Icelandic Lamb's Head (Svið)

Method

1. 1

   Preparation

   Rinse the heads thoroughly in cold water. If any hair remains, singe it off over a flame, then halve and set aside.

2. 2

   Salted water

   Bring 7 litres of water to the boil, add 7 tablespoons of salt, and submerge the heads completely.

3. 3

   Slow simmer

   Cook the heads over a low heat, skimming off the foam that forms on the surface regularly. Cooking takes 60 to 90 minutes.

   75 min
4. 4

   Check

   Remove the heads once the meat is tender. The cheek and tongue meat is the softest, so keep an eye on these.

5. 5

   Mashed potatoes

   Boil the potatoes until soft, then mash them with warm milk and butter, seasoning with salt.

   25 min
6. 6

   Serving

   Serve the halved heads hot with the mashed potatoes, in the traditional Icelandic style.