Eat Like a Viking

The Vikings, those seafaring Scandinavians who flourished from the late 8th to early 11th centuries, are often remembered for their raids, longships, and mythic sagas. Yet behind the fierce reputation was a practical society with a rich culinary history. Viking food was shaped by geography and necessity, combining foraging with farming and fishing, to keep them fed through extended voyages and the long Nordic winters.

Living in a rugged landscape of forests and icy waters, Vikings relied heavily on animal protein. Domesticated livestock such as cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats provided meat, milk, and cheese. Beef and pork were roasted or boiled in large cauldrons. Sheep and goats were more common in mountainous regions, providing meat, dairy products, and wool.  Fishing was essential, especially for coastal communities. 

Grains were the foundation of Viking meals. Barley, rye, and oats were cultivated in the short growing season and used to make bread, porridge, and ale. Wheat was rare and considered a luxury. Bread was typically flat and dense, baked on hot stones or in clay ovens. Porridge, made from barley or oats, was a daily dish, sometimes enriched with berries, honey, or meat.  

Though less important than meat and grain, vegetables and fruit played a supporting role. Vikings grew hardy crops. Root vegetables such as carrots and turnips were stored for winter. Wild greens, nettles, and mushrooms were foraged in warmer months.  Apples, plums, and berries were gathered when available and sometimes preserved. 

Preservation was vital in a climate where fresh food was seasonal. Vikings dried, smoked, salted, and fermented their food. Fish hung from racks to dry in the wind, meat was smoked over fires, and dairy was turned into cheese or sour milk. Fermentation extended the life of vegetables and grains, and pickling was practiced using brine or whey.

Here is a recipe to get in the spirit of Viking eatery:

Possible Viking Barley Porridge
1 cup barley (pearled barley works fine today)
3 cups water or weak broth
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot or parsnip, diced
A handful of chopped greens (kale or spinach will do)
A pinch of salt
Optional: a spoonful of butter or a splash of milk for richness (both are historically possible)
Optional protein: flaked fish, diced leftover meat, or beans

Bring the water or broth to a simmer.  Add the barley and cook until it begins to soften, about 20–25 minutes. Stir in the chopped onion and root vegetables. Continue simmering until everything is tender and the mixture thickens into a porridge.  Add the greens in the last few minutes.  Season lightly with salt.  Put in some butter, milk or meat if you want a more sustaining version of this pottage.

 

 

Cabbage and Noodles

For a hearty and satisfying dish on a cold winter’s day, fried cabbage and noodles is an economical choice.  This is not a fancy meal, but it is especially comforting when the weather is cold and dark.  Because of the cabbage, it is also very healthy. 

My mother-in-law made this dish with butter and onions, but we don’t use butter anymore, and we don’t care for too much onions, so I use cooking spray and onion flakes.  Of course, you can use onions and butter if you want too—and add bacon besides, but it isn’t quite as healthy. 

Here is the recipe that should feed about 4 people or 2 hungry Hobbits:

Cooking spray
½ head of cabbage grated
8 ounces of noodles or other pasta cooked
sliced, canned mushrooms (optional)
Onion or onion flakes

Spray the skillet (or wok) with cooking spray so it doesn’t stick.  If you are using onion, cook it until it caramelized.  Otherwise, put in the grated cabbage and sauté until it is tender and slightly brown.  Put in the onion flakes if you are using them.  Then add the cooked noodles, and heat the whole thing until hot.  Add the mushrooms last, if you want them.  Of course, you can sauté fresh mushrooms, but the canned variety is quicker.  That’s it, your cabbage dish is ready.

Notes:

In order for this to be quick and easy, you have to do some work ahead, and that involves grating the cabbage.  If you have a food processor, this can be done without too much fuss.  If you do not, well, there is that awful grater to be dealt with.  Since I have the food processor, I usually grate the whole head of cabbage at once, keep out what I need, and store the rest in the freezer.  Grated cabbage keeps quite well frozen, and it is ready for the next meal. 

Of course, frozen cabbage is probably not so good for coleslaw, but it is fine for this dish.  All you need is the cabbage, cooked pasta (I use the bowknot shaped pasta, but most any kind of noodle would probably do), onion (if you use it), and maybe mushrooms.  Not everyone puts mushrooms in their fried cabbage, but we like them included.  Use as much of the different ingredients as you have people to feed. 

It is the cabbage that makes this dish so healthy.  Cabbage is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale.  Apparently, these veggies are called crucifers because their flowers have four petals that are shaped like a cross.  They are all especially healthy, and they have a lot of cancer-fighting ingredients.  This dish is not only healthy, it is also easy on the pocketbook.