"Småmat" or "Little Food" Soup

"Småmat" or "Little Food" Soup

From the Buskerud region of Norway

• 5 quarts beef stock
• 4 lbs meat (large pieces are fine for the first step) or ham and ham bones
• 2.5 quarts of peeled and cubed potatoes and carrots
• 2 cups dried yellow peas
• Green onions, sliced, and celery, chopped, as much as you like

You can begin the day before by soaking the peas and preparing the meat and beef stock. You can do the meat and stock the day you are serving the soup, but be sure to soak the peas over night or they won’t get soft!

To prepare the meat and stock, put the beef stock and meat into a large stew pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer until the meat is tender. Remove the meat and strain the stock. (This can be done the day before and refrigerated.)

The day you are serving the soup: Drain the peas and simmer in fresh water for one hour. While that is simmering, cut your carrots and potatoes and cube the meat. The pieces should be small and uniform in size. Cook the carrots and potatoes until tender, but not mushy, and set them aside.

Put the stock into a large soup pan. Add everything but the potatoes, celery and green onion. Bring the soup to a boil and season with salt to taste. Now add the potatoes, celery and green onion. It is ready to serve when hot and the carrots and potatoes are not crunchy. It is often served with lefse. (Not much direction was given for cooking temperatures and times, but you should be able to prepare this much like any other beef and vegetable soup.)