This is one of my favourite supper club mains so far; I love that combination of something rich and creamy with sours, and also a little sweetness. Here, the Nordic stew has either haddock and brown shrimp or courgette and aubergine as the star in a creamy sauce with a touch of sourness, alongside fresh herbs and quick pickled vegetables to serve and a punchy, honeyed wild garlic oil. This dish was served as the main course within the Scandinavian menu for the March 2025 six-course supper club.
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Serves 6
1/2 small carrots, peeled and cut into ribbons with a peeler, plus 2 chopped
1 watermelon radish, very finely sliced
1 onion, finely sliced, plus 2 chopped
60g white wine vinegar, plus 3 tbsp
75g wild garlic
170ml olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
juice of 1/4 lemon
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp butter
1 fennel, trimmed and sliced
1 tsp caraway seeds
180ml double cream
180ml sour cream
3 (700g) potato, peeled and finely cubed
540g haddock/courgette sticks
100g brown shrimp/small aubergine chunks
8 sprigs of flat leaf parsley
8 sprigs of fresh dill
1 red chicory head, trimmed and leaves separated
sea salt and black pepper
Place the carrot ribbons in one bowl, the watermelon radish in another bowl and the sliced onion in a separate bowl. In a jug, combine the white wine vinegar, 60ml of cold water and a pinch of sea salt. Pour the mixture over the vegetables in the bowls, making sure they are covered. Chill for at least 4hrs.
In a food processor, place the wild garlic, 170ml of oil, lemon juice and honey. Blend until fine, then transfer to a clean jar, secure with a lid and chill until needed.
In a large saucepan, heat the 1 tbsp of olive oil and the butter, then add the 2 chopped onions, fennel, chopped carrots and caraway seeds. Season with salt and pepper, then sauté for 10 mins. Stir in the sour cream, cream and 900ml of cold water, then bring to the boil. Add the potatoes and 3 tbsp white wine vinegar, and simmer, with a lid on, for 15 mins. Add haddock or courgette sticks and brown shrimp, or aubergine chunks and replace the lid, and simmer for 10-12 mins, until the haddock is cooked through.
In the meantime, arrange the pickled carrots, onion and watermelon radish on sharing plates, along with the parsley, dill and chicory leaves. Divide the stew between six bowls and serve with the wild garlic pesto and the pickle and herb plates.
