Finnish Cabbage Casserole with Beef and Lingonberries

Instructions

1. 1

   Parboil the rice and prepare the ingredients

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bring the water to a boil in a pot, add 2 g of salt, and cook the rice for 10 minutes. Drain it. Cut the cabbage into thin strips and finely chop the onion.

   
2. 2

   Soften the cabbage

   Heat 10 ml of oil in a large frying pan. Fry the cabbage in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; it should wilt and brown lightly at some edges, but not burn. Transfer it to a bowl.

   
3. 3

   Brown the meat and onion

   Heat the remaining 5 ml of oil in the same pan. Add the onion and fry for 3 minutes. Add the ground beef, break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, and fry for a further 6 to 8 minutes, until browned with no pink spots remaining. Stir in the remaining 4 g of salt, the black pepper, and the marjoram.

   
4. 4

   Combine the casserole

   In a large bowl, combine the parboiled rice, fried cabbage, and meat with the onion. In a smaller bowl, mix the beef stock, milk, and dark syrup, then pour the liquid over the mixture. Stir everything thoroughly and transfer it to a baking dish with a capacity of approximately 2 litres.

   
5. 5

   Bake and serve

   Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 180 °C. Remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the liquid has been absorbed. Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before dividing it into portions. Serve warm, with 20 g of lingonberry jam per serving.