Dishes you have to try in Sweden

Sweden is a country with a harsh climate, its cuisine abounds with fish, with salmon and herring being the most consumed, as well as different types of beef and pork. The presence of some exotic and wild animals such as reindeer or elk is also notable, although its consumption varies according to the region, it is very popular in the north of Sweden. The long winter also makes the consumption of fresh vegetables more difficult, so that meat or fish are usually accompanied to a great extent by tubers such as potatoes, turnips and carrots, often bathed in thick sauces. Cabbage and pickled cucumber are also very visible. Within dairy products, Västerbotten cheese is considered the best of Swedish cheeses, but if there is a star product that is almost always used in Swedish cuisine, it is the blueberry fruit and the lingonberry.

Lingonberry is a fruit from the blueberry family that does not have a Spanish translation and given its abundance in nature, it is used in the form of jam and is placed in countless dishes, as a refreshing drink for the summer, and even on meats and vegetables. achieving an exquisite contrast between sweet and salty, one of the trademarks of its gastronomy.

Of course, it is common to find international food options in large cities, where pizza and especially hamburgers tend to triumph. Without going any further, in Sweden the fast food establishment “Max” is highly popular, however, the gastronomy of the Nordic country has enough traditional dishes and variety to cover all tastes and palates.

We start with the KÖTTBULLAR:

There is no other dish in Sweden more popular than köttbullar and in cities like Stockholm they can be consumed practically on every corner. In addition to restaurants, it is easily found in street stalls and is one of the cheapest meals you can get. These are the typical Swedish minced meat dumplings that are served dipped in sauce and accompanied by potatoes, salad and lingonberry jam. Although the sweet and sour taste is a bit peculiar at the beginning, the mixture of the jam with the potatoes and the meat becomes a flavor that catches.

GRAVAD LAX

This appetizer is very popular in the Scandinavian countries and consists of a slice of crusty bread with slices of cured salmon, black pepper, salt, sugar, dill (one of the most used plants in Swedish cuisine) and a touch of mustard . The fermentation of salmon was formerly done by salting the fish and burying it underground, giving rise to the compound word for this appetizer: grav (digging) and lax (salmon), although nowadays more modern fermentation methods are used.

ÄLGGRYTA

This dish consists of an elk stew with carrots, small onions, juniper berries, mushrooms, elk meat concentrate for the sauce, parsley, flour and butter.

A dish designed to supply the body with enough calories during the winter months, in very natural environments such as Lapland, in northern Sweden, elk or reindeer are cooked in a large pan over the fire and served with jam and potatoes. Sometimes, it is common to use wooden plates and cutlery that are later thrown into the fire to be used as firewood.

KNÄCKEBRÖD (SWEDISH BREAD)

Swedish bread is present in practically all meals and among its benefits it has the characteristic of having a long duration and keeping power. It is a rye flour bread baked flat and with a rigid consistency and is used to accompany meals or to eat as a snack with butter or jam, cheeses, cold cuts or fish.

PYTTIPANNA

It is a very popular dish in Sweden given its easy preparation and the fact that in ancient times it was also made with leftovers from other foods. It is a kind of stew that has meat or sausages (although there is also a vegetarian variant), potato, onion, carrot and peas. Once on the plate, it is accompanied by beetroot and fried egg and is ready to eat and fight the cold Swedish winter.

CHOKLADBOLL

We cannot fail to mention at least one dessert of the many that make up Swedish gastronomy, and although Chokladboll is not the most elaborate or sophisticated, it is one of the most typical. This “chocolate ball” is one of the usual protagonists in any self-respecting fika and although it bears this name, the ingredient to prepare it is actually cocoa, along with sugar, butter and coffee. On the outside, it is drizzled with coconut zest and refrigerated to always consume with a delicious and robust Swedish coffee.