Most of the Explorica staff is staying home for the holidays this year, but that doesn’t mean our celebrations won’t have an international flair. Here are some tasty recipes from around the world for you to share with family and friends this season.
Starter: Lohikeitto (salmon soup)
Finland | Shared by Bryan Ouellette, International Program Specialist
INGREDIENTS
- 4-5 potatoes
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 brown or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb. salmon fillet, cubed
- 5¼ cups fish stock
- ¾ cup cream, or milk for a thinner soup
- Salt and pepper
- Allspice
- 1 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- 5 bay leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cut potatoes into roughly one inch cubes; keep in water to prevent discoloration.
2. In a large saucepan, simmer chopped onions in butter over medium heat until soft.
3. Add peeled and diced potatoes and just enough water to cover the potatoes. Turn up heat to high, cover the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until soft, adjusting the heat down as necessary.
4. Add the cubed salmon to the pot and cook until mostly opaque, about 5 minutes. Do not stir.
5. Once salmon is cooked, remove from soup and set aside.
6. Add fish stock and cream, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper to taste, with a dash of allspice. Cook 5-10 minutes.
7. If you prefer a thicker soup, add cornstarch slurry (mix 1 tbsp of cornstarch and 1 tbsp of water, stirring to dissolve cornstarch) and simmer until thickened.
8. Remove from heat and stir in fresh dill.
9. Transfer the cooked salmon into individual bowls and ladle the soup over.
10. Use remaining dill for garnish and serve with rye bread and butter.
Main course: Mushroom paprikash with dumplings
Hungary | Shared by Lesley Noone, Senior International Program Specialist
INGREDIENTS
Paprikash:
- 3 tbsp. sunflower oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 8 cups white champignon mushrooms, halved
- ½ tomato, cubed
- ½ Hungarian sweet yellow pepper, cubed
- 1 tbsp. sweet paprika powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1½ tbsp. flour
- Chopped parsley
Dumplings:
- 2 eggs
- 3½ cups flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. sunflower oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Paprikash:
1. Heat oil in a large pan. Add onions and stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add red paprika powder.
2. Return to heat and add mushrooms. Stew for about 7-10 minutes until saucy. Add tomatoes and yellow pepper, and season with salt, pepper and paprika powder. Cook until mushrooms release their juices.
3. Combine sour cream and 1½ tbsp of flour in a small dish. While stirring, add some juice of the mushrooms. Mix well, and pour into stew. Bring to a boil once more; add chopped parsley. Add salt to taste.
Dumplings:
1. Bring 3 liters of salted water to a boil.
2. Mix flour, salt and eggs and add water until dough is thick and sticky.
3. Take small spoonfuls of dough with a spoon and drop in one at a time.
4. Cook until dumplings rise, then wash with lukewarm water. Mix in oil.
Dessert: Torta milhojas
Chile | Shared by Raphael Jaras, International Program Specialist
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups sifted flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 egg yolks, room temperature
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 tbsp. rum or pisco
- 3 cups dulce de leche or caramel
- 21/2 cups chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine flour and salt in a big bowl. Add butter, egg yolks, milk and liquor, and use a mixer or two knives to form a dough of medium consistency. Wrap in plastic wrap and let stand in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Divide dough into 14 equal portions. Roll each piece on a floured counter until very thin. Using a paring knife, cut circles 9” in diameter, using a cake pan as a guide. Pierce the circle of dough with a fork and bake for 5-7 minutes until just golden. Let cool.
4. Add dulce de leche between each layer of dough, with ground walnuts added every three layers, saving one cup of walnuts for decoration. Cover cake with a thin layer of dulce de leche and sprinkle with a mixture of walnuts, powdered sugar and crumbs.
5. Let rest covered in the fridge and serve at room temperature.