Monday, December 10, 2007

It Begins with Pork

Is there anything tastier than pork fat? No, not really. I've been enamored with pork belly for awhile now, yet just learned it is in my blood. My Norwegian blood that is.

A traditional dish in Norway called Ribbe is cooked each year at Christmas. Ribbe are essentially the ribs, but the cut of meat can also extend down to the belly. All these cuts - as far as I understand - are from the side of the pig. And that my friends, is where the flavor is.

Scandinavians, like the British, have a soft spot for crackling. That is, the crisp, crackling fat and skin that results from scoring, drying and then roasting a nice cut of pork.

In preparation for next month's Soup Night - and its Scandinavia theme - I am testing some recipes out first.

The Menu:

Ribbe
Danish Pickled Red Cabbage
Mashed Potatoes
Brown Gravy

1 comment:

wyltk said...

must...eat....more...cracklings...Thanks, Sonj!