Time capsule food

Comfort food served with inspiration and humor from Swedish history.  

  • Shrimp cocktail

  • Lately the widely popular television show, "Historieätarna" (The historic eaters) has amused viewers in Sweden. The concept is Sweden's story told through food. Two television personalities, Lotta Lundgren and Erik Haag, pick a period of the past and for one week eat only the food eating during that relevant time period. They have lived and tasted the best and the worst of Swedish culinary history from the 16th century to modern times.
    One episode was about the 1970s, and I became nostalgic and started to cook retro food and dishes that my mother cooked when I was a little girl.

  • Flying Jacob

  • Shrimp cocktail
    The shrimp cocktail was a common starter or hors d’oeuvre in Sweden during the 1970s. The original recipe is iceberg lettuce, shrimp from Iceland and Marie Rose sauce (mayonnaise with tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and pepper). My own mom used to make a Rhode Island sauce, which was created by well-known Swedish chef Tore Wretman. The recipe can easily be doubled.
    4 servings

    1 pound shrimp or prawns
    1 yellow bell pepper
    ¼ head iceberg lettuce
    1 avocado
    2 teaspoons lemon juice
    Lime or lemon slices

  • Bacon wrapped hotdogs

  • Rhode Island sauce:
    ½ cup whipping cream
    ½ cup mayonnaise
    ½ cup chili sauce
    1 tablespoon cognac
    Salt and pepper to taste

    Peel the shrimp. Trim and cut the peppers into cubes. Shred the salad. Cut avocados into halves and dice. Combine avocado with the pressed lemon juice.

    Rhode Island sauce: Whisk the cream and combine with mayonnaise and chili sauce. Stir in cognac, salt and pepper.

    To serve: Place lettuce, peppers and avocado in small bowls, spoon over the dressing.
    Top with the shrimp and garnish with lime or lemon.

    Sustainable tip:
    Save the shrimp shells and use them in a broth.

  • Lotta Lundgren and Erik Haag pick a period in the past and for a week live time relative and eat only the food of the era.


  • Flying Jacob
    Everyone in Sweden tried this dish during the 1970s. It was published in a popular food magazine and the name comes from the creator, a Mr. Jacobsson, who worked at SAS Airfreight. Using an already-grilled or rotisserie chicken is the easiest; it's also a great way to use leftovers from chicken or turkey.
    Serves 4

    1 chicken, the cooked meat
    2 bananas
    6 slices bacon
    2 tablespoon roasted peanuts

  • Sauce:
    1½ cups whipping cream
    3/4 cup chili sauce
    ½ teaspoon Italian salad seasoning

    Preheat oven to 450°F. Pick the chicken meat into smaller pieces. Place the chicken in a greased, ovenproof dish. Cut the bananas into slices and put them on the chicken.
    Whip the cream and mix with chili sauce and salad seasoning. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken. Bake in the lower part of the oven for 20 minutes.
    Cut the bacon into pieces. In a skillet, heat and fry the bacon in the fat that melts out. Leave it to drain on paper towels then sprinkle the dish with bacon and peanuts before serving.

    Sustainable tip:
    A great way to use leftovers from chicken or turkey.


  • Bacon wrapped hotdogs
    If you use leftover mashed potatoes this dish cooks fast.
    4 servings

    6 hot dogs
    6 slices bacon

  • Mashed potatoes:
    1½ pounds potatoes
    water and salt
    2 tablespoons butter
    ½ cup milk
    ½ teaspoon salt
    1 pinch ground white pepper
    1 dash ground nutmeg
    mustard
    ketchup

    Preheat oven to 400°F.
    For the mashed potatoes, peel and cut the potatoes into smaller pieces. Put them in a saucepan and pour in water just enough to cover. Sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer with the lid on until the potato pieces are soft.
    Pour off the water and steam the potatoes by returning the pan to the hotplate and shake the pan. Crush the potato pieces.
    Stir in the butter, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until a smooth puree. Place the puree in a greased baking dish.
    Wrap hot dogs in bacon and brown them quickly over high heat in a skillet. Add the sausages on top of the puree and decorate with mustard and ketchup.
    Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes and serve immediately.

  • Gunilla Blixt
    http://gunillablixt.se/in-english/