Fackle? The name is likely to derive from Fårikål, a Norwegian dish of mutton in cabbage. There’s even a Fårikål Feast Day over there and this meal is still considered by many Norwegians to be their national dish, a bit like our Yorkshire Pudding. It probably came over with the Vikings and, in between a bit of pillage, they had this for their supper.
It was adopted in Yorkshire because of the basic ingredient: mutton – of which there is still a lot bleating its way over hill and dale – and for this you can use the scrag end; the cheaper cuts work best with a long, slow cooking.
So stick it in your slow cooker (or a slow oven if you have one) and you’ll come home to a beautiful smell of cooked sheep and a delicious meal; food fit for Odin.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) scrag end of mutton, bone’s ‘n all
- 4 lb (1.8 kg) white cabbage
- 4 tablespoons of flour
- 12 peppercorns
- 1 pint (20 fl oz) water
- Salt & pepper to taste
Method
- Cut the meat into pieces, leaving the bones intact
- Cut the cabbage into big chunks, removing the stalk
- Layer the meat and cabbage in your casserole pot, sprinkling each layer with flour and seasoning
- Tie the peppercorns into a small piece of cheesecloth, and place them in the centre of the casserole
- Add the water and bring to the boil
- Boil for one hour at least, but it can be left simmering/slow cooking for much longer (all day in a slow cooker)
- Remove the peppercorns and serve with boiled potatoes.
Source: Mary Hanson Moore A Yorkshire Cookbook (1980). Published by David & Charles.
