Independence Day is celebrated with Finnish flavors.
When you think of Finnish flavors, rye bread, reindeer, salmon and Karelian pie come to mind.
From these familiar and beloved ingredients to all Finns, a chef Risto Mikkola conjured up Independence Day treats.
Mikkola’s party table serves sapaks, i.e. the Finnish version of Spanish tapas. Sapaks were born Ilja Björsin and Jarkko Myllymäki developed for the joint men’s restaurant Juuri. Opened in 2004, Juuri was chosen as restaurant of the year by the Finnish Association of Gastronomies in 2010. The boots were the trademark of Juure, who retired in 2021.
According to Mikkola, work must still be done for Finnish food and its appreciation.
– Local producers and Finnish raw materials should always be highlighted. Beetroot and goat’s cheese are a wonderful pair of flavors, and rye bread runs in Finns’ DNA, Mikkola describes.
I made something even better out of mocha
This time, Mikkola had a little trouble melting the Karelian pies. He had left a bag of frozen pies in the fridge to thaw, but the pies had stuck together so tightly that they fell apart when removed.
It didn’t help but to accept the fact and change the plans.
– The Karelian pie became a domestic arancini. Because of my mistake, this bag turned out to be even better than I had originally planned, Mikkola laughs.
The thawed frozen Karelian pie is rolled into a ball, which is flattened into a patty, rolled in rye flour, egg and panko flour. Then it is deep-fried and cold-smoked salmon-egg butter mousse is sprinkled on top.
– Get your feet under, Mikkola states.
Mikkola developed three different versions of sapas, but he encourages everyone to be creative and combine their own favorite flavors.
Product inquiries: Pentik
You can be creative with shoes. Pasi Liesimaa
Beetroot-goat cheese boots
(approx. 12 pcs)
3 medium beets
150 g of goat cheese (a firmer roll is best)
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons balsamic (or balsamic cream for decoration)
2 tbsp walnuts (unroasted or lightly roasted)
2 tbsp fresh thyme or rosemary (chopped)
olive oil
salt and black pepper
1. Boil the beetroots with their skins until cooked (approx. 30–40 min). Allow to cool, peel and cut into half-centimeter thick slices.
2. Place the beetroot slices on a baking sheet, cut the goat cheese into half-centimeter-thick discs and place on top of each beetroot slice. Drizzle honey and a few drops of balsamic vinegar on top.
3. Cook in a 180 degree oven for ten minutes. Sprinkle the crushed nuts and fresh herbs on top. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Smoky reindeer jaws
(approx. 12 pcs)
6 pieces of rye bread (e.g. thin island bread or rye bread)
250 g of smoked reindeer, shredded
150 g unflavored cream cheese
150 g sour cream
juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
black pepper to taste
1. Whip the sour cream in a bowl, add the other ingredients and mix into a smooth mass. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Spread an even layer of dough on top of a slice of bread, put another slice of bread on top and put another layer of reindeer dough on top of it and put a slice of bread on top of it. Repeat until the loaves and mass are gone.
3. Put the filled breads on a plate and another plate on top as a small weight. Place in the fridge for half an hour to set.
4. Take the breads out of the fridge and cut them into bite-sized layers.
Karajalan pie croquettes and warm smoked egg butter
(approx. 12 pcs)
8 raw frozen Karelian pies
1 dl rye flour
2 eggs
4 dl panko flour (Japanese breadcrumbs)
salt
oil for frying
Hot smoked butter:
200 g butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, boiled and grated
100 g warm smoked salmon, crumbled
half a lemon menu
half a pound of dill, chopped
salt
pepper
1. Melt the Karelian pies and mix them in a bowl into a smooth mass.
2. Shape the mass into balls about the size of a ping pong ball. Press them into discs. Bread the disks first in rye flour, then in egg and then in breadcrumbs.
3. Deep-fry the discs in 160-degree oil until the breaded discs are golden brown. Place on a paper towel to drain. Season with more salt. Allow to cool to room temperature.
4. Mix all the egg butter ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon a dollop of warm smoked egg butter over the Karelian pie croquettes and enjoy.
Drink recommendation
The high-quality vintage cava Perelada Stars Cava Brut Reserva (€12.99) is a gem from Spain. Its packaging has the sparkle of stars and a suitably festive feel for the tinkling of Independence Day. On the palate, the wine is dry, pleasantly acidic, citrusy, mineral and lightly toasted.