There’s a joke in Finland: one can start counting days until Christmas right after Midsummer. That is the time when the whole nation gathers around long tables to eat, drink and be merry.
Years go by but one thing is certain: you will definitely find well prepared ham as the table center piece in almost every Finnish home. After the feast, the leftovers are treasured as mouth-watering delicacies.
New year celebration means one thing: the start of a new Finnish Food Year.
One of the most traditional and anticipated family celebration rituals is the Finnish Christmas dinner served on Christmas Eve.
Christmas ham is the centerpiece of Finnish Christmas dinner table
The crown jewel of the holiday feast is all-important ham cooked with love and care for hours. During the process, the oven window is more popular than any show on national television.
Gaining more and more popularity, whole chicken is a guest star of the dinner - right beside the ham. Garnish both with mustard veil, bread crumbs and cloves. Shiny sauce is made from fatty baking broth mixed together with cream - nothing goes to waste.
Is there anything more loving than sharing a meal with family and friends? That is what holidays are all about.
Serving the best of the best what Finland can provide is a true sign of commitment and caring. Amazing whole meats are jaw-droppingly impressive and tasty. Grounded black pepper and finger salt are the finishing touches.
As a contrast, Finns serve pickled local vegetables such as beetroot and cucumbers. Summery dill is also key ingredients of the holiday table.
All good things must come to an end - and oh boy, what a spectacular end it is!
Set the table with meaty cocktail bites, light up a sparkler and say cheers to starting it all over again.
Roasted whole beef tenderloin with beets
beef:
1 whole beef tenderloin
salt
mixed peppers
oil and butter for frying
pickled chioggia beets:
300 g chioggia beets
½ dl water
¼ dl vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp pink peppercorns
1 tsp salt
roasted beetroots:
1 kg beetroots
10 garlic cloves with skin on
4 rosemary sprigs
2 tbsp oil
salt and black pepper
beef:
Take the beef to room temperature 1 hour before cooking.
Season the beef with salt and mixed peppers and brown on all sides with oil and butter on a frying pan. Wrap the browned beef into tinfoil and put the meat thermometer into it’s thickest part. Cook in oven (130 degrees celsius) until the meat is 62 degrees. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes before carving.
pickled chioggia beets:
Peel the beets and slice them very thinly. Mix water, vinegar, sugar, pink peppercorns and salt and add beet slices. Shake well and let it rest in the fridge for 24 hours before serving.
roasted beetroots:
Peel beetroots and cut into wedges. Put the beets in a baking dish and toss with oil, salt and pepper. Arrange beets in a single layer and add garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Roast the beets in 220 degrees celsius for 30 minutes, until tender. Plop the garlic cloves from the skins before serving.
Roasted whole beef tenderloin with beets
beef:
1 whole beef tenderloin
salt
mixed peppers
oil and butter for frying
pickled chioggia beets:
300 g chioggia beets
½ dl water
¼ dl vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp pink peppercorns
1 tsp salt
roasted beetroots:
1 kg beetroots
10 garlic cloves with skin on
4 rosemary sprigs
2 tbsp oil
salt and black pepper
beef:
Take the beef to room temperature 1 hour before cooking.
Season the beef with salt and mixed peppers and brown on all sides with oil and butter on a frying pan. Wrap the browned beef into tinfoil and put the meat thermometer into it’s thickest part. Cook in oven (130 degrees celsius) until the meat is 62 degrees. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes before carving.
pickled chioggia beets:
Peel the beets and slice them very thinly. Mix water, vinegar, sugar, pink peppercorns and salt and add beet slices. Shake well and let it rest in the fridge for 24 hours before serving.
roasted beetroots:
Peel beetroots and cut into wedges. Put the beets in a baking dish and toss with oil, salt and pepper. Arrange beets in a single layer and add garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Roast the beets in 220 degrees celsius for 30 minutes, until tender. Plop the garlic cloves from the skins before serving.