Maksalaatikko (Finnish Liver Casserole)
Maksalaatikko is a comforting and traditional Finnish casserole, often enjoyed as a Christmas dish but popular year-round. It combines cooked rice with finely ground beef liver, sautéed onions, eggs, and seasonings, baked until golden and slightly firm. It's typically served with a side of tart lingonberry jam.
🧂 Ingredients
- 3 dl Pudding rice or short-grain rice
- 1 liter Water
- 3 tsp Salt
- 500 g Beef liver(ground or very finely chopped)
- 2 medium Onions(finely chopped)
- 3 tbsp Butter or margarine
- 8 dl Milk
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 tsp White pepper(ground)
- 1 tsp Oregano(dried)
- 1 tsp Marjoram(dried)
- 3 tbsp Dark syrup or treacle
- 1.5 dl Raisins(seedless)
- for greasing Butter
- 2 tbsp Bread crumbs(optional, for topping)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the rice in salted water for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The mixture should remain quite liquid.
- 2
While the rice cooks, peel and finely chop the onions. In a frying pan, melt the butter or margarine over medium heat and sauté the onions until soft and lightly golden.
💡 Tip: Ensure the onions are cooked until tender but not browned to avoid a bitter taste. - 3
If your liver is not pre-ground, chop it into small pieces and grind it finely in a food processor or mince it. Combine the ground liver with the sautéed onions.
💡 Tip: For a smoother texture, ensure the liver is ground very finely. - 4
Once the rice is cooked, let it cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, liver and onion mixture, milk, eggs, white pepper, oregano, marjoram, dark syrup, and raisins. Mix thoroughly. The mixture will be quite liquid.
💡 Tip: The dark syrup adds a subtle sweetness and color. - 5
Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Grease a large oven dish with butter.
- 6
Pour the liver mixture into the prepared oven dish. If using, sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over the top.
💡 Tip: Adding a few small pieces of butter on top can enhance the browning. - 7
Bake for about 1 hour, or until the casserole is firm to the touch and the top is golden brown.
- 8
Let the maksalaatikko cool slightly before serving. It is traditionally served warm with lingonberry jam.
💡 Tip: The casserole firms up as it cools.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓If beef liver is unavailable, pork liver can be used, though it will have a stronger flavor.
- ✓For a richer flavor, some recipes include crispy bacon bits added to the mixture.
- ✓Ensure the liver is well-ground for a smooth texture; any sinewy parts should be removed.
🔄 Variations
- Add a small amount of finely chopped crispy bacon to the mixture.
- Substitute dark syrup with molasses if dark syrup is not available.