svensk fest

Today is the first day of Advent, which Jonas explained to me is the first of the twenty-four days leading up to Christmas.

I must have known this once upon a time because I remember my mum buying me an advent calendar and every day I’d open the little paper windows to take a chocolate and look at the new picture.

Tonight is not only festive fare but it’s a festive feast!!! Jonas made a Swedish dinner for Tim Y and Karen.

On the menu was:
- Gravlax (cured salmon)
- Eggs & caviar
- Rödbetssallad
- New potatoes w sour cream & dill
- Swedish meatballs with lingonsylt
- Mulled Riesling
- Pepparkakor & Glacé Fruit Ice Cream Sandwiches

Most of the things we bought and didn’t make from scratch, but the Beetroot Salad is a family recipe, put together by Jonas’ sister, Helena, with the measurements tweaked a little to suit our tastes.

Helena made this for us one New Year’s Eve when she and her man, Christian, were spending a few years in Australia. Jonas and I adored the salad instantly and we’ve made it a part of all our festive buffets ever since.

The ice cream sandwich was also my own little invention this afternoon. Jonas forgot to buy dessert but had picked up some pepparkakor (Swedish style ginger biscuits: very spicy, very strong). I mixed these with glacé fruits to make a very Christmas flavoured dessert.

So for my final recipes I give you a salad and a dessert but will write about the mulled Riesling here.

Beetroot Salad (Rödbetssallad)
Helena’s recipe. Serves 10 as part of a buffet.
Ingredients:
850g whole baby beets (canned)
2 x red apples
¼ red onion, diced very finely
125g mayonnaise
125g crème fraîche
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Method:
1. Dice beetroot and apple into similar size cubes.
2. Mix mayonnaise, mustard and crème fraîche.
3. Combine beetroot, onion and apple in bowl. Mix.
4. Pour in dressing and mix very well.
5. Transfer to serving bowl. Eat.


Pepparkakor & Glacé Fruit Ice Cream Sandwiches
Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
12 pepparkakor (wafer thin & spicy ginger biscuits)
1½ cups softened vanilla ice cream (good quality)
¼ generous cup glacé fruits, chopped finely (I used pear, apricot & fig)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Method:
1. Stir the glacé fruit and cinnamon into the ice cream. Return to freezer for a few hours to harden.
2. Place a smear of ice cream on four plates to hold the biscuits, then place a biscuit on each plate.
3. Next place a dessert spoon of ice cream on biscuits and top with another biscuit.
4. Repeat with more ice cream and another biscuit then serve.


Tags: morsels and musings food blog food and drink australia recipes recipe festive food fair salad dessert ice cream beetroot ginger biscuits glace fruit apple christmas christmas recipe christmas recipes swedish swedish food swedish cuisine swedish recipes