Category: Swedish

Smørrebrød and Smörgås…Scandinavian Open Faced Sandwiches

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New Year brings new ideas, styles, way of doing things.With all the innovation and tends in food , sometimes we just need to look back at a simpler ,less complex time . A question on my mind with all the holiday catering, was how to deliver the most , for less, without sacrificing taste or quality. I was thumbing through my Catering trade magazine and saw Smørrebrød ( those famous beautiful open faced sandwiches from Denmark) listed as a trend to watch. It seems everyone is on the Nordic bandwagon. I knew after my first visit to Sweden in 2004, there was something special about Scandinavian food. Clean, pure, simple taste. Sparse , yet elegant. No overkill there with their food, and you are completely satisfied.

Smørrebrød can be sweet or savory. They are served for celebrations, lunch, dinners, late night bar/ club snacks.So you see they are very versatile. They can be savory or sweet. So the imagination can run wild with how to compose cheese, fruits, condiments, vegetables, meat and seafood. Like wines or beers, a full menu of Smørrebrød is progressive , starting with fish,meat or poultry, and then dessert. A thick smear of butter on the base of hearty rye , pumpernickel , or white bread, insures the bread doesn’t get soggy, as well as enhances flavor. Because of this seal of fat, they can be premade and refrigerated before serving.

I thumbed through some of my favorite Scandinavian Cookbooks for inspiration. A good one to consider is Scandinavian Cooking by Beatrice A. Ojakangas and The Scandinavian Cookbook by Trina Hahneman.

The trick to beautiful Smørrebrød or Smörgås ( Swedish) is an organized mise en place.It’s about structure and balance, so you will want your ingredients prepped and laid out. You needn’t spend a fortune. I found a great  dense European style bread at Aldi for pumpernickel and rye. The shrimp and smoked salmon will be a bit more expensive, but many things you will have on hand.

Butter ,Lettuce,Poached chicken , marinated cucumber with dill, sugar vinegar, tomato wedge and bacon

Butter, Lettuce,Mayonnaise,Small Shrimp, Dill, Lemon, Tomato.

Butter,Raw Honey, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Sliced Pear brushed with Lemon, Bacon

See  how easy these sandwiches can be?  The carnivores, pescatarians, vegetarians, and picky eaters will be happy. Mix cheese , nuts and fruits.Try to make your own compound butters, cream cheese, or may blends. Fuse cultures, the possibilities are endless and it wont break the bank.

 

Arcadian Splendor in the Northwoods and a Fish Boil

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 For the past year I have worked my poor feet to the  calloused bone selling  cosmetics by day and catering for Coco Cooks on rare day offs, to recover from the layoff  of last year.  Oh, to have the three weeks, and twelve personal days a year. Those days are over… All that hard worked accrued a paltry fifty five hours of vacation time. I was tired and ready for an adventure. Certain Someone had earlier returned from the house in Sweden to settle his parents in, and a trip to Europe wasn’t on the cards for my schedule nor his. I have always wanted to do a road trip with him.  I was thinking a weekend in Door County, in our backyard. Instead, he planned a full on week of driving what is known as the Circle Tour. A scenic Lakeside route along the Great Lakes. On our trip we hit three of the five Great Lakes. Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, and Lake Huron as we meandered through the Northwoods  and Upper Peninsula of Wisconsin and Michigan. There is so much to say and share about this trip. I received culinary, sensory, and even political inspiration.

I always believe you discover so much about a culture through travel. What amazed us the most,  was the bucolic splendor which reminded us of Sweden and Germany. Immigrants from Scandinavian, Germany, and the British Isles went west and carved out villages, mines and farms amongst the lakes during the late 19th century, where native American  tribes called home before (but lost it). French Canadian fur trappers and explorers also worked and profited  from the land.  Our favorite spot was a rural town called Munising, that housed the majestic Pictured Rocks that cradled the mighty Lake Superior. Simply breathtaking. It’s as if nature over the years carved out and painted a beautiful frame for the lake.


The leaves are just starting to turn, reminding us that autumn is around the corner and summer should be enjoyed mindfully. And the cherries  are plentiful, even though many are last year’s preserved, because of the drought. Sweet corn, apples, peaches, pasties and whitefish beckon. And if you are quiet and really focus, you will see some deer and their fawn elegantly traipse the birch trees. I leave you with this pictorial of a fish boil in Door County (a tradition that Scandinavian settlers actually started in the UP 150 years ago).


Matthew,  the master of the fish boil at Pelletiers. He also handles the BBQ smoke pit at Casey’s in Egg Harbor.


5 pounds of salt  are in the kettle. First the red potatoes, then the small sweet onions, then the local whitefish.


No one knows where the actual ” boil over ” technique arises from. The fish leaves a heavy grey oil residue with a strange taste. The fuel added to the flame at the end of cooking boils over the film,  from the kettle.


The fish boil  is a signature culinary tradition of the lake towns of  Wisconsin. They start in May and end in October.


The humble  plate of fish, potatoes and sweet yellow onions doused in butter, is far from bland. The wholesome simple flavors of the earth , dairy from the cows, and the fresh  water lake are in perfect harmony. Then what better finish than a slice of sweet  cherry pie?

 *Traveling with my XYBoard was a great portable way to capture my thoughts and random pictures, while staying connected on the road. The Verizon hotspots saved us as we were in some pretty remote towns and aided in our navigation, restaurant and hotel picks.

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Wireless Midwest Savvy Gourmets program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

The Swedish Julbord…Christmas Around The World

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Jul (Christmas)  Bord ( Table)

I have been told since I travel a lot , I offer up and expose a lot foods and traditions that are new to some people. I take it all for granted, but if that’s whats my blog is known for, I love it.  I hate to see people living in a narrow closed world where food is concerned. You don’t have to buy an expensive ticket to travel in the culinary world. Your passport is your open mind and hunger.

Last fall , in Stockholm, I had the pleasure of accompanying Anne of Anne’s Food to an event given by Scan. Scan is a major Swedish producer of pork. They are most known for their meatballs (kottbullar).For those of you that don’t know what a Julbord is, think of it as a Christmas Smorgasbord consisting of cold and hot meats, herrings, and desserts.  After attending the afternoon event , I realized the Swedes take the whole Christmas Ham (Julskinka) very seriously. Many hams were on display  cooked in various ways. Scan’s own butcher in his metal chain mail mesh glove, demonstrated how he breaks downs hundreds of hams daily. It was all so effortless when watching him.

While the presentation was in Swedish, I got the total experience by sampling the many offering from Scan’s chefs of sausages, meatballs, hams, terrines, appetizers, cured meats and warmed by Glogg ( spiced wine). In my opinion the Swedish really know how to do Christmas. One of my favorite things is comparing how other cultures celebrate common holidays. So I  want to give you a glimpse of  Julbord offerings that will perhaps inspire you this Christmas. In a perfect world, I would love to throw my own Julbord party next party with Certain Someone. We shall see.

Some classic Julbord dishes:

  • Herrings
  • Cured Salmon ( Gravlax)
  • Cheeses
  • Breads
  • Pickled Vegetables
  • Head Cheeses, Terrines, Pates
  • Swedish Meatballs ( Kottbullar)
  • Pork Ribs
  • Fried Sausages and small Hot dogs (Prinskorv)
  • Jannson’s Temptation ( a potato casserole with anchovies)
  • Cabbage rolls
  • Assorted salads
  • Rice Puddings
  • Cakes
  • Schnapps and Aquavit
  • Glogg

Click here for Scan’s recipes

Or

here for Traditional Swedish Julbord Recipes from Scandinavianfood.com. Such as the classic mustard and bread crumb coated Julskinka ( Christmas Ham)

Salt Pork (Sidfläsk) and Onion Sauce…Classically Scandinavian Cuisine

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Some dishes are so simple and basic, they really don’t elicit the need for a recipe or a enthusiastic response from most. Yet that very simplicity, which some might disdain, is comfort for others. A simple man’s dish  can be regal and revered  for it’s pure minimalism. While in Stockholm, having lunch with friends in a swanky cafe off of Stureplan, I ordered the  lunch special. It was a basic hearty dish of fried salt pork served with boiled potatoes and a white creamy onion sauce.My friend rubbed her hands in glee in anticipation of this childhood favorite, and Certain Someone naturally leaned over to fork up a few of the tasty morsels. I knew this was a dish I had to replicate back home.

Growing up black, with a mother who cooked southern style, salt pork was normally reserved for greens or beans. I don’t think she ever fried it up for us to eat, although I know many do. As salt pork is cured and packed in salt , its essential to soak it overnight and even blanch it to lessen the saltiness. It’s poor mans food that cheap but adds a punch of flavor to any dish.Salt pork can be entirely fatty or lean with some meat. Its made from the pork belly, like bacon, yet cured in salt. Originally it was created as shipboard ration, much like the European cured cod in salt.

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Salt Pork with Onion Sauce

serves 2-3

  • 1 lb slab of salt pork( streaky with meat and fat)
  • oil or leaf lard for frying
  • small red skinned potatoes ( enough for 2-3) peeled
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 1/2 white onions minced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 cup of milk
  • white pepper
  • sea salt
  • *pinch of nutmeg optional
  1. Soak the salt pork overnight in water. Refrigerate, changing water periodically.
  2. Boil peeled potatoes in water with a pinch of salt until tender.
  3. Heat a pot with boiling water. Black salt pork for 1 minute to leech extra salt after soaking.
  4. Remove from water and cool.
  5. Slice salt pork .
  6. In a frying pan with oil or leaf lard, fry salt pork until crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
  7. Check potatoes, drain , and toss lightly in butter when done. Cover until ready to use.
  8. In a frying pan melt 1 stick of butter.
  9. Add minced onion.
  10. Saute on med heat until onions are translucent .
  11. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
  12. Add flour to butter and softened onions. Mix until you form a roux.
  13. Continue to cook for one minute to slightly brown the roux.
  14. Add milk and* nutmeg.
  15. Mix briskly to incorporate onions, roux and milk.
  16. Sauce will start to thicken.
  17. If sauce is too thick add more milk, adjust.
  18. Plate potatoes with sauce ladled over them. Top with a few slices of salt pork per person.
  19. Serve hot.

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