Scandinavian Food

Since we're off to Scandinavia I thought it only appropriate to talk about what we might expect to eat there. This was the first recipe I encountered when searching for Iceland, yum! Other than that it looks like Iceland is known for it's wide variety of fish (caught in the unpolluted North Atlantic waters), and fresh vegetables.

Icelandic Pancakes (or Crepes) with Whipped Cream.
Batter: 3 cups flour, 4 eggs, 3 tbs. butter (melted), 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. vanilla essence, 2 ½ -3 cups milk.

Directions: Separate egg whites and beat until stiff. Mix together all other ingredients and add the egg whites last. Bake paper-thin on a hot cast-iron griddle (about 9 inches in diameter). Spread with preserves, jam or jelly, one tablespoon whipped cream. Fold into triangles. Serve with afternoon coffee or as dessert. (Traditional)

In Norway, fish will be in abundance as well but I also found this link to traditional Norwegian foods to try while we're there.

And finally, in Sweden there are many internationally renown chefs and restaurants so I don't think we'll have any difficulty finding something delicious to try. This Ice Bar/Restaurant has been recommended and is on our list of possibilities.

We'll try to take plenty of pictures to share when we return.

Beef Bordelaise

Here's an easy weeknight dinner that's one of our favorites. Served with a side salad or some steamed vegetables we can divide it into at least 2 nights of dinner. I used to make this for the Ayares (a family I babysit for in high school and college) which makes me enjoy making it even more now because it reminds me of them! :-)

BEEF BORDELAISE

1 1/2 lbs stew beef

1 tablespoon margarine

1 clove garlic

1 medium onion chopped (~1/2 cup)

Salt & pepper

1 can tomato soup

3/4 cup red wine

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/2 cup ketchup

Cut meat into bite size pieces and brown in pan. In a sauce pan combine all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Add meat to sauce and cook for about 15 minutes. Serve over egg noodles.

Grilled Meats and Vegetables with Saffron Orzo

Over Memorial Day weekend we decided to make a dish we don't have often. Partially because it takes some planning, but mostly because it feeds more than 2 people! Since it was a long weekend we decided it was the perfect time to pull out this recipe and share it with friends. Here's the recipe (courtesy of Food Network):

GRILLED MEATS AND VEGETABLES OVER SAFFRON ORZO

Marinade:

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 5 lemons

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons smoked salt, or kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

For grill:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 ears corn, husked and cut into thirds

1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean

1 red bell pepper, halved and cored

1 yellow bell pepper, halved and cored

1 orange bell pepper, halved and cored

*NOTE* You can use any meat or vegetables you choose, we used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flank steak and shrimp. Since we had so many meats and vegetables this time we put them on skewers which made turning on the grill much easier.

Saffron Orzo:

4 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon saffron threads

1 pound dried orzo

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a medium bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. In a large bowl, combine half the marinade with the chicken breasts, chicken thighs, and shrimp. Toss to combine. Cover and let marinate for at least 1 hour. If marinating for longer than 1 hour, make sure to refrigerate. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the corn with reserved unused marinade and wrap in foil. Toss the mushrooms with 1/4 cup of the reserved unused marinade. Grill the chicken breasts and thighs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 7 minutes a side. Grill the corn for about 5 minutes a side. Grill the peppers for about 5 minutes a side. Grill the shrimp and the mushrooms, about 2 minutes a side. Brush the grilled peppers with the last of the reserved unused marinade. Slice the peppers and mushrooms before serving, if desired. While grilling meat and vegetables, begin cooking orzo. In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, bringing the stock to a simmer. Add the saffron, stir, and allow the saffron to bloom, about 5 minutes. Return the heat to medium and the stock to a boil, then add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain orzo and transfer to a large bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley. Toss to combine. Arrange grilled meats and vegetables over the saffron orzo on a large platter and serve immediately.