5dl milk so the batter is easy to put in to the forms.

Lemon Curd

 2 lemons

1,5 dl sugar

4dl water

4 egg yolks

3 tbs potato flour

25grams butter

Mix all ingredients together cold in a pan, heat up slowly. as the heat increases the curd will begin to thicken. If you want a less thick curd, lower the amount of potato flour. If you feel you want it thicker, never add potato flour to the hot mixture. Take a glass, add a little water and some potato flour so it liquidates in the glass. Add the water mixture to the curd and keep stirring.

Of course, one easier way out is to buy ready lemon curd. I prefer making my own. Taste! Sometimes lemons are a bit bitter, especially during winter times. You can add sugar according to taste.

Making the cupcakes

Once the lemon curd is done, add it first to your cupcake forms. Then pour the batter on top. This will create a soft lemon curd heart in cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes in 220C for about 10min. Let them cool off before putting the frosting on.

Frosting

1 pack of Philadelphia Cheese

50grams butter (room temp.)

Powdered sugar to taste (0,5dl)
Vanilla flavor

Make sure the butter is room temp!! Whisk together Philadelphia Cheese and butter, use an electric whisk or bamix (sauvasekoitin). When even and soft, add powdered sugar to taste. I don't like my frosting too sweet, so I only add about 0,5dl. Do it according to required taste and consistency. Add vanilla flavor and put in fridge to harden.

Once the cupcakes are cool, and the frosting is cold, start putting the frosting on! The best job. Then enjoy the best lemon cupcakes ever!

Lamb Shahikorma

In the U.S. I had the best Indian food of my life. I've never had Indian food in London though, which I've heard is world class. One of the dishes that absolutely stole my hear was Lamb Shahikorma. The best lamb Shahikorma came from this place on 96th street (near east Harlem) in NYC. I don't remember the name of the place though.. Back here in Helsinki I've tried to recreate that dish from memory, and now found the best combo. Here it is.

Marinade
Cashews - 125grams + another bag for garnish
Garlic  - 4 cloves
Ginger, minced - 2 tablespoons
Water

Put all ingredients (except the water) in a food processor. Add water according to need until it becomes a granual paste, looks a little bit like porridge. Pour the mixture over the cubed lamb, buy about 150grams/person.  I often use paahtopaisti, but any "lower quality" lamb will do because  of the long cooking time.
 
Let the lamb marinate for at least 1h, however over night is preferred though.

The Sauce

Oil 

Vindaloo Curry paste - 2tbs

Whole cloves - 4 to 6 / or 1tsp powdered (Neilikka)
Cinnamon stick -- 1-inch piece

Heavy cream - 2dl (vispi kerma)
Water - as needed
Garam Masala - 1-2tbs 

Once the lamb has marinated, put some vegetable (or rypsi) oil in a pan, add 1-2tbs of Vindaloo curry paste. Vindaloo curry paste can be bought from any better grocery store. You want to fry the paste because that way the spices get into the oil and makes the heat soft. If you like heat, use 2tbs, if you're not a big fan, use 1tbs or less. Add one cinnamonstick and the cloves to the oil. Keep frying for a minute or so. 

Add the lamb with all the marinade to the pan, fry it for about 4-5min. Then add the heavy cream and water. Please don't ever use "Ruokakerma" that stuff should be banned from the face of the earth. If you want less fat, use less cream and more water. Finally, add the Garam Masala spice and let the whole thing simmer for 1-1,5h. Finish the Shahikorma by adding another bag of whole cashews.

Serve with Basmati rice, and garnish with fresh cilantro and red chili.

Gaijin

Gaijin is probably one of my favorite restaurants in Helsinki. I am partial, because some of my friends work there. I have been to Gaijin more times than my wallet would like, and soon I will have to go again. The food is amazing, no doubt, but so it is in several places. The number one reason why I love Gaijin is because I really feel like the experience is different every time. Also, the chefs use ingredients that sometimes I've never heard of, and other times in ways I never could have imagined.

I'm not a trained chef, so to see such creativity and exquisit talent in a restaurant is such a joy. I always get inspired to think in new ways, and combine new tastes.

Mussels

The first time I went, we chose the Menu Gaijin. A difficult decision because both menus looked amazing. At the time, the menu had 9 courses starting with mussles. I'm a seafoodie, and these are among the top mussles I have ever had. Sweet, yet savory with an orange and vanilla flavours.

Scallops

 One of the reasons for chosing Menu Gaijin, was the scallops. I have a love hate relationship with scallops (kampasimpukka). Because if you cook scallops the wrong way, either too little or too long I really feel that they taste beyond discusting. However when could perfectly, there is no greater food joy. Of course, these were cooked to perfection, a major reason for me to come yet again.

Foi & Unagi

 Traditionally I'm not a fan of eel, but I love fois gras. I was most apprehensive about the Foi&Unagi dish. This dish truly split opinions, I loved the foi, didn't care too much for the eel (probably my own fault though), but my major issue was the lack of texutre. Both main components were soft, there was some crunchy nuts, but not enough. I might be a freak of nature though, some of my friends loved it.

Pork Buns

Then the pork buns came out. I took a bite, and I was sold. I have had food all over ther world, in several places, and something about these pork buns made them climb to the top of my list. I can't describe it, try it to believe it. This is my absolute favorite.

Baby Back Pork Ribs

Baby back pork ribs. It's so rare to get good ribs in Finland to begin with, these were flavoured with a sweet soy sauce that took the best features out of the meat. The meat was so tender it fell apart, just like it should. Baby back ribs, a winner!

The best thing about Gaijin's menu is that they know when to stop. Had the menu finnished with a heavy cake, I probably would have died. Instead it was light raspberry and pistachio sorbet. A perfect fresh finish, to a heavy meal.

Another thing that annoyes some diners, but that I appreciate, is that they bring out the food as they please. I love this attitude! Food is meant to be shared and enjoyed, they bring it, you eat in the pace you like.

Finally, one thing you can't skip if you go to Gaijin is the drinks. Start with one, finish with one, ask the bartender - he'll know you're favorite.

Spice Market

Passionfruit Sorbet

One of my friends from Helsinki was in NYC at the same time with me, studying at Parsons School of Design for the summer. We met up at Chelsea Market to grab some lunch, and decided to head over to Spice Market located in the Meatpacking district.

Lamb Vindaloo

One of the best times to visit NYC is in August, why? Not the heat, but because it's restaurant week! That, and also summer clothing sales begin. Restaurant week means that most places have lunch menues for $25 and dinner menus for $35.So we jumped at the opportunity to eat a menu at Spice Market.

I love eating out with my friends, becaus we share the same passion for food. This means that we often get different menus and share everything together. I'm a sucker for spicy food, so I love the Lamb Vindaloo.

Cheescake

Chocolate Covered Watermelon

The food and the atmosphere is amazing at Spice Market, be prepared to stand some hot food. If you don't like heat, say so. When it's not restaurant week, Spice Market is pricy. However it is worth every dollar. I could go again and again.

Our dinner ended perfectly. My friend got a call that her brother just got engaged, now that's something to celebrate. A glass of Champagne spices up any lunch!

Beauty & Essex

Goodbye meatpacking district, hello lower east side. To some extent still bad areas, cheap real estate and chinese signs but now also filled with amazing restaurants and a vibrant bar life. This is also the location of Beauty & Essex The owner is the same as Stanton Social, and like Stanton Social Beauty & Essex is trendy, classy, elegant and combines wonderful food with well made coctails.

Two stunning observations off hand. The entrance does not look like a restaurant, because it isn't.
Beauty & Essex is a pawn shop. Wonderful if you feel like shopping and eating at the same time. Behind the pawn shop doors, the actual restaurant opens up.

The food is tapas style, and with a big group of people it was an excellent opportunity to try almost the entier menu out. Everything from fried oysters, to dumplings. My two especial favorites, which will forever stay in my mind were  the Oven Braised Chicken Meatballs, topped with

sheeps milk ricotta, wild mushrooms, and truffle oil. This is a recipe I will try to recreate some time.

The other absolute favorite was the roasted bone marrow with a rioja based shallot marmalade, and parsley. The idea is to spread the bone marrow on to the crostini and enjoy. Incredible.

Prices are acceptable, here is the benefit of paying for what you order. More tapas more dollars, the budget is up to you. For a NYC restaurant, it isn't that expensive.

To finish the night off, us girls went to the ladies room, to powder our noses and get ready for some clubbing. To our wonderful surprise, pink champagen was served there. Yes, in the ladies room. No better way to start off the night.

Tacombi

One beautiful summer day in NYC my friend from Stockholm came to visit. In Soho she felt like having fish tacos, and knew just the place. Just that place happened to not exist anymore. Wandering the streets of Soho, we asked some local bartenders where to get good fish tacos. They told us the place to go is Tacombi. Difficult to find, and only locals know about it. Sounded perfect.

The place was difficult to find, it is litterary a hole in the white wall on Elisabeth street as you approach the corner of Houston. Easy to miss. Technically it's not Soho, it's Nolita, but same general area.

The most stunnig feature of the place is that inside the restaurant there's a old Wolksvagen van. This van is used as the Taco kitchen.

This place has the best home made chips, and home made guacamole I have ever tasted. No doubt about it. The tacos are fairly small, so I would order two for lunch, three for dinner. Also the great thing about this place, is all tacos, and chips are 100% corn. That means gluten free!  Depending on the server, they recommend different tacos. My favorite was by far the Veracruzana fish taco, and Shrimp a la diabla.

Another seriously cool thing about this place, is that there is no coca cola, sprite, or any other non-mexican soda. The guys here make their own Horchata and Aqua de Dìa daily. I fell in love with their Horchata. I also fell in love with the servers, the owner, everyone and everything about this place, including the food. It became my go-to place.

Prices are low, any lunch will be around $10. Taco's are $3-$4 each, sodas $1,5. The good thing about this place is you set your own price range. If you have more tacos, it's more expensive. You can just have a snack for $4 if you like.

Rafla Helsinki - The quest for great food at an affordable price

The food culture has changed so much in Helsinki during the past few years. It's more and more common to go out to eat, and these days table reservations is a must for weekends. At least to some of the better places.

My personal opinion is that restaurants in Helsinki have had average food at high prices. Nowdays, most have excellent food at high prices, which is a great development. The only problem is that for a food culture to florish, there should also be places with great food at low prices.

I was living in NYC this past summer and fall,  one of my favorite places in Soho, Tacombi, had amazing Mexican food, and fish tacos for around $4. In New York City, one of the most expensive cities. One major issues still in Helsinki, and with the finnish food culture in general, is that when you go to a restaurant it's expected to be uptight. High-class, high prices. Food you would normally cook at home, simply can't be served in restaurants.

 There are some exceptions: bar No9, and Tori both serve comfort food. Unfortunately still at prices that are too high, at least in my opinion. Some would disagree with me perhaps, but being able to eat a dinner for $9 makes you wonder why everything here is at least 17€.

Yesterday was a perfect example of a restaurant market gap. I went out for a beer with my friend to Los Cojones, neither of us had eaten. My other friend joined us, and we decided to eat at Rafla. A normal thursday night, nothing fancy, just friends.

All in all, the food at Rafla is amazing. All three of us shared two appetizers, then  I had the steak with bernaise sauce and we all shared a bottle of wine. I was wondering why we don't go out eating more often with my friends in the middle of the week. I did that all the time in the U.S.

Time for the check. Price tag for the night? 50€. Then I rememberd why I don't go out 4 times a week here. Quick calculations: 4*50=200€/week, four weeks in a month, food budget 800€/month. Maybe not. Fine. Don't drink the wine, or have just a glass, no appetizers. Yes, several solutions to the problem. However how come I never had to make those choices in the U.S? Or in most European countries.

Would I recommend Rafla? Absolutely, great service (which is still rare here, to American standards), great wine, great food, love the atmosphere. Will it top my list on where to go a casual Thursday? Perhaps not.

I shall continue my quest for great food at affordable prices!