Danish Cooking Without Vegetable Oil

Ingredients

• 2 kg pork loin with the rind on
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tbsp coarse sea salt
• 6 whole bay leaves
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 2 onions, quartered
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 500 ml water for the pan
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp butter, cold, for the sauce

Method

1. Score the rind in narrow parallel lines down to the fat, taking care not to cut the meat.
2. Rub the softened butter over the meat, then work the salt deep into every cut. Tuck bay leaves and cloves into the scores.
3. Set the pork on the onions and carrots in a roasting pan, pour in the water and roast at 200°C for 1 hour.
4. Lower the oven to 180°C and roast about 1 hour more, until the juices run clear.
5. Turn the heat to 250°C for the last 10 to 15 minutes and watch the rind blister into crackling.
6. Rest the roast 20 minutes. Strain the pan juices and whisk in the cold butter for a simple sauce.
7. Carve between the crackling lines and serve with the braised red cabbage below.

Ingredients

• 2 whole plaice, cleaned and trimmed
• 100 g rye flour (or plain flour)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 100 g butter
• 1 lemon, half juiced and half in wedges
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp capers (optional)
• Boiled new potatoes, to serve
• Extra cold butter for the potatoes

Method

1. Pat the fish very dry. Mix the flour with salt and white pepper on a wide plate.
2. Turn each plaice in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess.
3. Melt the butter in a large heavy pan over medium high heat and let it foam and just begin to turn golden.
4. Lay the fish in, dark side down, and fry 4 to 5 minutes without moving it.
5. Flip carefully and fry 3 to 4 minutes more, spooning the golden butter over the top.
6. Finish with lemon juice, parsley and capers in the pan, then serve at once with buttered potatoes and lemon wedges.

Ingredients

• 1 medium red cabbage, about 1.2 kg
• 60 g butter
• 2 tart apples, grated
• 150 ml apple cider vinegar
• 100 ml blackcurrant juice (or water)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 small cinnamon stick

Method

1. Quarter the cabbage, cut out the core and slice the leaves into fine ribbons.
2. Melt the butter in a wide heavy pot until it smells nutty and turns light gold.
3. Add the cabbage and turn it in the butter for 5 minutes until glossy.
4. Stir in apples, vinegar, juice, sugar, salt and the spices.
5. Cover and braise on the lowest heat for about 1 hour, stirring now and then.
6. Uncover for the last 10 minutes so the liquid reduces to a shine. Remove bay, cloves and cinnamon before serving.

Ingredients

• 400 g yellow split peas, rinsed
• 50 g butter, plus more to finish
• 2 leeks, white parts sliced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 celery root quarter, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1.5 litres light pork or vegetable stock
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Good mustard, to pass at the table

Method

1. Melt the butter in a soup pot and let it color to a light gold.
2. Sweat the leeks, carrots, celery root and onion in the butter for 8 minutes without browning.
3. Add the split peas, stock and thyme and bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Cook uncovered about 1 hour 15 minutes, skimming once or twice, until the peas collapse.
5. Stir well so the soup turns thick and almost creamy, then season with salt and pepper.
6. Ladle into deep bowls and crown each with a small piece of cold butter and a little mustard on the side.

Ingredients

• 350 g cracked rye kernels
• 300 g dark rye flour
• 100 g plain flour
• 150 g sunflower seeds
• 50 g flax seeds
• 500 ml buttermilk
• 300 ml lukewarm water
• 15 g fresh yeast (or 5 g dry)
• 2 tsp fine salt
• Butter for the tin and for serving

Method

1. The night before, soak the cracked rye and seeds in the buttermilk and water in a covered bowl.
2. Next day, dissolve the yeast into the soaked mixture, then work in both flours and the salt to a heavy, sticky dough.
3. Butter a large loaf tin generously and press the dough in, smoothing the top with a wet hand.
4. Cover and let it rise in a warm spot 4 to 6 hours, until small cracks open on the surface.
5. Bake at 180°C for about 1 hour 30 minutes, until the loaf sounds hollow underneath.
6. Cool completely, wrap, and wait a day before slicing thin. Serve with cold butter, always.

Ingredients

• 250 g cold butter, cubed
• 250 g plain flour
• 125 g sugar
• 100 g finely ground almonds
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
• A piping bag with a star tip
• Parchment for the trays

Method

1. Rub the cold butter into the flour until the mixture looks like damp sand.
2. Add sugar, almonds, vanilla seeds, salt and zest, then bring the dough together with the egg.
3. Rest the dough 15 minutes at cool room temperature so it pipes cleanly.
4. Pipe small rings onto lined trays through the star tip.
5. Bake at 190°C for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges turn pale gold.
6. Cool on the tray 5 minutes before lifting. Store in a tin, if they last that long.