Yule is one of my favorite holidays because the traditional foods are so fun to make. Many of them are confectionary in nature, but there are also several seasonal recipes that are part of my tradition. Since my family is of Scandinavian origin they are different from European recipes, but it shows how these ancient holidays are cross- cultural. I'll use this space to provide some of my family's traditional recipes but would love to hear/trade some of yours. I'll try to post a few of them in this space.


ROAST PORK
Traditionally pig was served on Yule and Scandinavians aren't known for their use of a multitude or layering of flavors, so you will see that I have augmented this recipe handed down.


Ingredients
1-2 loin filets (each loin serves 4 to 6 people)

2 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp ground pepper corns
1 tbsp salt
6 garlic cloves crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion

1) dice the onion, I prefer red onion
2) mash the garlic and pepper corns together, add the dried rosemary.
3) Place tinfoil on a baking tray and coat the bottom with olive oil.
4) scatter the diced onion on the baking tray evenly.
5) remove the loin and dry with paper towels
6) Sear the meat in a pan with some olive oil on all sides, remove from heat and take the garlic/pepper/rosemary mixtures and smooth all over the meat
7) place the meat on top of the onions and dust with salt
8) bake for about 2 hours (depending on the size of the loin) at approximately 350 degrees

Deglaze the roasting pan onions with some white wine (about a 1/4 cup) over a low heat.

Add another cup of beef broth and let cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat in a saucepan.

Add another tsp of salt, pepper to taste and about a tbsp of flour.

Bring to boil to create a brown gravy, and then cool to thick consistency.

Pour some of the gravy on top and reserve the rest for a gravy dish.


Enjoy!
JB

Viking Potatoes

This is a hearty recipe that goes well with the pork entree and gravy. You can add more ingredients, this serves a family of 4 easily.

Ingredients
1/3 cup 100% sour cream
1/2 tsp dried dill
6 large yellow potatoes
1 tsp garlic (or 3 fresh garlic cloves mashed and cooked in butter until soft)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup light cream
1 tsp pepper

1) boil the potatoes without the skin
2) When the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, remove from water and place in mixing bowl.
3) Melt butter & garlic, then add the dill. Let the dill stand in the butter mixture for about 15 minutes
4) Meanwhile mash the potatoes and add the chicken stock, then the cream and the sourcream, mix thoroughly to an even consistency with a fork.
5) add the butter and dill mixture and mix in
6) Add the pepper and salt to taste

Enjoy,
JB

Sidedish CANDIED CARROTS

This dish is great because it is very easy to make and children love it! Again the proportion I provide serve approximately 4-6 people.

Ingredients
2 cups of baby carrots
1.5 cup of chicken stock
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 tsp of cloves

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. You should allow this to cook for at least an hour to make the carrots very soft, and time it so you can roast in the oven for the last 15 minutes of the roasting meat.

While the roasting meat is broiling in the oven allow the carrots and other ingredients to cook over a low flame. If the liquid evaporates add more chicken stock.

When the meat is almost ready, remove the carrots carefully from the saucepan and place around the roasting meat to carmelize for that last 15 minutes of cooking. Reserve and strain the liquid. You can also place on a separate roasting tray and broil on low for about 5 minutes just until the carrots are tinged brown on tips.

Remove from the roasting tray and serve in a bowl with a little of the reserved liquid.

enjoy!
JB

Appetizer HERRING IN CREAM

This dish is very traditional, and a staple of the Scandinavian diet. It is served at most holidays, and most large family get togethers.

Ingredients
2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp vinegar
1 heads of green onion
1 tbsp of fresh dill (minced fine)
1/4 cup of capers
1 lb of herring filets cleaned and skinned

1) Cut up the herring into long bite-size strips
2) mix thoroughly the sour cream and mayonnaise, vinegar, pepper and salt
3) Chop the onions and place these as well as the capers and dill into the mixture
4) Mix in the fish and let sit for at least a few hours

Served with crackers.

enjoy!
JB

Jayne,

All of these sound delicious! YUMMM!

Adiana[smile]

Would you mind if I added a recipe, Jayne?

Dude, totally, that's what I was hoping for, some recipe exchange.

go for it!
JB

This is actually one that I just made last night for my grandparents (they insist on making me learn 'old tyme recipes) and I found it absolutely delicious! And pardon me if things don't make exact sense, I kind of had to translate it from German.

Boshka's Turkey Pot-Pie (Grandma's family recipe)

Serves Six people with the measurements specified, although you can always adapt it to suit your own presence.

1 cup of sliced carrots
1 cup of finely chopped onion
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
*3 tablespoons of butter or margarine
2 cups of cubed, cooked turkey
1 tablespoon of all purpose flour
1 (10.75 ounce) can of condensed mushroom soup, undiluted
*1 cup of freshly chopped green beans, cooked and drain
*1 pastry crust for a double crust, 9 inch pie
1 tablespoon of milk

* You can substitute the butter or margarine for shortening, but if you do, there should only be 2 1/2 tablespoons of it.

*Fresh Green beans can be substituted with frozen, if you don't have fresh readily available.

*You can use a fresh or frozen pie crust, but I always use a home-made pie crust; it just tastes better than a frozen, store-bought crust.

DIRECTIONS

[1] in a frying pan or skillet, saute the carrots, onion, celery, thyme and pepper in butter until the vegetables are crisp and cooked.

[2] In a large, resealable plastic bag, combine the turkey and flour.

[3] Shake to coat

[4] Add turkey, soup and green beans to the vegetable mixture.

[5] Mix well

[6] Line a 9" pie plate with bottom crust (I'd suggest using a rolling pin to do so, instructions to follow)

[7] Add turkey mixture

[8] Roll out the remainder of pastry dough on top of the mixture; seal and crimp the edges with a fork.

[9] Cut slits in the pastry (If you want to have a decorative Yuletide theme, try cutting your lines in the shape of a cristmas tree, a star or mistletoe, if you are feeling adventurous)

[10] Cover edges loosely with tinfoil

[11] Bake in the oven at 355* farenheit for 55-65 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

[12] Let the pie cool for at least fifteen minutes before trying to cut it or remove it.

[13] Serve warm with a glass of cold milk or mulled cider and enjoy!


Pastry Recipe

Ingrediants

2 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup of shortening
6 large tablespoons of COLD water

*The only substitution that can be made in this recipe is the amount of water, which you use at your own discretion; never use too much water.

DIRECTIONS

[1] In a bowl, combine the flour and salt.

[2] Cut in the shortening until crumbly.

[3] Gradually add water, tossing with a fork (or your hands) until the dough forms a ball

[4] Divide the dough in half so that one ball is slightly larger than the other.

[5] If you plan on using this dough right away, carefully press it flat with the palms of your hands and then use a rolling pin to roll it flat.

[6] Drape the dough over the rolling pin and carefully roll it into the pieplate you will be using.

[7] Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the top crust, but being even more careful on step 6.

[8] If you plan to freeze the dough, place seperately in freezer-lock bags, making sure to remove all of the air, and place in your fridge-freezer.

*Note: Never put pastry dough in the deep-freeze. I don't know why, but it was for a very good reaon.

There's my great-grandmother's recipe, Grandmother's Turkey Pot Pie.

A great recipe if you have any left-over turkey that you don't want sitting in your fridge to rot and waste until January, and it's a recipe you can freeze and eat later if you want!

Yours in Light and Love,
~Emily

OOOOOOO

I just found my own special recipe for apple pie! It's traditional and no doubt everyone already has one, but I feel the need to share this deliciousness with the world!

(Don't tell anyone, but it doesn't have any sugar, so it's great for diabetics and those people who have a sweet tooth, but are on a diet! I made this recipe for my mom when she was quitting smoking and she said it helped control the cravings, but that may not exactly work >.&lt

Emily's Awesome Apple Pie

Ingrediants

2 9" pie shells (see my earlier post for a good recipe)
3 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of ground cinammon
*1 (12 ounce) can of unsweetened apple juice from concentrate, unthawed
6 cups of sliced green apples

*If you have fresh unsweetened apple juice, you can use that as well. But please make sure it has been squeezed within the last two weeks before using it, you want to keep this as low on the sugar-level as possible!

DIRECTIONS

[1] Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

[2] In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch, cinnamon, and 1/3 cup of the apple juice concentrate. Set aside.

[3] In a large saucepan simmer apples with remaining apple juice concentrate until apples are tender, about 10 minutes.

[4] Stir in cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer until thickened. Remove from heat.

[5] Spoon apple mixture into pastry-lined pie plate

[6] Cover with top crust; Seal and flute edges.

[7] Cut steam vents in top.

[8] Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

[9] Wait 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving, but make sure you serve it warm with a mug of warm apple cider!

All these recipes sound wonderful!!! I'm going to keep watching this thread for sure!![wink]