The Swedes know how to ring in summer: with flower crowns and parties that include dancing around maypoles, drinking wine and eating lots of bright, delicious little things. You don’t necessarily need a maypole, but you can take your own midsummer feast outdoors with vibrant Nordic-inspired bites served on IKEA’s colorful plates and ultra-modern wineglasses. Then get ready to toast to summer again and again.
Grilled Sardines with Brioche and Radishes
You’ll find open-faced sandwiches everywhere in Sweden. The fresh catch of this version? Whole grilled sardines, which are paired with grassy dill and shaved radish (and an optional dollop of trout roe), on a toasted hunk of brioche. These eye-catching, savory tartines, served on sleek turquoise-blue plates, whet appetites for the rest of the feast.
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Warm German Potato Salad
Potato salad needn’t be slathered in mayonnaise (at least not all the time). This German-style side gets a dose of snappy Dijon vinaigrette instead: Colorful fingerling potatoes mingle with sharp shallots, tender green beans and fragrant parsley. Serve by the bowlful and watch forks and spoons go in for second helpings.
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Chicken Schnitzel with Fried Capers
Set the table for a main course that’s at once light and filling. This Austrian classic is quite simple: Thinly pounded chicken breasts are breaded with Japanese panko bread crumbs and gently panfried until crisp. Lightly fried capers and a good squeeze of lemon give it all a bright, vibrant kick.
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Pickled Asparagus
Let summer vegetables shine in a flavorful side: Skip grilling or roasting tender spears of asparagus, and have your hand at a quick pickle instead. Pungent juniper berries, cool dill seeds and spicy chiles de árbol add fragrance and punch. Make this two days ahead to allow for flavors to set in, then serve alongside your schnitzel and potato salad.
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Chocolate-Cherry Ice Pops
Sweet, cool, crunchy and chocolaty: These sweet-and sour cherry-studded ice pops are the ultimate summer dessert. Dunked in a simple chocolate sauce and flecked with candied hemp heart seeds, these unique desserts are a conversation starter. Be sure to keep fingers clean from dripping ice as you wrap up your evening.
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