Stewed pointed cabbage and meatballs (meatballs)

This simple dish from Danish cuisine is perfect for those summer days when the sun is not high in the sky. Pointed cabbage is a kind of summery ‘light’ version of white cabbage, which belongs more to autumn and winter. I like both, but there's something special about the crispy and delicate cabbage leaves on pointed cabbage that makes me tempted when I see them at the nice little farmers' market I'm lucky enough to have around the corner from where I live.

Meatballs (frikadeller) are a classic in Danish cuisine. As a dinner dish or as a lunch dish. My recipe is also classic and simple, and it works every time. You can use it as it is, or you can add your own flavour with various extra fillings. Diced feta cheese, small pieces of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Greek spices, fresh herbs from your own garden if you have them - the possibilities are endless and the meatball can take on many guises.
If you want to have meatballs (frikadeller) and pointed cabbage ready to serve at the same time, you can time it this way with a little multitasking:

1. Stir the meatball mixture, let it rest for a while. Check Facebook and Instagram for 15 minutes.
2. Rinse and chop the cabbage
3. Shape the meatballs
4. Heat the pan, start frying the first panful of frikadeller
5. Cover the cabbage casserole with water
6. Cook the cabbage as instructed - set aside for a moment
7. When you fry the second panful of frikadeller, you can slowly make the cabbage sauce and finish the cabbage as instructed

Meatballs (frikadeller) are a classic in Danish cuisine and are suitable for both lunch and dinner. Pointed cabbage is a great summer vegetable.

Ingredients, frikadeller (4 people):

500g minced meat - you can use a mix of veal, pork, chicken or turkey meat.

8 g salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste. I use about ½ teaspoon

1 medium onion, approx. 125-150 g after peeling

2 eggs, size M

2 dl milk (or sparkling water - some people find it makes frikadeller lighter)

80 grams of breadcrumbs

Butter, fat or oil for frying.

Ingredients, stewed pointed cabbage (serves 4):

1 small pointed cabbage, about 1 kg

4 dl water for boiling

10 g salt

30 g butter

30 g wheat flour

½ dl whipping cream or milk

Pepper

Grated nutmeg (½ tsp) if desired

Method, frikadeller:

You should start by mixing the mince to give it some time to rest. I grind the meat myself (I'm not too keen on the pre-ground meat options available to me). It takes about 10 minutes extra, including cleaning the mincer, but then I don't have to grate the onions because I put them through the mincer with the meat.
Peel the onion and grate it on the fine side of the grater - or, if you're very good with a knife, chop it very finely. Very small pieces of onion in a meatball can add a little extra texture, but semi-large pieces are not charming.

Pour the meat and salt into a good mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. The salt will very quickly start to affect the texture of the meat and make it more stringy. Once you've reached that effect, add the pepper and egg and stir it together. Then milk and breadcrumbs. You need to stir the mixture until it becomes ‘light’ and has a good consistency that can hold its shape but is not too firm. If you think it needs a little adjustment, you can add a little extra milk or breadcrumbs. The meats mentioned above behave slightly differently, so results may vary. I tried this recipe with pure pork and the consistency was perfect. Cover the bowl with a plate and refrigerate it while you get started with the cabbage.

Once the mince has rested, it's time to shape the frikadeller. I prefer to shape them all at once and place them on a cutting board - it makes it much easier to cook them evenly when they can go into the pan at the same time. You'll need a tablespoon, some lukewarm water and your hand. Take an appropriately sized portion of mince (do you want large or small meatballs?) and shape them in the palm of your hand with the spoon, from hand to spoon and vice versa. Dip the spoon in water before each new meatball.

Heat a frying pan to medium heat - don't let it get too hot or the meatballs will burn before they are cooked through. Add the fat, don't be too stingy with it. Regular butter is really good in terms of flavour. I usually use clarified butter. You can also use leftover duck fat, chicken fat or lard. Oil is also fine. Don't put the frikadeller too close together in the pan, as they will boil instead of frying. It's much better to fry them in two batches instead of placing them too close together. They typically need 8 minutes on each side - they need to get a golden crust.

Method, stewed pointed cabbage:

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage unless they are completely clean and perfect. Rinse the cabbage.

Use a good sharp and not too short knife. Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the stem with a diagonal cut. Cut the cabbage fairly roughly, into strips about 5 mm wide. I start from the pointed end and when I'm a bit further up the cabbage, I split the quartered cabbage into two halves before cutting the rest.

Bring the water to the boil in a fairly large saucepan. When it boils, add salt and cabbage and bring it to the boil again. Then leave it for just 3 minutes before placing a strainer on a bowl, pouring off the water so that it catches in the bowl and the cabbage stays in the strainer.
(This is the time to start frying frikadeller - the cabbage sauce can wait a bit)

The sauce for the cabbage is a traditional bechamel: Melt the butter in the same pan you cooked the cabbage in. Add the wheat flour and let it heat through for a minute or two. It should not take colour. Add half of the cooking water from the cabbage and whisk well. When it boils, add the rest of the water along with cream or milk. Add pepper and possibly grated nutmeg and let the sauce cook for 3-5 minutes on low heat, whisking gently so it doesn't burn. Pour the cabbage back into the pan, season to taste with salt and pepper and heat the cabbage through, but don't let it cook too long or it will become mushy.
I like to add a few boiled potatoes to the dish - and some carrot pieces that I cook with the potatoes for the last 5-6 minutes.