Soile Anderson (at far right) and Eleanor Ostman, the team behind the FFN Lecturer of the Year program “Meet the Finn Cooks,” share the recipe for this colorful and flavorful dish, a traditional part of the Christmas meal in Finland.

Click here to watch the video @ YouTube.

ROSOLLI

Serves 12

6 cups boiled, peeled and cubed red beets (reserve cooking liquid)
3  cups boiled, peeled and cubed potatoes (Finnish yellow preferred)
2 cups pared, boiled and cubed carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup peeled and cubed Granny Smith apple
1 cup dill pickles, cubed
2 cups chopped pickled herring
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup white vinegar, or more to taste
1/2 cup sugar

Salad dressing:
2 cups heavy cream, whipped
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar (optional)
2 tablespoons (or more) red beet cooking juice

Mix diced beefed, potatoes, carrots, onion, apple, dill pickles and herring in large mixing bowl. Season with pepper and a little salt. Stir together vinegar and sugar; pour over cubed ingredients. Mix well. Taste to see if it needs more salt. Cover.

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Refrigerate for at least a day for flavors to blend.

Combine whipped cream, powdered sugar and vinegar. Add enough beet cooking juice to color whipped cream mixture pink. Pipe pink whipped cream on top of salad in a serving dish or in individual goblets. Serve as a first course at a holiday dinner.

The recipe is from the book Celebrations to Remember: Exceptional Party Decor and Fabulous Food by Soile Anderson and Eleanor Ostman.

For book sales information, contact Eleanor Ostman at eaostman @ aol.com

For information on the Lecturer of the Year program, contact Hilary Virtanen at hilary.virtanen @ finlandia.edu