It’s soon Swedish Midsummer celebration (always takes place on a Friday between June 19-25, this year on June 21st). This is the tradition we love most in Sweden. It’s when we celebrate the summertime is starting (after a long cold winter) together with friends and families.
What we normally serve is different kinds of pickled herring, boiled new potatoes with fresh dill, soured cream and chives. This starter is often followed by a grilled dish such as salmon or grilled meat. For dessert, the most common one is a strawberry cake or strawberries and ice cream.
The accompaniment is cold beer and (spiced) schnapps. You can hear when you have come to a Midsummer party, because for every schnapps, a drinking song needs to be singen. 😉
This youtube video summarise in 4 minutes what Swedish Midsummer is all about (in a funny way): Swedish Midsummer.
I will have a hard bread with Gubbröra (translated “Old man’s mix) which is an egg and anchovies salad. It’s salty and to me, taste a bit of Summer.
If you would prepare this starter in Scandinavia, you would use Swedish anchovies which is different to the one we have here. But I get similar salty experience. Try it!
Ingredients (appetizer 4 pers):
- 4 oz anchovies flat fillet in olive oil
- 4 eggs (boiled)
- 1 red onion
- 3 tbs sour cream
- 3 tbs creme fraiche
- 3 tbs chopped dill
- 3 tbs chopped chives
- pepper
- 4 pieces of hard bread (or toast where you have cut off the crusts)
Start with boiling the eggs. Chop the anchovies fillet in small pieces. Peel and chop the boiled eggs and the red onion. Place all in a bowl. Add the sour cream, creme fraiche, chopped dill, chopped chives and pepper. Mix it all together with a spoon and flavour with some black pepper.
Take a piece of hard bread (or toast), add a couple of spoons with the egg and anchovies salad. Top with some fresh dill, chives, red onion and pepper.
Smaklig måltid and Happy Midsummer!
My bread board is from Swedish H&M Home.
Scandinavian Simple Eating 