This is a Swedish classic. It’s a refreshingly tasty casserole with plenty of tang from the vinegar and lemon, and of course with a healthy dose of dill.
This dish is traditionally made with veal. If veal isn’t readily available lamb is a common substitute, but I’ve made it with beef chuck also. Just make sure the meat you use comes from the forequarter of the animal. Chuck/shoulder is the best choice.
This dish gets it’s flavor from the white vinegar, lemon and dill. It’s very refreshing, and not so heavy as other casseroles like Boeuf Bourguignon for example.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs veal chuck lamb or beef chuck works well too
- 12 cups water (4+8)
- 2 yellow onions
- 14 oz carrots
- 14 oz celeriac
- 6 bay leaves
- 15 white pepper (whole pepper corns)
- 10 allspice (whole pepper corns)
- 2 tbsp thyme
- 2 bunches dill
- 10 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 lemon (the juice)
- 2-4 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup cooking cream
- 5 tbsp corn starch (for thickening)
Instructions
- Start by dicing the onion and carrots in 1 inch cubes. Don't make them too small, otherwise they dissolve when simmering.
- Start by dicing the meat in 1 inch cubes. Add the meat in a pan together with 4 cups water. Bring it to a boil and pour out the water and any residue.
- Separate the stems from the dill, but keep everything.
- Now add the onion, carrots, celeriac, bay leaves, white peppar, allspice, thyme, white vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and the stems from the dill. Add the 8 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
- Let it simmer gently with the lid on, but with a small gap. It takes 2.5-3 hours.
- The casserole is done when the meat falls apart. Now pick up/remove the dill stems.
- Mix the cooking cream with the corn starch and stir/shake a bit, before adding to the pan. Bring it to a boil real quick, and stir. Add more sugar/salt to taste, and add a bunch of the dill. Save some for decoration when serving.