In november 1957 my mother has Ham and Macaroni Casserole, Brown Soup and Raw Vegetables on the menu. It is for 322 people and the cost per person is 1, 49 NOK (14 cents).
I tried to find out what Brown Soup was and if it is still being made. I have not been able to find it nowadays. However in historical recipes I find it both in Norwegian recipes and English. It is a Brown meat and vegetable Soup. This day on my mothers menu it is a vegetable soup. The broth is from Cooking meat and ham, however the meat is then used for the Casserole. In old recipes when the Soup is the Main dish the meat is in the Soup. I could find the Brown Soup as far back as 1814 in one historic recipe from Norway. There the meat is being used in the soup. I believe in Norway during the older times one would cook meat and even bones and then remove them and save the broth to make soups. This way you would get a delicious soup however cheaper with just the vegetables. And the meat would be used for more special occations or additional dishes. Like here the two dishes could be made from the meat and the broth. So it is a very economical way to feed a crowd both nutritional food and also for less money. However as a main dish the meat would be chopped after cooking and added back in the soup to make it a meat and vegetable soup. I have recreated the menu, however made it for a few persons.
My mothers original recipe
Norwegian ”Brun Suppe” (Brown Soup)
Ingredients:
- 70 l broth
- 2,1 kg margarine or lard
- 2,1 kg flour
- 6 kg carrots
- 6 kg cabbage
- 2 kg leeks
- 2 kg celeri
- 3 l milk
- Salt
- Sugar
My adjusted recipe (about 4-6 servings)
Norwegian ”Brun Suppe” (Brown Soup)
Ingredients:
- 13 dl broth
- 40 g margarine or lard
- 40 g flour
- 111 g carrots
- 111 g cabbage
- 37 g leeks
- 37 g celeri
- 0, 5 dl milk
- Salt
- Sugar
Instructions:
Melt butter in a saucepan
Add flour and whisk
Add a pinch of salt
Chop carrots in small pieces
Chop cabbage in small pieces
Chop leeks in thin rings
Chop celery in small pieces
Add broth a little at the time and whisk as you add
Add all the chopped vegetables and let them cook on medium heat until they are cooked
Add milk
Add salt and sugar to taste
Norwegian Skinkegrateng (Ham and Macaroni Casserole)
My mothers original recipe
Norwegian Skinkegrateng (Ham and Macaroni Casserole)
Ingredients:
- 30 kg ham
- 15 kg meat
- Water
- 40 l milk
- 4 kg flour
- 4 kg margarine
- 4 kg macaroni (uncooked) 9, 6 kg cooked
- 120 eggs
- Salt
- Nutmeg
- 1 kg margarine or lard for baking pans
Raw Vegetables
- 15 kg carrots
- 8 kg apples
- Lingonberries or Cranberries
My adjusted recipe (about 4-6 serving)
Norwegian Skinkegrateng (Ham and Macaroni Casserole)
- 82 g ham (meat)
- 7 dl mjölk
- 74 g mjöl
- 74 g margarine
- 74 g macaroni (uncooked) 180 g cooked
- 2 egg
Potatoes
110 g potatoes
Instructions:
Melt butter in a saucepan.
Add flour.
Whisk butter and flour.
Add milk a little at the time and whisk to get all lumps out.
Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water in a separate pan, rinse (If you use already cooked macaroni you will just add it in the sauce).
Add the macaroni in the sauce and stir.
Chop the ham and meat, add in the sauce and stir.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool down a bit.
When the sauce has cooled a bit add the eggs and stir.
Make sure the sauce is not too hot. You don´t want the eggs to boil.
Grease an oven pan
Pour the casserole filling in the saucepan.
Top with breadcrumbs.
Bake in the oven on 180 Celsius Degrees for about 1 hour or until golden.
Prepare potatoes:
Boil potatoes in water with a little salt to serve on the side.
Raw vegetables:
Shred carrots and apples and mix to a raw salad. Mix in lingonberries or cranberries, either just berries or jam if you have.
Bj's Live Kitchen 