Reindeer & Blue-cheese ('Poro ja sinihomejuusto') Pancakes
One of the fun aspects of living in Lapland, and Finland in general, is the opportunity to create some tasty food with new ingredients. Im a big fan of breakfast food and make pancakes quite often, both sweet and savory.
One of my favorite savory combinations using a finnish ingredient is reindeer (poro) and blue-cheese (sinihomejuusto) pancakes. Its very easy to make and for those of you looking to try something new, heres a quick overview of how to make them.
The ingredients you will need (pictured above), and the measurements of each are:
- 2 eggs
- Milk (2 cups = 4.75 deciliters)
- Flour (2 cups)
- Blue-cheese (150 grams, crumbled. Aurajuusto can be used also)
- Reindeer slices (100 grams, cut into small pieces. I use store bought)
- Baking powder (1.5 teaspoons)
- Sugar (1 teaspoon)
- Salt (1 teaspoon)
If you've never made pancakes, it's actually quite easy with the only necessary items being all those listed above except the added in extra items, which in this case are the reindeer and blue-cheese. The above measurements will make enough for 2 to 3 hungry people, but if you are cooking for one person, you can reduce the ingredients to 1x egg, 1x cup of milk, 1x cup of flour, 1 tsp baking powder, .5 tsp sugar, .5 tsp salt.
The first step is to mix all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and then add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly until you have batter-like substance. It shouldn't be too thick, but also not too runny.
One of my favorite savory combinations using a finnish ingredient is reindeer (poro) and blue-cheese (sinihomejuusto) pancakes. Its very easy to make and for those of you looking to try something new, heres a quick overview of how to make them.
The ingredients you will need (pictured above), and the measurements of each are:
- 2 eggs
- Milk (2 cups = 4.75 deciliters)
- Flour (2 cups)
- Blue-cheese (150 grams, crumbled. Aurajuusto can be used also)
- Reindeer slices (100 grams, cut into small pieces. I use store bought)
- Baking powder (1.5 teaspoons)
- Sugar (1 teaspoon)
- Salt (1 teaspoon)
If you've never made pancakes, it's actually quite easy with the only necessary items being all those listed above except the added in extra items, which in this case are the reindeer and blue-cheese. The above measurements will make enough for 2 to 3 hungry people, but if you are cooking for one person, you can reduce the ingredients to 1x egg, 1x cup of milk, 1x cup of flour, 1 tsp baking powder, .5 tsp sugar, .5 tsp salt.
The first step is to mix all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and then add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly until you have batter-like substance. It shouldn't be too thick, but also not too runny.
After you have made the pancake batter, you will need to cut up the reindeer into small pieces and crumble the blue-cheese. The pieces of meat do not have to be any certain size - just small enough so that several pieces can be spread out nicely into the pancake.
You will make the pancake in a simple frying pan that has been covered with a bit of vegetable oil, preferably heating the pan on a stove at a medium-high setting. For example, if your stove has a 1-6 heat rating, a level 4 or 5 will do.
Once heated, add a large spoon-full of the batter to the pan, after which you can add the cheese and reindeer - just sprinkle a few pieces here and there (like in the image below).
Once you start to see bubbles appearing at the surface of the batter, then you know its time to flip the pancake gently with a spatula. The top side of the pancake should look golden brown (like the pic below). Let the bottom side with the added ingredients cook for about a minute and then flip over. The bottom side should look like the image below as well, a mix of brown pancake with the pieces of reindeer and blue-cheese mixed within.
If the pancake still isn't quite brown on either side, you can simply flip it back over to cook a bit more..but be careful not to leave on the pan too long as to burn or stick. Once finished, simply remove the pancake to a plate and begin the process again for the next pancake, and keep going until all the batter has been used.
Simple as that.
You will make the pancake in a simple frying pan that has been covered with a bit of vegetable oil, preferably heating the pan on a stove at a medium-high setting. For example, if your stove has a 1-6 heat rating, a level 4 or 5 will do.
Once heated, add a large spoon-full of the batter to the pan, after which you can add the cheese and reindeer - just sprinkle a few pieces here and there (like in the image below).
Once you start to see bubbles appearing at the surface of the batter, then you know its time to flip the pancake gently with a spatula. The top side of the pancake should look golden brown (like the pic below). Let the bottom side with the added ingredients cook for about a minute and then flip over. The bottom side should look like the image below as well, a mix of brown pancake with the pieces of reindeer and blue-cheese mixed within.
If the pancake still isn't quite brown on either side, you can simply flip it back over to cook a bit more..but be careful not to leave on the pan too long as to burn or stick. Once finished, simply remove the pancake to a plate and begin the process again for the next pancake, and keep going until all the batter has been used.
Simple as that.
As mentioned, pancakes are fairly easy to make and you can experiment with many different added ingredients. Blueberries are a great added ingredient as well and can be easily found in the forests of Lapland in the late summer and early autumn. But if you're a fan of savory pancakes or baked goods, definitely give this recipe a try.