Rotmos med Fläsk

Rotmos med Fläsk is the Swedish farmhouse classic of golden root vegetable mash served alongside thick slices of slow-simmered smoked pork belly. The mash — a blend of turnip, carrot, and potato — is given a nutty warmth by white pepper and butter, while the smoky pork provides deep savoury contrast. It is a cornerstone of the Swedish autumn and winter table.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 600g (1.3 lb) smoked pork belly, in one piece
• 1 litre (4 cups) water
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 black peppercorns

Rotmos (root mash)

• 400g (14 oz) yellow turnip (swede/rutabaga), peeled and diced
• 300g (10 oz) floury potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 50g (3.5 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 100 ml (6 tbsp) of the pork cooking liquid
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• Salt to taste
• Fresh chives or parsley to garnish

Instructions

1. Place pork belly in a slow-cooker with water, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Cook on LOW for 6–7 hours until the pork is completely tender and pulls apart easily.
2. About 40 minutes before serving, place swede, potatoes, and carrots in a large saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook 25–30 minutes until completely soft.
3. Drain the vegetables. Reserve 100 ml of the pork cooking liquid from the slow-cooker.
4. Mash the vegetables thoroughly with butter, the reserved pork liquid, and white pepper. The mash should be slightly rough in texture — not completely smooth. Taste and adjust salt.
5. Slice the pork thickly. Serve generous mounds of rotmos topped with pork slices. Spoon a little of the cooking broth over the pork.
6. Garnish with fresh chives or parsley.

Cook's Notes: The cooking liquid from the smoked pork is pure gold — rich, smoky, and slightly salty. Use it to season the mash instead of plain water. Swede (rutabaga) can be hard to cut — use a heavy chef's knife and a steady board. Leftovers reheat beautifully in a covered pan with a splash of the pork broth.