Ärtsoppa: Swedish Yellow Pea Soup

Ärtsoppa, a slow-cooked soup made of dried yellow peas, onion, and broth is one of Sweden's classic dishes whose origins reach remarkably far back, as it is claimed to have been documented as a staple from at least as early as the middle ages.

Most commonly, this thick, simple soup is associated with Thursdays, as it was historically served as a hearty bracer before Friday's fast. Even though fasting on Friday is no longer common, this traditional pea soup is often still served at Thursday supper, often in combination with thin Swedish pancakes for dessert (and sometimes with a glass of punsch liqueur). So ingrained is the idea of pea soup and pancakes on Thursdays, that many schools and restaurants serve it for Thursday lunch and even the army continues to serve it on Thursdays. This combination is not exclusive to Sweden, of course, as for example Finland also enjoys this particular duo (although I'm told that Finnish pea soup is usually made from dried green peas). Whether this is due to the complicated history between Finland and Sweden or is simply a Scandinavian favourite across the board, I'm not sure.

Ärtsoppa is available in both vegetarian and meaty versions, with the latter usually featuring either salt pork, ham hock, picnic shoulder, or sausage. I decided to use a fairly simple recipe, culled from the back of the dried pea box (Go Green brand) and various online sources, including Swedish Food and the supermarket ICA.

The traditional accompaniments to the soup itself are mustard (a slightly sweet local mustard called Johnny's is very popular for this) and crispbread. Whether you decide to go full pancake as well, is of course up to you.

Gul Ärtsoppa med Fläsk

Swedish Yellow Pea Soup with Pork

Serves 6 - 8

500 grams dried whole yellow peas, soaked in cold water overnight (or for 12 hours)
2 litres fresh water, for cooking the peas
1 medium yellow onion, diced medium
1 stalk celery, diced small
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaf (not ground)
1 teaspoon ground dried ginger
pinch ground allspice
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable bouillon/stock concentrate
250 grams kasseler or other lean ham, diced small

In a tremendous economy of effort, add all of the ingredients except the stock concentrate and the ham in a large soup pot, bring to a boil and simmer gently for an hour. Add the stock concentrate and stir through. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher (you could also use an immersion blender, but be careful not to overdo it), crush some of the peas (30-50%, depending how thick you want the soup) and add the finely-diced ham. Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the remaining whole peas are tender and the broth has thickened.

Serve drizzled with mustard and some crispbread on the side. For the full-on Thursday experience, follow the soup with Swedish pancakes and strawberry preserves! (Much easier to do if you already have a few pancakes leftover.)

In acknowledgement of my Canadian heritage, I note that there are strong similarities between this soup and the traditional pea soup of Québec (Soupe aux pois), with the most prominent difference being that the Québecois version usually sautés the fresh vegetables in a little fat, frequently contains carrots, and does not, as far as I know, contain ginger. I have never seen Soupe aux Pois served with mustard before either, but if anyone has, please let me know!

Pannkakor: Swedish Pancakes

Pannkakor are less of a breakfast food in Sweden and more often served as lunch/dinner, supper, or dessert. Most famously, pannkakor are served on Thursdays after a bowl of yellow pea soup (with or without ham, drizzled with mustard). They appear on school lunch trays, on hospital menus, and in heat-and-serve portions at the supermarket (complete with lingon berry preserves).

The number of pancakes you get will be determined partly by the size of the pan you use, and partly by the size of the eggs in your batter, partly how much batter you pour.

Klassiska Svenska Pannkakor
Classic Swedish Pancakes

(Translated and adapted from Pannkakor.se)

Makes approximately 11-12 thin pancakes, if using a 28 cm skillet

250 ml (1 cup) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
600 ml milk
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons butter, divided

In a large mixing bowl, preferably one with a spout for pouring, mix the flour and salt. Add 250 ml of the milk, and whisk until the batter is smooth. Add the remaining 350 ml of milk and whisk to combine. Add all three eggs, and whisk again until completely smooth and integrated, with no streaks of yolk in the batter.

Let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Close to the end of this time, preheat a 28cm non-stick skillet (or well-seasoned cast iron, if you have wrists of steel) over medium heat. At the same time, set your oven to warm and place a large "resting plate" on the middle or lower middle rack, so it will be ready to receive the pancakes as they come off the pan.

Melt the butter in a small bowl. add 22.5 mL (1.5 tablespoons) of melted butter to the pancake batter, and whisk through. The rest of the melted butter will be used to fry the pancakes, a little at a time between each pancake.

When the skillet is hot, just before you pour your first pancake, use a pastry brush to brush a little butter over the cooing surface of the hot pan. I measure my batter by pouring it into an actual measuring cup first, so that my pancakes are consistently sized If you have a ladle that is the right size, that will work well too. Pour 80 ml (1/3 cup dry measure cup) of batter into the buttered pan, and quickly lift and tilt the skillet so that the batter covers the bottom of the skillet in a thin layer, trying not to go up the sides of the pan.

Let the pancake cook for about 2 minutes - if you try to flip it too soon, it will tear, so be patient. If you are concerned that it is cooking too quickly, reduce the heat instead of reducing the cooking time. When the two minutes are up, slide a spatula carefully under and around the edge of the pancake, and then slide it beneath to quickly lift and turn the pancake. This may take a bit of practise to get a smooth action, but you have a lot of batter with which to practise. The cooked side of the pancake should look a bit lacy and browned in spots, like in the picture above.

Let the pancake cook on the second side for about 30 seconds, or until set, and then slide it onto the resting plate in the oven.

Put the skillet on a unheated burner. Brush with melted butter, add the next portion of batter and tilt to spread the batter, and immediately return the skillet to the hot burner (medium heat). This helps keep the skillet from overheating, and prevents the butter (and the next pancake) from burning. Continue as before, stacking up the pancakes until all the batter is used. You may need to gradually reduce the heat under the burner as you work your way through the batter, so if the pancakes are getting too dark, or dark too quickly, reduce the heat a little as you go.

If there is any melted buter left over at this point, it can be brushed over the top pancake(s) for a little extra luxury.

Pancakes are traditionally served with lingon berry preserves, or fresh berries and whipped cream, but you can also use syrup (maple, birch, any fruit syrup, chocolate) or, of course, any other fillings you choose.



Swedish proverbs featuring pancakes

Man matar inte grisar med pannkakor.
➔ One doesn't feed pigs with pancakes.

Man är aldrig säker förrän hon ligger i magen, sa pojken som tappade pannkakan i askan.
➔ You're never certain until it's in your belly, said the boy who dropped the pancake in the ashes.

Upp som en sol och ner som en pannkaka.
➔ Up like a sun, and down like a pancake.

Swedish Hash: Pytt i Panna

Pytt i Panna (AKA Pyttipanna), which translates somewhat literally as "small bits in a pan" is the Swedish version of hash. This is a classic Husmanskost (homestyle cooking) dish, and it is also classic pub food here in Sweden. Swedes don't eat it for breakfast, though - it's a lunch or casual supper in these parts. While it is very easy to make at home, it's made even easier by the vast array of frozen options that you can simply empty into a pan and stick in the oven until it's done (fried egg managed separately, of course). The most common types of pytt I see in the supermarket are Korv (sausage), Ox (roast beef), Bacon, Skinka (ham), Krogar (pub style, usually a mixture of bacon, sausage, and ham), Kyckling (chicken) and vegetarian (mushroom, peppers, and/or zucchini). When served as a supper, it is generally accompanied by diced or sliced pickled beets and/or fermented cucumber pickles on the side.

I've decided to go with Korv for my first from-scratch attempt, and found the whole process very straight-forward with delightful results. I'm using Swedish Falukorv, for which you can substitue by using bologna sausage, German Fleischwurst (or Fleischkäse, for that matter), Lyoner sausage, or even European (Frankfurter) wieners and get a very similar effect. In practice, of course, you can use any sausage you like, including vegetarian or vegan options, or indeed, any of the items listed above.

Pytt i Panna

Serves 2

1 tablespoon canola oil
80 grams yellow onion
150 grams Falukorv (or other sausage, see above)
500 grams waxy potatoes
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Start by warming a large skillet on low heat while you chop vegetables. Also preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F with a rack in the upper middle slot.

Peel and finely dice the onion. Part of the goal is to have all of the pieces approximately the same size, so keep that in mind when you are dicing. The onions will shrink a bit as they cook, but that's fine.

Remove casing (if any) from the Falukorv, and finely dice the meat, keeping in mind that the pieces should be roughly the same size. Go smaller than you think, because what looks small on the cutting board suddenly seems much larger in the skillet.

Add the oil to the pan and turn up the heat to medium. When the oil is hot, add the diced onions and sausage to the skillet, and spread them out a bit. While they sizzle and start to cook, prepare the potatoes. You can stir the onions and sausage a few times while you're chopping potatoes.

Peel the potatoes (or not - you can just wash them if you prefer) and remove any ugly bits. Chop into fine dice (I like to slice each potato into vertical slices, then make piles of the slices to slice again into baton shapes, and then turn to slice into dice, but you can use whatever method you like). It is especially important to keep the pieces small, so that they cook quickly, and so they match (roughly) the size of the sauasge pieces. We're talking smaller than a standard sugar cube, for scale. Perfect dice is not required, but making an attempt at general uniformity makes a more attractive dish. Just think of it as an excuse to practise your knife skills.

One the potatoes are diced, add them to the skillet andd give everything a thorough stir-through. Sprinkle with salt and white pepper (go easy on the salt if you are using a salty meat), and stir through again. Cook, stirring occasionlly for about 10 minutes, and then place the skillet in oven, uncovered, and leave it for 10 minutes. You do not need to use the oven, though. You can also continue to cook on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, for another 10-15 minutes as needed. Test one of the larger potato pieces to be sure it has cooked through, before serving.



While the pytt finishes cooking in the oven, you can use the time to tidy up and lay out any sides (such as pickled beets or cucumbers), and also to fry an egg for each portion. Sunny-side-up is pretty, but poached is another good option. In fact, you can do the eggs any way you like best.

Spoon the pytt from the skillet onto the serving dishes, top with the eggs, and add any pickles you might like. Some folks put a little parsley on top, too, but I don't bother. Boom! Beautiful breakfast, brunch, or dinner.



Freezer: You can make your own Freezer Treasure version, by spreading the diced, uncooked cubes out on a sheet, freezing until firm, and then bagging. You can cook this entirely in the oven, stirring a few times, for about 40 minutes instead of the stovetop method.

Halloumi Stroganoff

This is, unexpectedly, a Swedish dish. Sweden has a long history of trade with the eastern mediterranean, and it is no surprise that, lovers of cheese as they are, Swedes have embraced not only the salty feta of that region but also the (also salty) halloumi. Halloumi is available everywhere -- huge in salads and sandwiches, particularly wraps, and it's the standard vegetarian option for burgers. Even the big American chains have a halloumi burger option.

So when I opened up the weekly flyer of recipe suggestions from my local ICA supermarket and saw Halloumistroganoff (no space), I thought why not? A quick scour of google suggested that this is indeed a uniquely Swedish concept, as every recipe I could find online was in Swedish. The search results turned up some significantly different versions, too. Although the red lentils featured here were also an ingredient in a number of other versions I found online, some looked closer to a stir fry than a stroganoff. And I confess, that this does look very much like a stroganoff in the traditional sense of the word at all. If anything, it looks like something that was developed by a well-meaning cook who had seen a picture of shahi paneer, but had no idea what it was made of and skewed mediterranean instead.

But that doesn't tell you how good it is! And let me tell you, this is good enough to go into rotation.

Halloumi Stroganoff

Adapted from ICA

Serves 6 (over rice)

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
400 grams halloumi cheese
1 yellow onion
1 long red chili (mild to moderate)
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled oregano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400 grams tinned crushed tomatoes
4 cups water, approximately
200 mL uncooked red lentils
100 grams lacinato kale
2 roasted, peeled red peppers (from a jar is fine)
125 mL heavy cream (such as whipping cream)
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Set your rice to cook. You can use whatever rice you like - we used basmati, which was just fine.

Peel and finely dice the yellow onion. Mince (or crush) the garlic, and de-seed and mince the red chili. These will all go into the pan together, so you can set them aside together. If you are using the rosemary, strip the needles from the stems. Chop or mince the needles as you please. Add to the onion mixture.

Drain the peppers in a sieve, splitting them open with your fingers to remove any seeds or strings. Set them aside to finish prep later.

Open the tinned crushed tomatoes.

Rinse the red lentils well, to remove any grit, and let drain in a sieve.

Remove the thick stems from the kale and chop the leaves into thumb-sized pieces.

Open the halloumi package(s) and drain away any brine. Blot the cheese dry with paper towels, and then dice into bite-sized pieces. They will retain their size when cooked, so keep that in mind when dicing. Blot dry again.

In a large skillet (nonstick is easiest), preheated for a few minutes on low heat, raise the temperature to medium and add one tablespoon of the oil. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom with the oil, and let the oil heat up for about 30 seconds before adding the halloumi cubes in a single layer without crowding. Let them fry gently just long enough to get a bit of colour, turning with tongs or stirring carefully with a wooden spatula as needed, and then remove the cheese to a clean plate. Repeat until all the cheese has been fried and is a bit golden on at least two sides.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the now-emptied skillet, and let it heat for a few seconds before adding the onion/garlic/chili. Stir, sprinkle with about a 1/4 teaspoon of coarse salt, and let fry until the onion is translucent and tender. Add the oregano and stir through.

Stir in the tomato paste, and add a tablespoon or so of water to help loosen it up. Stir and fry the tomato paste for about a minute, and then add the crushed tomatoes (with their juices) and stir again.

Add the drained red lentils and two cups of water to the skillet, and stir through. Bring everything up to a gentle simmer and reduce the temperature to medium-low. Let it simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, and adding more water as needed to get a nicely saucy texture. I used the whole four cups, but your mileage may vary.

While the lentils simmer, blot dry the roasted red peppers and slice lengthwise into thin strips, and then crosswise once or twice to give nice short strips of pepper.

After the lentils are tender, add the roasted red peppers, the kale, and the halloumi to the skillet and stir well. Bring back to a gentle simmer, and let cook for another five to ten minutes.

Add the cream and stir it through the lentils until the colour has become a uniformly paler version of itself. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if you like.

Leftovers freeze beautifully



***

If you follow the link above, and either read Swedish or plug it into an online translator and slog through, you will note that my recipe diverges quite a bit from the original. This is because the original recipe, as written, was kind of terrible. Right off the bat, there is an item (mangold, AKA the type of chard that is not Swiss) in the ingredient list, which appears nowhere in the actual directions. I've replaced the chard with lacinato kale, but you could use any sturdy green from beet greens to cabbage to collards. I chose to add it midway through the cooking process, to give it time to cook without necessarily robbing it of all texture.

The discerning eye might also notice that the amount of water suggested as necessary to cook 200 mL of raw red lentils is a mere 300 mL. Anyone who has made a red lentil dal knows that is not nearly enough, but I optimistically started with that amount the first time I made it, and was forced to add quite a bit more, in order to make something other than a thick paste. Now, in the original recipe, there is a full cup of Half-and-half (or coffee cream or whatever you have that is about 15%). I've switched to heavy (whipping) cream, which integrates better into cooking food, and reduced the amount by half. However much cream you want to use, or which kind, I note that the picture shown alongside the recipe does not appear to have had any cream of any kind added at all, based on the colour.

And finally, speaking off cream of any kind, the following are the suggested swap-outs to Veganize the dish: exchange the halloumi for extra firm tofu, and switch the cream for a plant-friendly version, such as oat cream. Otherwise, continue as written, although I would suggest tossing the diced tofu with a bit of cornstarch before frying, for best results.

Äggakaka med Zucchini - Swedish Egg Cake with Zucchini

Äggakaka is the Swedish cousin of Yorkshire Pudding, and is typically served for lunch (or possibly as a light supper). However, the close kinship of the pancake/popover oeuvre suggested itself as breakfast to me, so that's how we had it. The most traditional versions do not contain zucchini - that appears to be a more modern option - and the garnish is generally thick slices of sidfläsk - fried, salted but uncured pork belly, and of course the ever-popular lingonberries. Adding zucchini gives it a character reminiscent of an oven frittata or firmly set quiche.

I've used chopped bacon for convenience, par-cooked on the stovetop and added straight on top of the äggakaka batter before it goes into the oven, but if you are using full slices of pork belly, you'll want to cook them separately, and simply lay them over the finished dish before serving.

Äggakaka med Zucchini

Serves 2-4 depending on appetite and other dishes

3 large eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole milk
pinch kosher salt
300 grams zucchini, shredded
1 tablespoon butter
125 grams chopped bacon (or 4 thick slices of uncured pork belly).

Place a 23cm/10" skillet on the middle rack of a cold oven, and set it to preheat to 225°C/425°F. Set a second skillet (for the bacon) to preheat over low heat on the stovetop.

In a mixing bowl, whisk/beat the eggs until smooth (whisk or electric beaters are fine) and add the flour. Whisk/beat again until smooth. Add the milk and salt, and stir through again. Grate the zucchini using a box grater on the large hole side. I like to slice the zucchini lengthwise, stopping just short of the stem-end, and then holding it together to grate into shorter strands, but you can use longer strands, too. Squeeze the excess water from the zucchini, and stir it into the batter.

Let the batter stand while you cook the pork. If you are using uncured pork belly, start frying it over medium temperature now, and it will continue to cook through while the äggakaka goes into the oven. If you are using bacon, turn the heat to medium high and stir fry the bacon pieces until they are about half-cooked. Drain the excess fat, and use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan.

When the oven has come fully up to temperature, remove the skillet (carefully, of course, it's very hot) and add the butter to the skillet. Let the butter melt and swirl the pan to coat the entire bottom of the skillet. Pour the batter into the hot pan, giving it a shake to level the zucchini. Add the half-cooked bacon to the top of the batter (avoiding, if possible, about a couple of centimetres around the edge of the pan), and return the pan to the preheated oven. Cook for 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden, and then serve with lingonberry preserves. If serving for lunch or dinner, a green salad would be a good addition.



It is very easy to slice the äggakaka into portions with the side of a firm spatula.

Biff à la Lindström: Swedish ground beef patties

We've just moved to Sweden, and I am currently cooking in a furnished apartment with a minimalist kitchen, but I couldn't wait to dive into Swedish cuisine. This little gem caught my eye right away, and I'm really glad we tried it.

Biff à la Lindström isn't an ancient dish by any means, but it has become a beloved classic nonetheless. Its origins trace unanimously to an artillery captain named Henrik Lindström, whose family purchased the Hotel Witt in Kalmar, in Southeast Sweden. This dish was added to their menu shortly thereafter. Henrik Lindström was raised in Russia, which is suggested by the inclusion of chopped beets and pickles in the meat mixture, but as far as I know there isn't an analogous Russian dish. Those of you familiar with the French dish Steak Tartare will note a number of similarities in the ingredients and preparation...up to the point where these ones are dropped onto a hot skillet (although the "aller-retour" version is indeed lightly fried). Interestingly, the term "tartare" also suggests a Russian heritage, but again, no true link In any event, these days it makes a frequent appearance on Swedish restaurant menus, and is just as frequently made at home. It's very easy.

You can choose to make small patties, as I have here, or larger, more hamburger-sized patties. In fact, there's nothing at all stopping you from turning this into a burger complete with bun and condiments (I think I'll give that a go myself, in fact). If you're serving it in the classic Swedish mode, with boiled potatoes, you can also add a fried egg on top.

Biff à la Lindström

Adapted from Tasteline

Serves 4

500 grams ground beef (or mixed beef and pork)
125 mL / 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh breadcrumbs (not packed)
45 mL / 3 tablespoons cold water
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons ground black pepper
100 mL / 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
3 cornichons, finely chopped
6 slices pickled beets, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup chopped)
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 - 2 tablespoons butter (for frying)

If desired, a cup of hot stock, broth, or water, and a spoonful of pickled beet juice to make a pan sauce.

Mix the breadcrumbs and water and let it rehydrate for about 10 minutes, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Finely chop the onion and sauté in a teaspoon of butter for about 2 minutes, or until softened but not browned. Remove from the heat and let cool. Beat the egg with the salt and pepper in a small bowl. Chop the cornichons, beets, and capers, and set aside.

Combine the ground meat with the cornichons, beets, and capers. Stir in the seasoned beaten egg, and then the damp breadcrumbs. Shape into 4 or 8 patties. If you can, let them stand for an hour, covered, in the fridge, for the flavours to meld.



Fry the patties in a tablespoon of butter over medium heat for (about 3 minutes per side for small ones, 6 - 8 for larger/thicker patties).



If you are making a pan sauce, remove the patties to a platter.



Whisk the stock, broth or water into the emptied frying pan. Add a spoonful of the beet juice if you like, for extra colour. Add a teaspoon or two of butter and boil, whisking until slightly thickened. Spoon over the patties on each plate.

Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes and salad or other green vegetable.