Recipe: Lapskaus

Lapskaus is usually made with leftovers and can be made from most types of meat.
Below are two variations: Lys and Brun Lapskaus.
Brun Lapskaus (brown Lapskaus)
Fry inch-cubes of beef in a frying pan with butter. Drizzle on some flour.
Then add chopped Onion, Carrots and Celery in bite-sized pieces,
Tomato Puree, Salt, Pepper, dried Thyme and a stock cube.
Let this boil for 40 minutes.
Add Potatoes, peeled and cubed, and boil for a further 25 minutes.
Lys Lapskaus (light Lapskaus)
Boil a joint of pork for a few hours until the meat falls of the bone.
Cut the meat into cubes and put back in the water.
Add Potatoes, Carrots, Leek and Swede (and/or whatever vegetables you might have).
Keep boiling until all is nice and tender.
Recipe: Kransekake

500 g ground almonds
350 g icing sugar
3 tbsp (flat!) white flour
4 egg whites
Please make sure all your equipment is clean ( - including your hands)
Mix everything thoroughly
Any respectable Norwegian cake maker would be in possesion of a set of ‘ring-tins’ that would help shaping the cake - all though with a bit of extra care you can achieve perfect results without the tins. Even though the most common way to present the cake is as the picture illustrates - you can do it whichever way you desire.
Roll the dough out to a diameter of half an inch - and cut them to the required lenght. Use Icing Sugar as you roll out the dough (if you use tins DONT grease them - use only the Icing Sugar.
The next trick is to pay close attention as they are in the oven.
Every oven is different, but as a guide use 210 degrees (gasmark 7) for 10-12 minutes.
Place your tray in the middle of the oven.
If you leave them too short the cakes will be soggy - and too long leaves them dry.
Look for them to go a nice golden brown.
Most people put the cakes straight into a fridge from the oven as their trick to get soft-centered but crunchy perfect.
Take out to defrost and decorate as and when you intend to serve.
Mix Icing Sugar with Egg whites for the decoration (try adding a few drops of lemon juice)
Recipe: Pinnekjøtt

Pinnekjøtt is salted, dried and sometimes smoked lamb’s ribs which are rehydrated, usually 12-24 hours in pure water
and then steamed, usually, but not necessarily, over birch branches, and served with potato and mashed swede.
Estimate 500 grams per serving.
Cut the ribs to separate them into individual ribs.
Let lie in cold water for 24 – 30 hours.
In a big casserole leave wire rack or twigs of birch (remove bark!) at the bottom and fill water to the height of the rack (or twigs).
Let it steam for about two - three hours. You might need to keep topping up with water as you don’t want it to run dry.
Some Norwegians would now brown the meat under a grill for a few minutes whilst others (most people) will just serve it with boiled potatoes, mashed swede, juice from the cooking.
Beer and aquavit usually accompany this traditional Norwegian dish.
In Norway you just go into a shop and buy pinnekjøtt - but you can make it yourself.
Curing pinnekjøtt is fairly easy easy. Find a decent box (like a picnic box) and pour in water to fill half of it. Add about 2kg of salt.
Now lay the rack of ribs in the water. You might need to weigh it down as it will float. Leave in a cool place for 3 -5 days.
Remove it from the water and hang the rib cage somewhere cool with some air movement (like a garage, loft or even veranda).
Obviously guard it form birds, insects or other unwanted guests
Hang for about 6 – 7 weeks.
225 g Lamb, sliced
1 Cabbage, cored and sliced
475 ml Water
18 Black Peppercorns, whole
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Put a layer of sliced Lamb in the bottom of a caserole.
Add the next layer of cabbage. Repeat layering.
Add Peppercorns.
Pour the water over all, and cover with a lid.
Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
Add Salt to taste.
(serve with boiled potatos and carrots)