• 7 cups (900 g) of flour. I use a mixture of wheat, barley, oat, and rye flours. Old-style stone-ground flour is better than modern commercial flour.
• 3 cups (750 ml) of buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 dash of salt
• ¼ - ½ cup (60-100 ml) of honey
• ½ - 1 cup (100 g) nuts, such as chopped walnuts

     Mix and knead the ingredients thoroughly. I use an electric mixer with a dough hook to knead the dough. The dough is thick, moist, and sticky. Caution: a regular, home electric mixer isn't up to the task, unless you make small batches.

     Using your hands covered with flour, form the dough into small balls, about 2-3 inches in diameter (5-8 cm). At this point, the dough can be refrigerated or frozen until it is needed.

     To bake, press the balls flat, about ½ inch thick (1 cm), and bake on a flat pan greased with butter over the fire. Turn the bread once, to cook on both sides.

     When done, the bread is light brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Eat the bread warm.

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/food_and_diet.htm

• 10-15 cups of water                  

• salt                                                  

• Two cups of chopped barley kernels, soaked overnight in cold water

• A handful whole grain wheat flour

• A handful crushed hazelnuts

• 3-4 tablespoons of honey

     Put the ingredients in a large pot. Pour 10 cups of water in the kettle and heat to a rolling boil. Stir regularly, reducing heat if needed to maintain a low boil. Add water if needed if the mixture starts getting too thick. Cook until done. This takes me about an hour.

     Makes about 4 to 6 servings.

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/food.shtml

Osyrat Kornbröd (Barley Flatbread)

• 1-1/2 cups barley flour                                 
• 1/2 cup water
  

   

   

     Blend ingredients together until a stiff dough is formed. Warm a griddle over a fire (or you can use a cooking sheet in the oven). Take a heavy rolling-pin and take a ball the size of a walnut and roll the ball until flattened. Roll outward so that it is as thin as you can until you have a flat, round disk. Lay it on the griddle and and place it over the fire (or cook at high heat in the oven) about 30 seconds on either side. One flat loaf at a time, roll out the dough and cook. It is most efficient to have two people, one rolling dough and one cooking flat loaves.

     The bread should be eaten immediately, but may be frozen and then reheated.

     Makes approximately eight servings. 

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/food.shtml

Green Soup

• 3-1/2 to 5 oz. of fresh, parboiled spinach, or about 8 oz. of frozen whole spinach 

• 10 cm of the white part of a leek 

• 1 quart good bouillon 

• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley 

• Dash of pepper                                        

• Dash of ground ginger 

• 2 to 3 egg yolks 

• 1/2 cup cream 

• Grated nutmeg 

     Clean and rinse the fresh spinach or thaw the frozen.  Rinse the leek and slice thinly.  Bring the bouillon to a boil and add the spinach and leek.  Let boil for 5 minutes.  Add the parsley and boil together a few more minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and ginger.

     Whisk the yolks with the cream in the bottom of a soup tureen. Pour in the soup while whisking briskly. Grate some nutmeg over the soup and serve it with a good bread.

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/food.shtml

Nässelsoppa (Nettle Soup)

• 2 quarts fresh nettles                                   

• 2 tablespoons butter 

• 2 tablespoons wheat flour 

• 1 quart good bouillon 

• salt 

• 1/2-1 teaspoon thyme 

• 1/2-1 teaspoon marjoram 

• 1/3 cup chopped chives 

• 4 cooked egg yolks, chopped finely 

    Wash nettles well. Cover nettles with bouillon and boil for 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain the liquid off the nettles and save it. Chop the nettles. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add a little flour to the butter and stir until it starts to brown, then gradually add the bouillon. Add the nettles back in, then cook at a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt, thyme, marjoram, and chives. Place into individual bowls and garnish with chopped egg yolk.

    Makes 4 servings.

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/food.shtml

Rökt Fisk (Smoked Fish)

• Fish to smoke                                             

     Gut and scale the fish. Leave the backbone intact with the two sides still connected to it, but remove as many of the remaining bones as is possible. On a large fish, cut a series of parallel slices into the muscle to allow the smoke to completely penetrate the flesh. Place the fish above the fire. In a smokehouse, the fish would be hung from lines. In a commercial smoker, lay on the highest rack. Do not seal tightly, allow a little air in for ventilation for the fire.

     How long you will need to smoke the fish depends on the size of the fish. A small fish may take only ten minutes or so, while large fish can take much longer. The fish is done when the meat will flake with a fork.

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/food.shtml

Chicken Stew With Beer

• 1 chicken, about 2 to 2-1/2 lbs. 

• 3-4 carrots 

• 3 yellow onions 

• 1 turnip, about 1 lb. 

• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt                                      

• Dash black pepper 

• Thyme 

• 6-8 whole allspice 

• 1 bottle (12 oz) dark beer 

     Chop the chicken into 8 pieces.  Peel and cut the vegetables into pieces.  Fry the chicken in butter, about 5 minutes on each side.  Season with salt and pepper and place in a pot.  Add the vegetables, thyme, allspice and beer.  Let boil for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Serve the dish with bread.

     Makes four servings.

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/food.shtml

Honey Glazed Root Vegetables

• 1 turnip 

• 2-3 carrots 

• 1 slice of white cabbage (use a quarter of a head of cabbage) 

• 1 leek 

• butter 

• honey                                                     

• salt and pepper 

     Peel the root vegetables and cut them into pieces. Boil together in slightly salted water about 5 minutes and drain.  Sauté the root vegetables in butter until soft. Let the leek and cabbage sauté with them at the end. Add some honey and stir the dish carefully.  Season with salt and pepper.

     Makes four servings.

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/food.shtml

Pancake with Berries

• 2/3 cup white flour                                      
• 1 cup lingonberries or bilberries
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter

     Turn on the oven to 425°F (225°C). Whisk the batter together without the butter and stir in the berries.  Melt the butter in a heat-resistant baking pan and pour it in the batter. Bake it in the middle of the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the pancake has a nice color.  Cut it into pieces and serve with some jam.

     Makes four servings.

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/food.shtml

Färskost (Skyr)

• 6 cups skim milk 

• 1 cup buttermilk 

• Rennet                                                        

• 2 tablespoons sour cream 

• 1 tablespoon milk 

     Skyr has a consistency and flavor that reminds many people of yoghurt. However, skyr is made much like cottage cheese or cream cheese, using rennet to congeal the milk solids and allow the whey to be separated -- thus the Swedish name, Färskost or "fresh cheese".

     Check the rennet package for specific instructions on how much rennet to use. This will vary depending on whether you are using vegetable rennet or not, and whether it is liquid, granular, or tablets. If you are not using liquid rennet, you will need to dissolve the rennet beforehand in a little tepid water. Ideally this should be done in a small measuring cup which has been pre-warmed using hot water.

     Heat the milk to 185-195°F (85-90°C) and hold it at that temperature for about 10 minutes. Be careful not to boil or scorch the milk. Cool down to 100-102°F (38-39°C). It is important that you allow the milk to cool properly, or else the rennet may not work.

     Stir the sour cream into a tablespoon of milk until well mixed. Pour into the warm milk and mix well. Add the rennet.

     For best results, the skyr needs to cool down gradually. Allow the skyr to cool about 6 hours. You will be ready to proceed to the next step when you can make a cut in the skyr which will not close immediately.

     Line a sieve or colander with cheesecloth or a fine linen cloth and pour in the skyr. Tie the ends of the cloth together over the top and hang over a bucket or other container so the whey can drip off. Be sure to retain the whey -- it can be used to pickle foods, and adds lots of flavor to recipes when substituted for part or all of the water. Allow the skyr to drain until it is fairly firm. The consistency should be like ice cream.

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/food.shtml

Basic Oatcakes

• 1lb. wholemeal flour
• 8oz. oatmeal                                                
• a good pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. melted dripping or vegetable oil
• water to mix

http://www.ydalir.co.uk/crafts/cook/recipes.htm

Baked fish in bread

• a batch of bread dough                                
• one or more large fillets of firm fish

http://www.ydalir.co.uk/crafts/cook/recipes.htm

Springtime Fritters

• 6oz flour
• a good pinch of salt 
• an egg 
• 3/4 pint or so of beer (flat lager from last night will do) 
• a few handfuls of edible young leaves and flowers 
• oil for frying
• honey                                                             

     Put the flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and break the egg into it. Pour in a little of the beer and start to mix from the middle, gradually incorporating the flour from the centre as you pour in more beer. Mix thoroughly, beating well to avoid lumps. Once you have a batter the thickness of cream, cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to stand for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, trim your green stuff and rinse it in cold water, if necessary. Heat some oil in a deep skillet until smoking. Mix in your greenery; small leaves and flowers can be stirred into the batter as they are, while larger leaves can be dipped individually. Drop spoonfuls of flowery batter into the hot oil (carefully!), and fry until golden, turning once. Lift them out onto a plate, and drizzle with honey to serve.

http://www.ydalir.co.uk/crafts/cook/recipes.htm

The Viking Family's Porridge

• 10-15 cups of water 

• Two cups of chopped wheat kernels. Let them soak over night so they won't be so hard to chew. 

•  Two cups pearl barley 

•  A handful whole grain wheat flour 

•  A handful crushed kernels of nuts 

•  3-4 tablespoons of honey 

•  A healthy portion of apple bits, hippells, pears or...                                                     

     Put the chopped wheat kernels, wheat flour, pearl barley and crushed nuts in the kettle. Pour 10 cups of water in the kettle and place on the fire.

     Stir the porridge evenly and turn the kettle to spread the heat. If the porridge starts to get too thick, pour more water in it.                                                                               

     After about ½ hour add the honey, nuts and fruit. The porridge should now cook until the fruit is wet and the porridge has the desired consistency. It should take 15-30 minutes.

     It should be served warm, possibly with some cold cream.

http://www.viking.no/e/life/food/index.html

Meat soups

• 8-12 cups of water 

• ½ kg meat (pork, beef, lamb, chicken, hen etc) 

• Salt 

• 3-5 cups of herb such as the top shoots of stinging nettles, young dandelion leaves, wild chervil, cress, wild marjorum, dill, plantain, angelica, wild onions, caraway greenery, thyme, or whatever the season has to offer.

     Put the meat in the kettle. Pour water over the meat so it is covered and put the kettle on the fire. In order that the heat is spread evenly the kettle must be turned about every 5-10 minutes.

     When the water boils it should cook for about one hour. It may be necessary to add more water so the meat is always covered with water.

     While the meat is cooking wash and chop the herbs. They will go in the soup when it is ready.

When the meat is tender take it out and slice it to a size fit for a spoon and return it to the soup.

     Add salt as desired, then it is ready to be served.

     It can be served with flatbread.

     If you want a more filling soup you can add soaked wheat kernels, thick flour...or the soup can be smoothed out with pea flour (yellow peas grinded on a stone).                                     

http://www.viking.no/e/life/food/index.html

 Fish Soup

• ½ kg of trout, salmon, cod or another fish. 

• 10-12 cups of water 

• Salt 

• One cup of whipped cream 

• 3-5 cups of herb such as the top shoots of stinging nettles, young dandelion leaves, ashweed, wild chervil, cress, wild marjorum, dill, plantain, angelica, wild onions, caraway greenery, parsley, thyme, ... or whatever the season has to offer.

     Clean the fish, wash and cut into small pieces.

     The slices of fish must be cooked until they are tender. This takes 20-30 minutes.

Put the cooked fish slices on a dish and bone them.

     Put the fish back in the soup. Add the whipped cream and chopped herbs.

     The soup should now cook for about 20-30 minutes adding salt as desired. Then it is ready to be served. Fish soup can be served with flatbread.

     A little dab of butter in the soup tastes good!                                                                                                       

http://www.viking.no/e/life/food/index.html

Traditional Mead

• 12 lbs unprocessed honey
• 5 gallons spring water                                        
• 2 packets dry yeast
• 2 tsp yeast nutrient 

     Heat 2 gallons of spring water to 160f in a large kettle and remove from heat. Add yeast nutrient and 12 lbs unprocessed honey, and then stir until thoroughly dissolved. Transfer kettle back to heat and bring back to 160f; maintain this temperature for 30 minutes. Skim off any foam that accumulates. Remove from heat and let cool; add 1 to 2 gallons spring water to quickly bring the temperature back down below 90f. Transfer must to primary fermentation chamber and aerate by shaking or stirring for 5 minutes. Start yeast per packet instructions before pitching into must. Add fermentation lock and store in a cool dark place for 14 to 28 days. When you see one bubble every sixty seconds, primary fermentation has concluded. Rack the mead into the secondary fermentation chamber and store in a cool dark place for 2 to 4 months. Sample the mead and bottle once it has achieved an acceptable level of clarity and shows no signs of fermentation.                                                            

http://www.makemead.net/recipes.aspx