Poit láita

It's nothing you've ever tasted and the best thing is, every village has it's own variant. People just throw whatever they find edible into the pot and simmer for a long, long time. Honestly, you can't ask for a better thing when coming down from the cold mountains after a day long walk.

— A Gáláwan traveller talking about their visit to the valley of river Láita

Short description

This dish is a local specialty, dating back several hundred years, when food was scarce and a need for comfort strong. It consists mainly of leftover meat and bones, roots, mushrooms, dried berries and often local spices to add a finishing twist. Initially served around the winter solstice, now in various forms can be enjoyed throughout the year, often eaten with a slice of fresh bread.

Recipe

Ingredients:

(for a deer pot)

deer/boar carcass (either fresh after portioning or charred from the skewer)

deer/boar meat (1/5-1/4 of the pot)

fish (1/5-1/4 of the pot; catfish, pikeperch are prefered over trout for having less bones)

starchy roots (1/4 of the pot; mainly those of the Mountain bulrush)

dried mushrooms and berries (1/5 of the pot)

black branch (a small handful)

water (fill to about 7/8 of the pot)

Brown the carcass over the fire until the bones and watch for it not to burn. Chop the bones to smaller pieces, about the size of the fist and discard any pointy bone shards. Throw them into the pot. Chop the meat and fish into portions about the size of a green walnut. Chop the dried mushrooms finely. Skin the starchy roots with the back of the knive and rinse with fresh water. Discard any discolored parts and chop the rest into pieces about the length of a ring finger.

On the bottom of the pot form a layer of bones, side-wise. Proceed forming a layer of meat, fish, berries, starchy roots, mushrooms adding a piece of black branch between each set of layers. When done fill with water and begin cooking gently. With the top becoming hot lower the heat and allow the pot to heat solely from the embers. Keep the heat on for about a week, but preferably two to three. Do not stir, else the dew will not penetrate the dish evenly!

After that time the dish is ready to serve!

Variations

Traditional

Eaten with a slice of stale bread, often soaked into the bowl several minutes before the serving. A withered branch of a mountain shrub pine is added, which gives it a faint astringency and additional depth. The original recipe called for a "black branch" which is no longer to be found in the Coire àrd. Ironically, what was once added to bring warmth and comfort now is mostly a reminder of the "days now gone".

Modern

The modernised version differs with respect to the amount of vegetables and spices. A good portion of the meat and mushrooms are often swapped for fresh root vegetables, which at the time the original recipe was transcribed were not available. A handful of strong spices which enhance the flavour, fragrance, sometimes even the colour and thickness of the stew are added. Some people find it delightful, while the others feel it's a way of cheating — the thickness of the modern version of the dishes comes from the thickening agents, such as ground grains and not from the long simmering of the "goodies" inside.