Mutton with beans (haricot de mouton)

About the dish

From the meat chapter of "Stor kokebok" (1914). Erken reproduces the French classic haricot de mouton, a browned lamb stew with beans, and at the same time gives an alternative with turnips - typical of her practice of adapting foreign dishes to Norwegian ingredients.

How to make it

1. 1

   Brown the meat

   Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot and let it turn lightly brown. Brown the cut-up meat, the pork pieces and the onion in the butter.

2. 2

   Sprinkle with flour

   Sprinkle the flour over the meat to help it brown faster, and let it cook while stirring constantly.

3. 3

   Moisten and season

   Pour in the boiling water, add the bouquet garni and season with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Into the oven

   Put the pot with a tight lid into the oven at about 175 °C (345 °F) for 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the beans

   Clean the beans and blanch them quickly. Add them to the pot and let the meat continue cooking over low heat for 1 to 1½ hours until tender.

6. 6

   Plating

   Serve in the pot (cocotte) or heaped up on a slightly deep platter. Instead of beans you can use turnips, which are cleaned, sliced, browned in butter and added to the pot after the meat has cooked for 1 hour.