Rachel Khoo: My Swedish Kitchen

I visit a local flour mill, Orga Kvarn, where grain is crushed, separated and sifted, to make an exquisitely fine flour. I pick up a fruity rye flour to make knäckebrod – one of my favourite things to buy at the local supermarket. Traditionally it is the size of a vinyl record and has a hole in the middle – but for my knäckebrod, I’m keeping it super simple and a little bit rustic.

In the second episode of My Swedish Kitchen, I explore Swedes love for hot dogs and the humble art of making sausages from scratch. Before the rage of food trucks and street food festivals, hot dog stands were feeding the masses in Sweden. Much like how we have a kebab at the end of a night in the UK, Swedes have always been a fan of the hot dog.

In this episode, my journey around Sweden continues as the Autumn weather settles in. From forest foraging for mushrooms to stirring risotto on the stove, I learn about the slower way of living that captures what I love about my new home in Sweden.

In episode 4, I focus on cooking with the seasons. Swedish food has long relied on root veg and cabbage varieties – ingredients that have often been regarded as uninspiring. As the trend towards traditional ingredients continues, these ingredients are having a comeback!

In this week’s episode, I visit the diverse Southern city of Malmo. Sitting across from Copenhagen, Malmo has a rich immigrant population which adds to its eclectic food scene. Falafel is almost considered Malmo’s national dish (and is as Swedish as meatballs these days!). It’s a unifying dish that’s perfect for all diets and cultures. Inspired by the diverse food culture of Malmo, I make a fusion of falafel and veggie meatballs. Meatballs are so popular in Sweden – from the nursery, school canteens, at work and in the home – and have become a go-to meal in my recipe book.

In this episode, I continue my journey throughout Sweden to explore the seafood culture of Sweden’s second-largest city, Gothenburg. Gothenburg is the only major city in Sweden with the Atlantic Ocean at its doorstep and naturally, it is an important trade and fishing town.

In this episode, I hop on a lobster boat to discover more about lobster fishing on the Swedish west coast. The first lobsters caught in the season will fetch as much as 8 000 Euro per kilo!

In the season finale of My Swedish Kitchen, I host my own Crayfish Party! It’s one of my favourite celebrations and is the highlight of the Swedish calendar. It’s all about family, friends, singing, drinking schnapps and eating crayfish soup. I learn how to fish for crayfish and how to prepare my catch – the Swedish way – by boiling them in dill and eating them cold.