Ask the average American about Scandinavian cuisine and they may mention lutefisk—if they mention anything at all. Luckily, a beautiful new reprint of "Kitchen of Light: New Scandinavian Cooking" (Artisan, $24.95) is on bookstore shelves now, painting a delicious picture of food from the north.
Author Andreas Viestad also hosts the PBS program "New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad," and he used his deep knowledge of cooking to pack the volume with many amazing recipes. Even better, he often focuses on ingredients not as common in American kitchens.
To supplement a couple of chicken recipes, he has other dishes that highlight squab and grouse. And for every beef dish, there are scrumptious recipes calling for goat, lamb and venison. And of course, there are plenty of meals centered on the fruit of the sea.
Fish and shellfish are both well represented, and the recipes are wonderful in scope. One simple dish lays out glistening strips of scallop carpaccio, while another pairs monkfish with bacon, mint and mushrooms. Halibut, salmon, mussels and lobster are among the many other seafood that receive tasty treatments, including a pair of recipes for gravlaks, the cured salmon dish.
Side dishes also get the Scandinavian hand, often with a heavy dose of fresh herbs. Mushroom and potato dishes are especially worth a look. A porcini consomme and a potato gratin would be excellent compliments for just about any meal imaginable.
The recipes in this volume, originally published in 2003, are well worth a look and highlight a new cuisine that will find a warm home in the cold winter months.
Monkfish with bacon, mint and wild mushrooms
One 2-pound skinless monkfish fillet
1 cup chopped fresh mint
4 slices bacon or prosciutto
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles or porcini, trimmed, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the fish on both sides with one-third of the mint. Wrap the bacon around the fish and secure with toothpicks.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the fish, turning twice, for five to six minutes, until the bacon is turning crisp and brown and has rendered some of its fat.
Transfer the fish to a baking dish, reserving the fat in the skillet. Bake the fish for 15 to 20 minutes until opaque.
Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle, crush the remaining mint with the sugar and olive oil until you have a smooth mixture (or use a food mill or food processor). Season with the lemon juice.
Heat the butter with the reserved bacon fat in a large skillet over high heat until it bubbles enthusiastically. Add the mushrooms and cook for two to three minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for four to five minutes. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Cut the fillet into four pieces and serve with the mushrooms and mint sauce.
Mock Aquavit
2 teaspoons caraway seeds, or more
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons dill seeds
2 star anise
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 whole clove
One 1-inch cinnamon stick (optional)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (optional)
One 1-liter bottle potato vodka
Add the spices to the vodka bottle and cover tightly. Let stand up to two to three weeks, depending on how strong you want the aquavit to be. Shake the bottle every once in a while.
When the aquavit has reached the desired intensity of flavor, strain and discard the solids; return the aquavit to the bottle.
— From " Kitchen of Light: New Scandinavian Cooking," Artisan
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