Traditional Icelandic Lamb soup/stew
There is a recipe for this soup in almost every Icelandic home. No two are the same, and most are not really recipes, but more like general guidelines. It is very hard to put down a measured recipe, since the ingredients available will vary, and so will the taste, mood and inclination of the cook! The following is one variation. The measurements are not meant to be taken too seriously, and should be varied according to taste and availability of ingredients. I have marked the absolutely necessary ingredients with an asterisk (*). These are only necessary for authenticity - you can make the soup any way you please....
Cooking time: ca. 60 minutes, 10-15 minutes preparation. Serves 4-6.
1 1/2 litre Water* (less if you want a stew)
500 g Lamb or Mutton*
1/2 medium Onion*
100 g white cabbage*
2 medium Carrots*
1/2 dl rice*
1/2 small Rutabaga*
cauliflower, divided into florets
sliced leeks
cubed potatoes
Bring the water to boil. Rinse the meat with cold water and drop in the boiling water. Lower temperature to medium. Allow meat to cook for about 2-3 minutes. Skim and add salt. Cook for 30 minutes. Add rice. Cook over low temperature for 10 minutes. Add carrots, onion and cabbage, cauliflower, rutabaga, potatoes and leeks (if using). Cook for 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Skim off fat before serving.
Serve the meat on a platter with some potatoes (if you cooked them in the soup, don't bother to remove them). Some people will eat the meat and potatoes first, others will cut them up and add to the soup. Some people also add milk just before serving. Save some soup for the next meal. Like its Italian cousin, the Minestrone, this tastes even better the next day.
There is a recipe for this soup in almost every Icelandic home. No two are the same, and most are not really recipes, but more like general guidelines. It is very hard to put down a measured recipe, since the ingredients available will vary, and so will the taste, mood and inclination of the cook! The following is one variation. The measurements are not meant to be taken too seriously, and should be varied according to taste and availability of ingredients. I have marked the absolutely necessary ingredients with an asterisk (*). These are only necessary for authenticity - you can make the soup any way you please....
Cooking time: ca. 60 minutes, 10-15 minutes preparation. Serves 4-6.
1 1/2 litre Water* (less if you want a stew)
500 g Lamb or Mutton*
1/2 medium Onion*
100 g white cabbage*
2 medium Carrots*
1/2 dl rice*
1/2 small Rutabaga*
cauliflower, divided into florets
sliced leeks
cubed potatoes
Bring the water to boil. Rinse the meat with cold water and drop in the boiling water. Lower temperature to medium. Allow meat to cook for about 2-3 minutes. Skim and add salt. Cook for 30 minutes. Add rice. Cook over low temperature for 10 minutes. Add carrots, onion and cabbage, cauliflower, rutabaga, potatoes and leeks (if using). Cook for 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Skim off fat before serving.
Serve the meat on a platter with some potatoes (if you cooked them in the soup, don't bother to remove them). Some people will eat the meat and potatoes first, others will cut them up and add to the soup. Some people also add milk just before serving. Save some soup for the next meal. Like its Italian cousin, the Minestrone, this tastes even better the next day.