Cuisine Focus – Danish – Nothing But Good Food

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Denmark’s climate is very suitable for producing items such as potatoes, barley, different types of berries, greens and mushrooms. Most of these items can be easily bought as they are locally grown. Denmark cuisine also features dairy products, meat and seafood. In fact, cheese is one of the country’s specialties and culinary treasures.

Denmark is also very similar with Central and Eastern Europe, along with other Scandinavian countries, in terms of topography and agricultural features. However, the people’s approach to cooking and their inherent taste make the cuisine somewhat separate and indefinable. The country’s history is another known reason, all because various changes brought the Danish society to adopt a multitude of ways and traditions.

Agriculture has been influential in Danish cuisine. The people are said to be relying more on local produce and crops and depends less on imported items. In fact, the bases of the Danish diet revolve around root crops, cereal products, seafood, fruits, dairy and bread. As of the present, agriculture still plays a major role in the cuisine. And while development introduces products from other neighboring countries, you will still see the Danish’ dependence on their locally-produced items.

Just like any other cuisine, the Danish has learned how to adopt and be resilient in their environment. For one, the harsh climate has caused its people to resort to food preparation such as smoking and pickling. In general, good food is what Danish cuisine is all about. Food, for the most part, is symbolic not only of sustenance but of warmth and coziness of any comfort food in mind. For its people, each meal has to serve nothing but wonderful and homemade dishes, all of which are carefully prepared and done with heart.

Ingredients Utilized in Danish Cuisine

Meat:

Beef, Chicken, Pork, Duck

Seafood:

Cod, Haddock, Lobster, Eel, Herring, Plaice, Salmon, Shrimp, Roe, Fish Eggs

Vegetables:

Potato, Peas, Beans, Brussels Sprout, Cabbage, Carrots, Spinach, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Onion, Beets, Pickles

Fruits:

Cherries, Apples, Blackcurrant, Gooseberries, Plums, Pears, Redcurrants, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Mulberries

Cheeses:

Blue Cheese, Gamle Ole, Danish Tilsit, Harvati

Herbs and Seasonings:

Thyme, Chives, Cress, Dill, Curry Powder, Garlic, Rosemary, Parsley

Condiments and Sauces:

Horseradish, Bearnaise Sauce, Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Pepper Sauce, Parsley Sauce, Remoulade, Whiskey sauce

Generally, these ingredients are significant components of Danish cuisine. These items are used to make traditional dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For breakfast, we will definitely enjoy having a taste of their famous ‘Danish pastry’ along with Viennese bread. Packed lunches, on the other hand, are very popular among workers and employees, which often feature varieties of open sandwiches. Essentially, a Danish open sandwich consists of buttered rye bread and featured toppings in the form of cold cuts, seafood, meat, cheeses and spreads.

Another great feature of the Danish cuisine is the ‘kolde bord’ or cold buffet. This is said to be the Danish counterpart of Smorgasbord in Sweden. Normally prepared at lunch time, this buffet comprises of traditional dishes from pickled herring, veal, Parisian steak and Danish meatballs (Frikadeller), which is considered a national dish.

Authentic Danish Cuisine

Danish Ham – Viking Style

Recipe Source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

Ham and marinade:

1 (10 to 13-pound) ham on the bone, trotter and rind removed
2 cups honey
2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1 tablespoon juniper berries, crushed
Sea salt
3 to 4 bottles dark beer

Vegetable Puree:

3 pears
3 apples
3 parsnips
3 potatoes
2 salsify roots
1 celery root
6 Jerusalem artichokes
1 stick butter, melted
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Horseradish Cream, recipe follows
Apple and Pear Compote, recipe follows

Serving suggestion: Grilled bread topped with wild mushrooms fried in butter

Directions:

To prepare the ham: Place the meat on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, score the fat in a cross-hatch pattern, cutting all the way through to the meat.

Put the ham in a large roasting pan. Spread the honey over the ham. Combine the thyme, bay leaves, and juniper in a small bowl. Season the mixture with salt, and then rub it into the ham. Pour the beer over the ham. Cover the pan and marinate the ham in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F.

To prepare the puree: After the ham has marinated, peel and dice all of the fruit and vegetables. Place the vegetables in the roasting pan around the ham.

To cook the ham: Roast the ham and vegetables, basting the meat frequently with the marinade and adding more beer and honey if the pan seems dry. Cook the vegetables until they are very tender, about 1 hour. Take the vegetables from the roasting pan and put them in a large saucepan. Set the vegetables aside until the ham is cooked. Return the meat to the oven and continue roasting and basting until the meat is tender, about 3 more hours. Take the ham out of the oven, cover it and set it aside to rest for 1 hour.

To finish the puree: Gently warm the vegetables over medium heat. Mash them with the butter, and then season with salt and pepper. Keep the puree warm until ready to serve.

Glaze the ham if desired (see Cook’s Note below), and then slice it. Serve the ham with the puree, Horseradish Cream and Apple and Pear Compote, accompanied by grilled toast topped with mushrooms, if desired.

Cook’s Note: If desired, the ham can be glazed with a mixture of honey and mustard just prior to slicing and serving.

Horseradish Cream:

3 cups thick sour cream

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, adding more or less of each, to taste. Mix well and then chill in the refrigerator.

Apple and Pear Compote:

5 cooking apples

5 pears

Honey

Peel and core the apples and pears. Roughly chop the fruit. Place the fruit in a medium saucepan. Add about 1 inch of water. Cover the pan and simmer the fruit over low heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Add honey, to taste. Serve the compote warm or at room temperature.

Easy Cream Cheese Danish

Recipe Source: allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, diced
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons sour cream
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon butter, softened

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
Line bottom of baking pan with 1 can of crescent rolls. Pinch all seams together to seal.
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, white sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and sour cream. Spread filling on top of rolls. Place second can of rolls on top of filling.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar, milk and butter. After Danish has cooled, drizzle with icing.

Image Credit: tasteofhome.com

foodnetwork.com

allrecipes.com

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