North Wild Kitchen

Category: Recipes

  • Knekk-Kaker

    Knekk-Kaker

    Norwegian Knekk-Kaker(Thin Christmas cookies with oats) Norwegian Knekk-Kaker(Thin Christmas cookies with oats)One of the great things about holiday baking is that everyone has their own traditions and favorites. Recipes which span for generations, recipes that cross continents, recipes that adapt and evolve in one’s own kitchen. Each recipe with a history and a story.

    While sitting around a table with friends a few weeks back our conversation turned to holiday baking. In typical fashion for our area, most had plans to start off the season by making large batches of lefse. We discussed favorite cookies, like pepperkaker (gingerbread), kransekake (almond tower cake), and krumkaker (wafer cookies), to name a few. One friend, Anne Lise, turned to me, and with a broad smile and glitter in her eyes, told me that one of her favorite julekaker (Christmas cookies) is knekk-kaker. (more…)

  • Smultringer (Norwegian Doughnuts) Served with a Simple Apple Glaze

    Smultringer (Norwegian Doughnuts) Served with a Simple Apple Glaze

    Smultringer is considered one of the seven Norwegian Christmas cookies (syv slag), with very interesting origins. Before smultringer, Norwegians were making similar-looking fried cakes called hjortetakk out of horn salt (ammonium bicarbonate) or what was earlier referred to as hjortetakksalt. It’s suspected that hjortetakk came to Norway from Germany, as there are German recipes for them tracing back to the 1700s. (more…)

  • Aquavit-Cured Venison with Pickled Bilberries (Gravet hjort med sylteblåbær)

    Aquavit-Cured Venison with Pickled Bilberries (Gravet hjort med sylteblåbær)

    Aquavit-Cured Deer with Pickled Bilberries (Gravet hjort med sylteblåbær) Aquavit-Cured Deer with Pickled Bilberries (Gravet hjort med sylteblåbær)Norway has a long tradition of curing – graving – both fish and meat in order to conserve them. While cured salmon (gravlax / gravlaks) may be more well-known, the same technique can, and is, applied to meats. Curing the meat provides a distinct flavor and smooth texture, which today is seen as being quite exclusive. Yet, it’s simple to make at home. (more…)

  • Rutabaga, Cranberry, and Almond Crisp Breads (Knekkebrød med Kålrot)

    Rutabaga, Cranberry, and Almond Crisp Breads (Knekkebrød med Kålrot)

    Rutabaga, Cranberry, and Almond Crisp Bread (Knekkebrød med Kålrot)Rutabaga, Cranberry, and Almond Crisp Bread (Knekkebrød med Kålrot)

    This is the third and final part of my three-part series of autumn dishes featuring Rutabaga

    When you have something as forgiving and simple to make as knekkebrød (crisp bread), it’s easy to experiment with different flavors and use up what you have lying around the house. I was looking for a new type of crisp bread to serve guests this autumn – something versatile, and something that leaves an intriguing taste. With all the leftover rutabaga puree I had from the Flourless Rutabaga Roulade, I knew I had to incorporate it.

    Enter in Rutabaga Crisp Breads. (more…)

  • Cheesy Rutabaga, Bread & Beer Bake with Vinegary Greens, Toasted Mustard Seeds, and Horseradish

    Cheesy Rutabaga, Bread & Beer Bake with Vinegary Greens, Toasted Mustard Seeds, and Horseradish

    Cheesy Rutabaga & Beer Bake served with Vinegary Greens, Toasted Mustard Seeds and HorseradishCheesy Rutabaga & Beer Bake served with Vinegary Greens, Toasted Mustard Seeds and Horseradish

    This is the second part of my three-part series of autumn dishes featuring Rutabaga

    Rutabaga (aka kålrot, kålrabi, swede) is one of those vegetables that can easily be overlooked, but has long been used in Norwegian and Scandinavian cooking. It takes on a whole other flavor and quality when cooked and this cheesy rutabaga bake merely affirms just how amazing rutabaga is.

    In case you missed it, the first recipe featured was Flourless Rutabaga Roulade with Cardamom Cream. This time around, I wanted a savory take on rutabaga. When combined with cheese, bread, and beer, it makes for one incredibly rich and delicious comfort dish. To round it off, I pair it with vinegary spinach leaves and top it with toasted brown mustard seeds and some grated horseradish. (more…)

  • Flourless Rutabaga Roulade with Cardamom Cream (Kålrabirullekake med kardemommekrem)

    Flourless Rutabaga Roulade with Cardamom Cream (Kålrabirullekake med kardemommekrem)

    Flourless Rutabaga Roulade with Cardamom Cream (Kålrabirullekake med kardemommekrem) Flourless Rutabaga Roulade with Cardamom Cream (Kålrabirullekake med kardemommekrem)

    This is the first part of my three-part series of autumn dishes featuring rutabaga.

    For me, these days have been all about rutabaga, or kålrabi, kålrot, swede, and neep. Those large, matte-purple, and slightly rough-looking root vegetables, which are a cross between a turnip and a cabbage. They are also referred to as Nordens appelsin, or “the North’s orange” because of their high content of Vitamin C. The idea of cooking one, let alone eating one, can seem daunting – leaving them often overlooked or reserved only for specific dishes throughout the year. But, they are a vegetable I have become quite smitten with since being introduced to the Scandinavian lifestyle. (more…)