Pie and Cake in the Same Meal

Hillary was my helper for this week's Scandinavian Saturday supper.  The recipes came from the InterWebs (the pie), from Food Network Magazine (the fish and carrots), and from a colleague of mine (the dessert)--various sources but, surprisingly, a unified meal with very tasty elements.

You know you want to know more about the meal, so read on!  (And remember to click on any photo to enlarge it for maximum drooling.)

From the hands of Hillary and Daddy!

glasert laks ["glazed salmon"] -- We brushed boneless, skinless salmon fillets with a glaze of olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, and freshly squeezed lime juice.  Then we seasoned them with salt and pepper and broiled them (under the broiler in the oven) for about 7 minutes.  They were cooked through, firm but moist, and delicious from the glaze.  A shot of more fresh lime juice at the table added just the right amount of zing to counter the honey in the glaze.

krydret gulrøtter ["spiced carrots"] -- We thinly sliced carrots, tossed them in olive oil, and spread them on the same broiler pan as the salmon but gave them a few minutes' head start under the broiler.  Then we added the salmon; and by the time the fish was cooked, so were the carrots.  Before serving, we tossed the broiled carrots in a dressing of olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, roughly chopped fresh mint leaves, sliced roasted almonds, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.  The roasting blackened the edges of some of the carrots for a smoky taste that went well with the spices and herbs.  Just when we think we have eaten carrots in every way that they can be prepared, we discover a new and delicious way to make them!

purre pai med ost [leek and cheese pie] -- We baked a pie crust and then let it cool so that we could add the filling to it.  We chopped up leeks and onions and sautéed them with garlic and chopped fresh parsley in butter until the vegetables had softened.  Then we stirred in a little flour and spooned the mixture into the crust.  Meanwhile we had cut bacon into pieces and fried it until crispy; we sprinkled the bacon over the leek mixture.  In a large bowl, we beat together eggs, cream, milk, Dijon mustard, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated Gruyère cheese, and a list of tasty seasonings: salt, freshly ground black pepper, nutmeg, fennel seeds, thyme, marjoram, and caraway seeds.  We poured that mixture over the leeks and bacon and baked the pie.  It was so delicious!  Savory and exotic from the mix of herbs and spices and cheesy and all-around satisfying.

sjokalade ostekake ["chocolate cheesecake"] -- A colleague at the university has tweaked this recipe over the years and now has a version that is a big hit with all her friends and family.  I persuaded her to share it with me, and Hillary and I made it today for dessert.  We made a crust out of crushed Oreo cookies and melted butter, and we baked it briefly to set it.  Then we added the filling made from cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and eggs.  We baked the cheesecake and then topped it with a mixture of sour cream, sugar, almond extract, and cocoa powder, which melted on the still-warm cheesecake and formed an even layer on top.  Before serving dessert, we brought frozen strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch to a boil and ladled the hot sauce over each slice of cheesecake.  It really was tasty.  I myself would have been happy with the crust and cheesecake minus the sour cream topping or the strawberry sauce, but I can understand why this recipe is oft-requested of my coworker.