Don’t let anyone tell you that hygge recipes should be nourishing and healthy; regular readers will know that traditional Danish recipes have a very heavy emphasis on pork, potatoes and dairy; perfect for long cold winter nights when you just want to eat your supper with a spoon. While the exact origin of the name isn’t clear for this Scandinavian farmhouse dish, it should be served piping hot and is guaranteed to make your loved one feel happy (if not exactly energetic 🙂).
Sometimes I’ll add 50g of grated mature cheddar as well; while not strictly traditional it takes the comfort food thing to a whole new level; (frying a few mushrooms in with the bacon ups the vegetable content slightly too!).
Ingredients (serves 2)
500g potatoes
6 rashers of streaky bacon
100ml milk
1 large onion
25g butter
Chopped parsley or chives to garnish
Pickled beetroot, to serve
- Chop the potatoes into small chunks and pop in a pan of water to boil. Cook for 20 minutes or so until soft.
- Meanwhile crack on with the topping. Gently fry the bacon slices in a little boil until crispy. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon.
- Add the sliced onions to the bacon fat and fry over a low heat until soft and golden.
- Once the potatoes are soft, strain them in a colander and allow to steam dry back in the pan for a couple of minutes.
- Pour the milk over the potatoes and put back over a low heat for a minute or so to gently warm the liquid. Remove from the stove, add the butter and mash until smooth and creamy. Season to taste; you won’t need much salt owing to the bacon!
- Divide the mashed potatoes between two bowls then top with the bacon and onion. Garnish with a little chopped parsley or chives and serve with pickled beetroot slices.
