Aquavit
December 9, 2014
“Mock Aquavit” by Andreas Viestad 2014
Fylgia #119 Norcal scandi.
try playing with spices to get that OP Anderson taste for a Julbord
- 2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 TB coriander seeds
- 2 tsp dill seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 star anise
- 1 whole clove
- 2 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
- 1 750 ml /liter bottle potato or other good vodka
Open the vodka bottle, add all the remaining ingredients and cover tightly (Note: option to warm all the spices in a dry frying pan until they begin to release their essence)
Let stand in a cool, dark place for 1 to 2 weeks, gently shake every 2 or 3 days. How long you let it sit depends on how strong you want it, so taste it after 7 days to see if you want to let it go longer. Strain the solids through a sieve and discard them, then transfer the aquavit back into the bottle. If it becomes too strong, you can dilute it with a little plain Absolut or other vodka. (optional- add dash Marsala wine)
You can add a little orange or lemon rind. A little goes a long way.
To serve: place your aquavit in the freezer until chilled.
Aquavit Ginger Snap
December 9, 2014
WSJ dec 2014 … NYC Aquavit restaurant makes 1 bottle, serve with spiced hot chocolate
Aquavit
- scrub 1 thumb size piece ginger, slice into coins. Add sliced ginger to a glass mason jar or bottle.
- 5 cinnamon sticks
- 30 cloves
- zest of ½ orange (use vegetable peeler)
- 750 ml good vodka.
- Seal and store in cool place out of direct light 5-7 days. turn bottle every couple days. Strain away all spices. fine sieve or coffee filter.
Spiced Hot Chocolate – serves 2
- Into a med pot add:
- 1¼C milk
- Zest of ¼ orange
- 1 cinnamon stick crushed into large fragments
- 10 cloves
- 1½ TB peeled and coarsely chopped ginger
Simmer gently 15 minutes, do not scald milk. Then add:
- Add 1 TB cocoa powder
- 3 TB light brown sugar
- 1¼ oz dark chocolate
Whisk until chocolate melts and cocoa is completely mixed. Turn off heat. Add 1 to 2 oz of Ginger Snap aquavit to hot chocolate. Strain into 2 cups/glasses.
Whip ½ C heavy cream until soft peaks form.
top cups/glasses with whipped cream, sprinkle with cocoa powder.
Ted’s Glögg
November 20, 2014
Glögg Serves 15
Need large stainless steel pot, steel strainer to flame sugar cubes, small steel pot to warm vodka to flame sugar, medium strainer to filter wine if cheese cloth not used.
Basically equal parts red wine and port, (e.g. 1 750 ml bottle wine and 1 750 ml bottle port and up to 1 bottle 750 ml vodka). Simmer with spices:cinnamon stick, cardamom seeds or pods, cloves, orange peel, vanilla bean, fresh ginger. Caramelize some sugar either flaming cubed sugar with vodka or simmer in a pot to caramelize sugar. Serve with raisins soaked in brandy and slivered blanched almonds.
WINES warm wine and spices in large stainless steel pot for 1 hour. Do not boil.
- 1 bottle 750 ml red wine (burgundy or merlot or claret)
- 1 bottle 750 ml ruby port
SPICES – put all (except whole orange) into cheese cloth or strain later using a medium sieve .
- 1 tsp about 20 Cardamom seeds, crushed with pestle
- 1 vanilla bean sliced open and scrape seeds
- 15 whole cloves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 inch fresh ginger (grate or slice thin)- optional
- thin peel of an orange (save some peel to caramelize with sugar)- stud peeled orange with cloves and put orange into pot of wine
Carmelize Sugar – Two options: use stainless strainer, small stainless pot to warm vodka OR caramelize in saucepan
- 750 ml vodka
- ½ LB sugar cubes
- Option One: Flame sugar cubes in strainer method: stack some cubes sugar in flat strainer over pot of wine. Pour warmed vodka over sugar, light with BBQ lighter. wait until all blue flames gone, repeat sugar stack, vodka, lighting flame until all sugar carmelized. OR
- Option Two: Carmelize sugar in in pot with vodka. Warm over med-low, stir until golden syrupy. Simmer 15 min until large bubble form – now you have carmelized sugar, pour into warm wine quickly before sugar gets hard.
Garnish – serve Glögg warm, let guests add almonds & raisins.
- 1C raisins (cover with vodka or brandy, warm in microwave, store in jar in refrigerator)
- 1 cup slivered almonds
Olsson Swedish Meatballs
January 29, 2013
This is adapted from the red “Swedish Food” cookbook, 1951 (4th edition)
Basic recipe ratio 3:1 ground beef:pork.
- ¾ LB ground beef (can use some veal)
- ¼ LB ground pork
- 1/3 C bread crumbs (or slice of old bread)
- 1 C water or milk (or soda water)
- 1 TB finely chopped onions, sautéed in 1 TB butter until golden
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper (optional additions: or savory add dash of: marjoram, basil, thyme OR for Julbord: dash of ground cloves, allspice & ginger)
- 1 egg
Mix bread crumbs with water/milk, then mix all ingredients together.
Shape into SMALL balls, dip into water to keep spoon from sticking.
Fry in 2-3 TBS butter until evenly brown, shake pan continuously to keep balls round.
Swedish Meatballs
May 28, 2012
Pelle’s basic recipe: 60/40 beef/pork
red wine redux, veal bone glacé, cloves, all spice, ginger, white pepper.
(poached salmon- sauce blanche, caper, dill, lemon)
Gravlax
March 24, 2012
Only need five ingredients: salmon, salt, dill, sugar, pepper
For every LB (480g) salmon fillet with skin(bones removed), mix:
- 2 TB kosher salt
- 2 TB sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 20 sprigs dill weed
OR Bobby Flay’s/Food Network version
- 3-4 LB salmon fillets
- 1/3 C kosher salt
- 1/2 C sugar
- 3 tsp white peppercorns crushed with mortar
- 20 sprigs/bunch fresh dill
Cover salmon with salt/sugar mixture, top with whole sprigs of dill. (you can fold fillet over in half, flesh sides facing each other, skin side out.) Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, place in zip lock bag. Refrigerate for 2-3 days. remove dill, wipe off excess mixture (some rinse and pat dry). Slice on bias, starting at tail end.
SAUCE : 6TB Swedish style mustard (or half American with half Dijon), 4TB sugar, 2 TB red vinegar. Slowly add 3/4 C vegetable oil, whisking fast (like making mayonnaise). Dash white pepper & salt. Add 3 TB (or more) chopped dill.
Serve with knackabrod or pumpernickle
Baked Ham
March 4, 2012
Ham can be served, Easter, Christmas, anytime. This one was a precooked, spiral cut (Niman Ranch) ham.
- Warm in oven, tightly wrapped in foil for an hour (350°)
- Turn up heat to 400°, mix a mustard glaze. Glaze the ham, bake 1/2 hour without foil, at 400°.
- Either serve on a cutting board or slice and serve on a platter. Decorate around edge of serving bord/platter with parsley & red apples sliced (Julbord).
Mustard Bread crumb glaze: mix egg white, mustard & sugar and brush onto ham. Sprinkle with Bread crumbs.
- 1 egg white whipped
- 1 TB mustard powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 C bread crumbs (panko)
Olsson Recipes 