These Niklas Ekstedt Recipes Celebrate The Swedish Ethos Of Lagom

Growing up in the small, rural village of Järpen in northern Sweden, chef Niklas Ekstedt spent lots of time roaming around outdoors. He has always felt inherently connected to nature, and developed an interest in ancient cooking techniques from a young age – over time, developing his own style of cooking which eschews electricity and instead uses only a fire pit, wood oven and wood stove. 

This culinary ethos became Ekstedt’s USP, which he brought to a whole host of restaurants across Sweden including the eponymous Ekstedt (opened in 2011). The eatery soon secured a Michelin star, and years later the chef launched a second branch in London, Ekstedt at The Yard in Westminster’s Great Scotland Yard Hotel. And now, Ekstedt is sharing his pioneering Scandinavian cooking techniques in a new recipe book, The Swedish Cookbook: a celebration of Nordic cooking through the concept of ‘lagom’ (the Swedish ethos of ‘just the right amount’). We share three recipes below.

3 Niklas Ekstedt Recipes

Potato Pancakes with Lingonberries and Soured Cream

‘Potato dishes are a staple in many countries, each with their twist or preferred methods of cooking. In Sweden, the beloved potato pancake, known as raggmunk, stands out as a favourite among young and old alike. Deeply rooted in Swedish culinary tradition, this simple and flavourful recipe is nostalgia in a potato dish: so many Swedes remember enjoying it as children, especially in school cafeterias.’

Ingredients:

• 700g potatoes, peeled
• 1 small egg
• 1 tablespoons plain flour 
• A pinch of salt butter or oil, for frying

For the topping

Soured cream lingonberries (defrosted if frozen)

Method:

1. Coarsely grate the potatoes and place them in a sieve. Press down firmly with a clean tea towel to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
2. Tip the potatoes in to a clean, dry mixing bowl and add the egg, flour and salt. Stir to combine.
3. Heat the butter or oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, take one quarter of the mixture and add it to the pan, pressing it down with the back of a spatula into a thin pancake shape. Fry the potato pancake for 2–3 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp, then flip it over and fry for another 2–3 minutes, until cooked through. Repeat for the remaining mixture, until you have 4 pancakes altogether.
4. Serve immediately with soured cream and lingonberries on top.

TIP: Your favourite roe, chopped chives and finely chopped red onion make a great, savoury alternative to top these potato pancakes.

Grilled Pork Chops with Creamy Pointed Cabbage

‘Stewed potatoes or vegetables have always been traditional in Swedish cuisine. We also eat stewed macaroni and mushrooms. When I was younger, our stews usually came in a rich béchamel sauce. Now, I love stewed vegetables, but I don’t think they need to be swimming in a thick sauce. So, as I grew up and started working in restaurants, I replaced the heavy sauce with a few drops of cream instead. In this recipe, just a little cream at the end is enough to create a silky texture. A sprinkle of crushed pepper to finish completes the deliciousness.’

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Ingredients:

Serves 4

• A little vegetable oil, for brushing
• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 3cm thick), at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 pointed cabbage, sliced into 2cm strips
• 100ml single cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard a small handful of tarragon, leaves picked
• Salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Heat the grill to medium–high.
2. Brush the chops with a little vegetable oil and place them on the grill pan. Grill for 5 minutes each side, until fully cooked through. Remove the chops from the grill and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
3. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the cabbage and sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted and just tender. Add the cream and mustard, and let the mixture simmer for a few minutes to heat through.
4. Divide the cabbage between your serving plates and top with a pork chop (slice it, if you wish). Garnish with a few tarragon leaves to finish.

TIP: Swap pointed cabbage for milder savoy cabbage as an alternative, if you wish.

Carrot Cake with Lemon Frosting

‘In the 1980s, many food trends arrived in Sweden from the USA, and my mother was quick to pick up the trend for this moist cake, which would make an appearance as a real highlight at birthdays. She always made it with a generous amount of frosting – just as it should be. I’ve mostly kept her tradition, but sometimes I like to add a bit of ginger to the batter for more spice; or to make it a little more Swedish, I sometimes sneak in a smattering of cardamom (as here). It gives the cake a deeper flavour with a hint of familiarity. The frosting, of course, is the best part. I like to have plenty of it, with extra lemon for a fresh contrast. This cake tastes like family and home to me, but at the same time, it has become part of our Swedish fika. An American classic – with a Swedish twist.’

Ingredients:

Serves 6-8

• 150g sunflower oil 175g unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 400g caster sugar 
• 4 eggs
• 300g carrots, peeled and grated
• 350g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom

For the lemon frosting:

• 300g full-fat cream cheese 250g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar pared zest of 2 lemons, plus optional extra to decorate 150g unsalted butter, melted

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan. Line a 23cm springform cake tin (base and sides) with baking paper.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the beater on medium speed, or by hand in a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, butter and sugar until creamy – about 3–4 minutes. One at a time, add the eggs, whisking well between each addition. Using a spatula, fold in the grated carrots until evenly distributed.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together all the remaining cake ingredients. Then, sift them into the bowl with the wet mixture and gently fold together to create a smooth batter with no dry patches remaining. Try not to over-mix, though.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake it for about 1 hour, or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre of the sponge comes out clean. Leave the sponge to cool for a few minutes in the tin, then release it and leave it to cool completely on a wire rack.
5. For the frosting, whisk together the cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla sugar and lemon zest until smooth. Gradually add the melted butter, whisking all the time, until the frosting is fluffy and thick.
6. Top the cooled cake with the frosting and decorate with extra lemon zest, if desired. Serve in wedges and enjoy!

Extract taken from The Swedish Cookbook by Niklas Ekstedt (Bloomsbury, £26.00 Hardback) Photography © Haarala Hamilton