Toast Skagen (Swedish Shrimp Toast)
Cold-water shrimp folded into dill mayonnaise and piled on butter-fried white bread, finished with roe and a wedge of lemon. The starter Swedes order out and make at home whenever there is something to celebrate.
For company
Dishes that carry a table full of people.
Carrot Cake (Morotskaka)
A moist, oil-based spice cake packed with grated carrot and finished with lemony cream cheese frosting. Baked in a 9x13 pan and cut into squares, the way it is sold in Nordic cafes.
Caesar Salad
Crisp romaine in a garlicky dressing of mayonnaise, parmesan, anchovy and lemon, with croutons fried in olive oil. Served as a starter or as a light lunch on its own.
Norwegian Waffles (Vafler)
Soft, cardamom-scented heart waffles cooked in a Norwegian waffle iron and served warm with sour cream and jam. The batter rests half an hour, then five hearts come off the iron at a time.
Rhubarb Pie (Rabarberpaj)
A butter short crust shell filled with the first garden rhubarb of the year, thickened with potato starch and scented with vanilla and cardamom. Baked until the juices bubble and the lattice is golden, and served warm with cold cream.
Danish Pastry (Wienerbrød)
Laminated yeast dough folded with cold butter, filled with almond remonce and a spoonful of raspberry preserves, baked into twelve square pastries and finished with icing and sliced almonds. The dough is made and chilled the day before, then rolled, filled and baked in the morning.
Margherita Pizza
Homemade pizza with a simple uncooked tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil, baked as hot as a home oven will go. Makes two 12-inch pizzas, enough for four.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken thighs marinated in spiced yogurt, seared hard, then simmered in a tomato and cream sauce. Served with jasmine rice, it has become a standard weeknight dinner in Nordic homes.
Thai Green Curry with Chicken (Gaeng Keow Wan Gai)
Chicken thighs simmered in coconut milk with green curry paste, broccoli and bell pepper, finished with lime and cilantro and served over jasmine rice. On the table in about 35 minutes.
French Onion Soup (Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée)
Onions cooked slowly in butter until deep brown, simmered in beef stock with a splash of wine, and finished under the broiler with a cheese-covered slice of toasted baguette. A classic winter starter for guests, and mostly a matter of patience with a pot of onions.
Hamburgers with Fries
Thick patties of plain supermarket ground beef, salted on the outside only, seared hard in a skillet and finished with cheddar, plus oven fries cut from ordinary potatoes. A burger sauce of mayonnaise, mustard and chopped pickle holds it together.
Swedish Cream Buns (Semlor)
Soft cardamom-scented yeast buns hollowed out and filled with almond paste and whipped cream, with the bun top set back on like a little hat and dusted with confectioners' sugar. Makes 12.
Jansson's Temptation (Janssons Frestelse)
A Swedish Christmas bake of matchstick potatoes and onion layered with pickled sprats, cream, and buttered breadcrumbs. It bakes until the top is golden and the cream has thickened around the potatoes, and it belongs on the julbord next to the ham and the herring.
Tacos with Ground Beef
Friday night tacos the Nordic way: seasoned ground beef in a skillet, soft tortillas, and a table full of chopped toppings everyone builds from. The spice mix is stirred together from pantry jars instead of a packet.
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Crisp chickpea patties fried golden and served with a lemony tahini sauce, warm pita, and chopped salad. Made from dried chickpeas soaked overnight, which is the only way they hold together properly.
Pickled Herring Salad (Sillsallad)
Tender pickled herring folded with boiled potato, crisp apple, red onion, and dill in a sour cream dressing. It chills for an hour, then goes on the table in a bowl with hard-boiled egg on top.
Danish Open Sandwiches (Smørrebrød)
Three classic smørrebrød built on buttered Danish rye: pickled herring with red onion and capers, cold-smoked salmon with egg and dill, and roast beef with curried remoulade and crispy onions. A platter of twelve pieces, enough for four people at lunch.
Æbleskiver (Danish Pancake Balls)
Danish pancake balls fried in a cast iron æbleskiver pan, light from beaten egg whites and scented with cardamom. Served hot with confectioners' sugar and lingonberry jam.
Swedish Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar)
Soft, cardamom-scented yeast buns twisted into loose knots and topped with pearl sugar. The Swedish answer to the cinnamon roll, and the standard companion to coffee at fika.
Gravlax (Gravad Lax)
Raw salmon cured for two to three days under salt, sugar, and dill until it turns silky and rose-pink, sliced thin and served on the Nordic Christmas table. This is the dish that first taught Americans that 'Nordic food' meant more than pickled herring.