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Svið is an unusual and unique dish from Iceland consisting of singed, halved, and cooked sheep's head. The head is then cooked in an open fire (in order to remove the fur) and consumed. The dish is traditionally served with a side of mashed turnips, rhubarb jelly, and mashed potatoes, especially during the traditional Icelandic mid-winter festival known as Þorrablót.
Originally, the dish was invented at a time when people could not let any part of meat go to waste. Although svið has a reputation of being really tasty, some may find it strange to literally look their food in the eye.
Originally a humble peasant dish, this French stew is made with fresh turnips and lamb or mutton. There are two theories regarding the origin of navarin. One says it was created to mark to the victory of the French navy over the Egyptians and Turks at Navarino Bay in 1827, while the other claims the name of the dish comes from the turnip, or navet in French.
In the past, navarin was undoubtedly prepared with the cheapest cuts of mutton from old sheep that had been kept for their wool, so a long cooking time was required to make the meat tender and delicious. Today, navarin is a French classic that makes the best out of a cheap cut of meat and turns it into something unique and special.
Kalja is an old peasant dish originating from Bosnia, with variants of it popular in Serbia and the Lika area of Croatia. In the past, the dish was made with a combination of lamb or sheep meat and cabbage or any available vegetables. Nowadays, it's mostly prepared with veal or lamb, potatoes, cabbage, onions, carrots, garlic, and tomatoes.
The stew is simmered until the meat becomes tender. Kalja is traditionally served without side dishes, but it's often accompanied by a dollop of sour cream and a few slices of bread. The dish is especially comforting on cold winter days.
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The national dish of Norway, fårikål, is hearty mutton and cabbage stew, typically served with boiled potatoes. The list of ingredients is scarce: only mutton, cabbage, salt, pepper, and water, although some recipes call for the broth to be thickened with flour.
Traditionally, this stew was a seasonal, autumn dish, but today it is eaten throughout the year.
MOST ICONIC Fårikål
Baranina or mutton is typical of traditional Polish cuisine, although it is rarely consumed today. Stewing, braising, grilling, and roasting are some of the traditional ways used for preparing different cuts of mutton. One of the most common mutton dishes is pieczeń barania, meaning mutton roast, which typically consists of a seasoned mutton shoulder that is studded with garlic and onions, and flavored with aromatic herbs such as marjoram or rosemary before it is roasted for a couple of hours.
Meat comes out tender and pinkish on the inside with a crispy skin on top, and it is usually paired with mashed potatoes, beets, and a vegetable salad on the side. In Poland, the term baranina may sometimes be used to refer to lamb meat, although the meat obtained from lambs is usually called jagnięcina.
One of the most popular comfort foods in the United Kingdom is called shepherd's pie, a hot and savory dish reminiscent of a casserole, consisting of minced lamb or mutton meat, potatoes, onions, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, thick gravy, and seasonings such as marjoram, parsley, and black pepper.
All of the ingredients are placed under a roof of buttery, creamy mashed potatoes, and baked in an oven until the pie is ready for consumption. This simple delicacy was invented by shepherds in the 18th century England and Scotland. The pie became extremely popular in the 1870s, and not by coincidence, as mincing machines became widely available to the public in those years.
MOST ICONIC Shepherd's pie
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