In Norway’s fjordlands, women would traditionally take their cattle uphill onto the mountain tops to graze for the summer. They would stay in ‘seter’ cabins for most of the summer months with the main purpose of milking the cattle and preserving the dairy produce as butter, cheeses or soured cream. Once the summer is over, the women and their cattle return downhill with a variety of dairy products to overwinter. This porridge is a celebration of soured cream and is usually enjoyed once or twice a year as a decadent treat. Soured cream is boiled and then thickened with flour, producing a rich, velvety porridge that is excellent with fresh berries or with cinnamon sugar. It’s like a cinnamon bun and cheesecake combined in a bowl; perhaps don’t eat this one every day! Let’s go!
INGREDIENTS (serves 2x)
200g soured cream
4 tablespoons plain flour
150ml milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar, or to taste
knob of butter
To serve: demarara sugar, cinnamon, honey, fruit jam
WALKTHROUGH
Add the 200g of soured cream to a saucepan and place it onto a medium heat. Once the mixture begins to boil and spit, add the 4 tablespoons of plain flour and mix to a paste.
Fry this paste for 1-2 minutes on medium heat until it thickens.
Slowly add the 150ml milk in small additions, mixing well between each one. The mixture will seize initially, but will loosen out as you add more of the milk. Allow it to boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
Once all of the milk has been added, remove the pan from the heat. Add 1/4 tsp of salt and 2 tsps sugar, or to taste. Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes and the porridge will thicken as it cools slightly.
Serve the porridge in serving bowls with a knob of butter, a scrunch of sugar and some cinnamon, or fresh berries. Enjoy!
