Swedish Mustard

Bill's grandfather used to make Swedish mustard, with Bill helping occasionally.   To crush the mustard seeds, he used a large bowl and a 10 pound iron ball.  He placed the mustard seed in the bowl and moved the ball around and around in circles to crush the seeds.  It took at least an hour or two and he would pass the ball off to any one he could. 

My MIL, Alice, in later years used a blender to crush the seeds, and I use a food processor.  I always thought it was the vinegar that determined how much heat would be in the mustard.  She informed me that is not the case; it is the quantity of sugar that determines it.   The more sugar, the hotter the mustard is!!

If you love hot spicy mustard, this recipe is for you!  It's not for the timid palate.  

                                            

Swedish Mustard

Ingredients:

1 cup dry mustard seeds, black or dark brown
1 cup white vinegar, approximately
1/4 cup granulated sugar, approximately

Method:  

Pour a little vinegar over mustard seeds and let stand for 10 minutes.
Put half of mustard seeds in a blender with 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
Switch blender back and forth from low to high.
When it starts to thicken, or turn yellow, add 2 teaspoons of sugar and a little more vinegar.
It takes about 5 minutes.
Remove mixture from blender and place in a bowl.
Repeat steps for the remaining half of mustard seeds.
After it is finished, return mixture from bowl to blender.
All the mustard will be ground now.
Whirl the mixture for a minute or so.
Keep adding sugar and vinegar until all is used.
If too thick, add more vinegar.
And remember, if you want it hotter, add more sugar!

Yum!  It is the perfect condiment with a kick!

Cardamom Braid

Cardamom was a new spice to me when my MIL added it to her coffee cake batter --- it was the incredible aroma that got my attention.  She was a first generation Swede so she came by using cardamom as naturally as her mother and Aunt Ida.

Cardamom pods

Cardamom seeds

Ground cardamom

India is cardamom’s native country with the green pod being used extensively in cooking there instead of ground cardamom.  It has a unique savory, slightly sweet spicy flavor and approximately 8 to 16 seeds are encased in a pod.  Cardamom loses its natural oils quickly, so only ground what you need for the recipe.  Next to saffron, it is one of the most expensive spices; therefore, you do not want to buy ground cardamom and let it set in the cabinet.   

Buy whole green cardamom pods or seeds and grind your own for the freshest taste.  If you purchase the pods, smash them on a cutting board to crack them open.  Gather the seeds and grind them in a spice grinder.  You won't believe the the slightly pungent aroma after a couple of seconds grinding!

The seeds can also be crushed between two spoons.  A tablespoon of pods yields about 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom.


Cardamom Braid

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
½  cup sugar
¾ cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon salt
½ to 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds or ground cardamom
4 ½ cups bread flour
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 beaten egg for glaze

Coarse sugar or 1 teaspoon granulated sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Method:

Mix yeast, warm water and 1/2 teaspoon sugar until yeast dissolves. Set aside.

Heat milk in a saucepan over low heat until small bubbles appear along the edges. Cool to about 120F. Add beaten eggs, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, salt, cardamom and 3 cups flour. Beat well. Add butter; beat well. Add yeast mixture. Add remaining 11/2 cups flour in three additions, mixing well after each addition, until dough has a soft to medium consistency.

Knead on a lightly floured surface or with a mixer fitted with dough hooks until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding as little additional flour as possible.

Place dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Punch down dough and let rise again until almost doubled, about 1 hour. 

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope. Braid 3 ropes together to form a loaf. Repeat with remaining 3 ropes. Place loaves on a greased baking sheet or in greased 81/2 x 41/2-inch loaf pans. Cover with a cloth and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Brush loaves with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake 25 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottom. Invert from pan and cool on wire rack.

Makes 2 loaves

Wonderful!  Fragrant and yummy!

Alice’s Swedish Meatballs

Early meatball recipes are hard to find and nobody is sure where the meatball originated.

Meat was rare around the world in early days and the meatballs were surely made with ground meat from leftovers and hand-shredded to be enjoyed mainly by the rich. 

Meatballs, as we know them today, would not have been possible until the invention of the meat grinder.  The first United States patent of a crude meat grinder was issued in 1829 with a superior one having rotary cutting blades and a spiral feed being patented in 1845.  Then for the first time, ordinary people could purchase fresh ground meat.  

This great invention allowed Alice, a first generation Swede, and my mother-in-law, to make her marvelous meatballs.  She was a good cook, having many Swedish recipes, some not so good according to my husband as he was growing up.  She loved to cook for a crowd and did so countless times.  

Having 3 aunts and 5 uncles, all from Sweden, she had to learn to cook Swedish food; fast and well.  This is her recipe for Swedish Meatballs and they are delicious, seasoned to perfection in a great gravy.  They make a wonderful entrée served with buttered noodles or a delectable appetizer as well.  These meatballs are some of the best, you will love them!

Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 large cooked potato

1 slice stale bread or ¼ c. cracker crumbs

1 onion

1 ½ lb. ground chuck

½ t. salt

¼ t. pepper

¼ t. allspice

1 t. paprika

1 T. sugar

1 or 2 eggs, slightly beaten

¼ c. evaporated milk

Method:

Finely grind potato, bread and onion.  Add to meat.  Mix well. 

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Shape into balls (with damp hands) and place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes till done.

After 10 minutes, shake pan to turn them.

Gravy

Ingredients:

¼ c. flour

½ c. water

1 T. Hungarian paprika

3 c. beef stock

2 c. sour cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Mix flour and water very well.

Place beef stock in saucepan.  When it starts to bubble, slowly stir in flour mixture, stirring constantly. 

Add paprika, salt and pepper.

Stir in sour cream.  Heat till warm.

Pour gravy over meatballs and serve.

Smaklig maltid!