what a great theme this week
today i am making the national dish of norway.
fårikål- lamb and cabbage stew is deliciously satisfying and simple to make. it is most commonly served in autumn to early winter but any cold day is a good time.
there are only 5 ingredients:
2 kg coarsely chopped lamb meat with bones
1,5- 2 kg cabbage cut in wedges
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons whole black peppercorns
0.5 liter water
the key to it's great taste is the quality of the lamb. in norway sheep including the young lambs are set free to graze in the mountains as soon as the snow melts in the springtime. they roam and graze all summer and are gathered in and slaughtered before the first snows of october. the meat is tender and juicy with that unique flavor that grazing freely in the wild gives.
this stew is great to serve at parties. the guests will want refills so figure about 3/4 kg meat per person including bones. it is easy to make, can be prepared ahead of time and is a wonderfully hearty comfort food, perfect for the crisp cool weather.
the cuts of meat for this dish are a mix of chops, ribs, neck and shoulders. the bones and fat are essential though some fat may be removed before cooking. some cooks prefer to brown the meat first but in my experience it is equally good to just place the fattiest pieces of meat fat side down in the bottom of the pot.
avoid any temptation to add some herbs or use ground pepper or throw in a few carrots or onions. they will give it a sweet taste and basically ruin it. believe me there is no need to 'improve' this classic dish.
the total cooking time is about 1.5 to 2 hours. i prefer to partially precook the meat, salt and peppercorns in a little water for about 45 minutes the night before. this way the cabbage doesn't get overcooked. also in the event that the meat is overly fatty it is easy to remove some of it the next day before adding the cabbage.
chop a whole cabbage into 8-10 wedges. for 2 kgs meat
1.5-2 kg cabbage is about right. no need to be exact.
remove most of the partially cooked meat leaving a single layer in the pot. add half of the cabbage wedges, sprinkle some more peppercorns, make a new layer with the meat, then the rest of the cabbage and top with the remaining meat, some salt and peppercorns. the total amount of water for should be no more than 0,5 liter/ 1 pint. don't worry about overdoing the pepper. you can always add more toward the end if need be. cover and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes up to 1 hour. no longer. don't attempt to stir but if you are concerned the bottom meat will burn just twist the pot back and forth a bit.
meanwhile peel some medium sized potatoes and boil them. if you start to peel when the stew starts to boil they should be done about the same time. when the potatoes are fully cooked drain them and return to the pot to low heat to dry them out. proudly serve the potatoes whole but not soggy.
be sure to serve generous portions, ladling some broth over everything. consider adding some color with raw carrot sticks and tyttebær/ (mountain) cranberry sauce if you can get it. you'll need a plate or two for the bones but don't be shy about sucking any bone marrow- you are among friends. feel free to eat the peppercorns but if you get too much just put some aside with the bones.
a dark full beer is more suitable than a light pilsner. if you are having a party then a mild akevitt would fit the bill.
enjoy a real feast of a meal. skål