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Northern Europe

Often derided for being bland, the food of Northern Europe typically formed out of necessity, not luxury. Historically, produce was hard to come by and fishing was difficult during long harsh winters. As a result, local diets evolved to rely mainly on meat, salted and preserved fish (herring, cod), and a variety of hearty tubers, like potatoes. Herring has been indispensable here since at least the Neolithic. By one account, a Finnish girl was not ready for marriage until she could prepare herring 25 different ways. Along with herring, variations of gravlax -- smoked salmon cured in sugar, salt, and dill -- are still quite popular in Sweden, Norway, and Finland, often served as part of a smorgasbord or on top of open-faced sandwiches. An acquired taste, the Icelandic delicacy hakarl is made of rotted, air-dried shark flesh, and is a source of pride and strength to those who partake in the dish. Across the Baltic Sea from Scandinavia, fish is also common in Latvia and Lithuania, although the cuisines are more influenced by their Eastern European neighbors.

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Featured Cook kcohen Cooking Level: Intermediate Home Town: Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, U.K. Living In: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Crispy Baked Basa

Reviewed on Nov. 17, 2008 by Caroline C

Basa is great for people like me who don't really like fish but eat it because it's healthy. I'd never had it before, and would compare it to tilapia. I was expecting it to taste muddy like catfish, but it really didn't. The only changes I made were to use crushed saltines instead of Melbe toast, and I added garlic powder to the crumb mixture instead of using fresh. I'm still not a fish fan but this turned out great. Thanks!

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Hamburger Soup I

Reviewed on Nov. 17, 2008 by CPENABAUER

This is a great basic recipe that lets you play around with the ingredients a bit. I made some adjustments that my family absolutely loved - even my very fussy 3 yr old. I omitted the ketchup and basil, as I'm not really fond of basil combined with beef. I instead added a dash of worchestershire sauce, 1 bay leaf, 1 tbsp dried oregano, plus some about 2 tbsps chopped fresh parsely. Additionally, for flavor, I included 2 finely diced garlic cloves and a 1/2 cup of barley. I think the barley really makes this soup really hearty and tasty, not to mention nutritious! You just add the barley in at the beginning with all the other ingredients and you're ready for a great, cozy winter meal!

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