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.
Starter
The small beginning that sets the tone for the rest of the meal.
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.
Hummus with Pita Bread
Chickpeas blended smooth with tahini, lemon and garlic, finished with olive oil and cumin, served with warm pita. Fifteen minutes from can to bowl, and better than anything in a plastic tub.
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.
Norwegian Rice Porridge (Risgrøt)
Short-grain rice simmered slowly in milk until thick and creamy, served hot with a pool of melting butter, cinnamon sugar and, on Christmas Eve, a whole almond hidden in the pot.
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.
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.