Applesauce Trifles

I created these trifles of caramelized oat-rye-spelt clusters, vanilla-infused applesauce, and whipped cream as a riff on a classic Scandinavian dessert known as Veiled Country Lass. Belle de Boskoop apples, native to the Netherlands, are my favorite for making applesauce, but other tart-sweet baking apples like Jonagold or Pink Lady will do. You can use just oats to make the clusters, but the rye and spelt flakes add a lovely nutty note.

• 
  
  4-1/2 lb. tart-sweet apples (about 9), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  
  


• 
  
  2/3 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup rolled oats
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup rye flakes
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup spelt flakes
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. (1/2 cup) salted butter, 2 oz. melted and 2 oz. cut into 4 pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  

Combine the apples, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, if using, and 1/2 cup water in a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan. Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding more water 1/4 cup at a time if the apples become dry, until broken down into a chunky sauce, about 30 minutes. Transfer the applesauce to a medium bowl and add the vanilla extract, if using. Let cool and then refrigerate until chilled, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove and discard the vanilla bean pod, if used.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Toss the oats, rye, and spelt with the 2 oz. melted butter on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread in an even layer and bake, stirring once, until golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 2 oz. butter with the brown sugar in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely melted and bubbling slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the hazelnuts and toasted grains, and toss until clusters form. Spread the clusters on a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely.

In ten 8- to 10-oz. parfait glasses, alternate two 1/2-cup layers each of applesauce and clusters, starting with the applesauce.

In a large chilled bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, whip the cream on medium-high speed to medium-firm peaks, about 2 minutes. Top the trifles with the cream and serve.

Sear-Roasted Beef Tenderloin

Tenderloin has a wonderful texture, but its flavor can be a bit bland. This recipe brings out its natural goodness by salting ahead to concentrate flavors, searing to develop a rich crust, and glazing with ingredients that add depth.

• 
  
  1 trimmed whole beef tenderloin (3-1/2 to 4 lb.)
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  
  


• 
  
  1 medium clove garlic, mashed to a paste
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. honey
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. soy sauce
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. olive oil
  
  

Fold the thinner end of the tenderloin under to create an evenly thick roast; secure with twine. Rub the beef all over with 1 Tbs. salt. Wrap it in butcher paper or plastic wrap, put it on a platter or rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Remove the beef from the refrigerator and let sit for about an hour before roasting. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 475°F.

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, honey, soy sauce, thyme, and a few grinds of pepper; set aside.

Heat a flame-proof roasting pan over medium-high heat, using 2 burners if necessary. Add the oil, swirling the pan to coat, and then add the beef. Cook, turning with tongs, until well browned on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board; wipe out the pan.

Brush the glaze over all of the beef, return it to the roasting pan, and roast to an internal temperature of 120°F for rare, 16 to 20 minutes, or 125°F for medium rare, 22 to 26 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes (and up to 1 hour if serving at room temperature). If serving warm or at room temperature, slice the tenderloin 1/2 inch thick and pour any juice that has accumulated over the sliced beef, if you like. If serving cold, wrap the tenderloin in plastic wrap once it has cooled and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.

Roast Pork with Crisp Crackling & Red Currant Gravy

Be sure to offer everyone some of the fragrant onion-orange stuffing and crunchy crackling along with their slices of juicy pork (pork is especially popular in Denmark, where we eat it for almost every happy occasion.) It’s the centerpiece of our Christmas table. My “special gravy,” as we call it, gets its deep sweet-and-savory flavor from homemade stock, the roast drippings, creamy Danish blue cheese, and red currant jelly. This dish is equally good cold the next day, on rye bread with a sprinkle of coarse salt and leftover braised cabbage.

For the pork

• 
  
  1 oz. (2 Tbs.) salted butter
  
  


• 
  
  1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  
  


• 
  
  3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. fresh thyme
  
  


• 
  
  6-1/2 lb. skin-on boneless pork loin roast, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1 medium orange, halved and cut crosswise 1/8 inch thick
  
  

For the gravy

• 
  
  2-1/2 cups Red Wine Chicken Stock or lower-salt chicken broth
  
  


• 
  
  2 oz. (4 Tbs.) salted butter
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/8 oz. (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. red currant jelly
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. crumbled Danish blue cheese
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Roast the pork

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate; let cool.

Remove the piece of skin and fat from the top of the roast. Using a sharp knife, score the skin crosswise through to the fat at 1/2-inch intervals; set aside. Score the meat in a crosshatch pattern, cutting about 1/2 inch deep. Season generously with salt and pepper, and spread the onion-garlic mixture over the surface. Lay the orange slices on top, replace the skin and fat, and tie the roast with twine crosswise at 1-1/2-inch intervals. Generously season the skin with salt. (See the Test Kitchen post for step-by-step photos of how to prep the roast.)

Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the roast reads 145°F, about 1-1/2 hours.

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Make the gravy

Meanwhile, pour off and discard the fat from the baking sheet; set aside. In a 1-quart saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Pour 1 cup of the stock onto the baking sheet and stir, scraping up the browned bits. Pour through a medium-mesh sieve back into the saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

(At this point, if the skin is not completely crisp and bubbly, untie it from the roast, put it back on the baking sheet, and bake until it is. Lay it back on top of the roast.)

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir constantly until caramel color, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the stock and simmer, whisking often, until the flour taste is gone, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the cream, jelly, and blue cheese and simmer, whisking often, until the gravy is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve

Remove and discard the twine (if you haven’t already) and carve the pork as shown below. Include crackling and orange-onion stuffing with each portion and serve with the gravy.

Endive, Walnut & Grape Salad

This bright, fresh salad is a wonderful contrast to the other rich dishes in the Nordic Christmas Feast menu. In Scandinavia, chicory (Belgian endive) is called yule salat because we eat it mostly during the Christmas season.

• 
  
  6 medium heads Belgian endive (1 lb. total), trimmed and cut lengthwise into 6 wedges each
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup halved green grapes
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. honey
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. grapeseed oil
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Arrange the endive wedges on a large serving platter and scatter the grapes and walnuts over them.

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, mustard, and honey until combined. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

Roast Pork with Crisp Crackling & Red Currant Gravy

Be sure to offer everyone some of the fragrant onion-orange stuffing and crunchy crackling along with their slices of juicy pork (pork is especially popular in Denmark, where we eat it for almost every happy occasion.) It’s the centerpiece of our Christmas table. My “special gravy,” as we call it, gets its deep sweet-and-savory flavor from homemade stock, the roast drippings, creamy Danish blue cheese, and red currant jelly. This dish is equally good cold the next day, on rye bread with a sprinkle of coarse salt and leftover braised cabbage.

For the pork

• 
  
  1 oz. (2 Tbs.) salted butter
  
  


• 
  
  1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  
  


• 
  
  3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. fresh thyme
  
  


• 
  
  6-1/2 lb. skin-on boneless pork loin roast, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1 medium orange, halved and cut crosswise 1/8 inch thick
  
  

For the gravy

• 
  
  2-1/2 cups Red Wine Chicken Stock or lower-salt chicken broth
  
  


• 
  
  2 oz. (4 Tbs.) salted butter
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/8 oz. (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. red currant jelly
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. crumbled Danish blue cheese
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Roast the pork

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate; let cool.

Remove the piece of skin and fat from the top of the roast. Using a sharp knife, score the skin crosswise through to the fat at 1/2-inch intervals; set aside. Score the meat in a crosshatch pattern, cutting about 1/2 inch deep. Season generously with salt and pepper, and spread the onion-garlic mixture over the surface. Lay the orange slices on top, replace the skin and fat, and tie the roast with twine crosswise at 1-1/2-inch intervals. Generously season the skin with salt. (See the Test Kitchen post for step-by-step photos of how to prep the roast.)

Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the roast reads 145°F, about 1-1/2 hours.

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Make the gravy

Meanwhile, pour off and discard the fat from the baking sheet; set aside. In a 1-quart saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Pour 1 cup of the stock onto the baking sheet and stir, scraping up the browned bits. Pour through a medium-mesh sieve back into the saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

(At this point, if the skin is not completely crisp and bubbly, untie it from the roast, put it back on the baking sheet, and bake until it is. Lay it back on top of the roast.)

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir constantly until caramel color, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the stock and simmer, whisking often, until the flour taste is gone, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the cream, jelly, and blue cheese and simmer, whisking often, until the gravy is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve

Remove and discard the twine (if you haven’t already) and carve the pork as shown below. Include crackling and orange-onion stuffing with each portion and serve with the gravy.

Sear-Roasted Beef Tenderloin

Tenderloin has a wonderful texture, but its flavor can be a bit bland. This recipe brings out its natural goodness by salting ahead to concentrate flavors, searing to develop a rich crust, and glazing with ingredients that add depth.

• 
  
  1 trimmed whole beef tenderloin (3-1/2 to 4 lb.)
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  
  


• 
  
  1 medium clove garlic, mashed to a paste
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. honey
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. soy sauce
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. olive oil
  
  

Fold the thinner end of the tenderloin under to create an evenly thick roast; secure with twine. Rub the beef all over with 1 Tbs. salt. Wrap it in butcher paper or plastic wrap, put it on a platter or rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Remove the beef from the refrigerator and let sit for about an hour before roasting. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 475°F.

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, honey, soy sauce, thyme, and a few grinds of pepper; set aside.

Heat a flame-proof roasting pan over medium-high heat, using 2 burners if necessary. Add the oil, swirling the pan to coat, and then add the beef. Cook, turning with tongs, until well browned on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board; wipe out the pan.

Brush the glaze over all of the beef, return it to the roasting pan, and roast to an internal temperature of 120°F for rare, 16 to 20 minutes, or 125°F for medium rare, 22 to 26 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes (and up to 1 hour if serving at room temperature). If serving warm or at room temperature, slice the tenderloin 1/2 inch thick and pour any juice that has accumulated over the sliced beef, if you like. If serving cold, wrap the tenderloin in plastic wrap once it has cooled and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.

Endive, Walnut & Grape Salad

This bright, fresh salad is a wonderful contrast to the other rich dishes in the Nordic Christmas Feast menu. In Scandinavia, chicory (Belgian endive) is called yule salat because we eat it mostly during the Christmas season.

• 
  
  6 medium heads Belgian endive (1 lb. total), trimmed and cut lengthwise into 6 wedges each
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup halved green grapes
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. honey
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. grapeseed oil
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Arrange the endive wedges on a large serving platter and scatter the grapes and walnuts over them.

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, mustard, and honey until combined. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

Applesauce Trifles

I created these trifles of caramelized oat-rye-spelt clusters, vanilla-infused applesauce, and whipped cream as a riff on a classic Scandinavian dessert known as Veiled Country Lass. Belle de Boskoop apples, native to the Netherlands, are my favorite for making applesauce, but other tart-sweet baking apples like Jonagold or Pink Lady will do. You can use just oats to make the clusters, but the rye and spelt flakes add a lovely nutty note.

• 
  
  4-1/2 lb. tart-sweet apples (about 9), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  
  


• 
  
  2/3 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup rolled oats
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup rye flakes
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup spelt flakes
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. (1/2 cup) salted butter, 2 oz. melted and 2 oz. cut into 4 pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  

Combine the apples, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, if using, and 1/2 cup water in a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan. Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding more water 1/4 cup at a time if the apples become dry, until broken down into a chunky sauce, about 30 minutes. Transfer the applesauce to a medium bowl and add the vanilla extract, if using. Let cool and then refrigerate until chilled, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove and discard the vanilla bean pod, if used.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Toss the oats, rye, and spelt with the 2 oz. melted butter on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread in an even layer and bake, stirring once, until golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 2 oz. butter with the brown sugar in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely melted and bubbling slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the hazelnuts and toasted grains, and toss until clusters form. Spread the clusters on a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely.

In ten 8- to 10-oz. parfait glasses, alternate two 1/2-cup layers each of applesauce and clusters, starting with the applesauce.

In a large chilled bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, whip the cream on medium-high speed to medium-firm peaks, about 2 minutes. Top the trifles with the cream and serve.

Endive, Walnut & Grape Salad

This bright, fresh salad is a wonderful contrast to the other rich dishes in the Nordic Christmas Feast menu. In Scandinavia, chicory (Belgian endive) is called yule salat because we eat it mostly during the Christmas season.

• 
  
  6 medium heads Belgian endive (1 lb. total), trimmed and cut lengthwise into 6 wedges each
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup halved green grapes
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. honey
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. grapeseed oil
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Arrange the endive wedges on a large serving platter and scatter the grapes and walnuts over them.

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, mustard, and honey until combined. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

White Wine & Elderflower Gløgg

Throughout December, Scandinavians meet outside to drink hot gløgg and sing carols—it’s like a cocktail party in the snow. My neighbors and I do it almost every night. Red wine is traditional in this spiced wine punch, but I think white wine is a nice change of pace.

• 
  
  2 750-ml bottles dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
  
  


• 
  
  2 cups elderflower cordial
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  10 green cardamom pods
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/3 cups golden raisins
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup sliced almonds
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup Cognac
  
  

In a 4-quart pot, bring the wine, cordial, sugar, and cardamom pods to a simmer over mediumhigh heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Turn the heat down and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Discard the cardamom pods; add the raisins, almonds, and Cognac. Serve hot in small glasses with spoons for scooping up the raisins and almonds.

Applesauce Trifles

I created these trifles of caramelized oat-rye-spelt clusters, vanilla-infused applesauce, and whipped cream as a riff on a classic Scandinavian dessert known as Veiled Country Lass. Belle de Boskoop apples, native to the Netherlands, are my favorite for making applesauce, but other tart-sweet baking apples like Jonagold or Pink Lady will do. You can use just oats to make the clusters, but the rye and spelt flakes add a lovely nutty note.

• 
  
  4-1/2 lb. tart-sweet apples (about 9), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  
  


• 
  
  2/3 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup rolled oats
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup rye flakes
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup spelt flakes
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. (1/2 cup) salted butter, 2 oz. melted and 2 oz. cut into 4 pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  

Combine the apples, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, if using, and 1/2 cup water in a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan. Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding more water 1/4 cup at a time if the apples become dry, until broken down into a chunky sauce, about 30 minutes. Transfer the applesauce to a medium bowl and add the vanilla extract, if using. Let cool and then refrigerate until chilled, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove and discard the vanilla bean pod, if used.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Toss the oats, rye, and spelt with the 2 oz. melted butter on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread in an even layer and bake, stirring once, until golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 2 oz. butter with the brown sugar in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely melted and bubbling slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the hazelnuts and toasted grains, and toss until clusters form. Spread the clusters on a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely.

In ten 8- to 10-oz. parfait glasses, alternate two 1/2-cup layers each of applesauce and clusters, starting with the applesauce.

In a large chilled bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, whip the cream on medium-high speed to medium-firm peaks, about 2 minutes. Top the trifles with the cream and serve.