Fårikål - Norway's National Dish

Takes 240 minutes | Serves 4 |

Ingredients

2000 g lamb (neck, shoulder, or leg)
2 units cabbage heads
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
3 units garlic cloves
5 units shallots
1 bunch fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano)
1 unit star anise
2 units bay leaves
50 g wheat flour
1 to taste salt and pepper
50 g butter
2 tbsp neutral oil

Steps

Prepare the Meat

• Cut the lamb into appropriately sized pieces. Mix wheat flour with plenty of salt and pepper. Roll the lamb pieces in the seasoned flour.

Sautéing

• Heat a large frying pan and a big pot. Add butter and a little neutral oil to the frying pan. In the pot, add butter, shallots, and garlic. Sauté onions and garlic over medium heat until soft and translucent.
• Sear the lamb pieces on high heat in the frying pan, browning them on all sides to form a crust, then transfer to the pot.

Deglazing

• Deglaze the frying pan by pouring a little hot water and simmering for 1 minute. Pour this liquid over the lamb in the pot.

Simmer the Meat

• Pour 1-1.5 liters of cold water over the lamb in the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Add tied fresh herbs, star anise, and bay leaves. Cook for 1 hour.

Prepare the Cabbage

• While the meat is simmering, cut the cabbage into large wedges.

Layering the Cabbage and Meat

• After 1 hour, remove the lamb from the pot. In a new large pot, layer the lamb and cabbage wedges alternately, adding black peppercorns and salt between layers.
• Strain the cooking broth through a sieve, removing herbs, peppercorns, and onions. Pour strained broth (about 1 liter) over the cabbage and lamb layers.

Final Cooking

• Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 1 ½ hours until cabbage is tender and meat is soft.

Serving

• Serve the Fårikål directly from the pot with boiled potatoes on the side.