holiday dinner recipes with Chef Lasse Jensen
table of contents about this collection.............................................................. 1 about chef Lasse Frederik Jensen ............................................. 1 brown sugar and mustard glazed ham ........................................ 2 caramelized potatoes ............................................................ 3 danish red christmas cabbage .................................................. 4 mustard sauce ..................................................................... 5 ris a la mande (danish rice pudding) .......................................... 6
about this collection Curated with the holiday season in mind, this recipe collection touches upon Chef Lasse Fredrik Jensen’s roots in Danish cuisine. These recipes come from his own collection and are meant to be shared amongst friends and family. All the recipes serve four to six people.
about Chef Lasse Frederik Jensen A Danish-born chef with roots in both Denmark and Norway, Chef Lasse is currently based in San Diego. His passion is preparing rustic Nordic dishes made with local seasonal ingredients. Some of his favorite ingredients include Danish new potatoes, root vegetables, Finnish chanterelles, fresh-caught mackerel from the west coast of Norway and herring, salmon and turbot from the North Sea, moose and reindeer from the mountains of Norway and Sweden, and Norwegian strawberries. Chef Lasse works with classic Nordic cooking methods like smoking, pickling, and curing, as well as those from the classic French kitchen.
1
brown sugar and mustard glazed ham ingredients 1 large (8-12 pound) good-quality smoked ham 2/3 cup dark brown sugar Âź cup dijon mustard
instructions Preheat the oven to 275 degrees f. Whisk together the brown sugar and mustard and set aside. Place the ham in a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack (which will lift the ham above its juices). Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook for about 2 to 2 ½ hours, or 15 minutes per pound. Coat the ham with the mustard first, then add the brown sugar on top; this will allow the sugar to caramelize and create a nice crunchy crust on the ham while cooking. If you prefer, you can also whisk together the brown sugar and mustard and brush a thick coat of the brown sugar-mustard glaze over the ham. To use this option, make sure that you wait until the ham has approximately 30 minutes left to cook, then remove it from the oven and coat the ham with the brown sugar-mustard glaze. (glaze can be warmed in saucepan on medium-low heat to make it easier to brush, if desired.) Return the glazed ham to the oven, uncovered, to finish cooking. Allow ham to rest for 10 minutes, then serve with the remaining glaze on the side.
2
caramelized potatoes ingredients 1 1/2 pounds small (1 ½ inch to 2-inch) white boiling potatoes 3 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
instructions Cover potatoes with salted cold water by 1 inch in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander and cool slightly. When potatoes are just cool enough to handle (but are still warm), peel the potatoes. Melt sugar in a sautĂŠ pan, undisturbed, over moderate heat until it begins to melt. Stirring occasionally until it begins to become a golden caramel. Add butter and salt, stirring until butter is completely melted. Stirring gently with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula, add the potatoes, making sure to coat potatoes with caramel as you stir. During this process the caramel will seize and form small clumps, this is normal. Continue to cook uncovered for approximately 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are heated thoroughly and any clumps of caramel have melted to coat potatoes evenly.
3
danish red christmas cabbage ingredients 1 medium red cabbage (about 3 pounds) 3 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoons sugar Âź cup raspberry or sherry vinegar Âź cup of raisins 1 cinnamon stick 1 bay leaf salt, pepper to taste
instructions Remove and discard tough outer leaves from cabbage, then finely shred the cabbage. In a heavy kettle, melt the butter then add the sugar, being careful not to brown. Add cabbage and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vinegar, water, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours, or until cabbage is very tender. Stir occasionally, and if necessary, add a little hot water to prevent scorching. When cabbage is almost tender, add raisins. The cabbage should have a sweet-sour flavor, however you may add more sugar or vinegar to taste. Continue to simmer covered for 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Serve with your choice of seasonal protein, perhaps ham, roast goose or duck. This dish is best if made the day before, and it is ideal to reheat it slowly before serving.
4
mustard sauce ingredients 1/4 cup dijon mustard 1 teaspoon ground dry mustard 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1/3 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
instructions Combine the mustards, sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil and stir in the chopped dill. Serve alongside the ham as an optional accompaniment.
5
ris a la mande
(danish rice pudding) ingredients pudding 8 tablespoons arborio rice 4 cups whole milk 3 tablespoons vanilla sugar 1 cup finely chopped almonds 2Âź cups whipping cream
sauce 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon cornstarch
rice pudding instructions Bring milk to a boil in a large pot. Add rice, and keep simmering until rice is tender, stirring every 3 minutes or so to prevent rice and/or milk burning at the bottom. This step takes approximately 45 minutes. While rice is simmering you can make the cherry sauce and chop the almonds. When rice is firm, add vanilla and sugar then remove from heat and let cool in refrigerator. Once the rice mixture is cold, fold in the whipped cream and almonds. Chill until ready to serve, then to with warm cherry sauce.
cherry sauce instructions In a medium sauce pan, place the cherries and 2 tablespoons of water. Cooking over a low heat, add sugar and stir until thoroughly mixed. Let simmer for approximately 5-8 minutes. Mix cornstarch with water and then very slowly add to saucepan to thicken the sauce. You probably won’t need all the mixture, and you can skip this step if you prefer a thinner sauce. chef’s tip: I prefer the traditional cherry sauce served warm over the ris a la mande, however you can also serve this dish with another fruit sauce of your choice. 6