Deconstructing Fårikål

When I first got asked about making a new version of fårikål, I had no idea what that dish was... Of course translated directly it is lamb and cabbage, but I never got the opportunity to try it in the last 4+ years I lived in Oslo. And that was the main idea, Norwegians almost never invite you home to try Norwegian food, and you cannot find many Norwegian restaurants in Oslo. 

I did my research, and invited a friend of mine to be the test rabbit for me. I made the recipe as it said in many online sites and it tasted like fårikål. But that wasn't the challenge I had. The challenge was to make this dish a bit gourmet, a bit different. Le's make Norwegians want to invite their friends and show them what Norwegian cuisine is all about!

So I decided to deconstruct it!

Ingredients

4 pieces of lamb from Anni's Pølsemakeri
1 cabbage
Potatoes
1 tbsp butter
Licorice powder from Johan Bülow
Ground and whole pepper
Salt
Fresh rosemary
1 tsp oil

In order to deconstruct, you need to make the traditional dish first.

Use a big pot, add a bit of oil and place a piece of lamb, salt, pepper corns and fresh rosemary. Cut the cabbage in big pieces, and cover the lamb. Add another lamb piece, salt, pepper with rosemary and add more cabbage. Continue until the last piece of lamb is covered with cabbage. Add water until all is covered and let it boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 2.5 hours. You will notice the cabbage will turn a bit transparent and then it is done. Peel and boil the potatoes until they are soft.

Now the deconstruction starts!

Carefully remove the big pieces of cabbage and set them aside. Set the lamb carefully on a plate. Remove the rosemary from the pot.  Use a ring to cut the cabbage in small round pieces. You can use a shot glass or cut them with a knife if you don't have any rings at home. Place them in a bowl with a bit of the broth from the pot so they stay warm and wet. Mash the potatoes and add butter and salt and set aside. Use some liquorice powder and rub the lamb with it. It will give the flavors of beer (a secret I got from my pal Espen) and put as well aside. Take the rest of the cabbage and blend it until it is a puree, Add some extra ground pepper or broth until it is creamy.

Plating this dish is easy. Add 2 tablespoons of mash potatoes and cover it with the cabbage circles we made. Fry the rubbed lamb with butter until golden. Add the cabbage puree next to the potatoes and serve the lamb over it. Add fresh rosemary or pomegranate over the lamb to garnish.

It tastes like the fårikål we started with. I hope you guys like it and try to make it for your friends any day soon!

Here is the complete episode!