TOMATO AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SOUR CREAM DRESSING

This is the most typical summer salad and it accompanies most meals in summer. It consists of pieces of tomato, cucumbers and sometimes finelly chopped onions, and is spiced with a handful of chopped dill and scallions or chives. And sour cream dressing gives a deliciously tangy edge to it.

4 medium or small cucumbers

3 meaty tomatoes

150 ml sour cream (20-30% fat content)

5 scallions or around 15 chives

bunch of dill

sea salt flakes

freshly ground black pepper

Cut tomatoes into chunks, cut cucumbers in half, lenghtwise, each half cut in half, lenghtwise again, then slice them thinly crosswise. Mixed the vegetables and chopped dill and scalions together in the bowl. Season with salt and pepper, add sour cream and stir it through the salad. Serve with chunks of freshly baked baguette for mopping pale (tomato juices + sour cream) sauces at the end.

HOMEMADE SOUR CREAM

Sour cream (in Latvian skābais krējums) is a key ingredient of almost any traditional dressing or sauce. Sour cream is spoon over baked potatoes, mixed into curd cheese (in Latvian - biezpiens) is added to enrich stews and soups. It's also used in deserts. Moreover, sour cream is churned into artisanal butter. I cann't imagine Latvian cooking without a sour cream, and luckily it's very easy to make at home. 

We are used to milk in its pure form - raw milk (in Latvian svaigpiens) which has not been pasteurised nor homogenised. This is what I call proper milk because milk treatment changes its flavour a lot. Besides, pasterisation kills also lactobacillus and  therefore pasterised milk doesn't ferment naturally but gets spoiled. Similarly, homogenisation brakes the fat into smaler sizes and the fat in milk doesn't anymore separates from the watery emulsion. Pasteurised and homogenised milk may be used in cooking but isn't suitable for fermentation, butter churning or cheesemaking without a further treatment. 

In the raw milk separation of the cream (fat) occurs naturally. Literally if milk is let to sit in the bottle (container) you can skim off the cream by spoon from the top. That's the way the raw cream is obtained. It is still slightly sweetish even it already contains some  lactobacillus. Nowadays, there is no need to skim milk by hand as unpasteurised (raw) cream is sold in different grades of the total butterfat content (single cream, wipping cream, double cream). The most common sour creams are 20 to 30% fat. Accordingly, you need raw cream with the same fat content (between 20 and 30%), if you need to adjust it, go for higher fat content but never lower. Usually I recommend raw whipping cream (35% fat) to made sour cream.

Latvian sour cream doesn't have any particular strain of lactobacillus, but gets its acid making inhabitants from pores or surface of the container the cream is kept and the atmosphere (in old times it was a cellar where a fresh cream was kept in the wooden vessel). Raw cream left at room temperature starts to sour naturally. 

Homemade sour cream is thick, viscous and slightly yellowish. When buying sour cream, be sure to check the fat content. Low fat sour creams (0-15%) are not real sour creams and most likely contain thickeners or other food additives. Store bought sour creams are made from pasteurised milk cultured with mesophilic bacteria - Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactococcus diacetylactis.

500 ml raw whipping cream (or other raw cream with a fat content between 20% and 40 %)

Pour whipping cream into a wooden or other container of porous material, or a glass jar. Cover it with a cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band (don't place a tight lid). Keep the jar at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. When fermentation starts, transfer the jar to a fridge (or cellar) as slow fermentation and cold ripening produces more delicate flavour. Cream will set within 2 days. Place a tight lid and keep in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

In UK raw cream is sold at Hook & Son stall in Borough Market. Commercially produced sour cream is available at Lituanica, the largest Lithuanian supermarket chain specialising in Baltic food.

SALT CURED SALMON WITH LINGONBERRIES, DILL AND PINK PEPPERCORNS

Wild Baltic salmon is a well-known local delicacy in Latvia. We are very lucky because besides brightly colored farmed salmon from Norway we can still spin in our rivers or buy in the Fish Pavilion of the Central Market wild Baltic salmon. Unfortunately, the salmon season is now closed, yhat's why I prepared this recipe with store bought Norwegian salmon.

There are many different ways of preparing salmon, but the easiest and fastest method is to mild-cure it. Mild-curing is a century-old food tradition ideally suited to Latvia’s climate. Initially it was method to preserve raw fish, therefore the proportion of salt and sugar was important. Nowadays dry cure has become sweeter. Seasoning can vary from classic dill to seaweed, juniper and fresh berries (lingonberries, elderberries, cloudberries). Addition of pink peppercorns just before serving is a modern twist to give it nervous finish. For Latvians lingonberries are very traditional wild berries everyone can pick for free in the state owned forests. When ripe they are sour sweet with a bitter edge. Dill is by farthe most popular herb in Latvia. It's used to season meats, fishes and veggies, it's also used to flovour all sorts of picles and finally as a garnish.

Instead of applying pressure by weighing fillets down, some modern cooks wrap them tightly in several layers of cling film. While this latter technique is probably more convenient, it may not give the best results. Fish meat must change its structure to firm and dense, as salt draws the moisture out. Dry cure dissolves in it creating a brine, where fully covered fish can be kept for months. We, Latvians eat mild-cured salmon on thinly sliced buttered toast (white bread) for breakfast or on festive occasions. A very similar curing technique is applied on salmon in Scandinavian countries to prepare world famous Gravadlax.

2 salmon fillet, pin-boned but with skin on (approximately 600g)
70g rock salt (or non-iodized sea salt)
30g demerara sugar
2 handfuls lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis idaea)
2tbsp. dried dill (or 6tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill)
1tsp. ground white pepper
pink peppercorns for serving

Clean the fillets with kitchen paper, but do not wash them and remove any bones. Mix the rock salt, sugar and white pepper. Lay two fillets skin down, rub them with dill and work it into the topside of the fillets. Then add an even layer of lingonberries. Scatter over the dry cure mix so that the flesh is completely covered and press on vigorously. Flip over so the thick edge of one fillet fits on the top of the thin edge of the other. Put it in a tray that is just slightly wider, cover the fillets with a wooden board and place a weight on the top. Put the tray into the fridge for 48 hours. Before serving pat the fillets dry with kitchen paper and sprinkle with pink peppercorns. Lay the fillets skinside down and cut off thin slices with a sharp knife. Serve it cold on buttered toast or with a poached duck egg. Fillets fully covered by brine can be kept in fridge for at least 2 weeks.

CHEESE AND SEAWEED COOKIES

This is one version - and there are many - of the classic Latvian cheese cookies. I have made these cookies with equal parts of flour, butter and semi-hard cheese and shaped them crescent like, as I suppose was once customary. In Latvian cookies bear their name from crescent shape and are called radziņi (small horns). In older cookbooks they are called horseshoes (pakavi in Latvian), a name that also derivers from their crescent shape. Traditionally no flavourings are added but cheese pairs very well with seaweed, so I decided to give it a try. I also added egg yolk to make rich and delicate cookies. 

If you bake the cookies in Latvia suggested local cheese is Trikantālers, Cesvaine (aged 6 months) or Vītolberga siers. Otherwise internationally known varieties as Emmental, Gouda, Edam, Cantal, Gruyere or even Cheddar are recommended.

100g plain white flour, extra for dusting
80g butter, softened
80g semi-hard cheese, finely grated
1 free-range duck (or chicken) egg yolk
2 tbsp Mara Seaweed shony and dulse
a generous pinch of Maldon smoked salt flakes

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheese, seaweed and egg yolk, and mix together until evenly combined. Gather the dough and roll into a log, about 5 cm in diameter. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least half an hour. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line the baking sheet with baking parchment. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into round slices about 7 mm thick and lay them on lined baking sheet. Sprinkle a couple of salt flakes over the top of each cookie. Bake for 7-10 minutes, checking regularly after 7 minutes. The cookies should be lightly golden on top but not browned. Leave on the baking sheet for a minute, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

These delicate cookies will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container.

MILD CURED (LOW SALTED) PIKEPERCH

Freshwater pikeperch is a well-known local delicacy in Latvia. There are many different ways of preparing it, but the easiest and fastest method is to mild-cure it. Mild-curing is a century-old food tradition ideally suited to Latvia’s climate. Initially it was method to preserve raw fish, therefore the proportion of salt and sugar was important. Nowadays dry cure has become sweeter. Seasoning can vary from classic dill to seaweed, juniper and fresh berries (lingonberries, elderberries, cloudberries).  Instead of applying pressure by weighing fillets down, some modern cooks wrap them tightly in several layers of cling film. While this latter technique is probably more convenient, it may not give the best results. Fish meat must change its structure to firm and dense, as salt draws the moisture out. Dry cure dissolves in it creating a brine, where fully covered fish can be kept for months. We, Latvians eat mild-cured pikeperch on thinly sliced buttered toast (white bread) for breakfast. A very similar curing technique is applied on salmon in Scandinavian countries to prepare world famous Gravadlax.

2 pikeperch fillet, pin-boned but with skin on (approximately 600g)
50g rock salt
20g Maldon smoked sea salt flakes
30g demerara sugar
Mara Seaweed seaweed mix (equal parts of shony, dulse, kombu)
dried dill

Clean the fillets with kitchen paper, but do not wash them and remove any bones. Mix the rock salt, sugar and dill. Lay two fillets skin down and rub them with smoked salt lakes, then add an even layer of seaweed and work it into the topside of the fillets. Scatter over the dry cure mix so that the flesh is completely covered and press on vigorously. Flip over so the thick edge of one fillet fits on the top of the thin edge of the other. Put it in a tray that is just slightly wider, cover the fillets with a wooden board and place a weight on the top. Put the tray into the fridge for 48 hours. Before serving, wipe off most of the cure (seaweed and dill), and pat the fillets dry with kitchen paper. Lay the fillets skinside down and cut off thin slices with a sharp knife. Serve it cold on buttered toast or with a veggie salad. Fillets fully covered by brine can be kept in fridge for at least 2 weeks.

BRINE FERMENTED CUCUMBERS

Different types of picles are an old culinary art to prepare vegetables for wintertime. Most traditional picles, especially those for long storing, are made with vinegar. However, Latvians have developed a taste for sour pickles, most traditionally used to prepare cucumbers and cabbages. Our picles are prepared in brine (salt + water) with natural (wild) fermentation that occurs spontenously and makes them slightly sour. And there is no vinegar added at all. Nowadays our brine fermentation traditions are kept for rich flavours it brings to our meals.

Brine fermented cucumbers are sold in all food markets and even biggest supermarkets in Riga. Look out for skābēti gurķi.

Typically, small (6-10 cm) freshly harvested field cucumbers are placed in a canning glass jar or like in old times in a wooden barrel, together with a variety of spices. The strength of brine varies in different recipes; it is recommended to use 40-50 grams of sea salt per 1 liter of water. Ready-made bouquets of pickling spices are sold at all farmers' markets in different shapes and sizes.

Among those traditionally used spices are garlic cloves,  horseradish root and/or leaves, whole dill stems with umbels and green seeds, sour cherry leaves, blackcurrant leaves and/or young shoots. Sometimes tarragon sprigs are also added.

  

Garlic 

Horseradish leaves

Horseradish roots 

Blackcurrant leaves

Sour cherry leaves 

Dill stems 

Dill umbels

The jar is filled with cucumbers and pickling spices

Naturally occurring Lactobacillus bacteria that normally cover the skin of a growing cucumber started its work. 

Difference between fresh field cucumber and fermented one is notable.

cucumbers
50g (3 tablespoons) sea salt
boiling water

Bouquet of pickling spices:
dill stems with umbels and green seeds
cherry leaves
blackcurrant leaves or young shoots
garlic cloves
horseradish leaves and/or root

For salt solution combine salt and boiling water and stir it until salt dissolves, then let it cool to room temperature.

Place at the buttom of canning jar dill stems and umbels, garlic cloves, fresh sour cherry and blackcurrant leaves, and slices of horseradish root. Then place the layer of cucumbers closely together with sides. On the top place additional layer of pickling spices and then again next layer of cucumbers. Finish the jar with layer of spices. The jar is then filled with cooled salt solution and kept under a non-airtight cover in a cool room temperature. If cucumbers are not huddled together or jar is not filled until the top and cucumbers start to float,  stones are placed on top of the cucumbers to keep them under the salt solution.  Length of fermentation depends on  external temperature and cucumber size. The smaller cucumbers will be ready to eat first ones, so it is advisable to place them in a top layer. Avoid storing the jar in direct sunlight and summer heat. After few days salt solution becomes cloudy and small bubbles appears. It is purely natural process and indicates that  Lactobacillus bacteria that normally cover the skin of a growing cucumber started its work. Also colour of cucumbers will change from bright green to dark green (in Latvian called moss green). Taste the cucumbers, eventually after 4-5 days they will be slightly sour. Move them to the cellar or fridge to slow down fermentation. In a 2 weeks cucumbers will have a pleasantly tangy sour flavor.

One quality prized in a good brine fermented pickle is an audible crunch. 

Some additional tips:
Do not picle long cucumber varieties grown in greenhouses.
If cucumbers are not fresh, soak them for a couple of hours in very cold water to freshen them.
Rinse cucumbers, not to bruise them, and removing remaining blossoms.
Salt with added iodine is not suitable for brine and may spoil all your efforts.
Soft and unappealing cucumbers become because the brine is not salty enough or fermentation temperatre is too high.
For longer cucumber shelf-life (to keep for wintertime) stronger brine concentration is recommended.

SMELTS EN ESCABECHE

The smelt (Osmerus eperlanus (L.)) is easily distinguishable from all other fish by its very characteristic raw cucumber-like aroma. The anadromous smelt occurs in the coastal waters of Latvia, wintering near the river mouths and entering lower reaches of the rivers for spawning. In wintertime as soon as sea coast and rivers are covered by ice some kind of a unique reality show starts. Ice fisherman, penguin-like figures are squatting on the ice and awaiting to catch the golden fish. For some reason nearly all of them are men. They hope for any kind of catch: roach, perch, pike and other fish. But from January to March, at the mouth of the Lielupe, the Venta, the Daugava in downtown Riga (few hundred meters away from the Old Town) and the Gulf of Riga (Baltic Sea), hundreds of ice fishermen are out to catch some smelt. Sometimes the passion for their hobby is awarded with a significant catch. For locals it is not surprising to see them fishing when the snow and ice have already begun to melt. This year as many as 223 ice anglers were trapped on break-away sea ice floes in the Gulf of Riga necessitating a full-scale rescue operation. Luckily such reclesness did not result in drawnings. Since ancient times a similar operation, usually of lesser scale, is typically required annually. Novella In the Shadow of Death (Nāves ēnā) written in 1899 by the famous Latvian writer Rūdolfs Blaumanis is based on a newspaper account of several fishermen lost at sea on an ice floe. The novella portrays the characters of fourteen fishermen and their reactions as they encounter a life-threatening situation on a dwindling ice floe.
 

The smelts are winter and early spring meal. Most of the smelt recipes on the internet without much variation call for deep frying but I would recommend lighter treatment for the smelts' delicate flesh. Latvian traditionalists would say smelt is best enjoyed hot smoked or pan fried before dipped into the beaten egg and coated with breadcrumbs or flour. My spirit of experimentation led to creation of my fusion dishes, in which recipe (culinary technique) from one country interacts with ingredients from another (usually Latvian local ingredients). Escabeche originated in the Mediterranean and is traditionally prepared with fish from that region, such as sardines and anchovies. Nevetheless mild escabeche is perfect match for bigger size smelts.

 

 

 

 

 

1kg smelts

for escabeche:

1 orange
1 carrot
5 shallots
2 garlic cloves
5 bay leaves
pink peppercorns and white pepper
allspice
50ml Moscatel white wine vinegar
100ml extra virgin olive oil
few thyme springs
Maldon sea salt

Prepare the fish. There is no need to scale the smelts. Cut off the heads and slit open the belly, leaving the tail intact. Push out the guts and lift out the backbone. Wipe the smelts with a damp cloth, and lay them skin side down on a baking sheet and open out like a butterfly. Season with salt and white pepper. Preheat the oven to 180C. Bake for 5-7 minuts depending on the size of fish. Remove from the baking sheet with spatula on to the serving platter and leave at room temperature.

Prepare the escabeche. Slice the carrot lengthwise, slice shallots into rings, finely slice garlic and grate zest of an orange and squeeze it. Heat the olive oil in the frying pan. Add the carrot, garlic and shallots and sweat over a medium heat for a minute. Add orange juice and zest, vinegar, bay leaves, thyme springs, pink peppercorns and allspice. Bring to the boil and let it bubble for a minute. Take off the heat and leave until cold (room temperature). Pour the escabeche over the smelts, then refrigerate overnight.

Bring the escabeche to room temperature half an hour before serving. Smelts en escabeche pair well with Petit Arvine from Valais and fino or manzanilla sherry.

If you are turning 40 and looking forward to midlife crisis starting reflect your life...don't panic you still can experience thrill of horror angling smelts in a good company on the ice floe adrift in the sea. And if you are lucky enough afterwards prepare smelts en escabeche! Alternatively, smelts are sold at Fish Pavillion of Riga Central Market.