Destination Flavour Scandinavia

“The Danish people recently voted stegt flæsk the national dish of Denmark in a country-wide survey. Pork belly is grilled or fried until very crisp, and served with potatoes and a rich white sauce loaded with fresh parsley. It’s a bit like a big plate of pork crackling and for many Danes, it is the ultimate childhood memory of comfort food.” Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

“What we might call a “Danish” is actually an entire range of pastries known in Denmark as Wienerbrod, or Viennese bread. Of all of these, the spandauer is possibly the most popular, and that’s named after a German prison. Confused yet? Well, it doesn’t matter because they’re absolutely delicious. This recipe is inspired by the one I had from Danni and Helle Nielsen's bakery.” Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

“We tend to think of Vikings as ferocious warriors with carnivorous tastes, but the real Viking diet was surprisingly light and nutritious. They ate berries, vegetable soups and barley risottos, and something like this simple roasted salmon with flatbreads might have been just the kind of meal a terrifying Viking might have loved between raiding parties.” Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

"The world of the classic Danish open sandwich can be a confusing one at times, with dozens of separate toppings and hundreds of different varieties of sandwiches with names like ‘The Veterinarian’s Supper’ and the ‘Shooting star’. My version takes the flavours of a Chinese ‘siu mai’ dumpling and gives them a Danish makeover." Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

"These spherical Danish doughnuts are one of my favourite sweets, and they’re much easier to make than they look. You do need an aebleskiver pan, but if you can’t find one you can use an electric Dutch pancake maker or Japanese takoyaki pan." Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

“There’s no more identifiably Swedish dish than good old Swedish meatballs. There are a few keys to a good meatball – steam the meatballs so they are tender, fry them in brown butter, then combine them with the sauce just at the last minute. They are perfect with pickled cucumber and lingonberry jam.” Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

"One of my earliest food memories is of reading comic books about the Viking adventures of Asterix and Obelix and thinking how delicious the glazed wild boars looked that they would eat. Finally, I’ve fulfilled a dream in cooking a boar like that. The double-sided Hasselback potatoes use a Japanese technique to re-invent a Swedish classic – they might just change the way you make potatoes forever." Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

“Thursday pea soup and pancakes is an institution across Scandinavia, originally intended to be a hearty meal leading into a traditional fasting day on a Friday. Even though fasting is far less common now, the pea soup and pancakes still remain. This vegetarian version takes the classic dish to a healthier place by leaving the pork out of the soup and using unbleached wholemeal flours and fresh berries to replace sweet jams in the pancakes.” Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

“These delicious buns are traditionally eaten in Sweden on Shrove Tuesday (or Fat Tuesday, as it’s known in Scandinavia), but they’re so popular that more recently they can be found in bakeries all year round. A light cardamom-spiced bun is filled with a soft marzipan mixture and plenty of sweetened whipped cream.” Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

“Waffles are an institution in both Norway and Sweden and on a Sunday morning in either country it’s almost as if the entire north of Scandinavia pulls their waffle irons out of the cupboard and gets cooking. Although waffles from both countries are thin, heart-shaped and delicious, they are still very different. The Swedes prefer light, crispy waffles served with berries and cream while Norwegian waffles are soft and often folded around slices of caramelised Norwegian brown goat’s cheese." Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

“Salmon from the north of Norway is famous around Scandinavia. Its large size and rich fat make it a real delicacy from the region. This traditional Norwegian style of curing salmon is very simple, and perfect for feeding a crowd.” Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

"One of my favourite Scandinavian food traditions is the Norwegian Krabbefest. In the summer, the waters around Bergen teem with hundreds of thousands of delicious brown crabs, and the people of Bergen like nothing better than pulling a few out of the water at their summer houses on the water, cooking them up, and washing them down with plenty of cold beer. It’s paradise." Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

"There is a lovely relationship between many classic Danish dishes. When a chicken is boiled to make stock, the meat of the bird is often used for creamy chicken and asparagus tartlets, while the broth is turned into this delicious chicken soup with both pork and dough dumplings. While we used some of the locally available baby vegetables in this soup, it is just as delicious served with the vegetables used to make the stock." Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia