Vossapølse med Kålstuving

Vossapølse med Kålstuving

Recipes with Vossapølse

Kålstuving is creamed cabbage: white cabbage braised in a butter-flour sauce until soft, lightly seasoned, rich but not heavy. It is the traditional Christmas plate in western Norway alongside fried vossapølse and boiled potatoes. The sweetness of the cabbage and the smoke of the sausage have shared this plate for generations. Nothing here is complicated, but the result only works when each element is made properly.

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

35 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Medium

Ingredients

  • 400 g vossapølse, cut into 10 mm rounds
  • 800 g white cabbage, finely shredded
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 30 g plain flour
  • 400 ml whole milk, warmed
  • 150 ml double cream
  • 1 tsp salt
  • White pepper
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • 800 g waxy potatoes, boiled and kept warm
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying

Steps

1

Make the kålstuving: melt the butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the shredded cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until it wilts and softens. Sprinkle the flour over the cabbage and stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes.

2

Pour in the warm milk gradually, stirring constantly to prevent lumps forming. Add the cream. Season with salt, white pepper, and a grating of nutmeg. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the cabbage is completely tender. Taste and adjust salt.

3

While the kålstuving finishes, fry the vossapølse. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage rounds in a single layer and fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Work in batches if the pan is not large enough.

4

Plate by putting a mound of kålstuving in the centre of each plate. Arrange the fried sausage rounds alongside. Add the boiled potatoes. Serve immediately.

Tips

The kålstuving must be made ahead and cannot be rushed: the cabbage needs time to break down in the sauce. It reheats without problem, so make it the day before if this helps. The milk should be warm before adding to avoid the sauce seizing. Some cooks add a teaspoon of sugar to the cabbage at the start, which brings out a gentle sweetness that works with the smoked sausage.