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Chef approved

They say a chef never reveals their secrets, but chef Carlos Afonso is going to break that rule to show that IKEA has kitchenware worthy of haute cuisine.

Crème brûlée
Veggie lasagna
Pork knuckle with mashed potatoes
Shrimp tortilla

Crème brûlée

A crème brûlée with a Swedish twist.

Ingredients

- 1 liter of whole milk
- 200g sugar
- 8 egg white
- 40g cornstarch (cornflour)
- Peel of 1 lemon (only the yellow part)
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- Sugar to taste for burning
- KAFFEREP, cinnamon buns
- 100g butter
- Sugar and cinnamon powder

Preparation

1. Heat the milk with the lemon peel and cinnamon stick. Once boiling, turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.

2. In a bowl, add the cornstarch and sugar; mix well and add the egg yolks, whisking until you obtain a pale cream.

3. Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick from the hot milk. Pour the hot milk over the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly.

4. Put everything to low heat, stirring until thickened. Do not let it boil too much to avoid curdling.

5. Divide into bowls, let cool, and refrigerate.

6. In a frying pan, melt the butter, brown the cinnamon rolls on both sides, coat with sugar and cinnamon, and set aside. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the cinnamon rolls all over.
Plate and serve.

Veggie lasagna

Did you know that MIXTUR oven dishes are the exact size of lasagna sheets?

Ingredients

Roasted vegetables
- 200g eggplant
- 200g zucchini
- 150g mushrooms 
- 150g carrot
- 100g onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 40g olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme to taste

Tomato sauce
- 700g canned peeled tomatoes
- 80g onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 20g olive oil
- 5g sugar
- Fresh basil or dried oregano to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste

Béchamel sauce
- 50g butter
- 50g flour
- 600g milk
- Nutmeg to taste
- Salt and white pepper to taste 

Assembly
- 150g lasanga pasta sheets (pre-cooked or fresh)
- 50 g ARLA HERRGÅRD cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare the vegetables: Wash and slice the vegetables into thin rounds or half-moons. Arrange them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bake in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and golden brown.
2. Make the tomato sauce: Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add the canned peeled tomatoes and crush them with a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, and herbs. Let it simmer for 15 minutes over low heat until reduced.
3. Make the béchamel sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, stirring continuously until it thickens. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.
4. Assemble the lasagna: Grease a baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of lasagna sheets, cover with a portion of the roasted vegetables, drizzle with béchamel sauce, and sprinkle with a little grated cheese. Repeat the layers until finished, ending with béchamel and grated IKEA Cow's milk cheese.
5. Bake and gratinate: Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 30 to 35 minutes. For the last 5 minutes, increase the temperature to 200°C (390°F) to gratinate (brown the top). Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Pork knuckle with mashed potatoes

The secret lies in the sauce, strained with the IDEALISK colander, which helps to make the meat tender and delicious.

Ingredients

- 2 IKEA pork kuckles
- 10g butter
- 10g olive oil
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Red wine vinegar to taste
- Rosemary
- Lemon zest

Mashed potatoes
- 1 ALLEMANSRÄTTEN mashed potato pack
- 30g butter
- Milk as needed
- Salt and nutmeg to taste

Shank juices
- Cooking liquid from the shank (jus from package)
- 20g butter
- 1 tsp vinegar
- Thyme and rosemary
- Black pepper to taste
- Chopped chives to taste

Preparation

1. Remove the shank from its packaging, reserving the juices. Place it on a baking tray and roast in the oven at 200°C for 20 minutes, until the skin is golden and crispy.
2. Boil the milk with water and season with salt and nutmeg. Remove from heat and stir in the instant mashed potatoes until creamy. Fold in the butter and adjust seasoning.
3. Strain the liquid from the packaging and bring to medium heat. Reduce until slightly thickened, add the vinegar and aromatics, and emulsify with cold butter, stirring until shiny and silky; finally, strain through a fine sieve.
4. On the plate, spoon the mashed potatoes in the center, place the shank on top, and drizzle with the reduced jus. Finish with a few drops of herb vinegar to enhance the flavor and cut through the richness.

 

Shrimp tortilla

A Spanish tortilla, created by a Portuguese chef with Swedish inspiration.

Ingredients

Tortilla base
- 400g potatoes (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 4 eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 500g cooking oil
- 200g peeled SJÖRAPPORT shrimp
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 10g olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste 

Cilantro and dill pesto
- 30g fresh cilantro leaves
- 10g fresh dill
- 30g pine nuts
- 1 small clove garlic
- 50g extra virgin olive oil
- 10g grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp lemon juice

Preparation

  1. Heat a saucepan with the oil over low heat; add the thinly sliced potatoes and confit for 10 to 12 minutes.
  2. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl with salt and pepper. Add the confit potatoes and shrimp, mix well, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
  3. Heat a non-stick frying pan, add a drizzle of the oil where the potatoes were confited, and pour in the mixture. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes on each side, flipping with the help of a plate and a silicone spatula.
  4. In a tall glass, combine the cilantro, dill, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, a stream of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, egg yolk, and a little oil. Blend until a smooth and shiny cream is obtained.
  5. On the plate, place the tortilla, add the pesto on top, and finish with a little grated Parmesan and cilantro and dill leaves.