THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING... NORWEGIAN SALMON IS OCEAN-FARMED BY CRAFTSMEN, BLENDING TRADITION WITH TECHNOLOGY.

[ LAUGHTER, HEARTBEAT, MUSIC ] Woman: CREATED BY ME, A MOM OF THREE, TO MAKE MOBILE KIDS SAFER AND YOUR LIFE EASIER.

♪ >> HI, AND WELCOME TO "NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING" FROM TOTEN AND GJOVIK IN SOUTHERN NORWAY.

I'M ANDREAS VIESTAD.

WHILE OTHER LANDSCAPES HAVE GRAPE VINES AND LEMON GROVES, THIS AREA IS DOMINATED BY THE POTATO PLANT.

ALTHOUGH A MODEST SPUD, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE POTATO SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.

NORWAY IS, AFTER ALL, A POTATO NATION.

WHILE THE POTATO IS MILD, FRIENDLY, AND ACCESSIBLE, ANOTHER OF THE REGION'S SPECIALTIES IS JUST THE OPPOSITE.

CRAYFISH IS ALWAYS ANGRY, AN EXCLUSIVE INGREDIENT THAT MUST BE CHERISHED AND HANDLED WITH CARE.

I'M GOING TO START OFF BY BAKING A RUSTIC POTATO BREAD.

THEN I'LL TRY TO FIND THE PERFECT WAY TO MAKE A POTATO PUREE AND SERVE THE RESULT WITH A CRAYFISH SAUCE AND PIKE FILLET.

I'M GOING TO UNITE THE SWEET CRAYFISH MEAT WITH TWO MODEST INGREDIENTS IN CRAYFISH- AND POTATO-FILLED CABBAGE ROLLS.

AND FINALLY I'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO MA TRADITIONAL CRAYFISH CELEBRATION.

POTATOES WERE SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF NORWEGIAN CULTURE THAT EVERY YEAR, THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER, KIDS WOULD BE SENT HOME FROM SCHOOL IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POTATO HARVEST HOME ON THE FARM.

THIS WAS CALLED THE "POTATO HOLIDAY."

I CAN REMEMBER FROM MY OWN CHILDHOOD THAT WE WOULD GO TO OUR FARM IN SOUTHERN NORWAY AND HARVEST THE POTATOES THAT WE'D PLANTED.

AND THERE WEREN'T THAT MUCH, BUT I DON'T THINK WE EVER BOUGHT POTATOES UNTIL AT LEAST EASTER.

THERE ARE STILL ALSO REGIONAL DIFFERENCES AND PREFERENCES WHEN IT COMES TO POTATOES.

HERE ON THE FARM, KERRS PINK IS GROWN.

THIS IS A POTATO THAT ORIGINATED IN SCOTLAND IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY AND BECAME VERY IMPORTANT IN NORWAY AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

AND THIS POTATO IS HARDLY EATEN IN EASTERN NORWAY OR NORTHERN NORWAY, BUT ALL THE POTATOES HERE ARE SOLD TO WESTERN NORWAY, WHERE THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PINK POTATO.

THE POTATO IS NOT JUST A MODEST SPUD, IT IS WHAT HAS SUSTAINED US IN NORWAY FOR AT LEAST THE LAST COUPLE OF CENTURIES.

IT USED TO BE SAID THAT EVERY DINNER IN NORWAY WOULD ALWAYS BE ACCOMPANIED BY POTATOES.

IT'S A LITTLE LESS FREQUENT TODAY, BUT IT'S STILL QUITE COMMON.

BUT THE POTATO CAN ALSO BE USED FOR MANY OTHER PURPOSES, NOT JUST AS COMPANY FOR MEAT.

YOU CAN USE IT IN BAKING, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO NOW.

I'VE BAKED POTATOES IN THE FIRE UNTIL SLIGHTLY CHARRED.

AND I'LL LET THEM COOL OFF A BIT NOW.

AND HERE I'VE GOT, IN A PLASTIC BAG, ABOUT TWO CUPS, ABOUT FIVE DECILITERS OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.

AND I'VE GOT ROUGHLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF LUKEWARM WATER.

WHEN YOU BAKE, YOU CAN EITHER USE DRY YEAST OR FRESH YEAST.

IF YOU HAVE DRY YEAST, JUST ADD IT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOUR.

OTHERWISE, IF YOU'VE GOT FRESH YEAST, JUST ADD IT TO THE WATER, DISSOLVE IT IN THE WATER.

AND I'M JUST USING A VERY SMALL AMOUNT, JUST ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PEA.

IF YOU'RE IN A HURRY, THEN USE MORE YEAST.

I'M ALSO ADDING A PINCH OF SALT TO THE FLOUR.

AND MIX IT THOROUGHLY, AND THEN I ADD THE WATER TO THE FLOUR.

AND THEN JUST MIX UNTIL YOU'VE GOT MORE LIKE A BATTER THAN A DOUGH, BUT AS EVEN AND SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE.

THIS IS A GREAT WAY OF BAKING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GOING HIKING.

YOU CAN JUST PLACE THE PLASTIC BAG IN YOUR RUCKSACK, AND WHEN YOU'VE REACHED YOUR DESTINATION, THEN THE DOUGH IS READY TO BE USED.

AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS, THIS BATTER OR DOUGH IS LIVELY AND BUBBLING.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT THING ABOUT USING A PLASTIC BAG, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE DOUGH.

NOW I'M GOING TO ADD THE POTATOES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE CHARRED ON THE OUTSIDE FROM THE FIRE, BUT THEY'RE NOT PARTICULARLY BURNT ON THE INSIDE.

AND THEN I SPOON THE POTATO INTO THE BATTER OR THE DOUGH.

AND WHILE BAKING IS A VERY PRECISE CRAFT -- YOU'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT ALL THE MEASUREMENTS TO GET IT RIGHT -- USING A POTATO IN A DOUGH LIKE THIS ALLOWS FOR A BIT OF APPROXIMATION.

SO I WOULD SAY I'VE GOT APPROXIMATELY TWO CUPS OF MASHED OR SEMI-MASHED POTATO, THAT'S FIVE DECILITERS.

ROUGHLY AS MUCH AS I'VE GOT FLOUR.

AND THE TEXTURE, AS YOU'LL SEE, EVENS OUT WHEN YOU START MASHING POTATOES FURTHER.

AND IT'S MORE ABOUT FEELING.

HERE I CONTINUE TO MASH THE POTATOES INSIDE THE BAG AND THEN MIX WITH THE DOUGH UNTIL I'VE GOT A DOUGH THAT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF TEXTURE LEFT.

A LITTLE BIT OF, YOU KNOW, SOME POTATO LUMPS, THEY'RE FINE.

BUT THEY JUST GIVE YOUR HAND A LITTLE BIT OF RESISTANCE.

NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S JUST ABOUT READY TO BE FLIPPED.

LET'S GO FOR IT.

LOOK AT THAT CRUST, IT LOOKS FABULOUS!

THIS IS THE KIND OF CRUST YOU ONLY GET WHEN YOU BAKE DIRECTLY ON STONE.

I'M GOING TO SERVE THE BREAD WITH A SIMPLE PIECE OF MEAT.

A SIMPLE PIECE OF PERFECTION, A WELL-MARBLED ENTRECOTE.

I'M ADDING A BIT OF OIL AND SOME SALT AND THEN SEAR IT DIRECTLY ON THE STONE.

IF YOU'RE DOING THIS AT HOME, YOU CAN USE A BAKING STONE OR A PIZZA STONE.

AND THE TEMPERATURE SHOULD BE HIGH, AT LEAST 400 FAHRENHEIT, 200 CENTIGRADE.

IT'S STEAMING AND IT SMELLS FABULOUS.

YOU CAN SEE IT'S STILL SOFT IN THE MIDDLE, BUT IT'S NOT TOO DOUGHY.

AND I'M GOING TO JUST PLACE THE MEAT IN THE MIDDLE.

THIS IS LIKE A NORWEGIAN EQUIVALENT OF THE PITA BREAD.

MAYBE WE SHOULD ADD A VEGETABLE OF SOME KIND.

BUT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOREST, THERE ARE NO VEGETABLES HERE.

WAIT!

MUSTARD IS KIND OF A VEGETABLE.

IT IS IN THE SAME FAMILY AS CABBAGE, ANYWAY.

SO I'LL LET MUSTARD COUNT AS A VEGETABLE.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEB SITE, NEWSCANCOOK.COM.

I'M NOW ONBOARD SKIBLADNER, A PADDLE STEAMER FROM 1856 THAT STILL TRAVELS THE LAKE OF MJOSA ON SCHEDULED SERVICE DURING SUMMER.

AND FROM HERE YOU CAN SEE WHAT IS THE RICHEST AGRICULTURAL LAND IN NORWAY.

AGRICULTURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CORNERSTONE, BUT THIS IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRIAL AREA.

ONE OF THE THINGS PRODUCED HERE THAT PEOPLE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN IS FISH HOOKS.

AND THAT'S A BIT OF A PARADOX, BECAUSE NORWAY HAS A VERY, VERY LONG COASTLINE, BUT ALMOST ALL THE FISH HOOKS ARE MADE HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY.

THE OTHER THING IS AQUAVIT.

ALMOST ALL THE AQUAVIT THAT'S MADE IN NORWAY IS DISTILLED OVER THERE.

[ WHISTLE BLOWING ] POTATOES CAN BE USED IN ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT DISHES.

STILL, I THINK THAT GOOD MASHED POTATOES, THAT'S PERFECTION.

I'M GOING TO MAKE TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF MASHED POTATOES, OR POTATO PUREE -- ONE USING KERRS PINK, AND ANOTHER USING A SMALLER, SLIGHTLY KNOBBY POTATO CALLED RINGERIKS POTATO, WHICH IS VERY WELL SUITED FOR PUREES, AND IT HAS A LOT OF FLAVOR AS WELL.

YOU CAN OVER-BOIL THEM A LITTLE BIT.

THAT'S ACTUALLY QUITE CONVENIENT WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO MASH THEM AFTERWARDS.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IS RETURN THE POT TO THE STOVE FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES.

YOU CAN TURN OFF THE HEAT, BUT LET SOME OF THE MOISTURE EVAPORATE.

THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS WATERY POTATOES.

I'M GOING TO START OFF BY MAKING A RELATIVELY COARSE MASHED POTATOES.

NOW, THIS IS A RELATIVELY DRY MIXTURE.

SOME RECIPES CALL FOR YOU TO SAVE SOME OF THE COOKING WATER, AND THAT'S THE STUPIDEST THING YOU CAN DO.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU MIX BOILED POTATOES AND WATER, THE RESULT IS THE FORMATION OF VERY, VERY LONG STARCH MOLECULES, AND YOU GET A GLUEY TEXTURE.

IN FACT, IF YOU MIX BOILED POTATOES AND WATER, YOU CAN USE IT AT WALLPAPER GLUE.

BUT IF YOU USE MILK, CREAM, OR BUTTER, ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE SUBSTANCES IN THE MILK THAT HELP PREVENT THE FORMATION OF THESE LONG STARCH MOLECULES.

FOR A KILO, OR TWO POUNDS, OF POTATOES, I USE ONE CUP OR MORE OF MILK AND THAT'S 2.5 DECILITERS.

AND ONE LUMP OF BUTTER TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT RICHER.

AND A PINCH OF SALT.

A LITTLE SOMETHING ELSE.

OH, YES, THERE IT IS.

A BIT OF NUTMEG.

YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE NOT TO USE TOO MUCH NUTMEG.

A LITTLE BIT OF NUTMEG OPENS UP FOR A WORLD OF ASSOCIATIONS AND FLAVORS.

TOO MUCH NUTMEG IS OVERPOWERING.

NOW, THIS... IS REALLY EXCELLENT MASHED POTATOES WITH TEXTURE.

AND SINCE THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF MILK IN IT, IT FEELS RELATIVELY LIGHT, BUT IT'S STILL SOLID FARE.

WHILE THIS IS A ROUGH MASH, THE OTHER ONE THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE, MORE LIKE A POTATO PUREE, IS RATHER ELABORATE.

WHEN YOU USE A MASHER, THEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY AGITATING IT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE SUPER CAREFUL AND PRESS THE POTATOES THROUGH A METAL SIEVE.

IN ORDER TO GET THIS TO BE A REALLY LIGHT AND WONDERFUL POTATO PUREE, WE NEED SOMETHING HEAVY.

WE NEED BUTTER.

AND WE NEED QUITE A LOT OF BUTTER.

ONCE THE BUTTER HAS MELTED, I'M ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF MILK.

THEN I'M GOING TO START WHIPPING THE PUREE.

I'M GOING TO SERVE THE MASHED POTATOES WITH FRIED PIKE AND A CRAYFISH SAUCE.

AFTER YOU'VE EATEN CRAYFISH, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF SHELLS LEFT.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE ALL THE FLAVOR IS.

THE STRIFE OF THE VERY HIGH HEAT.

SMALL SPLASH OF WATER.

AND A SMALL SPLASH OF COGNAC.

I'LL LET THIS BOIL JUST FOR A MINUTE OR TWO.

THAT MAKES FOR A VERY CONCENTRATED SAUCE.

I SERVE THE MASHED POTATOES WITH FRIED PIKE, BUT THEY GO WELL WITH ALL KINDS OF WHITE FISH.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY IN POTATO LAND, TWICE AS MUCH POTATOES IS TWICE AS GOOD.

AND HERE IT IS.

I THINK IT'S VERY NICE TO COMBINE CONCENTRATED SHELLFISH FLAVOR WITH POTATO.

POTATO HAS FLAVOR OF ITS OWN, BUT IT'S QUITE MILD AND THE POTATO IS A WILLING MEDIUM TO TRANSMIT AND TRANSFER OTHER FLAVORS.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEB SITE, NEWSCANCOOK.COM.

BARE FORSYN DERE!

THE POTATO IS A CHEAP EVERYDAY INGREDIENT.

CRAYFISH, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS AT THE OTHER END OF THE SCALE.

IT IS RARE AND EXPENSIVE.

BUT IF YOU ARM YOURSELF WITH SOME SPECTACULARLY UNFASHIONABLE CLOTHES, A TORCHLIGHT, A NET, AND A STICK WITH A PIECE OF FISH ATTACHED TO IT, THEN YOU CAN CATCH YOUR OWN CRAYFISH IN THESE WATERS.

HERE IT IS.

IT'S A BEAUTY, ISN'T IT?

ARMOR-CLAD AND READY TO PINCH ME.

BUT NOW I AM THE ONE PINCHING YOU.

OW!

WHEN YOU CATCH IT YOURSELF, YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE PRICE.

AND IN ONE WAY IT GETS MORE EXCLUSIVE, BECAUSE IT'S THE RESULT OF YOUR OWN LABOR AND, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, YOUR OWN PAIN.

THAT LIVING, EATING AND COOKING IS A STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL IS NEVER MORE EVIDENT THAN WHEN YOU'RE PREPARING CREATURES THAT ARE SO FIERCE, SO AGGRESSIVE.

THEY'RE TRYING TO GET AT ME.

I'M GOING TO GET AT THEM.

WHEN YOU'RE COOKING THEM, YOU'VE GOT TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN BRUTALITY AND GENTLENESS.

THE BRUTAL PART IS THAT I AM GOING TO BOIL THEM.

THE GENTLE PART IS I AM GOING TO TO PREPARE A NICE, AROMATIC BATH FOR THEM.

HERE I'VE GOT ABOUT A LITER, ABOUT A QUART, OF BOILING WATER, TO WHICH I AM GOING TO ADD SOME GOOD, LOCAL BEER.

THIS IS A STOUT, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY DARK BEER.

ABOUT A QUART OF THAT, OR TWO PINTS.

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO BRING IT TO BOIL AGAIN.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THIS BEER-AND-WATER MIXTURE IS BOILING, BECAUSE THAT WILL KILL THE CRAYFISH RAPIDLY.

YOU DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A PROLONGED PROCESS.

NOW IT'S BOILING, AND IT SMELLS FANTASTIC.

BOILING BEER CAN SMELL FANTASTIC, PARTICULARLY IF IT'S THESE DARK BEERS FROM MICROBREWERIES.

THEY USE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT YEASTS AND HOPS, AND YOU GET MULTIPLE FLAVORS.

SOMETIMES DRINKING ONE OF THESE BEERS CAN BE A BIT TOO MUCH, BUT I THINK THEY'RE EXCELLENT WHEN YOU USE THEM IN COOKING.

AND TO THIS I'M GOING TO ADD SOME SALT, ABOUT 100 GRAMS, 4.5 TABLESPOONS.

AND ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF SUGAR.

AND I'M GOING TO ADD DILL.

THIS IS DILL THAT IS STARTING TO BLOOM, SO YOU CAN SEE THE DILL SEEDS ARE STARTING TO FORM UP HERE.

YOU CAN ALSO USE DILL SEEDS.

I'M ALSO GOING TO ADD CARAWAY.

USING CARAWAY TOGETHER WITH CRAYFISH IS SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL.

BUT IF YOU THINK OF IT, IT'S QUITE LOGICAL, BECAUSE CARAWAY AND DILL ARE CLOSE RELATIVES.

AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THE TWO, THEN YOU CAN HARDLY TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

NOW I'M GOING TO ADD THE CRAYFISH.

AND THE ONLY HONORABLE THING TO DO IS TO USE YOUR HANDS.

I COULD JUST, YOU KNOW, THROW IT ALL IN THE POT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THAT WOULD BE A BIT LIKE A BULLFIGHTER COMING INTO THE RING AND SHOOTING THE BULL.

THAT'S NO FUN.

I WANT TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO FIGHT BACK, IF IT'S THE LAST THING THEY'LL DO.

OW.

AND AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTES, THE TRANSFORMATION IS COMPLETE -- FROM FIERCE WARRIORS TO FOOD.

THIS IS HOW CRAYFISH ARE SERVED IN THE ANNUAL CRAYFISH PARTIES HELD OVER LARGE PARTS OF SCANDINAVIA.

AND THIS IS HOW I'M GOING TO SERVE THEM TONIGHT.

BUT NOW I'M GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENT DISH WITH CRAYFISH, A DISH WITH RICH HISTORY.

THE FIRST THING YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS HAVE ONE LARGE LEAF, CABBAGE LEAF.

AND THEN YOU SEE THE THICK STEM HERE, YOU'VE GOT TO REMOVE THAT.

AND A CABBAGE LEAF IS LIKE A BLANK CANVAS, YOU CAN FILL IT WITH ANYTHING.

I'M GOING TO FILL IT WITH CRAYFISH TAILS THAT I'M CHOPPING.

IT'S QUITE COMMON TO ALSO FILL THE CABBAGE LEAVES WITH RICE.

I THINK THAT SINCE WE'RE A POTATO NATION, WHY NOT USE POTATOES INSTEAD?

FINELY DICED AND COOKED.

AND SHALLOT.

ONE SHALLOT FINELY CHOPPED.

IF YOU WANT A MILDER FLAVOR, YOU CAN JUST SAUTE THE SHALLOTS FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES.

BUT I LIKE A BIT OF TEMPERAMENT, SO I'M GOING TO USE THEM RAW.

A PINCH OF SALT.

AND A LITTLE BIT OF CARAWAY.

YOU CAN EITHER SERVE IT LIKE THIS, COLD, OR YOU CAN FRY IT IN THE PAN FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

AND NOW CABBAGE ROLL IS READY TO BE SERVED.

AND HERE IT IS.

MY HANDS AND FINGERS STILL HURT, SO I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED HOT.

REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEB SITE, NEWSCANCOOK.COM.

[ SPEAKING NORWEGIAN ] >> FOR MORE INSPIRATION ABOUT SCANDINAVIAN DESTINATIONS AND FOOD, VISIT OUR WEB SITE -- THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING... NORWEGIAN SALMON IS OCEAN-FARMED BY CRAFTSMEN, BLENDING TRADITION WITH TECHNOLOGY.

[ LAUGHTER, HEARTBEAT, MUSIC ] Woman: CREATED BY ME, A MOM OF THREE, TO MAKE MOBILE KIDS SAFER AND YOUR LIFE EASIER.

♪