The Danes eat really well and sensibly - fruit and vegetables are at the forefront, treated with respect and their flavour kept fresh. Photo / Getty Images
The Danes eat really well and sensibly - fruit and vegetables are at the forefront, treated with respect and their flavour kept fresh. Photo / Getty Images
Denmark has always been the place for Vikings, Lego and good pork, but in the last decade its capital has also become well-regarded as a hub of some of the best restaurants in the world. Not so long ago I was able to spend six months there, working in afew of the restaurants and absorbing the food culture.
The first thing that strikes you is the abundance of good produce, especially in summer. The Danes eat really well and sensibly - fruit and vegetables are at the forefront, treated with respect and their flavour kept fresh. It always amazed me how much grows wild; taking a walk in the countryside we would uncover wild strawberries and blueberries, aromatic herbs and roses. Towards the end of summer, mushrooms seem to grow everywhere from the dewy carpets of bright green moss which cover every forest floor.
Ed Verner describes Danish tartar as "a revelation". Photo / Supplied
In the central city the only way to get around has to be by bicycle. There's something special about seeing the city by joining the cycleways which wind through green belts and across the waterways.
Aside from the world-class, locally focused restaurants, I was drawn to the casual eating at the bistros and bakeries. Amazing bread and pastries are readily available along with my personal favourite, Danish rye bread or "rugbrod". Slice it chunky and pile on the butter and jam.
Another mainstay on the menu was beef tartare, something I feel is under-appreciated elsewhere. It's perhaps ruined worldwide by the over-seasoning of sugary ketchup and bad beef. The Danish way was a revelation to me and back then I couldn't get enough of it.
• Ed Verner is the award-winning chef at Pasture restaurant in Auckland's Parnell.
Tartare the Danish way
Dress the beef with olive oil, salt and and a small amount of lemon juice. Photo / Getty Images
Buy the best beef you can get your hands on and use a cut that has texture and some chew. Fillet, for example, can just end up being beef puree. Chop or mince and keep it as cold as possible.
Make an emulsion by making a standard mayonnaise and blend into it any herb or flavour of your choice. My favourites would be tarragon or anchovy. Put enough in to give it a punchy flavour. Season and add vinegar.
