My grandmother was from Karelia, a part of Finland that we had to give up after WW2 . This meat stew (hot pot) is a very traditional Finnish dish. This is my special version of it, with traditional Finnish spices and meat meeting Italian herbs, red wine and tomatoes.

All my recipes are for 2 servings

• 7 oz (200 g) pork (shoulder is a great choice)
• 5 oz (140 g) beef (chuck is a great choice)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 8 twists from your black pepper mill
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) water
• 2 teaspoons meat broth concentrate
• ½ cup (120 ml) red wine
• 1 teaspoon chili paste
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tbsp teaspoons dried rosemary and thyme mixture
• 1 red onion
• 2 large potatoes
• 1 carrot
• ½ can (tin) crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon fried oregano
• 8 large mushrooms

How to prepare:

Preheat the oven to 390 F (200 C). Cut the meat into big chunks. Use a Dutch Oven (I use cast iron). Heat it up on the stove to medium high heat. Cook the meat in the oil for 1 minute and stir frequently. Try to get each side a little bit cooked. Remove the Dutch Oven from the stove. Add salt and black pepper. Mix water and meat broth concentrate. Add on the meat. Add also the wine. Season with rosemary, thyme, chili and garlic. Put the stew in the oven and let cook for 60 minutes.

Peel the onion, the potatoes and the carrot. Cut the potatoes into large pieces and the carrot into ½ inch (12 mm) slices. Cut the onion into wedges. Add these to the Dutch Oven when the meat has cooked for 60 minutes. Put the dish back into the oven and let cook for 60 minutes.

Cut the mushrooms in half or quarters and add to the stew when 60 minutes have passed since you added the vegetables. Let cook for 30 minutes. Take the Dutch Oven from the oven and carefully taste the lovely stew. It is hot so be careful not to burn your tongue. If the meat is tender and the taste is delicious, then it is time to eat. If the meat is not tender enough, cook in the oven for 20 more minutes. If you want to add more spices, add some!