Swedish Christmas menu

Jansson’s Temptation

Cut the potatoes into thin strips and finely chop the onion and Swedish-style anchovies (spiced sprats). Layer everything in an ovenproof dish and season with salt and pepper. Pour over a little of the anchovy brine, followed by the cream.

Bake at 175°C until golden brown on top and soft and creamy in the centre. The cooking time will vary depending on the size and depth of the dish.

Mustard Herring

Mix the crème fraîche and mustard, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the herring and leave to rest in the refrigerator for a few hours. Make sure to use ready-pickled herring, such as Swedish “5-minute herring”.

Gravlax

Making your own gravlax isn’t difficult, but with Christmas in full swing, it’s nice to have a little time to relax as well. Unless you happen to have some gravlax left over from the Christmas table, we suggest taking the easy route: visit a well-stocked deli and pick up some ready-made gravlax along with a small jar of Swedish mustard-dill sauce (Hovmästarsås).

To serve

Arrange the Jansson’s temptation, mustard herring and gravlax on the bread. Drizzle a little Swedish mustard-dill sauce over the gravlax and serve.

Red Cabbage Finely shred the cabbage and chop the apple and onion. Sauté together with the jelly and syrup. Add the vinegar, water and freshly crushed cloves. Leave to simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent it from catching on the bottom.

Potato Gratin Thinly slice the potatoes and onion. Layer them in an ovenproof dish, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Pour over the milk and cream. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for about 35–40 minutes, until golden on top and soft and creamy in the centre.

Glaze Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until the glaze has thickened slightly.

Ribs Place the ribs in an ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Slow-roast at 140°C (285°F) for about 1½ hours. Remove the foil and continue cooking for another 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender.

Increase the oven temperature to 225°C (435°F). Brush the ribs generously with the glaze and return them to the oven for about 20 minutes. Turn the ribs during cooking and brush with more glaze several times, particularly when turning them, until beautifully browned and caramelised.

Gingerbread Wafers Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Thoroughly mix the remaining ingredients, then gently fold in the whipped cream. Cook the wafers in a wafer iron. As soon as each wafer is ready, quickly roll it into shape while it is still warm and pliable. Leave to cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container.

Orange and Saffron Ice Cream Finely grate the zest of one orange and add it to the cream together with the saffron. Squeeze the orange and add about 100 ml of the juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then leave to cool to about 70°C (160°F).

Whisk the egg yolks and icing sugar until pale and fluffy, then whisk them into the cream mixture. For the next step, you will need either a thermometer or a good feel for custard. Heat the mixture gently, whisking constantly, until it reaches about 75–83°C (170–180°F). The mixture should just begin to thicken – no more than that. If it gets too hot, it may curdle.

As soon as the mixture has thickened, place the bowl in a cold water bath to stop the cooking and cool it down. While it cools, whisk one of the egg whites until light and foamy. Once the mixture is cold, gently fold in the whisked egg white.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn until the ice cream is ready.

Scoop the ice cream into neat balls and serve with the gingerbread wafers. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a touch of something green to turn this dessert into a fresh little oasis – a welcome contrast to the otherwise rather rich food of a traditional Swedish Christmas.