Swedish Delicacies Courtesy Chef Vollmer...

What?
Master Class with Chef Ebbe Vollmer of Sweden

When?
Wednesday, June 7

Where?
The Lodhi

Food is a thread that binds us on a global scale, exposing us to various cultures and cuisines. And, Masterclasses are an effective means to witness first-hand, gastronomic delights from the best-in-industry chefs.

India has also made its mark on the culinary map with many homegrown chefs having conducted Masterclasses in the past, but this time was bound to be different as The Lodhi hosted Chef Ebbe Vollmer who spearheads Vollmers, a two Michelin starred restaurant in Malmo, Sweden.

Sweden, being a Scandinavian nation in Europe, their cuisine is centered mostly around cultured dairy products, crisp yet soft bread, berries and stone fruits, beef, chicken, lamb, pork, and seafood. Potatoes often figure as a side dish and are often served boiled, while meatballs are often paired with Lingonberry Jam.

Hosting an interactive session with Chef Vollmer that consisted of three signature delicacies prepared by him, Chef Vijay Thapliyal on behalf of The Lodhi felt elated on this association and expressed his gratitude to Chef Ebbe on coming over to India to provide us a glimpse into Swedish culture through its cuisine,

Here is a peek into the dishes prepared by Chef Ebbe Vollmer in a session that drew to a close with hi-tea.

Crispy Potato Cake with Smoke Sour Cream & Salted Fishes

Method: 

• Get four big potatoes, peel them, slice them very thin. 
• Julienne those slices and put them in water to get rid of the starch.
• Heat oil to 130-140 degrees and put some kind of mold inside the oil till the cakes turn brown and keep them together.  

• Roll the potato in hand like yarn put it in the mold. Wait for five seconds and slowly push all the edges with a tweezers or fork. 
• Let it slowly cook on one side as it takes time and then carefully flip it to the other side. Cook it till it stops bubbling and turns light golden. 
• Serve with choice of garnish like spring onion, cheese, or caviar. 

Pan Fried Loin of Lamb with Charred Leeks & Pickled Green Tomatoes 

Method: 

• Fry the lamb in the pan fatty side down. 
• When the lamb is cooked nicely, cover it with rum and leave it for some time with extra butter and base it with a spoon. It will become golden brown all over. 
• Put it in the oven at 150 degrees and then rest it for ten minutes. Garnish it with pickled green tomatoes. 
• Slice completely hard green tomatoes. 

• Luke warm pickling liquid is prepared using mustard seeds and blanched first to remove the spiciness from it. The liquid consists of one part white vinegar, two parts sugar, and three parts water plus spring onion. 
• For sauce, a red wine reduction is performed. 
• Roast it for some time and split it with a bit of oil. 

Lingonberry Apple with Light Cream Cheese Mousse 

Method:

• Take four Granny Smith Apples / Green Apples and slice it thin and long. 
• Make a brine solution from Lingonberry. For four apples, 300 grams of Lingonberry is needed. Add 150 grams of sugar and 250 ML of water to it. 
• After boiling it, soak sliced apple into it and keep it for six hours. 

• For the mousse, take 225 grams of cream cheese and then add some sugar. A nice and light cream cheese mousse is obtained on whipping the mix. 
• For plating, take a spoon full of the mousse and decorate the apple slice. Dry some lingonberries to obtain a powder and sprinkle it over the mousse. 

All in all, it was an insightful as well as indulgent Masterclass courtesy Chef Vollmer and The Lodhi. :)