New Scandinavian Cooking

THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING... NORWEGIAN SALMON IS OCEAN FARMED BY CRAFTSMEN, BLENDING TRADITION WITH TECHNOLOGY.

[ LAUGHTER ] CREATED BY ME, A MOM OF THREE, TO MAKE MOBILE KIDS SAFER AND YOUR LIFE EASIER.

[ THEME MUSIC PLAYING ] [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] HI, AND WELCOME TO "NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING" FROM ORJE IN EASTERN NORWAY.

I'M ANDREAS VIESTAD.

HERE, WHERE THE RICH AGRICULTURAL LOWLANDS MEET THE DEEP FOREST, THERE'S A DOUBLE BOUNTY TO BE HAD, AN ABUNDANCE OF PRODUCE, BOTH WILD AND NURTURED BY MAN.

AND THAT WILL BE THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S PROGRAM.

I'LL START OFF BY MAKING A SIMPLE ASPARAGUS DISH.

ASPARAGUS ARE PARTICULARLY GOOD THIS TIME OF YEAR, AT THE END OF SPRING, WHEN THE NIGHTS ARE STILL COOL.

I'LL STEAM THEM, AND THEN I'LL BROIL THEM TO BRING OUT EXTRA FLAVOR.

DESPITE THE GENTLENESS OF THE LANDSCAPE, THERE ARE FIERCE CREATURES HERE.

IN FACT, THE ONLY FISH THAT I'M A LITTLE BIT AFRAID OF LIVES IN THESE WATERS -- THE NORTHERN PIKE, JACKFISH, OR WATER WOLF, AS IT'S ALSO BEEN REFERRED TO.

WE'LL GO FISHING FOR THE AGGRESSIVE FRESHWATER PREDATOR, AND I'LL MAKE A SELECTION OF PIKE FISH-CAKES.

WE'LL GO HUNTING FOR THE GENTLE ENTREPRENEUR OF THE FOREST, THE BEAVER.

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, BEAVER WAS ALMOST EXTINCT.

TODAY IT'S MORE ABUNDANT THAN EVER.

I'LL MAKE A BEAVER GAME SOUP.

THIS AREA IS ALSO WELL KNOWN FOR POULTRY AND HERBS, AND I'LL MAKE ROAST CHICKEN WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF HERBS.

AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TO SATISFY AN APPETITE, I'LL MAKE A FISH TERRINE, ELABORATE AND ADVANCED FOR THE PALATE AND FOR THE EYE, BUT IT IS REALLY SIMPLE TO MAKE.

[ DING DING DING ] WHEN WE'RE ENTERING OPEN WATERS LIKE THIS, IT LOOKS ALMOST LIKE WE'RE IN A FJORD.

BUT IT'S, IN FACT, A PART OF AN ELABORATE CANAL SYSTEM THAT WAS BUILT IN THE 19th CENTURY, IN ORDER TO TRANSPORT LOGS AND OTHER GOODS FROM THE INLAND AREAS TO THE SEA.

AND THIS SHIP HERE HAS BEEN IN SERVICE SINCE 1862.

IT'S GOT AN OLD STEAM ENGINE.

APPARENTLY, IT'S ONE OF THE OLDEST IN THE WORLD WITH A STEAM-ENGINE PROPELLERED BOAT.

SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE STEAM ENGINES ARE NO LONGER IN VOGUE.

THAT'S A SHAME, BECAUSE TO ME, A STEAM ENGINE IS THE MOST PRACTICAL OF ALL ENGINES.

IT CAN GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT AND IT CAN COOK FOR YOU.

I'VE GOT SOME LOVELY FRESH ASPARAGUS HERE THAT I'M GOING TO STEAM.

AS YOU KNOW, STEAMING IS THE MOST CONVENTIONAL WAY TO COOK AN ASPARAGUS.

MMM, THERE IS REALLY NOTHING NICER THAN A PERFECTLY STEAMED ASPARAGUS, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A STEAMER, YOU CAN ALSO BOIL IT IN LIGHTLY SALTED WATER.

BUT DON'T BOIL IT TOO LONG.

IT IS NICE IF THERE'S A BIT OF CRUNCH IN THEM STILL.

[ CRUNCHING ] DURING ASPARAGUS SEASON, I ALWAYS START OFF BY PREPARING THE ASPARAGUS AS SIMPLY AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON, I START EXPERIMENTING, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO TODAY.

I WANT TO PRESENT THEM AND INJECT THEM WITH SOME MORE FLAVOR.

HERE I'VE GOT A MIXTURE OF DIFFERENT SPICES.

I'VE GOT SOME PAPRIKA, I'VE GOT A STAR-ANISE, A CHILI PEPPER, AND SOME FENNEL.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO ADD SOME CORIANDER SEEDS, AND I'M POUNDING THEM.

BUT I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE CRUSHED TO A FINE POWDER.

IT'S REALLY NICE IF YOU HAVE A SMALL BITE OF CORIANDER TO CHEW ON.

TO THIS I ADD A BIT OF SALT... AND, INTERESTINGLY, SOME SUGAR.

AND YOU'LL SEE WHY I NEED THIS IN JUST A BIT.

I'M GOING TO RUB THE ASPARAGUS WITH THIS MIXTURE, BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE IT STICK, I'LL ADD A LITTLE BIT OF OIL.

THIS IS JUST RAPESEED OIL OR CANOLA OIL.

I'M USING A CREME BRULEE BURNER, AND WHAT I WANT TO ACHIEVE IS THAT SOME OF THE SPICES BURN A LITTLE BIT, AND SOME OF THE SUGAR IS CARAMELIZED.

YOU CAN SERVE THIS AS FINGER FOOD.

YOU JUST TAKE IT IN YOUR HAND AND YOU DIP IT -- IN THIS CASE IN JUST SOME SOUR CREAM WITH SOME CHIVES.

THEN YOU GET A BIT OF FRESHNESS, AS WELL, FROM THE SOUR CREAM.

OTHERWISE YOU COULD SERVE IT WITH SMOKED SALMON, OR IN THIS CASE, WITH A DOLLOP OF SALMON ROE.

AND THIS IS REALLY A NICE COMBINATION OF FLAVORS -- OF SALTINESS, OF FRESHNESS, AND THIS FLAVOR EXPLOSION FROM THE SPICES.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEB SITE, NEWSCANCOOK.COM.

[ WHISTLE BLOWS ] THERE'S SOMETHING QUITE IDYLLIC ABOUT THESE INLAND LAKES.

NONE OF THE DANGERS OF THE SEA ARE PRESENT HERE.

EVEN IF THE WIND WOULD PICK UP AND THERE WOULD BE A STORM, YOU'D JUST BE BLOWN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE AND YOU COULD WALK HOME.

BUT THERE'S ONE FIERCE CREATURE LIVING IN THESE WATERS.

IT'S ACTUALLY THE FIERCEST FISH IN NORWEGIAN WATERS AND EUROPEAN WATERS.

IT'S THE NORTHERN PIKE.

IT'S ALSO BEEN REFERRED TO AS A WATER WOLF.

IT'S A PREDATOR FISH.

IT GOES AFTER ANYTHING IT CAN EAT.

THEY JUST HANG AROUND, THEY LURK, AND WAIT FOR SOMETHING TO KILL, SOMETHING TO ATTACK.

REIDAR AND OLIVER HERE ARE SPECIALISTS AT PIKE FISHING.

LAST WEEK ALONE, THEY CAUGHT 170 PIKE.

FIVE OF THEM WERE MORE THAN ONE METER -- MORE THAN 3 1/2 FOOT.

SO YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU GET.

OH!

AND NOW WE'VE GOT ONE.

OH!

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW BIG IT IS, BUT IT IS FIGHTING VIGOROUSLY.

OH!

OOH!

THIS IS A NICE ONE.

THESE TEETH HERE ARE SAID TO BE SHARPER THAN RAZOR BLADES.

REIDAR AND OLIVER NORMALLY PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE, BUT THAT'S NOT MY PHILOSOPHY.

[ SPEAKING NORWEGIAN ] IT'S VERY EASY TO DISLIKE THE PIKE BECAUSE OF ITS UNPLEASANT PERSONALITY.

BUT WHILE THE FISH IS VERY ANTISOCIAL WHILE IT'S LIVING, IT MAKES FOR VERY SOCIAL EATING.

FISH CAKES IS GREAT FAMILY FOOD -- IT'S GREAT FINGER FOOD, AND IT'S FOOD THAT REALLY FREEZES WELL.

SO YOU CAN MAKE A LOT AND USE IT WHENEVER YOU NEED IT.

I'M ADDING A BIT OF SALT TO THE FISH AS I'M MINCING IT.

THAT MAKES THE FISH COME TOGETHER, AND YOU DO WANT A QUITE STICKY MINCE.

I'M MINCING THE FISH SEVERAL TIMES, AND AS I DO, THE MIXTURE IS COMING TOGETHER.

BUT I'M ALSO ADDING A BIT OF STARCH.

I'VE USED FOUR VERY SMALL POTATOES, TWO EGGS.

IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT AT THIS POINT THE DISH IS NOT AS APPEALING AS YOU MIGHT WISH IT TO BE, BUT THIS IS JUST AN INTERMEDIATE STAGE.

AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF WHEAT FLOUR.

AND IT'S HARD TO SAY EXACTLY HOW MUCH YOU'RE GOING TO ADD OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS, SO MY GENERAL RULE IS TO ADD NOT TOO MUCH TO BEGIN WITH.

AND THEN DO A TRIAL RUN AND SEE IF THERE'S ENOUGH TO MAKE THE FISH CAKES STICK TOGETHER.

AND I'M GOING TO FLAVOR IT, FIRST VERY, VERY TRADITIONALLY WITH CHIVES.

AND NOW THE PIKE HAS COME TO THE END OF THE LINE.

IT LED ITS LIFE AS A PSYCHO KILLER FROM A THRILLER, AND IT'S ENDED ITS LIFE AS A FARCE.

AND IT'S QUITE STICKY NOW.

THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO WAYS THAT YOU CAN MAKE THESE FISH CAKES.

EITHER YOU CAN BOIL THEM IN STOCK -- I'VE GOT VEGETABLE STOCK HERE.

OR YOU CAN FRY THEM.

I'M FRYING THEM IN RAPESEED OIL.

THE FISH CAKES WILL BE CRISPY, AND THEY WILL HAVE THIS DISTINCT FRIED FLAVOR, WHEREAS THE ONES THAT ARE COOKED IN STOCK WILL BE MUCH MORE GENTLY FLAVORED.

AND THIS IS BEFORE YOU'VE STARTED PLAYING WITH ANY FLAVORS -- IT'S JUST CHIVES AND SALT.

AND THEN AN ENTIRE LANDSCAPE OPENS, BECAUSE YOU CAN ADD BASICALLY ANY FLAVOR YOU WANT.

I'M GOING TO START OFF BY ADDING SOME HERBS -- THYME AND MINT.

THEN YOU JUST MIX THE HERBS WITH THE FISH MIXTURE, AND IT HAS TO BE A BIT MESSY.

THE LAST VERSION I'M GOING TO MAKE NOW IS A CHILDREN'S FAVORITE.

I'M GOING TO COLOR THE FISH CAKES WITH BEETS.

THESE ARE BABY BEETS THAT ARE RIPE AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

YOU CAN ALSO USE NORMAL BEETS.

SO KIDS LOVE FOOD THAT IS REALLY BRIGHTLY COLORED.

JUST DON'T TELL THEM THAT IT'S SUPER HEALTHY.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GRINDER, YOU CAN USE A FOOD PROCESSOR, BUT THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO PUSH IT THROUGH A METAL SIEVE TO REMOVE THE BONES.

EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE PIKE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE THIS RECIPE WITH ANY KIND OF WHITE FISH.

AND NOW THEY'RE ALL FINISHED.

MMM.

I THINK MY FAVORITE IS THE ONE WITH MINT AND THYME, BUT I THINK THEY'RE ALL GREAT, AND IT'S ALSO GREAT TO SEE WHAT CAN BECOME OF SUCH A BEAST, WITH THE GOOD HELP OF CIVILIZING FORCES.

WHILE THE PIKE IS ANTISOCIAL AND AGGRESSIVE, THE BEAVER THAT SPENDS ITS LIFE IN THE SAME WATERS IS THE OPPOSITE.

IT SPENDS ITS DAY AT HOME WITH THE FAMILY, AND THEN IT WORKS ALL NIGHT.

AND WHAT IT DOES FOR WORK IS BUILDING.

IT BUILDS DAMS AND IT FELLS TREES.

THEY CAN CREATE A LOT OF HAVOC, ACTUALLY.

ABOUT 100 YEARS AGO, THE BEAVER WAS NEARLY EXTINCT.

THEN THEY WERE THE FIRST ANIMALS IN THE NORWEGIAN FAUNA TO BE PROTECTED.

NOW THERE ARE MORE OF THEM THAN THERE HAVE EVER BEEN, SO THEY'VE STARTED HUNTING THEM AGAIN.

BUT WHEN YOU HUNT THEM, YOU'VE GOT TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL.

THEY ARE SHY, AND THEY DON'T LIKE TO BE BOTHERED.

I'M GOING TO MAKE A RICH BEAVER STEW.

YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO FIND BEAVER MEAT, BUT YOU CAN USE ANY KIND OF VENISON OR GAME.

THE IMPORTANT THING IS, GO FOR THE CHEAPEST CUT, AND THAT ACTUALLY MAKES FOR THE BEST STEW.

I'VE BOILED THIS MEAT IN A LITTLE BIT OF WHITE WINE FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS, AND ADDED A LITTLE BIT OF SALT.

NOW I'M GOING TO JAZZ IT UP A BIT.

AND I THINK, WHEN YOU HAVE BEAVER, YOU NEED MORELS.

YOU NORMALLY BUY THEM DRIED, AND YOU NEED TO SOAK THEM AND CHANGE THE WATER A COUPLE OF TIMES.

THEY'RE QUITE EXPENSIVE, SO YOU CAN ALSO USE DRIED PORCINI OR ANY KIND OF BUTTON MUSHROOMS.

SOME HEAVY CREAM, ABOUT A CUP.

2.5 DECILITERS.

AND THEN SOME MUSTARD.

A GENEROUS TABLESPOON.

THIS IS ALL VERY RUSTIC AND BACK TO NATURE, TO SIT AROUND A CAMPFIRE AND COOK AN ANIMAL THAT HAS JUST BEEN KILLED.

WELL, I HOPE YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME -- WE'LL ADD A SMALL TOUCH OF DECADENCE, AS WELL.

THERE ARE VERY FEW OCCASIONS WHERE A LITTLE BIT OF CHAMPAGNE DOESN'T IMPROVE EVERYTHING.

I'M JUST GOING TO ADD A LITTLE BIT, LIKE ONE GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE, TO THE DISH.

AND THEN I CAN KEEP THE REST FOR MYSELF, SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD EXCUSE TO DRINK CHAMPAGNE.

OF COURSE, THERE'S A BIT OF ALCOHOL IN THE POT NOW, AND YOU DON'T REALLY WANT THE FOOD TO CONTAIN ALCOHOL, SO LET IT BOIL FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, AND THEN THE ALCOHOL WILL EVAPORATE.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEB SITE, NEWSCANCOOK.COM.

NORWAY IS A MOUNTAIN LAND, WITH WILD WATERFALLS AND FIERCE STREAMS.

NOT A TYPICAL LAZY RIVER AND CANAL COUNTRY.

HALDEN-VASSDRAGET IS AN HONORABLE EXCEPTION, AND TO PROVE THAT IT IS IN NORWAY AFTER ALL, IT IS THE NORTHERN EUROPEAN CANAL SYSTEM WITH THE HIGHEST ELEVATION.

SEVERAL LOCKS ARE MORE THAN 10 FEET, WHICH I'VE BEEN TOLD IS QUITE A LOT FOR CANAL LIFE.

WHEN THE SLUICES OPEN, YOU GET THAT SENSE THAT YOU MIGHT BE DROWNING, WHICH OF COURSE YOU AREN'T.

YOU CAN PADDLE, CANOE, SAIL, AND EVEN TAKE AN OLD STEAMBOAT.

THE CANAL SYSTEM WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE 1850s, BY THE WONDERFULLY NAMED ENGEBRET SOOT.

THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF SOOT INVOLVED IN THE BOAT NAMED AFTER HIM AS WELL.

[ WHISTLE BLOWS ] SOMETIMES I WONDER, HOW COME I WORK WITH FOOD?

WELL, OF COURSE, THERE ARE MANY EXPLANATIONS, BUT ONE OF THEM IS ROAST CHICKEN.

WHEN I WAS A KID, I SIMPLY LOVED ROAST CHICKEN, AND IT WAS THE FIRST THING I EVER COOKED MYSELF.

ONE OF THE SECRETS TO MAKING GOOD ROAST CHICKEN IS TO GET IT NICE AND CRISPY ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT STILL JUICY ON THE INSIDE.

AND ONE WAY YOU CAN ACHIEVE THIS IS BY PUTTING THE CHICKEN IN A SALT BRINE WITH LOTS OF HERBS.

THIS BRINE WILL FLAVOR THE CHICKEN, AND IT WILL ALSO MAKE IT MORE JUICY.

THE IMPORTANT THING IS THE RATIO OF SALT TO WATER.

SO USE TWO TO THREE HEAPED TABLESPOONS OF SALT TO ONE QUART OR ONE LITER OF WATER.

I RUB THE SKIN WITH BUTTER.

SO I'M SPRINKLING THE ROASTING PAN WITH A LITTLE BIT OF HERBS, AS WELL.

PEPPER.

IT'S NOT AS IF IT REALLY NEEDS A LOT OF SALT, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY NICE WITH THOSE SALT CRYSTALS ON THE CRISP SKIN.

NOW IT'S TIME TO ROAST THE CHICKEN.

ONE OF THE SECRETS IS, USE A FAIRLY HIGH TEMPERATURE.

I'M ROASTING IT AT 450 FAHRENHEIT, 225 CELSIUS.

THEN JUST LOOK IN THE OVEN EVERY NOW AND THEN, TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T BURN.

AND I ESTIMATE THAT THIS WILL TAKE ABOUT 50 MINUTES.

I'M GOING TO MAKE A HERB OIL.

I'M GOING TO USE LOVAGE, AND I'M ALSO GOING TO USE SOME OREGANO, SOME SAGE, AND SOME THYME.

BUT I MEAN, YOU CAN USE WHATEVER YOU HAVE.

THAT'S HOW THIS KIND OF COOKING COMES TOGETHER, NOT BY FOLLOWING THE EXACT, CORRECT RECIPE.

HERBS ARE REALLY VERY COMPLICATED.

ONLY A SMALL PART ARE WATER SOLUBLE.

THE REST ARE SOLUBLE IN LIPIDS, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE SOLUBLE IN FAT.

SO I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AS MUCH HERB FLAVOR AS POSSIBLE.

[ HAND BLENDER WHIRRING ] NOW I'M GOING TO MAKE A FISH TERRINE.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT TERRINES THAT IS REALLY QUITE FRIGHTENING.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT RIGHT OR NOT.

AND IF YOU DON'T, IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPLETE FAILURE.

WELL, THIS IS A PRETTY FOOL-PROOF RECIPE.

YOU REMEMBER THE FISH CAKES I MADE EARLIER IN THE SHOW?

WELL, HERE I'VE GOT THE SAME FISH MIXTURE, BUT I'VE JUST ADDED A LITTLE BIT OF MILK, ABOUT 30% OF MILK.

AND THEN THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT LOOSER.

THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO USE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FISH TERRINE, BUT I'M ALSO GOING TO JAZZ IT UP A LITTLE BIT BY ADDING SOME CRAYFISH.

YOU CAN ALSO USE SHRIMP OR LOBSTER OR CRAB MEAT.

AND THEN I'M ADDING THE FISH MIXTURE.

AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SEVERAL LAYERS WHILE I'M AT IT.

SOME ASPARAGUS.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO FLAVOR WHAT'S LEFT OF THE FISH MIXTURE WITH DILL.

DILL IS ONE OF THOSE HERBS THAT YOU CAN USE A LOT OF WITHOUT IT BECOMING OVERPOWERING.

AND WHAT REMAINS NOW IS TO BAKE IT IN THE OVEN.

I'M GOING TO BAKE IT IN A NOT-TOO-HOT OVEN, AT 300 FAHRENHEIT, ABOUT 125 CELSIUS, FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES.

THE TERRINE CAN BE SERVED HOT, COLD, OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

AND I'VE CHEATED A LITTLE BIT.

HERE IS THE FINAL RESULT.

IT'S NOT EXACTLY A FISH TERRINE LIKE MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD HAVE MADE IT, BUT I'M SURE SHE WOULD HAVE APPRECIATED IT GREATLY.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEB SITE, NEWSCANCOOK.COM.

[ SPEAKING NORWEGIAN ] FOR MORE INSPIRATION ABOUT SCANDINAVIAN DESTINATIONS AND FOOD, VISIT OUR WEB SITE, NEWSCANCOOK.COM.

THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING... NORWEGIAN SALMON IS OCEAN FARMED BY CRAFTSMEN, BLENDING TRADITION WITH TECHNOLOGY.

[ LAUGHTER ] CREATED BY ME, A MOM OF THREE, TO MAKE MOBILE KIDS SAFER AND YOUR LIFE EASIER.