Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday (1863) of Edvard Munch, Norwegian artist who is commonly remembered for his painting “The Scream” and little else these days. Certainly the painting is emblematic of Munch’s life, and representative of much of his work. The Scream exists in four versions: two pastels (1893 and 1895) and two paintings (1893 and 1910). There are also several lithographs of The Scream (1895 and later). The Scream is one of the most recognizable paintings in all art. Munch wrote of how the painting came to be: “I was walking down the road with two friends when the sun set; suddenly, the sky turned as red as blood. I stopped and leaned against the fence, feeling unspeakably tired. Tongues of fire and blood stretched over the bluish black fjord. My friends went on walking, while I lagged behind, shivering with fear. Then I heard the enormous, infinite scream of nature.” He later described the personal anguish behind the painting, “for several years I was almost mad… You know my picture, ‘The Scream?’ I was stretched to the limit—nature was screaming in my blood… After that I gave up hope ever of being able to love again.”

When I look at a platter of Norwegian open-face sandwiches I am vaguely reminded of a Munch painting. However, I’ll turn my attention to pinnekjøtt. Pinnekjøtt are lamb or mutton ribs that are prepared in a way that was originally traditional in northern and western Norway but is now popular throughout the country, especially at Christmas.

 Curing Ingredients:

1 entire rack of lamb ribs (includes the cutlet as well)
250 gm salt
10 gm sugar

Place the rack in a large container and using your hands, work the salt and sugar into the lamb. Make sure every part of the meat is covered with the salt/sugar mixture. Let it rest in a refrigerator or cool place for 2-3 days (2 for smaller racks, 3 for bigger). The meat will release its juices, so it is important to take this liquid and pour it all over the meat a couple of times per day.

After 2-3 days, pick up the rack and brush the excess off with your hands. Hang it, using a metal or other hook, in a cool & dry location. It should dry for 4-6 weeks, depending on the size of the rack. Determining when it is ready is done by experience. When you knock on it, you should hear a somewhat hollow sound – then you will know it it completely dry. (You can freeze the rack if it is finished drying before you are ready to cook it. Just make sure to take it out of the freezer 1 day before)

Cooking Ingredients

Whole rack of salt cured & dried lamb ribs, cut along each rib
Water
Butter

Soak the cut, dried ribs in water overnight. Drain and place the ribs very tightly into a large pot. Fill the pot with fresh water until it reaches the top of the ribs (the amount of water should be very minimal as the ribs should take up most of the space in the pot). Cover the pot and bring the water to a small boil over medium heat. Simmer for 2-3 hours or until the meat loosens easily off the bone.

Preheat the oven to 225 °C/ 440 °F

Take the ribs out of the water, leaving the water to cool slightly. Place the ribs in a long & deep roasting pan. Cover with foil as you wait for the cooking water to cool slightly. Once cooled, you will notice scum & fat have settled on the top of the water. Carefully scoop it out and place in a bowl and reserve.

Remove the foil from the meat. Pour the reserved scum and fat, along with some butter, cut into cubes, over the meat. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, turning the meat over half way through the cooking time & basting the meat with its juices. Take the ribs out when they have a nice color and the fat is becoming slightly crispy.

Serve with traditional kålrabistappe (mashed rutabaga & carrot stew), boiled potatoes and a gravy boat filled with the juice from the meat. Finish it all off with a shot of aquavit.