Dinner

Mushroom Gratin

November 6, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Scandinavians are avid foragers. From berries to mushrooms to wild greens, foraging is a very popular activity in the Nordic countries. This is partially due to a Scandinavian law known as allemansrätt, which translates to “every man’s right” or “freedom to roam”. This means there are no trespassing laws and everyone is free to enjoy the use of the land, including foraging whatever tasty edibles might grow there.

Couple allemansrätt with the fact that the Nordic countries have an ideal habitat for many wild edible foods, and you can understand why there is a long tradition of foraging in Scandinavia. This enduring custom also finds its way into the recipes of the region, many of which call for wild edibles as ingredients.

In the autumn, Nordic foragers turn their attention to mushrooms. While hunting for wild edibles may not be on your agenda for the coming weekend, you can do the next best thing and pick up some mushrooms from the grocery store and make this delicious and easy Mushroom Gratin.

Creamy, thyme-infused mushrooms covered with crispy, buttery bread crumbs and baked until golden brown and bubbly, this dish bring comfort and warmth to the late autumn table. It makes a delicious side dish as part of a cozy supper (think roast chicken or pan-seared steak), or this gratin can easily stand on it’s own as a vegetarian main, maybe paired with some sautéed greens and mashed potatoes on the side.

The inspiration for this Mushroom Gratin comes from the recipe for Baked Mushrooms in Beatrice Ojakangas’ Scandinavian Cooking. She says that the dish in Finnish in origin, probably intended to be made with something gathered by hand from the forest floor. My version uses easy to find cremini or even white button mushrooms (foraged from my local grocery store), fresh thyme and just enough cream to gently coat the mushrooms in a velvety, savory sauce. Soft white bread crumbs create the buttery, crispy top that so perfectly contrasts with the saucy mushrooms below.

Please give this simple Mushroom Gratin a try! I know you’ll love it. It might even find its way on to your Thanksgiving or holiday table over the next couple of months. It makes a delicious Nordic-inspired addition to any festive gathering.

Mushroom Gratin

A delicious and easy gratin with creamy, thyme-infused mushrooms covered with crispy, buttery bread crumbs and baked until golden brown and bubbly.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8 small servings 1x
Category: Vegetarian
Cuisine: Finnish, Scandinavian, Nordic

Scale

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for buttering the baking dish

1 heaping cup fresh bread crumbs (from white sandwich bread, sourdough or a country loaf)

2 pounds cremini or white button mushrooms, washed and quartered

2 small shallots, minced

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons all-pupose flour

½ cup water

½ cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butter a 2 quart baking dish and set aside. Place breadcrumbs in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium and add butter. Once butter has melted, transfer one tablespoon to the small bowl with the breadcrumbs. Stir with a fork to combine.
Add shallot to the remaining butter in the pan and saute until soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, increase heat to medium high and season with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Add thyme and stir to combine.
Reduce heat to medium low, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in water and cream and bring to a simmer. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake 10 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Serve.

Notes

Adapted from Scandinavian Cooking by Beatrice Ojakangas

Keywords: mushrooms, easy, gratin, simple, creamy, breadcrumbs, Nordic, Scandinavian

Easy Swedish Meatballs

October 31, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

There is perhaps no Swedish dish more well known and beloved worldwide than Swedish meatballs. Tiny spiced meatballs blanketed in a creamy gravy and served with sweetened lingonberries and pickled cucumbers alongside, this unique dish satisfies on so many levels. And the good news is that you don’t need to run down to the local IKEA to get your meatball fix. This recipe is easy enough to whip up for a cozy dinner any night of the week.

What Makes Swedish Meatballs Unique?

Many different food cultures have their own variation of the meatball. What’s so special about Swedish meatballs?

A combination of beef and pork. Most recipes for Swedish meatballs contain equal amounts of both ground pork and ground beef (usually ground chuck, about 85% lean).
A blend of warm spices, usually allspice and nutmeg (and sometimes ground ginger). This is what gives Swedish meatballs their unmistakeable flavor.
The meatball mixture is whipped in a stand mixer. You can certainly mix these meatballs by hand, but whipping the meatball mixture gives the final product a fine texture that is unique to Swedish meatballs.
Swedish meatballs are quite small, at most about an inch in diameter.
They are usually served in a creamy gravy with Stirred Lingonberries and Fresh Pickled Cucumbers alongside. This trio of savory, sweet and tangy is an unforgettable combination that hits all the right flavor notes.
Swedish meatballs are usually served on top of mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles. Both are delicious!

Tips For Perfect Swedish Meatballs

Use a combination of high-quality ground pork and ground chuck, preferably 80-85% lean. You don’t want your ground beef to be too lean; that can lead to dry meatballs.
Whip the meatball mixture in a stand mixer if you have one. This step gives the meatballs a fine, refined texture.
Portion out the meatball mixture with the help of a spring-loaded scoop, such as this tablespoon size cookie scoop. It can be difficult to get your meatballs the same size, especially when you’re trying to make them on the smaller side. I know that my inclination is to start small, but then my meatballs get gradually larger as I go. Portioning out the mixture keeps me honest and ensures the meatballs that are the same size every time.
Roll the mixture with damp hands. This meatball mixture is sticky, and it can be difficult to achieve round balls when rolling it between your palms. But if you wet your palms just slightly every 4 or 5 meatballs, the mixture won’t stick to your hands. I leave the faucet at a trickle next to me while I make the meatballs which is an easy way to do it.
Bake the meatballs rather than fry them. I’ve tried MANY different ways of making Swedish meatballs, and I believe that the baking method has many things going for it: no frying, less mess, more even cooking, a rounder final product, and it’s a hands off process leaving you free to attend to other things while they cook in the oven.
Save the browned bits from the baking sheet for your gravy. Do NOT clean off that baking sheet! We are going to use those beautiful browned bits that are stuck to the pan to make our gravy all the more flavorful.
Do not forget the Stirred Lingonberries and Fresh Pickled Cucumbers! It’s the combination of the all three together that make this dish extraordinary. If you don’t have access to frozen lingonberries, preserved lingonberries, such as the Felix brand are a good stand-in.

I think you are going to love my easy take on classic Swedish Meatballs. Please let me know if you give them a try in the comments below!

Easy Swedish Meatballs

A simple and streamlined recipe for classic Swedish Meatballs. Tiny spiced meatballs blanketed in a creamy, savory gravy and served alongside sugared lingonberries and fresh pickled cucumbers. Easy enough for a cozy Nordic supper any night of the week!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings (28 meatballs)
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Swedish, Nordic, Scandinavian

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

1 large egg yolk

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup panko bread crumbs (fresh white bread crumbs are also fine)

½ pound ground pork

½ pound ground chuck (80-85% lean)

¼ cup grated onion

1 teaspoon fine salt

½ teaspoon packed brown sugar

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

⅛ teaspoon ground pepper

For the Gravy:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth

¾ cup beef broth

2 teaspoons soy sauce

½ cup cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped parsley or chives for garnish

Stirred Lingonberries and Fresh Pickled Cucumbers for serving

Instructions

Make the Meatballs: Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Combine all ingredients in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium low until just combined. Increase speed to medium and whip until mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl from time to time.
Using a tablespoon measure, transfer tablespoonfuls of the mixture to a sheet pan. With damp hands, roll into balls. Chill (up to 24 hours) until ready to bake.
Transfer sheet pan to oven and bake until meatballs are browned and cooked through, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer meatballs to a plate. Pour ⅓ cup hot water onto the baking sheet and scrape up the brown bits that are stuck to the bottom using a metal spatula. Poor liquid and any bits into a measuring cup and set aside.
Make the Gravy: Melt butter in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook for one minute, whisking constantly. Slowly add reserved drippings from meatballs, chicken broth, beef broth and soy sauce, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Add cream and return to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add meatballs to gravy and cook briefly to reheat. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives if desired. Serve with Stirred Lingonberries and Fresh Pickled Cucumbers.

Keywords: Swedish, meatballs, easy, classic

Easiest and Best Ground Beef Tacos

October 4, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Now that I’ve introduced you to the concept of Cozy Friday, you’re going to need an easy and delicious taco recipe to get you started. I’ve got you covered! This has been my go-to taco recipe for years and still holds a very special place in my recipe box for when we are craving some straight-up old school tacos.

Let’s face it, the world of tacos has grown exponentially since the 1970s when my mom made tacos for our family. EVERYONE ate ground beef tacos back then. That’s all there was. Nowadays the options for fillings are endless: Black bean and sweet potato, pork carnitas, lentils and roasted cauliflower, egg and chorizo, shredded chicken….I could go on and on. While I love venturing out into the brave new world of tacos, sometimes I just want that classic ground beef taco with ALL the fixings.

Part of the idea behind Cozy Friday is that you shouldn’t have to do a lot of work in the kitchen if you don’t want to. You’ve just finished a long stressful week of whatever it is that you do. You deserve a break, a chance to kick back, relax and celebrate that the weekend has officially begun. This is why we in the United States tend to go out on Friday nights. We want easy, festive and NO WORK WHATSOEVER. If you are in the no work whatsoever on Fridays camp, I highly recommend that you make the taco filling in advance (it reheats beautifully) so that you can truly enjoy your Cozy Friday in leisurely style. Let me know if you give these tacos a try in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you think!

Easiest and Best Ground Beef Tacos

A simple, delicious recipe for traditional ground beef tacos.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Cozy Friday
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Mexican

Scale

Ingredients

For Taco Filling:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small onion, diced fine

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 pound ground beef, approximately 90% lean

½ cup chicken broth

½ cup smooth tomato sauce

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

To Serve:

Tortillas (flour or corn, soft or hard shell)

Shredded lettuce

Diced tomatoes

Shredded cheddar cheese

Avocado

Sour cream

Hot sauce

Instructions

Heat oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and spices. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and saute until no longer pink and just cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, brown sugar and vinegar. Stir to combine and allow mixture to simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt if necessary. Serve with tortillas and toppings.

Notes

*Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Keywords: Cozy Friday, tacos, ground beef, easy, quick, simple

Cozy Friday

October 4, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

When I began this blog, I was quite sure that my Mexican food eating days were behind me. Hello boiled potatoes, salmon and rye bread…goodbye tacos and guacamole. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that many Scandinavians spend their Friday nights getting cozy at home and eating chips and tacos! Known as Fredagsmys in Swedish (Cozy Friday) or Tacofredag in Norwegian (Taco Friday), this unlikely tradition began in the 1990’s with an ad campaign for chips. This genius marketing concept glorified the idea of spending Friday nights at home munching on tacos and hanging out with your friends and family. Cozy Friday quickly became a popular ritual in modern Scandinavian culture and continues its reign as the thing to do on Friday to celebrate the beginning of the weekend.

Tips for Creating Your Own Cozy Friday Ritual

1. Find some delicious, easy taco recipes. I’ll get you started with this one for THE BEST ground beef tacos (it’s important to master the basics after all), but consider branching out from this good old stand-by. There are so many interesting taco recipes out there these days featuring chicken, fish, beans or roasted vegetables in place of the predictable ground meat. Get creative!

2. Chips and dip. Whether it’s salsa, guacamole or something more exotic, you’re going to want something crunchy to munch on while you prepare your tacos.

3. Beverages. Whatever your festive beverage of choice might be. I am a beer and tacos kind of girl but also love a good margarita now and then.

4. Convince your people to stay home with you. You don’t need to ask this homebody to spend Friday night in. But here in the U.S., we are more likely to go out for a bite to eat on Friday nights that our Scandinavian counterparts. Make Cozy Friday a festive occasion, a reason to stay home in and of itself.

5. Find something fun to watch. Scandinavians typically gather around the television and watch something together as they munch on their tacos. Find a movie or show that everyone can agree on (sometimes this is the hardest part) and snuggle in for dinner and a show.

Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

September 13, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

The high temperature in Omaha yesterday was 91 degrees. 91! It’s September, for goodness sake! Where are those cool, crisp fall days I ordered? I guess it’s not technically fall for a couple more weeks yet so maybe I can’t officially complain until then. This in-between-seasons time can be difficult. What do I wear? Is it too early to get out my fall decorations? What about setting pumpkins on the porch?

And most importantly, what do I eat? Fortunately THAT is one question I can answer. The farm stand near my house is still brimming with ripe beefsteak tomatoes. Roasted with red bell peppers and aromatics, they make a fantastic end-of-summer soup. Pair a bowl of this with a grilled cheese sandwich and you’ve got yourself an easy weeknight meal.

This simple recipe was inspired by a roasted vegetable soup that I’ve been making for years and originally found in Martha Stewart’s now defunct Everyday Food magazine (the best food publication EVER in my opinion…don’t get me started). I’ve switched it up a bit by swapping red onion for leeks and red peppers for carrots, but the basic idea is the same: place six beefsteak tomatoes that have been cored and cut in half in a roasting pan with the rest of the vegetables. Toss with olive oil. Roast for an hour. Remove tomato skins with tongs (they slip off quite easily at this point). Purée in a blender. Add broth. Done. Easy, nutritious and delicious! Oh, and it’s just as good if you make it a few days ahead of time so go ahead and prepare the soup on Sunday afternoon and serve it on a busy Tuesday evening when cooking from scratch seems out of the question. It even freezes well for long term storage.

When my kids were small and wanted nothing to do with vegetables, puréed soups like this one were one the few ways that I would be able to sneak them in. No one had any idea that this creamy, delicious soup was chock full of healthy goodness! It also happens to be vegan (if you make it with vegetable broth), gluten-free and dairy-free.

For the record, I did set out my fall decorations last week and a few small pumpkins indoors. The cozy sweaters, however, will remain in storage until this heatwave passes. Whatever the weather is like where you are, give this soup a try! It’s just the thing for this in between time.

Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

An easy and delicious roasted vegetable soup with tomatoes, red bell peppers and aromatics. Vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Category: soup
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Scale

Ingredients

6 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cut in half and core removed

2 red bell peppers, cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 small red onion, sliced thin

4 cloves of garlic, smashed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1-2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

To Serve:

Chopped fresh basil

Extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place tomato halves cut size down in a roasting pan. Add peppers, onions and garlic. Toss vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper Transfer pan to oven and roast for an hour.
Remove pan from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Using tongs, slip the skins off of the tomatoes. Transfer half the vegetables and any accumulated juices to a blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. Repeat with remaining vegetables.
Add enough broth to give the soup a nice, creamy consistency. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you think the soup needs a little more zing, add the second teaspoon of vinegar. Serve topped with basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

Can be made up to three days ahead. This soup also freezes well.

Adapted from Everyday Food Magazine.

Keywords: soup, red pepper, tomato, summer, roasted, vegetable, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, creamy

Rustic Tomato Tart with Rye Crust

August 26, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Every summer when tomatoes are plentiful, I think about making a tomato tart. There is something very appealing about the idea of ripe, juicy tomatoes encased in a flaky, buttery crust. Add a salad and a glass of wine and you have a simple, elegant dinner. I’ve tried a few of these tarts over the years, and while they are almost always pleasing to the eye with their golden brown crust and concentric circles of ripe red tomatoes, there is always the issue of keeping the crust from becoming soggy. Tomatoes are, after all, 90% water.

Imagine my delight when I came across a recipe for a Rustic Tomato Tart in the August/September issue of Cook’s Country magazine that claimed to have solved the soggy crust dilemma! I had to give it a try for myself. Indeed, this was the best tomato tart I have made to date thanks to a few tricks designed to keep the crust crisp and flaky:

Brush the surface of the crust with dijon mustard prior to adding then filling. This creates a moisture barrier between the tomatoes and the crust and imparts a little extra flavor to the finished product.
Use a dry cheese. Some of the tomato tart recipes that I’ve made in the past have called for a soft cheese like mozzarella which has a comparably high moisture content. The original version of this recipe called for Gruyère which is drier in texture but still melts well. I used an aged Danish Havarti for my version.
Put the tomatoes on top of the cheese layer. The cheese adds yet another layer between the wet tomato filling and the crust which again helps keep things crisp.
Salt and drain your tomatoes prior to baking them. This helps draw moisture out of the fruit and ultimately leads to a drier filling and a crisper crust.

One of the other things I love about this recipe is its charming rustic appearance…no tart pan required! Simply leave a border around the edge of the tart and fold it up and over the filling, folding pleats into the dough as you go. So easy and no special equipment.

In the interest of bringing my own Nordic vibe to this recipe, I replaced some of the all-purpose flour from the original recipe with dark rye flour and loved the results….just a hint of that slightly sour, earthy flavor of rye really added to the tart’s rustic nature. As I mentioned above, I also used an aged Danish Havarti for the cheese rather than the Gruyére that was originally called for.

If you are looking to put those late summer tomatoes to use in something really lovely and delicious, I highly recommend giving this stunning tart a try.

Rustic Tomato Tart with Rye Crust

An easy rustic tomato tart with a rye crust. A stunning way to use up those end-of-summer tomatoes!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 45 minutes + 1 hour and 15 minutes chilling time
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours and 50 minutes
Yield: 1 9-inch tart 1x
Category: tomatoes, summer
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Scale

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup dark rye flour

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch squares

6 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling:

1 ½ pounds garden tomatoes (a mix of any variety is fine), cored and sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds

1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, divided

1 medium shallot, sliced thin

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 garlic clove, minced

Freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3 ounces aged Danish Havarti cheese (or Gruyère if you can’t find it), about 1 cup shredded

2 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese

To Assemble and Serve:

1 large egg, beaten

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Make the Crust: Combine flours and salt in the work bowl of a food processor and process to combine. Scatter butter cubes over the top of the flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces of butter here and there, about 10 pulses. Add ice water, 2 tablespoons at a time and continue to pulse until dough just comes together, about 8-10 additional pulses.
Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap. Gather into a ball and press into a disk, about 5 inches in diameter. Chill for at least one hour or up to two days before rolling.
Make the Filling: Using your hands, gently toss tomato slices in a large colander with 1 teaspoon salt. Set over a sink to drain for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Transfer dough round to a piece of parchment paper. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and roll dough in between the two layers of parchment paper into a 12 inch circle. Transfer to a baking sheet leaving parchment paper in place. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so to firm up slightly.
Meanwhile, shake colander to get rid of any accumulated water. Combine tomatoes, shallot, oil, thyme, garlic and few grinds of freshly ground pepper and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Remove dough round from the refrigerator. Peel off top layer of parchment. Spread mustard over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1 ½ inch border around the edges. Sprinkle Havarti cheese in an even layer over the mustard.
Using your hands, arrange tomato mixture on the bottom of the tart in concentric circles, continuing to leave a 1 ½ inch border around the edge. Leave any accumulated juices behind in the bowl. Sprinkle with parmesan.
Fold the border of the dough inward over the tomato mixture so that it covers the filling by about 1 inch, overlapping the dough every couple of inches. Gently press dough so that it adheres. Brush with beaten egg.
Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 50 minutes. Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into wedges and serve.

Notes

Adapted from the August/September 2019 issue of Cook’s Country magazine

Keywords: tomatoes, rustic, tart, rye, summer

Zucchini Barley Cakes with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Ricotta

August 23, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

The zucchini gets a bad rap sometimes, largely because of its prolific nature. If you plant zucchini in your vegetable garden, you know what I mean. They tend to come in fast and furious, getting larger by the minute. The next thing you know, they are taking up precious counter space in your kitchen demanding to be cooked or baked into something delicious. Even if you don’t personally grow zucchini, chances are you’ve been “gifted” a bag or two by someone who does. It is nearly impossible (or desirable for that matter) to eat one’s entire harvest of zucchini alone. Some of it must be shared. Know that you are doing a great service to your zucchini-growing friends when you graciously accept their home grown offering. You’ve taken a bit of the burden of preparing and consuming these bountiful summer squash off of their shoulders and they are grateful for it.

If you are currently experiencing your own glut of zucchini, either as a gardener or as the recipient of a well-meant gift, I encourage you to spare one or two for a batch of these Zucchini Barley Cakes. They make a fantastic vegetarian dinner served alongside a simple sauce of summery Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with olive oil, garlic and basil and a dollop of creamy ricotta cheese.

Salt Your Zucchini

shredded zucchini in a colander — *Salt your zucchini!*

One important thing to know about zucchini…they are about 95% water. So when you want to make something crispy from a zucchini it is wise to salt it beforehand in order to draw some of the moisture out of the vegetable prior to cooking it. This is easily done by tossing the shredded zucchini with coarse salt and letting it drain in a colander for 10 minutes or so. Transfer the salted zucchini to a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much moisture as you can before continuing with the recipe. What looked like 4 cups of zucchini when you started will shrink down to about 1 cup after salting and wringing it out thoroughly. Know that I am, deep down, a lazy cook. I would not ask you to take this step of salting and wringing if it weren’t absolutely necessary. Believe me, I’ve tried. You will end up with soggy cakes that don’t hold together well if you skip this step.

Chill

Your Zucchini Barley Cakes will greatly benefit from a quick chill time in the fridge, just 20-30 minutes will do. This helps the mixture hold together as you transfer the cakes into the skillet. Better yet, do your future self a favor and make a batch of these the day before you want to cook them. Cover them with plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge. Won’t you feel clever and prepared when dinner is practically done tomorrow night!

When you’ve had it with zucchini bread and are ready for something new, pull a zucchini or two from that pile on the counter and give these a try. Let me know how they turn out in the comments!

Zucchini Barley Cakes with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Ricotta

Delicious and hearty cakes made with pearl barley, zucchini and fresh herbs served alongside roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh ricotta cheese. A delicious late summer vegetarian dinner!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 1 hour (including chilling time)
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 12 cakes
Category: vegetarian
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Ingredients

For the Zucchini Barley Cakes:

1 pound zucchini

1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling

2 cups cooked and cooled pearl barley (see note below)

3 large eggs

3 scallions, minced (Both white and green parts)

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

For the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes

3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Whole milk ricotta cheese for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Shred zucchini on the large holes of box grater. Transfer to a colander and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Allow zucchini to sit for about ten minutes and then transfer it to a clean cotton kitchen towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set aside.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add zucchini and remaining ingredients except oil. Combine thoroughly.
Using a large ice cream scoop or a metal measuring cup, transfer a ¼ cup portion of the mixture to a baking sheet. Press down and shape gently to create a cake that is about ¾ inch thick and 3 inches wide. Repeat with remaining mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to a day. You should have about 12 cakes.
While cakes are chilling, make the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. Combine all ingredients except vinegar and basil in a 9 x13 baking dish. Stir to combine. Transfer to the oven and roast until tomatoes are soft and beginning to burst, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and add vinegar and basil.
Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to a large nonstick skillet. Heat over medium heat until just shimmering. Using a thin spatula to help you, carefully add 6 cakes to the skillet (they may be a little fragile). Cook until golden brown on the first side, about 3-4 minutes. Flip each cake over and continue to cook until golden brown on the opposite side and cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with additional coarse salt. Carefully wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and add remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Repeat with remaining cakes. Serve with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and a generous dollop of ricotta cheese.

Notes

To cook pearl barley: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add 1 cup pearl barley. Cook over medium-high heat until tender, about 30-35 minutes. Drain and chill. (If you are in a hurry and want the barley to cool quickly, spread it out on a baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator.) This makes about 3 cups of cooked pearl barley which is a little more than you will need for this recipe.

Adapted from Megan Gordon’s Whole Grain Mornings

Keywords: barley, zucchini, cakes, vegetarian, summer, cherry tomatoes

Chilled Cucumber Soup

July 18, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Well, it was bound to happen. The temperatures here in Nebraska hit the triple digits today, and the last thing anyone feels like doing is turning on the stove. Sure, you can fire up the grill and cook outside, but honestly once we are in “Excessive Heat Warning” territory, I’m inclined to spend as little time outside as possible. I did manage to squeeze in a walk at 8:00 this morning when the temperature was a mere 80 degrees, but other than that it has been an indoor day. This native Minnesota girl doesn’t do so well once the mercury climbs above 90.

But I keep a close eye on the forecast and when I saw this heatwave coming I decided it was high time I came up with a chilled soup with Nordic vibes to bust out for occasions just like these. I studied in southern Spain in college, and during those unbearably hot days in August and early September my house mother would prepare a big bowl of gazpacho to keep in the fridge. Every meal began with a small bowl of this cooling, delicious elixir. I wanted to come up with something with the same sense of refreshing ease and seasonality, but with ingredients common to the Nordic region.

Cooling cucumber, vibrant yellow and jalapeño peppers and creamy avocado form the base of this easy vegetarian soup. The preparation itself couldn’t be simpler…a brief stint in the blender followed by a few hours in the fridge. Done. When you are ready to serve, a few simple garnishes really elevate this soup from good to great: Chopped farm stand tomatoes, sautèed tiny bread cubes and a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil. Tuck the recipe for this refreshing and easy little soup away for those sultry summer days, or if you live in Nebraska go ahead and stop by your local farm stand ASAP and whip this up for a light supper this evening, or lunch tomorrow. I hear this crazy heat will be with us for a couple more days. Hopefully this soup helps get you through it as we dream of cooler weather ahead.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

Refreshing cucumber, vibrant peppers, fragrant dill and creamy avocado come together in this vegetarian no-cook soup. A delicious, cooling elixir for hot days!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes + 2-3 hours cooling time
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: soup
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Vegetarian

Scale

Ingredients

For the Soup:

1 ½ pounds cucumbers, coarsely chopped

1 yellow pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

1 large avocado, peel and pit removed and coarsely chopped

¼ cup skyr or greek yogurt (preferably full-fat)

2 tablespoons lemon juice, more to taste

2 teaspoons coarse salt, more to taste

For the Croutons:

2 cups of ½ inch bread cubes (I like sourdough or a rustic country loaf)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For Serving:

Extra-virgin olive oil

Chopped fresh tomato

Croutons

Instructions

Make the Soup: Place half of the chopped cucumber in the blender. Blend until it is completely liquid. Add the remaining cucumber, peppers, garlic and dill and puree until completely smooth. Add avocado and skyr and blend again. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons coarse salt. Blend one last time. Transfer to a bowl and adjust seasonings as necessary (you may want a little more lemon juice and/or salt). Cover and chill at least 2-3 hours or until ready to serve.
Make the Croutons: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes. Sauté until crisp and lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and season with coarse salt and pepper. Set aside.
Ladle the chilled soup into individual bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh tomato and croutons. Serve immediately.

Notes

Adapted from Lagom: The Swedish Art of Eating Harmoniously by Steffi Knowles-Dellner and Love Soup by Anna Thomas.

Keywords: chilled, soup, cucumber, no-cook, vegetarian

Danish Hotdogs

July 15, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Hotdogs are the street food of choice in Copenhagen. They are served with a variety of condiments, but this particular combination is a true classic…a creamy curried remoulade sauce, fresh pickled cucumbers and crispy fried onions. It might sound a bit odd, but all of these condiments are quite common in Danish cuisine and are absolutely delicious together. The curry remoulade in particular is absolutely life-changing (dip your fries into it and tell me I’m wrong). This creamy, crispy, cucumber-y trio of toppings breathes new Nordic life into the humdrum hotdog with its standard ketchup and mustard toppings that we are all so very familiar with.

I’m guessing that most of us don’t even eat hotdogs that often anymore. They were a cornerstone of my diet growing up in the 1980s, but have become something of an indulgence as I’ve gotten older. I might enjoy one at a baseball game or the state fair, but that’s about it. While I am all for making nutritious choices when it comes to food, I am also a big believer in balance. And I’m quite sure there is room in a healthy diet for indulgences now and then. So the next time you are hankering for a hotdog, DO IT RIGHT. Mix up this tasty trio of condiments, fire up the grill and do things the Danish way. Your tastebuds will thank you.

Danish Hotdogs

Grilled hotdogs topped with creamy, curried remoulade sauce, fresh pickled cucumbers and crispy fried shallots. A Danish street food classic!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4–6 hotdogs 1x
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: Danish, Scandinavian, Nordic

Scale

Ingredients

4-6 best quality hot dogs

Crispy Fried Shallots, recipe follows

Pickled Fresh Cucumbers, recipe follows

Remoulade Sauce, recipe follows

4-6 hot dog buns for serving

For the Crispy Fried Shallots:

3 medium shallots, sliced into thin rings, rings separated from one another

¼ cup all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon fine salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup canola, vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

For the Pickled Fresh Cucumbers:

2 cucumbers, sliced thin

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 cup water

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon coarse salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

For the Danish Remoulade:

½ cup prepared mayonnaise

2 tablespoons skyr or greek yogurt

1 heaping teaspoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons Pickled Fresh Cucumbers (recipe above), finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon curry powder

Instructions

Make the Pickled Fresh Cucumbers: Place sliced cucumbers and dill in a quart-size mason jar (cucumbers should come about three quarters of the way up the jar).
Heat remaining ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering.
Pour vinegar mixture into the jar with the cucumbers and dill. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using. If you are not eating them immediately, cover and refrigerate the cucumbers once the mixture has cooled to room temperature. The cucumbers are best fresh but will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.
Make the Crispy Fried Shallots: Combine flour, salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large ziploc bag. Add shallots, seal and toss around until shallots are coated with flour mixture.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan until it reaches 280 degrees. It’s worth using a thermometer here if you have one. If the oil is too hot, the shallots will burn and if it is too cool they will be soggy.
Remove half of the shallots from the bag, shaking off any excess flour. Place in pan and fry until golden brown and crispy. This may take as little as two minutes or as long as five. Keep your eye on them, stir them frequently and look for the visual cues. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon. Place on paper towels and allow to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow them to cool slightly and crisp up. Repeat with the other half of the shallots. Shallots can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Mine usually stay pretty crisp, but you could warm them in a 200 degree oven to crisp them up again if necessary.
Make the Danish Remoulade: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until fully combined.
Heat grill. Grill hotdogs over medium heat until heated through and nicely browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Place one hot dog inside of each bun. Spoon remoulade over the length of the hot dog, followed by pickled cucumbers and a sprinkle of crispy shallots. Serve immediately.

Keywords: hotdogs, Danish

Danish Egg Cake with Potatoes, Bacon and Chives (Æggekage)

June 14, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

I love recipes that are so practical that they appear in a similar form in a variety of different food cultures. This Danish Egg Cake, for example, bears a striking resemblance to an Italian frittata, Spanish tortilla or a French omelette. I’m quite sure this dish transcends international boundaries not only because it is delicious, but also because of its simplicity and versatility…eggs baked together with leftover vegetables and maybe a little meat and/or cheese. It makes for a quick and easy brunch, lunch or dinner, and comes together with everyday staples that you are likely to have on hand in the fridge. Everyone needs tasty and resourceful recipes like this one in their back pocket!

Most of the recipes I found in my research contained bacon, one calling for a whopping 24 slices! I’ve whittled that down to a more reasonable four. Some included potatoes while some didn’t, and a few added a tablespoon or two of flour, which didn’t prove to be all that useful or necessary, so I left the flour out entirely. This recipe is most certainly a template. You could easily switch up the filling ingredients, eliminating or increasing the amount of bacon or adding cooked sausage instead, or maybe switching out the potatoes and/or chives for other seasonal vegetables and herbs that you might have on hand. Perhaps adding a little cheese. Once you have the technique down, the sky is the limit!

Speaking of technique, I’ve got a few tips for ensuring your Danish Egg Cake success:

Use a medium (10 inch) nonstick skillet. You don’t want your cake sticking to the pan when you try to slide it out.
Position your oven rack approximately 8 inches from the broiler heating element. In my oven this means that the oven rack is in the lower-middle position. If the egg cake is too close to the heating element, the top will brown before the inside finishes cooking.
Be sure to stir the eggs constantly with a heat-proof rubber spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan while the cake is cooking on the stove top until large, wet curds form. This will help ensure that the eggs cook evenly all the way through and that the cake doesn’t get too brown on the bottom.
Pat down the top of the large curds of eggs with the rubber spatula and let it cook on the stovetop for 30 seconds without stirring the mixture before sliding it into the oven. This helps it develop on the bottom and form into a cohesive cake.
Let the cake rest in the skillet for 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This will help the eggs finish cooking all the way through.

In her book, Scandinavian Feasts, Beatrice Ojakangas writes that the Danish egg cake is usually served as a lunch dish, “after a tray of cold herring, salmon, bread, and salads has been enjoyed.” This sounds delightful, of course. But feel free to just opt for a simple side salad to round out your meal if you aren’t feeling that ambitious. Or if you are feeling brunchy about it, maybe a big bowl of seasonal fruit and a batch of Strawberry Rhubarb Barley Scones. This is a recipe that you can turn to again and again, in any season and at any time of day.

Danish Egg Cake with Potatoes, Bacon and Chives (Æggekage)

A quick and easy Scandinavian style omelet with potatoes, bacon and chives. A perfect meal for any time of day!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Category: Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic, Danish

Scale

Ingredients

10 eggs

3 tablespoons half and half

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, additional chives for serving if desired

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 slices of thick cut bacon (or 6 regular slices of bacon), chopped into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cups cooked new potatoes, cut into half-inch pieces

Instructions

Set oven rack so it is about 8 inches from the heating element. Turn on broiler.
Whisk eggs, half and half, chives, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
Fry bacon over medium heat in a 10 inch nonstick skillet until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from the skillet and drain on paper towels.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan. Add potatoes and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add reserved bacon and stir to combine.
Pour egg mixture into the skillet. Using a rubber spatula and being sure to continuously scrape the bottom of the pan, stir eggs constantly until large curds begin to form, about 2-3 minutes. Shake the skillet and use the spatula to arrange eggs in an even layer in the pan, patting down the top (eggs will still appear quite wet at this point). Allow the eggs to cook without stirring for 30 seconds to set the bottom of the cake.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until surface is just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and let the egg cake rest for 5 minutes. Using a clean rubber spatula, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and gently slide onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with additional fresh chives if desired. Serve.

Keywords: Danish Egg Cake, potatoes, bacon, eggs, omelet, baked omelet, Æggekage, brunch