Flesk og Duppe -- Salted Side Pork with Gravy

Tonight we had a craving for some traditional Norwegian food. Now, usually that means white food: boiled potatoes, white sauce, and some sort of fish or meat. It even tastes white, meaning bland. But sometimes the Norwegians get somethings right in the kitchen, and Flesk og Duppe is one of those meals.

If you like bacon, you'll like tonight's dinner; salted side pork with gravy, served with boiled potatoes and oven roasted carrots.

 First you'll have to get a hold of some salt pork. Your butcher should be able to help you out, otherwise if absolutely necessary you can use thick-sliced bacon. The only difference between salt pork and bacon is that bacon is also smoked in addition to being salted. If your meat does not come already sliced, throw it in the freezer for about 15 minutes before trying to cut it, it will be much easier to cut.

Next you have to bring a big pot of water to a boil for your potatoes. Throw them in and cook until they are tender, usually around 30 minutes.

The carrots are next. Take a big sheet of tin foil, and fold it in half so it's doubled up. Then place your carrots on the tin foil, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and they're ready to go in the oven at 200 C or about 390 F. Bake them for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your carrot chunks. I used baby carrots because I'm lazy!

You will also want to make a Bechamel sauce (white sauce) at this point. Take 2 tablespoons butter and melt it in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons flour and stir until it's all clumpy. Add 1 cup warmish milk (not cold, but not hot; room temp is fine), and stir to a boil. Keep stirring frequently as it simmers for 5-10 minutes, or until it's good and thick. I like to make my sauce over medium temperature, to prevent it from burning to the bottom of my thin pot, but it takes a lot longer.

Fry up your salt pork in a hot pan, just as you would bacon. It's done when it's golden on both sides. The next step may be hard for some of you, but it's a crucial step. Pour the fat from the pan into the white sauce, and stir. If you didn't get very much fat, throw 2 tablespoons butter into the frying pan, scraping up the tasty burnt-on bits, and pour that into the sauce as well. Add a dash of pepper. Taste the sauce, it should be a touch salty when it's done.