>> THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING... [ WIND WHISTLING ] >> PANCAKES?

ANYONE?

HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AY, FANTáSTICO.

BONíSIMO.

>> HI, AND WELCOME TO "NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING" FROM LITLEFJELLET -- FROM THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE THAT DIVIDES EASTERN AND WESTERN NORWAY.

I'M ANDREAS VIESTAD.

IN TODAY'S PROGRAM, WE'LL TRAVEL BY RAIL FROM DOMBAS UP IN THE MOUNTAIN DOWN TO ANDALSNES BY THE FJORD.

THESE INLAND AREAS HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN QUITE ISOLATED.

FASHIONS COULD ARRIVE IN NORWAY, SPREAD, AND THEN DIE WITHOUT EVER REACHING HERE.

AND WHAT DID IT MATTER?

PEOPLE WERE CONTENT WITH THEIR TRADITIONS.

SOME OF THE MOST FASCINATING THINGS ABOUT TRAVELING WITH FOOD IS THAT THE MORE YOU DISCOVER, THE MORE SIMILARITIES YOU FIND.

IN TODAY'S PROGRAM, I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR DISCOVERIES I'VE MADE -- THAT THE TACO, THE GNOCCHI, AND THE PANCAKE ORIGINATED JUST HERE.

WELL, OF COURSE IT'S AN EXAGGERATION, BUT IT'S NOT COMPLETELY UNTRUE.

CONSIDER [ SPEAKS NORWEGIAN ] THE MOST IMPORTANT REGIONAL DISH.

IT'S LIKE A PANCAKE, TORTILLA, IF YOU WILL, FILLED WITH MEATS AND VARIOUS TOPPINGS.

SOUNDS AN AWFUL LOT LIKE A TACO, DOESN'T IT?

OF COURSE, THEY ARE QUITE UNRELATED, BUT THEY HAVE STRIKING SIMILARITIES.

I'LL MAKE A VERSION WITH STICKY PORK.

AND SEKKJEPASE -- THAT'S A DISH WITH A VERY STRANGE NAME, BUT IT'S REALLY A POTATO DUMPLING.

IT'S A BIT LIKE A GNOCCHI, ONLY THIS ONE IS FLAVORED WITH CURED MEATS AND COOKED IN BROTH.

AND IF YOU HAVE A SWEET TOOTH, YOU WILL IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZE THE SVELE AS A PANCAKE CLASSIC.

I'M GOING TO SERVE MINE WITH BERRIES FROM THE MOUNTAINS.

FINALLY, THERE'S MUSK OX, A BIG, STUPID ANIMAL WITH A TEMPERAMENT THAT LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED, BUT THE MEAT IS DELICIOUS.

IT'S MILD AND GAMY AT THE SAME TIME.

AND THE FIRST STOP HERE IS LESJA.

[ SPEAKING NORWEGIAN ] [ SPEAKING NORWEGIAN ] >> IT'S TACO TIME, NORWEGIAN STYLE.

AS I SAID, TACO ORIGINATED HERE IN LESJA IN THE MIDDLE OF NORWAY.

THAT SAID, TACO PROBABLY ORIGINATED AT LEAST A DOZEN PLACES AROUND THE WORLD.

HERE, THE DISH IS CALLED [ SPEAKS NORWEGIAN ], BUT IT DOES LOOK QUITE FAMILIAR.

THIS IS THE TORTILLA OF THE REGION.

LOOKS LIKE A TORTILLA, TASTES PRETTY MUCH LIKE A TORTILLA.

IT'S MADE WITH BARLEY.

IT'S DELICIOUS.

AND I'M GOING TO MAKE [ SPEAKS NORWEGIAN ] THAT IS HALFWAY BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL [ SPEAKS NORWEGIAN ] OF THIS REGION AND A MEXICAN TACO.

AND IT ALWAYS STARTS WITH PORK.

HERE I'VE GOT TWO VERY DIFFERENT CUTS OF PORK.

ABOUT 2 POUNDS -- 900 GRAMS -- OF PORK NECK.

AND ABOUT 450 GRAMS -- 1 POUND -- OF PORK BELLY.

I COOK THE MEAT IN A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF DELICIOUS MOUNTAIN BUTTER.

I'LL START OFF AT A RELATIVELY HIGH TEMPERATURE TO SEAR THE MEAT AND START SOME OF THE BROWNING PROCESSES, AND THEN REDUCE TO MEDIUM.

WE'RE ADDING QUITE A LOT OF ONIONS AS WELL TO CARAMELIZE WITH THE MEAT.

THAT WAS TWO ONIONS, CHOPPED.

AND THE NEXT INGREDIENTS ARE TIME AND A LITTLE BIT OF PATIENCE.

AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF STIRRING, THE MEAT IS NICELY BROWNED.

MOST OF THE ONIONS HAVE COLLAPSED.

THEY'RE WONDERFULLY SWEET.

THE NEXT PHASE OF THE COOKING PROCESS IS TO ADD SOME FLAVORS.

FIRST AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT, WILD OREGANO.

I'M ALSO ADDING SOME SPICES -- NOT THESE HOT MEXICAN SPICES, BUT SPICES THAT HAVE A MUCH MORE NORDIC CONNECTION.

CARAWAY -- IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SPICE USED IN SCANDINAVIAN AKVAVIT.

IT ALSO GROWS WILD IN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

ITS MORE EXOTIC COUSIN, CUMIN.

ALLSPICE.

VERY POPULAR IN NORWAY ABOUT A CENTURY AGO, BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE GONE OUT OF FASHION.

I LIKE IT A LOT.

AND CLOVES.

I SHOULD REALLY JUST USE ONE, 'CAUSE IT'S QUITE PUNGENT.

I'M USING TWO.

AND I POUNDED UNTIL I GOT A COARSE MIXTURE.

AND A PINCH OF SALT, AND IT'S STARTING TO SMELL WONDERFUL, NOT JUST FROM THE MEAT, BUT ALSO FROM THE OREGANO AND THE SPICES.

I'LL BE ADDING SOME SWEETNESS AS WELL -- HEATHER HONEY FROM THE AREA -- AND WITH THE SWEETNESS, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ACIDITY.

THIS HERE IS BEER VINEGAR.

YOU CAN ALSO USE MALT VINEGAR.

A COUPLE OF TABLESPOONS.

AS AN OPTIONAL THING, I'M ADDING SOME MUSHROOM EXTRACT.

THIS HERE IS A NORWEGIAN PRODUCT, BUT IF YOU CAN'T FIND THAT, YOU CAN ALSO USE A TABLESPOON OR SO OF DRIED MUSHROOMS -- FOR INSTANCE, PORCINI.

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEBSITE, newscancook.com.

IN ADDITION TO THE MEAT, I'M ADDING SOME SHREDDED CABBAGE, SOME SHREDDED KALE, A LITTLE BIT OF LEEK, SOME MILD POTATO CHUNKS, BOILED POTATOES.

AND THIS HERE IS ACTUALLY THE GREENS OF CARAWAY, BEFORE IT'S STARTING TO GROW SEEDS.

IF YOU CAN'T FIND THAT, YOU CAN USE FRESH DILL.

A LITTLE BIT OF THE DELICIOUS SOUR CREAM FROM THE MOUNTAINS HERE.

AND THESE TINY OREGANO FLOWERS.

HERE IT IS, TACO IN NORWEGIAN.

IT IS PRONOUNCED [ SPEAKING NORWEGIAN ].

THE STATION HERE IS SO SMALL THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO WAVE AT THE TRAIN TO MAKE IT STOP.

WE'RE ABOARD RAUMABANEN, THE TRAIN SERVICE THAT GOES BETWEEN DOMBAS UP IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ANDALSNES DOWN BY THE FJORD.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR TRAIN JOURNEYS IN NORWAY.

IT'S ALSO, TO ME, A SYMBOL OF MADNESS AND SHEER DETERMINATION.

THE RAILWAY WAS BUILT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20th CENTURY.

AND IMAGINE BUILDING A RAILWAY HERE, WHERE NOTHING IS STRAIGHT, WHERE THERE'S ROCK EVERYWHERE, AT A TIME WHERE YOU DIDN'T GET ANY MEANINGFUL HELP FROM ANY MACHINES.

I JUST LOVE THE MADNESS, AND I LOVE THE 42 DIFFERENT BRIDGES THAT YOU HAVE TO CROSS.

DOVRE NATIONAL PARK AND THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE PROTECTION AREA COVERS A VAST AREA OF THIS MOUNTAIN PLATEAU.

IT'S 4,600 SQUARE KILOMETERS, MORE THAN 1,700 SQUARE MILES.

THESE SIZES ARE QUITE ABSTRACT TO MOST PEOPLE, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, THERE ARE 28 COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT ARE SMALLER.

THE NATIONAL PARK AND THE SURROUNDING PROTECTED AREAS IS ONE OF THE LAST PIECES OF WILDERNESS WE'VE GOT.

WE'VE GOT FLOCKS OF WILD REINDEER ROAMING HERE, A UNIQUE FLORA, AND THERE'S AN INTERESTING STORY ABOUT BUILDING THE RAILWAY OVER THE MOUNTAINS.

THEY FOUND A COUPLE OF KNUCKLES, SOME BONES, AND THEY COULDN'T QUITE DECIDE FROM WHAT ANIMAL THEY WERE.

IT WASN'T SHEEP.

CERTAINLY, IT WASN'T CATTLE.

IT WASN'T REINDEER.

AND AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION, THEY FOUND THAT IT WAS FROM MUSK OX THAT HAD PROBABLY LIVED HERE UP UNTIL THE LAST ICE AGE.

CONSEQUENTLY, PEOPLE DECIDED TO RE-IMPORT MUSK OX FROM GREENLAND.

AND FROM A SMALL STOCK OF ABOUT 20 OR 30 ANIMALS, THE FLOCK GREW TO MORE THAN 300.

NOW THERE ARE ABOUT 150 LEFT, AND THEY ARE VERY EASY TO UNDERESTIMATE, BECAUSE NORMALLY THEY JUST STAND THERE LIKE IMMOVABLE OBJECTS.

THEY JUST LOOK LIKE WOOL STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD.

BUT IF YOU COME TOO CLOSE, THEY CAN BE REALLY, REALLY DANGEROUS, AND THEY'RE QUITE FAST.

THEY CAN RUN AS FAST AS 40 MILES PER HOUR, 60 KILOMETERS PER HOUR.

THERE IS LIMITED HUNTING OF THESE ANIMALS, AND THE MEAT IS DELICIOUS.

IT'S MILD AND GAMY AT THE SAME TIME.

HERE I'VE GOT A NICE PIECE OF FILLET THAT I'M GONNA COOK ON A HOT STONE.

AND I'VE PREHEATED THE STONE SO IT'S BETWEEN 500 AND 600 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, BETWEEN 250 AND 300 DEGREES CELSIUS.

AND I'M SEASONING IT WITH SALT AND SOME JUNIPER.

AND I'M USING THESE FRESH SMALL JUNIPER BERRIES AND A JUNIPER TWIG.

BUT IF YOU CAN'T FIND THAT, YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND DRIED JUNIPER BERRIES THAT YOU CAN JUST CRUSH.

JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS -- JUST ONE THAT I'M TEARING APART.

CHANTERELLE IS ONE OF THE FEW MUSHROOMS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY EAT RAW, SO HERE I'M JUST SEARING IT LIGHTLY.

SOME BERRIES FROM THE MOUNTAINS.

THIS IS THE STRANGEST BERRY IN THE WORLD, CLOUDBERRY.

IT WILL ONLY GROW VERY FAR NORTH OR AT VERY HIGH ELEVATION.

A COUPLE OF LINGONBERRIES.

NORWEGIANS ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE SOME ACIDITY WITH THEIR GAME.

YOU CAN ALSO USE CRANBERRIES.

AND A SPLASH OF SYRUP.

YOU CAN USE AN APPLE SYRUP, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY A CLOUDBERRY SYRUP, A LOCAL SPECIALTY.

REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN FIND ALL THE RECIPES AT OUR WEBSITE, newscancook.com.

MMM.

MMM.

THIS HERE IS THE KIND OF FOOD YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO EAT WHEN YOU'RE HIKING.

MMM.

MMM.

THE RAUMA VALLEY OFFERS GREAT ADVENTURES, AND THE RAILWAY HAS ALSO BECOME A DESTINATION IN ITSELF.

THE JOURNEY BETWEEN ANDALSNES AND BJORLI OFFERS SOME PRETTY SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF THE IMPOSING MOUNTAINS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VALLEY.

[ HORN BLOWS ] THE TRAIN TAKES YOU THROUGH TUNNELS AND OVER OLD BRIDGES.

IT'S TRULY A TRIP TO REMEMBER FOR TOURISTS AND NORWEGIANS ALIKE.

THERE ARE THREE STAPLE FOODS IN THIS REGION.

LAMB OR MUTTON IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE MEATS.

BARLEY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE CEREALS.

IT'S BASICALLY TOO COLD TO GROW WHEAT HERE.

AND THEN FINALLY THERE'S THE POTATO.

I'VE HEARD PEOPLE ASK, "IF THERE'S NO POTATO ON THE PLATE, HOW CAN WE EVEN KNOW THAT IT'S DINNER?"

I'M GOING TO MAKE SOME POTATO DUMPLINGS THAT ARE REFERRED TO AS SEKKJEPASE.

THEY ARE, IN A WAY, RELATED TO THE KNOEDELS AND DUMPLINGS OF GERMANY AND TO THE GNOCCHI OF ITALY.

AND I'LL START OFF WITH THESE LOVELY LOCAL POTATOES.

AND I'M GRATING THE POTATO AT THE FINEST GRID ON A GRATER, AND I'M USING A TOTAL OF 450 GRAMS, 1 POUND, OF POTATOES.

AND HALF AN ONION.

WHEN GRATING ONIONS AND POTATOES LIKE THIS, THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF EXCESS LIQUID, SO I'M TRYING TO GET RID OF, IF NOT EVERYTHING, THEN QUITE A LOT OF IT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKE ABOUT SEKKJEPASE IS THAT THE POTATO DUMPLINGS ARE FLAVORED SO THEY DON'T HAVE THIS BLAND TASTE -- FLAVORED WITH A HARD CHEESE.

THIS HERE IS A HOLTEFJELL XO, A NORWEGIAN HARD CHEESE THAT'S BEEN MATURED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

YOU CAN ALSO USE A WELL-MATURED PARMESAN CHEESE -- A COUPLE OF OUNCES, AROUND 50 GRAMS.

AND IT'S ALSO FLAVORED WITH CURED LEG OF LAMB.

BUT YOU CAN USE PROSCIUTTO.

I'M GRATING IT ON A MICROPLANE.

A NORMAL GRATER WON'T DO.

YOU CAN ALSO USE A VERY SHARP KNIFE AND CHOP IT FINELY.

AND NOW COMES ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS -- IT'S ADDING SOME EXTRA STARCH TO MAKE IT BIND.

I'VE SEEN RECIPES FOR GNOCCHI THAT CALLED FOR 2 CUPS OF FLOUR, AND NO WONDER THAT IT ALL BECOMES QUITE RUBBERY.

HERE I'M ADDING 2 TEASPOONS OF FLOUR.

THIS IS BARLEY FLOUR.

YOU CAN ALSO USE NORMAL ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.

NOW, IF I WERE TO MAKE THE DUMPLINGS OUT OF THIS, THEY MIGHT FALL APART WHEN I PUT THEM IN THE WATER, BUT HERE COMES THE INTERESTING PART.

THE SEKKJEPASE IS COOKED IN A CHEESECLOTH.

SO YOU LINE THEM UP ON A CHEESECLOTH, AND THAT GIVES PROTECTION TO THE DUMPLINGS, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST COUPLE OF MINUTES, SO THEY DON'T FALL APART.

AS YOU CAN SEE, PROTECTION IS THE CRUCIAL THING.

I'M COOKING IT IN A PASTA POT.

YOU CAN ALSO USE A COLANDER OR A METAL SIEVE THAT YOU PUT INTO THE POT.

I'M GONNA COOK IT IN A BROTH THAT I MADE JUST USING THE REMAINS OF A CURED HAM -- OR YOU CAN USE THE KNUCKLE -- AND SOME ROOT VEGETABLES AND A LEEK.

I'M LEAVING A SLOTTED SPOON ON TOP OF THE DUMPLINGS JUST TO PREVENT THEM FROM FLOATING TO THE TOP.

AS I START THE COOKING, THE BROTH IS BOILING, BUT I'M THEN REDUCING THE TEMPERATURE SO THAT THEY'RE JUST LEFT TO SIMMER.

AND NOW IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

THESE THINGS CAN GO WRONG.

HERE THEY LOOK PERFECT.

I'M FRYING THEM FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES IN A FRYING PAN TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF SURFACE AS WELL.

I'M ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF THYME AND A LITTLE BIT OF DILL JUST TO FLAVOR THE BUTTER.

AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, THEY'RE DONE WITH A NICELY BROWNED SURFACE, AND I'M SERVING WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THE BROTH THAT THEY WERE COOKED IN AND A FEW DROPS OF DILL OIL.

IT'S SIMPLY DILL AND OIL THAT I'VE STIRRED TOGETHER.

[ HORN BLOWS IN DISTANCE ] TO BUILD A RAILROAD IN SUCH A MOUNTAINOUS LANDSCAPE AT THE END OF THE 19th CENTURY MUST HAVE BEEN A GREAT CHALLENGE, AND IN SOME PLACES IT SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

HOW DID THEY DO IT?

WE'VE REACHED ANDALSNES AT THE END OF THE RAUMA LINE AND THE BEGINNING OF THE NORWEGIAN FJORD SYSTEMS.

AND WE'VE ALSO REACHED ANOTHER CULINARY TRADITION, BECAUSE THE MAIN MODE OF TRANSPORT HERE IS FERRIES CRISSCROSSING THE FJORDS, AND WHILE YOU'RE ON THE FERRIES, YOU WAIT.

WHILE YOU WAIT, YOU EAT.

AND WHAT YOU EAT IS SVELE, A THICK PANCAKE THAT IS UTTERLY DELICIOUS.

IT'S VERY EASY TO MAKE.

YOU START OFF BY CRACKING THREE EGGS.

AND 2 DECILITERS, A SCANT CUP OF SUGAR.

JUST BEATING THE MIXTURE OF EGG AND SUGAR UNTIL IT'S LIGHT AND AIRY.

INSTEAD OF BUTTERMILK OR MILK, WE'RE USING CULTURED MILK.

IT'S SLIGHTLY SOUR.

5 DECILITERS OR 2 CUPS.

AND HERE I'VE GOT 3 CUPS, 7.5 DECILITERS, OF NORMAL ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.

AND TO MAKE IT RISE, I'M NOT USING NORMAL BAKING POWDER.

I'M USING BICARBONATE SODA, ABOUT A TEASPOON.

AND THEN THIS HERE -- [ SPEAKING NORWEGIAN ] -- OR AMMONIUM BICARBONATE.

A SCANT 1/2 TEASPOON.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SOURCE IT VIA THE INTERNET.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU'VE GOT AT LEAST ONE OF THESE.

NOW I'VE GOT A NICE, THICK BATTER, AND IDEALLY, I SHOULD LET IT REST FOR 20 MINUTES OR SO BEFORE STARTING TO COOK THE PANCAKES.

BUT YOU CAN START RIGHT AWAY IF YOU'RE IMPATIENT, AND I AM.

I'M GONNA SERVE THIS WITH SOME BERRIES FROM THE MOUNTAINS.

THESE ARE BLUEBERRIES, LINGONBERRIES, AND BLACK CURRANTS THAT I STIRRED TOGETHER WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR.

YOU'LL FIND THE RECIPE ON OUR WEBSITE.

MMM.

PANCAKES?

ANYONE?

HERE.

HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> [ SPEAKING NORWEGIAN ] >> PANCAKE, VERY TYPICAL OF THIS AREA.

>> THAT'S GOOD.

>> THANK YOU.

>> [ CHUCKLES ] >> THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING... [ WIND WHISTLING ]