Lapskaus (Norwegian Brown Stew)

Method

1. Cut the beef into 2.5 cm cubes, trimming off any large pieces of hard fat, and pat very dry with kitchen paper (wet meat steams instead of browning). Toss with the flour until lightly coated.

   Add in this stepStewing beef (chuck) 300 gPlain flour 1 tbsp

2. Melt the butter in a heavy 22 cm pot over medium-high heat until it foams. Add the beef in a single layer with space between the pieces and brown for 6 min in total, turning, until deep brown on several sides. If it doesn't all fit, brown it in batches; a crowded pot gives grey, boiled meat.

   Add in this stepButter 1½ tbsp

   medium-high heat

3. Turn down to medium heat, add the chopped onion and cook for 4 min, stirring and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom, until soft and golden.

   Add in this stepOnion 1

   medium heat

4. Pour in the stock, add the bay leaves and soy sauce (for a deep brown colour, as Norwegian home cooks do) and bring to the boil over high heat. Turn down to low heat, cover and simmer for 1 h, until a cube of beef is almost tender when pressed with a spoon. Stir now and then and add a splash of water if it gets low.

   Add in this stepBeef stock 550 mlBay leaves 1Soy sauce (for colour) 2 tsp

   high heat→low heat

5. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes, swede and carrot and cut them into 2 cm cubes. Add them to the pot, stir, cover and simmer for 25 min, until the potatoes are very soft and starting to fall apart at the edges.

   Add in this stepFloury potatoes 500 gSwede (rutabaga) 160 gCarrot 120 g

6. Remove the bay leaves. Stir firmly with a wooden spoon so some of the potatoes break down and thicken the stew into a creamy gravy, then simmer uncovered for 5 min to the thickness you like. Season well with salt and plenty of black pepper.

   Add in this stepSalt to tasteBlack pepper to taste

7. Serve in deep plates sprinkled with chopped parsley, with pickled beetroot and flatbrød or crispbread and butter on the side.

   Add in this stepParsley 4 gPickled beetroot 80 gFlatbrød (Norwegian flatbread) or crispbread 2