Radicchio and Green Citrus Salad with Alexandra Bækgaard Carstensen

Freelance TV chef and cookbook author Alexandra Bækgaard Carstensen grew up here in Copenhagen, a city where exceptional food is never far away. Her career has taken her through some of the capital’s most notable kitchens – from the Michelin-starred Kong Hans Kælder to the plant-based bistro Baka D’Busk – and most recently Easy Peacy, where she served as head chef.

On a crisp November afternoon, we cycled over to Alexandra’s with a box of beautiful winter produce. In her kitchen, she began segmenting the citrus and whisking together a zingy vinaigrette made with Honest Toil Extra Virgin Olive Oil and San Giacomo Red Wine Lambrusco Vinegar. From there, we headed to the banks of the Christianshavn Canal, where sailing boats, rowboats and houseboats drifted through the glittering water. Alexandra set up a small workstation on a bench by the canal, sharing her love of citrus, and her favourite local cafe spots, as she plated.

The dish makes the most of the first Radicchio of the season and the short window for Green Citrus that opens just before the cold sets in. Under blue skies, she layered roasted Hazelnuts with Castelfranco, Treviso, and Green Cara Caras and Bergamot to create a light and fragrant salad.

“Citrus and bitter leaves are a match made in heaven,” Alexandra tells us. “With a zingy and sweet vinaigrette and some roasted hazelnuts, she’s leaving zero crumbs!”

RADICCHIO & GREEN CITRUS SALAD

INGREDIENTS

For the salad

2 Green Cara Cara Oranges
1/2 Radicchio Castelfranco
1/2 Radicchio Treviso
2 tablespoons of black olives
Small handful of Hazelnuts, roasted

For the vinaigrette

1 dl extra virgin olive oil
0,5 dl red wine vinegar
1 Bergamot, zest and juice (optional)
2 tablespoons of honey
Pinch of salt
Black pepper

METHOD

1. Break up the Radicchio leaves and let them soak in cold water for 10 minutes. Then drain, dry, and put them into a big bowl.
2. To make the vinaigrette, simply mix the above ingredients together with a whisk.
3. Next, slice the oranges into segments and add them to the salad bowl. Toss with roasted hazelnuts, olives and the vinaigrette. Add some fresh Bergamot zest for extra fragrance.
4. Finally, add a pinch of salt and it’s ready to serve.

Is working with food something you always wanted to do?

Oh no! Not at all. My parents did everything they could to prevent me from cooking as a profession. Wanted me to go the academic way. They failed miserably. I always wanted to work creatively…movies, photography, music, graphics. In a way, it all ended up as I dreamt of.

How would you describe your cooking style?

Simple, tasty and charming! My goal is having more people eat better and healthier – for mind, body and soul.

You were previously head chef at Easy Peacy – what was this experience like?

It was an amazing experience. I learned how to regain my childish creative mindset from the amazing team I got to be a part of, which today is my most important asset. It was also a stressful experience at times, but I grew a lot and I learned a lot. I don’t think you get to experience that sort of work chemistry as I did with the team there, many times in your life. It really was a creative redemption for me.

What does a ‘day in the life’ of Alexandra look like right now?

My days are very different. Either it’s a slow morning, drop off my son in kindergarten, go boxing and then return home to write and shoot recipes for my two upcoming cookbooks, or I wake up super early to do the morning tv-show ‘Good Morning Denmark’ maybe followed by a podcast or a pop up in the evening. And then some days I do nothing at all, feeling the most absent feelings in the world.

What do you love about what you do?

I love that most days don't feel like work, though I work almost all the time. Having a passion, living off it, and often accompanied by really good friends. I love that I get an opportunity to showcase how I see the world through cooking, especially cooking with vegetables. It’s a dream, really.

Where do you start when developing a new recipe?

It’s always a striking feeling, like: yes, definitely go down this road! It can be a photograph in a cookbook where I can taste the dish while changing and adding more elements, or weaving thoughts in the night before falling asleep. Going through the supermarket picking up different stuff often makes a recipe too.

What’s your favourite restaurant in the world and why?

This changes all the time, but the best meal I had this year was at Tuba Club, just outside Marseille in the South of France. The menu was so tasty, well produced, well crafted, seasoned to perfection. Sexy as hell drinks, nice wines. It was a beautiful day in very good company.

Do you have any favourite winter ingredients?

Bitter salads and citrus fruit for sure!