Meatballs in brown sauce.

This is probably on of the all time favourites in Norway, and as far as tradition goes, it is as traditional as the Bunad,  The recipe is easy, the result is a good filling meal for all the family and a little more for Dad.

Meatballs in brown sauce

Ingredients

1kg                  minced beef
2                      teaspoons of salt
1                      teaspoon of white pepper
1/2                   teaspoon of ginger (fresh or dried)
2                      tablespoons of potato flour
1/2                   liter of milk or water

Put the mince meat in a food mixer, pour in the salt and let it mix for about 1 min. Then put in the pepper, ginger and potato flour and let it mix again, keep it mixing and gradually pour in the milk or water a little at a time.
When you have done mixing, take a little of the mix and fry it for a taste. To ensure you have the salt and pepper to your taste. Then using a large wet tablespoon  and  your wet hands, form the meatballs. The round-ish meatballs should be approx 60grams each.
Heat a saucepan, add some butter for frying and gradually fry the meatballs on both sides to seal them and brown them a little, add them one by one keeps them good.

For the brown sauce you can use a ready mix or home made. For home made sauce :
2&1/2           tablespoons of butter
2&1/2           tablespoons of wheatflour
1/2 liter         water
1                   oxo cube (beef stock cube)
pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

 Heat a saucepan, add the butter and the flour and stir together when it starts to turn a little brown add the water and the stock cube and the salt and pepper. Keep stirring and bring to the boil, simmer for at least 5 mins to cook the flour taste out of it.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and heat again, simmer for 15 mins.

meatballs in brown sauce

                                                       (   kjottkaker e brun saus    )

We serve it with mushy peas, boiled or mashed potatoes and carrots. and, this is where the Norwegian tradition makes a big difference, it is always served with cranberries.

Cranberries gives it all that Norwegian flavour.

Something local, of interest to all you Viking fans.

An old Viking church circa 1150

Hoyjord Stavkirke     I photographed this church 13th Jan 2011, an amazingly well kept building and a relic of the Viking past.