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Norwegian food is typically quite simple and plain. This
is possibly for the same reason that makes it so different
from the national cuisine of most other western European countries
- it is descended from peasant food rather than that of the
gentry. Although this is little consolation for its lack in
flavour, at least you can know when you're eating it, that
what you're tasting is very likely to be authentic to the
meals of masses of Norwegians over the years, not just a select
few.
Staples
When asked what they consider to be a truly Norwegian meal,
many nationals may (quite accurately) say pizza, and
as a nation Norway consumes more pizza than any other in Europe,
and is typical of a national preference for quick and preserved
foods.
After pizza, the most common answers to the question of a
national food would probably be cod and meat cakes
- similar to burgers, but cooked more slowly.
Fish of all kinds are common in the Norwegian diet,
unsurprising when you consider the length of their coastline
in comparison to the size of the country, and that their climate
limits what other food they can produce themselves. As it
is, they import about half of what they eat. Preserved fish
(and other foods) gained importance in the diet as a result
of a desperate need to store food for the long and unproductive
winter months. This has resulted in various combinations of
smoking, drying, pickling and salting of fish and has resulted
in some unique flavours! The good news is that here smoked
salmon is cheaper than salami, but other varieties of
preserved fish require a stronger stomach. One of the most
famous is the Lutefisk, a national speciality, particularly
eaten at Christmas. Its production involves drying, treating
with lye, salting, and boiling or baking, and results in a
unique texture and flavour that not even all Norwegians find
palatable! Dishes don't come much more unique than this.
National Dishes
Many meals in Norway are eaten cold, such as the national
smorgasbord, a type of open sandwich topped with seafood and
pickles, or pickled herring. Added to these cold foods are
of course the national cheeses - the mild but tasty Jarlsberg,
or the sweet, brown coloured geitost, a goats cheese
often seen on Norwegian breakfast tables. In fact, the Norwegians
do seem to have a bit of a sweet tooth, popular snacks being
doughnuts, waffles, and sweetened, spicy biscuits,
which are particularly eaten around Christmas.
Here are a couple of recipes, should you wish to try the
food before you go, or to recreate it after you return!
Recipe for Norwegian Meat cakes
Ingredients:
- 1lb (450g) of minced beef
- a pinch of nutmeg
- a large pinch of ginger
- ½ a cup of potato flour
- ½ pint of milk or water
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1.
Mix meat with a wooden spoon until it becomes sticky, then
stir in the seasoning and potato flour. Add the liquid slowly
until it is all well combined.
2.
Form into thick rounds and brown in a hot frying pan, before
cooking for about ten minutes in a small amount of water.
3.
Serve immediately with boiled root vegetables or cabbage for
a traditional Norwegian meal.
Recipe for Spicy Biscuits
Ingredients:
- ¼ pint of cream
- 4oz golden syrup
- 8oz butter
- 8oz caster sugar
- 1lb plain flour
- 4oz ground almonds
- 2tsp baking powder
- 1tsp mixed spice
- 2tsp cinnamon
Method:
1.
Slowly melt together the cream, syrup, butter and sugar, and
gently bring to the boil.
2.
Remove from the heat and stir in the dry ingredients until
well combined, then knead into a smooth dough and roll into
a long cylinder, about 1½ - 2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate
for a few hours, or overnight.
3.
Slice the dough into thin biscuits and place on a greased
oven tray.
4.
Bake for ten minutes at gas mark 6. |
