Kjøttkaker (Norwegian Meatballs in Brown Gravy)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb (700g) ground beef, or a mix of beef and pork
• 1 small onion, finely grated
• 1/3 cup (40g) potato starch or fine breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp butter, for frying
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, for the gravy
• 3 cups (700ml) beef stock
• 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
• 1 lb (450g) potatoes, peeled and quartered, for serving
• 1/2 head green cabbage, shredded, for serving
• Lingonberry jam, for serving

Before you cook

• Grate the onion on the fine side of a box grater straight into a mixing bowl
• Stir the potato starch into the milk and let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken slightly
• Add the ground beef, egg, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, salt and pepper to the bowl with the onion
• Pour in the thickened milk mixture
• Mix everything with your hands just until combined, stopping as soon as the streaks disappear
• Wet your hands with cold water and shape the mixture into flat patties about 3 inches across and finger-thick, making 10 to 12
• Peel and quarter the potatoes and drop them into a pot of cold salted water
• Shred the cabbage

Steps

1. Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until it foams and smells nutty
2. Lay the patties in the pan without crowding them, working in batches if needed
3. Brown them for about 3 minutes per side, then lift them out onto a plate
4. Put the pot of potatoes on high heat and bring it to a boil
5. Drop the heat under the potatoes to a simmer and cook them for 15 to 20 minutes until a knife slides in easily
6. Sprinkle the flour into the fat left in the skillet and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes until it turns deep golden brown
7. Pour in the beef stock a little at a time, whisking hard after each splash so no lumps form
8. Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer and let it bubble for 5 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon
9. Slide the browned patties back into the gravy
10. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through
11. Stir the cream into the gravy and season with salt and pepper to taste
12. Steam the shredded cabbage in a separate pot for about 5 minutes until just tender, then drain it
13. Drain the potatoes
14. Spoon the meatballs and gravy over the boiled potatoes and cabbage, with a spoonful of lingonberry jam on the side