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WE'VE GOT A DINNER DATE.

HI.

I'M ANDREAS VIESTAD.

WELCOME TO "NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING" FROM BERGEN IN WESTERN NORWAY AND TO THIS EPISODE, WHERE WE'LL TRAVEL BY TRAIN TO THE CAPITAL, OSLO.

[ CONVERSATION IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ] I'M GOING TO START OFF BY USING THESE FRESH FJORD SHRIMPS TO MAKE A CLASSY SNACK FOR TRAVELERS -- SHRIMP SANDWICH WITH FRESH-TASTING RHUBARB AND ASPARAGUS.

TRAVELING BY RAIL IS NOT JUST ABOUT GETTING FROM "A" TO "B."

TO ME, THE JOURNEY IS AN AIM IN ITSELF.

IT'S ALSO A JOURNEY IN TIME, TAKING US BACK TO A SLOWER WAY OF LIFE.

WE'RE NOT GONNA TRAVEL FAR ON THE FIRST LEG.

WE'RE GONNA STOP OFF AT VOSS, WHERE I'LL MAKE A LAMB ROLL WITH SUMMER FLAVORS.

IT'S A MEAL THAT'S FIT FOR A FEAST, BUT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PRESERVED AND USED AS A SNACK FOR TRAVELERS.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ] ONE OF THE PECULIARITIES OF ATTENDING FUNCTIONS IN NORWAY, WHETHER THEY'RE WEDDING RECEPTIONS, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, OR FUNERALS, IS HOW OFTEN YOU ENCOUNTER SHRIMP SANDWICHES.

THEY ARE ALSO A COMPANION FOR STYLISH TRAVELERS.

I THINK THAT THE VERY BEST IS TO USE THESE SUPER-FRESH FJORD SHRIMPS THAT I BOUGHT AT THE FISH MARKET IN BERGEN.

IN MANY WAYS, IT'S AN EXERCISE IN MODERATION.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T EAT THEM ALL WHILE YOU PEEL THEM.

MMM.

WELL, THAT'S NOT REALLY WORKING FOR ME, SO I'M PACING MYSELF, AND IT'S SAID THAT A GOOD SHRIMP SANDWICH SHOULD CONTAIN 16 SHRIMPS.

DON'T KNOW QUITE WHY, BUT I ALWAYS ADHERE TO THAT PRINCIPLE AND SOMETIMES I EVEN ADD A FEW MORE.

19, 20.

THIS WOULD MAKE 21.

THAT'S ONE TOO MANY, DON'T YOU THINK?

AND I'M GONNA KEEP THE SHELLS FOR LATER USE.

THE SHELLS CONTAIN A LOT OF FLAVOR, AS WELL.

THE NORMAL, CONSERVATIVE WAY TO SERVE A SHRIMP SANDWICH IS JUST WITH GOOD MAYONNAISE.

THIS IS HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE.

BUT I'M GONNA MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING BY ADDING A COUPLE OF OTHER FLAVORS, AS WELL -- FINELY CHOPPED ONION AND MORE UNUSUALLY, A LITTLE BIT OF FRESH RHUBARB.

ROYAL RHUBARB IS REALLY INCREDIBLY ACIDIC, SO YOU HAVE TO REALLY FINELY CHOP IT.

OTHERWISE YOU'LL END UP LOOKING LIKE THIS WHILE YOU EAT THE SANDWICH.

THE ONLY WAY TO FINELY CHOP RHUBARB IS TO FINELY CHOP IT.

IT'S GOT SO MANY FIBERS THAT IF YOU TRIED TO USE A GRATER, YOU'LL ONLY END UP WITH A SORT OF MESSY PULP.

I'M GONNA USE ONE OF MY FAVORITE SWEET HERBS, NAMELY CHERVIL.

AND CHERVIL IS OFTEN SEEN AS KIND OF LIKE THE BORING COUSIN OF PARSLEY, BUT IT'S GOT A FINE NUANCED SUBTLETY TO IT THAT YOU DON'T FIND IN PARSLEY.

THE FRENCH MAY HAVE THEIR REMOULADE.

THIS IS A KIND OF SCANDINAVIAN REMOULADE WITH A TASTE OF SUMMER.

AND I LIKE TO SERVE MY SHRIMP SANDWICH ON DARK RYE BREAD.

I DON'T THINK THAT WHITE BREAD ADDS ANYTHING INTERESTING TO IT, BUT HERE YOU'VE GOT BOTH FLAVOR AND TEXTURE, SO I'M ADDING A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF THE REMOULADE.

THIS IS NOT HEALTH FOOD.

IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, EITHER.

BUT I'M ADDING A BIT OF GREENS.

THESE ARE FRESH NORWEGIAN ASPARAGUS AND A FEW ASPARAGUS TOPS, AS WELL.

AND THEN I ADD THE SHRIMPS, SO IT BECOMES A GENEROUS AND CROWDED SANDWICH.

COUPLE OF ASPARAGUS TIPS FOR DECORATION, A FEW TWIGS OF DILL, AND I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD SOME CHERVIL IN MY OWN GARDEN, SO JUST TWO TINY, LITTLE CHERVIL FLOWERS, AS WELL.

AND THAT'S IT.

SOMETIMES WE SERVE SHRIMP SANDWICHES WITH A WEDGE OF LEMON, BUT HERE WE'VE GOT ALL THE ACIDITY THAT WE NEED IN THE RHUBARB.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEBSITE... VOSS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOWNS WHEN IT COMES TO TRADITIONAL FOOD IN NORWAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO LAMB AND MUTTON.

WE GET SOME OF THE MOST OLD-FASHIONED BUT ALSO MOST FLAVORFUL DISHES FROM HERE -- PINNEKJOTT, THE CURED AND SALTED LAMB RIBS AND ALSO THE PECULIAR SPECIALTY OF SMALAHOVE, THE SMOKED AND SALTED SHEEP HEAD.

THESE ARE BIG AND RUSTIC FLAVORS.

I'M GOING TO MAKE A DISH WITH LAMB, BUT THAT GOES IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION THAT IS LIGHT AND WITH THE FLAVOR OF SUMMER.

HERE, I'VE GOT LAMB BELLY AND LAMB RIBS DEBONED.

AND THAT'S THE PIECE FROM ABOUT HERE.

I'M GOING TO STUFF IT WITH DIFFERENT LIGHT-TASTING FLAVORS.

BUT FIRST, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF SALT, EQUAL AMOUNTS OF SALT AND SUGAR.

THE SUGAR DOES SOME OF THE SAME THINGS WITH THE MEAT AS THE SALT DOES WHEN IT COMES TO DRAWING OUT MOISTURE AND DENATURING PROTEINS, BUT, OF COURSE, WITH THE SUGAR, YOU GET A LIGHTER FLAVOR SO IT'S NOT AS SALTY AS MANY OF THE TRADITIONAL WESTERN NORWEGIAN DISHES.

AND THEN I'M ADDING SPICES -- ALL OF THEM WHICH LEND A HINT OF SWEETNESS TO THE DISH.

THIS HERE IS DILL SEEDS.

WE'VE ALSO GOT SOME SWEET FENNEL AND SOME MUSTARD SEEDS.

THEY ARE QUITE STRONG, BUT THEY'RE NOT HOT IN THE SENSE THAT A CHILI PEPPER WOULD BE.

AND THEN SOME REGULAR BLACK PEPPERCORNS.

THIS IS A KIND OF NORDIC CURRY.

ALL OF THESE SPICES, APART FROM THE BLACK PEPPER, GROW IN NORWAY.

THIS IS WHAT "NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING" IS ALL ABOUT.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ] AND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS A COARSE MIXTURE...THAT WILL NOT BLOW AWAY WHEN THERE'S A PASSING TRAIN.

THE SPICE MIXTURE IS SWEET AND AROMATIC AND WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BITE TO IT BECAUSE OF THE BLACK PEPPERCORNS AND THE MUSTARD.

AND I'M GONNA ADD SOME SPICES THAT HAVE SOME OF THE SAME QUALITIES -- SWEET, AROMATIC MINT AND I'VE GOT SWEET, FRESH-TASTING PARSLEY AND THEN CHERVIL.

IT'S NOT VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE HERBS ARE VERY, VERY FINELY CHOPPED.

IT'S NOT EVEN IMPORTANT THAT THEY'RE EVENLY CHOPPED.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS FLAVOR AND TEMPERAMENT.

I'M GONNA ROLL IT ALL AROUND THIS ONE SCALLION, THIS ONE SPRING ONION.

AND THEN TIE IT UP WITH STRING, AND DO USE COTTON SPRING.

DON'T USE ANY OTHER SYNTHETIC STUFF.

THAT MIGHT JUST MELT IN THE OVEN.

SPLASH OF OIL AND JUST ROLL IT AROUND, AND THEN IT GOES INTO THE OVEN AT 140 DEGREES CELSIUS.

THAT'S ABOUT 280 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT FOR A GOOD HOUR OR SO.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEBSITE... AND IT SMELLS AND LOOKS AMAZING.

THESE YOUNG LAMBS HAVE GOT THIS ALMOST SORT OF MILKY SWEETNESS TO THEM WHEN YOU ROAST THEM IN THE OVEN.

MMM.

IT'S SUPER-FRESH, IT'S SO NICE, AND THIS SAME MIXTURE OF SPICES AND HERBS GO REALLY WELL TOGETHER WITH OTHER CUTS OF LAMB, AS WELL.

IF YOU'VE GOT A RACK OF LAMB OR ROAST OF LAMB, YOU CAN JUST RUB IT IN -- THE SAME MIXTURE -- AND IT WILL BE VERY, VERY NICE.

NOW, I WISH THAT I WAS HERE AND COULD ENJOY THIS AS A PROPER MEAL, BUT I'VE GOT A TRAIN TO CATCH, AND LUCKILY, THIS IS ALSO QUITE NICE WHEN YOU EAT IT COLD LATER ON, ON BREAD AS A TRAVELER'S SNACK.

I'M GONNA USE THE LAMB ROLLS TO MAKE A SANDWICH.

AND SANDWICHES, THEY ARE REALLY AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF SCANDINAVIAN FOOD CULTURE.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE AND IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS AND SHAPES, FROM THE RICH DANISH TRADITIONS OF OPULENT SMORREBROD TO THE SWEDISH SMORGASBORD TO NORWEGIAN BRODSKIVE, WHICH IS SOMETIMES AS SIMPLE AS A SLICE OF BREAD WITH CHEESE ON IT.

I LIKE TO USE DARK BREAD.

THIS IS, IN NORWEGIAN TERMS, A MEDIUM-DARK BREAD.

IT'S MADE WITH WHOLE WHEAT AND A LITTLE BIT OF RYE.

AND THEN THIS GRAINY MUSTARD, A LITTLE BIT ON THE SWEET SIDE.

AND I THINK THAT A SANDWICH SHOULD ALWAYS CONTAIN SOME GREENS, BUT THERE SHOULDN'T JUST BE ONE LETTER SLEEVE JUST FOR SHOW BECAUSE IT SERVES NO CULINARY PURPOSE.

I COULD HAVE USED DILL PICKLES, BUT NOW I'M USING PICKLED SCALLION -- SPRING ONION -- AND ASPARAGUS.

JUST PICKLED IN A LIGHT SALT-AND-VINEGAR BRINE.

AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE BRINE YOURSELF, YOU CAN JUST USE THE BRINE FROM SOME DILL PICKLES OR PICKLED CUCUMBERS.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT INTO PICKLING YOURSELF, YOU CAN JUST USE THE LIQUID FROM SOME PICKLED CUCUMBERS, AND THAT WILL DO THE TRICK.

AND I'M JUST GONNA DECORATE A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME EDIBLE FLOWERS.

THIS IS SAGE FLOWERS THAT ARE SO BEAUTIFUL.

A LITTLE BIT OF WOOD SORREL, WHICH HAS A NICE SOUR FLAVOR.

BUT TRAVELING BY RAIL FROM BERGEN TO OSLO IS A JOURNEY IN TIME IN ANOTHER WAY, AS WELL.

IN BERGEN, IT WAS SUMMER.

HERE, AT FINSE, 1,222 METERS OR MORE THAN 4,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, WINTER HASN'T LEFT YET.

[ METAL CLANGING ] [ SHEEP BLEATS ] HA-HA!

NOW I'VE GOT SOMETHING.

COME, COME, COME.

WE'VE GOT A DINNER DATE.

WHOO-HOO.

HE'S A FIGHTER, AND HE'S A BEAUTIFUL TROUT.

WHEN WE'VE GOT A FRESH FISH AND A FIRE BURNING, IT'S EASY TO THINK THAT THE WAY TO COOK THE FISH NOW IS JUST GRILLING IT OVER AN OPEN FIRE, AND, YES, THAT WAS THE FIRST WAY THAT HUMANS STARTED COOKING, BUT SOON AFTER, THEY STARTED THINKING, "WELL, THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY, A WAY WHERE THE FISH MEAT DOESN'T CHAR, DOESN'T BECOME SERIOUSLY OVERCOOKED."

IF YOU RETAIN THE HEAT WITHIN A CONTAINER -- WHAT WE TODAY REFER TO AS A STOVE -- THAT'S A WAY TO GO.

HERE, I'VE GOT A WOODEN BUCKET.

AND I JUST INSULATE BY HAVING A FEW BIRCH LEAVES AND SOME BLUEBERRY BUSHES THAT I'VE PICKED DOWN IN THE VALLEY, AND I PUT SOME OF THESE REALLY HOT STONES FROM THE FIREPLACE, I PUT IT IN THE BUCKET, AND THE BUSHES AND LEAVES MAKE SURE THAT THE BUCKET DOESN'T START TO BURN IMMEDIATELY, AT LEAST.

A FEW JUNIPER BRANCHES, AS WELL.

THEY WILL HELP INSULATE THE HEAT A LITTLE BIT SO THE FISH DOESN'T OVERCOOK, AND, OF COURSE, THEY CONTAIN A LOT OF GOOD FLAVORS, SO NOW IT SMELLS REALLY NICE.

THEN I PUT THE FISH INSIDE, AND I'M ALSO ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF CABBAGE.

AND SOME SCALLIONS -- SPRING ONIONS.

AND THEN I JUST PUT A LID ON IT AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

THIS WAY OF COOKING IS SOPHISTICATED AND PRIMITIVE AT THE SAME TIME.

AND IN A WAY, YOU CAN SAY THE SAME ABOUT THE SAUCE I'M GOING TO MAKE.

IT'S MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE PRIMITIVE SIDE.

HERE I'VE GOT THE SHELLS FROM THE SHRIMP THAT I MADE THE SHRIMP SANDWICH WITH, AND I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF CHOPPED ONION, A LOT OF BUTTER, AND A GOOD SPLASH OF BRANDY OR COGNAC.

AND I'M SIMPLY COOKING THE SAUCE ON ONE OF THE HOT STONES THAT I RAKED OUT OF THE FIRE, AND IN HERE IT BOILS, AND THE ALCOHOL WILL EVAPORATE.

THE TEMPERATURE HERE IS AROUND 80 DEGREES CELSIUS, AROUND 180 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND IT'S FLUCTUATING A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S NEVER MUCH ABOVE THAT, SO THAT'S SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT THAN AN OPEN FIRE, WHERE THE TEMPERATURE CAN EXCEED 1,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, MORE THAN 600 CELSIUS.

[ BELL DINGING, TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ] NOW THE FISH SHOULD BE READY.

AND IT LOOKS FABULOUS.

LOOKS LIKE IT'S REALLY HAPPY THAT IT MET ME.

AND IT SMELLS WONDERFUL OF THE JUNIPER, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE JUNIPER GROWING, TRY AND FIND ANOTHER TREE OR ANOTHER SHRUB THAT'S QUITE AROMATIC.

AND BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY DRY INSIDE THE BUCKET, THE SKIN IS EASY TO REMOVE, AS WELL.

AND LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL FLESH.

AND THE SAUCE SHOULD BE READY.

MMM.

MMM.

MMM.

AND IT'S REALLY DELICIOUS WITH THESE DEEP FLAVORS FROM THE WILD SHRUBS AND HERBS AND WITH THAT LITTLE SOPHISTICATED TOUCH FROM THE SHELLFISH SAUCE.

WE VERY OFTEN UNDERESTIMATE THE COOKING OF OUR ANCESTORS.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A COOKING TECHNIQUE THAT WAS QUITE WIDELY USED IN A TIME LONG BEFORE POTS AND PANS, AND THE RESULT IS ACTUALLY PERFECT.

MMM.

MMM.

THE LAST THING I'M GOING TO MAKE TODAY IS A SWEET AND FRESH-TASTING DESSERT WITH THE ANGRIEST INGREDIENT OF SUMMER.

RHUBARB IS FURIOUS AT EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE...UNTIL YOU ADD ENOUGH SUGAR AND HEAT.

AND I'M GOING TO MAKE A RHUBARB-AND-STRAWBERRY SOUP, AND IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLY SIMPLE.

YOU JUST CUT THE RHUBARB INTO SMALLER CHUNKS.

DOESN'T REALLY MATTER EXACTLY HOW BIG THEY ARE, JUST SO THEY COOK A LITTLE BIT FASTER.

AND THEN 1/2 A VANILLA BEAN THAT I'VE SCRAPED DOWN, SO THAT GOOEY STUFF IN THE MIDDLE, THAT'S THE SEEDS.

A LITTLE LESS THAN A CUP OF SUGAR, SO THAT'S ABOUT A DECILITER.

AND A SMALL PINCH OF ALLSPICE, A SMALL GLASS OF WHITE WINE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO COOK THE SOUP USING A PIECE OF SUPER HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT, NAMELY A MICROWAVE OVEN.

AND THIS IS A TYPE OF EQUIPMENT THAT I'M NOT REALLY USED TO, BUT LET'S HOPE IT GOES WELL.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ] AND AFTER JUST SIX OR SEVEN MINUTES IN THE MICROWAVE, THE RHUBARB IS READY, AND WE'VE GOT A RHUBARB SOUP.

I'M JUST GONNA...ADJUST WITH A LITTLE MORE SUGAR.

I LIKE THE RHUBARB SOUP TO HAVE A BIT OF BITE TO IT.

[ CLEARS THROAT ] BUT TO BE HONEST, NOT QUITE AS MUCH AS THIS.

THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THE MICROWAVE IS THAT THE SMALL CHUNKS OF RHUBARB LOOK WHOLE AND UNDISTURBED, AND THEN YOU JUST STIR THEM A LITTLE BIT, AND IT ALL BECOMES MUSHY.

I'LL LEAVE THE RHUBARB TO COOL OFF A LITTLE BIT WHEN IT COMES STRAIGHT OUT OF THE MICRO, IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLY HOT.

AS WE DESCEND FROM THE MOUNTAINS, THE LANDSCAPE CHANGES.

IT BECOMES GREENER AND LUSHER.

WE'RE RETURNING TO SUMMER.

HI.

RHUBARB FROM THE WEST OF THE COUNTRY, STRAWBERRIES FROM THE EAST OF THE COUNTRY.

TOGETHER, THEY'RE THIS SWEET PIECE OF NORWAY.

THE RHUBARB HERE IS ABOUT LUKEWARM, AND THAT'S WHEN I WANT TO STIR IN THE SMALL PIECES OF THE STRAWBERRY.

I DON'T WANT TO COOK THEM, BUT I WANT THEM TO RELEASE AS MUCH FLAVOR AND COLOR AS POSSIBLE.

REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEBSITE... AND I COOL THE SOUP OFF IN SOME SNOW THAT I BROUGHT WITH ME FROM FINSE, AND IT'S REALLY GREAT PRACTICAL THAT THERE'S STILL SOME OF WINTER LEFT UP ON THE TOP OF NORWAY.

BUT, OF COURSE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAIN REGION, YOU CAN ALSO USE YOUR REFRIGERATOR.

MY FAVORITE SUMMER CITY IS MY HOMETOWN, OSLO.

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