Scandinavian

Social media sensation Poppy O’Toole, A.K.A ‘The Potato Queen’ is back with her fourth cookbook. Having previously published best-selling books focusing on simplified cookery and air fryers, O’Toole has returned to the ingredient that made her famous: the humble spud.

What is the USP?
Your ultimate guide to potatoes with a 21st-century twist. Among the book’s 101 recipes, you will find all the classics, plus options to add an extra ‘something’ (like the ultra-indulgent ‘Three Cheese Mash’ loaded with a glorious combination of gooey mozzarella, Cheddar and Red Leicester, or umami-rich ‘Marmite Roast Potatoes’). There are also plenty of potato ideas from around the world, like ‘Latkes’ and ‘Batata Harra’ (a spicy Lebanese cubed potato dish), as well as more modern options like ‘French Onion Fondants’ and ‘Smashed Potato Nachos’. O’Toole’s relaxed, approachable manner make this a fun and celebratory book. Think of it as the potato bible for those who enjoy cooking, but don’t take themselves too seriously.

What will I love?
The photography is modern, eye-catching and enticing. You can almost taste the crispiness of the latkes just by looking at the photo, while the shot of the aligot will send you hurrying to your fridge to see if you have the ingredients.

The variety of O’Toole’s ideas is impressive. Not only does she cover all the classics, she also branches out with creative twists to bring something different. Think ‘Christmas Mash with Crispy Sprouts and Bacon’, ‘Hash Brown Bhajis’ and ‘Caramelised Onion and Cream Cheese Hasselbacks’.

Is it good bedtime reading?
From a literary perspective, no. Each recipe has a very readable and relatable introduction, brimming with O’Toole’s chatty warmth and enthusiasm. However, this isn’t one of those books filled with lengthy essays or musings on potatoes.

Will I have trouble finding the ingredients?
No. Obviously, potatoes are the main ingredient, but the recipes are refreshingly free from expensive or difficult-to-source ingredients. You should be able to find everything you need in your local supermarket.

How easy are the recipes to follow?
There is a range of recipes from incredibly fuss-free and straightforward (‘Classic Skin-on Wedges’) to the more time-consuming (‘Pommes Dauphine’). Not forgetting O’Toole’s infamous ‘15-hour Potatoes’ (of which you will find several versions in this book). However, due to O’Toole’s approachable, accessible writing style, even the notionally more complex dishes are achievable for less confident cooks.

Stand-out recipes?
The ‘Masala Chips’ are dangerously addictive, while the ‘Cheesy Leeky Mashed Potato’ is simply delicious (do try it next time you are making regular mash). The ‘Croquettes’ are another winner; packed full of flavour thanks to the combination of smoky chorizo and salty, tangy goats cheese. Do heed O’Toole’s advice and let them cool slightly before digging in though. Don’t miss the ‘Chimichurri Smashed Potatoes’ which, as O’Toole recommends, make an excellent side for steak.

How often will I cook from this book?
That depends on how often you want to eat potatoes. Given that they are an affordable, popular ingredient and O’Toole has included a wide variety of ideas for every palate and occasion, the answer is ‘regularly’. Whether you want a show-stopping potato side for a special occasion (like the ‘Ultimate Chicken and Truffle Pomme Purée’), crunchy snack (the spiced ‘Extra Crispy Smashed Spuds’ are a must-try) or soul-soothing comforting spud (the rich and indulgent ‘Tartiflette’ ticks every box), the chances are, The Potato Book will have what you need.

Any negatives?
It would be helpful to outline the prep time and cook time for each recipe at the top. It also would be beneficial to specify if dishes are vegetarian and/or vegan or highlight when ingredients need to be adjusted (for example, certain cheeses like Taleggio and, sometimes, Comté, which contain animal rennet).

Should I buy the book?
Yes. The Potato Book is a must-have for anyone who enjoys potatoes and, dare I say it, even those who are yet to understand their versatility. It’s a fun, modern and exciting book that will change how you perceive the humble spud.

Cuisine: International
Suitable for: Cooks of all abilities. Especially anyone who is remotely interested in potatoes and wants to learn new ways to enjoy them.
Great for fans of: MOB
Cookbook review rating: Four stars

Buy this book: Poppy Cooks: The Potato Book: 101 recipes from the Potato Queen
£22.00, Bloomsbury

This review was written by Freelance Food Writer and Recipe Developer Sophie Knox Richmond. Follow her on Instagram on @sophie_kr_food.

In 2004, chefs from the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden and Denmark assembled alongside other Nordic chefs from Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. After days gathered around what surely must have been an immaculately crafted solid oak table, bathed in natural light pouring in from floor to ceiling windows and set in the middle of a minimalist, yet tasteful, room of bare concrete walls, they emerged with The New Nordic Food Manifesto. The manifesto outlines ten aims of what food from the Nordic regions should be. One states that food should be reflective of the seasons, made with ingredients that are able to be sourced locally while another seeks to provide basic standards for animal welfare and responsible fishing. Noma’s live prawns topped with black ants, could be seen as an extreme example of an aim for purity, freshness and simplicity.

Gravlax, smørrebrød and IKEA meatballs aside, it’s likely that when we think of Scandinavian food, it looks something like the manifesto envisioned: conscious and graceful food, using few ingredients and cooked well. As a young budget traveller many moons ago, my idea of Scandinavian dishes used to be cheap newsagents hotdogs, the ones that pirouette in their own swill for hours before being decanted into a sweet, bleached bun and lathered with sauce from a hand pump.

Simply Scandinavian is thankfully lacking in hotdog recipes and instead, presents the fresh, seasonal and straightforward food Scandinavian cookery is synonymous with. It’s the latest in a line of Scandinavian cookbooks from chef and food writer Trine Hahnemann, with others focusing on comfort food, baking and entirely vegetable-based recipes.

It’s an easy book to drop into, not requiring any special ingredients than what you might already have lurking in the fridge. They’re predominantly vegetable-based and with chapters arranged by a “what do you fancy?” approach like Daily Comfort Food, Feeling Green or Light Dinners it makes selecting what to cook even more accessible.

Most recipes require little investment of time or energy. A meal of Chilled Pea Soup, a creamy Curry with Grapes accompanied by a Black and White Salad of lentils and rice came together within the hour. Most take less than thirty minutes, like a Roast Tomato Soup, featuring a tickle of coriander seeds or the Hot Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Fennel Salad.

There are some that require more involvement, the Roast Pork Loin or most dishes in the slightly misleading ‘Baking on a Whim’ chapter which to me suggests cinnamon rolls in a jiffy but tends to entail a fair amount of effort. Some are definitely whimmy, a Creamy Filo Vegetable Pie can be made in under an hour as can the Beautiful Cauliflower Trees on Filo, whereas the Buttery Leek Tart takes a little over. Rhubarb Sticky Buns are a morning’s work though happen to be entirely worth the effort and everything you’d want from a title like that.

Simple food is hard to get right both for cooks and, I imagine, cookbook authors. In a dish with few parts, so much will rely on the quality of those ingredients and the skill to prepare them well, especially with a cuisine like this, which doesn’t rely heavily on strong flavoured ingredients or spices. And while I don’t judge a book by its cover, I do judge it on how straightforward it claims to be on that cover. Can I make multiple dishes from it simultaneously? Does it inspire me to cook well when time is short? Is it easy to adapt to ingredients I have available?

Resoundingly, yes. The writing is clear, concise and easy to follow and dietary adaptations are made with simple instructions though for my tastes, some dishes would be better with a little more complication. I’d sacrifice the ease of some recipes if it meant not having to eat raw asparagus or cauliflower again.

Simply Scandinavian is ultimately a collection of intentionally unshowy recipes featuring fresh food that’s occasionally hearty, often delicate and almost always as easy as a cycle around Copenhagen.

Cuisine: Scandinavian
Suitable For: Beginners/Confident home cooks
Cookbook Review Rating: four stars
Buy this book: Simply Scandinavian
£27, Quadrille Publishing Ltd

Review written by Nick Dodd a Leeds-based pianist, teacher and writer. Contact him at www.yorkshirepiano.co.uk

Category: Scandinavian

Simply Scandinavian by Trine Hahnemann