Lýsi

Cod liver oil

In Icelandic, cod liver oil is called Lýsi, the most common is Þorskalýsi, i.e. cod liver oil, which is made from cod livers. Cod liver oil is also obtained from the liver of other types of fish, such as pollack or shark; whales and seals were also used on Iceland in the past.

Cod liver oil is high in vitamin A, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is produced by the body under the influence of sufficient sunlight. Without sufficient sunlight, the body cannot produce vitamin D. If the vitamin D level in the body is too low, it can manifest itself in skin problems, bleeding gums, an increased susceptibility to infections or particular night blindness, but can also lead to more brittle bones or ultimately lead to rickets. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to lifelong complications, especially in children.

The omega-3 fatty acid EPA is said to be anti-inflammatory and promote metabolism, have a particularly mood-enhancing effect and have a beneficial effect on depression or anxiety disorders. The fatty acid DHA is particularly important during pregnancy because it is said to have a positive effect on the development of the eye and brain functions of the fetus, but sperm quality is also said to be improved by taking DHA. These fatty acids occur naturally in fatty sea fish such as salmon or cod.

In a northern country like Iceland, where it is very dark for a long time in winter, the body simply has no chance of producing anywhere near the vitamin D it needs during this time, and the supply of polyunsaturated fatty acids is often not sufficient - So additional intake is necessary here.

Lýsi factory in the Grandi waterfront district of Reykjavík

It is said that the Vikings already knew the health-promoting effects of cod liver oil, and today you can still find cod liver oil in many Icelandic refrigerators, but also on the breakfast buffet in Icelandic hotels or guesthouses.

The Icelandic company Lýsi, founded in 1938 and based in Reykjavík, is now a leader in the production and sale of cod liver oil in Iceland. They offer cod liver oil in bottles, either classic or with lemon flavor or lemon and mint, but also in a special version that is said to be adapted to the needs of children. If you want, you can now also take your cod liver oil in capsule form - definitely not a bad idea purely for taste reasons!

(Incidentally, you should not heat the cod liver oil, otherwise the unacidified fatty acids will be destroyed.)

I gave my sister a bottle of lemon-flavored “Lýsi” for Christmas. She was slightly surprised, but tried it faithfully and came to the conclusion: "It tastes slightly lemony, is otherwise quite neutral in taste and has a very oily finish!"

We brought the classic version "Lýsi" from Iceland to do something about vitamin D deficiency in winter. It smells massively fishy when you open the bottle, and the fishy taste of the cod liver oil is overwhelming. Others say it takes some getting used to. Well, I hope I'm still getting used to it, I have to use up the opened bottle in the fridge now! On the other hand - since I started taking vitamin D in the winter, my skin problems on my hands have actually disappeared, otherwise I would immediately have cracked, bloody cracks on my knuckles in the winter. So I'm thrilled with the effect - just the taste... well.

With that in mind - bon appetit and good health!

[Translated from here.]

Kryddaðar jólakleinur

Spiced Christmas treats

I'm often asked what the "sour milk" is in my recipes; you don't necessarily know that from the supermarket in your country. Sour milk or curdled milk is soured milk that has lactic acid bacteria added to it to thicken it. Sour milk is quite thick and tastes slightly sour. You can sometimes also get it as “Swedish milk” in the supermarket.


Ingredients

600 g flour
170 g white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baker's ammonia
1 pinch of ground vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground lemon peel
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cardamom
60 g melted butter
1 large egg
250 ml sour milk

Sugar-cinnamon for rolling

500 ml rapeseed oil


Preparation

In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, staghorn salt and spices.

Then add the melted butter, egg and sour milk and stir.

Then knead the dough thoroughly, adding a little more flour if necessary if the dough is still a little sticky.

Then roll out the dough in portions on a floured work surface, baking paper or similar into a rectangle until it is almost 1 cm thick.

Now cut into diamonds using a biscuit roll, pizza cutter or similar.

Cut the diamonds in the middle and carefully pull one end through.

Heat the oil in a large pot until bubbles form when you hold a wooden stick in it.

Then fry the Kleinur in portions in the hot fat until they are golden on all sides (keep in mind that they will darken afterwards!). Be careful not to add too many to the fat at the same time, as this would lower the temperature of the fat too much.

Then remove the baked Kleinur from the fat with a ladle and place them briefly on kitchen paper to absorb the excess fat.

Then roll them directly in the sugar-cinnamon mixture in a soup bowl.

Then Merry Christmas, gleðileg jól!

[Translated from here.]

Kæst skata með hnoðmör

Rotten rays with kneaded fat

The typical food in Iceland for December 23rd, Saint Þorlákur's Day, eaten at the Þorláksmessa is kæst skata, i.e. rotten rays with kneaded fat. It's the smelliest food I've ever personally encountered, and even some Icelanders say that it's specially served on the 23rd, so that everything the housewife serves you at Christmas seems great, no matter how it tastes. But you can probably get used to the taste of rotten rays over time.

Star rays are usually used for the kæst skata. Since the ray does not have a urinary bladder but - like all plate gills - accumulates its urea in the blood, the star ray is only suitable for human consumption if it has been fermented for at least 4 weeks. Even then, the smell is still overwhelming

With the rotten ray you traditionally eat boiled potatoes, freshly baked Icelandic rye bread, called Rúgbrauð, and - and this is where it gets critical again - kneaded fat or visceral fat. This fat, called "hnoðmör" or "mörflot", is a very typically Icelandic specialty that originally comes from the Westfjords, but has now spread throughout Iceland.

For the "hnoðmör" the fat is separated from the stomach of the freshly slaughtered sheep as intact as possible. The fat is then kneaded and formed into "dumplings", which are left to firm up a little overnight. The next day, the "dumplings" are individually wrapped in pieces of linen or gauze and hung outside in a place that is as windy as possible but at the same time somewhat sheltered from the rain. The whole thing is then left hanging in the bags for 6 to 8 weeks until the fat has turned blue-green and hairy. If it's too cold outside and the fat isn't furry enough, bring it back into the kitchen for 2 or 3 days to let it "ripen". The blue-green, furry-hairy fat is then chopped into small pieces, kneaded well, formed into cubes in portions and then stored in a cool place.

In the Westfjords, a St. Andrew's cross was carved into one side of the finished pieces of plasticine, probably a religious, magical custom, a kind of "protective symbol" against evil spirits. They say this is to prevent the devil from getting into the kneaded fat...

By the way, the kneaded fat has a very intense smell when cold; you could also say that it stinks, even if it is kept frozen. When warmed up, it doesn't smell nearly as bad and, even for inexperienced palates, it may not be particularly enjoyable, but at least it's not actively bad. The smell of the rotten ray, on the other hand, is much, much worse...

When preparing this dish, you should also think about those around you - if possible, you shouldn't necessarily cook it in a small kitchen in a large apartment building without any real ventilation options and you should definitely pay attention to draft when cooking. Some recommend cooking it on the camp stove behind the garage... And if you prefer to use salted water instead of unsalted water to cook the stingray, the salt will probably temper the impact of the smell and taste somewhat.

Traditionally, kæst skata is served with boiled potatoes and fresh rye bread.


Preparation

Place the rotten ray in boiling, unsalted water and simmer until the meat separates from the cartilage.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes, skip the kneaded fat and cut the Rúgbrauð into slices and then serve the meal straight away.

Bon appetit - at least it's a very special pre-Christmas experience!

PS: Leftover food

If there is any leftover food from the evening of December 23rd, you can use it to prepare a typical Icelandic breakfast for the next morning, namely "skötustappa":

After eating, mash the fish meat with the cooked potatoes, the melted kneaded fat and a little salt into a thick paste, let the paste cool down well and store it in the refrigerator overnight (be sure to store it in an airtight container or something similar!).

The next morning, cut the rye bread into nice thick slices, spread with butter and spread the "skötostappa" on the bread - the perfect breakfast for a Christmas in the Icelandic Westfjords!

[Translated from here.]

Lakkrís sörur

Liquorice Sörur

I love Sörur, and when I recently came across the idea of ​​pimping up the classic Sörur with a little licorice powder and syrup, I definitely had to try it out!

By the way, you can also say “Lörur” to these “licorice sörur” - I like this new word creation, even if it’s not mine.


Ingredients for the dough

300 g ground almonds
250 g powdered sugar
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
4 egg whites

Ingredients for the cream

4 egg yolks
80 g light syrup
60 g licorice syrup
300 g soft butter
3 Tbsp cappuccino powder

Ingredients for the glaze

300 g dark chocolate coating
1 Tbsp licorice powder


Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) upper/lower heat.

Mix the ground almonds with the powdered sugar and the grated orange peel.

Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff.

Then mix both together...

...and use a teaspoon to place small heaps on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) for about 10 to 12 minutes until the pastries are beautifully golden.

Then let it cool down well.

To make the cream, mix the egg yolks with the light syrup.

Fold in the butter.

Mix the licorice syrup and the cappuccino powder together and let the cream solidify in the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour.

Then pipe the cream onto the cookie bases using a piping bag or something similar, or simply apply it with a teaspoon if necessary.

Then let the cookies solidify in the fridge.

Then let the couverture melt in a water bath.

Then spread the frozen, hard cookies in portions with the liquid chocolate coating and dust them directly with a little licorice powder.

Then chill again in the refrigerator and serve well chilled.

[Translated from here.]

Möndlugrautur

Almond rice pudding

This is also a typical Christmas meal in Iceland for family celebrations on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day - slow-cooked rice pudding with sugar, cinnamon and crowberry juice. And of course in Iceland an almond is hidden in the rice pudding and whoever finds the almond gets a small gift. In many large Icelandic families, it is customary for the adult family members to take turns every year as to who gets the almond gift.


Ingredients

250 g rice
Water
1 liter of milk
1 pinch of salt

sugar and cinnamon
Crowberry juice


Preparation

Put the rice in a large pot, just cover with a little boiling water and then let it cook for an hour.

Add hot water every now and then to keep the rice covered.

Then pour in 750 ml of milk in portions while the rice simmers over a low heat and needs to be stirred again and again.

Then season the rice pudding with a pinch of salt.

Then let the rice pudding stand for about 2 hours, then heat it again and stir in the remaining 250 ml milk until the rice pudding is nice and thick and creamy.

Add a whole almond to the rice pudding.

The rice pudding is then traditionally served with crowberry juice and strong sugar cinnamon.

[Translated from here.]

Heitt kókóssúkkulaði

Coconut hot chocolate

I love hot chocolate, for me it's the perfect nourishment for the soul on a cold, dark evening...


Ingredients for 2 servings

300 ml milk
200 ml coconut milk
80 g dark chocolate

whipped cream
desiccated coconut
optionally coffee spice


Preparation

Slowly heat the milk in a pot on the stove.

Carefully break the chocolate into pieces.

Mix with the milk, stirring constantly.

Then stir in the coconut milk...

...remove the hot chocolate from the heat and pour it into two mugs or glasses.

Sprinkle with whipped cream and coconut flakes, optionally with a little cinnamon or coffee spice, and serve immediately.

[Translated from here.]

Hamborgarhryggur með uppstúfi

Cured pork with white sauce

Hamborgarhryggur is the Icelandic version of cured pork tenderloin and a traditional Christmas meal in Iceland. Instead of hamborgarhryggur, this recipe is also often prepared with leg of lamb; hangikjöt, which has been smoked over birch smoke, is particularly popular.

As a side dish there is traditionally canned peas and/or red cabbage.


Ingredients

1.5 kg cured pork tenderloin
1 can of green peas/
1 glass of red cabbage
800 g boiled potatoes

1 Tbsp margarine
1 Tbsp flour
400 ml milk
1 tsp sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper
1 pinch of nutmeg


Preparation

Heat the meat, as well as the peas and/or the red cabbage.

For the white sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan.

Add the flour and stir.

Then add the milk in small portions, stirring constantly and let the whole thing simmer for about 5 minutes.

Then season with sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg

Slice the meat and serve with the potatoes, peas/red cabbage and white sauce.

[Translated from here.]

Jólakladdkaka

Christmas chocolate cake

Kladdkaka is best known from Swedish cuisine. It is a moist chocolate cake with a beautifully soft, sticky center that is traditionally served with whipped cream or ice cream and fruit. Here's an Icelandic Christmas version of this cake.


Ingredients

Ingredients for the dough

150 g butter
3 eggs
320 g brown sugar
60 g baking cocoa
250 g flour
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp ground vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves

Ingredients for the glaze

150 ml whipping cream
200 g dark chocolate
1 pinch of ground vanilla
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter


Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) upper/lower heat.

Let the butter melt.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until fluffy.

Add flour, salt and spices and mix with the melted butter to form a smooth dough.

Line a springform pan (approx. 24 cm diameter) with baking paper. Pour in the dough...

...and then bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) upper and lower heat for about 25 minutes. (This time don't do a (!) toothpick test, the cake here should still be soft and sticky in the middle!)

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool.

For the glaze, put the cream in a small saucepan and heat slowly.

Break the chocolate into pieces and let it melt in the warm cream, stirring constantly.

Finally stir in vanilla, cinnamon and butter.

Then pour the glaze over the cake and let it cool until the glaze has set.

Then serve the cake with lots of cream as dessert.

[Translated from here.]