Eat like a Viking Installment 2
Kornmjölsgröt or Barley Porridge
How about a hearty Viking breakfast before hitting the Nordic trails? Our next Viking culinary adventure is Kornmjölsgröt or Barley porridge. Kornmjölsgröt was served for breakfast durning the Viking times. It was mostly served to the children. At breakfast time, the adults would usually eat meat stew leftovers from the night before, while the children would have porridge with cream and honey. This porridge is pretty basic, but can be jazzed up to be sweet or savory. It was usually served hot cereal style with honey and cream. If available, fruits, nuts and spices were added. Vikings sometimes had porridge with herring. The flavoring options seem endless! Get creative! Let’s go!
Kornmjölsgröt or Barley Porridge – Super Simple
Serves 4
4 cups milk and/or water
1 cup barley flour
1 teaspoon salt
In a heavy pot, bring salt and liquids to a boil. Slowly stir in the barley flour. A kitchen wisk works well for this. Adjust the heat to a medium boil. Continue to cook porridge for 10 minutes. Stirring continuously. Additional liquids can be added while cooking for desired consistency.
Portion porridge into serving bowls. Pour cream around the edges of the bowl. Top with a pat of butter and drizzle with honey. Serve hot. Now that’s how to eat like a Viking!
Kornmjölsgröt or Barley Porridge – More Authentic
Serves 4 to 6
Basic recipe for adjusting the number of servings is: 1 cup of kernels and 2 cups of milk and/or water per person.
10 cups of milk and/orwater
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
2 cups chopped wheat kernels (Soak over night in cold water to shorten cooking time.)
2 cups pearl barley
1 handful whole grain wheat flour
1 handful shelled and crushed nuts
3-4 tablespoons honey
A healthy portion of apple bits, pear bits, nuts, dried fruit, rose hips, etc.
In a large heavy pot, add chopped wheat kernels, wheat flour, pearl barley, crushed nuts and salt. Add water to pot and stir. Put pot on high heat. Keep stirring as mixture comes to a boil. Adjust heat to a medium boil. After cooking for about 30 minutes, add honey, nuts and fruits. Continue to cook for an additional 15 to 30 minutes, until fruit and porridge are at the desired consistency. Add more liquids while cooking for desired consistency.
Portion porridge into serving bowls. Pour cream around the edges of the bowl. Top with a pat of butter and drizzle with honey. Serve hot. Enjoy!
Kornmjölsgröt makes a hearty filling dish. Let your culinary imagination go wild! Add herbs, spices, garlic, onion and other vegetables. Add a protein. Chopped chicken, veal or pork work well. Add these additional ingredients early enough in the cooking process, to give them a chance to cook throughly. If adding fish, do this closer to the end of the cooking process. Fish doesn’t take as long to cook as the meats and some vegetables. Partially cooking the veggies and meats before adding may help shorten the cooking time, while still adding flavor.
Left over Kornmjölsgröt can be pressed into a buttered pan, chilled and stored for a day or two. Slice the chilled porridge, fry in butter and serve with warm fruit compote, jam, honey, butter, cinnamon sugar sprinkles … whatever sounds good. Yum!
