Norwegian Cuisine

Norwegian cuisine is traditionally based on what is available in a country dominated by mountains, wilderness and the sea.The environment does not allow people to grow many types of vegetables or to grow diverse animals. Therefore the base of Norwegian cuisine is represented by game meat and fish. One of the most famous Norwegian dishes is smoked salmon. Salmon can be cooked in many different ways and served with various types of sauces, dill and egg. Other types of fish used are mackerel, smoked herring, sardines and cod. The predominant meats are reindeer, elk and lamb. Whale meat is used sometimes and horsemeat is used in preparing Norwegian sausages. People also make use of fruit, such as berries. They have fine quality milk and cheese is made from either goat or cow milk or a mixture of the two.

Appetizers: Flatbread made from oatmeal flour and graham flour with buttermilk then it is baked until crisp.
Jarlsberg Filled Peppers consist of large red or green peppers which are filled with ground meat mixed with bread crumbs and Jarlsberg cheese and baked.

Lefse a dough is made of riced or mashed potatoes mixed with heavy cream or evaporated milk and flour. The dough is then cut up and rolled into small balls. Each ball is rolled out thin and fried on an ungreased griddle.

Lefse From Nordland has a dough made from buttermilk, corn or sugar syrup and flour.

Marinated Edam Cheese (Marinert Edamrost) the cheese is cut into cubes then marinated in olive oil and white vinegar with spices.

Stuffed Eggs the eggs are stuffed with chopped ham, tongue, anchovy fillets or smoked salmon and grated cheese.

Soups: Cabbage soup is made with beef shanks, onion, carrots, celeriac, leek and cabbages. Once the stock is ready the cabbage is diced and the meat is removed from the shank and ground then made into meatballs and added to the soup.

Fish Chowder (Fiskesuppe) is made with celery, salt pork, onion and fish meat. Later a cream sauce is prepared with butter, flour and milk. The fish broth is combined with the cream sauce and all the ingredients are put into it.

Fish Soup with Tomatoes consists of carrots, fish stock, tomato puree, macaroni and parsley.

Lamb and Cabbage Stew is made with lamb and cabbage and served with boiled potatoes.

Mutton stew with lamb, cabbage, rutabaga, carrot, leeks and spices.

Leek soup (Purresuppe) with leeks, potatoes and carrots in a beef broth with egg yolks, salt, pepper and parsley added.

Norwegian Pea Soup is made with green or yellow split peas, salt pork, carrot, celery, green onions and spices.

Sea Mussel Soup made with fresh sea mussels, shallots, garlic, white wine, heavy cream, saffron and curry.

Salads: Bean Salad made with 3 kinds of beans – green, kidney and wax. Chopped green pepper, sugar, vinegar, salad oil, pepper and salt. After the salad is mixed it is chilled for several hours and onion is added before serving.

Cucumber Salad (Agurksalat) made with a European cucumber, vinegar, water, sugar, salt and white pepper. The dressing is poured over the cucumber and allowed to set then sprinkled with parsley.

Fish Salad – halibut or cod fillet is boiled. Added ingredients are horseradish root, prepared horseradish, sour cream, onion, vinegar, and dill. The recipe is completed with a head of lettuce, hard-cooked eggs and tomatoes.

Meat Salad prepared with julienne strips of cooked beef, veal or lamb, onion, salad oil, cider vinegar, parsley, heavy or sour cream, hardboiled egg and boiled or pickled beets.

Norwegian Beet Salad is made with beet, carrot, apple, chopped pecans or walnuts, shredded dried coconut, lemon juice, fresh ginger, sesame oil and parsley.

Norwegian Lobster with Potato and Sour Cream Salad with boiled fresh lobster, egg yolks, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, ground mustard, sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, olive oil, sugar, potatoes, onions, mayonnaise, sour cream and fresh chives.

Vegetarian dishes: Creamed Peas – dried peas are soaked overnight and boiled then flour and butter are added to the peas and simmered. Salt and sugar are added to taste.

Hasselback (Roasted Potatoes) – potatoes are sliced and placed in a baking dish with melted butter and salt then sprinkled with bread crumbs and baked. The last 5 minutes grated Jarlsberg cheese and paprika is added. (This dish comes from the Swedish side.)

Norwegian Red Cabbage is made with red cabbage cooked with butter, vinegar, sugar, water and salt. The last 20 minutes red currant jelly is added.

Rutabagas – carrots, leek and rutabagas are simmered then skin is removed from a sausage (medisterpolse or bratwurst) which is added to the vegetables. This is served with mustard, potatoes and dark bread.

Meat dishes: Boneless Birds – lean ground beef is mixed with salt, potato starch, flour, bread crumbs, spices and milk. Oval cakes are formed then a cube of beef marrow sprinkled with cloves and ginger is pressed into each cake. Fried and the simmered in brown gravy. Served with boiled potatoes and creamed vegetables.

Chicken Fricassee – a stewing hen is poached then cut into bite-sized pieces. Butter is melted and flour stirred in. The cooking liquid and spices are added and finally whipping cream and parsley. The chicken is served in the sauce with boiled potatoes, peas, carrots and cauliflower.

Pork Patties are made with ground pork and beef to which potato starch, spices and milk are added. Made into oval cakes and fried. Served with potatoes and sauerkraut.

Fish: Fish Au Gratin flaked cooked fish is added to melted margarine and flour then eggs are added. This is placed into a baking dish then sprinkled with breadcrumbs. This is baked with the dish being placed in a water bath.

Grilled Mountain Trout with Lemon Butter – skinned and boneless trout is grilled along with a variety of vegetables then a sauce is made with lemon juice, cream and butter lumps.

Marinated Trout – boneless sea trout is marinated with leek, tomatoes, cucumber, chopped dill, lemon juice and cognac. This is refrigerated for 24 hours. Meanwhile the fish heads and bones of the trout are simmered. Butter is melted and flour added then the stock, marinade with vegetables and dill. Stir in sour cream and served with the fish and boiled potatoes.

Jarlsberg Filled Peppers
4-6 servings
Ingredients
4 large peppers, red or green
2 tsp. coarse salt
1 lb. (450 g) ground meat, low fat
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper, coarsely ground
1 lemon, juice of
2/3 cup (1 1/2 dl) French bread Crumbs
1 1/4 cup (3 dl) Jarlsberg, diced
3 1/2 T butter
garlic salt

Directions
Divide peppers in two, remove stem and seeds.
Sprinkle the coarse salt on baking pan.
Mix meat, Tabasco, garlic salt, pepper, lemon juice, crumbs, and half of Jarlsberg Cheese.
Divide evenly between the peppers.
Top the peppers with remainder of the Cheese.
Melt butter, add garlic salt, and brush over the peppers.
Put on top of coarse salt on baking sheet, and bake in 350•F (175•C) oven about 35 minutes.

MARINATED EDAM CHEESE (MARINERT EDAMEROST)
Ingredients
11 oz., scant (300g) Edam Cheese
1 red paprika, cut in strips
1 1/4 cups (3 dl) olive oil
7/8 cup (2 dl) white vinegar
1 tbsp. red pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. thyme
1 tbsp. green peppercorns
2 garlic cloves

Directions
Dice Cheese the size of Sugar cubes.
Prick with a fork to allow the marinade to be absorbed.
Mix all ingredients for marinade in a heavy-bottomed casserole and bring to a boil.
Cool.
Layer Cheese and paprika in a jar and pour marinade over all.
Cover and chill.
Keeps 2-3 weeks in refrigerator.
Let it come to room temperature before serving, which allows Cheese to come to full-flavor. By Rasma Raisters