Västerbottensost Cheese
and a
Swedish Midsummer Menu
Today, the 19th of June, is Swedish Midsummer……it marks the start of the summer holidays for most Swedes, as well as weekend of revelry, with Maypole dancing, singing, picking berries and flowers as well as enjoying food with family and friends, always outside, weather permitting. By way of celebrating Swedish Midsummer with my readers, (I’ll be sharing a British Summer Solstice recipe over the weekend) I’d like to share a simple Swedish Midsummer Menu, as well as talk about “THAT” cheese, Västerbottensost.
At the beginning of May, I was invited to attend a Scandinavian Masterclass with several fellow bloggers; my partner in cooking crime for the day was Amanda from Glamorous Glutton, and I was also joined by Fiona from London Unattached, Claire from Lover of Creating Flavours and Manjiri from Travels for Food. Bronte Aurell from Scandi Kitchen was there to guide us through some of her family recipes that use the delectable cheese that is Västerbottensost.
Västerbottensost is a robust cheese that tastes like a combination of Mature Cheddar and Parmesan; it’s loved by all Swedes, and after tasting a few cubes alongside a glass of wine, I could see why. It’s definitely a cheese with attitude, and yet it has a wonderful light texture, and is not dense at all. It has an interesting history, with the cheese first being made in the 19th century in Burträsk. Folk tales suggest that the cheese was a happy accident when a dairy maid called Ulrika Eleonora Lindström took her eye off the ball when the cheese was in the curdling vat.
Whatever the origins of the cheese, we all enjoyed cooking with it at our Masterclass, as well as eating it later! Our menu for the day, which we all prepared and cooked, comprised:
Västerbottensost Paj (Västerbottensost Cheese Pie)
Swedish Meatballs with Västerbottensost Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Västerbottensost Crème
Raw Courgette Salad with Västerbottensost Cheese
This sensational Swedish meal was accompanied by Cloudberries, Lumpfish Roe, Sour Cream, chopped red Onions and assorted Swedish pickles and sauces.
But on to my menu for today, which uses some of the Västerbottensost Cheese I was lucky enough to take away with me; I based my menu for Swedish Midsummer on recipes that are traditionally served over this mystical and magical time of the year……we have a Västerbottensost Pie (based on Bronte’s wonderful recipe) with slices of smoked salmon, a light and creamy potato salad with fresh dill, pickled cucumbers, sour cream, red onions and sweet honey mustard sauce. The menu is then rounded off with a stunning show stopper gateau, Swedish Midsummer Cake with Berries and Cream.
The meal was light and packed with fresh herbal flavours, whilst the smoked saltiness of the salmon offset the richness of the Västerbottensost Paj (Västerbottensost Cheese Pie). I was particularly pleased with my recipe for the potato salad, Färskpotatissalad (Swedish Potato Salad); it was light and creamy without the cloying taste and texture of a 100% mayonnaise potato salad, with the dill adding a pleasant and yet subtle aniseed flavour. The meal was such a success, that all my diners requested I repeat the menu for English Midsummer’s Eve, which I will do.
Two of the recipes for my Swedish Midsummer Menu are shared below, with my recipe for Swedish Midsummer Cake with Berries and Cream being found on the Great British Chef’s website, where I am a contributor. I hope my menu has inspired you enough to make it this Midsummer weekend – for more seasonal summer recipes, I have added a link to some of my favourites below, have a GREAT weekend, Karen
Västerbottensost Paj: Swedish Cheese Pie
Serves | 12 |
Prep time | 40 minutes |
Cook time | 40 minutes |
Total time | 1 hours, 20 minutes |
Allergy | Egg, Milk, Wheat |
Dietary | Vegetarian |
Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Snack |
Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
Occasion | Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Formal Party |
Region | Swedish |
By author | Bronte Aurell |
Ingredients
Pastry
- 125g cold butter
- 200g plain flour
- pinch of sea salt
- water
Pie
- 300g Västerbottensost cheese (grated)
- 3 large free range eggs
- 100ml full fat milk
- 250ml double cream
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
Note
This delicious Swedish cheese pie is served as part of the Midsummer Smorgasbord in Sweden, as well for Crayfish parties in August. (This is my adapted recipe from Bronte Aurell and Scandi Kitchen)
Directions
Step 1 | Preheat oven to 180C/250F/Gas mark 4. Line a loose bottom tart tin with baking paper. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. |
Step 2 | To make the pastry, place the butter, flour and salt into a food processor and blitz until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Slowly add the water whilst running it on a low speed until the pasty forms a dough. Chill the pastry for 30 minutes before using. |
Step 3 | Roll the pastry out on a floured board and line the tart tin with it. Prick the base with a fork and line the pastry with baking paper - weigh it down by adding baking beans inside the lined pastry case and bake blind for 15 to 20 minutes - sitting the tin on the pre-heated baking sheet. Allow the beans to cool before removing. |
Step 4 | Meanwhile, make the pie filling by mixing the ingredients for the filing together, stirring in the grated Västerbottensost cheese last. |
Step 5 | Carefully pour the pie filling into the pastry case, place it back in the oven on the pre-heated baking sheet once again and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the filling has puffed up and is cooked. |
Step 6 | Remove from the oven and leave to cool before serving in slices with crème fraîche, chopped red onion and red caviar or lumpfish roe. This pie is also served with a leafy salad and potato salad. |
Step 7 | A special sauce can be made called Romsås - mix a jar of red lumpfish roe with 3 tablespoons of crème fraîche. |
Färskpotatissalad: Swedish Potato Salad
Serves | 6 |
Prep time | 5 minutes |
Cook time | 10 minutes |
Total time | 15 minutes |
Allergy | Egg, Milk |
Dietary | Vegetarian |
Meal type | Salad, Side Dish, Snack |
Misc | Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
Occasion | Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Formal Party |
Region | Swedish |
By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 500g new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
- 225ml crème fraîche (or sour cream)
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- large bunch of fresh dill (finely chopped)
Note
This simple Swedish style potato salad relies on new potatoes and fresh dill for its clean and fresh flavours.
Directions
Step 1 | Boil the new potatoes in salted water until just soft, drain them and when they are cool enough to handle, cut them into small chunks. |
Step 2 | Mix the crème fraîche with the mayonnaise and freshly chopped dill and fold the cooked potatoes into the mixture. |
Step 3 | Chill for at least one hour before serving as past of a smorgasbord or summer party buffet. |
Lavender and Lovage Midsummer Recipes:
Elderflower and Strawberry Cordial/Syrup
Swedish Midsummer Cake with Berries and Cream
As this pie contains FREE-RANGE eggs, I am entering it into Dom of Belleau Kitchen’s Simply EggCellent, with a theme of “Anything Goes” this month!
(The dinnerware is Penzance from The Caravan Trail at Churchill China)
Christine Kolinek says
Hello Karen, I’m not sure that this Swedish cheese is readily available in the USA and I was wondering if an English Cheddar would be a good alternative?
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hello Christine! Use. 75% Cheddar to 25% Parmesan cheese to get a similar taste and texture Karen
Emma says
That looks absolutely delicious!!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Emma – it was delicious
Cecilia says
Wow, I really would like to taste that cheese. Your recipes look awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Cecilia – I hope you try the recipe!
Dom says
that cheese pie is an absolute stunner! I t looks so thick and creamy and oh so good! You know i’m such a cheese fiend too so this would be devoured in one session! A gorgeous entry to Simply Eggcellent, thank you xx
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Dom – it was so simple to make and with very few ingredients, but it worked so well and was proper lush with the potato salad and other accompaniments! Karen
Janice says
Looks absolutely delicious, Karen .
Fiona @ London-Unattached says
that was such a fun afternoon wasn’t it! And I’m still eating through my cheese!!!
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
That courgette and cheese salad was just seriously good Karen. I need to make it at home.
Glamorous Glutton says
What a lovely post Karen and thanks for the mention. We had a great afternoon and it was so good to be reminded of the fab simple food of my roots. Great menu for a fun evening. GG
Suze The Luxury Columnist says
I didn’t know this cheese but I love the idea of pairing it with courgettes and that pie looks delectable
Suze | LuxuryColumnist
Leigh C says
Hi Karen,
Thank you for sharing your recipes! What size tart tin did you use for the cheese pie? Thank you!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hi Leigh,
I think it was a 9″ (22cm) tart tin