Join the Yule Lads for Christmas at CosituttiMarketPlace

We first met our Icelandic friends on a trip to Italy by way of a stop in Reykjavík in 2019. After spending a few days visiting glaciers, geysers and volcanoes and the aquamarine thermal waters of the Blue Lagoon, I could see that the Icleanders and Italians have both mastered the art of benessere. The landscape and appreciation for the beauty that surrounds them are appreciated national treasures and the elusive Northern Lights as dramatic as a Renaissance painting.

Icelandic beer can easily stand up to a glass of Brunello when paired with some of the most incredible seafood you will taste from small fishing towns and villages that dot the island’s wild Ring Road. Much like Italy the landscape was extremely beautiful, the food extremely good and the people extremely friendly. Although very different in time and place both have some of the best our planet has to offer.

This year we’ve asked our Icelandic friends, the Jule Lads, to join us at the table and help choose our favorite ways to celebrate the season at CosituttiMarketPlace. Merry but mischievous the Icelandic Yule Lads welcome the holidays13 days before Christmas. Each have their own distinct personality and habits.

Join the Yule Lads for Christmas at CosituttiMarketPlace

Naughty or nice. They can be found licking your bowl of cookie dough or the leftovers out of your pans, pilfering your sausages or sniffing around searching for a traditional Christmas bread.

This Christmas we're inspired to pair Skyr,a traditional Icelandic yogurt with a balsamic glaze made from IGP balsamic vinegar from Modena. The authentic crema di balsamico, this fig flavored balsamic reduction adds a rich, flavorful, thick, syrupy glaze with a sweet and savory flavor to a strawberry fruit salad with a creamy balsamic poppy seed dressing.

Strawberry Fig Salad with

Creamy Balsamic Poppy Seed Dressing

2 T Fig Balsamic Glaze

2 T Capezzna Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2/3 c Siggi's drinkable yogurt ½ t fine gray sea salt 1 t poppy seeds

2 c arugula 4 fresh ripe strawberries, sliced 4 figs, sliced 1 T crumbled goat cheese 1 T sliced almonds, toasted

To make the balsamic glaze combine1 cup Malettei Aged Balsamic Vinegar Balsamic Vinegar

and ¾ cup fig preserves in a small saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil while whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently. Stir often to prevent burning. The glaze is ready when it has reduced by about half and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This process typically takes 10–20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the glaze to cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools. If you prefer a completely smooth glaze, you can use an immersion blender or a food processor to blend the mixture thoroughly after cooling slightly.

To make the dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl or jar and mix well. Top arugula with strawberries, figs and goat cheese. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Drizzle with dressing.

Tagliatelle with Seared Cod in a Lemon, Tomato and Basil Sauce

Icelanders love cod and so do Italians. Here is a recipe that combines tagliatelle pasta with seared code fillets.

Boil 12 oz of Mongrano Felicetti Tagliatelle according to package instructions. Season 4 cod fillets with salt and pepper and sear in olive oil in a a heavy-based skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Once cooked remove the cod from the skillet and tent with foil. Add 2 cups of cherry tomatoes sliced in half to the same skillet and cook until slightly softened for about one minute. Add 1/4 cup vegetable or fish stock to skillet, 1 t brown sugar, 2 crushed garlic cloves, zest of 1 lemon and 1 T lemon juice. Bring sauce to a simmer and add drained pasta. If needed add reserved pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Add 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves and cod fillets and serve immediately.

Merry Christmas