Winter Supper:  Swedish Meatballs, Rot Kraut, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Fennel and Green Apple Salad with Juniper Berries, & Swedish Rice Pudding with Spiced Sour Cherry Compote

Dinner Tips
The Swedish meatballs and gravy freeze well.  Make them up to a month ahead, thaw them in the refrigerator, and warm them gently on the lowest heat possible, stirring frequently.

When you make the gravy, add the liquids very gradually and stir vigorously to avoid lumps.  If you do get lumps, strain the gravy before you add the meatballs.

You may cook the potatoes and hold them in the hot water until you are nearly ready to serve dinner.  Then drain them and mash them.

The salad is simple and very quick to assemble.  You may make it at the last minute just before you are ready to serve dinner.  A benriner is an inexpensive Japanese mandoline.  Coincidentally, “Benri ne?” means “Isn’t it convenient?” in Japanese.  If you don’t have a benriner or a mandoline, you may slice the fennel and apples with a knife.  Just plan more time to do so.

The Rot Kraut may be made up to a week ahead and kept in the refrigerator.  In fact, its flavor improves a bit over a couple of days.

The Swedish rice pudding and compote may also be made a few days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground pork
2 pounds ground beef (80% lean)
12 slices white bread
6 eggs
salt and pepper
1 scant c. whole milk
pinch or two of allspice
pinch or two of ground ginger
pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg
pinch or two of freshly ground cardamom
butter for frying the meatballs

Method:

• In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until they are just blended.

• Roll the meat into balls the size of a pingpong ball.

• Heat a very large skillet over medium heat.  When it is hot, melt a good knob of butter and fry the meatballs until they are golden brown on all sides.  Alternatively, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake the meatballs in a glass or ceramic dish for 45 minutes.  Frying produces better flavor, but is more labor intensive.

• While the meatballs cook, make the gravy.

• Place the cooked meatballs into the gravy and simmer for 30 minutes.

Gravy for the Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter
8 T. all purpose flour
1 heaping T. grainy mustard
8 c. beef stock (preferably homemade)
4 c. whole milk, divided
½ c. flour

Method:

• In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter.

• Stir in the 8 T. of flour and cook for a minute or two.

• Stir in the mustard.

• Very gradually add the broth, stirring constantly.

• Shake one cup of the milk with ½ c. flour until you have a smooth paste.  Stir it into the gravy.

• Add the remaining 3 c. milk and stir.

• Simmer until thickened, stirring contantly.

• Add the meatballs and simmer for 30 minutes.

Rot Kraut

Ingredients:
1 head red cabbage, sliced on a benriner or mandoline into paper thin slices
3 slices bacon, diced
1 large onion, sliced thinly
½ c. natural apple juice
½ c. red wine vinegar
3 T. brown sugar
½ c. red wine (not cooking wine)

Method:

• In a very large pan, sauté the bacon until it is crisp.

• Add the onions and sauté them until they are soft.

• Add the cabbage and all of the other ingredients and stir it all together.

• Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Lower the heat to lowest possible, cover the pan, and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often, until the cabbage is soft and fragrant.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
5 pounds Yukon gold or waxy potatoes
6 T. unsalted butter
2 c. heavy cream (I love Cedar Summit Farms.)
salt and pepper

Method:

• Peel the potatoes and place them in water to cover in a large pan.

• Bring the water to a boil over high heat and reduce it to a simmer.

• Simmer the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until they are very tender when pierced with a fork.

• Drain the potatoes in a colander.

• Place the butter and cream in the pan and warm them.

• Add the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher until they are very smooth and creamy.

• Season them with salt and pepper to taste.

Fennel and Green Apple Salad with Juniper Berries

Ingredients:
2 bulbs fresh fennel
2 tart green apples
a small handful of juniper berries, crushed with a sharp knife
a drizzle of olive oil
2 T. white vinegar
salt and pepper

Method:

• Using a benriner or mandoline, slice the fennel and apples into paper thin slices.

• Scatter the juniper berries over the top.

• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and toss.

Swedish Rice Pudding and Spiced Sour Cherry Compote

Recipes here.

Recipes In Concert

1. Make the rice pudding and refrigerate it.

2. Make the Rot Kraut.

3. Add the whipped cream to the rice pudding and refrigerate it.

4. Make the meatballs.

5. Make the gravy while the meatballs fry or bake.

6. Make the compote.

7. Boil the potatoes.

8. Set the table.

9. Make the salad.

10. Mash the potatoes.

11. Serve the meal.

Danish Pastry Tips
Cardamom seeds must be removed from their pale green pods.  Simply pry them open and then use a mortar and pestle or a dedicated coffee grinder to crush the little seeds.

The water you add to the yeast should feel barely luke warm, just above body temperature.  If it’s too hot you will kill the yeast.

When this dough comes out of the refrigerator, don’t panic.  It’s okay that it’s kind of a misshapen rock.  Give it a few good bashes with your rolling pin on a well-floured surface until it begins to yield.  Then begin rolling.  It will become more supple as you work it.  Keep moving the dough and adding a bit of flour to your work surface as necessary, and use a bench scraper or run a knife under it if it begins to stick.

To cut the dough into eight equal parts, begin by cutting it in half.  Then cut each half in half, and each piece in half again.

Find a toasty warm spot in your home for the pastry to rise.  I balance mine on a bin of mittens and hats on the top shelf of a closet where there is a heating duct.

Almond Danish Kugelhopf
Adapted from Beatrice Ojakangas’ The Great Scandinavian Baking Book
Yield:  one pastry crown in eight parts

Ingredients:
1 ¼ c. chilled unsalted butter cut into ¼ “ slices
3 c. all purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur.)
2 packages active dry yeast
¼ c. warm water, 105 to 115 degrees
½ c. milk at room temperature
½ t. freshly crushed cardamom seeds
2 eggs at room temperature
1 t. salt
¼ c. sugar
…
½ c. sugar
½ c. unsalted butter at room temperature
½ c. almond paste
1 t. almond extract
½ c. sliced almonds (optional)
confectioners’ sugar for dusting the top (optional)

Method:

• Place the butter slices and the flour in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until the butter is the size of small beans.  If you don’t have a food processor, cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or two knives, or by pinching it together with your fingers.

• Turn the mixture into a large bowl and chill it while you proceed.

• Measure the yeast into a medium bowl and add the water.  Allow it to rest for five minutes, or until it is foamy.

• Add the milk, cardamom, eggs, salt, and sugar and mix well.

• Pour the liquid over the flour and butter and fold together carefully just until the flour is moistened throughout.

• Cover and refrigerate four hours or overnight.

• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and dust it lightly with flour.  Pound it and then roll it out to a 20” square.  Fold the square into thirds, so that it is shaped like an envelope.

• Turn the dough so that the short end faces you.  Roll it out a bit longer and fold it into a square.  Allow the dough to rest while you make the filling.

• To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the almond paste, butter, sugar, and almond extract and mix until smooth.

• Roll the square of pastry into a rectangle 11” by 14” and smear it with the almond filling almost to the edges.

• Roll up the dough so that you have a long roll and slice the roll into eight equal parts.

• Butter a kugelhopf or other tube or bundt pan well with butter, sprinkle in the sliced almonds if you are using them, and nestle the pastry slices into the pan

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

• Place the pan in a warm spot to rise until it is doubled, about one hour.

• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.

• Tip the pastry onto a serving platter while it is still hot.

• Dust it with confectioners’ sugar if you wish and serve it while it is warm.

Pfeffernusse Tips:
Using fresh candied peel will make a world of difference in your baking.  If fresh is prohibitively expensive and you don’t want to make your own, toss the peel that comes in the little plastic tubs in a generous amount of sugar and a splash of fresh juice to bring it to life and sweeten it a bit.  The original recipe calls for candied lemon peel, which is yummy; I prefer and substitute candied orange peel when I bake these cookies.

You may use a dedicated coffee grinder to grind the spices.  Freshly grinding them really does make a difference, though the cookies will be delicious, too, with pre-ground spices.  I substitute red peppercorns for black as they’re pretty and have a slightly softer flavor profile.

Temper your eggs when you add them to the hot honey and molasses mixture.  To do this, add a few tablespoons of the hot liquid at a time to the eggs while you whisk them vigorously until they are warmed.  Then add the tempered eggs to the hot liquid and whisk to combine.  If you add the eggs directly to the hot liquid without tempering them you risk winding up with molasses and honey scrambled eggs.

I use spiced rum in place of the water in this recipe and add 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur for an icing that announces itself and echoes the flavors of the cookie.  You may use any liquid to make the icing, including water.

If you, like me, are looking for ways to use up a whopping bag of whole wheat pastry flour, see Molly Wizenberg’s love poem to whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, and recipe, on her delightful blog, Orangette.

The leftover icing would be delicious drizzled over an orange flower water pound cake. (Recipe this week.)

This recipe is part of the Cookie Baking and Candy Making Plan for Christmas 2010 (here).

Pfeffernusse with Rum and Orange Liqueur Glaze
Adapted (just a wee bit) from Maria Speck’s article in Saveur magazine no. 98
Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
½ c. honey
1/3 c. unsulfured molasses*
2 T. butter
2 eggs at room temperature
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
½ c. candied orange peel, finely chopped
1/3 c. almonds, finely ground
¾ t. freshly ground cinnamon
¾ t. freshly ground black pepper
¾ t. freshly ground cloves
¾ t. freshly ground cardamom
½ t. baking powder
2 T. vegetable oil
1 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 T. orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
5 T. spiced rum

*Unsulfured molasses is made from mature sugar cane as opposed to green cane and, therefore, is not treated with sulfur dioxide.

Method:

• Put honey, molasses, and butter into a small pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until hot, two to three minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Add eggs and whisk to combine.  Put flour, orange peel, almonds, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamom, and baking powder into a large bowl and stir to combine.  Add honey mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until well combined, to form a dough.  Cover surface of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  Lightly oil your palms with some of the oil.  Form dough into 36 balls, each about 1” wide (the dough will be very sticky, so keep your hands lightly oiled while working.)  Divide dough balls between baking sheets, keeping them spaced 1” apart.  Bake until slightly cracked on top and just firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool slightly.

• Meanwhile, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, rum, and orange liqueur to make a smooth glaze.  While cookies are still warm, dunk each cookie to coat them with a layer of glaze. Set cookies aside to let cool completely.  Eat right away or store in an airtight container, layered between sheets of waxed paper, for up to one week or freeze them, like I do, for Christmas.

Lebkuchen Tips
Have a hot pad and a few thick kitchen towels ready.  You will need them when you beat the egg and sugar mixture over simmering water to protect your hand, and to wipe dry the mixing bowl when you remove it from the water.

I grind the almonds in a food processor.  Leave them there and add the spices, candied peel, and flour to the bowl, give the mixture a few pulses, and it’s ready to be stirred into the egg mixture.

Using fresh candied peel will make a world of difference in your baking.  If fresh is prohibitively expensive and you don’t want to make your own, toss the peel that comes in the little plastic tubs in a generous amount of sugar and a splash of fresh juice to bring it to life and sweeten it a bit.  I use all orange peel when I bake this recipe or half orange and half lemon.

You may use a dedicated coffee grinder to grind the cardamom and a plane grater to grind the nutmeg.

Pat out the cookies with damp fingers.  They must look pretty when they go into the oven or they will emerge from the oven looking like misshapen rocks.

I dunk my Lebkuchen in chocolate, and generously.  I prefer 20 ounces of melted 58% cacao beads.  After dipping, pop the cookies in the freezer for a few minutes to set before you nestle them into tins to store in the freezer for Christmas.

Dunking Tips
I add a tablespoon or two of light corn syrup to the chocolate to give it a glossier appearance.

To dunk a cookie, grasp it by its edges and nestle it into the bowl of melted chocolate.  Give it a few turns around the edges so that the chocolate coats the entire top surface of the cookie.

Shake off the excess chocolate vigorously over the bowl.  Then, holding the cookie parallel to the bowl, give it a little wigglewaggle.  This motion smooths the chocolate on the top of the cookie beautifully.

This recipe is part of the Cookie Baking and Candy Making Plan for Christmas 2010 (here).

Chocolate-dipped Lebkuchen
from Beatrice Ojakangas’ Great  Holiday Baking Book
Yield:  about 50 cookies

Ingredients:
5 large eggs
1 ¾ c. sugar
2 ½ c. unblanched almonds, finely ground
1 c. all purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur.)
½ c. finely diced orange peel
½ c. finely diced lemon peel
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. freshly ground cardamom
½ t. freshly ground nutmeg
¼ t. ground cloves
¼ t. ground allspice
¼ t. ground ginger
about 50 Oblaten (round German baking wafers), 2 ¾ or 3” in diameter

Icing
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips (Or see my note in the tips above.)
About 50 halved blanched almonds

Method:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a large bowl, beat or whisk the eggs and sugar together, until light and fluffy.  Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water over low heat and heat, whisking until the mixture is thick and very warm (about 130 degrees).  Remove from the water bath and continue beating until the mixture is cool.  Combine the almonds, flour, zests, and spices in another bowl.  Stir into the egg-sugar mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

• Place the Oblaten on baking sheets two inches apart.  Spread one rounded tablespoon of the cookie dough on each Oblaten, spreading to the edges of the wafers.  Let the cookies stand, uncovered, for one hour before baking so that the top will dry.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are crusty on the upper surface, but still moist in the center.  Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

• Place the chocolate into a glass bowl and heat in the microwave at high power for about two minutes, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted.  Spread the melted chocolate over the remaining cookies.  (Or see my note in the dunking tips above.)  Decorate with the almonds.

Spritz Tips:
Some people have told me that Spritz are the bane of their baking lives; they struggled with them once and threw the press in a snowbank.  But I think there are a few things you can do to make working the press go very smoothly.

A Spritz press extrudes dough through dies of various shapes.  To use one, you fill the cylinder with dough, screw on the top, pull back the pin, and begin clicking the lever until the dough begins to emerge from the press.  When your press is empty, refill it, pull back the pin again, and click away.

Get to know your press.  In my experience, every Spritz press has a rhythm.  One of mine is click…one…two…release.  The other is click…one…two…three…release.  Spend a few minutes with a mindset of playing until you find the perfect rhythm.

Start with a well-packed press.  Grab a small amount of dough and squeeze it roughly into a cylinder.  Drop it into the cylinder of the press, pressing it down firmly.  When the press is full, give the dough a few more firm pushes so that you are certain there are no gaps or air pockets in it.

Run your thumb across the top of the dough to level it and around the threads of the screw top to wipe away excess dough.  Then, with a little muscle, screw on the lever end of the press.

Dough will begin to extrude from the press.  Pull off this dough before you begin.

Then, place the press on the top right hand corner of your baking sheet and give it a click.  Wait for your press’ perfect rhythm and pull the press back quickly, placing it immediately in place for the next cookie.   I work towards myself in close rows.  This dough does not spread, so you may place the cookies very close to each other.  If you squish a cookie with your press, simply toss it back in with the dough and make another in its place.

When you pull the press away, pull it very quickly to the side.  If you’re slow or if you don’t pull to the side, the dough will pull away with you.

Plan to throw the first cookie of each fresh press of dough back into the dough bowl.  It’s usually a little too big or too small.  Simply grab it, toss it, and put your press back in place quickly.

The real key to Spritz is the rhythm.  If you keep the click, wait, pull to the side, and quick placement on pace, every cookie will be perfect.  If you get off rhythm, just throw the mishapen cookie back in the dough bowl for the next time around and keep going.

Start with cold butter and use the dough immediately.  Do not refrigerate it or it will be difficult to work with.

If you don’t have three or four baking sheets, after you have removed the cookies from their baking sheet, pop the sheet into the freezer for a few minutes to chill.

The cookies are done when they have a dry appearance and seem firm when you give them a little nudge.  They will not be brown.

This dough will work equally well in a conventional Spritz press or in one designed for mini Spritz.  Simply increase your baking time by a couple of minutes.

I pat out the last bit of dough, cut out a few hearts, and top them with a few slices of gumdrop.  When the Spritz are packed away in tins and waiting for Christmas in the freezer, and your loved ones come home to the smell of butter and sugar and almond, you can offer them a little treat, too.

Tips for rolling gumdrop dots:

You will only need 1 gumdrop to make 250 tiny dots.

Slice the gumdrop thinly and drop the slices into a little dish of sugar.

Sliver your slices into thin reeds and drop them into the sugar.

Dip your fingers in the sugar.  Take a little reed and pull off a tiny piece of gumdrop.  Roll it into a ball between your sugary fingers and place it into the center of a Spritz.  You don’t need to press them down.

Rinse your fingers frequently as they become sticky, and roll them in sugar frequently while you are working.

Minnesota music for baking Spritz:
The Dale Warland singers were a fine a cappella chorus based in the Twin Cities and they recorded and performed for 31 years until 2004.  Their Christmas CDs are lovely.

This recipe is part of the Cookie Baking and Candy Making Plan for Christmas 2010 (here).

Teeny Tiny Spritz Flower Cookies
Yield:  250 cookies

Ingredients:
1 ½ c. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
2 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
1 t. baking powder
4 c. all purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur.)
1 red gumdrop (or sparkling or colored sugar, or red hots, or other decorations)

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

• In an electric mixer, beat together the butter and the sugar until they are pale and fluffy.

• Add the egg, milk, and extracts and beat them together thoroughly.

• Add the baking powder and gradually add the flour, beating until it is incorporated.

• Work with the dough immediately.  The dough is easiest to work with if it has not been refrigerated.

• Form the cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet using a Spritz press.

• Bake for five to seven minutes, or until the cookies have a dry appearance.