Svenska Köttbullar (SWEDISH MEATBALLS)

1/2 c Unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c Half and half cream
4 tb Unsalted butter
1/4 c Minced white onions
1/3 lb Ground beef
1/3 lb Ground veal
1/3 lb Ground pork
1 lg Egg
1/8 ts Freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 ts Salt (or to taste)
1/4 ts Freshly ground black pepper

Soak the bread crumbs in the half and half for 5 minutes in a large mixing bowl.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small skillet over low to moderate heat. When the foam starts to subside, add the onions and saute them for about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Add the beef, veal, pork, egg nutmeg, salt, pepper, and onions to the bread-crumb mixture. Gently combine the ingredients with your hands.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for a couple of hours.

Shape the meat mixture with your hands into uniform 2/3-inch balls. Arrange them on a plate in one layer so they do not touch each other. Let the meatballs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Melt the remaining butter in a saute pan or skillet over moderate heat. When the foam starts to subside, add the meatballs. (Do not crowd the pan; unless your pan is oversized, you will have to cook gthe meatballs in batches and keep the cooked ones warm in a preheated 200 degree F oven.) Saute the meatballs for about 5 minutes until they become brown on all sides. Turn them as necessary, but do so gently.

Transfer to a warm platter and serve immediately.

Submitted by: Lorene Tinjum Johansen, Dalskog, Sverige

SVENSKA PLATTER (SWEDISH PANCAKES)

4 Eggs -- Separated
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Milk
3 Tablespoons Sour Cream
Lingonberry Preserves
Apple Sauce

Beat yolks until thick. Sift together flour, salt and sugar. Add to egg yolks alternately with milk. Stir in sour cream. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter. Heat pancake pan and butter each depression (if you have a Swedish Pancake Pan). Pour about a tablespoon of batter into each depression and spread out evenly. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other side. Serve at once with preserves or applesauce.

Submitted by: Lorene Tinjum Johansen, Engelsviken, Norge

LIMPA (BREAD)

1 pk Yeast, dry
1 ts Sugar, granulated
1/2 c Water, warm (100F)
2 c Beer; heated to lukewarm
1/2 c Honey; to 1/2 cup
2 tb Butter; melted
2 ts Salt
1 ts Cardamom, ground (opt)
1 tb Caraway seeds; crushed, or
3/4 ts Aniseed; crushed
2 tb Orange peel, fresh or candied; chopped
2 1/2 c Flour, rye
3 c Flour, unbleached

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water in a large bowl and proof for five minutes. Combine the beer, the honey (adjust for how sweet you like your bread) butter, and salt, and stir well. Add to the yeast mixture. Add the spices and orange peel. Mix the flours, then add three cups of this mixture to the liquid and beat briskly. Cover with a tea towel, and let rise in a warm, dark place for about an hour. Stir down and add enough of the remaining flour to make a pretty stiff but still sticky dough. Turn out on a very well-floured board, and work the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Add more flour to the board as needed. While the dough will not lose its tackiness completely it will smooth out a lot. Shape it into a ball, oil the surface, and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with the tea towel again and let rise a second time, about one hour. Punch down, shape into two balls, and put on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Brush with melted butter, cover loosely with waxed paper, and refrigerate for three hours. Remove from the fridge and let sit on the counter, uncovered, for ten to fifteen minutes. Bake in a 375 F. oven until the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom; about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool before slicing.

Submitted by: Lorene Tinjum Johansen, Dalskog, Sverige

SWEDISH CHRISTMAS LACE

2/3 c. blanched almonds
1/4 c. sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter
2 T light cream (half & half)

Chop almonds fine. Combine with remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir briskly a few seconds. Drop by teaspoon, about 4-inches apart on a well-greased lightly-floured baking sheet, doing only 4 or 5 cookies at a time. Bake at 375 for 5 to 6 minutes or until they start getting brown on the edges. Leave cookies on cookie sheet. They will finish baking in about 2 minutes. Lift with spatula and hang over wooden spoon handle. Cool until firm. When lifting off cookie sheet with spatula, if it's not ready to come off or if cookie goes together, leave a minute or two longer, then remove. Store in tightly-covered container. Makes 2 dozen.

Submitted by: Esther Johnson

SMORGASTARTA (SAVORY SANDWICH TORTE)

A variety of fillings can be used in this savory sandwich torte, often served on special occasions in Sweden.

For egg salad filling:
8 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped fine
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 scallions (white and pale green parts only), chopped fine
1 teaspoon drained capers, chopped

For smoked salmon filling:
10 ounces smoked salmon, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups crème fraîche
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For cream cheese filling:
3/4 cup whipped cream cheese
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons mixed finely chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, and chives
40 slices very thin firm white sandwich bread (from two 1-pound loaves)

For herb topping:
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh dill sprigs
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Make fillings:
In 3 separate bowls combine all ingredients for each filling, stirring each together until combined well. Season each filling with salt and pepper.

Stack 4 bread slices together and with a serrated knife trim crusts from bread. Stack and trim remaining 36 bread slices in same manner.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper arrange 8 bread slices side by side in 2 rows of 4 slices each to form a rectangle. Top rectangle with half of egg salad filling, spreading evenly, and cover with 8 more bread slices in same manner, pressing gently on top and sides to form an even layer.

Top second layer of bread with half of salmon filling, spreading evenly, and cover with 8 bread slices in same manner to form an even layer.

Top third layer of bread with all of cream cheese filling, spreading evenly, and cover with 8 bread slices in same manner to form an even layer.

Make layers with remaining salmon filling, remaining 8 bread slices, and remaining egg salad filling in same manner, ending with egg salad. Chill torte, covered with plastic wrap, at least 12 hours and up to 2 days.

Make topping:
In a bowl stir together herbs until combined well.

Trim sides of torte and sprinkle topping over egg salad layer.

Serve torte cut into small pieces.

Makes 10 to 12 Servings.

Submitted from: Gourmet Magazine, June 1997

DRÖMMAR (SWEDISH DREAM COOKIES)

Ammonium carbonate (available at pharmarcies), used by European bakers, makes especially crisp cookies. Its smell, which you may find off-putting while making the dough, disappears completely in the baking process.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon crushed ammonium carbonate (also called baker’s ammonium)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Sift together flour and salt.

Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in ammonium carbonate and almond extract until combined well. Mix in flour mixture at low speed just until blended, then stir in coconut. Form dough into a disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and arrange 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake cookies in batches in upper third of oven until pale golden around edges, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Submitted from: Gourmet Magazine, December 2000

GRILLED SWEDISH KÖTTBULLAR KEBABS

About twenty-eight 10-inch bamboo skewers

For Swedish meatballs:
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
1 1/4 cups fine fresh bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

For mustard sauce:
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 medium yellow squash
1 onion
2 yellow bell peppers
1 pint vine-ripened yellow cherry tomatoes

Accompaniment: Pickled Cucumbers

In a large dish soak bamboo skewers in warm water to cover 30 minutes.

Make meatballs:
In a large bowl with your hands blend together all meatball ingredients until just combined well (do not overmix). Form mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls and arrange on a tray. Meatballs may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Make sauce:
In a bowl whisk together all sauce ingredients until brown sugar is dissolved. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Halve squash lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Quarter onion and cut onion and bell peppers into 1-inch pieces.

Assemble kebabs:

Thread 2 meatballs alternately with assorted cut vegetables and tomatoes onto each skewer. Kebabs may be assembled 8 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Prepare grill.

Grill kebabs on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals, turning kebabs frequently, 10 minutes. Brush kebabs with sauce and grill, turning them and brushing frequently with sauce, until meatballs are cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes more. (Alternatively, kebabs may be broiled under a preheated broiler about 3 inches from heat.) Discard any remaining sauce.

Serve kebabs with pickled cucumbers.

Makes 10 to 12 Servings.

Submitted from: Gourmet Magazine, June 1997

METRIC CONVERSIONS

Multiply kilograms by 2.2 for pounds
Multiply liters by 2.1 for pints/1.06 for quarts/0.26 for gallons
Multiply the grams by 0.035 for ounces
(www.gsa.gov/staff/pa/cic/cic_text/misc/usmetric/metric-conv.htm)

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