NORWAY: Jarlseberg Stuffed Peppers with Pearl Barley Salad and New Potato Radish Salad

Reaching across western Scandinavia to the icy Arctic Circle, Norway is one of the northernmost countries on Earth. Known as ‘The Land of the Midnight Sun’ Norway is famous for its vast wildernesses, ancient forests, astonishing fjords and snow-capped mountains. It is a land of extremes with long dark winters contrasted by endless summer days. And it was those long winters that historically defined traditional Norwegian cuisine because before the modern era food gathering and preserving in the summer was critical to people’s survival through the unfavourable snowy months.  

Today you can probably have any food you want at any time of the year in Norway, but that wasn’t always the case. In its traditional form Norwegian cuisine was a marriage between home-based micro farmed produce (such as goat farming and milking), and wild ingredients caught or collected from the sea, forests and mountains. A strong focus on wild caught fish and game really sets Norwegian culinary practices apart from the cuisine of Continental Europe.

 

 Key ingredients of Norwegian cuisine include smoked salmon, sour cream, preserved sausages, lamb, pork and pickled cabbage. Root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, swedes and onions are staples that join well with seasonal speciality foods such as reindeer, wild duck and berries. The spices are mild, with subtle use of juniper berries, black pepper and fresh garden herbs such as dill. This is a cuisine that has the seasons and the landscape at its heart.

 

our

NORWEGIAN

Menu included

 

JARLSEBERG PAPRIKA

with

PEARL BARLEY SALAD

and

NEW POTATO & RADISH SALAD

served with

Fresh Baguette

 

JARLSEBERG PAPRIKA (Stuffed Peppers)

 

Ingredients:

·      8-10 small green peppers/capsicum

·      500 gm minced beef or venison

·      ½ tsp tobacco sauce

·      ½ tsp smoked paprika powder

·      1 tsp garlic salt

·      1 tsp chopped fresh dill

·      ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

·      juice 1 lemon

·      2/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

·      1 ¼ cup Jarlsberg cheese, cut in small dice or grated

·      100 gm butter, melted

·      I fresh baguette, sliced diagonally

 

Method:

1.    Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C

2.    Wash and dry the capsicums then cut off the tops and use a small spoon or knife to scoop out the seeds and middle filaments then give them an upside down gentle knock to remove any remaining seeds

3.    Place the capsicum ‘shells’ upright in a buttered oven-proof dish

Note: pick a baking dish just the right size so that capsicums fit side-by-side closely and can’t fall over 

4.    Mix the melted butter and half the garlic salt together

5.    Combine the meat, paprika powder, tobacco, dill, remaining garlic salt, black pepper, lemon juice, bread crumbs and half the grated cheese and knead well until all the ingredients are combined well

6.    Evenly fill the capsicum shells with meat mixture using a small spoon to push the filling into the shells and press out any air pockets

7.    Now top the stuffed capsicums with the remaining grated cheese and pour the garlic butter over the top of the stuffed capsicums

8.    Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 35 mins or until the peppers are tender and tops are golden

9.    Serve with the slices of crunchy fresh baguette which can be used to soak up the delicious garlic and cheese infused butter from the bottom of the pan

 

TIP: to refresh the crunch on a baguette that has gone soft give the whole loaf a light sprinkle with fresh water then pop it in a moderate oven for a few minutes. Once it has become crusty again take it out let it cool and slice it up

 

 

PEARL BARLEY SALAD

NOTE: This salad can be served warm or cold

 

Ingredients for salad:

·      ¾ cup pearl barley (does not need to be soaked)

·      1 zucchini (courgette), ends removed and shaved in ribbons lengthways with a peeler

·      1 tsp salt

·      2 tbs fresh chopped herbs – parsley, chives, dill and chervil

·      2 tbs slivered almonds, toasted

·      Extra salt and pepper to finish the dish

 

Ingredients for Dressing 

·      ¼ cup sunflower oil

·      3-4 tbs apple cider vinegar

·      1 small red onion, peeled and diced finely

·      2 tsp honey

·      ½ tsp salt

·      1/8 tsp freshly cracked pepper

·      2 tbs vinegar juice from a jar of dill pickles

 

Method:

1.    Put the barley in a medium pot with 3 cups water and 1 tsp salt. bring to the boil and simmer until barley is tender but still chewy, about 30 mins

2.    Whilst the barley is cooking put all the dressing ingredients in a jar, put the lid on the jar and shake well, then set it aside to infuse for half an hour

3.    When the barley is cooked drain it and set aside to cool a bit

4.    Now shake up the dressing again and fold it through the barley then gently fold in the almonds, zucchini, herbs and some extra salt and pepper

 

NEW POTATO & RADISH SALAD

Ingredients:

·      1 kg new potatoes, peeled

·      1 tsp salt

·      1/4 cup mayonnaise

·      ¼ cup sour cream

·      2 tbs fresh chopped dill (or parsley)

·      2 shallots, chopped (both greens and whites) or half a red onion diced

·      5 dill pickles, chopped finely

·      ½ bunch fresh radish, washed and sliced thinly

·      4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut in 1/4s

·      Salt and black pepper to taste

 

Method:

1.    place potatoes in a medium pot, cover in cold water, add salt and gently bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer the pot until the potatoes are tender but firm, about 20 minutes

2.    Then drain the potatoes and cool in the refrigerator for about 40 mins

3.    While the potatoes are cooling mix the  mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh chopped dill and salt and pepper together and chill

4.    When potatoes are cooled cut into halves or quarters depending on the size and  mix the potatoes with the shallots, dill pickles and radish

5.    Then use a spoon to fold the chilled dressing through the potatoes

6.    Add some extra salt and freshy cracked pepper to the bowl along with the egg quarters and very gently fold it all together to finish the salad

 

 

These are  all Q-ZINE original recipes informed by multiple sources including:

https://www.food.com/recipe/jarlsberg-filled-peppers-jarlsbergfylt-paprika-from-norway-366931

https://www.sofn.com/norwegian_culture/recipe_box/appetizers/jarlsberg_filled_peppers/

https://www.tasteatlas.com/jarlsbergfylt-paprika

https://breadadventures.blogspot.com/2014/01/jarlsberg-filled-peppers-or.html

https://northwildkitchen.com/norwegian-spring-potato-salad/

https://arcticgrub.com/a-classic-norwegian-potato-salad/

https://www.tasteatlas.com/byggrynssalat

https://northwildkitchen.com/barley-and-shaved-zucchini-salad/