Taste of West Sweden - Luxury Experience

This month we are pleased to bring you another taste of the gastronomy of West Sweden with four exciting recipes from the chefs of Thorskogs Slott and Handelman Flinks Restaurang & Handelsbod.

Both Thorskogs Slott and Handelman Flinks Restaurang & Handelsbod participate in the Vastsvensk Mersmak, (Taste of West Sweden), which was launched in 2000, to promote tourism to West Sweden as a gourmet destination. The program is for restaurants outside of Gothenburg, who must participate in rigorous training and seminars, as well as be judged by a jury to determine if they uphold the high standards that Västsvensk Mersmak strives to meet. Smaklig måltid (Bon appetit!)

Thorskogs Slott, is a beautiful castle that was built in 1892. Today, it is a lovely boutique hotel with an impressive kitchen. Their chef Anna Sara Johansson generously provides three enticing recipes.

Whitefish Roe from the Väner Lake with Jerusalem Artichoke Pannacotta and Chopped Red Onion
12 servings.

360	grams (13 ounces)	Whitefish roe
300	grams (11 ounces)	Jerusalem artichokes
5	dl (1⅔ cup)	crème fraiche
1	drop	truffle oil
7	sheets	unflavored gelatin
1		lemon, juiced
		salt and pepper

Peel the Jerusalem artichokes and boil them in salted salt.
Dissolve gelatin in cool water.
When the Jerusalem artichokes are soft, mix them with crème fraiche until the batter is smooth.
Season with truffle oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Squeeze the gelatin to remove excess water, dissolve it in the batter, and fill the individual forms.

Thorskogs Slotts Bread
Yield: 2 loaves of bread

5	dl (1⅔ cup)	wheat flour
3	dl (1 cup)	sifted rye flour
3	dl (1 cup)	graham flour
4	dl (1⅓ cup)	mixture of grains and seeds (sunflower seeds, corn, linseed, crushed rye)
1	teaspoon	salt
4	teaspoon	baking soda
1	liter (34 ounces)	buttermilk
0.5	dl (1/6 cup)	corn oil
2	dl (⅔ cup)	dark molasses

Blend dry ingredients.
Add the buttermilk, corn oil and dark molasses. Blend well.
Butter the bread pans and sprinkle with dried breadcrumbs. Pour the batter into 2 1.5-liter bread forms.
Bake at 175° C (350° F), for about 100 minutes.
Enjoy!

Warm Chocolate Mousse with Cloudberry Jam and Vanilla Ice Cream
35 servings

600	grams (21 ounces)	chocolate
150	grams (5.3 ounces)	butter
360	grams (13 ounces)	egg yolks
540	grams (19 ounces)	egg whites
6	teaspoons	lemon juice
300	grams (11 ounces)	sugar

Grease and sugar a 35-portion form.
Melt the chocolate in a hot water bath, mix in the butter until it melts, and then whisk in the egg yolks.
Mix with a spatula until it is a smooth elastic ganache.
Whip the egg whites, lemon juice and 1/3 of the sugar until foamy.
Add the rest of the sugar and whip until the egg whites form stiff peaks form.
Mix ¼ of the meringue and the chocolate ganache, and then fold it in the rest of the meringue with a spatula.
Spoon the mousse into the form.
Bake at 175° C (350 °F).

Cloudberry Sauce

1	kg (36 ounces)	cloudberry jam
400	grams (1¾ cups)	sugar
0,5	dl (1/6 cup)	Cognac

Add the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a quick boil.

Vanilla Ice Cream

Boil 5 dl (1⅔ cups) milk with 1 vanilla bean.
Blend 3 eggs with 130 grams (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) of sugar.
Add 1,5 dl (½ cup) cream to the milk and pour in a thin stream into the eggs.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and warm until the mixture begins to thicken.
Pour the mixture into a bowl set on ice and keep stirring until it firms, (or place it into an ice cream machine to process) and place the ice cream in the freezer.

Read other articles on Thorskogs Slott in the Hotels & Resorts, and Restaurants sections.

Thorskogs Slott
SE-463 93 Västerlanda
Sweden
Telephone: 0520-66 10 00
Fax: 0520-66 09 18
email: info@thorskogsslott.se
www.thorskogsslott.se

Handelsman Flink Restaurang & Handelsbod is a restaurant, a boutique hotel and has a general store that dates back to 1912. Chef Niclas Krafft shares his delicious recipe for Marinated Haddock.

Marinated Haddock with Seasonal Vegetable Ragout and Truffle Vierge
4 Servings

800	grams (1¾ lb)	haddock fillets, skin on
1	dl (⅓ cup)	sugar
1½	dl (little less then ⅔ cup)	salt
1	liter (34 ounces)	water
2	tablespoons	olive oil
3	tablespoons	unsalted butter

Marinated haddock: Cut the fish into four pieces of equal size. Heat the sugar, salt and water to boiling. Let cool. Add the fish and marinate, refrigerated, for about 12 hours. Preheat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F). Dry the fish thoroughly with paper towels. Fry over high heat, skin side down, in olive oil in a non-stick pan. The skin should be crispy. Transfer the fish to an ovenproof dish, add the butter and bake for a few minutes.

Seasonal Vegetable Ragout

750	grams (1¾ lb)	almond potatoes
½	small bunch	thyme
1		garlic clove
		olive oil
		salt and pepper
2		mini-fennel
4		mini-carrots
4		spring onions
4		radishes

Seasonal vegetable ragout: Cook the potatoes in salted water with the thyme and garlic. Drain and let cool, then peel and halve lengthwise. Fry in olive oil until crispy and golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 3 liters (quarts) of water to boiling. Trim the tiny vegetables and cook in lightly salted water until crisp tender. Plunge immediately into ice water. Reserve the cooking liquid. The above can be done several hours in advance. Before serving, reheat the potatoes in the oven. Heat the cooking liquid to boiling and add the vegetables. When they are the right temperature, remove with a slotted spoon and drain.

Truffle Vierge

100	grams (4 ounces)	julienne of carrot, parsnip and shallot
1-2	tablespoons	olive oil
1	tablespoon	runny honey
2	dl (⅔ cup)	truffle juice
2	tablespoons	concentrated veal stock
10	grams (⅓ ounce)	finely chopped fresh black truffle
1	tablespoon	truffle oil
		salt and pepper
1	teaspoon	lemon juice (optional)

Truffle vierge: Sauté the julienne vegetables in 1tablespoon olive oil. Add the honey and stir for a few seconds. Add the truffle juice and reduce by half. Strain. Heat to boiling and the concentrated stock. Reduce a little more, and then add the remaining ingredients, with lemon juice to balance the flavor, if necessary. Add the remaining olive oil. Do not stir the mixture too much. Reheat but do not allow it to boil.

To serve: Combine the potatoes and vegetables and arrange on a plate with the fish alongside. Drizzle sauce between and around the vegetables and the fish.

Handelsman Flink Restaurang & Handelsbod
Handelsman Flink
Flatön
474 91 Ellös
Sweden
Telephone: 0304-550 51
Fax: 0304-555 57
Email: info@handelsmanflink.se
www.handelsmanflink.se

Please read other articles on Sweden in our Destinations, Hotels & Resorts, Chefs’ Recipes, Restaurants, Music Scene, Gastronomy, The Liquor Cabinet and Events sections.

For more information on Sweden, please visit: www.visit-sweden.com, www.west-sweden.com and www.vastsvenskmersmak.com.