Scandinavian reader recipes

Thank you Ross Pettigrew for reminding us that Wendyl Nissen has a fabulous recipe for Swedish crackers. Wendyl was given this recipe by friends who had learned it from some Swedish WWOOFERS (volunteers from overseas who stay and work on organic farms). The crackers are mostly seeds, so that makes them very nutritious and because they are dried in the oven they remain crisp for a long time. Wendyl enjoys them for breakfast with tomato and cottage cheese and loads of pepper, and sometimes with salmon and cream cheese, feeling very Danish as she does so.

Thank you to all who submitted recipes. We love reading the background to your recipes and the wonderful people you have sourced them from. We predominantly had recipes for meatballs, cinnamon buns and fish soup — all of which our guest editor, Laurie Black, was already covering for our Scandinavian issue of Bite.

But here's some of our favourites that didn't make the cut due to duplication. Enjoy and join us on our next reader recipe competition.

Chloe Irvine's Norwegian fish soup

My best friend is Norwegian and an incredible cook. While she lived here in New Zealand our families went away for a winter's weekend at Pakari where she made us this most incredible traditional Norwegian fish soup. I've since made it for friends and family, and every single person who has tried it has declared it to be divine. My friend has now returned to Norway, but this soup always takes me back to an amazing friendship fueled by good food, good wine and great company. It's best served with a loaf of oven-warmed bread (I like Wild Wheat's Russian Rye) and a glass of wine.

Serves 4 (or as appetizer 6-8)

1 onion , finely chopped
1 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
100 grams of butter
400 grams of assorted fish eg cod, salmon or snapper, diced about 2 x 2 cm
Prawns (optional)
1 carrot cut into fine matchsticks
1 fennel cut into fine matchsticks
Half a celeriac cut into fine matchsticks
1 Litre good fresh fish stock (I get mine from Farro)
Cornflour and milk to thicken
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the vegetables as above, so you have everything ready.
2. Saute the onion a few minutes in a little butter until it is smooth and soft, then add white wine. Let it simmer uncovered , until the wine is almost evaporated.
3. Add the vegetables and fish stock into the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are almost tender. It only takes a few minutes.
4. In a small saucepan heat the cream without boiling and then stir in the butter. Add this to the vegetables and stock. Thicken slightly with a teaspoon of cornflour mixed in with milk. Season with salt and pepper. If you need more flavor, you can add chicken stock.
5. Once the flavour is right add the fish pieces. Lightly simmer until the fish is poached (about 3 minutes) and then add the chopped herbs.
6. Serve in bowls accompanied with warmed bread, butter and a glass of wine. Enjoy!

Beth Walker's Danish Ebbleskiver

Hi. Attached is my Danish Ebbleskiver recipe. These were made by my mother whose mother was Danish and I now make them. There is the more modern recipe which is made with flour and baking powder but the texture is different. We like the old recipe which is made with yeast best.

2½ cups flour
2 large eggs
1½ ozs butter
1½ dessertspoons sugar
1 dessertspoon yeast
2 cups milk
Salt
Sultanas

Instructions

1. Mix egg yolks with flour and salt.
2. Take warm milk which butter has been dissolved in and make into a batter as for pikelets.
3. Add yeast and sugar which has been dissolved in a little of the warm milk.
4. Lastly add the stiffly beaten egg whites.
5. Place in warm place to rise.
6. You can add boiled sultanas, a small teaspoon of apricot jam or a small teaspoon of cooked apple. If using jam or apple it needs to be in the middle of the ebbleskivers.
7. Then fry in greased ebbleskiver pan.
8. Add boiled sultanas to mixture or a small teaspoon of apricot jam.
9. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Ebbleskiver 2

1 cup flour
1½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs (separated)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter (melted and slightly cooled)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. In a small bowl lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and melted butter.
3. Add the yolk mixture to the flour and mix with a wooden spoon till well blended. Mixture will be lumpy.
4. Beat the egg whites till stiff and fold in about a 1/3 at a time
5. Cook as above in an ebleskiver pan

Mrs Singh, Room 28, Rosebank Primary School

We have a beautiful student who is from Scandinavia and these are two of the recipes her mum makes all the time for the family. We have been very lucky to try the almond bars in Room 28 last term. These are the recipes:

Pork meatballs with sour cream & dill

2 medium onions, finely chopped
500g pork mince
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoons oil
250g tub sour cream
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1. Mix onion, pork, egg, salt & pepper and 2 tablespoons of the dill. Reserve the rest remaining dill to garnish.
2. Shape into 12 – 15 meatballs.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick frypan and fry meatballs until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Tip out any excess fat from the pan then add sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and mustard to pan. Stir to mix well.
4. Serve the sauce over the meatballs with noodles or mashed potato. Sprinkle with dill to garnish then add sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and mustard to pan. Stir to mix well.
5. Serve the sauce over the meatballs with noodles or mashed potato. Sprinkle with dill to garnish

Almond bars

½ cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon almond extract
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup confectioners' sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¼ cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 165C.
2. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and almond extract; mix until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt; mix well.
3. Divide dough into 4 pieces, and roll each one into a log about 12 inches long. Place 2 logs per cookie sheet 4 to 5 inches apart. Flatten each roll by hand until it is about 3 inches wide. Brush flattened roll with milk and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
4. Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. While the cookies are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal, into slices about 1 inch wide. When cool, drizzle with almond icing.
5. Almond icing: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies.

Marena Sheehan's Swedish braided bread with apple cinnamon filing

For the dough

2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
½ cup melted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
3 slightly beaten eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
4-4½ cups all-purpose flour

For the filling

½ cup softened butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 apples (stewed)

For the glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons hot milk
Shaved almonds

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the ½ cup melted butter, ½ cup sugar, the eggs, salt, cinnamon, and 4 - 4½ cups of flour until dough is smooth. Place in a large glass bowl and cover tightly with glad wrap. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
2. Preheat the fan oven to 170C and turn the dough onto a floured board and roll out to make a rectangle. Cover a baking sheet with baking paper and lay out the dough. Coat the middle of the rolled out dough with a thin layer of softened butter. Mix ½ cup sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter, place the stewed apples in the middle, on top of the butter/cinnamon mix. Cut along the sides of the dough with scissors and pull the dough across the top of the filling to create a braided effect.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until just golden. While the ring bakes, mix the glaze ingredients. Drizzle the glaze over the baked dough while it's still hot and sprinkle with a handful of shaved almonds, serve warm.

Anni Morris's Mandel Kakor (Swedish almond butter cookies)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 cups plain flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 oz almond extract
3 Tbsp double cream
1 egg, beaten
Sugar sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl. Using a kitchen aid mixer at medium-high speed, beat until light. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Add almond extract and double cream. Mix well.
3. Turn dough out and work into a ball. Cut into 4 portions and shape each into a ball. Flatten each ball into a 4 inch circle. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
4. Place dough rounds on a baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg. Sprinkle decorating sugar sprinkles on top.
5. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Decrease oven temperature to 150C.
6. Cut each round into 10 slices, then cut each slice in half (except the short ends). Return to oven and bake 20 minutes for crispy cookies, 10 minutes for chewier ones.

Samantha Matete's Swedish meatball burgers

This is an adaptation of the classic Swedish meatball recipe that has been a family favourite for over 30 years. Serves 4

Burgers

450g beef mince
120g pork mince
½ cup chopped white mushrooms
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground is best
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons capers
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ cup caramelized onions
½ cup caramelized red peppers

Mix beef, pork, egg, ½ chopped mushrooms, capers, allspice, nutmeg and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Shape into burger patties. Heat butter and olive oil in a large pan. Brown burgers at medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, till crispy and dark on the outside. Remove burgers to a platter, set aside and keep warm; reserve the oil and drippings in the pan; prepare the sauce.

Sauce

1 cup sour cream
1 cup beef stock
1 cup white wine
1½ cup chopped white mushrooms
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 shallot, finely diced
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

On medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms and the shallot in pan with the oil left from cooking the burgers, until mushrooms are soft and the shallot is transparent, approximately 8 minutes. Do not brown. Turn the heat to high, add the wine, and stir until the wine has burned off. Add the beef stock, sour cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper and simmer on low heat until the sauce is reduced by a least half. The consistency should be similar to tomato sauce or mustard. Assemble the burgers on the buns, topping with sauce and caramelized onions and peppers. Share and enjoy!