Karelian three-meat stew (Karjalanpaisti)

1. Cut the three kinds of meat into 4 cm cubes, the onions into wedges and the carrots into thick slices.

2. Layer the meats, onion and carrot in a lidded ovenproof pot, salting each layer lightly.

3. Scatter the whole allspice berries and bay leaves in between and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up.

4. Cover and cook in an oven preheated to 150 °C for 3.5 hours without stirring, adding a little water if needed.

5. For the last half hour remove the lid so the top browns a little and the juices thicken.

6. Remove the bay leaves and serve the stew with mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam and pickled beetroot.

Tip: Karjalanpaisti is the traditional festive dish of Karelia: in the old days it simmered for hours in the wood-fired oven, in the gentle heat left after baking bread. The three meats together give a deep, rich flavour, and the allspice the typical Nordic aroma. Don't rush it – the slower it cooks, the more tender it becomes.