Danish bacon-wrapped meatloaf (forloren hare) with brown gravy and pointed cabbage salad
Recipe for classic Danish bacon-wrapped meatloaf (forloren hare) with brown gravy and a crisp cabbage salad.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
Meatloaf (forloren hare)
- 5-600 g minced veal and pork, or minced pork
- 1 large onion - finely chopped, grated or blitzed
- 100 ml whole milk
- 50 ml dried breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 packs streaky bacon - about 10 rashers
Liquid for cooking the meatloaf
- 200 ml stock - I use 1/2 a vegetable stock cube
- 200 ml whole milk
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Gravy
- The cooking liquid from the meatloaf dish
- 250 ml whipping cream (38% fat)
- 2 tsp redcurrant jelly
- Salt and pepper
- A little cornflour mixed with water, if needed
Cabbage salad
- 1 small red pointed cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 apple, cut into small dice
- 2 blood oranges, cut into segments - pink grapefruit or ordinary orange can also be used
- 3 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 handful parsley, finely chopped
- 1 handful hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp dark balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt and pepper
To serve
- 800 g potatoes
- Finely chopped parsley, to serve
Instructions
Meatloaf (forloren hare)
- Mix the meat and salt together thoroughly, – ideally in a stand mixer, otherwise with a hand mixer or very thoroughly by hand.
- Then mix the remaining ingredients (except the bacon) into the meat, season generously with pepper and mix the mince thoroughly.Ideally, let it rest for 15 minutes before shaping the meatloaf.
- Grease an ovenproof dish with a little oil, put the meat in and shape it into an oblong loaf – the "hare".
- Lay rashers of bacon over the top so the whole meatloaf is covered. I like to lay one rasher crosswise over each end of the loaf, - that way the ends are sealed, so to speak. Then lay the bacon across the loaf, with the rashers just overlapping each other. Continue until the meatloaf is completely hidden under the bacon, then tuck the ends of the rashers under the loaf on both sides.
- Bake the meatloaf in a preheated oven at 230°C, conventional oven (top and bottom heat), for 15 minutes.
- Turn the oven down to 180°C, pour in the stock, milk and thyme, and bake the meatloaf for a further 30 minutes or so. Still conventional oven.The meatloaf should reach a core temperature of about 75°C, - but remember that it also rests afterwards, and the temperature rises a few degrees more during that time.
- Take the meatloaf out and strain the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. If the bacon isn't crisp enough, transfer the meatloaf to a baking tray lined with baking parchment and give it 5 more minutes at 230-250°C - keep an eye on it so it doesn't get too dark. You can also give it a couple of minutes under the grill, but then it is really important to keep your eyes on the bacon the whole time.
Gravy
- Whisk the cooking liquid from the meatloaf together with the cream and boil it for a good 5 minutes, - whisking as you go so it doesn't catch on the bottom.
- Add the redcurrant jelly, season to taste with salt and pepper and adjust the colour with a little gravy browning.*You can also add a little juice from 1/2 an orange, - it tastes lovely and adds a touch of acidity to the rich gravy.
Potatoes
- Scrub the potatoes clean. I prefer to leave the skins on, – and happily eat them with the skin too. You can also peel them after cooking or before, – it's up to you.
- While the meatloaf is in the oven, bring the potatoes to the boil in a pan of plenty of well-salted cold water, adding peppercorns and lovage, parsley or similar if you like, – and let them boil over medium heat for about 5 min. with the lid on.
- Turn off the heat and leave the potatoes to finish cooking in the hot water, with the lid on, for about 15 min. Cooking your potatoes this way gives you a lovely firm potato that doesn't fall apart. The time naturally depends on the size of the potatoes, – so test them with a skewer once they have stood for 10 min. If they are still very hard, simply turn the heat back on for a couple of minutes, – you quickly learn to judge the cooking time once you've done it a few times. If they only need a little more, just leave them to stand in the water with the lid on.
Pointed cabbage salad
- Prepare the salad while the meatloaf is in the oven.
- Combine the pointed cabbage, apple, spring onions, orange and parsley in a bowl.
- Mix the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice and toss with the salad shortly before serving. Scatter over the chopped hazelnuts.