Food & Drink

Four Swedish Foods (And A Drink) That Are Totally Cool To Bring To Thanksgiving This Year

As we approach Thanksgiving, the stresses of having to identify the perfect dish to bring to your family or friends’ gathering are starting to set in for people around the United States.

And while Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Sweden (for the most part), 2020 is the perfect year for Swedish-Americans, and Swedophiles in general, to infuse a little bit of Sweden into the popular American holiday.

LINGONBERRY SAUCE

For some, cranberry sauce is as Thanksgiving as it gets. For others, it’s just a check in the box – we’re looking at you, people who simply pop the top off a can and pour it into a serving dish.

With that said, this Lingonberry Sauce from Emma Bengtsson of Aquavit in NYC is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups frozen lingonberries
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup apple cider
• 5 allspice berries
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 thyme sprig
• Kosher salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

• In a large skillet, combine all the ingredients over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• Once simmering, cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, for 10 minutes. Let cool completely, remove the allspice, cinnamon and thyme, then serve.

CARDAMOM BREAD

Cardamom bread is a versatile option that can be used either as a traditional dinner roll or a post-meal sandwich bread. And we’re just going to go ahead and say it: It’s going to be a good idea to make two or three loaves of this because it most-assuredly will be a hit. A Cozy Kitchen has an in-depth look at how to make this bread.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 packets active dry yeast or instant yeast
• 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 2 large eggs, divided
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 2 tablespoons Swedish pearl sugar

PREPARATION

• Refer to A Cozy Kitchen; the directions are long, but worth it.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

OK, this one pretty much goes without saying because Swedish meatballs are good for any occasion, but these are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser at this year’s Thanksgiving. What better way to avoid a hungry group of people, impatiently waiting for the dinner bell, than with this Swedish staple as an appetizer?  Katee McLean’s Krokstrom Klubb & Market, a Kansas City restaurant/market with Swedish roots, has you covered on the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 fennel bulb, diced
• 3 stalk celery, diced
• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 pounds ground pork
• 1 tbs Mustard powder
• 1tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• Heavy pinch salt
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2c panko
• 1/2c cream

PREPARATION

1. Sauté onion, fennel and celery tender with oil, salt and pepper. Let cool.
2. In a large tub, mix the meats, veggies and eggs.
3. Add seasoning and cream-soaked breadcrumbs. Do not over mix.
4. Make a sample ball to taste flavors. Tweak, if needed,
5. Roll into ball shape and place onto an oiled sheet pan.
6. Bake 350 degrees for 6 minutes; rotate and cook for 6 more minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees.
7. Serve with Aquavit Cream!

PRINCESS CAKE

There’s a certain nostalgia that many Americans feel when thinking about the pumpkin and apple pies that for years have found their way to dessert tables at every turkey day gathering. However, at Thanksgiving this year, why settle for the norm? This is the perfect opportunity to show your family and friends what is widely regarded as one of the best Swedish desserts around. This John Duxbury recipe is the perfect choice. (Princess Cake recipes tend to be quite long, too long to list here…)

 SWEDISH MULLED WINE (GLÖGG)

Not a food, but that’s OK. Glögg is just about as holiday as it gets, and your family and friends will fall in love with the aroma that it gives off while warming on the stovetop. Our good friends at Alewife in Richmond, Va., are to thank for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 bottles dry red wine
• 1 bottle sweet white wine
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange
• 10 cloves
• 5 star anise pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 c. of golden raisins
• 1 c. blanched almonds
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 tbsp. bitters
• 1 c. aquavit or vodka (optional)

DIRECTIONS

• Combine wines in a large saucepan.
• Peel lemon, orange and ginger. Slice ginger.
• Squeeze fruits through a fine-mesh strainer and add juice to wine. Discard pulp.
• Tie lemon peel, orange peel, ginger and spices in cheesecloth to create a sachet.
• Add sachet, raisins, almonds and sugar to wine and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until almonds soften and glögg tastes integrated.
• Add any additional sugar necessary and skim and foam from the top.
• Strain and reserve almonds and raisins for garnish.
• Add bitters and aquavit.
• Ladle glögg into insulated mugs.
• Skewer raisins and almonds and lay across the glass for easy snacking.