New Nordic cuisine is about using and producing traditional foods that are locally grown and keeping recipes simple and tasty - so we can learn a lot from that movement in today’s times.
Susie Theodorou and Christine Rudolph’s book Copenhagen Cult Recipes provides a glimpse into the movement as interpreted in that city which takes its food seriously.
Mussels with onions and kale
Many mussels are now farmed, which means cleaning them is easier. Make sure any live mussels that are still open when tapped are discarded, as they are dead.
Serves 4
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Ingredients
25g butter
2 large onions, halved and cut into 5mm slices
2kg mussels, scrubbed and hairy beards removed
250ml (1 cup) creme fraiche
350g cavolo nero
To serve
Sourdough bread
Method
Melt the butter in a large, deep saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10-12 minutes until starting to brown. Add the sherry and leave to bubble for 3 minutes. Add the mussels and stir with the onions and liquid. Cover and steam for 10 minutes, stirring once.
Open the pot, add the creme fraiche and toss again. Place the kale over the mussels and cook for another 5 minutes until wilted. Remove and discard any mussels that have not opened.
Divide the kale and mussels among 4 serving bowls. Taste the sauce and season if necessary. Ladle the broth over the top and serve with crusty sourdough bread.
Roget laks smoked salmon, hot & cold
Hot-smoked salmon means that the smoking occurs with heat and the texture of the fish is very flaky. Cold-smoked salmon is actually cured by low-temperature smoking. The proteins are not cooked, hence the very fine texture of the flesh.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Ingredients
100g stale rye bread, very thinly sliced
80ml (⅓cup) grapeseed oil
50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
80ml (1/3 cup) buttermilk
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp snipped chives
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
4 large organic eggs
a splash of milk
15g salted butter
150g hot-smoked salmon
1 large handful pea tendrils
1 handful baby English spinach leaves
1 handful watercress
150g cold-smoked salmon
Method
Heat the oven to 180degC . Brush the bread with 2 tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle with parmesan. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 20 minutes until crisp.
Meanwhile, make a dressing by whisking the buttermilk, vinegar and remaining oil together. Mix in the chives and parsley, then season to taste.
Beat the eggs in a bowl, add the milk and season with salt. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until frothy.
Heat the butter in a 20cm frying pan over medium heat until frothy. Add the eggs and cook for 1-2 minutes until just starting to set. Start to draw the eggs into the centre of the pan, letting the wet mixture run out to the sides. Fold like this gently until the eggs are just set.
Flake the hot-smoked salmon into a bowl and fold in 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing. Add the salad leaves and toss gently. Season to taste.
To assemble
Divide the hot-smoked salmon salad between two serving bowls, add the cold-smoked salmon then the scrambled eggs. Finish with the rye croutons and serve with extra dressing.
