The über Finnish delicacy, potato flatbread is extremely versatile. It’s particularly tasty with a celeriac purée and wild mushrooms.
The common polypody is a type of fern which takes the flavour of the common trumpet chanterelle on another level. I created this dish for the 40th artist anniversary of DJ Bunuel at the Helsinki Hall of Culture in 2017.
CELERIAC PURÉE
1 small celeriac, peeled
400 ml coconut cream
a couple of thyme sprigs
1 garlic clove, peeled
a small piece of bay leaf
a pinch of ground vanilla
freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
Chop the celeriac into small pieces, place in a pan with coconut cream and spices. Bring to the boil and simmer until the celeriac softens. Purée with an immersion blender until you have a velvety purée.
POTATO FLATBREAD
500 g boiled floury potatoes, warm and peeled
200 ml milk
500 g plain flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp butter for brushing
70 g extra plain flour for the pan and for sprinkling on the flatbread
Place a wrought iron pan in the oven and heat to 250 degrees. Mix all flatbread ingredients in a bowl. Flour your hands and press the dough on a heated, floured wrought iron pan. Prick the dough with a fork and sprinkle with the rest of the flour. Bake in 250 degrees for five minutes. Lower the temperature to 200 degrees and bake for another five minutes.
BROWNED BUTTER
6 tbsp organic butter
1 garlic clove, halved
1 tbs white wine vinegar
small piece of bay leaf
1 tsp thyme OR pine, spruce or juniper needles
freshly ground sea salt or black pepper
Brown the butter with garlic, bay leaf and thyme in a small pan for approximately 5 minutes, until the garlic softens and browns beautifully. As the milk solids in the butter turn into nutty brown specks, add the vinegar. Let boil and then remove from the cooker and set aside for a few minutes to cool down a little and infuse. Remove the bay leaf and needles (if using).
MUSHROOMS + COMMON POLYPODY
2 handfuls of trumpet chanterelles
10 cm stalk of common polypody root, well washed and finely chopped (using a knife)
Cook the mushrooms, common polypody and spices with the browned butter either using a wide frying pan or in the oven in 225 degrees for five minutes.
TARRAGON + ALMONDS
½ bunch of tarragon, leaves picked
60 g almonds
Roast the almond in 180 degrees, set aside to cool. Chop roughly with a knife. Mix with the tarragon.
Spread the celeriac purée on crispy, toasted potato flatbread. Spoon the mushrooms, tarragon and chopped almonds on top.