Swedish gastronomy — recipes by Marcus Samuelsson
Published: 23 Feb 2011
The Swedish food landscape has changed over the last decade. The Swedish chef, once only known as a character in The Muppet Show, is no longer a laughing matter thanks to top-class cooking and innovative use of raw materials. Marcus Samuelsson is one of our internationally renowned chef. Why not try some of his recipes (see left column)?
The Swedish chef has won the world's recognition, taking home gold medals at the culinary Olympic Games, as well as several medals at the unofficial world cham¬pionship, the Bocuse d'Or. And with gourmet restaurants opening their doors all over the country, Sweden has turned into one of the haute-cuisine hot spots in Europe.
But to be honest, it's not all about the chefs. Our local raw materials also contribute to Sweden's culinary success. Fresh catches and harvests from lakes, forests, mountains and meadows inspire creativity and make for delicious, ecological dishes. This is true for restaurants and private homes alike. Our unique right of public access grants us the right to pick wild strawberries, chanterelles and other goodies we may find in nature, so it's easy as pie for anyone to make a gourmet meal at home — all for free.
Historically, Swedish food culture was based on the need to store food. This is why fresh berries used to be cooked into jam, vegetables pickled, mushrooms dried, and meat and fish smoked, salted, fermented, marinated... Many young chefs use traditional cooking as their starting point, add a twist and—presto—a new gastronomic creation is born.
We have taken the liberty of using three recipes from Ethiopian-born Swedish chef Marcus Samuelsson as examples of the new Swedish cuisine. Why don't you try them yourself? (Click on the links below or on the left to go to the recipes.)
Three Swedish recipes:
 Pickled herring with bean and potato salad |
 Reindeer meatballs with glazed garlic confit and red cabbage |
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This feature has been published by the Swedish Institute.
