The Soul of Scandinavian Cuisine
Scandinavian cuisine reflects its shifting seasons and geography, from lush forests to remote coastal fjords. Chef Darra Goldstein talks about her new cookbook Fire & Ice: Classic Nordic Cooking, which explores the cultural traditions and history of Scandinavian cooking.
Event: Darra Goldstein will be speaking at the Culinary Historians of New York (NYU Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, 411 Lafayette St., 5th Fl. b/w West 4th and Astor Place) on March 2 at 7 p.m.
Recipe: Roasted Duck with Apples and Prunes - "Andesteg med æbler og svesker"
SERVES 4
3 firm apples, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the extra fat from the duck, along with the neck and gizzard. Cut off the wing tips.
Rub the inside of the duck with salt and then with the lemon, squeezing the juice out into the cavity. Stuff the duck at both ends with the apples and prunes. Either sew the cavities shut with kitchen twine or close them with trussing skewers.
Rub the outside of the duck generously with salt and pepper. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side down. Roast for 10 minutes, then turn the duck breast side up and roast for another 10 minutes. Duck has a lot of fat, and the high heat allows much of it to cook off.
Lower the oven to 300°F. Remove the duck from the oven and pour the cider into the roasting pan. Roast the duck until the juices run rosy when the meat is pricked, about 13⁄4 hours.
Raise the oven to 450°F and roast the duck for 10 minutes more to crisp the skin. Transfer the duck to a carving board. Let the duck rest for 10 minutes before carving.
While the duck is resting, make the gravy. Pour the pan juices into a fat separator to remove the fat. You should have about 1 cup of defatted pan juices. Place the roasting pan on a burner and deglaze it with a little water, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour about three-fourths of the pan juices into the roasting pan, reserving the rest.
Place the flour in a small bowl and gradually add a little of the reserved pan juices, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add the remaining reserved pan juices, then whisk this mixture into the juices in the roasting pan. Cook the gravy over medium-low heat until it has thickened, a few minutes.
With a large spoon, scoop the apples and prunes out of the duck and transfer to a serving bowl. Carve the duck into thin slices and place them on a platter. Serve with the fruit stuffing and a pitcher of the gravy.
Chopped Winter Salad - "Salat af rå tern"
SERVES 4
Granny Smith (8 ounces), diced
6 ounces celery root, peeled and diced
1 small red or yellow beet (about 3 ounces), peeled and diced
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
11⁄2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, minced
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
Stir together the apple, celery root, and beet in a bowl.
In another bowl, stir together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, and salt. Season with pepper, then gradually whisk in the oils until an emulsion forms.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and stir in parsley and dill to taste until everything is well combined, and the salad is ready to serve.
