Iceland: Pork Loin Slow-Roasted in Angelica Skyr, with Crunchy Pork Crackling, Caramel Potatoes, and Rhubarb Jam
Forged by Vikings, the fascinating Northern European country of Iceland is often referred to as the land of Ice and Fire. An isolated, volcanically-active island in the North Atlantic Ocean, Iceland is part of the Scandinavian union with Denmark, Norway, Faroe Islands, Finland and Sweden. With a summer of sunlight that lasts all day and a fiercely cold and dark winter, this barren and infertile island has limited natural food resources but very resourceful cooks.
In response to their environment, Icelanders have developed interesting and robust food practices that focus on opportunity, especially the seasonal gathering and preserving of local produce when it’s at its best. Signature flavours of Icelandic food can be found in its unique preservation methods of pickling, drying, smoking, curing and brining of everything. Key ingredients of this protein rich cuisine include seafood and waterfowl, dairy products, lamb and pork accompanied by root vegetables, rhubarb, herbs and wild berries.
Our Icelandic Menu included
Pork Loin Slow-Roasted in Angelica Skyr
with
Crunchy Pork Crackling
Caramel Potatoes
Green Peas and Rhubarb Jam
PORK LOIN SLOW-ROASTED IN ANGELICA SKYR
Cooking Note: Skyr ( Icelandic locals pronounce it ‘skeer’), is a soft, creamy and spoon-able cultured cheese with a taste and texture somewhere between Greek yogurt and Crème fraiche. If you can’t get Skyr you can replace it in this recipe with 1 cup Greek yoghurt mixed with a teaspoon of sugar and a dash of cream.
Ingredients:
· 1 kg Pork Loin, skin/rind removed and reserved for crackling
· 1 cup IcelandicSkyr
· 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
· 2 tsp dried, crushed Angelica (can be replaced with dried Celery Leaves)
· I tsp dried, crushed Lovage (replace with Angelica or flat leaf parsley)
· 1 tsp dried, crushed Arctic Thyme (can be replaced with other Thymes)
· 2 tbs Olive Oil
· Salt and Pepper
· ¼ cup Rhubarb Jam
· 2 cups frozen peas or 1 can Peas
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
2. Rub salt into the piece of pork
3. Mix skyr, garlic, herbs and pepper to taste and coat the pork with the mix
4. Marinate the pork in the skyr for 1 hour
5. Whilst the pork is marinating prepare the crackling
6. Score the pork rind with a shark knife
7. Place the rind skin side up on a rack over a baking tray
8. Brush well with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt (2-3 tsp)
9. Roast crackling for 40-50 minutes or until bubbly, golden and crisp
10. Cool for 5 minutes then break into pieces or cut up with kitchen scissors
11. Line a baking tray with baking paper and put the marinated pork on the baking tray, reserving about ¼ of the skyr marinaded to be used later
12. Place tray in the oven and immediately turn the heat back to 125 degrees C
13. Slow roast the pork at that temperature for 1 hour
14. Turn heat up to 150 degrees
15. Turn pork over, add half the reserved skyr over the top and slow roast for another hour
16. Turn heat up to 180 degrees and repeat step 15
17. Turn heat up to 200 degrees and roast until brown and caramelised – note: if the meat is already brown but needs more cooking inside cover with foil to prevent burning and keep cooking at 200 degrees until done
18. This pork will be incredibly tender when finished. Let it rest for a little before carving
19. Serve with the Rhubarb Jam on the side accompanied with the crackling and green peas
This is a Q-Zine original recipe informed by several sourced from:
http://icecook.blogspot.com/2006/01/sunnudags-lambasteik-icelandic-sunday_27.htm
http://icecook.blogspot.com/2006/01/sunnudags-lambasteik-icelandic-sunday_27.html
https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/culture_and_living/2015/10/17/recipe_icelandic_leg_of_lamb/
https://www.reykjavikout.is/traditional-icelandic-food-2/
https://www.extremeiceland.is/en/blog/iceland-bucket-list-food-to-eat
https://grapevine.is/icelandic-culture/food/2014/12/12/what-icelanders-eat-for-the-holidays/
CARAMELISED POTATOES
Ingredients
· 1 kg small, new waxy potatoes
· 5 tbs sugar
· 3 tbs butter
· 1 tsp salt
Directions:
1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil
2. Simmer until potatoes are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes
3. Carefully drain potatoes into a colander so that they remain intact
4. Once potatoes are cool, peel them with a small knife
5. Take a large saucepan, add 2 tbs water and the sugar and simmer over a medium heat until a golden syrup is formed, around 4 minutes
6. Stir in the butter, turn back the heat and add the potatoes
7. Carefully roll the potatoes around in the pan until they are fully coated with the caramel sauce and slowly cook until the potatoes are glazed and warm, about 4 minutes
This is a Q-Zine original recipe informed by several sourced from:
https://guidetoiceland.is/best-of-iceland/delicious-icelandic-recipes
http://icecook.blogspot.com/2006/01/brnaar-kartflur-caramelised-potatoes_31.html
https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/icelandic-caramel-glazed-potatoes
https://www.heyiceland.is/blog/nanar/5218/an-iceland-inspired-christmas
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