Missing Cruise Food? Try These Delicious Viking Cruises Recipes at Home
We might not be able to cruise, but Viking Cruises has a host of your favourite cruise-ship recipes to make at home…
One of the best, if not the best, things about going a cruise is the food, being about to dine on delicious chef-cooked meals around the clock.
Now that we aren’t able to cruise, one of the easiest ways to bring back those cruise ship memories is by replicating some of the delicious meals we’ve had on board at home, and Viking Cruises is allowing us to do just that.
Easing out at-home cooking rut, the cruise line has revealed a few of its most delicious signature recipes, served on board the outlets of its Scandi-chic ocean and river ships, and the best news is you can make them all at home.
So go on, make yourself a Piña Colada, get on your sunglasses and get take your tastebuds on a global taste adventure of Viking recipes, all while being at home.
Viking Cruises starter: French Gougères
A traditional speciality of the Burgundy region, gougères are often made with Gruyère cheese. You can also use other cheeses (such as parmesan) to add extra depth. Enjoy these with a glass (or two) of good French wine.
Ingredients (makes 10 servings)
- 350ml water
- 335g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 tsp salt
- 180g flour
- 6 large eggs
- 130g grated Gruyère cheese, packed
- 90g good quality parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Directions
- Place one oven rack in top third and a second rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°F (204°C).
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with lightly greased parchment paper. In a 3- or 4-qt saucepan over medium heat, bring water, butter and half the salt to a simmer, stirring until butter melts.
- Add flour all at once, stirring rapidly with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a smooth, thick paste with no lumps.
- Remove pan from heat; allow mixture to cool until it feels just warm. Using a hand-held mixer, beat in one egg at a time until all are incorporated.
- Stir in cheese, pepper and remaining salt. Drop spoonfuls of dough 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until dough is puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes, swapping position of baking pans halfway through.
Viking Cruises main: Chinese firecracker chicken
With fresh jalapeño, dried chillies and chilli garlic sauce, this dish is definitely hot and spicy. If you prefer, de-seed the jalapeño and dried chilli to cut the heat some. This dish really provides a kick to the classic protein of chicken breast, and the stir-fry cooking method means it comes together in a snap.
Ingredients (serves 4)
Marinade:
- 454g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 10g soy sauce
- 5g dark soy sauce
- 3g cornstarch
Sauce:
- 75g ketchup
- 59ml chicken broth
- 15g chilli garlic sauce
- 4g sugar
- 15ml vegetable oil
- 1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and cut into thin strips
- 8 small dried red chillies
- 1 red bell pepper
- ½ onion, thinly sliced
Method
- Rinse chicken, pat dry and cut crosswise into ½-inch wide strips. Place in a bowl with remaining marinade ingredients, stirring to coat. Let stand 10 minutes.
- Make the sauce by combining all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mixing well. Place a stir-fry pan over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides. Add fresh and dried chillies and cook, stirring constantly, until dried chillies begin to brown, about 15 seconds.
- Add chicken, bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is no longer pink in the centre, 2-3 minutes. Remove dried chillies if desired.
- Add sauce, stirring to coat. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and serve hot with rice or Chinese noodles.
Viking Cruises dessert: Portuguese pastel de nata
You can find these delicious little bites all over Portugal, and once you have tasted them beware, as they are addictive. Easy to make, the rich, eggy filling is pure comfort food. Here, Viking has simplified the recipe by using puff pastry dough for the shell. These are best eaten the day they are made, still warm from the oven.
Ingredients (makes 6 servings)
- Flour for dusting
- 454g frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 237ml milk
- 28g cornstarch
- 192g sugar
- 2.5ml vanilla extract
- 6 large egg yolks
Method
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 12-compartment muffin tin. Lay out one sheet puff pastry on floured board; cut into six 4½-inch circles; repeat with remaining dough. Place circles in muffin cups, pressing into bottom and sides; set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium, cook milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla, whisking constantly until mixture thickens; remove from heat.
- Gradually whisk half of hot milk mixture into egg yolks in a bowl; then add this mixture back into remaining milk in saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour into dough-lined cups; bake 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling lightly browned on top. Cool slightly before removing.
All recipes courtesy of Viking Cruises, and a full library can be found at vikingrivercruises.co.uk.
