Use a large skillet with deep sides. This is a one-pan recipe.
At med-high heat, brown a pound or more of ground meat (or less, depending on how many are eating and your need for leftovers), either a mixture of ground beef, pork, veal, etc. or any one of these alone.
Using a wooden spatula, or any kind of large utensil, break meat apart as it browns. I use an up-and-down motion over the meat, pounding it until the pieces are the size of peas. If you want to leave some larger chunks among the smaller ones, that's perfectly okay.
Add finely chopped onion (one onion, small, medium, or large -- whichever you want) to the browning meat and sauté together with the meat.
When meat is nicely browned and onions are translucent, mix in some finely chopped garlic, if you like it (I add a lot -- 4 cloves or so).
Turn heat down to halfway between high and low.
Sprinkle mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
Now, pour on milk (2% is good if you want a lower-fat version) or half & half, or a combination of both, until the liquid rises almost to the top of the skillet (leave enough room for a few more ingredients and for mixing without sloshing).
An alternative is to use beef stock instead of milk for the liquid, with the addition of about a half-cup of heavy cream or half & half.
Add some instant flour -- a couple of tablespoons -- to the liquid and mix well.
This will thicken the gravy (in the States you can use "Wondra"; in Canada, Robin Hood's "Blending Flour").
If you only have all-purpose flour, that's fine, but, to avoid lumps, mix it well with some of the liquid from the skillet in a separate little dish outside of the skillet until it's a smooth paste, then add to contents of skillet.
This is enough to make a good, basic hakklihakaste.
However, I add a few more ingredients. Most cooks have their own variations, too. You'll discover yours as you get used to making the dish.
For more flavor, I add a few tablespoons of ketchup, several drops of Worcestershire sauce, maybe a little teriyaki sauce and/or Heinz 57 sauce.
Many cooks mix in about a half-cup of sour cream near the end of cooking. Sometimes I do, too.
I like to add chopped celery toward the end of cooking (so that it remains slightly "al dente") when the whole dish is simmering and blending all the flavors together.
This is also the time to add sliced mushrooms, unless you want them really soft, in which case you'd add them earlier, before (or right after) the milk (or broth).
When the gravy is simmering beautifully, with all the flavors co-mingled, scoop it over hot boiled or mashed potatoes (which you were preparing as the meat browned, right? ;) )
If you have some, add fresh dill just before serving -- at least a few tablespoons of it. It's a very Esto thing to do! I cut a lot of it (with scissors) right into the gravy.
Many cooks add chopped chives.
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley is another versatile herb which goes with everything.
Eat the hakklihakaste while it's piping hot! Try to leave some for tomorrow's lunch. :D
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