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content s

foreword by rené redzepi • vii

in gratitude • ix
introduction • 1
a note on the recipes • 5

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The Bacalao Producer • 9
The Arctic Char Smoker • 37
The Rugbraud Baker • 59
The Fisherman • 81
The Seabird Egg Collector • 111
The Barley Farmer • 131
The Dairy Farmer • 157
The Birch and Mushroom Forager • 179
The Sheep Farmer • 209
The Hardfiskur Producer • 235
The Salt Maker • 253
The Goat Farmer • 279
The Blue Mussel and Dulse Harvester • 303

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ingredients for an icelandic pantry • 333
index • 336
 The Arctic Char Smoker
51

Cured Arctic Char,

Buttered Potatoes,
Mixed Salad, and
Smoked Fresh Cheese
Serves 4 | Preparation time: about 1 hour (plus 12 hours to refrigerate
the cheese)

Gunnar is an ardent meat and fish smoker, but he also enjoys smoking more unexpected
items, such as cheese. He infuses it ever so lightly with smokiness by using a smoke gun
to pipe wood smoke into it. It’s a simple technique that works well with virtually anything
you want to permeate with smoke, such as vegetables, sauces, or even ice creams, since the
smoke carries very little heat. You can also play around with the smoking material used. For
example, dried tree leaves of nearly any species or hay are good choices.
Don’t be intimidated by the idea of making cheese at home. It’s not as daunting as it
sounds, and once you are comfortable with the technique, it’s fun to mention to your guests
that you made the cheese yourself. Plus, the process results in whey, which is also used
here. The smoked cheese caramelizes nicely during the smoking process, which also makes
it a fun and unexpected topping for ice cream. Like many Nordic chefs, Gunnar frequently
cures his own fish, which, when paired with the fresh salad and the light texture of the
cheese, makes for a lovely dish on a warm summer’s day.

Smoked Fresh Cheese Arctic Char Buttered Potatoes Mixed Salad

12/3 cups (400 ml) milk
2 tablespoons plus
2 teaspoons cider vinegar,
plus more as needed
Salt
Rapeseed oil, for seasoning
11/4pounds (550 g) arctic char
or salmon fillet (see notes,
page 53)
Scant 1/2 cup (100 g) firmly
packed light brown sugar
1/2cup (80 g) rock salt
(see notes, page 53)
23/4 ounces (80 g) mixed
greens (such as birch tree
leaves, dill, and angelica
sprouts), finely chopped
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
7 ounces (200 g) Yukon gold
potatoes, unpeeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Sea salt
8 ounces (230 g) mixed
lettuce and herb varieties that
strike your fancy
Rapeseed oil, for dressing
Salt
Cider vinegar, for seasoning
Arctic char roe or salmon roe,
for garnish
Rapeseed oil, for garnish

To make the smoked cheese, put the milk and vinegar in a small saucepan, stir to mix, and
place over low heat. Heat to 189°F (87°C) and maintain the mixture at this temperature
for about 5 minutes. The milk will separate completely into clumps of white curds and
watery whey. Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Pour the
contents of the pan into the sieve and refrigerate for 12 hours.
| continued

Notes
1. If your fish comes complete
with skin, after you remove
it, save it, cut it into bite-size
pieces, and fry it up for a crunchy
topping for the salad.
2. Rock salt is the workhorse of
salts, ideal for curing fish, making
salt crusts, and other culinary
uses. It also has nonculinary uses,
so look for food-grade rock salt
to avoid rock salt that has been
treated with chemicals.
The Arctic Char Smoker
53
| Cured Arctic Char, Buttered Potatoes, Mixed Salad, and Smoked Fresh Cheese, continued
Reserve the solids in the sieve and transfer the whey to a small, heavy saucepan. Place
the pan over low heat and leave undisturbed for about 30 minutes, until the liquid begins
to caramelize. Remove from the heat, pour into a heatproof bowl, and let cool to room
temperature. As the liquid cools, it will stiffen to the texture of chocolate. Break it apart
and reserve to use as a garnish.
Transfer the solids from the sieve to a hotel pan or deep baking pan and seal tightly with
plastic wrap. Fill a smoke gun with wood chips and ignite the gun with a match. Make a
small hole in the plastic wrap covering the pan, insert the nozzle of the gun through the
hole, and smoke the cheese for 10 minutes. Alternatively, smoke the cheese in a wood
chip–fueled homemade (see page 191) or store-bought kitchen smoker. Season the cheese
with salt and drizzle with oil and vinegar to taste, then crumble to the consistency of dry
ricotta.
To make the artic char, remove any skin and fat from the fish. Combine the sugar, rock
salt, and greens in a bowl. Evenly distribute half of the sugar mixture in a shallow metal
container just large enough to accommodate the char. Place the fish on top and cover
it with the remaining curing mixture. Let stand at room temperature for 22 minutes.
Remove the fish from the curing mixture and discard the mixture.
Preheat an immersion circulator to 127°F (53°C). Cut the char into 4 equal pieces, place
the pieces and the oil in a vacuum bag, and seal on the medium setting. Cook in the circu-
lator for 10 minutes. Remove the bag from the circulator, remove the fish from the bag, and
keep warm. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a baking sheet with
parchment paper. Cut the char into 4 equal portions, rub (or spray) the bottom of each por-
tion with rapeseed oil, and arrange on the prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until
medium-rare.
To make the potatoes, boil the potates in salted water to cover for 18 to 20 minutes, until
just tender. Drain the potatoes, let cool just until they can be handled, and cut into disks
1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat, add the potatoes,
and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown on both sides. Season with sea salt.
To make the mixed salad, toss together the lettuce and herbs with just enough oil to make
them glisten. Season with salt and vinegar.
To serve, arrange the artic char, potatoes, and salad on a plate and garnish with the roe,
the smoked cheese, the caramelized whey, and the oil.
Gisl_9781607744986_4p_all_r1.indd 4 4/15/14 2:04 PM
Copyright © 2014 by Gunnar Karl Gíslason and Jody Eddy Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Foreword copyright © 2014 by René Redzepi Gíslason, Gunnar Karl.
Photographs copyright © 2014 by Evan Sung North : the new Nordic cuisine of Iceland / Gunnar Karl
Gíslason and Jody Eddy. — First edition.
All rights reserved. pages cm
Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, 1. Cooking, Icelandic. I. Eddy, Jody. II. Title.
an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, TX723.5.I2G57 2014
a division of Random House LLC, 641.594912—dc23
a Penguin Random House Company, New York. 2014003525
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-60774-498-6
eBook ISBN: 978-1-60774-499-3
Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon
are registered trademarks of Random House LLC Printed in China

Design by Toni Tajima

Cover and jacket design by Emma Campion and Toni Tajima

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