Exploring the culinary treasures of Nordic cuisine is a journey into pristine waters, ancient traditions, and unique flavours. Recently, we hosted a Nordic tinned fish lunch featuring exceptional seafood, traditional dishes, and expertly paired drinks. For those who missed out, here’s a recap of what we enjoyed.
The Seafood: Sourced from Denmark’s Limfjorden inlet, these slow-growing "blåmuslinger" deliver a refined taste. Marinade of rapeseed oil, apple vinegar, dill, and fennel seeds.
Dish: Tapas board - Limfjord blue mussels, open tin with thinly sliced spring onion, pickled red onion, mayonnaise, lemon wedges, and crispbread.
Pairing:
Drink: Schnapps (or Akvavit)
Enjoyed traditionally with snapsvisa (humorous songs) during festive occasions.
Sip alongside the mussels to appreciate their full complexity.
Featured Schnapps: Wildbrumby Distillery, known for its high-altitude creations with pristine Alpine water and native botanicals.
The Seafood: These small fish are hand-prepared and smoked with heather and chamomile, creating a distinctive Nordic flavour.
Dish: Scandi-Style Smoked Fish Salad - Fresh salad paired with the delicate smokiness of Brisling sardines.
A beautiful fresh salad with potatos, eggs, radishes, beetroot, carrots, spring onions, gherkins - topped with dressing and served with the Nordic Sardines on top. You can find the recipe online HERE.
Pairing:
Drink: Weisskeller Riesling 2023
The Seafood: Lightly smoked Norwegian Sea herring, seasoned with wild garlic and white pepper.
Dish: Gubbröra (Old Man’s Mix)
A rich salad of eggs, anchovies, chives, dill, and mayonnaise.
Find the recipe online HERE.
Pairing:
Drink: German-Style Pilsner
Clean malt flavour and balanced bitterness harmonize with the creamy, umami-rich gubbröra.
The Seafood: Faroe Islands salmon, renowned for its quality due to the pristine North Atlantic waters. Flavoured with verbena herb and sea buckthorn ("Nordic lemon") for a citrusy tang.
Dish: Dill Salmon with Potato Wedges and Creamy Pickle & Dill Sauce.
Note: Wedges were bought.
Recipe online HERE.
Pairing:
Drink: Sin City Aquavit
Notes of caraway, dill, fennel, and aniseed with a dry finish.
This lunch was a celebration of the Nordic ethos: simplicity, sustainability, and exquisite flavour. The combination of thoughtfully prepared seafood with perfectly matched drinks offered a glimpse into the magic of Nordic cuisine.
Have you tried Nordic tinned seafood before? Let us know your favourite pairings in the comments below or share your creations!
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