I know, you think that’s just a plate of potato pancakes and bacon, and you are sorta correct. In this post, we’ll have a look and a cook at this classic Swedish farm dish and you’ll find out why we call it “raggmunk med stekt fläsk“. So, my friends read on and we’ll tell all about it…
Recently during a lull in COVID activity, we were able to enjoy our first meal out since our visit to Skanör back in early March.
We visited our favorite lunch spot in lovely Lund, Klostergatans Vin och Delikatess. They have done an amazing job of making the place feel safe and uncrowded. At least it was the day we were there.
We chose to go while Lund University (Eva’s alma mater) was on summer recess and in the month of July when all of Sweden is on holiday. If your not familiar with this world-class Lund uni, have a peek at the video above. Our plan worked very well as the dining room only had two tables occupied, one on each side of the restaurant. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to dine out. Eva chose steamed plaice (think flounder) that was rolled and served with Scandinavian egg sauce as well as peas, roast beets and potatoes. Sorry, we missed taking an image of this one. You say, “what the heck is Scandinavian egg sauce?” Just, Click on the “CLICK HERE” below for more info.
For the Scandinavian Egg Sauce recipe…CLICK HERE
As you’ll see when reviewing the egg sauce recipe, it’s simply a Béchamel sauce using fish stock and hard-boiled eggs. Sounds simple and it is, but it tastes great on fish, especially steamed cod. You can even serve it over toast for an afternoon snack.
Swedish Egg Sauce (ÄGGSÅS)
A Swedish classic sauce for fish of all types or simply served on toast. Easy to make and delicious to taste.
Ingredients
- 2½ tablespoons butter
- 2½ tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup fish stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and ground white pepper
- 2 finely chopped hard-boiled eggs
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
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Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the flour and let it simmer while stirring for a moment.
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Add fish stock and cream, stirring constantly.
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Taste your sauce and season to taste.
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Just before serving, stir in your finely chopped hard-boiled eggs and parsley. Taste for seasoning.
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Serve with fish and boiled potatoes, or just simply on toast.
Me, my eyes immediately locked on a classic Swedish farm dish and likely one of the most famous comfort foods in Scandinavia, Raggmunk med stekt fläsk och lingon. Mind you, it’s likely not the most healthy dish on the planet, but I needed some serious COVID comforting. Besides, this was only the third (and not last) time I’d ever had the dish. I must say, we both agreed it was the best lunch we’ve had out in months, then again it was the first lunch out in months.
The Raggmunk…
If you were to ask any Swede what their favorite comfort food is, they’d likely say raggmunk and yes, indeed it is a potato pancake. This dish is so special in Sweden we even have Raggmunkens Vänner (potato pancake clubs) and Raggmunksakademien (Raggmunks academy). The following is an excerpt from the Raggmunksakademiens (Raggmunks academy) new member’s inauguration speech on Tuesday, February 17, 2015. Translated to English and paraphrased for your reading pleasure.
Is the Raggmunk a purely Swedish affair? This researcher, over the last four weeks, has travelled and eaten his way through the following dishes: The English “Potato pancake”; The Polish “Placki ziemniaczane”; The Czech “Bramborak”; The Swiss “Röstin”; The Belarusian “Apahiki draniki” (Actually this country’s national dish!); The Austrian “Erdäpfelpuffer”; of course also the German “Kartoffelpuffer”; The Latvian “Kartupelu pankukas”; The Hungarian “Tocsni”; The Russian “Draniki” as well as the Ukrainian “Deruny”.
All in all, my tastings found some resemblance to the raggmunk itself, but nowhere else was found the tasty important ingredients of fried cured pork and lingonberries paired with the potato pancake. I therefore consider myself to have unscientifically proven that raggmunken is by de facto, a purely Swedish dish. It is assumed that the Academy accepts that I have confined myself to testing the ‘cuisine’ of the European continent – after all, the time of my research project was relatively short!
But here in Sweden, we have our raggmunk! If you think that names strange, how’d you like to eat a “Ukrainian Deruny“? Actually the Deruny are mighty tasty as well as all those mentioned above. But, as you’ll see in the recipe, the Raggmunk doesn’t have onion of any type included.
For an in-depth look at what the heck a raggmunk is and where the name came from as well as the recipe…CLICK HERE
Which one came first?
Well, some say it was the Polish placki ziemniaczane which dates back to the 17-century monasteries, with the recipe first appearing in print around the same time. Here in Sweden raggmunk first appeared in a published recipe in 1904, but it was known to have been a staple in the early 19th century. You see potato pancakes, no matter where they come from are the food of the poor country folk as is the humble potato itself. But I digress, as the importance of the potato to Sweden is a whole other story.
But why call it raggmunk and what does the word mean? The literal meaning of raggmunk translated to English is “hairy monk”. And, that my friends is where the controversy begins regarding the name of the raggmunk.
You see, the word munk in Swedish can also mean a round donut originally without a hole. Like in the image above.
And the munkar (donuts) are made in a munkpanna as you see above. No, raggmunk is not a donut, but it was and still is in some places made in a munkpanna. So, perhaps that’s where the munk comes from. Or, perhaps it’s because the munkar or Æbleskiver (Danish version) looks a bit like a monks head with a shaggy haircut. But, I say no to the shaggy-haired monk looking donut, as there’s an old Norse word, rögg which then meant to tear or rip a tuff of wool from sheep as they had no tools to cut it. Rögg later became the Swedish word ragg and its adjective raggig which can mean crispy. Thus, it is my belief, that the name raggmunk comes from the raggig crispy meaning and munk of the munkpanna that the raggmunk was cooked in. OK, that’s all on that confusing issue.
But, where did the raggmunk come from? Mixing grain flour and milk to make a pancake dates back centuries in Sweden (and other places as well). But, around 1830 Sweden experienced a severe crop failure and thus a very poor grain harvest, which resulted in wheat becoming very scarce and expensive. However, the easy to grow and now plentiful potatoes were less expensive. So, I believe they shredded some potatoes and tossed it in the batter using less of the precious flour. Perhaps then someone had an extra egg or two about and tossed it in and bingo they had raggmunkar. That’s all we have on the raggmunk back story, so now here’s the recipe and then we’ll put all of this together in the next section.
Raggmunk, Swedish potato pancake.
If you were to ask any Swede what their favorite comfort food is, they’d likely say raggmunk and yes, indeed it is a potato pancake.
Ingredients
- 2 large Eggs, slightly beaten.
- ¾ cup (95 g or 3.4 oz) All-purpose wheat flour, plus or minus depending on your flour.
- 1½ cups (300 ml) Whole milk.
- 2 tsp Table salt, or to taste.
- 800 g (28 oz) Peeled potatoes, like a Russet but not new potatoes!
- 4 tbsp (50 g or 2 oz) Butter or fat of choice.
Instructions
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Make a pancake batter using the egg, flour, and milk. Then let the batter rest while you peel the potatoes.
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Grate (on the big side) your potatoes and place them in a colander to drain.
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Press or (ring in cheesecloth) your grated potatoes to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
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Then fold shredded potatoes into the batter.
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Using a cast-iron skillet or pancake pan and heat the butter or oil of choice to frying temperature.
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Add and stir in your salt just prior to frying.
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Once your pan is hot, spoon the raggmunkar batter onto the pan. Fry until the edges are crisp and turn (about 3 minutes for me). Continue to cook a few more minutes until cooked through.
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Either serve at once or keep raggmunk warn in your oven set to a low temp.
Recipe Notes
Tips:
- If you have a food processor use it for grating as it produces the best size grated potatoes.
- Save the potato starch at the bottom of your bowl after pressing or ringing out your grated potatoes and add to the batter. It makes a great binder.
- Wait until your ready to fry to add salt. This helps prevent a watered-down batter. Don't skimp on the salt as the potatoes need it.
- Don't freak out about the measurements of the ingredients. You have some room for guessing with this recipe.
- A castiron skillet gives you the best brown edges and flavor for cooking raggmunk.
- I like to use a high flash point oil (such as rapeseed or sunflower) so I can fry at a medium-high temperature. The amount of oil used depends on your fry pan.
So there you go, how easy was that. Now let’s go and put the dish together.
Raggmunk med stekt fläsk & lingon
Raggmunk med stekt fläsk & lingon or potato pancake with fried cured pork belly and lingonberry is a homey and comforting dish that’s served mostly in the colder months, but good anytime. As said, not a dish that one should eat every day. But, if you’re looking for a Swedish comfort food splurge this is the one for you.
Image credit: Traveler100 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
If you missed the “CLICK HERE” drop-down section above about the raggmunk. you’ll need to jump up and get the recipe.
You’ll also need several rashers of thick-cut salt-cured pork belly or (non-smoked) thick-cut bacon. If you can’t find non-smoked bacon or cured pork belly you can use a mildly smoked thick-cut bacon in a pinch. I’ve been told that Asian markets with fresh meat sections often have the cured pork belly.
Alright, so what about the lingon? Lingon or lingonberries are a close relative to the cranberry. Lingonberries grow wild in the northern hemispheres of Europe and North America. In the US and Canada, you’ll find it called the low-bush cranberry. The berries are becoming much more common in many areas of the world other than Scandinavia. Indeed, it’s reported that the lingonberry is now being grown commercially in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Similar in taste to red currant, when sweetened (1 cup lingonberries and 1/4 cup granulated sugar) the tart lingonberry becomes the perfect condiment for pork as well as wild meat. We usually use frozen lingonberries and stir the sugar in and let it sit for an hour or so prior to eating. We’ve also used fresh lingonberries and red currants as well.
But, when lingonberries are not about, one can use lingon sylt or Lingonberry jam. Where can one find such a jam you ask? If you’re in a location with an IKEA food store (they’re in the big store where you checkout) head on over there. I’ve also found lingonberry jam at Whole Foods in the US and of course, Amazon has them online as well as other Scandinavian online retailers. They should be readily available in the UK and online in other areas. In a pinch, you could use a tart jam such as black current or small frozen cranberries stirred with sugar.
The cook, my way…
What’s the best way to cook raggmunk and stekt fläsk?
Outdoors, preferable in the forest (at an approved fire site) with a Muurikka Stekhäll. You say, “what the heck is a Muurikka Stekhäll?”. Well, my friends, it’s a big castiron frypan that you can use directly over an open fire or with a gas burner (like ours above). Although Muurikka started producing these back in the 1970s, the actual use of the pans dates back many centuries. It’s a great way to cook. Muurikkas as well as similarly made frypans are now available about everywhere.
After the oil is smoking hot and your pork belly or cured bacon is done (and moved to a cooler spot) you spoon in the batter for the first raggmunk.
After a few (about 3) minutes when the edges are showing nice brown color, flip your raggmunk and fry another couple of minutes or until it stops steaming. Place the cooked raggmunk on paper towels to drain and place in a warm oven while you cook the next.
Repeat…
Continue cooking the raggmunk (keeping them warm in an oven or covered with foil) until you’ve finished your batter. I made about 8 pancake size raggmunk with the recipe. You’ll note I moved the pork belly up on the Murrikka so as to keep it warm but not burn it.
So, we’ve made our raggmunk, fried our bacon, finely diced some red onion (optional), and have our stirred lingon or jam. All that’s left to do is to plate and tuck-in. Was it as good as the raggmunk med stekt fläsk I had in Lund? No, but darn close…
Dad, I’ll watch this for you, no worries it’s safe…
Oops! It was that darn magpie…
Chloe says, “I’ve tested (don’t tell Dad, he thinks the magpie ate it) the raggmunk med stekt fläsk and I give it my coveted 5 paw rating – 
I didn’t try the Lingon, it’s not my kind of food”…
It always amazes me to see how simple ingredients make a symphony of tastes ! Down here there are tomatoes, on our right, it’s corn, on our left is cabbage ( I think ), potatoes in your lovely, lovely Sweden and, once poor peoples’ food suddenly became haute cuisine. And it is so great, so tasty ! Thank you for another beautiful journey and recipe Ron 🙂
The Real Person!
Davorka, thanks for the kind words and you’re so right regarding country poor folks food becoming the rage. That’s OK by me, as I love to seeing and tasting simple and nutritious dishes of our past. Take care down your way and be safe…
What a great post, Ron. I’ve got the perfect, woodsy location to try this out in. I’ve seen those outdoor frying gizmos before, but I’m wondering if I can set up my electric griddle under a big maple tree. You didn’t specify, but would you leave the skins on the potatoes? I’ve had more than enough of my Poish grandmother’s potato pancakes to know that this would be sacrilegious, but I’m a rebel that way. I’ve always been curious about lingonberries, but have never come across them. So thanks for pointing me toward IKEA. That will require a short pilgrimage, but I’ll welcome the adventure. Glad you had the chance to get out, and find a lovely meal. Thank you for this beautiful dish! With the Labor Day weekend coming up, I think I’ll have the perfect chance to try it out!
The Real Person!
Jeff, thanks for the heads-up on the peeling issue. They should be peeled and the recipe has been corrected. I’ve never tried not peeling the potatoes, but I’d worry that the peel might cause a problem with the raggmunk binding together. The electric griddle will work OK, but if it has a non-stick coating you’ll likely not get that all-important crispy edge around the raggmunk. If you have a castiron skillet and burner (Coleman stove?) it would work perfectly. Check your local big chain grocery as well for lingonberry jam as we used to find it at the super Kroger stores. But, what the heck, any reason to have an adventure these days is a good one…
Thanks for having a read and sharing your thoughts.
I try so hard not to set foot in a Kroger, but they bought out my favorite chain (and are proceding to ruin it), so I’ll check there next time. I am the King of cast iron, so thanks for that tip. Labor Day was a wash. It rained nonstop. But this weekend the weather looks promising.
The Real Person!
When we lived in Kentucky, Kroger was everywhere and not my favorite either. Jeff, if you’re a cast iron cookware fan you must check the Swedish manufacturer out. You can find them here…
Nice stuff! Thanks for pointing it out!
What a fun post and I enjoyed reading about one or the favorite comfort food of Sweden. Who wouldn’t like potato pancakes and bacon. Love the lingonberry addition – I will have to remember that the next time I make them. I like that grill too – you probably cook a lot of things on it. Chloe is always a nice finish to your posts Ron!
The Real Person!
Thanks, Judi, it’s hard to beat a good potato pancake and bacon, especially with lingonberries. We love Muurikka and yes we cook lots on it. We just made a lovely Asian and fresh veggie stirfry on it. Chloe is a good finish, although she’s not always a willing food model. Thanks for taking the time to have a read…
I can see why this is considered a comfort-food dish. It has all the right components needed!
Also found the special pan used to be very interesting. Never seen one.
Here in NY dining is still restricted to outdoors, i.e. mostly on sidewalks or the parking spots near the restaurants – very far from an enjoyable experience. 🙁
The Real Person!
It’s comfort indeed and your spot on about the components. For me, any dish that combines potatoes and bacon is the base for comfy food. Add a little dairy and bingo.
The Murruikka is fun to cook on and sometimes convenient. It makes great stirfries and fried rice as well. Our restriction for dinning is that the tables have to be two meters apart and no more than fifty people in one place. I’m sure as it is there, the takeaway business is a booming here.
Take care and thanks for stopping by…
You had me on potato pancakes and bacon! I love that Muurikka Stekhäll – that’s my kind of frying pan.
Chloe looks so innocent!
The Real Person!
It’s a hard combo to beat. Actually, it’s a dish I first had while hunting (me with a camera) for the elusive moose. That’s also when I was introduced to the Stekhäll, which also came with a Paella pan which I’ve yet to use. But I will as soon as we can entertain again.
Not only does this recipe sound extra delicious but making in the middle of the forest with a Muurikka Stekhäll is the ultimate experience. Wonder if they have these at Ikea? Thanks so much for bringing the history in to learn more about this exquisite dish. We can really picture how delicious this is with the extra rashers on the side and the lingon jam. We are all about the sweet and savory pairing. Chloe is able to get a birds eye view of the extra rashers, especially if you take you eyes off the dish for one nano-second. Stay well, take care and please pass that plate of Raggmunk potato pancakes over our way.
The Real Person!
Bobbi, I’d be proud to take your lot into the forest and fry up a batch of raggmunk as I’m thinking the boys could really enjoy the dish. Heck, if you were here just now, we could pick wild lingonberries and chanterelles and have a great meal.
I don’t think IKEA sells stekhälls, but you can but them online in the US. They are similar to the Mexican discada, and oh what fun they are to cook on. Take care over your way…
Now you have me want some raggmunk too! We call those lingon Preiselbeeren here in Germany..you usually find them only in jars…don’t think I have ever seen the fresh one. I love that frying pan…really cool! Chloe is such a beauty, Ron.
The Real Person!
Lingon is also the Swedish name for the berries. September is the month for picking lingon around these parts. They are on bushes very low to the ground so we use a special hand rake to pick them. Germany is historically one of the largest importers of Swedish lingon.
The stekhäll is a joy to cook on. Thanks for stopping by…
Wow wow and wow! I love this, and it makes me want to run to a forest immediately with that fry pan! A really wonderful post.
The Real Person!
Thanks, Mimi, do be careful if you do run into the forrest with that frying pan…
Congratulations on getting to go out to lunch and eat at an actual restaurant! I’m still waiting for that day, but with the mess we have in the states, I’m certainly not holding my breath. Your dish is the ultimate comfort food right now. You have me craving it. It looks so good and how can you not love potatoes and bacon. That cast-iron outdoor skillet looks like fun. I looks like the bacon dripping feed down to the potatoes to add even more flavor. YUM!
The Real Person!
Thanks, MJ, we did enjoy being out. My son lives in Washington state and is in the restaurant business, so I know how tuff it is for the industry just now.
Comfort food it is! Yes, although I cooked the bacon in the oven when rewarming it, it did drip nicely into the raggmunk.
The stekhäll is a fun addition to any outdoor kitchen.
Take and enjoy those New Mexico green peppers…
Simple Ingredients and Delicious recipe. Swedish cuisine is something I am not familiar with. This recipe Sounds like an easy and fussfree yet delicious meal.
Have a great day ahead!
The Real Person!
It is an easy and fuss-free meal Priya. I’m glad you are exploring Scandinavian cuisine as it’s good stuff. Thanks for stopping by…
Ron – a very enjoyable and informative post to read . . . have learnt a great deal more about your surrounds and the Swedish food scene. Glad you had a chance to have a meal at one of your favourite restaurants. We have Rachel Khoo’s series ‘My Swedish Kitchen’ at the moment on TV and I have tried to catch a few episodes . . . again interesting ! As you know I eat rather differently from you with potatoes but rarely, bacon hardly ever and pan-frying a rarity 🙂 ! I do love plaice and all other flatfish and always have iingonberry jam at home ! Horses for courses ! My favourite segment of your post concerns the Lund University . . . Estonia being one of the most highly educated countries in Europe is justly proud of its Tartu University but the dream of so many from my birth country has always been to attend Lund Uni. When I was a baby and always heard about it and, I believe, now . . . Must go on virtual walkabout there again as soon as able . . . thank you . . .
The Real Person!
Thanks, Eha! You know it’s ironic because “My Swedish Kitchen” doesn’t show here in Sweden. Likely as it was intended for English speaking audiences. A quick check on the IMBd site shows that Australia is the only country it has been released in, but that might have changed. Rachel also has a podcast, “A carnivore’s crisis” which should now be available to you guy down under. I think it’s available via Amazon. I have her My Little Swedish Kitchen cookery book and give it high marks.
Good to hear you can find lingonberry jam there. Do you get it from Coles?
We do enjoy our visits to Lund and our walks through the original campus area. We hope things are under control come Christmas as we always go to a special alumni night presentation by the Lund choir. Thanks for taking the time to have a read and comment.
I find it strange that Rachel Khoo’s Swedish series has not been shown more widely and especially in Sweden itself . . . her Melbourne-based brought her to live here for quite a while and we certainly saw all her Parisian years and those of London. Perchance the powers-that-are have so many ‘exotic’ possibilities they make what they consider more ‘commercial’ choices. We have some four 24/7 cookery channels and at least one food-based show on the ordinary ones every day . . . Rachel’s does come on very late for us also . . . Ingredients – Ron, Australia is so multicultural I can buy lingonberry jam an jelly from every supermarket and cornerstone . . .not that so many people perhaps use it but . . . like almost anything else, it is available. . . . As far as Christmas performances go, there surely will not be any in Australia but a virtual concert may be arranged by the Lund Uni . . . ? Our Opera, music and theatrical offerings are becoming excitingly plentiful on line . . .
*grin* Nearly midnight here . . . am waiting for ‘my’bike riders to get to the first of four huge climbs in the Pyrenees ! Looked up ‘Muurikka’ – you might be interested to know a number of Australian outdoor shops carry the electric smoker and the paella pans. Your outdoor ‘griddle pan’, as it is called, costs about $A230 and ts usually available ! Told’ya we keep most things from the civilized world 🙂 !! But did not think you were friends enough with Finland to buy their stuff !!! . . .
The Real Person!
I think you guys down under are not lacking in anything if you can find lingonberry jam and Murrikka stekthäll. I’ve found that most Swedes have gotten over Finland leaving the nest and kicking Sweden’s butt back in 1808/09 in the Finnish War. Heck, our next-door neighbor is from Finland. However, they do have a very strange language, although I suspect they find Swedish a strange language as well.
Last one for the road ! In answer to your first comment ‘ “Jah, meie keeled on kole rasked aga ka vaga ilusad !’ – In 1038, in a world-wide competition, Italian and Estonian shared the first prize for the most beautiful languages in the world. Well, Finnish and Estonian are similar enough for us to understand one another, so dear bro’ . . . take care about calling the way we speak ‘strange’ . . . it is utterly beautiful with its richness in vowels . . . actually my favourite to speak . . . full of music and poetry !!!
The Real Person!
Actually, the word is that the Lund Uni will do just that is a gathering isn’t available. The concert hall only holds about a hundred, so we’ll see. Truth be known, I’m OK watching it online while enjoying a nice glass of red…
Amazing recipe Ron and Chloe has such an innocent face. Loved your tava/pan, I wish I find one.
I love potato pancakes. Have made Indian version, American version, would love to try Swedish version. But whats all purpose wheat flour
The Real Person!
Thanks, Rahul! Chloe may have an innocent face but she can pick an unattended bun off the table fast as lightening.
Ah, a fellow potato pancake lover. You know one of my all-time favorite street foods in India was aloo tiki. The cook at our company guesthouse (Kolkata) also made aloo tiki for me that were stuffed with paneer and serve with mint chutney. Yum…
The flour serves as both a binder and filler for the pancake. We also have another type of potato pancake called råraka that doesn’t have flour.
Thanks for stopping by…
Now that is a dish I could happily eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. But not too often, as you mentioned, or my cholesterol level (and waistline) would both be increasing. It seems that so many cultures, including Italians, have their own version of potato pancakes, but I’ve never seen any served with lingonberries. I can buy them, as you say, at the Ikea store here, thank goodness. They’re not fresh, but they’re the closest thing to it I can find.
The Real Person!
You know Linda, I could too. I also love the Italian potato pancakes like you posted awhile back. I can eat those bad boys like popcorn. When we lived in the US we had (he’s no longer with us) a dear friend from Sicily who made fantastic Sicilian style fried potato balls.
Glad to hear you can get lingonberry jam. If you ever see fresh low bush cranberries at your market, I’ve been told they are essentially the same as lingon. Thanks for popping by…
This is going to be short and sweet. I want those now.
The Real Person!
Well Angela if we lived closer I’d make you up a batch…
I always enjoy reading your posts so much, Ron – the amount of history and culinary information is astonishing. I leave feeling if I know so much more about Sweden and its culture. This looks like an amazing dish and, while lingonberries are NOT available fresh in Tucson, I have bought the lingonberry jam at IKEA and it is very tasty! Thanks, as ever, for sharing and also for Eva’s mother’s financiers recipe – I can’t wait to try them.
The Real Person!
Thanks, David, I’m a big fan of yours as well. You know, my goal with my blog is to do just as you said, to have a reader leave feeling that they know more about Sweden and its culture. It warms my heart that you feel that way.
You know we’ve had the IKEA lingon jam and it’s not bad at all. It’s a bit sweeter than what you get here. I guess that’s what sells in their stores. I love getting fresh lingon and stirring it with caster sugar. Once the sugar is melted and you have a spoon you get a burst of sweetness and a big tang when you bite into the berry. Let us know what you think of the Swedish version of the financiers. You guys take care over there…
Boy! Did this post make me hungry. Mouth’s watering.
The Real Person!
Thanks, Roland. I’m always glad when my post make someone hungry…
Thank you for this informative post. I always learn so much when I read them. I am a great fan of potato pan cakes and yours look great. I have to try this recipe on a stove with an iron cast pan. Would that work?
The Real Person!
Gerlinde, a castiron frying pan on your stove just the way you fry up your Kartoffelpuffer. Thanks for commenting…
Your posts are the best, Ron – I always enjoy sitting back with my cup of coffee and reading every word. I learn so much! There are a number of things I could comment on here, but the etymology of food terms has always drawn my attention. You make a great argument for the origin…and it sounds way better than a hairy monk! Hah. Also, that pan (Muurikka) is intriguing. I’ve never seen anything like it. It seems to be angled in which would mean that the bacon (pork belly) fat runs to the middle where it’s used to cook the pancake? Awesome! I need one of these pans! Thanks so much for a fun post, and that recipe sounds like my kind of comfort food for sure! 🙂
The Real Person!
Thanks, David! I wonder what a hairy monk would call his potato pancake? It’s really fun to dig into where the name of a dish originated. I find here that many times nobody really knows.
The stekhäll (Murrikka) has quite a history around it having been used by the nomadic Sámi people for hundreds of years. That was their stovetop and would be used over an open fire. In the Southern US, the Mexican discada is quite popular and you should be able to get those. You can also find dealers for Muurikka in the US as well. I think you’d like one.
This looks like the perfect comfort food to me with the bacon fat flavoring the potatoes, count me in. How wonderful that you were able to safely dine out.
The Real Person!
Hi Liz, it was wonderful to dine out, but we’ve not been since. We’ve done some takeaway but no more dining out. Will look forward to calmer days when we can all return to the joys of life. Like dining out and hugging friends and having dinner parties. I’m even looking forward to acually shopping in a grocery store…
Lunch in a restaurant?!! I’m SO jealous! Going to be quite some time before we can do that, alas. Well, we CAN do it right now, but I’m not about to. 🙁 Anyway, I’ll never ever turn down anything that resembles a potato pancake. This looks wonderful. And in our time of social distancing, cooking it in the woods is exactly the way to go! Although I think I’d rather do it at home, on my stove-top. 🙂
The Real Person!
John, here going to restaurant is not a problem, feeling safe when one goes out is another. So, we’re with you. We’ll likely not be dining out again for some time. We wisely chose a time to go when the city was mostly deserted as the students were gone and it was vacation month here and the world stops for that.
Cooking on the stovetop works just fine. Thanks for taking the time to have a read…
Ok, Ron, I’m a bit mesmerized by that outdoor cooker. It’s shape, in typical Scandinavian form, it brilliant! I’d love that type of cooker indoors as well! And, these potato pancakes, Raggmunk, look and sound so delicious! I’ve made some potato pancakes with mashed potatoes, but not shredded potatoes, before. I can’t wait to give this a try! I’ve learned so much from your post, and think Im going to need a Muurika, for sure!
The Real Person!
Laura, we use our Murrikka for all kinds of cooking. It sets in a patio area undercover and travels with us when we go to our family’s summer cottage. You need to get one of these, they’re a blast to cook on. FYI, they make great stir frys and fried rice.
Heck, I like all potato pancakes so I’m sure would be great, especially with bacon and lingoberry jam. Take care way over your way…
That is so Swedish specially that lingonberries. I tried a lot of variations as well like the Swiss Rosti and the German Kartoffelpuffer but this Swedish version brings it up a notch, that jam and pork will give it a nice flavour and texture addition, specially the sweet and savoury combo.
The Real Person!
Lingon or lingonberries have a wonderful tart taste and they are a bit unique. They go very well with many savory dishes, but especially well with pork and wild game. It is indeed a nice combo of flavors when the raggmunk, pork, and lingon are eaten together…
It’s amazing how many variations on potato pancakes/fritters exist in the world! And I wouldn’t say the raggmunk is just like any other potato pancake; it’s not only about the recipe itself – it is more about the process and (possible) traditions. Outdoor cooking, awesome gigantic pan – isn’t it great, huh? Needless to say the pancakes look and sound splendid. I can clearly imagine all these mingled flavours from smoky meat and potatoes, and all this deliciousness served with my favourite lingonberry jam? I’m getting my ticket righ away! Lol.
The Real Person!
Come on over Ben, we’ll go pick some fresh lingonberries and fry up a batch of raggmunk and stekt fläsk. I agree about the potato pancake, I’ve tried many and they are all different in their own way.
That big frypan is a joy to cook on and I’m sure you’d enjoy it as well. Thanks for stopping by and having a read…
I am sure Chloe meant it was a five wing recipe! Our Boxer ate an entire plate of chocolate brownies and also gave it a five paw rating. We have something that looks similar to lingonberries here. I am going to pick some and then ask a friend what they are called, and if they are edible. And if so, I will make a version of your recipe.
The Real Person!
Tandy, let me know what your local lookalike lingonberry tastes like. Are potato pancakes popular in South Africa?
I’m afraid that I would devour that meal too quickly…all my kind of food. We always have Lingonberry jam in the fridge as it goes so well with pork.
The Real Person!
Karen, that’s the problem with comfort meals such as this, we devour them. I guess if we only had one small raggmunk, one small piece of pork and a tsp of lingonberry jam it wouldn’t be so bad for us. But who wants to do that. Lingonberry does go so well with pork as well as wild game. I particularly enjoy it with moose stew…
Your posts lure me in, Ron. The food, the history, the culture, and now the cookware! I definitely want a one of those Muurikka Stekhäll pans — it might just be the coolest looking griddle I’ve seen. I love that you can cook outdoors with it. Growing up my mom and grandmother always made potato pancakes during the holiday season. Your recipe is a bit different and I look forward to trying it. And so great you got to dine out! I haven’t had more than a coffee out since March, but soon I hope. And as always, I love seeing your darling pup. 🙂 ~Valentina
The Real Person!
Thanks, Valentina! I love sharing Scandinavian food culture although I’m far from an authority. You’d love having a Murrikka stekthäll. You know I forgot to mention that you can also use them on a Weber kettle. Outdoor cooking is a passion of mine and one I share with friends here in Sweden. I have a dream of going to the forest and picking copious amounts of fresh chanterelles and cooking them up right where we picked them on the Murrikka. We planned to do it this year, but we’ve been under an outdoor burn ban since late June. The rains have come now, but most of the chanterelles are picked. Maybe next year. Thanks for stopping by…
I love the sound of a raggmunk, it definitely sounds like comfort food to me. And with bacon too!
The Real Person!
Everythings better with bacon. Have you ever tried chocolate covered fried bacon? Thanks for stopping by…
Ron, a fabulous post which I read days ago and am only now replying to…. I adore pancakes, but have never made those of the potato variety, and I love the name raggmunk, very viking. So with some good bacon, and somehow replacing lingonberries which I have never seen, with cranberries perhaps, raggmunk would be a memorable dish here, providing serious covid comforting. Now that we can’t travel overseas at all, I was thrilled to be able to vicariously travel through Lund University with glimpses of the library. The university looks very impressive, quite the alma mater for Eva to be proud of, and Lund sounds a perfect place to enjoy lunch. Thanks for such an interesting and inspiring post.
The Real Person!
Thanks so much, Pauline! Eha commented above saying she finds Lingonberry jam there in Australia, perhaps Coles or Amazon. It has a very good taste and is excellent with pork and wild game.
The city of Lund is lovely (and crowded when school is in session) with its cobblestone roads and ancient buildings ve, it’s very European and Scandinavian. The Uni is incredible, but my favorite is the Lund Cathedral. Thanks for stopping by…
Ron,
What a perfect timing, reading your post and sitting in Malaga, with some potatoes and cast iron skillet in a rented kitchen, going to find the fresh meat to go doen the swedish way.
Loved the comfort recipe, handy on holiday!
The Real Person!
Hasin, you know what they say, “timing is everything. Wow, how nice to be in Malaga, we’ve not been but have friends who visit every year (except this one) and they love it there. Hopefully, you got your potatoes made into raggmunk and found it enjoyable. Will you have to quarantine for 14 days when you return to the UK? Thanks for stopping in as it let me find your blog…
Thanks for this post Ron! I always love to hear about regional and in particular favourite comfort foods of particular countries. Pancakes and bacon. Mmmmm! We’re heading out for only our second local meal at a restaurant since March today (highly unusual for us). Lockdown and all that dreadful business you know…..anyway hope you guys are well. And stay safe!
The Real Person!
My pleasure Neil. I always love researching the background of a dish, especially this one. Thanks for stopping by and take care…
I really want to make this as I love rosti and always have potatoes in my vege box! Thank you for the very clear directions Ron 🙂
The Real Person!
You very welcome Lorraine! I hope you do give it a try. It’s hard to beat a good rosti as well. We make our råraka, which is like your rosti, very much the same way. Thanks for having a read and leaving your comment…
I do adore potato pancakes. Growing up in New York, they were something of a staple in my childhood, but always either plain or with apple sauce (which I don’t much care for). This takes them to another level! And I learned another thing from this post–you can actually get lingonberries in the US. I had always just assumed I’d need to substitute cranberries. Silly me not to have thought of amazon.com.
We, too, have ventured out to restaurants a couple of times recently, always eating outside. It’s a funny feeling, isn’t it?
The Real Person!
Frank, I’m thinking you’d like the thick bacon and lingon with your raggmunk or the potato pancake you grew up with.
You know going out to dine and having guests over for a meal is what we’ve missed most during these COVID days. But, it’s the new norm for us as it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing a vaccine until mid-summer next year if they can develop a vaccine.
Stay safe over that way…
Ron, once again, you grant us with a terrific post that is both educational and delicious (strangely enough, I didn’t get an email, as usual, informing me that you have a new post so I came over just to check).
I’m so excited that you shared the egg sauce recipe because I just saved a Swedish recipe for boiled cod with egg sauce to try (typically a holiday dish, no?). Now that I see it here, I’m confident it will be tasty.
I’m familiar with Kartoffelpuffer from my life in Germany and I enjoy them equally with sour cream or apple sauce. But I think bacon takes the cake, and I still have some lingonberry jam leftover.
Excuse me while I go stuff my face with it. 🙂
The Real Person!
Thanks for the kind words, Jas. I’m glad you found the egg sauce recipe and yes it was and is often served during the holidays. But, the cod dish most know in Scandinavia for Christmas is lutefisk (dried salted cod, pickled with lye) served with mustard sauce and potatoes. It’s a traditional thing and one I’m not a big fan of. But, egg sauce on cod or any fish is good anytime. I’m also a huge fan of Kartoffelpuffer, especially with lox and sour cream. Take care and stay safe over your way…
Ron, I can’t believe you’ve only had this three times! I’d be craving it every day! How wonderful to cook and have it outside! Love the lingonberries with it.
That Muurikka Stekhäll is awesome! I’m going to have to surprise my father with one. He likes to cook over a fire but has never found something like that.
Chloe is, as always, just adorable!
The Real Person!
Kelly, it’s one of those dishes my eyes want more often, but my heart and doctor say I shouldn’t. At least not very often. I will be having raggmunk, but with cold smoked salmon and a spoon of sour cream.
If your dad likes cooking on the open fire or just outdoors he’ll love a Muurikka.
Thanks for taking the time to have a read…
What an intriguing post Ron! I love learning the history behind foods we enjoy. So so cool going through the break down of the name. I’m with you, your theory sounds so well thought out and absolutely correct. And I am so excited to try your raggmunk recipe, it sounds and looks AMAZING! I can almost taste it with these delicious toppings. And I need to find a Muurikka! What an awesome way to cook.
The Real Person!
Thanks, Shannon! You know I’ve recently been reading about food archaeologists who are studying Viking eating habits. It’s fascinating as they’re rewriting what we thought Vikings were. Maybe there’s a post here somewhere. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to have a read…
So glad that you got to enjoy an evening out! We had our first dinner at a restaurant in August on a lovely open air patio with tables socially distanced. Our one and only outing so far.
Your Swedish potato pancake and thick bacon looks wonderful. We love all sorts of potato pancakes and fritters. Last year an IKEA opened not too far away and one of the first things I bought was a jar of Lingonberry jam. Next time I make potato pancakes I’ll have to try some jam on them!
The Real Person!
Hi Susan, good to know you have an IKEA nearby. Many here call them the “Swedish church” as it’s where most people are in Sweden on Sundays instead of being in church.
I think you’ll like that lingonberry jam with your potato pancakes…