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SWEDISH FOOD

Top ten Swedish taste sensations

Sweden has a rich and varied culinary tradition, and a vast selection of dishes which have, quite rightly, earned their places as favourites with gourmands worldwide, writes Matt O’Leary.

Published: 19 August 2008 18:08 CEST

The variety of dishes on offer in restaurants across the whole country – old-school and innovative alike – makes compiling a definitive collection a tricky task. But here, plucked from the typical Swedish lunch menu, are ten items we consider to be the essential tastes of Sweden.

Janssons frestelse

(Jansson’s temptation)

This creamy potato gratin – made with thin strips of potato, as well as silky fried onions and anchovies – is a central part of the spread at Christmas and during other festivities. Theories abound as to who Jansson was, although most agree that the taste of the dish – both luxurious and comforting – surpasses any need for speculation.

Fret not, fish haters – the anchovies don’t overpower the dish. Rather, they excite the part of the tongue which recognizes “umami” (a hard-to-classify savoury flavour) and give it a uniquely delicious edge.

Köttbullar

(Meatballs)

The anaemic meatballs in ill-smelling plastic packs which occupy international supermarket shelves are a pale imitation of those you’ll find in your local Swedish shop; even so, these too are eclipsed by the home-made version, which appear in various forms in kitchens, restaurants and cafes around the country.

Some insist that the seasoned blend of meat and breadcrumbs should be livened up with a splash of soda water, prior to cooking, for airiness; others insist on adding finely-chopped onion.

Inlagd sill

(Pickled herring)

A far cry from vinegar-soaked rollmops, there are more types of Swedish herring than you can shake a stick at. As a result these festive fish take pride of place in celebratory spreads. Our particular favourite is skärgårdssill – preserved in a smooth sauce with sharp flecks of pepper and roe – although senapssill, in mustard sauce, and oniony löksill are also held in high regard.

Stekt strömming & potatismos

(Fried Atlantic herring mashed potato)

Once a week, you’re likely to see this on the menu at your local husmanskost (traditional food) joint; two pieces of Atlantic herring (the common or garden sill’s smaller Baltic Sea cousin) with parsley or butter sandwiched between them, breaded or floured and fried in butter until the skin is curled and crisp. Coupled with mashed potato and a dollop of lingonberry preserve, this is a typical hearty meal that works well at home, at a stall in the local saluhall (indoor market), or in an upmarket restaurant.

Pytt i panna

This dish is a triumph of thrift; it’s easy to make with a few inexpensive ingredients, and is versatile enough to be served as an accompaniment to many things. The basic dish is a mixture of sautéed potatoes, onions, and meat (such as ham or potatoes). To some, pytt i panna is known as “hänt i veckan” – happened in the last week – which shows its roots as a dish comprised of leftovers.

Pytt i panna is best enjoyed in the traditional way, with a fried egg and some piquant preserved vegetables like pickled beetroot, gherkins or capers.

Biff Rydberg

For those of you who’ve turned your nose up at the previous description, allow us to present pytt i panna’s more upmarket cousin – biff Rydberg. Popularised in the Stockholm hotel of the same name, biff Rydberg is a similar mélange of meat, potatoes and other ingredients, placed in a pan and sautéed; however, this version has a little more panache.

Imagine the same kind of hotch-potch, but made with beef fillet, roasted hunks of potatoes and onions, frequently flavoured with oil, herbs and mustard.

Kladdkaka

Or sticky cake. Similar in texture to a chocolate brownie, but made slightly thinner and in a larger dish, this chocolate cake – made with sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour and butter among other ingredients – is great at fika (coffee break) or after a meal.

We’ve seen recipes containing banana and other types of fruit, which tend to complement the sweet, gooey centre of the cake quite well, and can almost convince you that you’re enjoying something which is really good for you. Best served with whipped cream for those extra few vital grams of saturated, er, goodness.

Biff a la Lindström

You may have noticed that beef is frequently served minced or diced in a good many Swedish kitchens; these mince patties, shaped into burger shapes and flavoured with beetroot and capers, can look startlingly purple – but they taste fantastic served with potatoes, gravy and a side-salad.

Legend has it that a Russian-raised Swede named Henrik Lindström instructed the chefs at his hotel in Kalmar to create a dish that combined both of his homelands. His legacy endures on husmanskost menus nationwide.

Gravad lax

It’s not smoked salmon, although it might look like it. Gravad lax is salmon cured with salt and dill and served thinly sliced. The curing method traditionally took place in a shallow covered hole, once the fish had been covered, explaining the roots of the dish’s name (“salmon from the grave”).

Gravad lax is enjoyed in a variety of forms – sweet mustard sauce goes well with the lightly-flavoured fish, as do capers and crispbread. You may find that some versions of the dish come slightly smoked – although purists will argue that this is a different dish altogether.

Ärtsoppa & pannkakor

(Pea soup and pancakes)

Another weekly husmanskost staple, traditionally served on Thursdays, this two-course dish consists of a hearty bowl of pea soup followed by a couple of dense pancakes, maybe served with whipped cream and jam. There’s not a lot to differentiate Swedish pea soup from that served across Europe, but the care with which the dish is made and seasoned – the skins of the peas scooped from the slowly-simmered soup to ensure a very smooth spoonful – is evident in the eating. The pancakes, for which Sweden is famous, are light, flavoursome and satisfying.

Recipes for many of the dishes listed above are available at www.sweden.se.

What’s your favourite dish? Share your thoughts, and your recipes, on Discuss.

How to grow your own fruits and vegetables in Sweden

Know your growing zone

Sweden is split into eight different growing zones, known as växtzoner in Swedish, with one being the mildest zone in the far south of the country and eight being the harshest, in the far north.

The easiest way to figure out which zone you live in is to search your address on a digital growing zone chart like this one from the Swedish Garden Association.

There are two “bonus” zones too, which you’re unlikely to see on plant labels: zone zero, which refers to extra mild conditions in zone one, like a sheltered south-facing garden or the climate inside an unheated greenhouse, and the fjällzon or zone nine, which is found in mountain regions.

Lots of fruit trees can handle snow, for example, but not all of them will survive the winters in harsher, colder zones.

“Apple trees or fruit trees will survive snow,” British gardener and cider maker John Taylor, known for presenting Swedish gardening show Trädgårdstider (Garden Times), told The Local.

“You can grow all kinds of apples, pears, plums, cherries, we can grow edible quince in southern Sweden, so there’s a bunch of fruit trees which will survive, but it depends what rootstock they’re on – that’s called grundstam in Swedish,” he explained.

“There’s one rootstock called B9 that survives down to minus 40, because it’s from Russia, then there’s another called M106, and that probably doesn’t want to live in the depths of Norrland.”

Buy plants local to you

An easy way to make sure the plant you’re planning on buying is going to survive in your zone is by sourcing it from a local plant nursery or garden centre, as they won’t sell plants that can’t handle the local climate.

“There’s a nursery in the north of Sweden and Finland called Blomkvists, they sell lots of fruit varieties which will survive up there,” Taylor said. “You can grow pretty much anything you want up there, just as we can [in Skåne, southern Sweden], but it will be different varieties that taste different and will survive the frost.”

You won’t be able to grow Mediterranean fruits like lemons or oranges in Sweden unless you bring them inside during the winter, although you should be able to grow peaches or nectarines in most of the country.

“The further up in the country you go, the further north you are or the further away from the coast, the harsher the climate becomes, so you might need to have them on a south-facing wall or in a greenhouse,” Taylor said.

Think outside the box

Although the growing season in Sweden may be shorter than it is further south, there are still a number of crops from warmer climates that do surprisingly well.

“People don’t really grow cucumbers outside here, I don’t think they realise that you can actually grow them outside,” Taylor said. “Tomatoes, too. You don’t need a greenhouse, you just stick them in the ground, they’re basically a weed – you’ll get so many you won’t know what to do with them.”

Sweetcorn, for example, performs well in a Swedish climate, Taylor said, although Swedes more often grow it as a feed crop for pigs.

You can also test things by trying to build a microclimate so you can grow things that are one or even two growing zones away from yours. Usually this is done by providing shelter from the wind and the weather using fences, hedges or by planting near buildings, as well as providing protection during the winter.

And if you’re pushed for space, look into companion planting, where you can grow multiple plants which complement each other in the same space.

One example of this is the “three sisters”: corn, climbing beans (or peas), and squash. The corn provides a support for the beans or peas, which anchor the corn in high winds while fixing nitrogen in the soil, while the squash’s large leaves provide shade for the soil, preventing it from drying out.

Don’t be put off just because you don’t have any outside space

Thinking outside the box applies to balconies too.

“If you’re in a built-up area, you will get reflected light from other buildings, so even if you’re on an east-facing balcony, you should be able to grow a lot of stuff. North is a bit more tricky, but east and west are probably better than south as you’re not getting hammered by the sun all day,” Taylor said.

You should be able to grow things like tomatoes, cucumbers and flowers, but it’s important to get hold of good soil and replenish it each year, so your plants have enough nutrients.

“Anybody with a balcony can grow pretty much the same that you can in a garden, you just have to get the soil up there and you always have to fertilise, the soil becomes nutrient deficient after one season.”

“But if you’re prepared to get the soil up on your balcony you can grow anything, even fruit trees. They will be smaller and stunted, and won’t give as much fruit – I’ve done it myself – so don’t see it as an obstacle, see it as a possibility.”

Kale and tomatoes growing on a balcony. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

Take inspiration from Swedish growers

Thinking outside the box doesn’t mean that you should completely ignore what all your Swedish neighbours are doing. If you’re not sure what to plant in your garden or what fruit and veg you should try to grow, take a look at what other people who live near you are growing.

You might also come across some crops you’ve never tried before which work well in a Swedish climate, like Alpine strawberries (smultron), honeyberries (blåbärstry), wild garlic (ramslök) or sea buckthorn (havtorn).

This doesn’t just apply to varieties, but also where you plant them in your garden. Some crops need full sun, some work best in shade, and others, like asparagus, can grow tall and cast a shadow over your garden.

“You want a south-facing location for all fruit, and berries – check out what your neighbours are doing,” Taylor said.

If you don’t want tall plants to cast a shadow over other crops, see if you can plant them at the northernmost edge of your garden, while making sure that sun and soil conditions are still optimal. Blueberries, for example, need acidic soil to thrive, meaning you will probably need to amend your soil if planting in the ground, or even plant them in containers.

Think about what you want to do with your harvest

This may seem obvious, but it’s important to plant what you like to eat, too. If you hate the aniseedy, licorice-y taste of fennel, why bother growing it?

You should also choose the variety of crop based on what you’re going to use it for. Do you want to make pickles with your cucumbers, or are you going to eat them on salads? Do you want cherry tomatoes for snacking on, or big beef tomatoes for making sauces?

“Think ‘what am I going to do with my harvest’,” Taylor said. “Am I going to juice it? Am I going to preserve it? Am I going to make cider with it, for example?”

Apples, for example, can range from sweet eating apples to tart cooking apples, so make sure you do your research before you commit to buying an apple tree. Most varieties exist in English-speaking countries, so you should be able to search the name of the variety online and find some information in a language you understand, if you don’t speak Swedish.

“Patience is a virtue,” he added. “A lot of fruit trees are going to take two or three years, or even more, to give a harvest. So you have to have patience.”

Learn to deal with the Swedish weather

Many areas of Sweden along the coast or in the south of the country can get windy, which you’ll have to learn to deal with.

“How to deal with the wind? You can’t,” Taylor said. “We cannot affect this, we are powerless.”

“What you have to do is plant them in areas where there’s less wind, usually behind large buildings.”

Some plants simply won’t survive the wind, so either you plant them close to buildings, protect them, or accept that you’re restricted in what you can grow.

Make sure to provide supports for crops which will grow tall, like sunflowers, peas, beans and sweetcorn, and tie these down well or bury them deep in the ground, so summer storms can’t blow them away.

Listen to the full interview with John Taylor in The Local’s Sweden in Focus Extra podcast for Membership+ subscribers. Out on Wednesday, May 8th.

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