Pork shank with turnip,carrot,potato mash (Fläsklägg med Rotmos)

Dinner for 4 for under ten dollars

Pure food. So simple.So nice

You will all be happy to know that today my new Fuji camera arrives, and hopefully my pictures will be 100% better, and you will want to dive in and start cooking. Fläsklägg in Swedish is translated to pork shank in English. It's the cut between the elbow and the knee of a big juicy piggy. This particular piece of meat needs a little bit of TLC with a long slow cooking process over medium heat and so the meat falls from the bone when you tug at it with a fork.
This meal is by far one of my favorite meals in all categories. The crackling and the sweet lovely chunks of rose colored meat. The added smoothness of the slightly spicy creamy root vegetable mash.This meal is really a hot tub of goodness, that is both easy on the wallet, and easy to prepare. Next time your at the nearest butcher or meat counter ask for some pork shanks and give this a go. Really....magical.

How to Swedish style Pork shanks and root veggie mash:

• 1 kg rinsed pork shank
• 1 carrot
• 1 yellow onion
• 6 whole all spice peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf

It's a beautiful thing.....

For the mash:

• 1 turnip ( ca 400g)
• 3 carrots (ca 400g)
• stock from the pork shank
• 8-10 (ca 800g) good mashing potatoes

salt and white pepper and butter to taste

Just this easy

Add the now rinsed and clean pork shank to a large pot of cold water.Let it cook up on an medium heat until it comes to a slight boil.Peal and chop your onion and carrot and add it to the pot. Also add in your peppercorns and your bay leaf. Turn down the heat to low and and place a lid on top.Let simmer for about 1½- 2 hours or until the meat is ready to fall off the bone. 

When the meat is about ready. Remove it gently from your stock, and discard your cooked vegetables from the stock. Let your pork rest while you prepare your mash.

Root Vegetables. Equals goodness.

Fläsklägg med rotmos.... Comfort food Swedish style

Peal and chop your turnip, carrot and potatoes into roughly the same size pieces to ensure evenly cooking. Add the turnips and carrots  to a large pot and add almost all the stock to the vegetables. Add a little more salt and pepper here if you need too.Cook for around 30  minutes. Add the chopped potatoes and cook for around 15 minutes or until soft. Strain your stock into a large bowl and set aside. Mash your root vegetables with a potato masher and add in a little stock as needed. Add your butter and salt and white pepper to taste. It is just fine to leave in some lumps here.Mash until it is fluffy and seasoned to your taste. Add extra stock if  it seems to dry. 

I like to turn the oven up to 200C -400F and lay my pork leg under the grill to make a nice crackling with the skin. Around 20 minutes, but watch it so it does not burn. Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite French mustard and traditionally Swedes eat this with a big glass of milk. Either way it's a lovely dinner and I hope you give it a try. I hope you will not be disappointed.