Swedish Meatballs

http://damndelicious.net/2014/02/21/swedish-meatballs/

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

 

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 pound ground pork

• 1/2 cup Panko*

• 2 large egg yolks

 

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE GRAVY

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 cups beef broth

• 3/4 cup sour cream

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, Panko, egg yolks, allspice, nutmeg and cooked onion; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch meatballs, forming about 24 meatballs.

3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add meatballs, in batches, and cook until all sides are browned, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

4. To make the gravy, melt butter in the skillet. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in beef broth and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in sour cream; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

5. Stir in meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and thickened, about 8-10 minutes.

6. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

 

Grava Lox SALMON

The Salmon (do 2 to 3 days ahead):
 

• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

• 1 generous tablespoon black peppercorns

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup coarse salt (sea salt or Kosher)

• 1-1/2 pounds center-cut fresh wild salmon fillet

• 1 tightly-packed cup of coarsely chopped fresh dill

Dill Mustard Sauce (Makes 1 cup, do up to 3 days ahead):

• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• 3 tablespoons minced onion

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons sugar, or more to taste

• 3 tablespoons cold-pressed canola or safflower oil

• Generous 1/2 cup coarse-grain dark mustard

• 1/3 to 1/2 tightly-packed cup chopped fresh dill

• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

For Serving:

• 1 small loaf dense black bread such as pumpernickel, crusts trimmed slices cut into small wedges, or 2 cucumbers sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds

• Dill sprigs

• Lemon wedges

 

1. Two to three days before serving, cure the salmon. In a small skillet toast the coriander seeds over medium heat until aromatic (3 minutes), shaking pan frequently. Transfer to mortar or spice grinder. Add peppercorns and crush coarsely. Mix with the sugar and salt.

2. In a shallow glass or china dish just large enough to hold the fish, spread one-half of the 1 cup of the chopped fresh dill, then half the sugar-salt mixture. Set the fillet skin side down on the mixture. Press the rest of the dill into the fish and then pack the sugar mixture over the surface. Cover with plastic wrap. Place a pot, or cake pan atop the salmon and weight it with heavy cans. Refrigerate 2 to 3 days. Every 12 hours, turn the fish, basting it with the cure.

3. While the fish cures make the mustard sauce by blending all the ingredients, seasoning to taste and refrigerating until needed. Serve it at room temperature.

4. To serve, scrape the dill and spices from both sides of the fish. Pat it dry. Keep the salmon cold. Place it on a cutting board skin side down and slice very thin, on a slant, across the grain, freeing each slice from the skin. Fan the slices out on a platter and keep cool.

5. Garnish them with dill sprigs, wedges of lemon and cucumber rounds if using them. If you're using the bread, pile it in a basket. Have the mustard sauce in a bowl with a spoon.

6. To eat, spread just a thin film of mustard on a cucumber slice or piece of bread, top with the salmon and squeeze a little lemon over the fish.

 

Leek Quiche

http://perudelights.com/a-leek-quiche-for-entertaining-subtle-flavors-for-the-new-years/

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 11/2 teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup butter, melted

• 6-7 tablespoons cold water

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 4 cups leek, sliced

• 3 eggs

• ½ cup cream

• 1 cup parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Pour the flour and salt in a bowl, mix and add the butter and water. Stir with a spoon first, and then with your hands, until everything is mixed. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

3. Heat the 2 extra tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the leek. Cook it until soft (about 15 minutes). Let it cool.

4. In a bowl, beat the eggs and cream with a whisk and add the salt and pepper.

5. Take the dough out of the refrigerator. On a floured table, roll the dough with a rolling pin to form a circle. Line the bottom of a round baking pan.

6. Mix the eggs, leeks and cheese and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Pour the mixture over the in the pan and bake for 35 minutes, until the surface is golden and the dough is cooked.

 

Waldorf Salad

 

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 3 tablespoons sour cream

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 4 Granny Smith apples, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 1 1/3 cups very thinly sliced celery

• 1 1/3 cups red seedless grapes, halved

Cut all ingredients up small and mix everything together. Season with salt and pepper.

 

 

JANSSON'S FRESTELSE (JANSSONS'S TEMPTATION)

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/janssons-frestelse-janssonss-temptation-1203091

• 5 - 6 potatoes, cut into very thin strips smaller then fries

• 2 medium onions, sliced

• 20 Swedish anchovy fillets (Sprat Fillets)

• 2 or 3 T butter

• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

 

 

 (Optionally, let potato strips soak in water for a few hours to remove some of the starch. Dry well.) Saute onions in half the butter. Butter a (approx. 8 x 11.5") baking dish. Layer 1/3 of potatoes in the dish, and top with 1/2 of the onions and 1/2 of the anchovies. Repeat layer, and cover with remaining 1/3 of potatoes. Dot with remaining butter, and about 2/3 the cream. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil, dot with remaining cream, and bake another 20 or 30 minutes until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

 

 

Havreflarn -Swedish Oatmeal Crisp Cookies

Yields 30

A light, thin, crisp cookie, perfect for coffee-time.

1. 100g Butter / 7.05 tbs

2. 100g Rolled Oats/ 1.11 cups

3. 150g Caster Sugar/ approx 2/3  Cup

4. 1 Egg

5. 1tbsp Plain Flour

6. 1tsp Baking Powder

1. Start off by preheating your oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Melt the butter and then mix together with the oats.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar until pale. Add the oat and butter mixture in to the egg and sugar along with the flour and baking powder. Mix well until completely combined.

3. On baking sheets lined with baking paper, place teaspoonfuls of the mixture - you should end up making about 30 in total - allowing ample room between the batter for spreading during baking.

4. Place into the oven and bake for about 6 to 7 minutes until well spread and starting to turn golden brown.

5. Remove and allow to cool on the tray before removing from the baking paper and serving.

 

Soft Gingerbread “Mjuk Pepparkaka”

Yield: 1 loaf | Prep Time: 20 minutes

5 Tbsp (75g) butter
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup (3 dl) sugar
1 1/3 cup  (3 dl) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking power
2/3 cup (1 ½ dl) sour cream or crème fraiche
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cardamom

Turn on the over to 350F.

Whip the eggs with the sugar until mixed well.  Pour in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.  Mix well and then pour in the sour cream or crème fraiche.  Pour into a buttered bread form.

Bake for 45 minutes.

 

Pepparkakor (Gingerbread/Gingersnap Cookies)

1/4 cup (50 ml) heavy cream
2/3 cup (150 ml) light syrup* or molasses
Almost one cup (200 ml) sugar
3 ½ oz (100 gram) butter
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups (700 ml) flour (+ some for the rolling out)

• Melt the butter and the syrup on low heat. Let cool before adding the other ingredients. Work the dough well. It’s important that the spices are freshly milled. Let the dough rest overnight in a cool place so the spices have time to fully develop their aromas. The resting will also make it easier to roll out the dough.

• Roll out the dough and cut out shapes with gingerbread cutters. Bake in the oven at 375ºF (190ºC) for about 6-8 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they burn easily.

• This dough can also be used for a gingerbread house. Just roll it out slightly thicker. Have fun!

• This recipe is a modification of the original at the Swedish shop Svensk Hemslöjd in Stockholm.

• *You can buy light Syrup (ljus sirap) at Ikea. You can also use ”Lyle’s Golden Syrup” that you can find in British food stores.

 

 

HOLIDAY GLOGG 

Makes 10 servings 

As guests arrive, greet them with a warm cup of holiday gloegg, the first of many of the evening's libations. Any reasonably priced dry red wine will do (pinot noir works well); in fact, you should avoid really special wines whose nuances would be lost here. Almonds and raisins serve as garnishes, a special treat waiting at the bottom of your glass. And enjoy a citrusy burst of acidity from a last-minute addition of lemon zest. 

 

• 1 cup vodka

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 20 whole cloves

• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

• 2 small pieces peeled fresh ginger (about 2 inches by 1/2 inch each)

• 2 bottles dry red wine

• 1-1/2 cups sugar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Whole blanched almonds, for serving

• Raisins, for serving

• 1 lemon, for serving

A day or two before serving, combine the vodka, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and ginger in a jar. Let the vodka stand, covered, for 24 to 48 hours to infuse the flavors. 

Just before serving, warm the wine in a large pot. Add the sugar and vanilla and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the sugar 
dissolves. Strain the infused vodka into the wine and continue heating until the gloegg is hot. Do not let it boil. Serve the gloegg in small cups with a few blanched almonds and raisins. Zest one strip of lemon peel into each cup. 

 

Swedish Almond Yellow Cake

http://www.food.com/recipe/traditional-swedish-almond-cake-slices-235270

1 1⁄4cups sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 1⁄2teaspoons almond extract

• 2⁄3cup milk

• 1 1⁄4cups flour

• 1⁄2teaspoon baking powder

• 1⁄8teaspoon cinnamon

• 8tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F Beat sugar, egg, almond extract and milk together. Add flour and baking powder, then cinnamon, finally adding the butter.

Spray baking dish (approx. 10" by 7") with spray oil or any non-stick coating. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until skewer or toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

Cool for 20 minutes, then remove from pan.