Kjötsúpa

Ingredients

Soup

• 1.2 kglamb on the bone (neck, shoulder or shank), cut into large pieces
• 2.5 litrescold water
• 2 tspsalt, plus more to finish
• 1large onion, cut in wedges
• 4carrots, cut into thick rounds
• 300 gswede (rutabaga), peeled and cubed
• 500 gpotatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1small white cabbage (300 g), cut into wedges
• 2leeks, sliced thick
• 60 glong-grain rice or pearl barley
• 2 tbspdried Icelandic soup herbs (souposa), or 2 tsp dried thyme with 1 tsp dried lovage
• black pepper

To serve

• rye bread and butter
• chopped parsley

Directions

1. Put the lamb into a large pot, cover with the cold water and bring slowly to a simmer over medium heat. Starting cold draws out proteins that would otherwise cloud the broth.
2. Skim the grey foam carefully for the first 10 minutes until only clear fat rises. This is the whole technique of a clear kjotsupa.
3. Add the salt and the onion, half cover, and simmer very gently for 1 hour, never letting it boil, until the meat is beginning to loosen from the bone.
4. Add the swede, carrot and rice or barley and cook 20 minutes.
5. Add the potato and cook 12 minutes, then the cabbage and leek for a final 8–10 minutes, until everything is tender but the cabbage still has some bite.
6. Stir in the dried herbs in the last 5 minutes only. Icelandic souposa is a dried blend and turns bitter if boiled long.
7. Taste and correct the salt. The broth should be pale, clear and unmistakably of lamb, with no thickening of any kind.
8. Ladle out a piece of meat, some of every vegetable and plenty of broth into each bowl, add parsley and black pepper, and serve with buttered rye bread.

Technique

• There is no browning, no stock cube, no flour and no cream in kjotsupa. Its identity is the clarity of the broth against the sweetness of the root vegetables.
• Icelandic lamb is grass and herb fed and mild; if using stronger mutton, blanch the meat for 3 minutes and discard the water before starting.
• The soup is better on the second day, and Icelandic households routinely make a pot far too big on purpose.

Substitutions

• No souposa herb mix: dried thyme with a little dried lovage or celery leaf is the closest, plus a bay leaf.
• Swede can be replaced by turnip, and rice by pearl barley for a slightly thicker, older-style soup.

Variations

• Some households add a handful of dried seaweed or a spoon of dried mixed vegetables (grjonasupa style) for body.
• Leftover soup is often eaten the next day with the meat pulled off the bone and returned to the pot.

History

A hearty lamb and vegetable soup, documented in Icelandic home cooking for many generations, reflecting Iceland’s traditionally sheep-centered agricultural economy, since the country’s volcanic, largely treeless terrain has long been better suited to sheep grazing than most other forms of livestock farming or crop cultivation. Its combination of lamb with root vegetables including potato, carrot and swede, cooked together in one simple pot, reflects a practical, warming dish well suited to Iceland’s cold climate and historically limited variety of available fresh produce through much of the year. Kjötsúpa remains one of Iceland’s most essential traditional comfort foods, closely tied to Icelandic home cooking rather than restaurant or formal dining specifically.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kjötsúpa?

Kjötsúpa is a soup & stew from Iceland: hearty clear lamb soup with root vegetables and herbs. A hearty lamb and vegetable soup, documented in Icelandic home cooking for many generations, reflecting Iceland’s traditionally sheep-centered agricultural economy, since the country’s volcanic, largely treeless terrain has long been better suited to sheep grazing than most other forms of livestock farming or crop cultivation. Its combination of lamb with root vegetables including potato, carrot and swede, cooked together in one simple pot, reflects a practical, warming dish well suited to Iceland’s cold climate and historically limited variety of available fresh produce through much of the year. Kjötsúpa remains one of Iceland’s most essential traditional comfort foods, closely tied to Icelandic home cooking rather than restaurant or formal dining specifically.

How long does Kjötsúpa take to make?

Kjötsúpa takes 25 min of preparation and 1 hr 45 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Kjötsúpa?

Yes, within limits. No souposa herb mix: dried thyme with a little dried lovage or celery leaf is the closest, plus a bay leaf. Swede can be replaced by turnip, and rice by pearl barley for a slightly thicker, older-style soup.

What is the most important thing to get right in Kjötsúpa?

Put the lamb into a large pot, cover with the cold water and bring slowly to a simmer over medium heat. Starting cold draws out proteins that would otherwise cloud the broth.