Mother nature has been busy these past few days. Our snow has almost entirely melted and our skies have been clear and bright. The sunrises and sunsets have been a vibrant aura of orange, red, yellow, pink and purple hues. Temperatures have been higher than normal and it almost feels as though spring is just around the corner. The weather has a calmness to it, like the stillness of a snow globe when it rests on a shelf, unsuspecting of change. Seemingly ignorant that at any moment everything could change. (more…)
Tag: root vegetables
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Rutabaga & Apple Salad (Kålrabi Salat med Epler)
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Pan-Seared Fish & Radish Salad with Slow-Fried Potatoes
It’s that time of year when winter seems to be letting go of its grasp upon the terrain. The daylight sojourns longer and the trees aren’t wrapped in a constant blanket of snow. It’s that time when you start to anticipate an early spring, even though you know full well winter is not quite ready to say its farewells. And like a passionate game of tug-a-war, you go back and forth between the stronghold of winter and the up and coming burst of spring.
Instead of serving up a hot lapskus/stew or heartier fare, the plate yearns for something which resembles a longing for spring, but yet still understands its place in the winter. And this salad – a warm & substantial salad – does just that. With fish and almond potatoes from northern Norway at its center, it is dressed up in simple greens, seared radishes and fresh dill. A salad befitting of both seasons. Something to bring harmony to the in-between. Simple, yet complex. Elegant, yet rustic. Light, yet satisfying.
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Wild Moose Burger with Forest Berry Relish and Root Vegetable Chips (Elgburger med Skogsbærsaus)
If freezer’s could speak, oh the stories they would tell. When you live in the country, especially in mountain country, you tend to rely very heavily on your preservation methods. And as I rummaged through our freezer full of plastic bags with pureed squash and frozen fruits, and last season’s lamb, fish and beef, I pulled out a couple of perfectly wrapped bundles with ELG scribbled on the outside. The brown butcher paper meticulously folded and sealed, made them look like little gifts. But then again, that’s what nature is. A gift.
Norwegian Elg, sometimes referred to as elk in English, is in actual fact moose, and is known fondly in Norway as the King of the Forest (Skogens Konge). And it’s no wonder, since moose have made their home in Norway for a long time and their very being is a symbol of the wild, and the majesty, and dignity of the landscape. Norwegians love their elg, and have a high respect for the animal, whether it be observing them in their natural habitat or hunting responsibly.
The moose is said to have been one of the first mammals to arrive in Norway after the ice age. When the great ice sheet covering Norway began to melt, moose were quick to take advantage of the areas which emerged. The first traces of moose were found in the eastern parts of Norway and show that they had come from Denmark and Southern Sweden. The oldest trace of moose in Norway were antlers found in a marsh at Fluberg, Oppland. The antlers are dated to be approximately 10,300 years old. (NTNU)
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Root Vegetable Soup with Crispy Fenalår
Nothing is quite as warming as a winter vegetable soup. Hearty, packed with nutrients and piping hot. Norway has a long history with root vegetables.They are grown in many parts of the country and can generally be easily stored. Norwegians do have their favorites of course – like rutabaga, carrots and potatoes – but more and more, others are being used more frequently in cooking, such as turnips, parsnips and beets. And the wonderful thing about vegetable soup is that you can use up what you have laying around and mix and match to your heart’s content.
