Smalahove

Smalahove (Norwegian, "sheep head") is a Western Norwegian traditional dish made from a sheep's head, originally eaten before Christmas. The skin and fleece of the head are torched, the brain removed, and the head is salted, sometimes smoked, and dried. The head is boiled or steamed for about three hours, and served with mashed rutabaga and potatoes. It is also traditionally served with akevitt. In some preparations, the brain is cooked inside the skull and then eaten with a spoon or fried. Originally, smalahove was typically eaten by the poor.