Norwegian delights

By Brian J. Lowney

Among members of the hardworking seafaring Fairhaven community are well-known, deeply-rooted Norwegian traditions, including good food and a great passion for outdoor activities.

Anne Helena Jorgensen, who proudly shares that she is “100 percent Norwegian,” is a Dartmouth Middle School teacher and Fairhaven resident.

“Norwegians love the outdoors,” she begins. “We go outdoors regardless of the weather. There is no bad weather, just bad clothing decisions.”

Jorgensen emphasizes that after the holidays have subsided, many NorwegianAmerican families continue baking and creating hearty, wholesome recipes that they enjoy throughout the long winter months.

“When you come indoors, it’s all about ‘cozy,’” she tells. “In Norwegian, we have a term, hygge, meaning to create a feeling of coziness. It’s about creating a home, not just a house.”

According to Jorgensen, Norwegians like to serve their guests hot coffee and something baked to enjoy.

“I tend to be the go-to person for cakes,” she quips, adding that her aunt in Norway worked in a bakery for many years and taught her every time she visited Norway how to prepare various scrumptious traditional cakes. In Fairhaven, Jorgensen says she receives calls from people who want to purchase traditional Norwegian cakes and desserts, sometimes filled with marzipan, for special events.

“Over the years, I’ve also learned how to make many kinds of traditional Norwegian breads,” Jorgensen adds.

In addition to baking, the busy wife enjoys cooking for husband John and their son Karl, and also serves a repertoire of traditional Norwegian entrees, including traditional fish cakes and another ethnic speciality, called lapskaus, a hearty beef stew made with beef, potatoes, and root vegetables.

“This flavorful stew incorporates staple ingredients including carrots, turnips, and potatoes,” Jorgensen says. “These were the ingredients that I always remembered. You must have the turnips and you always had to have carrots, no matter what type of meal was served.”

Following are a few Norwegian recipes to enjoy throughout the long winter and months ahead, courtesy of Mrs. Jorgensen:

Lapskaus (Norwegian Beef Stew)

Lapskaus is the Norwegian version of beef stew. Turnip is the highlight in this for my family. It is one of those cold weather meals that just warms the heart and the soul. The root vegetables can be altered in amount according to taste in true stew tradition. My son despises onion chunks but likes the flavor so I usually add grated onion into the cooking gravy. If you need it quickly a pressure cooker is a great shortcut. Otherwise I let it cook on low heat for a few hours in a good pot. The smell alone is worth the time. Serve with a really good bread and butter to sop up the gravy.

2 lb. beef cut into 1-inch cubes or precut stew meat (it does not have to be an expensive cut since it will cook to tenderness) 1

½ cup chopped carrot ½

turnip cut into 1-inch size pieces 2

cups potato cut into 1-inch cubes

½ onion chopped

4 cups beef broth or 1 Tbsp of beef base

2 heaping Tbsp flour

Add about a tablespoon of oil and the same amount in butter to a frying pan. Brown the beef cubes and transfer to a large pot. Add the vegetables. In the pan used for browning add the flour and create a rue. Add more oil or butter if necessary. Add the beef broth or beef base with the same amount of water as broth. Whisk and let simmer to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. I sometimes cheat to make a darker gravy and use a capful of Kitchen Bouquet to darken the gravy. Let simmer for a few hours until the beef is tender and the vegetables are soft and cooked through.

Norwegian dessert waffles

These waffles are buttery, sweet, and yummy! Norwegians make them in a heart-shaped waffle iron. My godmother, Johanna Risdal, and my mom’s best friend, Helen Wilhelmsen, used to make the best waffles. I couldn’t decide on which was better so I combined them both and have been making them for many years. There is a little café in my parent’s home town in Norway where Johannes is famous for his waffles, conversation, and cozy atmosphere. I never do a trip back without stopping in for waffles and a strong cup of black coffee. Norwegians love their coffee. These are best served with butter (of course) and a really good jam. Sour cream is a really delicious substitute for the butter.

6 eggs

1 pint sour cream

6 heaping Tbsp flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 stick melted butter (salted)

In a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together on high for a half hour. Add the butter and sour cream and continue to beat on medium speed. Sift together the flour and baking powder into the wet mixture and fold in until mixed. Let sit for at least an hour before using.

Preheat an electric waffle iron spray with a cooking spray and grease with a bit of butter. Using a ladle, pour the mixture on the iron to cover the bottom but leave space on the sides for spreading during cooking and close. Continue to cook in batches. I usually keep my finished waffles covered with a clean dish cloth while I continue to make the rest. The dough can stay covered in the refrigerator for a day before using.

Fiskegrateng (Fish Gratin)

My dad used to make this a lot when he came in from a fishing trip and had some fresh cod home with him. It is still weird for me to go to a store to buy fish after growing up with fish fresh off the boat. Make sure you buy your fish at a good fish market. Some recipes I have seen have macaroni instead of potato. I tend to be a traditionalist to my dad’s great cooking. My husband’s dad always made it with potato too. So that is our household rule. We serve it with melted butter (yes, more butter) and fried onion. My husband insists on the onion.

1 ½ lbs. cod fillet boiled to just cooked through and broken up into flaked pieces

1 ½ large potato peeled and boiled and broken to tiny pieces (not quite mashed but small)

3 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 ¼ cup whole milk

2 egg beaten

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 Tbsp melted butter to pour over the bread crumb topping.

Mix the fish and potato together and set aside in a baking dish. Melt the 3 Tbsp of butter and flour in the bottom of a saucepan to make the rue. Slowly add the milk and heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the beaten eggs. Add the salt. Return to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes and continually stir until the sauce smooths and there are no lumps. Pour the milk and egg mixture over the fish and potatoes. Top with the bread crumbs. Pour the melted butter over the bread crumbs.

Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes until the top is a golden brown.