Norwegian meat and potato stew (Lapskaus)

1. Cut the beef shin and pork shoulder into 2 cm cubes and chop the onions.

2. Put the meat, onions and bay leaves into a large pot, pour over the water, add salt and simmer, covered, over low heat for 1 hour, skimming off any foam.

3. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes, carrots and swede and cut them into 1.5 cm cubes; slice the leek.

4. Add the vegetables to the meat and cook for another 45 minutes, stirring now and then, until some of the potatoes break down and thicken the stew.

5. Add the leek for the last 10 minutes; season with salt and plenty of pepper.

6. Serve in deep plates with rye bread and pickled cucumbers or beetroot.

Tip: Lapskaus is the classic one-pot meal of Norwegian working-class neighbourhoods and sailors; its name is related to the English "lobscouse" and the German "Labskaus". It is right when some of the potatoes break down and it becomes a thick, spoonable stew. You can swap the swede for parsnip or parsley root - then cook it a little less.