3 Hygge Recipes

The Danish concept hygge can be roughly translated as 'cosiness' or 'the art of creating intimacy'. We've already covered how to create hygge in your home, but - as Norwegian chef and author of How to Hygge: The Secrets of Nordic Living Signe Johansen declares - 'food and drink are at the heart of hygge'. This means preparing simple, delicious food and breaking bread with friends (as Signe says, 'hygge can also mean kinship and conviviality'). 

SIGNE'S TOP TIPS FOR KITCHEN HYGGE INCLUDE...

• Taste and season as you go. Repeat.
• Make a monthly batch of chicken stock.  
• Get to know your local fishmonger and butcher if you have one. Ask lots of questions. 
• Practise making one favourite dessert at least three times.
• Everything tastes better with butter.

As the Nordic region is famous for salmon, these easy healthy burgers are perfect for a hygge meal, while rack of lamb is a wonderfully quick way of having roast lamb. To round off the menu, Signe's sticky ginger cake makes for a brilliant Nordic alternative to the traditional British Christmas cake.

Learn about hygge __design and food and find more of Signe's recipes in her book 'How to Hygge: The Secrets of Nordic Living' (Bluebird, £14.99). Photographs: Keiko Oikawa.