Perfect for cold autumn and winter evenings: Norwegian ” Lapskaus” or beef and vegetable stew

Level: Easy
Total time: 2h

“Lapskaus” or beef and vegetable stew is one of the classic, traditional dishes in Norway. It is such a standard dish that you can get several canned versions of them at the supermarket (not that I would recommend any of them!). Enjoying the nature is a very important part of the Norwegian culture and a big part of the population owns a cabin close to the sea or up in the mountains (500,000 cabins for 5,4M inhabitants).

No matter the season or the weather, Norwegians tend to enjoy outdoor activities which often includes preparing the meal over an open fire outdoors. “Lapskaus” is a frequently made outdoor dish but it is also perfect as a warming indoor meal during autumn and winter. I made the below version during a family fishing trip this autumn, just before we all got confined at home for another month. I’ll probably make it again soon in order to bring back the good feeling of nature and moving freely outdoors 🙂

“Lapskaus” is extremely easy to make and it tastes even better the following day should you have any leftovers. My recipe has a slight French touch to it, adding a bit of red wine, but that is fully optional. Whether you have the opportunity to cook a dish outside or simply want to gather around a warming stew with the family, this recipe is simple and easily appreciated by the whole family. Enjoy!

THE TIPS TO SUCCEED

1: If you have time, make the stew the day before or in the morning for the evening as it is even better reheated.

2: Relax… Apart from cutting the ingredients, the advantage of a stew is that it makes itself. Perfect for a lazy day…

Let’s get started

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 900 g Beef (stew quality)
• 1 pcs Big onion (can be replaced with a Leek)
• 600 g Potatoes
• 5 pcs Carrots
• ½ pcs Celery root
• 1 pcs Small Rutabaga (can be replaced with a Turnip)
• 800 ml Beef stock
• 100 ml Red wine (Optional, can be replaced with beef stock)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 3 tbsp Flour
• 2 pcs Bay leaves
• 4 pcs Thyme stems (Preferably fresh)
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh Parsley (To garnish)

How to do it?

Cut the meat in small pieces, ideally around 1-2 x 1-2 cm.

Chop the onion in small pieces (approx 1 cm).

Heat 1 tbsp butter and the olive oil in a frying pan and quickly color the meat. You probably need to fry them in 2-3 turns as you don’t want to add too much meat in the pan at once (it risks boiling instead of frying…). Remove the meat from the pan as soon as it has colored.

Heat the remaining butter in a stewpan and fry the onions at medium heat for a few minutes. Add the meat and the flour and mix well while cooking for 2 minutes.

Pour in, little by little, the beef stock and wine while stirring.

Add the bay leaves and thyme, cover the pan and let it simmer until the meat is tender (around 1 hour). Stir occasionally.

While the meat is cooking wash, peel and cut all the vegetables in 1×1 cm pieces.

Once the meat is tender, remove the bay leaves and thyme stems and add the vegetables. Cook until the vegetables are tender (approx 20-30 minutes). Stir occasionally.

How to serve “Lapskaus” or beef and vegetable stew?

“Lapskaus” or beef and vegetable stew is usually served together with a thin, crispy bread called Flatbread. It is not easy to find outside Norway, but you can easily make it yourself as the recipe is available on the blog:-).