True North Kitchen - A cozy home for Nordic recipes and inspiration.

Simple Brown Butter Carrot Cake

March 18, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

easy brown butter carrot cake — *Easy, delicious, simple carrot cake*

I associate carrot cake with springtime. Even though I can easily buy carrots 12 months out of the year, NOW is when my thoughts turn to carrot cake. Does it have something to do with Easter? Bunnies (and by extension their beloved carrots)? I honestly don’t know, but last week, right on schedule, the craving hit and I set out to develop a recipe for an easy, delicious carrot cake.

Something to know about me as a baker….I lean towards the simple and rustic. You are not likely to find me in the kitchen painstakingly assembling a three-tier layer cake embellished with piped frosting and elaborate decor. While I admire this kind of work and will gladly eat it, it’s just not my personal style. I like a cake that is easy to put together for an afternoon fika treat, something I can pair with a strong cup of coffee around 4 pm without having to do too much planning ahead.

Something to know about me as a carrot cake lover….I like to keep it basic. Just carrots, spices and that tangy cream cheese frosting. You can keep your pineapple, your coconut, your chopped nuts. I want a carrot cake that is the essence of simplicity. When I began developing my own version, I started with a recipe for Danish Carrot Cake from the Scandinavian baking bible, The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas. It was an all butter recipe, which seemed like a good idea (many carrot cakes are made with vegetable oil rather than butter), and it was a simple 8 inch square cake that looked like it would come together quickly. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite what I was looking for. Pale in color, light on carrots and spices, it hardly seemed like a carrot cake. Back to the drawing board.

I began researching why so many carrot cake recipes have oil rather than butter. It turns out that oil has more fat than butter (butter is part water), and the oil gives the cake that moist, almost dense quality we associate with carrot cake. So canola oil in, butter out for this next round. I also doubled the amount of carrots and swapped out a portion of the regular sugar for dark brown sugar to improve color and texture. This version was much better. I was happy with the texture but the cake still lacked flavor. For my next round, I doubled the spices and the salt (the contrast of salt is essential for bringing out the sweetness in baked goods) and swapped out a portion of the canola oil with brown butter. You know brown butter….unsalted butter that has been melted over low heat until it becomes nutty and golden brown? It makes a wonderful addition to baked goods (try it in chocolate chip cookies), and I was hoping that it would add a little richness and flavor without compromising the texture of the cake which had so greatly improved when I swapped oil for the butter. Success! This final version boasts a dense, moist crumb, plenty of carrots and just the right amount of richness and spice. And don’t forget the cream cheese frosting! It’s absolutely essential in my opinion. As is a good, strong cup of coffee to go with it.

Simple Brown Butter Carrot Cake

A simple, perfectly-spiced carrot cake with luscious cream cheese frosting.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes + cooling time
Yield: 1 8-inch cake
Category: cake, fika
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake:

¼ cup unsalted butter

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups packed grated carrots (about 8 ounces)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese (½ of a block), room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square cake pan.
Place butter in a medium skillet (preferably not nonstick or cast iron so that you can more easily see the color change) and heat over medium low heat, swirling the pan frequently. Once the butter has melted, continue to cook over medium low swirling the pan frequently until the butter has a nutty aroma and is golden brown in color. Don’t walk away from the stove! Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. Transfer brown butter to a bowl to cool.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
Combine eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and whisk until fully combined and no lumps of sugar remain. Slowly whisk in oil followed by cooled brown butter and vanilla extract. Keep whisking until the mixture is emulsified and cohesive.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredient and stir with rubber spatula until just a few streaks of flour remain. Fold in carrots until mixture is just combined.
Using a rubber spatula, transfer cake batter to prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick poked into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Set cake aside to cool.
Meanwhile, make the frosting: Combine butter and cream cheese in work bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium high until fluffy and fully combined, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as necessary.
Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar. Once it is combined with the butter and cream cheese, add vanilla extract and return mixer speed to medium high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
Once cake has cooled completely, spread frosting on top. Serve.

Notes

Grate your carrots on the large holes of a box grater or using the grater attachment of your food processor.

If you don’t want to bother browning the butter, you can substitute 1/4 cup addition canola oil for butter.

It’s important that your butter and cream cheese be room temperature it you want a smooth, luxurious frosting.

Keywords: carrots, cake, simple, easy, cream cheese frosting, Spring, brown butter

Beet and Celery Root Cake Smørrebrød with Herbed Yogurt Sauce

March 11, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

If you are reading this then we both survived Spring Ahead Sunday! Here in the U.S., last Sunday was the day when we set our clocks ahead an hour so that we can enjoy and extra hour of daylight in the evening during the warmer months. I don’t know about you but this losing an hour business is hard on me. I teach yoga on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am, and I kind of figured I wouldn’t have that many students because, let’s face it, even though the clock says 9:00, it sure feels a lot more like 8:00 and that is simply too early to attend a Sunday morning yoga class. Unless you are teaching it and have no choice. But this is just me, apparently, because my Sunday morning yogis showed up in record numbers. As we began our class, I stressed the importance of taking it easy on ourselves on this Spring Ahead Sunday (there is statistical evidence to suggest that more heart attacks and accidents occur on this day as our bodies simply aren’t quite down with the idea of losing an hour our sleeping time). We laid on our backs awhile, breathing and adjusting, and very slowly eased into our yoga flow. It was probably not my most dynamic class, but we slowly and steadily made our way through it.

As it is on the yoga mat, so it is in the kitchen. Even though asparagus and strawberries are turning up at the market, I’m choosing to slowly ease my way into springtime. The snow outside my window is melting fast but there is still a good 6 inches blanketing the grass underneath. I’m sticking with winter vegetables for just a little while longer. These root vegetable cakes make a delicious topping for an open face sandwich, particularly with a dollop of Herbed Yogurt Sauce (otherwise known as my new favorite condiment). They are hearty and nutritious and come together in no time at all. If you have extras left over, reheat them in the oven and make another sandwich a day or two later. They won’t be quite as crispy but still delicious.

Beet and Celery Root Cake Smørrebrød with Herbed Yogurt Sauce

A hearty open face sandwich with crispy beet and celery root cakes and a luxurious dollop of herbed yogurt sauce.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 cakes or 6 sandwiches
Category: smørrebrød
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Smorrebrod

6 thin slices dense rye bread

Butter for spreading, preferably salted

A few handfuls of baby arugula or other small lettuces

Beet and Celery Root Cakes, recipe follows

Herbed yogurt sauce for serving

Dill or chives for garnish

Ingredients for the Beet and Celery Root Cakes

8 ounces beets (about 1 large), trimmed, scrubbed and peeled

8 ounces celery root (about half of one large celery root), scrubbed and peeled

½ onion

2 large eggs

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Sea salt flakes, such as Maldon, for sprinkling

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Instructions

Using the large holes on a box grater or the grater function of your food processor, grate beets, celery root and onion.
Crack eggs into a large bowl and beat lightly. Add grated vegetables, flour, cumin, coriander, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to combine.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add ¼ cup of mixture to the pan at a time, pressing down slightly with the back of the measuring cup to flatten into ½-¾ inch thick cakes. You should be able to fit 6 cakes in the skillet at a time. Cook until golden brown, crisp and cooked through, about 8 minutes total, flipping cakes occasionally. Lower the heat as necessary if the cakes are browning too quickly.
Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
Wipe out skillet and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Repeat the process with the remaining mixture.
Transfer bread slices to a work surface. Spread with butter.
Place a small handful of arugula on each slice of bread.
Top arugula with 2 cakes per sandwich.
Artfully dollop a spoonful of herbed yogurt sauce on top.
Garnish with dill or chives, if desired. Serve.

Keywords: beet, celery root, cake, yogurt, rye, smørrebrød

Golden Beets with Arugula, Lightly Pickled Shallots, Rye Berries and Herbed Yogurt Sauce

March 8, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

*earthy roasted beets pair beautifully with spicy arugula, bright pickled shallots, toothsome rye grains and a creamy yogurt sauce*

The Nordic region is famous for its wide array of rye breads, but cooked rye berries are delicious in and of themselves. Much like you might use barley or farro, rye berries make a tasty and nutritious addition to salads, soups or even as a side dish tossed olive oil and fresh herbs.

The inspiration for this recipe came from one of my favorite cookbooks, Deborah Madison’s In My Kitchen. Deborah is known as THE expert on vegetarian cooking and wrote the indispensable Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. She was also a student (and sometimes cook) at the San Fransisco Zen Center for 18 years. You will find this book on my nightstand just as often as you will find it on my kitchen counter. There is something very peaceful and meditative about Deborah’s writing and her approach to food: simple and essential with immense respect for the ingredients themselves. This is what I imagine that new Nordic home cooking should be, the kind of cooking I strive to do more of in my own kitchen.

This dish pays homage to the idea of the simple, seasonal new Nordic kitchen. Beautiful, hearty and delicious, this combination of beets, rye berries, greens and creamy yogurt sauce is not to be missed. It makes an excellent lunch (see my notes below for taking it on the go), and it also makes a satisfying light dinner or first course. Whatever you do, don’t skip the Herbed Yogurt Sauce! It really takes this dish from good to great.

Golden Beets with Arugula, Lightly Pickled Shallots, Rye Berries and Herbed Yogurt Sauce

A beautiful combination of roasted beets, rye berries, dressed greens and an irresistible creamy yogurt sauce.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour (largely unattended)
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 2 generous servings
Category: salad, lunch, dinner
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

½ cup rye berries

1 bunch golden beets, preferably small to medium size

2 small shallots, cut thin into rings

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling on beets

1 teaspoon honey

4-6 cups baby arugula

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Herbed yogurt sauce for serving

Instructions

Place rye berries in a bowl with plenty of cold water. Cover and soak overnight at room temperature. Drain and rinse. Bring a medium size pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Add rye berries. Simmer vigorously until grains are pleasantly tender but still have a little bite to them, about 50-60 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, roast the beets: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and trim beets. Rub with olive oil and place inside a tightly sealed foil pouch. Roast until the beets are tender, about 45-60 minutes. The time will depend on the size of your beets. Open the foil pouch and set aside to cool. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to help remove the skins from the beets. They should slide off quite easily.
Cover shallots with vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes. Whisk in honey and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the salad: Slice beets into wedges or circles. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Toss arugula and ½-¾ cup of the cooked rye berries with the dressing and the shallots (you will have leftover rye berries). Season with more salt to taste if necessary. Artfully arrange on a platter with beet slices. Place a large dollop of Herbed Yogurt Sauce on the platter. Serve.

Notes

Feel free to substitute red beets for for the golden beets.

This would make a lovely mason jar salad to bring with you on the go! Layer the cooked rye on the bottom, then the beets, then the arugula. Package the dressing and yogurt sauce seperately.

Keywords: beets, salad, rye, herbed yogurt sauce

Herbed Yogurt Sauce

March 8, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

This versatile sauce is an excellent one to have in your kitchen repertoire. Easy and packed with garlic and herb flavor, it goes nicely with all manner of vegetables, as a sauce for your lunchtime smørrebrød, or stirred into cooked lentils or chickpeas. You can play around with the types of tender herbs you use here. I chose dill and chives for spring, but come summer I might use basil, Italian parsley or cilantro. Or a combination of all three!

Herbed Yogurt Sauce

A creamy, garlicky, herby sauce that goes nicely with just about everything.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 cup
Category: sauce
Cuisine: scandinavian, nordic

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, minced with a little salt and mashed to a paste using the side of your knife

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup chopped dill

¼ cup chopped chives

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Season with salt to taste. Cover and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use, preferably at least an hour or so to allow the flavors to marry. The sauce can be stored for up to three days refrigerated.

Notes

Adapted from In my Kitchen by Deborah Madison.

Keywords: yogurt, sauce, dill, chives

Shrove Tuesday Buns (Semlor)

March 5, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Happy Shrove Tuesday! I can honestly say this is not a holiday we celebrated when I was growing up, and I had no idea that Semlor even existed until a couple of years ago when I began to more seriously research Scandinavian home cooking and baking. Different variations of these celebratory buns are enjoyed all over Scandinavia as a last hurrah treat prior to the beginning of Lent. What follow is a very traditional Swedish preparation for Semlor with a rich almond filling nestled inside buttery cardamom buns with a flourish of whipped cream on top. I have included a small amount of cardamom here (only ½ teaspoon), but if you don’t care for cardamom leave it out entirely. And if you absolutely love it feel free to add more. I ran across several recipes that included as much as 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom in each batch of dough.

Shrove Tuesday Buns (Semlor)

Buttery cardamom buns filled with rich almond filling and topped with whipped cream.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 12 buns
Category: Special Occasion
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Ingredients

Dough:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons instant yeast*

1 egg

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds** (optional)

3 ½ cups flour

Filling:

2 cups blanched almonds

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon almond extract

Pinch of salt

½-¾ cup milk

Egg wash:

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Whipped cream:

1 ½ cups cold heavy cream

3 tablespoons sugar

Powdered sugar for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Place cardamom seeds in a dry medium saucepan over medium heat. Toast seeds, shaking the pan occasionally, until the seeds are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and crush the seeds using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. (Alternatively, you can use pre-ground cardamom but I don’t think the flavor is as a good).

2. Return the empty saucepan to the burner and add the butter and milk. Heat over medium low stirring frequently until butter is melted and milk is warm. Set aside to cool until it is just slightly warm to the touch, approximately 15-20 minutes.

3. Whisk flour, yeast, cardamom and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

4. Add egg and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until just combined. Add cooled milk mixture and mix on medium speed until fully combined.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. The dough will be smooth, satiny and clear the sides of the bowl. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes.

6. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place for an hour. The dough will rise to 1 ½ to 2 times its original size. The rising time may vary based on the temperature of your kitchen.

7. While the dough is rising, begin making the filling. Combine almonds, sugar, salt and almond extract in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until everything is fully combined and almonds are ground finely. Remove the almond mixture from the work bowl and transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside.

8. Once dough has risen, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, gather up the edges of the dough into the a rough ball shape, pinching the dough where the edges come together to create a “bellybutton”. Place the ball, bellybutton side down, on a clean kitchen counter. Cupping the ball with your hand so that your palm is lightly resting on the dough and your fingertips are resting on the counter, make small circles with the dough until a tight ball is formed. Place ball on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

9. Cover and let rise 45 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water to create an egg wash. Uncover buns and brush each bun with the egg wash. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until buns are golden brown.

11. Cover with a clean dish towel and let cool to room temperature (this will keep the buns from forming a hard crust).

12. When you are ready to serve, finish the filling. Start by mixing ½ cup of milk into the ground almond mixture. Continue adding milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until your filling is the consistency of a thick, smooth paste.

13. Prepare the whipped cream. Place the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and continue whisking until the whipped cream is fluffy and and can hold medium to stiff peaks.

14. Use a small, sharp knife to cut a triangular “hat” out of the top of the bun and set it aside to use later. Remove some of the inside of the bun with your fingers creating a nice cavity for the almond filling. Slice off the bottom of the hat so that it is only ¼-½ an inch or so thick.

15. Fill the bun with a good spoonful or two of the almond filling. Dollop or pipe whipped cream on top. Artfully arrange the hat on top of the cream. Repeat with remaining buns. Dust tops with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve immediately.***

Notes

*I always use instant yeast as opposed to active dry yeast. There is no need to bloom it in warm liquid prior to using it. You can simply mix it in with your dry ingredients. It is also more potent and reliable than active dry yeast. If you choose to use active dry yeast in this recipe, you will need to bloom the yeast in a small amount (¼ cup is fine) of the warm milk mixture for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture become frothy on the top. Just be sure the milk mixture is not too warm…anything over 120 degrees will kill the yeast and your buns will not rise.

**To remove the seeds from cardamom pods, simply press on the pods with the side of a chef’s knife. The pods will crack and you will be able to extract the tiny black seeds to use in your recipe.

***These buns and the dry almond filling mixture (prior to adding the milk) freeze very nicely so you may not to make all 12 at once. If you decide to freeze some for later, simply defrost the buns once you are ready to use them and only use a portion of the dry almond mixture (and less milk) when you prepare the filling. You can also make a smaller portion of whipped cream.

Keywords: semlor, semla, buns, cardamom, almond, Scandinavian, Swedish, Nordic, Baking

Pytt i Panna

February 28, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Now that you have a batch of Spicy Pickled Beets in the fridge, what to do with them (other than eat them straight from the jar)? Pytt i panna is a great place to start. Swedish for “pieces in a pan”, pytt i panna is traditionally made with leftover meat and potatoes, very much like what we call hash here in America. At its heart, pytt i panna is a dish that honors resourcefulness and creativity, it’s about using up the bits and pieces of whatever is languishing in the fridge and repurposing them into something delicious. This particular version is vegetarian, trading protein-rich chickpeas for the meat and including a little fresh spinach for brightness and green, earthy flavor. As far as I’m concerned, the fried egg and pickled beets are essential components of this dish. It would still be a tasty mix without them, but it is these ingredients that make this pytt i panna quintessentially Scandinavian.

Pytt i Panna

A tasty mix of leftover potatoes, chickpeas and spinach….topped with a fried egg and spicy pickled beets, of course!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
Category: Dinner, Lunch, Easy, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic, Swedish

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil, divided

1 onion, finely diced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups leftover boiled new potatoes, cut into quarters

½ cup cooked chickpeas

2 cups packed baby spinach

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 eggs

Spicy Pickled Beets, chopped, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium-size skillet (preferably nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron) over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.

2. Add garlic and thyme and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add butter. Once it has melted, add potatoes. Cook until warmed through and beginning to brown, 3-4 minutes.

3. Add chickpeas and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Add spinach, in handfuls if necessary, and cook until wilted, another 2 minutes or so. Season everything to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

4. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small to medium-size nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium-low. Once the bottom of the eggs are set, carefully tip the pan and spoon some of the hot oil over the top of the eggs. Reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Cook until eggs are done to your liking, another 1 or 2 minutes if you like a runny yolk.

5. Serve the pytt i panna topped with a fried egg and the pickled beets.

Keywords: pytt i panna, hash, Scandinavian, Nordic, Swedish, vegetarian

Spicy Pickled Beets

February 28, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Pickled beets have long been a Scandinavian food staple. My Norwegian grandmother canned many batches of them each fall so that they might be enjoyed on their southwestern Minnesota farm through the cold winter months.

My mother would bring jars of pickled beets back with her when we visited the farm, and she would eat them as a little relish with all manner of dinners. I was not an early fan. When I went to my very first cooking school class, the instructor asked us to introduce ourselves and name our least favorite food. When it was my turn to share, I very quickly said beets, probably making a little disgusted face to go with it. The chef looked at me for a moment and then said, “I promise…you will like beets by the end of this class.” And so it was. I learned how to roast them in a hot oven, caramelizing their exterior and accentuating their earthy sweetness. I learned how to shred and sauté them in olive oil and fresh herbs, finishing them with a little tarragon vinegar. And since that first cooking class, almost 20 years ago, I have also learned to eat them shredded and raw in salads and on sandwiches, juice them and roast them whole. And I have loved beets in all of these forms. So why not pickled beets? I decided it was time to revisit them.

First, I decided I wanted to do a quick pickle variation rather than traditional canning process. The whole sterilizing of jars business is a production and, quite frankly, intimidates me a little bit. So these pickled beets are not designed for long-term storage. They are intended to be stored in the refrigerator and polished off within a couple of weeks. Second, I wanted a firmer texture than what I was accustomed to growing up. After doing a fair amount of research, I found that most pickled beets are boiled prior to pickling. One recipe I found, Alton Brown’s, called for roasting the beets instead. I thought that might improve the texture and decided to incorporate it into my own recipe. Finally, I began investigating the differences in the pickling brine itself. There were vastly different types and amounts of vinegar, spices and sugar in all of the recipes I researched. Because I feel that Nordic cuisine is meant to be simple in nature, I settled on a brine that called for good old-fashioned distilled white vinegar and a mere 1/4 cup of sugar. The spices I’ve chosen are some of the classics….bay leaf, peppercorns, all spice berries and juniper berries. One recipe that I found inLagom: The Swedish Art of Eating Harmoniouslyby Steffi Knowles-Dellner called for red chile pepper flakes. I couldn’t get the idea of a spicy pickled beet out of my mind. The pepper flakes were in. The final result is a spicy, briny, not too sweet, firmly textured pickled beet, ready to be used in or alongside all manner of Scandinavian dishes.

Spicy Pickled Beets

Pickled roasted beets with a kick!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 12 ounces
Category: Beets
Method: Pickles
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

12 ounces small to medium-sized beets

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 cup water

1/4 sugar

1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt

5 all spice berries

10 juniper berries

10 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dried chile flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and trim beets. Place beets on a large piece of foil and drizzle them with olive oil. Using your hands, rub oil onto the surface of the beets. Fold foil over and seal the edges making a pouch. Place pouch on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Roast beets for 45-60 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Smaller beets will take less time than larger ones.

2. Remove beets from oven and open pouch. Let cool before handling. Once the beets are cool enough to work with, rub the skin off with a paper towel and slice into 1/2 inch thick wedges. Transfer to a quart sized mason jar.

3. Meanwhile, heat remaining ingredients over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Pour mixture into the jar with the beets. Allow to cool at room temperature. Cover and place in the fridge. Consume beets within two weeks.

Keywords: beets, pickled beets, roasted beets, Scandinavian, Nordic, Swedish

Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Smørrebrød with Garlicky White Bean Purée

February 28, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

balsamic glazed mushroom smørrebrød on sourdough with garlicky white bean puree and arugula — Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Smørrebrød with Garlicky White Bean Purée

This is the time of year when I simultaneously crave something a little healthier AND something hearty and satisfying to carry me through these (hopefully) final days of winter. Let’s face it….a crisp salad just isn’t going to cut it. This Nordic open sandwich, however, hits all of the right notes. Crispy sourdough toast, creamy white bean purée and spicy glazed mushrooms come together to create a something that is both light and satisfying. We are breaking a couple of the “rules of smørrebrød” here…no dense rye bread and no butter. But trust me, the diversion is worth it. I love the way the creamy white bean spread pairs with the toasted sourdough. It makes a perfect wintertime lunch. If you are taking this on the go, I would suggest swapping out the toast from some rye crispbread and keeping the components separate until you are ready to assemble them and eat.

Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Smørrebrød with Garlicky White Bean Purée

A tasty open face sandwich with glazed mushrooms and white been purée and sourdough bread. It also happens to be vegan!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 triangular sandwiches
Category: smørrebrød
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

2 large slices of sourdough bread

1 garlic clove, peeled

Garlicky White Bean Purée (recipe follows)

Handful of baby arugula

Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms (recipe follows)

Instructions

Toast bread and slice on the diagonal in deep triangle shapes. Rub garlic clove over the surface of one side of the toast.
Spread a generous layer of Garlicky White Bean Purée over each slice of toast (there will be some purée left over).
Scatter arugula on top of the purée.
Place Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms on top of arugula, dividing the mushrooms evenly between the 4 sandwiches. Serve.

Garlicky White Bean Purée

1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Reserve 1/4 cup of the beans and set aside. Place remaining beans in the work bowl of a food processor along with water, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Process until smooth.
Add rosemary and reserved beans and pulse until beans are slightly broken down and rosemary is combined into the mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

12 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, rinsed and cut into quarters

Course salt

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Heat olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Increase heat to medium-high and sauté mushrooms until tender and golden brown, approximately 7-9 minutes.
Add vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium low. Continue to cook until vinegar forms a light glaze over the mushrooms, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt. Set aside to cool slightly.

Keywords: mushrooms, vegan, vegetarian, smørrebrød, smörgås, sandwich, white beans

Dill Caper Butter

February 28, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Compound butters are quite simply butter that has been mixed with flavorful ingredients such as fresh herbs, chiles, capers, anchovies, mustard, lemon juice, garlic or shallots. They offer an easy way to infuse a simple meal with complex flavor and require minimal effort. Wrapped in saran wrap in a cylinder shape, compound butters also freeze like a dream. When you are ready to use it, simply cut off the amount of butter that you need and return the remaining portion to the freezer.

This dill caper butter is one of my favorites. I love it on a piece of rye crispbread topped with a sliced hard-boiled egg and fresh dill…a quick, savory breakfast or snack that tastes like more than the sum of its parts. You might also try it on bread of any kind, stirred into a simple bowl of cooked grains, or dolloped over the top of a piece of roasted salmon. The options are endless!

Dill Caper Butter

Try spreading this savory compound butter on a piece of rye crispbread topped with sliced hard-boiled egg and fresh dill.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1/4 cup
Category: Butter
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon small capers stored in brine, rinsed and drained and chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and pepper (it may not need salt because of the capers). Store in the fridge for up to two days or freeze in a wrapped cylinder shape for up to 3 months.

Keywords: butter, compound butter, dill, capers, Scandinavian, Nordic

Swedish Almond Cake

February 28, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Fika treats do not need to be complicated, but it is nice if they are homemade. This particular cake is the essence of simplicity, perfect for a busy day when you know you will need a little pick-me-up at 4:00 or so (this is everyday for me). You can whip this cake batter together by hand in to time at all, no mixer required. A little less than an hour later, you will be rewarded with a dense, moist almond-flavored cake that needs nothing more than a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a strong cup of coffee to go with it.

Swedish Almond Cake

A deliciously moist almond cake. Perfect for afternoon fika!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 12-15 slices
Category: Cake, Fika
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

You will need a special Scandinavian Almond Cake Pan for this recipe, available at fine Scandinavian stores everywhere or on Amazon.com. A worthy investment, I assure you!

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons pure almond extract

2/3 cup whole milk

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cake pan generously with baking spray such as Pam with flour. This is important! The cake is likely to stick to the pan otherwise. Place prepared pan on a cookie sheet.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, egg, almond extract and milk. Add flour mixture and whisk until mixed well. Add butter and mix until fully combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cookie sheet with pan on top into the oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until edges are golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

5. Let cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving tray. Let rest another 5 minutes before removing the pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Keywords: almond cake, Swedish, cake, fika, Nordic, Scandinavian