Recipes

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

Finland, with nearly one-third of the country north of the Arctic Circle, has a rather short growing season, and much of its land is not suitable for farming. Like other ethnic groups living in cold climates, food preservation was an important survival method. Salting, souring, drying and pickling vegetables, meats and fruits have, according to a chapter in Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant (Simon & Schuster, 1990), “evolved into a national preference for sour, fermented, salty tastes.” (p. 246). The staple foods are made from the grains and cereals rye, barley, oats and buckwheat, and from milk. The country was controlled by Sweden from the 13th to the beginning of the 19th centuries, and by Russia for 100 years after that, so the cuisine also shows a Swedish and Russian influence. The Lapplander of northern Finland, while no longer relying just on reindeer herding, still maintain their own distinct customs. In addition to the cookbook mentioned above, another good resource is Scandinavian Feasts by Beatrice Ojakangas (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1992).

Finnish Oven Pancake Pannukakku Serves 4 Preheat oven to 375F to 400F. 1/4 cup butter 2 tablespoons sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups milk (or 1 cup each whole and evaporated milk) 1 cup flour In oven, melt butter (divided evenly) in 2 8-inch round cake pans. Remove so butter does not burn. Beat eggs. Add milk, sugar, salt and flour, beating constantly with a wire whisk. Pour batter into sizzling hot pans on top of melted butter and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from pans. Serve warm with jelly, sour cream, syrup, honey, powdered sugar or a sugar/cinnamon mix. Recipe from Smithsonian Folklife Cookbook by Katherine S. and Thomas M. Kirlin, Smithsonian Institution, 1991, p. 199.

Cranberry Whip Vatkattu Marjapuuro (vaht-KAHT-too mahr-yah-POO-roh) Serves 6 to 8 In Finland, this recipe would be prepared with lingonberries, which are similar to cranberries. These juice puddings are popular in Finland. In saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat: 3 cups cranberry juice When boiling, slowly sprinkle in: 6 tablespoons sugar Stirring briskly, slowly add: 1/2 cup uncooked regular cream of wheat Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes. If you use “quick” cream of wheat, reduce cooking time to 3 to 4 minutes. When mixture is thick, transfer to a large bowl and beat with electric mixer at high speed 10 to 15 minutes, or until mixture is light and fluffy and has a delicate pink color. Pour into serving bowl or individual dishes. Serve within 2 hours at room temperature. Option: Substitute all or part of the cranberry juice with apple, strawberry or raspberry juice plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice. The color of the whip will depend on the juice used. Recipe from Extending the Table: a world community cookbook by Joetta Handrich Schlabach, Herald Press, 1991, p. 298.

Supper ideas: (1) Have a pancake supper with the first recipe, accompanied by pork sausage and fruit salad made from mixed summer berries (popular in Finland). (2) Fix a soup, such as split pea, potato, cream of mushroom or cream of salmon, and accompany with sausages (if vegetable soup), hearty rye bread, pickled beets and the cranberry whip for dessert.