Brunost/Gjetost Gravy (aka Life-changing Gravy)
Serves 8
Recipe adapted from one provided by Nina Norum.
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
¾ cup half-and-half
½ cup chicken or beef broth, plus more for a thinner gravy
Several tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 cup shredded brunost/gjetost cheese
¾ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh dill or chopped parsley
In large skillet combine the butter and flour over medium heat. Use a whisk to stir mixture until it thickens into a paste. Remove from heat and whisk in half-and-half, broth, and soy (to taste) until well blended. Return to heat, bring to simmer and simmer gently while stirring until sauce is thickened; about 3 to 5 minutes.
Lower heat and stir in brunost. Once brunost is melted, add about ¼ of the hot gravy into the sour cream. Blend well, then add sour cream mixture back to sauce in skillet. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve warm and garnish with herbs.
Note: If gravy is too thick for your liking, add additional broth.
Swedish meatball pastry wreath with berry mostarda
1 puff pastry, thawed
Swedish meatballs mix (recipe below)
Dijon mustard
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with half an eggshell of orange juice)
Caraway seeds
For the meatball mix:
⅔ scant cup breadcrumbs
½ cup cream or half-n-half
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 egg
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 pound ground beef
Zest of an orange
Combine breadcrumbs, cream, egg, spices, and zest in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Puree. Add beef and mix well but gently.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment/baking paper.
On a clean work surface (away from the raw meat), dust with flour. Divide the pastry into three long strips and roll out each strip until they are 4 inches wide and roughly 12 inches long.
Brush the pastry edge closest to you with mustard all along the length of the pastry. Place the meatball meat down the length of the pastry on top of the mustard. Take the edge closest to you and roll over the meat to create a nice roll, don’t overlap the pastry too much, just a little and trim off the rest. Press the seam to seal and make sure it is on the bottom. Transfer the rolls to the baking sheet with the edge of the pastry on the bottom or on the inner circle and shape into a circle, sealing the ends together as best you can.
Use a sharp knife, or kitchen shears, cut the pastry every 1 to 2-inches along the top and a little down the sides of the entire length of the roll, just to reveal the meat. Brush with the rest of the egg wash all over the pastry, sprinkle with caraway seeds or dill. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Serve with mostarda (recipe below).
For the mostarda:
Cranberry or Lingonberry Mostarda
2 cups fresh cranberries or lingonberries
1/2 cup Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt, pepper
Zest of one orange
Bring vinegar, water, sugars, honey, and seeds to rolling boil in saucepan. Allow to reduce to thin syrup, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of the berries and simmer 20 minutes. Add remaining berries and simmer an additional 15-20 minutes or until mixture has reduced to a nice viscous texture (mixture will thicken as it cools). Remove from heat. Stir in mustard and orange zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Swedish meringue torte
For the base;
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cardamom
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons whole milk
Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Pour into 3 parchment-lined 9-in. round baking pans that are buttered on bottom only; set aside.
For the meringue;
6 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1-1/2 cups superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped almonds, divided
Add egg whites and cream of tartar to a large very clean bowl. Beat on medium speed until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla and almond extract. Fold in 1/2 cup almonds. Spread meringue evenly over cake batter; sprinkle with remaining almonds.
Bake in preheated 325° for 30-35 minutes or until meringue lightly browns. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes (meringue will crack).
Loosen edges of cakes from pans with a knife. Use 2 large spatulas to gently remove cakes to a serving plate and wire racks, meringue sides up.
For the filling:
2 to 3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
¼ teaspoon cardamom
Zest and juice from half an orange (or several tablespoons orange liqueur)
2 cups fresh(or frozen, thawed) raspberries
Add cream to a large mixing bowl and beat until it begins to thicken. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and cardamom; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in orange zest and juice.
Carefully spread half the filling over cake on serving plate; top with half the raspberries. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake.
Store in the refrigerator.
Deep-Fried Swedish meatball
hotdish-on-a-stick
Makes 14 skewers
*Batter recipe adapted from Valerie Bertinelli corndog recipe at foodnetwork.com
For the batter;
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
For the skewers;
14 Swedish meatballs, cooked through (use your favorite recipe, or grab a package of frozen)
14 tater tots, thawed but still cold
7 chunks pickled cucumber (use your favorite quick pickle, or jarred)
7 chunks pickled beets (use your favorite quick pickle, or jarred)
7 short wooden skewers
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
In large mixing bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In separate bowl whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add the flour mixture to the liquid and whisk to combine. Pour batter into tall drinking glass.
Insert each skewer into a meatball, a pickle, a tot, a meatball, a pickle, a tot.
Heat oil in a deep-fryer according to manufacturer’s instructions (Alternatively, heat 2 inches of oil in a large heavy pot to 375-degrees). Line a plate with paper towels.
When the oil is hot, dip a skewer into the batter to coat thoroughly, then place it in the oil. Repeat with as many as will fit comfortably in the pot. Fry, turning occasionally, until puffed and golden brown all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining skewers, returning the oil to 365-degrees between batches.
Serve immediately with lingonberry hot sauce (add several tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce to jarred lingonberry preserves) or lingonberry mustard (combine equal portions of your favorite mustard to lingonberry preserves).