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With the Easter holidays now upon us, what better way to celebrate than with a very special “My chat with”.
Hailed as one of the pioneers of New Nordic cuisine, accomplished Danish chef and former culinary adviser to the NOMA team, Mikkel Karstad is renowned for his mastery of flavours and mouth-watering menus.
Also, the author of several beautiful and practical cookbooks, Mikkel’s latest title ‘A Nordic Feast: Simple Recipes for Gatherings with Friends and Family’ is dedicated to showing us all how to make delicious, seasonal and stress-free meals for any occasion.
From summer barbecues to festive supers, it’s sharing and savouring special moments like these that memories are made of.
Over to Mikkel to tell us more:
Shall we start with an introduction, where you live, who you live with, and where your passion for food comes from?
I live in Østerbro in Copenhagen with my wife Camilla, and our 4 children, Oscar, Alma, Konrad and Viggo. I have worked as a chef since I was 17 years old, so have been in the industry a long time but knew from a very young age that it was what I wanted to do.
My interest in good food stems from my childhood as I spent the school holidays with my grandmother. She had a large garden and grew vegetables, fruits and herbs and was an excellent cook, not only cooking for the family, but also for other people’s celebrations too. I also often went fishing and hunting with my uncle, and at that time, was not yet aware of the impact these childhood experiences would have on me.
This preference for simple and light food, where the ingredients speak for themselves has stayed with me, and I orient myself very much to the season and use almost exclusively what nature currently offers. Regional, seasonal foods are easy to find, are cheap and taste great, so for example, here in Denmark, right now we have a lot of wild herbs, rhubarbs and soon excellent asparagus, which I prepare in a simple way, and eat often and with great pleasure.
A Nordic Feast is your sixth book, what was the inspiration behind it and what can readers and avid home cooks expect?
The inspiration for A Nordic Feast came after Covid and that long period where it had been difficult to gather people around a table or to host an occasion with those we love most.
For me sharing food with the people you care about and enjoy being with is so important, and this book is intended as a tribute to that as well as giving the reader ideas for how to prepare in advance, so that when your guests arrive you can actually relax and enjoy the moment.
At a time of year when gathering together with loved ones is part of the celebration, what for you makes sharing food with your friends and family so special?
Whether Christmas, birthdays, or an impromptu barbecue, it’s the people you are sharing the meal with that makes it special. Yes, of course it’s great to cook a good meal and use a lot of good ingredients, but if you don’t have anyone to share it with, it doesn’t have the same value for me. But if you cook a nice meal, made from good ingredients and then share and eat it together, there’s nothing better.
As a chef known for taking a seasonally informed approach to your food, what will be on your Easter table?
On our Easter table will be what you would call ‘Nordic Easter classics’ with small twists. So, there will be plenty of spring produce including lumpfish roe with toasted bread and crème fraiche, soft-boiled eggs with wild garlic mayonnaise, fried herring with red onion and pickled rosehips, grilled green asparagus with nettles and buckwheat, braised leg of lamb with beer, apple cider and thyme and finally, a rhubarb cake with ice cream flavoured with fresh spruce.
Finally, what does the Nordic food scene mean to you, and what should we be on the look-out for?
I feel very lucky that I can live and work in a city like Copenhagen where the food scene is so strong. There are so many nice restaurants here and very skilled chefs and colleagues, while at the same time we are that close to nature we can follow the seasons.
I actually prefer to call it the ‘local food scene’ not so much ‘Nordic’, as I think it that is something that can be done in all countries and all over the world now, the thing about using local ingredients and things that are in season, is for me, what’s exciting and strong.
Want to know more?
Thank you again to Mikkel for the chat, I will definitely be adding some of those dishes to my Easter Sunday family gathering.
If you would like to find out more about Mikkel Karstad head over to his website, alternatively visit the Prestel Publishing website to order your copy of The Nordic Feast cookbook.
Images 1, 3, 4 and 5 are by Nicola Capper, with the remaining by Anders Schonnemann, courtesy of Prestel Publishing.
Exciting News
I’ve teamed up with Prestel Publishing to create an Instagram competition. One lucky Nordic Notes follower will win their very own copy of A Nordic Feast: Simple Recipes for Gatherings with Friends and Family by Mikkel Karstad worth £30.
To enter: Just follow both Nordic Notes and Prestel Publishing on Instagram. Like the competition photo and tag a friend who you think would like to win. You can tag as many people as you like, and each tag counts as one entry.
Disclaimer: The giveaway is open to those over the age of 18 and living in the UK only. The giveaway ends at midnight on Thursday 4th April 2024.
The winner will be randomly selected and announced on the Nordic Notes Instagram account afterwards, with the book sent directly to the winner. Please note this competition is in no way associated with or endorsed by Instagram.
Good luck!
Enjoyed reading this post? Then read my chat with Josephine Akvama Hoffmeyer founder of the fantastic File Under Pop.
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