First time International Folk Art Market exhibitor and silver jewelry-maker Ami Avellán is from Sweden but grew up in the countryside on the south coast of Finland. “Jewelry has taken me around the Nordic countries, first through studies and then work. But I frequently go ‘home-home’ as I call it.” Maintaining a closeness to the land is important to her whether it’s mushroom picking in the fall or serving as a dog handler at the hunt. “Handling meat has been a natural thing since childhood. It is important to know where the food comes from and that the animal was living a free and healthy life nearby.” Hence, her dish of choice is Kalops, a Swedish Beef Stew.
A Word on Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew) From Ami Avellán
Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew) is my favorite meat dish and my go-to comfort food, especially during autumn and winter. It takes me home to my mother’s casseroles. Kalops means beef stew in Swedish. This is my version of my mother’s recipe. Use your local game for this dish. It is like with soups and stews in general – it gets better the day after – if there is anything left.
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Kalops
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
A savory and comforting Swedish Beef Stew.
Ingredients
For the spice mix:
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp caraway
- 1 tsp rosemary
- A pinch of BBQ rub spice or chile flakes
For the beef:
- 800 gms of beef, for example, shoulder steak
- Butter or rapeseed oil for frying
- Black pepper and a little salt
- Water
- 2–3 red onions, chopped
- 1–2 handful of dried cep, porcini, or boletus edulis
- 1 (maybe 2, have a taste) vegetable broth cube(s)
- 6 bay leaves
- 6 dried juniper berries (optional)
- Soy sauce
- 1 can of kidney beans
Instructions
For the spice mix:
- Mix the spices together and grind in either a spice mill or a mortar and pestle.
- Place in a small bowl and set aside.
For the beef:
- Take the meat out of the fridge and bring to room temperature.
- Add a cup of boiling water to the dry spice mix, along with the dried mushroom, bay leaves, 1 vegetable broth cube, juniper berries. Put aside and let it soak.
- Clean and cut the meat in squares, 3×3 cm.
- Sear the meat in small batches in a hot pan to get a bit of colour on the surface. Transfer the meat to a casserole. Clean the frying pan between each batch by adding a bit of hot water. Bring the water to a boil, then pour into the casserole.
- Fry the onion until soft, then add it to the casserole.
- Add the mix that has soaked in the teacup. Just about cover the meat with water, put on a lid and let simmer. Adjust your salt by adding some soy sauce. Stir occasionally. It might take a while to get the meat soft.
- Remove the lid if you want to reduce the liquid level. Add the beans. If you let the beans cook until they split, the stew gets thicker. If you like your beans whole, you can prepare with a little flour (or cornstarch) at the end before serving.
- Open the red wine. Set the table, light the candles and your fireplace, prepare a crunchy salad as a starter. Serve with potato mash made from scratch. Or boiled potatoes.
- Serve with blackcurrant jam or lingonberry mash or pickled gherkin, enough time and good company. Enjoy a cozy evening at the fireplace!
Recipe by Ami Avellán
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce
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