Easy Recipes

Years ago, one of our family members was a Butcher and he had his own Butcher Shop in Lendemarke (next to Stege). We regularly shopped at his Butcher Shop each week.  One of the cold cuts we purchased was his homemade salami. It was always fun visiting his shop and seeing the family.



My mother made our lunch every day.  A typical lunch was a salami open sandwich. Our family have happy memories sitting with each other, eating a salami open sandwich and talking together. Because we had salami in the house all of the time, it was one of our comfort foods to eat either for lunch or snack. When I think of a salami open face sandwich, it has that hyggelig feeling of coziness and happy family memories.

The open face salami Sandwich is very easy to make. This sandwich is a great way to learn to make your first open face sandwich. Most of the ingredients you probably have in your refrigerator. We made a YouTube video to show you to make a high top "Smørrebrød" (see below). 

Ingredients: 
* 1 piece of dark rye bread (rugbrød)
* butter (smør)
* 3 or 4 slices of salami (spegepølse)
* 3 or 4 slices of tomato (tomat)
* 6 or 8 raw onion ring slices (løg)
* 3 or 4 slices of cucumbers (agurker)


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Instructions:
As you may know that a buttered dark rye bread (rugbrød) is essentially the base for most of the famous Danish open sandwiches. So, first spread on the dark rye bread either margarine or a European style butter.  Layer the bread with 3 or 4 slices of salami.  Then add a slice of tomato then a slice of cucumber.  Then repeat layering the vegetables across the salami sandwich in the same order.  Then layer on top the sandwich with onion rings.  This layering creates the famous high top "Smørrebrød". You can use other variety of delicious toppings stacked on top of each other.

The sandwich has to be eaten with a knife and fork too. If you are having a formal Smørrebrød, we usually serve the salami open face sandwich on a Royal Copenhagen plate. We traditionally have Danish beer with the salami sandwich and say skål frequently!  We hope you enjoyed the video on how to make the Smørrebrød Danish Open Face Salami Sandwich video and recipe!

Food Trivia: Did you know that any breads containing wheat flour are not considered rugbrød, but white bread?

If you like the video, please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel Scandinavian Today.  Our channel has videos including

*how to make Danish Christmas rice pudding with cherry sauce dessert recipe (Risalamande med kirsebærsauce)
*how to make Swedish Glogg for Christmas & cold evenings! (glögg or mulled wine recipe) 
*how to make aeblskiver (æbleskiver)
*how to make Danish Christmas Klejner
*how to make easy Danish cucumber salad (arguksalat)
*how to make Danish sugar browned potatoes (brunede kartofler)
*how to make Danish red cabbage (rødkaal)
These recipes are perfect for the holiday season. Please let us know what you think! Glædelig Jul and Merry Christmas♥ !

Our Scandinavian recipes including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish are on http://.blogspot.com/

Follow us either on Twitter @, Blogger, Google+, Google Pages, Pinterest and Subscribe to our YouTube Chanel Scandinavian Today!  Lets get cooking Scandinavian foods!

One of my memories of my grandmother "mormor", was to watch her cook in the kitchen.  You could see how happy she was to prepare a dish for our family.  Sometimes she prepared a salad with the meal.  The salad would have her Creamy Danish Salad Dressing.  I would like to introduce to you how to make this Creamy Danish Salad Dressing.  There is a chance you already have the ingredients in your kitchen.  If not, for a few dollars you could make a salad dressing that tastes delicious just plain lettuce or any good quality salad mix. 
 

• Ingredients
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1- 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 tablespoons cream
• salt and pepper
• dill (optional)

• Kitchen Utensils
• bowl
• measuring spoons
• a whisk
• citrus juicer or squeezer

Instruction:
Whisk the vinegar, sugar and cream together until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper and place the dressing in the fridge.

First Step
Squeeze a lemon into a bowl

Second Step
Add vinegar, cream and sugar into the same bowl. Whisk the mixture until light and fluffy.  If you like the dressing sweeter, you can add more sugar to taste.  Also, salt and pepper is optional too

Third Step
We hope you enjoyed our Scandinavian recipe.  Please check out our other postings including and subscribe to our blog!  


*how to make Swedish Glogg for Christmas & cold evenings! (glögg or mulled wine recipe) 
*how to make aeblskiver (æbleskiver)
*how to make Danish Christmas Klejner
*how to make easy Danish cucumber salad (arguksalat)
*how to make Danish sugar browned potatoes (brunede kartofler)
*how to make Danish red cabbage (rødkaal)
Please let us know what you think!

Dairy-free baking can be something of a drag. Butter is such an essential ingredient, and margarine is a poor substitute. Butter gives cake lightness, by containing the tiny air bubbles that you beat into it during the creaming stage, and it provides tenderness by preventing the flour from forming tough, bready gluten strands. And, not least of all, it gives the cake flavor. At their best, buttery cakes are airy, tender, and....well, buttery. How can you get the same combination without the butterfat? Turns out its not as hard as youd think.

While the terms "oil" and "delicious dessert" dont generally go hand-in-hand in most peoples minds, it turns out oil can work wonders in cakes. Yes, it has its limits. A butter-free cake cant give you the same taste and texture as a classic poundcake, or a cream-method layer. But according to Shirley Corrihers Bakewise, oil actually does a better job than butter of coating the flour and preventing gluten from forming, yielding cakes of extraordinary delicacy. Even in classic butter-based cakes, Corriher often substitutes a bit of oil for this property. Its the reason oil is used in muffins, to provide this same delicate tenderness. But of course, we all know that oil and butter arent going to be confused in any blind taste-test. So what to do about the flavor?

There are a few solutions to the question of taste in an oil-based cake. One is to focus on cakes that have a lot of other things going on, like a vegetable- and nut-packed chocolate zucchini cake. Theres also my current favorite chocolate cake recipe, which uses oil for delicacy and a combination of cocoa, chocolate, coffee and buttermilk for a deliciously strong flavor. And then there is this path: a cake that doesnt compensate for oil with other additions, but rather plainly showcases the flavor of the oil itself. This is put to best use with a flavorful oil. Like olive oil.

If you have trouble thinking of oil as a dessert element, olive oil might be an even harder sell. But its surprisingly good. This cake uses Italian ingredients that are more often used in main dishes, but it is most definitely a dessert. The grassy olive oil and piney rosemary are rounded out by a good dose of sugar, resulting in a sophisticated grown-up flavor. I like to accent the dessert quality a bit more by adding a touch of vanilla for depth, and a light sprinkling of sugar for a sweet top crust. The texture is light and delicate from the oil, making it perfect to accompany your coffee or drink at the end of a rich meal. Or you can take the combination a step further, like my fellow diners the other night who poured a bit of limoncello directly onto their servings. The woody rosemary sprig on top will need to be removed before slicing the cake, but its so pretty I just couldnt resist.


Olive Oil Rosemary Cake

adapted from The Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali

makes 1 loaf

1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar, plus an additional spoonful for topping
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus 1 sprig for topping

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together for several minutes, until pale and foamy. With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream. Add the vanilla (if using), then gently fold in the chopped rosemary. Add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle delicately with the reserved spoonful of sugar, covering the surface with a light dusting. Place the reserved rosemary sprig gently on the top (it will sink in as the batter rises around it, so no need to push it down). Bake ~45 minutes, until the cake is light golden and a tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

My grandmother had a rotting old cookbook from the turn of the century, which I used to leaf through when I was visiting. Its recipes were more of a historical tour than a guide for actual cooking. Possum? Aspic salads? Yikes. I spent many hours lost in its pages, but my favorite was the section entitled "Cooking for Invalids." Its a section youd be hard-pressed to find in a cookbook today. There were nourishing soups, smooth purees, and a horrifying concoction called "beef tea" which involved chunks of raw meat, water, a canning jar, and a water bath lasting several hours. And then there were the custards.

I never much had custards growing up, other than the boxed puddings that took their place for my mothers generation. As the cookbook illustrated, to some people they represent sickbed food, or the slippery sweets of childhood. But for me, they have an elegant simplicity. Floating islands, or ile flottante if youre feeling French, is a lovely grown-up version of this smooth dessert. It features a particularly luscious custard, the barely-thickened creme anglaise. Into this puddle you dollop a meringue, gently poached in milk. You can also add a handful of tart berries if you have them, to cut through the milky sweetness. The islands of meringues can be smoothly shaped, in theory, although mine usually turn out more like jagged glaciers. But its beside the point -- the meringues are just an excuse to allow you to pour yourself another sea of smooth custard.


Floating Islands

adapted from my friend Emilys grandmothers recipe

serves 6

Custard:
2 cups milk
6 egg yolks
scant 1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Meringues:
2 cups milk
6 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
pinch salt

To make the custard: bring the milk to a boil over medium heat, then turn off the heat and let sit.

In a separate saucepan, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and salt until they thicken and lighten, about 3 minutes. Drizzle the just-boiled milk into the pan in a thin stream to temper the egg yolks, whisking all the while. Once the mixture is well-combined, place the pan over a medium-low flame. Continue to stir with a wooden spoon as it heats, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon so that it holds the mark if you draw through it with your finger. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as this happens, and pour the custard through a strainer into a waiting bowl. Stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate until chilled (it will continue to thicken).

To make the meringues and assemble the dessert: Bring the milk to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

While the milk is heating, beat the egg whites, gradually adding the salt and sugar, until they form stiff peaks. Drop rough half-cups of the meringue mixture into the simmering milk. You can form jagged islands, or use two spoons to make somewhat smooth ovals. Let the islands simmer for one minute in the hot milk, then gently turn and simmer for another minute on the second side. Using a slotted spoon, remove the islands from the milk and set to drain on a clean plate. Repeat until all of the meringue is poached. The islands will swell dramatically in their simmer bath, and then shrink disappointingly when theyre removed. Serve immediately on a puddle of chilled custard, or place in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours.

In Portland, we dont really have a sizable Middle Eastern, Jewish, or student population, which makes getting quality falafel fairly difficult. But even if you live in a city more worldly/academic than ours, this recipe is still worth trying at home. Its got several things going for it:

1. Its delicious, and the dried favas give it an authentic taste (or so my more worldly friends have told me)
2. Like all meals based on dried beans, its pretty cheap
3. Leftovers freeze and reheat wonderfully (just crisp the balls in the toaster)
4. If youre not insane like me and committed to making your own pita bread, its actually a pretty easy meal. The balls involve grinding and frying, and the rest is just chopping.

This recipe makes a large amount, but I always make the full portion. The balls can be fried all at once, and then you can freeze the overage (this will take some time, but make subsequent meals super easy). Or, if you dont fancy a long stint in front of hot oil, you can also freeze the raw falafel dough, and thaw and fry up another time.


Falafel
adapted from ChefCrash on egullet
makes enough for 10 servings

For the Balls:
2 cups dried chickpeas
1 cup dried split fava beans (find at a Middle Eastern/import store - substitute more chickpeas if you cant)
6 cloves garlic
1/2 cup parsley
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp salt
dash cayenne
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
oil for frying

For the Meal (pita and tahini sauce required, the rest can vary depending on what you have on hand):
pita bread (Ive also used Lavash flatbreads, for a wrapped sandwich)
tahini sauce
hot sauce (like a Tabasco or Tapatio)
chopped cabbage or romaine lettuce
chopped parsley
sliced pickles
sliced cucumbers
pickled turnips (more on these another time)
sliced onion
chopped tomatoes

Soak the dried beans overnight, in the refrigerator if the weathers warm. Ive been known to leave them there several days, to no ill effect, but about 8 hours is your minimum. Drain them, and grind with all remaining ingredients (except the oil) in a food processor. This recipe doesnt get too pasty, so you can go for a fairly fine grind (but not a smooth puree -- you still want to see bits).

To fry, bring at least an inch of oil up to a medium high heat. Once a pinch of the falafel mix starts sizzling rapidly when you drop it in, youre ready. shape the falafel into patties -- I think theres actually a tool for this purpose, but I use an oiled 1/4 measuring cup, packed about 4/5 full. If they dont stay together, add a bit more water to the mixture -- Im usually alright with just the residual water clinging to the beans, but sometimes need more. Better to add too little water than too much. Fry the patties in the oil, turning once the bottom side is lightly browned. The time can vary depending on the heat of the oil -- about 5-7 minutes. Flip, and brown the other side. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon, and repeat until youve fried as many as you like. Add more oil if the level drops to where it no longer covers the falafel at least halfway. If you dont fancy sitting in front of the stove while your friends eat, you can pre-fry all of your patties, and then throw them in an oven or toaster until they sizzle again.

To assemble, grab half a pita bread. break a few falafel balls in half, and stuff them in the bottom. Top with any of the vegetables you desire, douse liberally with tahini sauce, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Enjoy the hot/cool/salty/tangy deliciousness. Repeat as needed.

When I see a fruit pie, even a home-made one, I must shamefully admit that my first reaction isnt generally excitement or anticipation. Its a small twinge of disappointment -- Why did you do that to perfectly good fruit? I feel like the old woman, looking at her granddaughters new eyebrow ring, who wistfully tells her that you had such a pretty face. I know, Im so much fun, right? But summer fruit, especially here in the Pacific Northwest, is so lovely. And most pies just dont do it justice.

Pies faults are usually small, but they do add up. Crusts are tough, cardboardy, a vehicle thats often pushed aside (especially after a stint in the refrigerator). Fillings are over-set into a sludgy gel, where the starch overwhelms the fruit. And the fruit itself can be over- or under-cooked, with dull, un-summery flavors. Its no wonder that I used the think I didnt like pie.

But as it turns out, I do like pie. I like it a whole lot. It just has to be made well. Which, thankfully, isnt all that hard. Make your own crust, and make it with butter and a light hand (or, instead go with a nice pre-made all-butter puff pastry). Give your fruit just a little bit of sweetness and thickener, and let the flavor shine through. The fruit isnt the same as fresh -- cooked fruit is sort of a different animal -- but if done well, it can be something better.


Yesterday I picked a whole mess of sour cherries from a neighbors tree (with a good amount of help), in exchange for a jar of the jam I was making. We ended up with 5 lbs or so, which would make a whole lot of preserves. So I jammed up half of them, and reserved the other half for this tart. I mixed up a batch of my favorite fail-safe crust recipe (swapping in a little whole wheat flour, as is my wont), and layered it with just a bit of ground almonds and sugar to add a subtle nutty, goo-absorbing layer to the bottom. Then I tossed the cherries with nothing more than sugar and tapioca starch (my favorite pie thickener) and a few dots of butter to keep things lovely, then topped the whole affair with a bit of lattice and an overly-generous sanding of coarse sugar. The result is amazing. The cherries arent so much sour as just flavorful, more punchy than puckery. They soften in the oven, their juices mixing with the starch to become a syrupy filling. The crust isnt an afterthought at all, but a flaky, delicate pastry that complements the soft fruit, with the coarse sugar as a delightfully crunchy counterpoint. I realize that my description is a bit over-the-top and swoony, but really, its totally warranted. This is pie as its meant to be.


Sour Cherry Tart

filling adapted from several sources, including The New York Times, though I recommend this crust instead

1 double crust, unbaked (I made a 3/4 batch of this excellent recipe, then used 2/3 for the bottom crust and 1/3 for the lattice, which worked perfectly for a loose lattice)
1/2 +2 Tbsp sugar, divided
1/4 cup ground almonds
2 lbs pitted sour cherries (~5 cups)
3 Tbsp tapioca starch
1 Tbsp butter, cut into bits
1 egg, beaten with a bit of water or cream
coarse sugar for sprinkling

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the 2 Tbsp of sugar with the ground almonds, and set aside. Toss together the cherries. remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and tapioca starch, and set aside.

Roll out the bottom crust and place it in the tart pan, crimping the edges. Roll out and cut strips for the lattice. Sprinkle the almond-sugar mixture evenly over the bottom, then give the cherries a stir and pour them on top, dotting with the butter. Weave your lattice strips gently over the cherries, tucking the ends in against the crust wall. Brush the lattice strips and crust with the egg wash, and sprinkle generously with the coarse sugar (this is a fairly tart pie, so be ridiculously generous to have lots of crunchy sugar to offset). Place in the oven, and bake until the crust is well browned and the juices are bubbling and thickening, ~1 hour (start checking before that). Allow to cool for 2 hours before cutting and devouring. If there are any leftovers, leave them, covered, at room temperature for up to a day or so.

I recently received a package from a friend who is traveling in Africa. The brightly-colored fabric-backed painting was lovely, but honestly I was probably just as thrilled by the basic fact of the envelope as by its contents. Care package! Foreign stamps! Hand-written letter! Getting mail is so exciting!

These days, its possible to go years without receiving a little homemade postal love. Unless youre sharing grocery lists, you might not know what someones handwriting even looks like. Theres the mass-produced holiday card, or the wedding thank-yous written out by the dozens, but honestly its not the same. A care package, lovingly assembled in another city and posted out to you, is such a thrill. I give and receive them all too infrequently.

But when I do, the question remains: what to send? The shelf-stable particulars vary based upon the recipient, but Im almost always looking to include a little handmade sugar as well. Unfortunately, it can be hard to find the right cookies to send. Chocolate chip cookies and brownies are great fresh from the oven, but unless youre a starving college student, youre probably not going to want them six days later. Things like gingerbread or biscotti, dried out to a long-term-storage crisp, work well. But recently I pulled together a package for someone in need of a little pick-me-up, and demure crunchy tea cookies werent going to do. I wanted something a little more gooey, more chocolatey and indulgent, but still delicious after spending the better part of a week in transit. Fortunately, I discovered these macaroons.

This recipe produces a showstoppingly good cookie. Fresh out of the oven, youre struck by the moist, rich coconut filling, gently toasted to a crisp on the outside. And to make matters even better, this richness is offset by a bittersweet fudgey ganache. I was compelled to take it even further, adding a sprinkling of toasted almonds, and the lightest dusting of coarse salt to bring out the sweetness. They ship well (having no delicate edges to break off in the mail), and even a few days later still taste like a candy bar. If you really want to play up the similarity, you can omit the chopped nuts, and hide a single toasted almond beneath the ganache. These macaroons are my new favorite for shipping off across the country (or hiding away in my very own freezer).


Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache and Almonds (aka Almond Joy Cookies)

adapted from a recipe that Bon Appetit adapted from Marigold Kitchen, with thanks to Orangette for flagging
makes ~ 4 dozen

Cookies:
3 cups (lightly-packed) sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup egg whites (about 6)
pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract

Ganache and Topping:
9 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 Tbsp heavy whipping cream (if shipping, reduce to 3 Tbsp for a firmer set)
1 Tbsp corn syrup (optional, but gives a nice gloss to the finished ganache)
~1/4 cup chopped and toasted almonds
coarse salt for sprinkling (optional)

Mix together the coconut, sugar, egg whites and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly once it warms. The mixture will gradually dry out and become less loose and gooey, and more of a sticky paste (~12 minutes). Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Spread out in a thick layer on a cookie sheet, and refrigerate until cold, ~1 hour (you can also place in a sealed container and allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight).

When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 300, and line a couple baking sheets with parchment.

Take the chilled dough, and shape into packed, mounded heaping tablespoons (a mini ice-cream scoop is ideal for this). Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets (they wont spread, so you dont need to space them too far apart). Bake until the coconut on the outside begins to get golden, ~20-30 minutes. Remove, let set on the sheet for a few minutes to firm up, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

When the cookies are cool, prepare the ganache. Place the chocolate, cream and corn syrup in double boiler, and heat until the chocolate is almost entirely melted. Remove from heat, and whisk until smooth. Spoon the glaze over the macaroons, allowing it to form little chocolate hats and drip down thickly over the sides. Sprinkle with toasted almonds, and, if desired, just a few grains of coarse salt (you can lightly press down any sticking-up almonds to make sure they are fully anchored in the ganache). Refrigerate until the ganache fully sets (at least two hours), then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator or freezer, or ship off to the loved one of your choosing.

My family is from a small old market town called Stege,Møn.  Møn has beautiful sandy beaches and country side,fresco decoated churches and one of Denmarks most popular destinations for tourists is to travel is Møns Klint white chalk cliffs.



One other important piece of Møn history are the herring fisheries.  Herrings has been caught for over 800 year and primarily between the end of May and the beginning of July.  Consequently, the herring open face sandwich became a tradition to eat in Denmark.  My family had herring sandwiches almost every single day for lunch.
 
The origin of the open-face sandwich (Smørrebrød) was in the European Middle Ages. In the 19thc. Denmarks Smørrebrød custom became popular & convenient for families. Over the years, traditional Smørrebrød developed into an art form and with a specific custom. For example, it a must to make your Smørrebrød pretty using local food attractively on the bread. Also, Smørrebrød is eaten in only one order: Herring first, followed by other fish, then meat, then cheese.

The herring sandwich recipe below is a tall sandwich because of the layers of colorful toppings. The recipe is easy to create your own tall herring sandwich.

  
Ingredients:
 
* 1 piece of rye bread
* butter
* 3 or 4 of tomato slices
* 1 sliced egg
* 3 or 4 pieces of herring (spiced herring or matjes)
* 6 or 8 raw onion ring slices
* a sprinkle of capers

Below is a our recent YouTube video on how to make a Smørrebrød Danish open face herring sandwich.

Please share and like our video. For more Scandinavian cooking videos please subscribe to our channel too! Thank you!


Instruction:
1) use only rye bread for the herring sandwich.  You can find rye bread in many of the finer grocery stores.
2) before adding a topping, smear the bread with butter.  This protects the bread from moisture.
3) then, place a sliced egg across the rye bread
4) in between the sliced eggs, stick a sliced tomato pieces
5) next place 4 or 5 pieces of matjes herring or a spiced herring across the rye bread. (In Danish, spiced herring is krydders sild.)
6) sprinkle capers across the sandwich

Depending on the occasion the open face herring sandwich can be eaten for lunch or dinner. (If you need to make an appetizer you can cut the rye bread into smaller pieces too.)  It is custom to eat the open face sandwich with a knife and a fork too. See our video on how to do a place setting for an open face sandwich.

What to drink with a herring sandwich? On special occasions Danish families serve Danish schnapps, Danish aquavit and a Danish Beer (see our video). If you are sitting with Danes, be sure to toast frequently! Raise the glass first, look everyone in the eye and say Skål!


We hope you enjoyed both the recipe and the video on how to make the Smørrebrød Danish Open Face Sandwich Herring (Sild) Sandwich and recipe!

If you like the video, please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel Scandinavian Today. Our channel has videos including

*how to make Danish Christmas rice pudding with cherry sauce dessert recipe (Risalamande med kirsebærsauce)
*how to make Swedish Glogg for Christmas & cold evenings! (glögg or mulled wine recipe) 
*how to make aeblskiver (æbleskiver)
*how to make Danish Christmas Klejner
*how to make easy Danish cucumber salad (arguksalat)
*how to make Danish sugar browned potatoes (brunede kartofler)
*how to make Danish red cabbage (rødkaal)
These recipes are perfect for the holiday season. Please let us know what you think! Glædelig Jul and Merry Christmas♥ !

Our Scandinavian recipes including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish are on http://.blogspot.com/

Follow us either on Twitter @, Blogger, Google+, Google Pages, Pinterest and Subscribe to our YouTube Chanel Scandinavian Today!  Lets get cooking Scandinavian foods!

There are days, especially when deadlines are piling up, that I try to minimize my kitchen time. I give myself license to get take-out burritos, eat insta-meals, or thaw a container of soup that I tucked in the freezer and forgot months ago (hello, borscht!). And then, when deadlines have been dealt with, I return to my kitchen with a vengeance. I forgo take-out burritos for handmade tortillas. I make a full batch of chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookies (and eat a frightening amount of dough in the process). And I fill my freezer with vegetarian wontons.

Its always so nice to welcome back a food you thought was gone forever. Take-out Chinese food was a part of our regular dinner rotation when I was growing up, as it is for many New Yorkers. Greasy lo-mein noodles, gooey shrimp in lobster sauce, and countless cardboard containers of wonton soup. I loved wonton soup as a kid -- just a simple broth, with maybe a chunk of pork or sprinkling of scallions for accent, and then the slippery, savory dumplings -- and reluctantly said goodbye when I went vegetarian. But recently, with a package of wonton wrappers and a free evening to reconnect with my kitchen, I came up with a vegetarian version that brings back all those delicious memories.

These dumplings do take some effort, but with pre-made wrappers and an uncooked filling, theyre definitely a bit easier than others of their species. The protein of your choice (I favor a chicken-style patty) is ground up, and given savory heft from soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine. Minced water chestnuts provide crunch (the few that I managed to not eat right out of the tin), and scallions, ginger and cilantro provide a bit of spark. As an added bonus, they freeze (uncooked) beautifully, and can be stashed away as an insta-meal for those days when you are, sadly, separated from your kitchen. Although with a freezer full of these dumplings, you really wont miss cooking much at all.

And speaking of things that have kept me from the kitchen, heres a recent article about all the many delicious savory dishes you can make from jam. I spent an afternoon with the amazing Marisa from Food in Jars, hearing about many of her delicious recipes, and sharing some of my own. If your jam-filled pantry looks anything like mine, I recommend checking it out.


Vegetarian Wontons

adapted from numerous sources and my memories of Ho Yen restaurant
yields ~4-5 dozen wontons

8 ounces faux meat (preferably chicken-style or pork-style), roughly chopped
2 stalks scallions, finely minced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
pinch sugar
~2 Tbsp water chestnuts, finely minced
1 handful cilantro, finely minced
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2" minced ginger
2 Tbsp xiaoxing rice wine or sherry

1 package wonton wrappers
broth for servings
1 scallion sliced, and a handful spinach, washed and chopped (optional)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and heat up broth for serving. Add spinach to broth if desired.

Place the faux meat in a food processor, and pulse until it is reduced to small bits. Turn out into a bowl, and add the remaining filling ingredients. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed (different proteins come with different seasonings, so feel free to tweak to best season your wontons).

Open the package of wrappers, covering with a dishtowel when not using (they can dry out quickly). Grab a small dish of water with a pinch of cornstarch, and lay out a few wrappers on your work surface. Place a scant tablespoon of filling in the center of each one, and moisten the edges with your cornstarch water. Fold each wonton in half to form a triangle, pinching or pressing the edges so that they seal. If desired, take the edges of the smaller corners of the triangle, and pinch together to join. Repeat until youve formed all of your wontons. Make sure your work surface remains relatively dry, so that you dont accidentally glue down your wontons. If you would like to freeze any wontons, place a plate of them in the freezer at this stage. When par-frozen, move to a sealed container.

When your wontons are shaped, place a batch of them in the boiling water and simmer, gently, until they rise to the surface and the wrapper is cooked (it should only take a few minutes). Remove with a skimmer or slotted spoon, and repeat until they are all cooked. To serve, place a few wontons in a bowl, add the broth, and top with a few scallions.

Several years ago I formed a lunch collective with a group of co-workers. We took turns bringing in food for each other, sharing the cooking load and saving each other from the truly dismal take-out options surrounding our office. In addition to saving time and money, the club exposed me to a whole library of other peoples recipes. But amidst the culinary excitement, some trends started to emerge. There are some ingredients that seem ubiquitous across the continents, and seem to travel in pairs. For one: chickpeas and tomatoes. This classic combination cropped up in Indian, Italian, and general hippie recipes across the board. I think I ate 4-5 variations on the theme. And another combination, one dear to my heart: the savory greens pie.

Even on this blog which only recently passed its first birthday, Ive already posted a few passes at this classic package. Theres my favorite spanakopita recipe, a Greek-inspired pairing of spinach with creamy feta, cottage cheese, and fresh dill. And this Middle Eastern take, with individual spinach turnovers studded with pine nuts and lemony sumac. And evidently I cant stop, because now Im going to tell you about the Turkish version: borek.

Borek is a catchall term that could describe a great range of savory pastries, from a phyllo-covered meat turnover to a little cigar-shaped package of cheese rolled in yufka dough. In this case, its a light yeasted dough layered with greens, herbs and feta cheese. Its lovely, and much easier than the dramatic presentation suggests. The original recipe calls for spinach, but I cooked down some Russian kale instead, and mixed it with a bunch of flat leaf parsley (inspired by the similarly sesame-studded Izmir flatbread in my favorite Paula Wolfert cookbook). Its substantial without being heavy, and since you dont have to worry about flaky phyllo, its a perfect travel food. There are reasons some things become classics.


Borek with Greens and Feta

adapted from Home Cooking in Montana, who translated it from the Romanian on Gabrielas Blog
yields 1 8" square borek

Dough
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp warm water
1 3/4 tsp active yeast
2 cups flour (you can swap out half whole wheat flour--just add an additional Tbsp water)
3/4 tsp salt

Filling
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch Russian or lacinato kale, washed and finely chopped
salt
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, washed and finely chopped
3/4 cup feta

To finish:
2-3 Tbsp melted butter or olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

To make the dough: Pour the water and milk in a mixing bowl, sprinkle on the yeast, and allow to soften for a few minutes. Add the flour and salt, kneading with your hands or a dough hook for several minutes until you create a soft, pliable dough that just clears the sides of the bowl (if it doesnt, add a touch more flour). Cover and let sit for a few minutes while you prepare the filling.

To make the filling: Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the kale and stir to coat with the oil, and sprinkle with a very light dusting of salt to draw water out. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is softened. Add the parsley, and cook an additional minute. Remove from heat and stir in the crumbled feta.

To assemble and bake: Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll out the first piece to form a large rectangle, ~15"x17". Drizzle it with the melted butter or olive oil, and then scatter half the filling evenly over the top. Roll out the second piece of dough, lay it on top of the first, and repeat the process with melted butter and the remaining filling. Roll out the final piece of dough, lay it over the top, and drizzle with the remaining butter.

Fold the right- and left-hand sides in, so that they meet in the middle (you can consult the pictorial on this page, which gives you a better idea of the whole process). Repeat with the top and bottom, so you have a nicely folded package. Flip it upside-down, so the smooth underside is on top. Roll it gently with a rolling pin, taking care to not tear the dough while you ease it into a roughly 8" square. If you have parchment paper, place the borek on a large square of it. With a large knife, cut through all the layers halfway through each side and on the diagonal, yielding 8 little triangles. Pick up the parchment, and transfer the cut square into an 8" brownie pan (if you dont have parchment, just make sure your pan is well-greased). Cover lightly with a clean dishtowel, and let rise for about 1 hour.

When the dough is almost done rising, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Gently brush the dough with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place in the oven and bake until lightly browned, ~30-45 minutes. Let cool and serve.

My first experience with chutney happened in high school, and had little to do with India. I ordered curry from a small cafe, which came garnished with yogurt and Major Greys Mango Chutney. Sweet with high fructose corn syrup, dark with caramel coloring, and mildly spiced to accommodate Anglo palates, it probably bore little resemblance to anything eaten in India (well, eaten by those other than the British imperials). But it had something that intrigued me, even though Im normally a bit squicked out by the pairing of sweet and savory (I know). I looked around for recipes, landing on the equally Anglo Moosewood Cookbook. I followed the directions, cooking up a syrupy mass of fruit, honey, vinegar, ginger and garlic. For a while, I thought that that was all that chutney could be.

And then I discovered the true world of chutney. Pungent purees of fresh cilantro, hot with green chiles and rich with ground coconut. Sweet and sour tamarind sauces, savory stewed cloves of whole garlic, powdery peanut pastes. But one of my favorites is tomato chutney.

Tomato chutney has a warm richness from the sweet tomatoes and long cooking, and a fusty edge from the mustard seeds and curry leaves. And, of course, heat from the chiles and cayenne (which, admittedly, I tend to adjust down because Im something of a chile wuss). I use this to fancy up my Indian meals (either homemade or *gulp* from a pouch), but it can also be substituted for catsup to put a whole new spin on burgers. Im curious to see what other combinations it can inspire.




Tomato Chutney

I adapted this from a faded recipe I copied down years ago, and despite repeated googling I havent been able to find the source. Any attribution appreciated. Even if you dont have the full rundown of the spices called for, you can try it with what you have, and still produce a stellar condiment.

1/4 cup high-heat oil, such as peanut, grapeseed or canola
10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
4 dried red chiles
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
pinch fenugreek seeds
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sambar powder (substitute ground coriander if you dont have this)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
pinch asafetida
scant 2 lbs tomatoes, chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
up to 2 Tbsp sugar (depending on sweetness of tomatoes)
~1 Tbsp salt

Heat the oil in a heavy pan, over a medium-high heat. Add the whole spices (curry leaves, chiles, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek). Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the spices are fragrant and the mustard seeds have stopped popping (just a minute or two). Add the remaining ground spices (cayenne, paprika, turmeric, and asafetida), and cook for just a half a minute to toast them. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring, and the salt and sugar to taste. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the tomatoes break down, and the oil separates out. The time this takes will vary, depending on the liquid content of the tomatoes -- generally about 20-40 minutes.