Denmark (Europe) 1 March 2024

Denmark is located in the continent of Europe. It has Norway and Sweden to the north and northeast, the Baltic Sea to the east, Poland and the Czech Republic to the southeast, Germany to the south, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Belgium to the southwest, the North Sea to the west and the northwest.

The capital is Copenhagen.

The official language is Danish.

The climate changes due to its location in the temperate zone. It receives diverse air masses from the Atlantic, the Arctic, and Eastern Europe. The mean temperature in February is the coldest at 32F, and the summers are mild with temperatures in July at 60F.

The staple foods are fried pork belly, potatoes, BBQ, onions, fried bacon, dark rye bread, soup, chicken, meatballs and dumplings, pastries and so much more delicious foods (https://theplanetd.com/traditional-danish-food/).

https://www.britannica.com/place/Denmark

HØNSEKØDSSUPPE (Hen’s Soup with Double Dumplings) (https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/hens-soup-with-double-dumplings-h%C3%B8nsek%C3%B8dssuppe/60m0n8y77):

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 2 leeks, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced    
• 3 carrots, cut into cubes
• 1 parsnip, cut into cubes
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/3 C finely shredded parsley and wild garlic (optional)
• Bouquet garnish of thyme, parsley, bay leaf and wild garlic (optional)

1. Place the chicken into a large saucepan and add enough water to cover well, ensuring the chicken is completely submerged.
2. Bring to the boil over high heat, then drain and rinse the chicken under running water.
3. Place the chicken into a clean pan, add 4 quarts water or enough to cover and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
4. Add the celery, leek, carrots, parsnip, peppercorns, and bouquet garnish, then reduce the heat to low and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour, slimming any impurities that rise to the surface.
5. Remove the chicken and store for another use.
6. Remove and discard the bouquet garnish.

Dumplings:

• 7-1/2 (100g) TBSP butter
• 2 C plain flour
• 1 TBSP salt
• 3 eggs

1. Bring 1 C water to a boil in a small saucepan.
2. Add the butter and stir until melted, then remove from the heat.
3. Stir in flour and salt until smooth, then beat in the eggs one at a time until well combined.
4. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.

Meatballs:

• 1/2lb. (300g) pork mince
• 2 slices white bread, crust-less, torn
• 2 TBSP milk
• 1 egg
• 3-1/2 TBSP (50g) butter
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg

1. Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor until just combined.
2. Shape the meatball and dough mixture into 2cm balls and keep separate.
3. Cook the meatballs and dumplings separately in a saucepan of lightly salted simmering water just until they float to the surface.
4. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. Divide the dumplings and meatballs among the soup bowls, then ladle in the hot soup and vegetables.
6. Scatter with parsley and wild garlic to serve.

This was a great recipe with lots of flavor!! Highly reommend!

RUGBRØD (Easy Overnight Danish Rye Bread) (https://true-north-kitchen.com/easy-overnight-danish-rye-rugbrod/):

For the Soaker:

• 2-1/2 C 7 grain hot cereal mix such as Bob’s Red Mill brand
• 1 C sunflower seeds
• 1 C pumpkin seeds
• ½ C flax seeds
• 2-2/3 C cold water

1. Combine all the ingredients for the soaker in a medium bowl.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature overnight, approximately 8-12 hours.

For the Dough:

• 2 C dark rye flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill brand, plus more for dusting the pan and loaf)
• 2 C bread flour
• 1 tsp instant dried yeast
• 1-1/2 C cold water
• 4 tsp salt
• ¼ C molasses
• Butter for greasing the pan

1. Combine both flour, yeast, and water in a separate bowl.
2. Stir to combine as best you can (mixture will be thick) and then knead briefly with your hands until you have a cohesive mixture.
3. Dough will be very thick and clay-like in texture.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature overnight, about 8-12 hours.

To put together:

1. Grease a 13×4 inch pullman loaf pan with butter and dust with rye flour, including the lid. Set aside.
2. Combine the soaker, flour mixture, salt and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer.
3. Fit mixer with paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes until everything is thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
4. Increase speed to medium and mix for an additional 2-3 minutes, stopping to occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mixture will be quite sticky.
5. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan.
6. Smooth out the top and sift a thin layer of rye flour over the surface of the dough.
7. Place lid on pan and let the dough rise from 1-1/2 – 3 hours at room temperature or until it is about ½-inch from the top of the pan. The time that it takes for your dough to rise will largely depend on the temperature of the dough and your kitchen.
8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
9. Bake the loaf with the lid on for 15 minutes.
10. Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees and continue to bake, covered, for an additional 15 minutes.
11. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully slide the lid off.
12. Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake, uncovered, for an additional 45 minutes.
13. Remove from the oven and immediately turn the loaf out onto a metal cooling rack set inside a lined baking sheet.
14. Return the bread to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
15. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely before slicing, at least 3 hours.
16. Rye bread is even better a day after baking. If you can wait until the following day, let the completely cooled bread sit at room temperature loosely wrapped in foil overnight before slicing.
17. The bread will keep at room temperature for 3-5 days loosely wrapped in foil.
18. Freeze for longer storage.

Even though there are a lot of steps, overall it really is an easy recipe, but more importantly the bread is GREAT!

LIGHT DANISH PASTRY DESSERT (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/232340/light-danish-dessert/):

• 2 (8oz) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls, divided
• 2 (8oz) packages reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1-1/2 C confectioners’ sugar, divided
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 (21oz) can cherry pie filling
• 1 TBSP skim milk, or as needed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.
3. Unroll one of the cans of crescent dough and place it into prepared baking dish; press onto the bottom of the pan to form a crust, firmly pressing the seams together to seal.
4. Beat cream cheese, ¾ C confectioners’ sugar, egg white, and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer on medium speed in a bowl until well blended; spread onto crust.
5. Spread cherry pie filling over the cream cheese mixture.
6. Pat the remaining crescent dough onto a large sheet of waxed paper forming a 13×9-inch rectangle, pressing seams together to seal.
7. Invert over the pie filling to form a top crust; discard the waxed paper.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes; cool at least 20 minutes.
9. Stream milk into remaining ¾ C confectioners’ sugar in a bowl, while beating until well blended and thick; drizzle over warm dessert.
10. Cut into 24 rectangles to serve.
11. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Hardest thing for me on this dessert was not to eat it all at once!!! I only made half the recipe, but still delicious!!