TV chef wants to spotlight wild Västerbotten

Susanne Jonsson is the author of three cookbooks and has also made regular appearances on TV and radio. She is also managing director of her own food company, Foodie. She began her career in food and catering while she was still in her teens, beginning in a staff canteen in her home town of Gällivare. Her interest in food from Västerbotten was also aroused early through cooking programmes on TV with Ella Nilsson - one of the people behind the county's annual Västerbotten at Grand Hotel PR event - and forest consultant and restaurateur Hubert Forster. It also led to her applying for a job in the early 1990s at Hotell Dorotea, that at the time was run by Hubert Forster.

- I couldn't have had a better education. I worked alongside highly skilled chefs, was given a lot of responsibility in the kitchen and learned an enormous amount about game, home cooking, and raw produce from Västerbotten. We bought a lot of grouse and capercailzie so I got to be quite fast at skinning fowl.

The art of preparing capercailzie

Susanne came into contact with capercailzie as a young child in her grandmother's kitchen, as her grandfather was an enthusiastic bird hunter. At Hotell Dorotea she was able to further hone her skill in preparing capercailzie - which has the gamiest taste imaginable.

- If we just made one dish from each capercailzie, it would be incredibly expensive. We therefore have to get the most possible out of every bird and that is a real art. In addition to capercailzie breast, I also usually make capercailzie sausage and soup from the carcase and thighs.

Capercailzie is considered to be one of the real delicacies from Västerbotten, but it is not that easy to prepare.

- Capercailzie has a gamy taste that may be too strong for some people unless it is prepared in the right way. And you also have to have the right accompaniments and a full-bodied red wine that matches the taste. I usually recommend a Pinot Noir.

Susanne also likes to pick berries and go hunting herself if she has time. She has her own bird-dog and normally hunts in Tavelsjö and Kroksjö close to Umeå.

- Forest fowl taste best in the autumn after they've been eating berries all summer. In the winter the meat tastes more of lemon and juniper, which is not the same taste at all.

Putting the spotlight on game

Pursuing her interest in food has meant that Susanne has travelled, worked and studied extensively in other countries, among them France, New Zealand and Australia. She has also served many foreign guests and emphasises that food from Västerbotten is very competitive internationally.

- Our raw produce is unique. Meat from animals that have been living in a clean natural environment and berries that have been allowed to mature slowly to develop their taste. We should definitely put the linkages to nature and the wilds n the spotlight more. Foreign visitors think this is exciting.

She would also like to see a closer connection between trips and food in Västerbotten.

- In New Zealand it's easy to travel to different interesting wine districts without a car. It would be great if Västerbotten could offer the same excellent logistics for people interested in food.

Dare to focus on Västerbotten food

Susanne considers that the chefs in Västerbotten generally speaking do a good job and many of them are very skilled. She would like to see more locally produced food being used and menus being changed to suit the season to do greater justice to the unique raw produce.

When I think of food from Västerbotten the first thing that comes to mind is the unique raw produce. Meat from animals that have been living in a clean natural environment and berries, fruit and vegetables that have been allowed to mature slowly to develop their taste. And naturally Västerbotten cheese, says Susanne Jonsson, TV chef, cookbook author and managing director of food company Foodie.
Photo by Andreas Nilsson

Photo by Björn Lindberg

Recipe for Västerbotten cheeseburgers, serves 4 (from Susanne's latest cookbook)

Give your burgers a golden touch with Västerbotten cheese. Both beef and elk mince can be used.

600 g   minced meat
1 yellow onion, grated
1 egg
1-2 tsp salt
1 tsp sambal oelek
½ tsp Dijon mustard
4 thick slices of Västerbotten cheese
8 slices of toast
4 thin slices of smoky bacon, fried until crisp
2 saltgurkor, in wedges
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 red onion, sliced

Mix mince, onion, egg and spices and shape into 4 burgers. Grill or fry. Place a slice of cheese on each burger. Serve between slices of toast with the bacon, gherkins, tomato slices, red onion and Dijon mustard.

Coleslaw and baked potato are great on the side.

Quick coleslaw
1 wedge of white cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, grated
1 dl mayonnaise
2 dl soured cream
1 tbsp apple juice concentrate
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt, white pepper

Mix all the ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste.