INGEFÆRKAGE (GINGERBREAD)

1 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup sour milk
2½ cups flour
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
4 eggs -- beaten

Cream butter and sugar well. Stir in molasses and mix well. Stir soda into the sour milk. (To turn sweet milk sour quickly, and 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice or 1 1/3 tablespoons of vinegar to lukewarm sweet milk. Let stand a few minutes to sour before you use it.) Add milk alternately to the creamed mixture with the sifted dry ingredients and the eggs. Beat well after each addition of the beaten eggs.

Pour into 2 greased and floured baking pans (9 × 12). Bake 45 to 55 minutes in a preheated 325º oven. Serve plain or warm with your favorite hard sauce.

Submitted by: Lorene Tinjum Johansen, Engelsviken, Norge

SØNDERJYSK PØLSERET (SAUSAGE DINNER)

1 1/2 pound of chopped beef (cubes)
About 30 links of cocktail sausages (little wieners)
One large onion
Rice

Put the chopped onion and the chopped beef in a pot, together with any juices that may have come with the winers (esp if they came in a can). Let simmer on low heat until the meat is almost done.

Put the wieners in the casserole, so they heat up. They do not need to be cooked, as they usualyy already are when you buy them. If you cook them too long, the skin usually breaks.

If you want to add more taste you can cook the meat with one strip of bacon. Serve with loose (not sticky) rice.

Submitted by: Lorene Tinjum Johansen, Engelsviken, Norge

KAGE MED SMØRCREME (BUTTER CREAM CAKE)

3 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 cup flour -- sifted
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon strong coffee extract
Almonds -- chopped

Beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes. Add the flour, melted butter and the coffee extract, beating well with each addition. Pour into a small buttered square pan. Bake in a moderate oven (350ºF.) ½ hour.

When done, invert the pan on a cake rack and let cool. When the cake is cold cut it into two layers. Spread one with the filling and put the layers together; spread the rest of the filling over the top.

Press chopped almonds lightly around the edge of the cake.

Submitted by: Lorene Tinjum Johansen, Engelsviken, Norge

HASSELNØDLAGKAGE (HAZELNUT TORTE)

9 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
¾ cup blanched almonds -- ground
¾ cup hazelnuts -- ground
9 egg whites
¼ cup cherry brandy
¼ cup raspberry jam
1 pint whipping cream
24 whole hazelnuts
Powdered sugar

Beat the egg yolks until thick. Add the sugar and beat. Add the ground nuts and mix well. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the yolk mixture.

Bake in 2 well-buttered layer-cake tins in a preheated moderate oven (350º) until the top of the cake springs back quickly when you touch it. Remove from oven and let cool.

Cover the top of each layer with half of the liqueur, then with a thin layer of the raspberry jam. Place one cake on top of the other.

Whip the cream and spread over top. Place whole hazelnuts here and there on the torte. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar.

Submitted by: Lorene Tinjum Johansen, Engelsviken, Norge

FRIKADELLER (DANISH MEAT BALLS)

1/2 lb Veal
1/2 lb Pork
1 g Onion
2 c Milk
Pepper to taste
2 tb Flour or
1 c Bread crumbs
1 Egg
Salt to taste

Put veal and pork together through a grinder 4 or 5 times. Add flour or bread crumbs, milk, egg, onion, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Drop on frying pan from a large tablespoon and fry over low heat. Serve with browned butter, potatoes and stewed cabbage.

Exported from: Danish Cookery

ABLESKIVER (PANCAKE BALLS)

2 c Sifted flour
2 tb Sugar
1 t Baking soda
1 t Cardamom
3/4 ts Salt

Combine:
1 c Thick sour cream
2/3 c Milk
3 Egg yolks, beaten
2 tb Melted butter

Set an ableskiver pan over low heat

Sift together and set aside:

Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Add liquid mixture all at one time, stirring until well blended.

Beat until rounded peaks are formed: 3 egg whites. Gently spread batter over egg whites and fold together.

Test ableskiver pan by dropping on it a few drops of cold water; if drops dance around in small beads, temperature is right. Grease well with butter (About 1/2 tsp. per well)

Pour batter into wells, filling about one half full. With a fork turn ableskivers frequently to brown evenly. Do not pierce. Ableskivers are done when a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve immediately sprinkled with Confectioners' sugar. If desired, accompany with a tart jam. About 4 doz. balls.

Apple Pancake Balls (Ableskiver II)

Follow above recipe. Rinse, pare and dice 2 medium-sized apples. Sprinkle about 1 tsp. of the diced apples over batter in each well.

Exported from: The Scandinavian CookBook

GÅSESTEG MED AEBLER OG SVEDSKER (GOOSE W/APPLES & PRUNES)

8 lb Young goose (to 10 lb)
1/2 Lemon
Salt & fresh ground pepper
2 c Apples -- peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
2 c Dried prunes -- presoaked, pitted and chopped
1 lg Onion -- peeled & quartered

Preheat oven to 325F.

To prepare this classic Danish Christmas dish, first wash the goose under cold running water. Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels and rub inside and out with lemon. Lightly salt and pepper the inside and stuff the cavity with the coarsely chopped apples, prunes and onion quarters. Close by lacing skewers or by sewing with heavy white thread. Fasten the neck skin to the back of the goose with a skewer and truss the bird securely so that it will keep it's shape while cooking.

Roast goose on a rack set in a shallow open pan for 3 to 3 1/2 hours (about 20 to 25 minutes per pound). As the goose fat accumulates in the pan, draw it off with a bulb baster or large kitchen spoon. Basting the goose itself is unnecessary.

To test whether the bird is done, pierce the thigh with the tip of a small sharp knife. If the juice that runs out is still somewhat pink, roast another 5 to 10 minutes or until juices run clear or pale yellow. When done, turn off oven leaving the finished bird to set with the door ajar for 15 minutes to make it easier to carve.

Transfer the goose to a large heated platter and remove the string and skewers. Scoop out the stuffing and discard it. The fruits and onion will have imparted their flavor to the goose but will be far too fatty to serve.

Traditionally, poached apples stuffed with prunes (see recipe) are served with the Christmas goose. Red cabbage and carmelized potatoes (see recipes) complete the Christmas menu in Denmark.

Exported from: The Cooking of Scandinavia

STEGT RODSPAETTE (FLOUNDER W/SHRIMP)

4 Flounder fillets, 1/2 lb ea.
Salt
Flour
1/2 c Bread crumbs -- dried
2 md Eggs
2 tb Water
8 tb Butter (1 stick)
2 tb Vegetable oil
1/2 lb Shrimp -- cooked, small, peeled and deveined
Lemon wedges

Plaice is the fish the Danes usually prepare in this manner, but flounder is an excellent American substitute. Danish shrimp are the 1" variety similar to U.S. West Coast shrimp. Choose the smallest fresh shrimp available." Rince the fish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Salt lightly, dip in flour and shake off excess. Spread the bread crumbs on wax paper. In a mixing bowl beat the eggs together with 2 tablespoons of water, then dip each fillet into the egg mixture and coat each side thoroughly with the bread crumbs. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes before cooking. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy 10-12" skillet over moderate heat. Add the shrimp and toss them in the butter for 2 to 3 minutes until well coated. Place a line of the shrimp down the center of each fillet. Melt the remaining butter over low heat until it turns a rich, nutty brown, pour over the fish fillets and garnish with lemon wedges. If you prefer, serve with a parsley sauce (see recipe) in place of the shrimp and brown butter.

Submitted by: Lorene Tinjum Johansen, Engelsviken, Norge

DANISH APPLESAUCE BREAD CRUMB PUDDING

The lingonberry, a relative of the cranberry, grows wild in the Scandinavian mountains. It adds tartness to the following traditional Danish sweet.

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
12 slices homemade-type white bread, ground fine in a food processor (about 2 1/2 cups)
4 cups homemade chunky applesauce (recipe follows) or bottled chunky applesauce

For applesauce:
3 pounds McIntosh apples (about 8 large)
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

1 cup lingonberry preserves* or raspberry preserves plus additional for garnish lightly sweetened whipped cream for garnish and as an accompaniment

*available at specialty foods shops, and some supermarkets

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large heavy skillet melt butter over moderate heat and stir in bread crumbs. Cook bread crumbs, stirring constantly and breaking up lumps, until golden, about 5 minutes.

In a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish layer 1 cup crumbs, 2 cups applesauce, and 1/2 cup preserves and repeat. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup crumbs on top and bake pudding in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Pudding may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat pudding in a 325°F. oven before serving. Garnish pudding with whipped cream and additional preserves.

Serve pudding warm with whipped cream.

To make chunky applesauce:
Peel and core apples and cut into 3/4-inch pieces. In a large heavy saucepan bring water, apples, and sugar to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and starting to fall apart, about 25 minutes. Applesauce may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Makes about 5 cups.

Serves 6.

Submitted from: Gourmet Magazine, February 1994

KLEJNER (DANISH DIAMONDS)

Spiced diamond-shaped cookies for dessert on Christmas Eve. They are fried like doughnuts and coated with powdered sugar.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten to blend
1/4 cup whipping cream
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Vegetable oil (for deep frying)
Powdered sugar

Combine unsalted butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl. Using wooden spoon, stir mixture until well combined. Whisk eggs and whipping cream in small bowl to blend. Gradually mix egg mixture into butter mixture. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, ground cardamom and ground nutmeg into medium bowl. Add to butter mixture and mix until soft dough forms. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Wrap each dough piece tightly in plastic; flatten each into disk. Refrigerate dough pieces overnight.

Roll out 1 dough piece on floured work surface to thickness of scant 1/4 inch. Cut dough into 2-inch-wide strips. Cut strips crosswise and diagonally at 3-inch intervals to form diamond shapes. Cut 1 1/2-inch-long lengthwise slit in center of each diamond. Gently push one end of one pastry corner through slit and gently pull end back toward its original position. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining diamonds. Gather scraps, reroll and cut out additional diamonds. Cover and refrigerate diamonds while rolling and shaping remaining dough disks.

Pour vegetable oil into heavy deep skillet to depth of 2 inches. Heat to 350°F. Add 5 cookies to oil and fry until puffed and golden brown on both sides, turning once, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and drain. Repeat frying of remaining cookies in batches.

Fill large plate with powdered sugar. Roll cookies in powdered sugar to coat. (Cookies can be made 1 week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in air-tight containers at room temperature.)

Makes 3 to 4 dozen.

Submitted from: Bon Appétit, December 1992

DANISH RED CABBAGE

1 medium red cabbage (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar or more, according to taste
1/4 cup vinegar
Salt, pepper
2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped (optional)
1/2 cup red currant jelly

Remove and discard tough outer leaves from cabbage. Shred cabbage very fine. In heavy kettle, melt butter. Add sugar, but do not brown. Add cabbage and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vinegar, water, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer covered for 2-3 hours, or until cabbage is very tender. Stir occasionally, and if necessary, add a little hot water to prevent scorching. When cabbage is almost tender, add apples, if desired, and red currant jelly. Cabbage should be quite sweet-sour. If necessary, add more sugar or vinegar, a little at a time. Simmer covered for 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Serve with roast goose or duck. This is best if made a day ahead, and reheated slowly.

Serves 4.

Submitted from: House & Garden, February 1964

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)