New Scandinavian Cooking

>> THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING... [ WIND WHISTLING ] >> TO ME, CHRISTMAS IS NOT ABOUT THE PRESENTS OR THE COMMERCIAL BROUHAHA.

IT'S ABOUT THE SMELLS -- THE SMELL OF CHRISTMAS.

HI, AND WELCOME TO "NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING" FROM HEDMARK IN EASTERN NORWAY AND TO A REAL NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION.

I'M ANDREAS VIESTAD.

NORWAY IS COLD AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, SO I'LL START OFF BY MAKING A WARM DRINK CALLED GLOGG.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A GLUE WINE, A WINE MULLED WITH SPICES AND HONEY.

AND I'LL USE THAT SAME DRINK TO FLAVOR A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS HAM, SLOW BAKED, WITH A HINT OF SWEETNESS.

I'LL ALSO TAKE TIME TO MAKE A PRESERVED DISH, PRESSED PORK WITH CHRISTMAS SPICES.

HERE IN HEDMARK, THERE'S ALSO A SPECIALTY FROM THE LAKE MJOSA, A SMALL FISH, VENDACE, OR EUROPEAN CISCO.

WHEN SUBMITTED TO A FAST CURE, IT MAKES THE PERFECT STARTER.

AND, AS IF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH, FOR MAIN COURSE I'LL SERVE WHAT WAS THE TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS FOOD FOR CENTURIES -- ROAST DUCK, THE PREDECESSOR TO ROAST TURKEY -- AND IF I MAY SAY SO, A MUCH MORE FLAVORFUL DISH.

FINALLY, IF YOU HAVE ROOM FOR MORE, THERE'S ALWAYS DESSERT -- BARLEY CREAM WITH RED BERRY SAUCE.

IT'S ABOUT THE SMELLS, THE SMELL OF CHRISTMAS, AND THAT IS THE SMELL OF SPICES -- OF CINNAMON, OF ALLSPICE, OF BAY LEAF, OF CLOVES AND CARDAMOM.

AND I'M GOING TO USE THEM ALL, PLUS A LITTLE BIT OF BLACK PEPPERCORNS, TO MAKE MY OWN GLOGG, THE NORWEGIAN EQUIVALENT TO GLUE WINE.

YOU SHOULD EITHER USE A FRUITY ITALIAN RED WINE, LIKE A BARBERA, OR A MORE SORT OF VULGAR, MORE COMMON, "KISS ME" KIND OF WINE, A SPICY SHIRAZ.

AND I'M USING ONE BOTTLE OF EACH.

AND BLACK CURRANT SYRUP.

IF YOU CAN'T FIND BLACK CURRANT SYRUP, YOU CAN ALSO JUST USE A HANDFUL OF FRESH OR FROZEN BLACK CURRANTS.

OR, IF YOU CAN'T FIND THAT, EITHER, YOU CAN SKIP IT ALTOGETHER AND JUST USE A LITTLE BIT MORE PORT WINE THAN I'M USING.

I'M JUST USING A SPLASH.

GLOGG, OR NORWEGIAN GLUE WINE,IS NOT JUST A DRINK.

IT'S ALMOST A MEAL IN ITSELF, BECAUSE IT ALSO CONTAINS RAISINS -- A GOOD HANDFUL -- OR TWO HANDFULS OF RAISINS.

ALMONDS, CHOPPED ALMONDS, A HANDFUL.

NOW, I'LL JUST ADD IT ALL.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T BRING IT TO A BOIL, 'CAUSE THEN ALL THE ALCOHOL WILL EVAPORATE.

SO NOT MORE THAN 78 DEGREES CELSIUS.

NOT MORE THAN 172 FAHRENHEIT.

YOU CAN EITHER TAKE THAT BY APPROXIMATION, SAYING, WELL UNDER BOILING, OR YOU CAN USE AN INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER.

NOW THE GLOGG IS HOT ENOUGH, SO I TURN OFF THE HEAT, AND... AND IT TASTES REALLY NICE.

THE FLAVOR OF THE SPICES IS STARTING TO COME THROUGH, AND I JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT OF FRESHNESS TO IT AS WELL, SO I'M ADDING SOME ORANGE ZEST.

ORGANIC ORANGE THAT HASN'T BEEN SPRAYED.

JUST A COUPLE OF INCHES, A FEW CENTIMETERS.

AND THEN... A LITTLE MORE SWEETNESS.

THIS IS VERY NICE LOCAL HONEY.

I DON'T WANT MY GLOGG TO BE TOO SWEET, SO I'M JUST ADDING 2 TABLESPOONS.

AND JUST STIR IT OUT UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY DISSOLVED.

GLOGG IS TYPICALLY A DRINK THAT YOU GET SERVED WHEN YOU ENTER SOMEONE'S HOUSE IN SCANDINAVIA IN DECEMBER.

IT HELPS SET THE TONE FOR THE EVENING.

IT WARMS YOU UP, AND IT GETS YOU A LITTLE BIT TIPSY.

GLOGG IS, OF COURSE, PRIMARILY A DRINK, BUT YOU CAN ALSO USE IT AS AN INGREDIENT IN COOKING.

I'M GOING TO MAKE A WHOLE HAM, TYPICAL CHRISTMAS HAM, WITH THE TYPICAL CHRISTMAS FLAVORS THAT I GET FROM THE GLOGG.

AND I'VE GOT A WHOLE HAM.

PUTTING IT INTO A POT, AND THEN POURING THE GLOGG, OR GLUE WINE, OVER.

WHAT I'M GONNA DO WITH THIS HAM IS BAKE IT IN THE OVEN, FIRST AT A RELATIVELY HIGH TEMPERATURE, STARTING AT AROUND 200 CENTIGRADE, 400 FAHRENHEIT, AND THEN IN A GRADUALLY COOLING OVEN FOR FOUR TO FIVE HOURS.

PORK IS TRADITIONALLY SERVED WITH CABBAGE, A SLIGHTLY ACIDIC CABBAGE DISH -- EITHER SAUERKRAUT, WHICH IS FERMENTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS, OR A SOMEWHAT LIGHTER DISH WITH RED CABBAGE.

SO, I PUT THE SLICED CABBAGE IN A POT AND SEASON WITH SALT, ABOUT 2 TEASPOONS OF SALT.

ABOUT TWICE AS MUCH SUGAR.

ONE LITTLE PINCH OF CARAWAY.

AND VINEGAR.

THIS IS A VERY MILD APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, SO I'M USING QUITE A LOT OF IT, ALMOST A DECILITER, ABOUT 1/3 CUP.

IF YOU HAVE A STRONGER VINEGAR, JUST ADD A COUPLE OF TABLESPOONS AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF APPLE JUICE OR WHITE WINE.

AND THEN SOME FAT.

YOU CAN USE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAT.

YOU CAN USE BUTTER.

YOU CAN USE DUCK FAT.

BUT SINCE IT'S GOING WITH A PORK DISH, I'M USING LARD.

AND IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE.

AFTER JUST A FEW MINUTES, THE ENTIRE HOUSE SMELLS OF CABBAGE AND VINEGAR AND CARAWAY.

AND IT'S VERY, VERY NICE.

THERE'S STILL A LITTLE BIT OF RESISTANCE IN THE CABBAGE AND A VERY NICE SWEET AND SOUR FLAVOR.

AFTER BETWEEN FOUR AND FIVE HOURS IN THE OVEN, THE HAM IS DONE.

AH.

AND IT'S FANTASTIC.

IT LOOKS GREAT, AND YOU CAN REALLY SMELL ALL THE SPICES.

IT'S FABULOUS.

MMM.

THAT'S SUCH A NICE DISH -- A GLUE WINE-BAKED HAM.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEBSITE, newscancook.com.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS FOODS IS PRESSED PORK.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A PT OR A TERRINE, RELATED TO THE FRENCH FROMAGE DE TTE.

AND IT'S A GREAT WAY TO UTILIZE DIFFERENT CUTS OF MEAT.

YOU CAN USE ANYTHING ON THE PIG, AS LONG AS YOU'VE GOT A GOOD COMBINATION OF FAT AND MUSCLE.

I'M GOING TO USE THE RIB PART WITH THE BONE IN, AND I'M JUST GONNA REMOVE THAT AFTERWARDS.

AND PIG JOWL.

IT'S SIMPLY BOILING THE MEAT WITH SOME SPICES -- ALLSPICE, SOME CLOVES -- NOT ALL OF THESE, BUT ABOUT HALF OF THEM.

A FEW BAY LEAVES.

A TABLESPOON OF CORIANDER SEED.

A TABLESPOON OF MUSTARD SEEDS.

4 TO 5 TABLESPOONS OF COARSE SALT.

JUST COVER WITH WATER, BRING TO A BOIL, AND LET IT SIMMER FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.

NOW THE MEAT IS FALL-APART TENDER, AND THE REST IS JUST ABOUT PUTTING THEM INTO A TERRINE.

I'VE GOT A VERY TRADITIONAL PORK PRESS.

AND I'VE LINED IT WITH A CHEESECLOTH.

IT'S NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, BUT IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER.

AND THEN, FOR DECORATION, I PUT A FEW OF THE BAY LEAVES IN THE BOTTOM HERE.

AND THEN JUST LINE IT WITH THE PORK SKIN.

THEN I CUT THE MEAT INTO THINNER SLICES AND LINE IT INTO THE TERRINE.

I ADD A LITTLE MORE SPICES AS WE GO ALONG -- MOSTLY CORIANDER SEED AND MUSTARD, BUT ALSO JUST A FEW CLOVES.

CLOVES ARE REALLY INCREDIBLY POWERFUL, BUT TO ME THEY SMELL OF CHRISTMAS.

I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF GELATIN HERE.

TOSS AWAY THE WATER, AND THEN I ADD WARM WATER.

AND PRESS IT, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PRESS LIKE THIS, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

THE MAIN POINT IS TO APPLY A WEIGHT.

IT CAN BE A BRICK, A BOOK, A FEW PLATES.

IT CAN BE A BAG OF GOLD COINS, ANYTHING!

AND THEN JUST LEAVE OVERNIGHT IN A COLD PLACE.

AND NOW IT'S READY.

AFTER FEELING THE PRESSURE FOR 12 HOURS, IT'S NICELY PRESSED, AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIFT IT UP.

JUST GENTLY UNDRESS IT.

MMM.

IT'S DELICIOUS.

IT TASTES A LITTLE BIT LIKE WHAT THE FRENCH CALL FROMAGE DE TTE, OR HEAD CHEESE.

BUT HERE IT'S GOT THESE NICE CHRISTMASY SPICES, AND I LOVE THE WAY YOU BITE INTO ONE LITTLE CORIANDER SEED, AND YOU GET THAT LITTLE TASTE EXPLOSION.

AND IT KEEPS WELL FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IF YOU KEEP IT REFRIGERATED.

BUT IT'S ALSO A GREAT GIFT.

I NORMALLY GIVE AWAY EDIBLE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS EVERY YEAR.

THIS PART OF NORWAY IS THE BIGGEST PRODUCER OF WHEAT AND POTATOES, AND GOING BACK A CENTURY OR SO, WHEN NORWAY WAS BASICALLY A FARMING SOCIETY, IT WAS THE RICHEST PART OF THE COUNTRY, AND YOU HAD THESE HUGE FARMS SHOWING OFF THEIR AFFLUENCE.

BUT IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING THAT FOR EVERY BIG FARM AND EVERY BIG FARMER, THERE WERE LOTS OF WORKERS WHO LIVED UNDER VERY DIFFERENT CONDITIONS.

THIS HERE IS THE HOMESTEAD OF ALF PROYSEN, ONE OF NORWAY'S NATIONAL POETS.

AT PROYSEN CENTER IN RINGSAKER JUST OUTSIDE OF HAMAR, YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT THE LIFE AND WORKS OF THE POET AND MUCH-LOVED ARTIST, ALF PROYSEN.

AND ALF PROYSEN GREW UP HERE IN THIS LITTLE COTTAGE WITH HIS FAMILY.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT POVERTY THAT CAN'T REALLY BE WON OVER JUST BY HAVING MORE MONEY, AND THERE'S A STORY ABOUT ALF PROYSEN, WHO RETURNED TO HIS HOME WHEN HIS MOTHER WAS VERY OLD.

HE WAS HIMSELF AN ESTABLISHED AUTHOR, A TV AND RADIO PERSONALITY, KNOWN AND LOVED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, BUT SHE WAS WORRIED -- HE STILL DIDN'T HAVE A PROPER JOB.

"EVERY YEAR, AS ADVENT APPROACHED, WE WOULD DREAD THE PURGATORY OF LUTEFISK," WRITES AMERICAN NORWEGIAN AUTHOR GARRISON KEILLOR, AND HE CONTINUES DESCRIBING LUTEFISK AS A JELLY-LIKE FISH THAT TASTES OF SOAP AND GIVES OFF AN ODOR THAT CAN GAG A GOAT.

WHILE MOST TRADITIONAL FOOD IS RELATED TO TRADITIONAL FOOD OTHER PLACES, LUTEFISK IS QUITE UNIQUE.

I KNOW OF NOTHING LIKE IT.

AND WHAT IS IT?

IT IS DRIED COD, RECONSTITUTED IN LYE.

WHY WOULD ANYONE DO THAT?

THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION AND ONE THAT HAS BEEN ASKED MANY TIMES WITH NO FULL GOOD ANSWER.

PROBABLY IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT -- THERE WAS SOME DRIED FISH HANGING ON A RACK.

THAT FELL DOWN INTO A DISUSED FIREPLACE AND INTO THE ASHES.

AND ASHES IS BASICALLY LYE.

AND THERE WAS SOME WATER INVOLVED.

AND AT ONE POINT, PEOPLE FOUND THAT IT HAD COMPLETELY CHANGED THE TEXTURE OF THE FISH.

AND IT WAS STRANGE, BUT IT'S AN ACQUIRED TASTE, AND WHEN PEOPLE HAD ACQUIRED IT, THEY NEVER TIRED OF IT.

EVERY YEAR, THERE'S A HUGE LUTEFISK FESTIVAL IN HAMAR.

THE WHOLE TOWN SMELLS OF LUTEFISK.

THERE ARE DINNERS, LECTURES, CONCERTS, READINGS, ALL IN THE HONOR OF ONE OF THE MOST LOVED AND HATED DISHES THAT EXIST.

I LIKE TO EAT LUTEFISK ONCE EVERY CHRISTMAS.

I LIKE THE RITUAL.

BUT IT RARELY HAPPENS TWICE.

MUCH OF THE MOST KNOWN FOOD FROM HEDMARK IS QUITE HEAVY.

IT'S MEAT, POTATOES, CABBAGE, MEAT, POTATOES, CABBAGE.

BUT THERE IS A DELICACY HERE AS WELL.

IN THE BIG LAKE MJOSA, THERE'S A SMALL FISH CALLED VENDACE OR EUROPEAN CISCO.

IT'S HERE IN ABUNDANCE.

AND THIS FATTY FISH IS IN THE SALMON FAMILY.

AND IT'S UTTERLY DELICIOUS.

I'M GOING TO NOT COOK IT.

I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE IT A QUICK CURE -- SALT AND SUGAR CURE.

HERE I'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE THAN A TEASPOON OF SALT, AND I'M ADDING ABOUT TWICE AS MUCH SUGAR.

AND THEN I'VE GOT SOME DILL SEEDS, AND I'M JUST USING MY FINGERS AS A PESTLE AND MORTAR.

I JUST WANT TO RELEASE A LITTLE EXTRA FLAVOR.

AND THEN JUST MIX IT TOGETHER AND SPRINKLE THE FISH.

AND THIS QUICK CURE IS REALLY A REMARKABLE TECHNIQUE THAT CAN BE USED WITH ALL KINDS OF FISH.

IT'S BEST WITH SLIGHTLY FATTY FISH LIKE HERRING OR SALMON.

AND AFTER JUST A FEW MINUTES, THE TEXTURE IS QUITE DIFFERENT, AND IT'S READY TO EAT.

I'M GONNA SERVE SIMPLY WITH SOME CHOPPED ONION, SOME FINELY CHOPPED FRESH DILL, AND SOME SOUR CREAM.

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE VENDACE OR THE EUROPEAN CISCO IS THAT THEIR EGGS ARE REALLY TASTY.

YOU CAN SEE THE EGGS HERE ARE NOT COMPLETELY DEVELOPED, BUT IT'S GOT A NICE LITTLE SAC OF ROE.

AND THIS IS WHAT THE SWEDES REFER TO AS LOJROM.

THAT'S OFTEN DESCRIBED AS "THE CAVIAR OF SCANDINAVIA."

IT'S NOT QUITE RAW, AND IT'S NOT QUITE COOKED.

QUITE FRESH-TASTING AND A GREAT WAY TO START A MEAL.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEBSITE, newscancook.com.

CHRISTMAS HAS BEEN CELEBRATED IN NORWAY SINCE LONG BEFORE CHRISTIANITY REACHED THE COUNTRY.

ORIGINALLY IT WAS A FESTIVAL TO MARK WINTER SOLSTICE, AND THE FESTIVAL WAS CALLED JUL, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE STILL CALL CHRISTMAS IN NORWEGIAN.

EVEN THE TRADITION OF GIVING PRESENTS IS QUITE ANCIENT.

WE HAVE RECORDS DATING BACK 1,000 YEARS OF EIRIK JARL OF THE MIDDLE OF NORWAY, WHO GAVE PRESENTS TO HIS DOMINIONS ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS.

MY HOSTS HERE ON HOEL GARD ARE VIGDIS AND PER EILIF SANDBERG.

THEY'RE OLD-SCHOOL FARMERS WITH A SUBSTANTIAL POTATO, CHICKEN, AND GRAIN PRODUCTION.

AND THEY'RE ALSO OLD-SCHOOL HOSTS WHO LIKE TO DISH UP WITH ELEGANT FOOD MADE EXCLUSIVELY FROM LOCAL INGREDIENTS.

WHAT DID PEOPLE EAT FOR CHRISTMAS IN ANCIENT TIMES?

THEY ATE GOOSE OR DUCK.

THAT WAS THE TRADITION ALL OVER EUROPE UNTIL TURKEY TOOK OVER IN SOME PARTS AND PORK TOOK OVER IN NORWAY.

I MAKE DUCK FOR CHRISTMAS EVERY YEAR.

I'M GOING TO MAKE MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS DUCK RECIPE, AND I'VE BROUGHT WITH ME MY ROTISSERIE FROM MY HOME IN OSLO.

AS YOU NOTICED, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE DUCK BEFORE I STARTED ROASTING IT.

WELL, IN FACT, I HAD SALTED IT A LITTLE BIT A COUPLE OF HOURS IN ADVANCE.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO ADD THE EXTRA FLAVORS -- NOT MUCH, BUT THIS IS WHAT IS LEFT OF THE GLOGG THAT I COOKED THE HAM IN.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE GLOGG THAT YOU'VE COOKED HAM IN, YOU CAN JUST USE PORT WINE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CINNAMON, ALLSPICE, AND CLOVE, AND JUST BRING IT TO A BOIL AND LET IT SOAK FOR A FEW MINUTES.

THAT WILL HAVE A SIMILAR FLAVOR.

AND THEN I JUST BRUSH THE DUCK WITH THIS MIXTURE AND REDUCE THE HEAT.

THEN YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF BROWNING IN A VERY SHORT TIME.

AND I'M A ROTISSERIE ADVOCATE, AS YOU'VE UNDERSTOOD, BUT IT IS PERFECTLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS DISH EVEN WITHOUT A ROTISSERIE.

YOU START OFF IN A HOT OVEN, 400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, 200 CENTIGRADE, AND THEN YOU REDUCE IT TO ABOUT 350, 175 CENTIGRADE, AND LET IT BAKE FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT ONE HOUR.

NOW I'M GOING TO MAKE A SUPER SIMPLE TRADITIONAL NORWEGIAN DESSERT, BARLEY CREAM.

THIS HERE IS BARLEY FROM THIS VERY FARM THAT HAS BEEN BOILED IN MILK UNTIL IT'S SOFT WITH HALF A VANILLA BEAN JUST TO ADD A LITTLE SWEET SPICINESS TO IT.

AND THEN I'M FOLDING IN WHIPPED CREAM.

A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR -- NOT MORE THAN A TABLESPOON AND A HALF.

IF YOU HAVE MORE OF A SWEET TOOTH THAN ME, USE A LITTLE MORE.

AND I'M SERVING IT WITH A FRESH-TASTING RED BERRY SAUCE -- BLACK CURRANTS, RASPBERRIES, AND RED CURRANTS.

REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEBSITE, newscancook.com.

[ PEOPLE SPEAKING NORWEGIAN ] >> THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING... [ WIND WHISTLING ]