North Wild Kitchen

Tag: outdoor

  • Outdoor Skillet-Bread with Lamb and Pea Pesto (Bålbrød med lam og erterpesto)

    Outdoor Skillet-Bread with Lamb and Pea Pesto (Bålbrød med lam og erterpesto)

    Outdoor Skillet-Bread with Lamb and Pea Pesto (Bålbrød med lam og erterpesto)Outdoor Skillet Pizza with Lamb and Pea PestoA crackling fire set amidst the backdrop of nature is one of the most pleasant and fulfilling ways to cook. There’s a connection between the ingredients, the process, and the finished meal that completely transcends the traditional kitchen.

    One thing you learn quickly when living in Norway is that your home extends beyond a structure’s walls. Your time is shared both under a roof and in the open expanse of the surrounding landscape. Not even bad weather can, nor should, contain an individual to an enclosed space. That’s why every opportunity to explore the outdoors is relished upon. (more…)

  • Chanterelle & Goat Cheese Skillet (Kantareller og Geitost)

    Chanterelle & Goat Cheese Skillet (Kantareller og Geitost)

    Skillet Chantarelle and Cheese Fondue (Kantarelle med Geitost) Skillet Chantarelle and Cheese Fondue (Kantarelle med Geitost)

    The forest is full of gold this time of year.  Skogens gull. The time of year when mushrooms can be found by anyone desiring to look. And the mushrooms seemingly worth their weight in gold are the chanterelles (kantareller). With their bright, golden hue and curved caps, they are easily identifiable and almost give themselves away against the green, mossy forest bed.

    Last week, we went on a sopptur, or mushroom hunt, to find these delicacies that grow all over this mountainous region. These hunts are one of life’s little pleasures and Norwegians view this time as a great way to combine fresh air, exercise and a good meal following a successful pick. This was our first hunt. The first of many to come. As we came along the path, not far from where we parked our car, we spotted the first chanterelle. My son had the honor of the first pick and quickly took to becoming one of the best chanterelle spotters and pickers around. We felt like we had hit gold that day. After an hour, we had filled all of our containers to the brim and even came across the biggest spoil right before returning home. Even without the copious amounts of chanterelles the evening still would have been a success as we laughed, chatted, snacked on wild blueberries and took in the serenity of the babbling brook as the sun’s rays shone through the elegant branches of the trees.

    Skillet Chantarelle and Cheese Fondue (Kantarelle med Geitost) Skillet Chantarelle and Cheese Fondue (Kantarelle med Geitost) (more…)

  • Knekkebrød (Norwegian Crisp Bread)

    Knekkebrød (Norwegian Crisp Bread)

    Norwegian knekkebrødA Norwegian breakfast and lunch is never complete without a slice of bread or a type of knekkebrød. These ‘crisp breads’ or ‘breaking breads’ which are flat and dry, resembling a cracker, probably originated in Scandinavia close to 500 years ago. Some sources say that crisp bread was a staple of the Vikings as they could store them for long periods of time. These crisp breads would have been baked on hot stones, while today’s knekkebrød is baked in the oven. Baking them in the oven is what makes these crisp breads so different from the Norwegian flatbrød, which is baked on a flat griddle, much like lefse.

    Once considered a poor man’s diet, knekkebrød has become widely popular boasting a healthy lifestyle with numerous variants from slightly sweet to nutty to herby & salty. They are easy to make, forgiving, and require only a few ingredients, which can be interchanged depending on what you have available in your cupboards. All one needs is a little imagination and water.

    Norwegian knekkebrød

    Norwegian knekkebrød (more…)