New Scandinavian Cooking

Andreas travels to northern Norway and Bodo, where despite the variety of fish, the locals’ favorite remains the modest pollock. Andreas finds out why and then makes seared pollock with onion jam, lingonberries and asparagus, homemade fish fingers with remoulade sauce and pollock gratin.

Aboard the old steamer Haldenvassdraget, Andreas cruises the canals of southern Norway and the Halden River and reels in a boat-full of delicacies. Dishes include: steamed and grilled asparagus, multi-flavored fish cakes, a fish terrine and herbed roast chicken.

Andreas travels to Norway’s Highland, near Hallingdal, where survival of the fittest spawned many local delicacies. Inspired by history, Andreas makes homemade yogurt and cream cheese, a quick gravlax and finally, tender lamb shanks with a root vegetable purée.

Andreas takes the trip to the “rye belt” in southern Finland to meet up with Finnish chef Sara La Fountain. They travel on the old Kings’ Road, where they both make their favorite open-faced sandwiches using rye bread. Then, Sara introduces memma, an old rye-based Finnish dessert, followed by a roast served with a variety of vegetables.

Andreas visits the southern Norwegian resort town of Kristiansand, where the Norwegians flock every summer. Andreas goes fishing for mackerel and along the way, he cooks a variety of fish dishes, from fried sprats and mackerel sushi to the ultimate expression of Norwegian summer: grilled and smoked mackerel.

Andreas travels through the Southwestern part of Norway and Rogaland during the annual sheep gathering. Andreas cooks beer-braised lamb shanks with sweet onions, pepper-fried lamb liver, a ‘one-pot wonder’ of lamb with rutabaga and mustard seeds, and finally, he puts a scientific twist on a traditional Sunday roast.

Danish chef Claus Meyer joins Andreas in Ribe, the oldest town in Scandinavia. While in Denmark, Andreas and Claus prepare fresh oysters with herbs, an herbal yogurt smoothie with honey, a wholesome corn porridge dessert with fresh berries, and finally, a slow-roasted beef sirloin served with beans, nuts and thyme.

Andreas visits Rygge, the “vegetable garden” of southeastern Norway, to prepare a traditional menu of root vegetables, goat and hen. Andreas cooks parsley root cream with smoked salmon, and follows it with fricassee of hen, and finally, roast goat. Andreas explains how to make these traditional dishes with modern substitutes.

Andreas visits the coastline of Helgeland in northern Norway, where the mystical and delicious halibut makes its home among the islets and skerries. Andreas demonstrates how different cooking methods can elicit different flavors and textures from the fish. Dishes include: the smoked Greenland halibut; pickled halibut, baked halibut; and finally, pan-fried halibut served with veal demi-glace.

Andreas makes a variety of venison dishes against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains of the west coast, where the deer run free and the mountain farms cling to sheer slopes. He prepares a millefeuille of venison fillet with prune; venison liver with caramelized tangerine; smoked trout; a traditional hunter’s stew with sour cream and goat cheese; and finally, the ultimate venison steak.

Andreas visits the island of Spitsbergen in the northernmost inhabited place in the world, and Longyearbyen. This barren land offers some surprising delicacies, like wild geese that summer here and a variety of fish. Andreas makes goose with port wine and broccoli puree, pan-fried Svalbard cod and king crab, seafood-flavored vegetables and chocolate cake with orange marmalade and coffee.