Fårikål is actually the unofficial nation dish of Norway, to be correct. Fårikål [foːrɪkɔl] literally means «mutton in cabbage».
The dish was voted the national dish on national radio by the listeners of the show «Nitimen» in the 70’s
It is the easiest dish you can make. For real. It consists of four ingrediens: Lamb on the bone, black pepper, water and cabbage. We always eat this dish during September/October when the lambs are slaughtered and available fresh in the stores. The dish is so popular it even has it’s own day named after it.
Fårikål Feast Day is celebrated on the last Thursday in September each year. Belive me. The smell that covers the country on this day is not for everyone. It reeks of boiled cabbage. Most people love this smell, but not everybody.
It’s considered inappropriate to mess with the original recipe, but I can’t help myself. I have a little twist on the dish that I simply love. I haven’t changed the taste of the dish. I have just elevated the flavours.
The original recipe goes like this:
Fresh lamb, black pepper, cabbage, water.
Use the same amount of cabbage to lamb. For four persons 1,5 kg of meat and 1,5 kg of cabbage is perfect.
Sear the meat in a pan. Cut the cabbage in wedges. Layer meat and cabbage in a pot.
Black pepper is essential. Toast 2 tbs of pepper before adding it to the pot. Pour 4 dl of cold water into the pot. Season with salt. Leave to simmer for 1- 1,5 hours (use a lid) or until the meat starts to fall of the bones.
Serve with boiled potatoes.
Okey. Now over to my modernized Fårikål. I use the same amount of meat and cabbage for four persons. I also use one onion, a couple of fresh garlic cloves, rosemary and a big glass of dry white wine (or really good apple juice) and toasted black pepper.
The way I make the dish is by searing the meat, then adding chopped onions and finely chopped garlic. I let this simmer for ten minutes while stirring. I then add the wine and rosemary and let the alcohol evaporate. I layer meat and wedges of cabbage, but I save the half of the cabbage for later. Then I pour 3 dl of cold water into the dish. Add the whole black pepper and season with salt.
I let the pot simmer for 1 hour (use a lid) and then I add the rest of the cabbage on top and leave to simmer until the meat and cabbage is tender. Serve with boiled potatoes.
Do you want to try to make the Norwegian «national» dish? Go ahead! And please comment on which recipe you went for! I’m so excited to know.
I’m one of the ambassadors of Tutto Food Milano 2021. The fair will take place in Milan on May the 17th -20th 2021. I will be there to experience great food, wonderful products and to meet other food loving people from all over the world.
This blog post is written as part of the job I do for Tutto Food .
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