Kålpudding

Ingredients

• 2¼ lbwhite cabbagecore removed, cut into fine strips or used as whole leaves; savoy cabbage also works
• 1⅛ lbground meatmixed beef and pork, or pure beef
• 1onionfinely chopped, for the meat mixture
• 2 tbspsoy sauceto season the meat mixture
• ½ cupmilkfor the meat mixture; cream also works
• 2 tbspstockconcentrated beef or veal stock, or a stock cube
• 1eggbinds the meat mixture
• 1 tbspsyrupto season the cabbage or meat mixture
• 2 tbspbutterfor browning the cabbage and greasing the dish
• saltto taste
• black pepperto taste
• 3 tbspbreadcrumbssoaked with milk and mashed potato to keep the mixture juicy (optional)
• 1 tbspbrown sugarsprinkled over the top cabbage layer before baking (optional)
• lingonberriesstirred raw or as jam, for serving (optional)
• potatoesboiled, as a side (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 390 °F. Halve the white cabbage, cut out the core and slice the cabbage into fine strips.
2. Heat butter or oil in a large frying pan and fry the cabbage in batches until soft and lightly browned. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn.
3. Season the fried cabbage with dark syrup, salt and pepper.
4. Finely chop the onion and mix it thoroughly with the minced meat, egg, soy sauce, milk and stock. Season the meat mixture with salt and pepper.
5. Grease a baking dish with butter or oil and spread half of the cabbage evenly over the bottom.
6. Spread the meat mixture over the cabbage and cover with the rest of the cabbage. If you like, sprinkle brown sugar over the top layer now.
7. Bake the kålpudding at 390 °F for about 40 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the cabbage on top is browned.
8. Serve with boiled potatoes, gravy and lingonberries.

Tips and variations

Savoy cabbage works in place of white cabbage, and cream in place of milk. For a version with whole leaves, blanch the cabbage head for 10–15 minutes, separate the leaves, cut out the thick central rib, brown the leaves briefly in butter and layer them in the dish, alternating with the meat mixture. For a juicier meat mixture, let breadcrumbs soak with milk and mashed potato, then work this into the meat mixture along with any leftover fried cabbage. For a caramelised top, brush the bake with melted butter and sprinkle it with brown sugar before it goes into the oven. For a lighter version, braise the cabbage in stock and soy sauce, brown the minced meat with the onion beforehand, use skimmed milk and leave out the egg; serve with sugar-free lingonberry compote. Best served hot from the dish, with plenty of gravy and lingonberries at the side of the plate.