The Koselig Kitchen 20 Norwegian recipes to infuse your home with the unique coziness of Norsk hospitality From Daytona Strong Author of Modern Scandinavian Baking www.daytonastrong.com the koselig kitchen cozy delicious buttery love Copyright © 2020 Daytona Strong FROM THE EDITOR Velkommen, or welcome, as you might say. I am delighted to share this ebook of Norwegian recipes with you. Thanks for signing up for my email list; it is my intention each week to help you infuse your home with the warmth, coziness, and love of Scandinavian living. Here in Seattle where I live, Scandinavian heritage runs deep. In fact, this is where my father spent his adolescence after moving to the United States from Norway in the 1950s, and it's where my mom settled after moving away from the heavily-Norwegian small town in North Dakota where she grew up. The recipes you will find in this ebook are among my favorites in the Norwegian and Scandinavian repertoire. However, they're just the beginning! They will get you started, for sure, and then I hope you'll dive deeper by exploring my blog, Outside Oslo (www.outside-oslo.com), as well as my cookbooks and by following me on social media. I'd love to see your creations--please please tag me @daytonastrong, #daytonastrong, and #outsideoslo whenever you try the recipes. DAYTONA STRONG AUTHOR, JOURNALIST, & FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER Enjoy! The Simplest Cured Salmon (Gravlax) Line a large baking sheet with plastic wrap, leaving enough over the ends to wrap over the salmon. Top this with a layer of parchment paper similarly sized. (The double layer helps to contain the mess when draining the excess liquid, although a single layer of plastic wrap will do in a pinch.) Rinse the salmon and pat it dry. Remove any pin bones and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Thoroughly wash and dry the dill, then rough chop the whole bunch, including the stems (you’ll be removing the dill later, leaving just its essence behind). In a medium bowl, mix the dill, sugar, salt, and vodka or aquavit, then scatter it on top of and underneath the salmon, being sure to pack the cure ingredients on every part of the fish. Wrap the salmon, first with the parchment and then the plastic wrap. At this point, you can refrigerate it immediately or take Mark Bittman’s advice and place it in a cool location (he recommends below 70 degrees) to rest for about 6 hours before refrigerating it, which will shorten the amount of time it needs to cure. Check the gravlax every 12 hours or so, pouring out excess liquid (some is okay and can be used to baste the fish, but drain some out if it’s excessive) and turning the fish. After the salmon has cured to your liking (at least 24 hours, or as long as two days), drain off the liquid and pat the salmon dry, removing excess curing ingredients from the surface (alternatively, you can rinse them off and then pat dry if you don’t like the little flecks of dill left over). Slice very thinly. Leftovers, if you I 1 (approximately 2-pound) fillet of best-quality have any, should last about five days and can also be salmon, skin on, previously frozen frozen. 1 bunch dill 2 cups sugar Makes enough for a crowd. 1 cup salt (I use kosher) 3-4 tablespoons vodka or aquavit Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman. Smoked Mackerel Spread with Horseradish and Dill I’ve written for a long time about the elegant simplicity o f Norwegian food, and the same can be said for all manners of a koselig lifestyle, including entertaining. My mom has taught me much of what I know of hospitality, and I try to extend the same to her when she visits. One of our favorite treats to share—on the porch in a quiet moment when the kids are occupied, if possible—is this smoked mackerel spread. In between dinner prep and feeding the kids, I’m able to whip up the most flavorful appetizer in a matter of minutes, which we spread on crackers or crispbread. After pouring a couple of glasses of chilled Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc, we’re set. Hospitality and coziness in a snap. The essence of a koselig home. 1/2 pound smoked mackerel, skin and any bones removed* 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (regular yogurt will work here too) 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion 2 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus additional sprigs for garnish Lemon slice, for garnish Seeded crackers or rye crispbread for serving Cut mackerel into 1/2-inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Add the yogurt and mayonnaise and stir until the mackerel has broken down considerably. Mix in the onion, horseradish, and dill. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with lemon and sprigs of dill. Serve with crackers. Serves 4. * I buy frozen smoked mackerel at Scandinavian Specialties in Seattle. If you don’t have easy access to it at your local grocery or fish store, then smoked trout will work as well. Smørbrød with Pickled Herring, Egg Salad, A Tangle of Watercress, and Dill 4 slices hearty bread 4 tablespoons salted butter room temperature 1 English cucumber halved lengthwise then cut into 1/8- inch half moons 6 hard-boiled eggs chopped 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sour cream 1/4 teaspoon salt 10 ounces pickled herring fillets cut into 1-inch pieces 6 ounces watercress, leaves and upper stems only Wisps of fresh dill for garnish Divide slices of bread between four plates and spread with butter all the way to the crust. Arrange the cucumber slices over the butter, overlapping in a fish scale pattern.In a medium mixing bowl, vigorously stir the eggs, mayonnaise, sour cream, and salt until combined and the egg yolks have broken apart and become part of the sauce. Spoon the egg salad over the cucumbers, then arrange the pickled herring evenly across each sandwich. Top with watercress and garnish with fresh dill. Serves 4. Midsummer Picnic Potato Salad 1 1/2 pounds bite-sized Yukon Gold potatoes Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan with 3 tablespoons sour cream generously salted water. Place over heat and bring 3 tablespoons mayonnaise to a boil. Boil gently until tender, about 15 minutes. 2 tablespoons whole grain/stone ground Drain and let come to room temperature while you mustard make the dressing. 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sour 8 radishes thinly sliced cream, mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar. Give it a 1/2 cup chopped cornichons sample and add salt to taste. Add the potatoes and 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill stir to coat. Add the radishes, cornichons, dill, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives chives and stir gently one last time. Chive blossoms for garnish (optional) Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chive blossoms, if using. Serve at room temperature. Grandma Agny's Surkål This is Norwegian comfort food at its finest. Basically a Scandinavian sauerkraut, surkål consists of shredded cabbage and apples slowly simmered in vinegar with caraway and butter. I grew up eating surkål at my paternal grandparents’ house each year on Christmas Eve. It was one of only a handful of Grandma Agny’s recipes that survived after she died. I discovered it in an old church cookbook some years back and now I make it each autumn when the darkness settles in earlier and earlier and the damp rain chills us to our bones. Grandma’s recipe was rather decadent with quite a bit of butter. I’ve lightened it up substantially without changing the comforting essence of this cold-weather classic. 1 1.5 pound (750 grams) green cabbage 2 green apples, cored and cut into 8 wedges 1-2 tablespoons salted butter 16 ounces (1/2 liter) distilled white vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 tablespoon caraway seeds 2 teaspoons kosher salt Curly-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish Green apple Shred the cabbage using a sharp knife or the slicing disc of a food processor. Leaving the skins on, shred one apple using a food processor outfitted with a shredding disc. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then stir in the shredded cabbage and apple. Pour in the vinegar, sugar, caraway, and salt and bring to a brisk simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 90 minutes, continuing to stir from time to time, until the cabbage is soft. The vinegar should have reduced substantially and mellowed in flavor. If the vinegar has not reduced enough, increase the heat in the last 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and arrange on a serving dish. Garnish with apple wedges and parsley. Wine-Steamed Cauliflower with Creamy Shrimp Sauce I’ve seen different ways to make this dish, from whole cauliflower to cutting the cauliflower into florets. I prefer the latter, as it makes for easy serving and ensures that the creamy sauce seeps into each bite. I chose to steam the cauliflower with white wine to infuse the vegetable with a special touch. Plus, the cooking liquid is incorporated into the sauce, making it extra flavorful. Serve with the remaining wine, well chilled, if you wish. 1 large cauliflower 2 cups water 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour 3/4 cup whole milk 1 pound small shrimp, cooked and peeled Chopped curly-leaf parsley, for garnish Trim the leaves and stem from the cauliflower, and cut it into large florets.