Estonian Cuisine

The cuisine of Estonia has inherited many of its concepts from the many nations which have controlled this country at certain times in history. Some of the most important nations which once were in command of Estonian territories were the Danes, Germans, Russians, Swedes and Poles. Foreigners often find that they are intimidated by Estonian cuisine because such dishes as marinated eel, blood sausage or jellied meat are unusual to them. However it is said that the taste is better than the visual effect and they may discover some delicacies among these dishes.

Appetizers are not an important part of the Estonian cuisine. Their main goal is to enhance ones appetite. A good deal of appetizers are based on fish.

Appetizers:
Fish in Tomato Marinade – whitefish fillets are cut into pieces and sprinkled with salt and pepper and coated in flour. The fish is browned and put into a marinade for about 6 hours. When ready for serving a sauce is made with vinegar, tomato paste, sugar and spices.

Soups:
Bean Soup made with broad beans, smoked meat, potatoes and onion. Served hot with sour cream.
Estonian Banana Curry Soup consisting of chopped sautéed onion to which is added curry powder then chicken stock, chopped bananas, lemon juice, and salt. When the soup is ready heavy cream is mixed in and the soup is topped with sliced scallions.
Estonian Chilled Cucumber Soup – chopped onion is combined with peeled, seeded and grated cucumbers and dill in chicken stock. Once the soup is pureed sour cream and egg yolks are added. Then the soup is chilled for at least 4 hours.
Estonian Fish Soup made of snapper and any other white fish, combined with onions, mushrooms, tomato paste and fish bouillon. Later chopped pickle, capers, dill and lemon are added. Served hot with sour cream.
Estonian Cabbage Cream Soup – a soup made of heavy cream, shredded carrots, chopped cabbage, cubed zucchini, dills and parsley root.

Salads:
Beetroot Salad made of beetroot, garlic and mayonnaise.
Cucumber with Sour Cream Salad – consisting of cucumbers cut into slices then the dressing is made of hard cooked eggs, prepared mustard, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, dills and spices.
Estonian Cod Salad with Horseradish Sauce – made with cod fillets, fresh lemon juice, prepared horseradish, sour cream, mayonnaise, onions, Kirby cucumbers, dill and lettuce.
Estonian Vinaigrette with Herring and Beets (Rossolye) – the salad consists of hard-boiled eggs, boiled and peeled fresh beets, boiled potatoes, sour pickles, boiled beef (or cooked ham, veal or lamb), tart red apples combined with a dressing made of powdered mustard, sugar and sour cream.

Meat dishes:
Estonian Ground Meat Patties (Hakklihakotlet) – ground veal, beef and pork are combined with eggs and spices. Then made into patties, dipped in bread crumbs and fried. May be served with braised red cabbage.
Estonian Pig’s Ears with Sauerkraut – the pig’s ears are cooked until soft and then combined with sauerkraut.
Estonian Pork – sauerkraut, pork loin, apple, onion, pearl barley and spices are combined and simmered for about 4 hours.
Jellied Veal – veal shoulder, fresh pig’s knuckles, onion and carrot are placed in a pot to boil with whole peppercorns and bay leaves for about 3 hours. Then the meat is removed and cut up. The meat is placed into molds. Into each mold the boiled stock is poured in then the mold are placed into the fridge until the stock has jellied.

Estonian beverages served along with traditional dishes may be wine, ale or beer. Those who prefer non-alcoholic drinks may choose Kali which is a beer that didn’t undergo the fermentation process. In the Northern regions the light malt ale is famous while in the Southern parts it is a light ale made from barley and rye. Another popular Estonian beverage is birch sap.

Cucumber with Sour Cream Salad

Ingredients
4 medium cucumbers (cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices)
1 tablespoon of coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar

For Dressing:
3 hard-cooked eggs
1 teaspoon of prepared mustard, preferably Dijon
1/3 cup of sour cream
2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of Sugar
1/8 teaspoon of white pepper
4 to 6 large lettuce leaves, well washed and dried
1 tablespoon of finely cut fresh dill leaves

Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the cucumber slices, salt and vinegar and toss them about with a large spoon until the cucumber is well moistened.
2. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, then drain the cucumbers through a sieve and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Place them is a large mixing bowl.
3. Separate the yolks from the whites of the hard-cooked eggs. Cut the whites into small strips and mix the egg whites into the cucumber.
4. With the back of a large spoon, rub the egg yolks through a fine sieve set over a small bowl.
5. Slowly beat in the mustard, sour cream, white wine vinegar, Sugar and white pepper.
6. When the dressing is smooth, pour it over the cucumbers and toss together gently but thoroughly. Taste for seasoning.
Serving:
To serve, arrange the lettuce leaves on a large flat serving dish mound the salad on top of them. Sprinkle with dill and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brawn

2 - 2.5 kg leg of pork or veal with bones and skin (trotters can be included)
1 yellow onion with skin (for color), chopped
1 carrot, chopped
8-10 peppercorns
6 kernels of allspice
1 bay leaf
salt

Rinse the meat and place in a saucepan of cold water. Bring to the boil and boil fiercely for 1-2 minutes; pour away the water, rinse the meat and the pan, removing all scum. Pour clean boiling water over the meat and simmer gently over a low heat without the lid until meat comes off the bones (3 - 4 hrs). Do not let it boil too rapidly, or the brawn will be cloudy. Skim the fat as it rises to the surface, adding more boiling water if necessary. Add the carrot and onion after an hour or two, the spices and 2-3 tsp of salt for the last 10 minutes. Remove the meat, cool, and cut into small pieces. Strain the broth, place the meat and broth in the pot, and add a substantial amount of salt because cooling reduces the taste. Bring to boil once, leave to cool for a few minutes, then place it in moulds or small bowls, previously rinsed with cold water. Cover the set brawn with clingfilm or foil and leave in a cool place. It should be eaten within 5 - 7 days. If there is not enough gluten in the meat, the brawn will not set. In that case add a few tablespoonfuls of gelatine powder to the cooled off brawn broth in a bowl and dissolve by placing the bowl in saucepan of hot water. Do not freeze the brawn, this will damage the jelly. Brawn can be equally well served on a dinner table with hot potatoes, and in a cold buffet. In both cases, either mustard, mild vinegar or pickled horseradish are used for seasoning.