Once you’ve parked your truck, checked out of the fleet manager system or closed the door to the workshop to take a few much-needed weeks of summer holidays, it’s high time to fire up the grill and whip up a scrumptious summer dinner. At VBG, we’re ready for some lazy summer days, and when we talked barbecue at our office in Norway, a pair of colleagues shared this favourite recipe. So sharpen your knives and fire up the grill!
Christina & Øyvind’s Pork or Chicken Skewers with Creamy Potatoes au Gratin
Christina Moberg Customer Support Sales and Öyvind Brodersen Technical Sales created this summery recipe together. It’s a breeze to make and absolutely delicious!
Marinade
1 dl red wine
2 dl canola oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 a large yellow onion
1 large bell pepper
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
4-5 sprigs fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Chop up the garlic, onions, peppers and basil.
Mince them as finely as you can. Mix in the spices. Stir in the oil and red wine and season with salt & pepper.
Leave in the refrigerator until the next day.
Pork fillet skewers
1 kg pork fillet – 4 persons
8 large mushrooms
2 large peppers – any colour you’d like
1 small bag of large shallots
1 zucchini or yellow squash
Cut up the pork fillet into suitably large cubes/pieces, approx. 2.5x2.5 cm. Cut the mushrooms into four equal parts. Slice the peppers into pieces approx. 3x3 cm in size. Slice the shallots into equal rings, 1/2 cm thick. Cut up the squash into rounds 1 cm thick.
Sautee the mushrooms in a frying pan. Use large skewers about 20-25 cm long and layer on the ingredients. Start and finish with a piece of pork. Brush the skewers with the marinade, cover with aluminium foil, and set aside to be grilled later.
Creamy potatoes au gratin
4 dl heavy cream
1 clove garlic
1 kg potatoes
Butter
Shredded cheese
Season with salt and pepper
Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan and pull the pan off the hob just before it boils. Finely chop the garlic and stir it into the cream, along with salt and pepper to taste. Remember that potatoes soak up a lot of salt, so it’s wise to season the cream heavily. Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices. Butter a baking dish. Layer the potato slices and pour the cream mixture over them. Bake in the oven at 200°C for approx. 30 minutes. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and bake for about 20 more minutes, until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.
Salad with Raspberries & Avocado
1 pomegranate
500 gr sweet baby plum or cherry tomatoes
2 avocados
1 large mango
A half or whole cantaloupe, depending on the size
1 basket raspberries
3 radishes
Mixed salad – several types – arugula, baby spinach, lettuce, radicchio, or frisée
1 large cucumber
300 gr cured ham
50-100 gr Parmesan cheese shavings
Wash all fruits and vegetables. Clean the pomegranate, cut and peel the fruits, and slice the vegetables into small pieces.
Dressing:
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp fine-grained mustard
1/2 dl olive oil
Salt and pepper
Mix right into the salad.
1 bottle crema di balsamico
From all of us in Norway, Happy Summer and Bon Appétit!
If you’re interested in some light summer reading, check out VBG’s knowledge blog for information on various industry-related topics!
Who is Christina Moberg?
She has worked at VBG in Oslo since 2018. Before joining our team, she spent 25 years working in imports for the interior design industry. At VBG, she handles sales, purchasing, customer support and some financial matters. She likes the variety and gets along great with “her boys” at work. She loves barbecues for all sorts of reasons, foremost among them their lovely summertime atmosphere and simple, delicious food.
Who is Öyvind Brodersen?
Öyvind started his career at Volvo in 1974 and joined VBG Oslo in 2000. He spends his days providing customers with great service, handling problem-solving, troubleshooting and complaints. His technical expertise is wide-ranging. Öyvind’s kids say he’s the king of barbecuing.
