Swedish Seat Game

Name: Swedish Seat Game
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 2 large red bell peppers; 2 medium red onions; 2 jars pickles (medium, about 30 per jar); 1 lemon; 2 tbsp capers; 4 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; 1 tsp wholegrain mustard; 1 tsp honey; salt and black pepper

Based on:

TypeStarter

Serves4 people

DateSeptember 16, 2026

A tense parliament on your plate, where a single pickle slice tips the balance.

A sharp-tangy salad of grilled pepper and pickle, with 349 pickle and red onion slices arranged as parliament seats in a semicircle, one extra on the left. The difference between left and right is visible on the plate, a nod to the neck-and-neck race.

Ingredients

2 large red bell peppers
2 medium red onions
2 jars pickles (medium, about 30 per jar)
1 lemon
2 tbsp capers
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp honey
salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C. Cut peppers into wide strips, place on baking paper, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes until lightly charred.
Slice red onions into thin rings. Drain pickles and cut into thick slices.
Make a dressing with lemon juice, white wine vinegar, mustard, honey and 3 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix roasted pepper, red onion and capers with half the dressing.
On each plate, arrange a semicircle of 174 pickle slices (right) and a semicircle of 175 pickle slices (left), separated by a thin strip of pepper. Fill in with red onion rings as 'seat distribution'.
Divide the salad in the center and drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Serving notes

Place one extra pickle slice clearly as the 'winning' seat on the left.
Serve on a large white plate for a parliamentary look.
Garnish with extra capers as 'election board'.