Normennenes Recipe Book 

Lamb and Cabbage in Crock Pot — Fårikål

Contributed by Karen F. — 2014
“September is the month when farmers in Norway bring their sheep down from their summer grazing pastures high up in the majestic mountains. The sheep have spent this time eating grass that is often intermingled with wild herbs. This has the effect of imparting such a wonderfully mild and fragrant aroma to the meat. As a result, Norwegian lamb is some of the best I have ever tasted.

“There's nothing better to celebrate this wonderful bounty than making fårikål, a traditional Norwegian meal of lamb and cabbage (in fact the name, får i kål, means just that - sheep in cabbage), which was voted the country's national dish in a radio programme in the 1970s. In fact, the last Thursday of September is Fårikålens Festdag (Fårikål Feast Day), and Norwegians celebrate this day by making this simple, but delicious dish. Such is their passion for this dish that Norwegians even have a National Fårikål Society, which opines on all things fårikål.”
ref. Nordic Nibbler

Links about Fårikål, Norway's national dish Fårikål Friends
MENY (menu) Norway
Norges Kokkemesteres Landsforening (Norway's National Association)
NRK Mat (food)
Nordic Nibbler

 
 
 
Ingredients:

4 lamb shoulder steaks
1 medium cabbage, quartered; core removed
1 large onion
1 14 oz. can chicken broth (about 2 cups)
- flour, salt, pepper, butter
 :
Notes from Grete:

My crock pot is not six quart like most of those available now. It is more like 3-4 quarts.

I sort of adapted this recipe from the “From Danish Kitchens” cookbook, St. Johannes Congregation Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, (page 47). In there it is called brun med faa rekod.
 
    Preparation:
     
  1. Trim large pieces of fat off of lamb, but leave the bones in (for flavor).
  2. Slice the cabbage about ¼-in. thick.
  3. Slice the onion about ¼ thick.
     
  4. Cut the lamb steaks into pieces, about 2 inches or so.
  5. Dry the lamb and sauté in a frying pan until brown.
  6. Layer the cabbage, onion & lamb pieces in the crock pot, sprinkling flour, salt and pepper each time.
  7. End with a layer of cabbage.
     
  8. Put some of the broth into the frying pan to get up the brown bits.
  9. Pour over the layers; then add the rest of the broth.
     
  10. Cover and cook on low all day (at least 6 hours). It smells wonderful!.
    Serving Suggestions:
     
  • Serve with boiled potatoes(or bread for soaking up juice.