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22 December: Top 3 Norwegian Jule-dishes
We wish each other “God Jul” these days in Norway. Our way of celebrating the Winter Solstice – “Jól” – of course comes with some special dishes that is served mainly during the Season’s Holiday. Here are the Norwegians’ Top 3 favourites:
Pork ribs. Best served with aquavit.
1. Pork ribs
Most Norwegians prefer pork ribs with accompanying pork sausages, pork meat balls, sauerkraut, potatoes and a healthy helping of aquavit. A winner on any Julebord!
Sheep or lamb ribs. Best served with aquavit.
2. Sheep/lamb ribs
Salted and dried lamb ribs are soaked into water for a day or two. Then pulled out of the water and put in a pot with some birch sticks in the bottom, adding a few inches of water. Let this steam for a few hours, make a rutabaga stew, add some sausages and potatoes, and hey presto! You have just made the Norwegians’ #2 Jule-favourite dish! Oh, and remeber healthy helping of aquavit.
Lutefisk. Best served with aquavit. Some prefer it without lutefisk.
3. Lutefisk
Made from stockfish, which has been process in lye. It requires some skills to prepare lutefisk properly, but once you have tasted the real deal with the accompanying bacon, mushy peas, mustard and a healthy helping of aquavit, you will not go back. It is an acquired taste for sure, and many Norwegians can’t stand it, but it is still up there among the Jule-favourites. (Some Norwegians prefer fresh cod for their Jule-dinner, though.)
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