Forloren Hare - Danish Meatloaf

 la ricetta in italiano qui

Last month I was in Florence helping my cousin Anna in a three-days cooking class she was helding at home. Karin and Linda (respectively mother-in-law and daughter-in-law) came from Denmark to learn Italian cuisine. 

And I learned as well something new to me, Anna is a very special cook, she founded more than 20 years ago a very nice Italian restaurant in Paris, now carried on by her first son, still fashionable and one of the best in town.

Without hesitation I asked Karin for a couple of typical recipes of her country, as we are visiting Denmark with the Culinary ABC of the European Community, and she kindly gave me three.

We tried this meatloaf as first, and discovered that even Danes have a blue cheese similar to Italian gorgonzola: Danablu.

Danish Blue (also known as Danablu) is a strong, blue-veined cheese. This semi-soft creamery cheese is typically drum or block shaped and has a white to yellowish, slightly moist, edible rind. Made from cow's milk, it has a fat content of 25–30% (50–60% in dry matter) and is aged for eight to twelve weeks.
Before ageing, copper wires or rods are used to pierce the formed curds to distribute the mould (Penicillium roqueforti) evenly through the cheese. The holes can still be seen when the finished wheel is cut open.
Danish Blue was invented early in the 20th century by a Danish cheese maker named Marius Boel with the intention of emulating a Roquefort style cheese. Danish Blue has a milder flavour characterised by a sharp, salty taste.
Danish Blue is often served crumbled on salads or as a dessert cheese with fruit. In Denmark, it is often served on bread or biscuits.
Danish Blue and Esrom are the only two Danish cheeses that are PGI-marked by the EU, meaning that they may only be produced in Denmark from Danish milk and at approved dairies that produce the cheeses according to the specifications laid down (from Wikipedia).

 Forloren Hare

 

Meatloaf:

500 g minced beef

500 g minced pork

2 eggs

6 tbsp bread crumbs

salt/pepper

4 juniper berries, crushed

2 tbsp single cream

8/10 slices of streaky bacon

bacon cut into bits

Gravy:

25 g butter

3/4 tbsp flour

2 dl single cream

4 dl beef or pork stock

red wine to taste

4 juniper berries, crushed

half/1 tbsp blue cheese (Danablu or Gorgonzola)

1 or 2 tsp redcurrant jelly

 

Mix the meast together with eggs, bread crumbs, salt/pepper, cream and juniper berries.Shape into a loaf and stick the bits of bacon onto the loaf. Wrap the loaf with the bacon slices.
Put in a lightly oiled pan and bake in the oven at 200° for 15/20 minutes, gently roll it a couple of times.

 

In the meantime prepare the gravy: pour cream, butter and flour in a pot.
Heat and bring to boil while stirring. Add the stock (and half a glass of red wine) and cook a few minutes. Add salt, pepper, blue cheese, redcurrant  jelly and the crushed juniper berries.
Pour the gravy over the meatloaf and reduce the heat in the oven to 150°.
Bake for about 50/55 minutes. Occasionally turn the meatloaf upside down and sprinkle with sauce.
Serve the meatloaf in slices with boiled potatoes and cranberry jelly.