flipVeizla: game meat stewed with juniper
Veizla: game meat stewed with juniper
Why this dish? Upon return from a great voyage, or to seal an alliance, the Viking chieftain offered the veizla, the banquet where his generosity forged his reputation. For a man like Leif, newly converted to Christianity at the court of King Olaf in Nidaros, sharing meat in the longhouse was an act of power as much as of table.
Robust stew of game (reindeer, deer, or mutton if needed) long-simmered in a broth perfumed with juniper berries, wild onion, and Nordic herbs, thickened with barley. A dish of strength and sharing, served steaming in the great hall.
Come in, stranger, and sit on the bench — under my roof no one stays with an empty belly. Here is the flesh my men brought back from the highlands, long stewed with the black berries of juniper that drive out the wild taste. At my table, I myself pour each one's share, for that is how a man shows himself worthy of being followed. Eat, and drink the öl, and you will know why they follow me to the edge of the sea.
- •Reindeer, deer, or mutton meat — a fine piece (base)
- •Juniper berries — a handful (signature aromatic)
- •Wild onion / wild leek — a few (aromatic)
- •Barley — two handfuls (binder and starch)
- •Sea salt — to taste (seasoning)
- •Wild thyme / serpolet — a few sprigs (herb)
Veizla: game meat stewed with juniper
Robust stew of game (reindeer, deer, or mutton if needed) long-simmered in a broth perfumed with juniper berries, wild onion, and Nordic herbs, thickened with barley. A dish of strength and sharing, served steaming in the great hall.
Why this dish? Upon return from a great voyage, or to seal an alliance, the Viking chieftain offered the veizla, the banquet where his generosity forged his reputation. For a man like Leif, newly converted to Christianity at the court of King Olaf in Nidaros, sharing meat in the longhouse was an act of power as much as of table.
Come in, stranger, and sit on the bench — under my roof no one stays with an empty belly. Here is the flesh my men brought back from the highlands, long stewed with the black berries of juniper that drive out the wild taste. At my table, I myself pour each one's share, for that is how a man shows himself worthy of being followed. Eat, and drink the öl, and you will know why they follow me to the edge of the sea.
Ingredients (period version)
- Reindeer, deer, or mutton meat — a fine piece (base)
- Juniper berries — a handful (signature aromatic)
- Wild onion / wild leek — a few (aromatic)
- Barley — two handfuls (binder and starch)
- Sea salt — to taste (seasoning)
- Wild thyme / serpolet — a few sprigs (herb)
Ingredients
- Shoulder of venison, reindeer, or lamb as substitute — 800 g cubed (base)
- Juniper berries — 1 tbsp crushed (signature aromatic)
- Leeks + 1 onion — 2 leeks, 1 onion (aromatics)
- Pearl barley — 100 g (binder)
- Broth (or water) — 1 litre (liquid)
- Thyme — 4 sprigs (herb)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Sear the meat cubes in a little fat (butter or suet) in a cast-iron pot until browned.
- Add the sliced leeks and onion, sweat them.
- Crush the juniper berries, add with the thyme, then pour in the broth.
- Add the pearl barley, salt, bring to a simmer.
- Cover and simmer for 1 h 30 to 2 h until the meat is tender and the broth thickened by the barley.
- Adjust salt and serve very hot in bowls, with flatbread.
How it was made : Vikings cooked this type of stew in large cauldrons suspended over the central hearth of the longhouse, or in pits heated with stones. Juniper, one of the few aromatic berries available, flavored meats and beers. Barley was the dominant cereal of the Nordic world, used in porridge, bread, and to thicken dishes. Game supplemented livestock where accessible.
The contemporary twist : Served in a black cast-iron bowl on slate, sprinkled with whole juniper berries and a puffed barley chip, 'jarl's banquet' revisited version.
Leif Erikson · Charactorium
