What Swedish dishes have we served our foreign guests? Our South African friends Henri and Michelle have discovered Sweden with us in our campervan, and there have been a whole bunch of dinners. So, what have we served, and what did they think of the Swedish food?
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What did our friends think of Swedish food and Swedish dishes?
Peter loves to cook and especially wanted to treat our South African friends to Swedish dishes, although we've also alternated with some more international food. The ratings have been overwhelming. Henri and Michelle have said time and time again that this is the best food they have ever eaten on a trip, and they are very well travelled, so of course it is absolutely fantastic to hear!
They also feel that the selection in Swedish supermarkets is very good, and that there is a large variety of fish and shellfish (while they feel that the selection of good meat is greater in South Africa). They appreciate the Swedish yoghurt, the Swedish cinnamon buns and the large selection of salmon.
1. Smoked salmon with dill stewed potatoes
On the first evening Peter cooked salmon with dill stewed potatoes. This was very good and much appreciated by our guests. Maybe even one of the favourite dishes of the trip!
2. Turkey breast with two sauces
The next day Peter made a dish that has become a favourite in our house: turkey breast with mashed potatoes and two sauces, orange sauce and plum compote. He also served pickled red onions with this. This also became a favourite, not least Peter's creamy mashed potatoes with egg yolks and Västerbotten cheese!
3. Meatballs with raw lingonberries
Then it was time for a real Swedish classic: homemade meatballs on mixed mince with cream sauce, mashed potatoes, raw lingonberries and pickled cucumber. This was so appreciated that we had to make a desired repeat later during the trip!
4. Salmon gratin with boiled potatoes
One evening Peter made salmon gratin, which he served with boiled potatoes and haricot verts. The gratin included crayfish tails, creme fraiche, cream cheese, cream and grated Västerbotten cheese. Appreciated by all! You can buy salmon in South Africa too, but it is expensive and not available everywhere.
5. Cod loin with chanterelles
Another evening featured cod loin cooked in sous vide. Peter served this with mashed cauliflower, buttered chanterelles, bacon wrapped asparagus and soya beans. Our South African friends had never eaten chanterelles before, but enjoyed them very much.
6. lasagne
Lasagne is hardly a traditional Swedish dish, but it is a popular one nonetheless. Peter made a homemade version in the campervan oven and served it with a green salad. It was so good that we all forgot to take photos!
7. Fillet of beef with baked root vegetables
Sometimes it's good to have a big piece of meat! Peter cooked the fillet of beef in sous vide and served it with baked root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions and whole garlic). It was all served with a homemade red wine sauce, which Peter had made earlier and which we had in the freezer.
This dish was enjoyed by all! However, our South African friends, who are used to eating meat almost every day, may find that meat is generally better back home in South Africa. Meat and barbecue is a big thing there!
8. Biff Rydberg
The piece of fillet of beef we bought was enough for dinner for two days. Day number two was Beef Rydberg, that is, beef fillet, raw fried potatoes and onions in pieces together with raw egg yolk and mustard whisk. A little parsley on top! This was liked by everyone, although the raw egg yolk caused some surprise.
9. Fish stew with paprika aioli
One evening we had a fish stew, which was based on a homemade shrimp shell broth. It included halibut, salmon, prawns, crushed tomatoes and white wine. This was served with a homemade aioli flavoured with roasted peppers. Some bread and cheese was good too!
10. Reindeer leg with chanterelles and lingonberries
A real Swedish dish that we wanted to offer was reindeer loin with lingonberries. The stew contained, among other things, reindeer kidneys, chanterelles, onions and cream. This was served with boiled potatoes, raw red lingonberries and vegetables. This went down well, although the reindeer meat may not have topped the list of favourite dishes.
11. Baldness
When we visited Smögen we took the opportunity to buy seafood: crab, Norway lobster, prawns, oysters and Skagen roe. This was served with bread, cheese and a chef's sauce. Henri (who is very fond of oysters) loved the oysters, but our foreign guests were not as fond of Swedish prawns as we are. The Hovmästar sauce, on the other hand, got a thumbs up!
12. Chicken gratin with rice
As a break from the classic Swedish flavours, one evening Peter made a chicken gratin with mini corn, peppers, garlic, curry, mango chutney, sambal oelek and cream. This was served with rice and a green salad. I (Helena) will ask him to cook this dish again!
13. Salmon steaks with crushed potatoes
A dish that we like very much, and which was also much appreciated by our guests, is salmon patties. Peter makes these by mixing fresh salmon, onion, thyme, dill, egg yolk and grated lemon peel. He then fries the steaks, and the leftovers are perfect to eat cold the next day on a sandwich.
The steaks were served with crushed potatoes (Peter boils potatoes, crushes them in half, sprinkles them with Västerbotten cheese and puts them in the oven for a while) and bacon-wrapped asparagus. A very popular dinner!
14. Lamb fillet with baked potatoes
One evening it was lamb fillet, which Peter cooked in sous vide. This was served with baked potatoes, fried mushrooms and homemade game sauce. Delicious and appreciated by all!
15. Falukorv and lard strips with mashed potatoes
Falukorv and isterband are classic Swedish sausages. We served both at the same meal, together with peas and mashed potatoes. This was hardly the favourite (apart from the mashed potato which was a super favourite!), but both sausages were approved.
16. Perch with boiled potatoes
Perch is Peter's favourite fish and we swung by lake village where we bought frozen trouser fillets. Peter removed the bones and gratinated the fish together with cream, dill and white wine. We served this with boiled potatoes. A dish that everyone enjoyed very much!
17. Swedish tacos
We told you about the concept of "Swedish tacos". Tacos are of course not originally Swedish, but a kind of Swedish version has developed, which has also become traditional on Fridays. After we told them about this, our South African friends asked for "taco Friday". Said and done! We arranged this and it was much appreciated!
Starters and side dishes
Toast with onion roe
When we were still at home in the houseboat, we served a vendace roe toast as a starter. Toasted white bread, red onion, smetana and vendace roe! This little dish was much appreciated.
Prawn sandwich
When we were in Smögen, we tried a classic prawn sandwich as well as a sandwich with gravlax and chef's sauce. The prawns were only moderately appreciated, but the salmon sandwich was thoroughly enjoyed!
Shrimp soup
As a starter for the perch, Peter served homemade prawn soup, which he made with prawn shells and, among other things, fennel, onions, cayenne pepper, brandy and cream (and which we kept in the freezer of the camper van).
When serving, he put quick-fried cabbage, filleted tomato and some peeled prawns in the bottom of a deep plate, and then poured the soup at the table. Delicious, although as I said, Swedish prawns were not the favourite.
Herring and potatoes
We served herring and potatoes as a starter one day. We "warned" that it might be difficult to like, if you are not used to it, and expected that our friends would only take one tiny piece each. However, they took several pieces each, and said that it was much better than they expected. The Skåne aquavit also went down without a problem. This one was liked!
Black pudding with bacon and lingonberries
Another slightly "odd" dish that we chose to serve as an extra was black pudding. Our South African friends were hesitant to say the least (not least after we told them about the ingredients) but against all odds they each ate a whole piece. Better than expected, was the verdict.
Feta cheese cream with melon
One afternoon Peter served a small "snack" consisting of feta cheese cream topped with watermelon, fresh basil, chopped pine nuts, balsamic vinegar and honey. Not so Swedish perhaps, but appreciated by all!
Snacks
Dried reindeer meat
We also offered some different snacks during the trip. When we were in Stockholm, we bought a piece of dried reindeer meat, which we cut into thin slices. This went down well, although our friends think that South African "biltong" (dried meat) is better. And yes, we can agree that the dried meat in South Africa is very good!
Moose sausages
When we visited Glass Kingdom Moose Park In Småland we bought some elk sausages, which we tried one evening. These were good, and although they may not have been a flavour sensation, it was fun to try.
Rough bread, mess butter and caviar
Rye bread is also available in South Africa, but the choice is greater in Sweden. Our South African friends fell in love with Danish rye bread, which they liked very much and which we ate for breakfast every day.
Of course, we introduced caviar in a tube, even though we know it can be difficult to like. The response was 50/50. Michelle gave it a thumbs up and Henri gave it a thumbs down.
Another thing we took the opportunity to try was messmör. Peter ate this growing up but I (Helena), who grew up in Skåne, had never tried it. So this was a novelty for three of us. Our South African friends commented that they thought it was similar to "Dulce de leche" and Michelle was probably the one of us who was most excited.
Sweets
Glass
There have also been a lot of sweets during the trip, and not least ice cream that all four of us are fond of. Ice cream is of course not specific to Sweden, but the Swedish ice cream was approved with praise.
Ice cream with cloudberry jam
We also served vanilla ice cream with cloudberry jam one day. Henri, who is the one who appreciates berries and fruits, thought this was very, very good!
Marabou chocolate
Another favourite was Marabou chocolate and our South African friends say "better than Lindt"!
Polka dots
We also tried candy canes when we were in Gränna. This was perhaps not the favourite candy for any of us really, but it belongs to eat when you are in Gränna. Sometimes it's the place and the situation that makes the experience!
Summa summarum: Swedish dishes that we have served to our foreign guests
These were the Swedish dishes that we managed to offer our foreign guests. It was great to be able to offer our traditional dishes, and it was very nice that it was appreciated. What do you usually serve when you have guests from abroad?
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Golden Eva says:
Who could resist that menu 😍 I'd love to be on a test panel 😁
Here in south-eastern Småland, you'd choose body cakes with lingonberries from Öland, raggmunkar with pork, and lard with dill-stewed potatoes and beetroot.
11 August 2024 - 8:38
Helena says:
Raggmunk with pork is good! 🙂 Nothing we are used to cooking though, so we did not go for it ... 😉
12 August 2024 - 12:55
4000mil says:
So nice to read about your foreign guests and what they think about everything. You have really "exposed" them! 😂
I love black pudding and caviar myself but would never have dared to offer. 😅
11 August 2024 - 8:43
Helena says:
Yes, there were a few "specialities" ... 😉 However, we only served the black pudding as a "sample" before dinner ... 😉
12 August 2024 - 12:56
Birgitta says:
Yum what class on the food you offered was so hungry for everything.
Peter will be happy to give you the recipe for the two sauces for the turkey breast.
Thanks in advance💞
11 August 2024 - 8:44
Helena says:
Peter makes a few different ones (like "on the fly") so we don't have exact recipes, but here's an approximation:
Plum compote: Chop fresh plums and boil in a pan with sugar and water. Add a dash of brandy. You can also add a little grated orange peel, butter, sage and rosemary.
Orange sauce: 5 dl water, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, a little chicken stock, 2 dl squeezed orange, grated orange peel from 2 oranges, 1 tsp ginger, 2 tsp cornflour, a little butter. This should boil for a quarter of an hour, 20 minutes, boil down to half so it becomes more concentrated.
12 August 2024 - 13:03
Christian says:
Wow, ambitious! Sounds great to be a guest with you!
11 August 2024 - 10:33
Helena says:
Yes, he spent a lot of time cooking... 😉
12 August 2024 - 13:03
Anonymous says:
So fun to read what you have offered. Must learn to use the campervan oven more.
11 August 2024 - 11:37
Helena says:
We love our motorhome oven and use it a lot! Perfect for gratins, baked root vegetables and much more!
12 August 2024 - 13:04
Monica says:
Wow what food you served your guests with. Cooked in a motorhome too! Impressive. Would never in life serve black pudding though, it is not on the map with intestine or blood food with us. I also find food with lingonberry jam very strange and never eat it. We know that foreigners have a hard time with herring, so I wouldn't take a chance, but I do recommend gubbröra, which always goes down well! Mannerström has the best recipe there. Also try Sandefjord sauce (Norwegian so it's "second Swedish") next time for fish - it's a given success! Pancakes are also Swedish, I think, just like waffles and there jam fits well. Unless you make crepes of course! Crayfish were not available, I think, but it is otherwise a fun Swedish tradition with the snap and the Västerbotten pie. But I would have been more than happy as a guest with this incredibly fine food! Chapeau for the chef!
11 August 2024 - 12:31
Helena says:
Yes, almost all the dishes are cooked in the campervan (except the first three that we made at home in the boat). The black pudding we served more as an interesting "try on" thing, it was just an "extra dish" and not dinner, we would not have wanted to serve it either actually ... We did the same with the herring ... Gubbröra is a good suggestion! Sandefjord sauce also sounds interesting, we will check it out! We thought about fixing a crayfish disc, but since seafood was not very appreciated (especially not unpeeled and "natural") we chose to skip it. Otherwise agree that it is a fun thing!
12 August 2024 - 13:07
Monica says:
Sandefjord sauce is a relatively new discovery for me. Super simple: equal parts whipped cream, crème fraîche and butter. It's melted but not cooked, and the butter is added last in batches, stirring as you would when making mayonnaise. Finally, top with tinned red caviar and chopped chives. Calories yes, but you have to treat yourself sometimes. A guaranteed success every time with fish and good new or firm potatoes and a fresh salad on the side. That's all you need. With gubbröra it's the same thing: people eat like crazy!
I also make a variation on gravlax in ready-made slices. Place them on a plate, slice by slice. Place finely chopped leek or red onion on top along with capers. Not too much, not too little. Drizzle a good olive oil over the top and give it a whirl with the pepper mill. Add a mache salad, haricots verts or broccoli on the side and you have a delicious starter!
12 August 2024 - 14:27
Jonathan Gharbi de mare says:
Grateful guide for those of us thinking about what we can do when visitors ask about Swedish food ! Food useful 😜! Turkey with orange and plum compote will be in the days !
11 August 2024 - 14:17
Helena says:
There is a lot of good Swedish food to serve! 🙂
12 August 2024 - 13:09
I Monica says:
Amazing what a chef Peter is! I think the restaurant on deck in the houseboat would be full all the time😊.
I used to make my own broth from prawn shells and other time-consuming things, but I don't have the energy for that today. The food looks great and so much work. Nice they seemed to be happy and you of course who got to eat it.
Blood pudding is completely lost on us, as is liver and the like, liver as the animal's cleansing organ and so eating, no. But I did not see that you had. My mother-in-law was happy to offer liver and as well-behaved as I am, I ate it but wondered when it would be again and again.
Looks so so nice everything, good you / you photographed for think I understand the recipes from it. You are very good as tour guides👍.
Another Monica, well you look at the email.
11 August 2024 - 15:29
Helena says:
Yes, the food took some time, but usually Peter likes to stand and tinker in the kitchen, at least if there is time 🙂 Black pudding was a bit of a "bubbler" that we mostly served as an interesting try-on thing (ie it was not that day's dinner). Glad you like our photos! 🙂
12 August 2024 - 13:11
JoY says:
Those pictures make me want to eat everything, sounds very good. Maybe there will be a recipe collection in the future.
11 August 2024 - 20:31
Helena says:
Yes, it was good! And yes, maybe we should go for it at some point 😉
12 August 2024 - 13:12
BP says:
WOW, drool, drool. What luxury food you offered your guests. Peter is an absolute master chef and deserves a few stars in the Michelin Guide. And cooking these wonderful dishes in a caravan with limited space is even cooler.
It's funny that you "dared" to offer Michelle and Henri falukorv, Isterband and blood pudding (three dishes that are not luxury food). It was a brave thing to do. And dried reindeer meat, which is so heavenly good, but rarely appreciated by others than Swedes.
And since it is crayfish and surströmmings times, it probably remains that you also offer these delicacies. However, I guess you refrain from surströmming;-)
11 August 2024 - 20:47
Helena says:
Yes, we felt a little brave when we offered falukorv and black pudding, hehe. We don't eat surströmming ourselves, so we don't offer that (and maybe a little too exhausting ... ;)). Crayfish slice would be fun, but since seafood was not the most appreciated (especially not with shells and "naturell") we refrained from continuing on that track 😉
12 August 2024 - 13:15
Lena - good for the soul says:
I am so impressed with your level of ambition! Not least all these fantastic dishes cooked in the campervan as well. Glad that they actually seem honest. It would not have been so credible if they thought that everything was "delicious".
Hug Lena
12 August 2024 - 9:32
Helena says:
Yes, good reflection! Agree that it would be weird if they loved everything 😉
12 August 2024 - 13:17
Anna Nilsson Spets says:
Impressive menu, how good Peter is. But I can do without the black pudding.
12 August 2024 - 19:41