Meatballs in Gravy à la Schønberg Erken

Henriette Schønberg Erken was a celebrated Norwegian chef for over fifty years. She was strict, but generous. Some of her recipes were a bit corny and rather demanding, for example, when she explained how to kill a turtle in order to make turtle soup. But her meatballs – which I made when I visited her home outside Hamar – are generous and simply delicious. Serve with potatoes and boiled green beans or other vegetables.

INGREDIENTS:

Number of servings

Servings: 6

List of ingredients

2.2 lbs. freshly minced beef

3 ½ oz. freshly ground pork

0.7 oz. (approx. 2½ tsp.) salt

2 tbs. potato flour

1.3 gal milk

½ tsp. dried ginger

1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

½ tsp. ground mace

Coarsely ground pepper

1 tbs. plain flour for thickening the sauce

1.3 cups meat stock

1 tbs. port

PREPARATION:

• Mix the beef, port, salt and potato flour together in a large mixing bowl. Add milk until you obtain an elastic dough which is not too loose. Stir in the remaining spices.

• Shape into 1 - 1.5 inch thick rissoles and fry in good quality butter. When they are almost ready, sprinkle the flour in the frying pan without removing the meatballs. Brown the flour while stirring and add the meat stock. Adjust the quantity with a bit of water if you think that the sauce is too thick. Add a bit of port, salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve with boiled potatoes and cranberry relish.