 Rødgrød with vanilla sauce | |
| Place of origin | Denmark andGermany |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Potato starch, red summer berries, blackcherries,sugar |
Rødgrød (Danish:[ˈʁœðˀˌkʁœðˀ]ⓘ),rote Grütze (German:[ˈʁoːtəˈɡʁʏtsə]ⓘ), orrode Grütt (Low German:[ˈroʊdəˈɡrʏt]ⓘ), meaning "redgroats", is a sweet fruit dish fromDenmark andNorthern Germany. The name of the dish in Danish features many of the elements that make Danish pronunciation difficult for non-native speakers, sorødgrød med flødeⓘ, literally "red porridge with cream", has been a commonly usedshibboleth since the early 1900s.[1][2]
Rødgrød orrote Grütze was traditionally made ofgroat orgrit, as revealed by the second component of the name in Danish, German, or Low German.[3][4]
Semolina andsago are used in some family recipes;potato starch is today the standard choice to achieve a creamy to pudding-likestarch gelatinization. The essential ingredients that justify the adjective are red summer berries such asredcurrant,blackcurrant,raspberries,strawberries,blackberries,bilberries and stoned blackcherries.[5] The essential flavour can be achieved with redcurrant alone; a small amount of blackcurrant will add variety; sugar is used to intensify the flavour. The amounts of starch, sago, semolina differ with the solidity desired; 20 to 60 grams on a kilogram or liter of the recipe are usual; sago, groat or grit have to soak before they can be used.[5]
The preparation is basically that of a pudding: The fruits are cooked briefly withsugar. The mass should cool down for a moment so that the starch—dissolved in fruit juice or water—can be stirred into it without clumping. A second cooking process of one to two minutes is needed to start thegelatinization; remaining streaks of white starch have to clear up in this process.[5]
Rødgrød orrote Grütze is served hot or cold as adessert with milk, a mixture ofmilk andvanilla sugar,vanilla sauce, (whipped)cream,vanilla ice cream, orcustard to balance the refreshing taste of the fruit acids.[6]
There are several commercial variants ofrødgrød, sold in German supermarkets.Grüne Grütze, a green variant, is made from apple,gooseberries,kiwifruit andrhubarb by a Danish producer. This unusual combination may be inspired by the more traditional Danish dish ofstikkelsbærgrød (gooseberry jelly).[7] Inblaue Grütze, theblue variant,blackberries,bilberries,plums,blackcurrant, andgrapes are usually used.Gelbe Grütze consists ofpeaches, yellow gooseberries,bananas, gold kiwifruit, or other yellow fruits.
In Poland, parts ofRussia, theBaltic states,Finland, andUkraine,kissel is known as adessert similar torødgrød.[8]
In the US Virgin Islands, formerly the Danish West Indies before the US purchased the islands in 1917, it is known asred grout and is made with tapioca, guava, and sugar, served with a custard sauce.[9]
In SouthernBrazil,sagu is a popular dessert made withtapioca pearls, sugar and red wine, mainly appreciated by Italian and German-origin families.[10]
