Recipes
Below is a complete collection of all recipes found within my memoir. I hope you feel inspired to try some of these recipes for yourself. Do let me know how your efforts turn out!
Shu Jiao
Makes 4-6 servings
- 1/4 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound finely chopped green cabbage
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsps. sesame oil
- Some finely chopped ginger (optional)
- Store bought round gyoza wrappers (skins)
Directions
1. Mix all of the above until it holds together nicely
2. Place a wrapper in the palm of your hand
3. Wet the rim of the wrapper with a wet finger
4. Place about 3/4 tablespoon of the meat mixture in the middle of the wrapper, fold it over to make a half-moon, press the rounded rim tight to seal and pleat the rim
5. Bring a large pot of water to boil
6. Add as many dumplings as you can without overcrowding the pot
7. Bring to a boil. Remove the dumpling and repeat with the rest.
8. Repeat this process for each batch of dumplings still left to cook, adding 1/2 cup cold water to the pot each time and bringing to a boil again.
9. When all dumplings are cooked serve with dipping sauce.
Dipping Sauce
- Place small containers of soy sauce, Chinese vinegar, and some fine sliced red chili peppers on the table and allow guests to combine sauce ingredients to their liking.
Note: In the old days, we made our own skins, but now it is much easier to use store-bought.
Tea Eggs
Makes 6 servings
- 6 eggs
- 4 cups water
- 3 tbsp tea leaves (oolong is reccomended)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp five spice powder
Directions
1. Boil eggs for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and roll them on the counter to crack the shells.
2. Add tea leaves, salt, and five spice powder to water.
3. Return eggs to pot and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
4. Cool, peel, and serve. To serve as an hors d'oeuvre, mix equal amounts of soy sauce and sesame oil. Drizzle over quatered eggs and spinkle with finely sliced green onions.
Risengrøt
Makes 8 servings
- 3/4 cup short-grained rice
- About five cups whole milk
- Pinch of salt
Directions
1. Heat milk and rice in large pot.
2. Keep stirring for about half of an hour until it resembles risotto.
3. Add a pinch of salt and stir until well incorporated, about five minutes.
4. Divide the rice porridge into bowls and sprinkle cinnamon, sugar, and raisins on top.
Krumkaker
Makes 8-10 individual cakes
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup butter
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- Water to thin if neccessary
Directions
1. Whisk eggs and sugar together.
2. Melt butter and let cool slightly. Add to the egg and sugar mixture.
3. Mix in flour and spices. Stir until smooth.
4. In a separate pan, heat milk on medium heat, taking care that the milk doesn't boil.
5. Let rest for about 30 minutes.
6. Spoon about 1 tbsp dough onto a krumkake iron. Close the iron tightly. The electric iron will beep when it is ready. This normally only takes three to four minutes.
7. When cooked, carefully roll each of the individual cooked cakes into a cone shape. They will be very hot so try not to burn your fingers. Store in airtight container.
(Note: Electric krumkake irons can be purchased through Nordic Ware. There are about as many variations of this recipe as there are families in Norway. Personally, I like to replace the milk with buttermilk. Experiment and make this your own.)
Surkål
makes 8 or more servings
- 1 medium cabbage
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 cups of beef broth
- 2 or more tbsp of caraway seeds
Directions
1. Quarter cabbage. Discard outer layer and remove thick core.
2. Using a mandoline slicer, cut the cabbage into thin strips.
3. Caramelize sugar in a pressure cooker. When sugar is done, remove from heat. Add beef broth and stir to dissolve. Add butter. Remove from pan to a bowl. Stir in vinegar and taste for balance.
4. Put an inch or so of the sliced cabbage into pressure cooker. Sprinkle with caraway seeds. Continue layering cabbage and caraway seeds until all the cabbage has been used. Pour sugar and vinegar mixture over cabbage.
5. Bring pressure cooker up to high pressure. Remove from heat and cool completely.
6. Remove lid and stir cabbage. Bring to high pressure for a second time. Remove pot from burner as soon as pressure is reached. Cool, remove lid, and serve.
White Lady (a Bergen specialty)
Makes 1 cake (about 10-12 servings)
- 4 medium egg whites
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup flower
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (divided)
- 2 tsp powdered sugar
- A few tbsp 7-Up
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam (or strawberry)
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 pound marzipan
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Whip eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar until soft peaks form.
3. Fold in flour and remaining 1 tsp vanilla extract.
4. Pour batter into an 8" parchment paper lined springform pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
5. Take cake out of oven and let it cool.
6. Remove from springform and cut in half.
7. Spoon 7-Up over bottom of cake.
8. Top with jam and whipped cream.
9. Place on top of cake.
10. Cover with whipped cream.
11. Roll out marzipan as thin as you can and drape over entire cake.
12. Decorate with fruit and dollops of whipped cream.
Betty's Grape Leaves
- 400 grams ground beef
- 200 grams uncooked rice
- A blend of a generous amount of dried parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg
- 200 grams grape leaves
- Tomato paste diluted on a one to two ratio
Directions
1. Season meat generously with with the parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg mix.
2. Add the rice to the seasoned meat and wrap the grape leaves around mixture.
3. Place in an oiled pot.
4. Dilute the tomato paste and pour the sauce over the leaves.
5. Place a plate over the leaves and cook for 35-40 minutes on medium heat.
Stir-Fried Eggs and Tomatoes
Makes 4 servings
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 to 3 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 stalks of green onions
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- A pinch of sugar
Directions
1. Dip the tomatoes into boiling water to loosen the skins.
2. After removing the skins, quarter the tomatoes and remove seeds. Set aside.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add about1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
4. Chop the green onions into 1/2 inch slices, using the white and light green parts only.
5. Heat two tablespoons of canola oil in a wok on high heat.
6. Add the eggs and stir-fry until almost done but still quite runny. Remove from wok.
7. Add the green onions and the tomatoes and continue stir-frying for a minute or so until most of the moisture is gone. Add the eggs back to the wok and a pinch or two of sugar. Serve immediatley.
Rømmegrøt
Makes 4-6 servings
- 1 pint sour cream (the best is seter rømme, which is hard to find. It should have 35% fat content)
- 1 1/4 cup flour, divided
- 1 cup whole milk.
- A pinch of salt
Directions
1. Heat sour cream for about 15 minutes on high heat until it stars shooting out fat.
2. Stir in 1/3 of the flour.
3. Sift in remaining flour and stir constantly until it is completely smooth and lump free.
4. In a separate pan, heat milk on medium heat.
5. Slowly add milk to sour cream mixture.
6. Add a pinch of salt and stir until smooth.
7. Remove from heat. Hide a blanched almond in the porridge and serve with cinnamon, sugar, and raisins.
Pappa's gravy from scratch
Makes about 2 cups
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1/2 stick butter
- 2 cups of beef broth
- 1/4 tsp dried sage
- Couple slices brown goat cheese (geitost) if using gravy for kjøttkaker
Directions
1. Put the flour in a frying pan over low heat. Keep stirring with spatula until it turns light brown, about five minutes.
2. Add the butter and take pan off heat. Keep stirring until butter is incorporated with the flour
3. Slowly add the beef broth and keep stirring until it is fully incorporated and free of lumps.
4. Put the pan back on the heat and stir until it comes to a gentle simmer. Add a bit of sage
5. Add the goat cheese if using gravy for kjøttkaker.
Kjøttkaker
makes about 8 servings
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (preferably twice ground)
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp potato starch
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- Butter for frying
Directions
1. Mix meat with chopped onion. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mix well.
2. Add potato starch and flour. Mix well.
3. Add milk and egg and mix until well incorporated.
4. Heat butter in frying pan. Form meat mixture into 2-inch balls. Brown on all sides in butter for about five minutes per side.
5. Transfer meatballs to pot with prepared brown gravy (see Pappa's gravy from scratch). Simmer until thoroughly cooked.
6. Serve with steamed or boiled potatoes, lingonberry preserves, Norwegian sauerkraut and buttered peas.
White Gravy
Makes about 2 cups
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 stick butter
- 1 cup of chicken broth
- 1 cup milk or half-and-half
- freshly ground nutmeg
Directions
1. Essentially the same technique as brown gravy, however this time start with the butter and melt it before adding the flour.
2. Take off heat and add chicken broth. Keep stirring until fully incorporated.
3. Return to heat and let it come to a slow simmer.
4. Add a couple grinds of fresh nutmeg if desired.
Blueberry Pie
Makes one pie (about 8 servings)
- 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup European-style butter
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 2 tbsp potato starch
- 1/2 cup sugar (or less depending on sweetness of berries)
Directions
1. Make pie dough. Measure out the 2 1/2 cups of flour and crumble 1/2 cup cold European style butter into flour until it resembles coarse sand.
2. Work about 3 tablespoons of cold water into the mixture. Be careful not to overwork. Press the dough into a pie pan and prick the bottom. Refrigerate while making the filling.
3. Heat oven to around 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Rinse blueberries and let dry slightly. Mix berries with 2 tablespoons of potato starch and about 1/2 cup sugar depending on the sweetness of the berries.
5. Place the filling in the prepared pie tin and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Remove, let cool, and serve with a dollop of whipped, slightly sweetened cream.
