Crossing the Arctic Circle into Lapland, Finland, is the enchanting Rovaniemi Village, where Santa Claus lives all year! In this village, one can meet Santa’s reindeer, see the Northern Lights, ride with huskies, and much more. These recipes from Finland will help transport you to Santa’s home this winter season, bringing joy and warmth to any holiday table!
Finnish Carrot Bread Rolls
Easy, soft, and sweet, these rolls are perfect for both jam and butter. They are perfect for breakfast, or as a side with a delicious soup!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm milk
1 tbsp active dry yeast
2 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 tbsp honey
25 grams unsalted softened butter
Instructions:
Combine the warm milk and yeast. Mix, and set aside.
Mix together the flour, salt, grated carrots, and honey in a bowl and mix. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl and mix. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. Add the butter and mix again until there is a smooth consistency. If the dough is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour.
Form the dough into a ball and place it into an oiled bowl. Cover with a cloth and let rise until double the size – about an hour.
Divide it into 12 portions and roll into balls. Place each ball on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving a bit of space in between. Cover with a kitchen cloth and let sit another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Remove the kitchen cloth and place the pan on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
Let cool slightly.
Enjoy!
Lohikeitto – Finnish Salmon Soup
This creamy soup is warm and comforting as a perfect side dish or a light meal. Serve with the carrot rolls as part of your delicious holiday meal!
Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter
1 leek, thinly sliced, white part only
1 medium carrot, diced
3 medium potatoes, diced
5 cups fish stock
1 lb fresh salmon, cut into cubes
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 to 1 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Place a medium soup pot over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the leek and and cook until softened. Add the carrots and potatoes and mix.
Add the fish stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Bring back down to a simmer until the veggies are cooked.
Add the salmon and heavy cream and combine. Turn the heat back to medium, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the dill, and turn off the heat. Cover and keep covered for 2 minutes before serving.
Serve with more dill if desired.
Enjoy!
Kaalilaatikko –
Finnish Cabbage Casserole
This extremely traditional Finnish dish is a healthy, filling holiday option that is guaranteed to be a hit!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup white rice
3 tbsp butter – divided
1 pound ground beef, turkey, or bison
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp salt, divided
1 cabbage, sliced and chopped
1 tbsp maple syrup
pepper, to taste
1 and 3/4 cups broth (any broth)
Instructions:
Cook the rice normally and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a 12 inch cast iron skillet, or baking sheet, and set aside.
Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet and add the meat, onions, an 1/2 tsp of salt. Cook until the meat is browned.
In another large pot, melt the rest of the butter and add the chopped cabbage and the rest of the salt. Cover, and cook until soft while stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Turn down the heat if the cabbage starts to stick.
When the cababge is done, turn off the heat and add the cooked rice, meat and onion mixture, maple syrup, and pepper to taste. Mix and pour into the cast iron skillet or baking sheet. Pour broth over the casserole.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown on top. Cooking in cast iron will cook faster. Cover with foil if the top gets too brown too fast.
Enjoy!
