Norwegian Kabaret

This dish I learned to make from my mother growing up and it was fun and creative to make. It also required some patience. But coming up with patterns was fun and to see the outcome when it was done. I also loved to eat it. We only made Kabaret for special occations and maybe as a Buffée dish.

Kabaret was common food in the 50´s and 60´s and for me even during the years I still lived in Norway during the 70´s and beginning of 80´s.  It might be a really retro dish today. Kabaret can be made with so many different good ingredients, and you can get a result that tastes a little different each time. Here is a variation.

Kabaret

These different types I like. One is made with shrimps, eggs and vegetables and the other one is made with ham, eggs and vegetables. The way to make Kabarat is the same no matter what ingredients you prefer.

Ingredients:

• Hardboiled eggs
• Frozen vegetable mix with peas and corn or beans or broccoli or cauliflowers or other that you like.
• Shrimp
• Ham
• Gelatine plates
• Water

Instructions:

Hardboil the eggs, cool and slice

Prepare the shrimps with sifting to get the water totally out. Use fresh shrimps or defrost if frozen.

Defrost and sift the vegetables if frozen so there is no water in them.

Cut the ham to nice squares or lengths

Soak gelatine plates in cold water. Press out the water.

Heat 2 dl water for about 5 gelatin plates and melt the gelatin plates in the water.

Use a cake mold from plastic or metall to make the cabaret. It should be a mold that cannot leak.

Pour a little of the gelatin in the mold and let it cool and get stiff. Add a layer of shrimps or ham or eggs. Make a nice pattern according to your liking. Pour more gelatin to just cover your pattern. Leave it to harden like a jelly. Then add another layer with for instance vegetables and pour more gelatin and wait until it hardens. Continue like this with adding layers and making a nice pattern until the mold is filled.

When the mold is full make sure all is covered with gelatin and let it stand cold until it is all hardened. The Kabaret can be made a day or two in advance of the occations you will serve it. Keep it covered in the refrigerator until you are going to serve it.

To get it out of the mold and place on a serving plate, put the mold quickly in hot water and turn it on a serving plate and carefully loosen it from the mold.

To serve the Kabaret:

You slice it in thin breadlike pieces and eat it just like that or put it on a piece of bread. You can eat it with a dressing made of natural youghurt (kesella) mixed with a little mayonnaise.

Suggestion for a dressing:

• 3 dl mayonnaise/youghurt
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 dl pickles, chopped
• 1 dl herbs, chopped, such as parsley, chives, basil
• salt and ground pepper

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