Hasselback is back (again)!

We wanted to share with you another one of the most engaged topics from within trendhub over the last few weeks and that’s been ‘Hasselbacking’! From social media to high end restaurants across the globe, it’s all in the slice, and has become a key food ‘upskill’ over recent months.

 To slice, or not to slice? that is the question?... 

When faced with this problem, a chef at the Hasselbacken restaurant in Stockholm decided to go half and half, and the Hasselback potato was born - for those unfamiliar with the preparation, a potato is thinly sliced, but not all the way through, leaving a small base connecting all the slices. The potato is then roasted until crisp. That was way back in the 1950s, and the dish's fortunes have ebbed and flowed in the food trend stakes ever since.

We are currently in the midst of another Hassel revival, with these crispy sliced potatoes appearing on both high-end restaurant menus, home cooking blogs, street food stalls and social media feeds.

However, this accordion-style tuber has had a bit of a social media makeover, with everything from fully loaded "Hasselsnacks" to, well, almost anything that comes to mind. This is because the "Hasselback" description has evolved to include anything that is sliced in the same manner as the original dish. They’re being stacked and loaded not only with sour cream but also things like: fried eggs, pasta sauce, pepperoni, and most importantly plenty of melted cheese!

One method of roasting lends itself perfectly to Hasselback potatoes, and that is with fire. The smoky flavour and charred highlights adding to the dish's character. High-end chefs have taken on the challenge to create the perfect Hasselback. For example, chef Ben Shewry of the celebrated Melbourne restaurant Attica has created a bit of a Hassel-storm with his fire-cooked potatoes at his Summer pop-up, Attica Summer Camp.

Hasselback potatoes don't just lend themselves perfectly to the heat of the fire, they also work brilliantly with warm spice. One of those spicy profiles that is particularly prominent in current recipes stems from Indian cuisine. Spicy chaat and Tandoori spiced Hasselbacks are being matched with yoghurts, pomegranate seeds and chutneys. So too are BBQ rubs, smoked paprika and chilli sauces. And it’s not all about the potato, we’re seeing this highly visual technique applied to: sweet potato, squash, carrots and beets. It doesn’t even stop at vegetables but also: sausages, chicken breasts, croissants, crumpets and hot cross buns! 

Photos by Emily Scott - Instagram: whatiateforbreakfast/

It’s clearly not brand new but it’s an elevated and 'gourmetised' sense of comfort that touches on the TFP mega trends of Elevated, The New Cocoon and Optimise Yourself.

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