Decided to ring the changes tonight so I’m cooling Farikal – it’s a Norwegian national dish which is traditionally served on the last Thursday of September. It celebrates the return of the sheep, which have spent the summer fattening up on the high meadows. It’s very simple and as you can see has very few ingredients. I’m sure that this was a one-pot dish that could be cooked and eaten in the fields or on the beach.
Farikal - Simply sheep in cabbage
Fårikål
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 very large chump chops or similar (1lb meat)
- Half a savoy cabbage
- Flour (2 tbsp)
- Whole Peppercorns (1 tbsp)
- Salt
- Water
Chop up the chumps into 1 inch pieces and retain the bones and some of the fat. Cut the cabbage into ‘boats’ (like melon slices). In the bottom of a heavy pan start a layering process with the fattiest bits of the lamb – then a layer of cabbage, until you end on a layer of cabbage for the top. As you layer sprinkle the lamb with flour, salt and some of the whole peppercorns. When you get to the stage illustrated – add water until just the bottom quarter of the stew is in liquid. The cabbage will produce most of the final liquid. Cook this over a gentle heat for two and a half hours. Serve with potatoes boiled in their skins and crusty bread.
- A stew from Norway made from cabbage and lamb – means sheep in cabbage!
