A Finnish Specialty

RECIPE:

Ingredients (for two people):

2 willow ptarmigan (gutted)
2 willow ptarmigan hearts
1 onion
2 carrots
1 parsnip
200 g dried reindeer meat
200 g barley
300 g sauerkraut
salt, black peper
2 tbsp. butter

Preparation:
Willow Ptarmigan Gravy
Separate the legs from the breast of the willow grouse and roast them in the oven at 180 degrees celsius until dark brown. Bring a large pan of salted and peppered water to the boil. Add the meat from the oven and simmer over a low heat for between three and four hours. Remove the meat and sieve the stock.

Willow Ptarmigan
Cut the breast in half, rub with salt and pepper and fry on both sides until golden brown. Put in the oven and roast for ten minutes at 100 degrees celsius.

‘Raku‘ – the braised vegetable side dish
Finely dice the carrots and parsnip and sweat in a pan with the barley. Add the reindeer meat and heat briefly before adding some of the gravy.

Sauerkraut
Finely chop the onion and fry until golden brown. Add the sauerkraut and heat while stirring constantly.

Willow Ptarmigan Hearts
Fry the willow grouse hearts in butter for two minutes. Place the willow grouse breast on the raku, the hearts on the sauerkraut and pour over half a ladle of gravy.

Enjoy!

This recipe comes to us courtey of Chef Matti Hirvasoja of the Kivinavetta Restaurant in Kolari.