Pinnekjøtt is a traditional Norwegian dish that’s very popular at Christmas. It consists of salted, dried and sometimes smoked mutton or lamb ribs which are rehydrated and then steamed, usually over birch twigs (pinne). You can buy pinnekjøtt fresh or frozen. Prices vary from about 150kr to 300kr a kilo, and the more expensive the meat, the leaner (and better) it’s likely to be.

How to prepare pinnekjøtt:

(Allow 400g of meat per person).

- Place the ribs in cold water overnight.

- In a big casserole, leave a wire rack or birch twigs (always remove the bark) at the bottom and fill with water so that the water covers the twigs and reaches just below the meat.

- Let it steam on medium heat for about 2-3 hours, or until the meat begins to come loose from the bone. You might need to keep topping up with water as you don’t want it to run dry.

- Serve with boiled potatoes and mashed swede.

- The drinks of choice to accompany this dish are, as more often than not with Norwegian Christmas dishes, beer and aquavit. Cheers, or rather Skål!