Lierne/Lijre

Lierne is a national park municipality with all of Lierne National Park and parts of Blåfjella­Skjækerfjella National Park within its borders. The municipality is 2 962 km2, encompassing forests and marshes, some mountain plateaus and many lakes and ponds. More than half of the municipality is 600 meters above sea level or more. Hunting and trout fishing are popular pastimes, all year around. There are marked hiking trails and ski trails in Lierne.

At Lierne National Park Visitor Centre you can learn about nature’s importance to local life, and for the large Nordic carnivores; wolf, wolverine, bear and lynx. Because Lierne is one of the areas in Norway with the largest number of bears the exhibition focuses on bears. Lierne Geology Park is a part of the centre. The 11 buildings and outdoor stage at Kvelia are part of one of Norway’s most valuable cultural landscapes, the Kvelia selected cultural landscape. Every year there are events here, such as an open­air theatre. Sørli museum and Nordli rural museum showcase local history.

Ivar Kyllo at Scandic Rock City in Namsos to share a good soup recipe with us, to try at home.

How to:

Dice carrots, onions, and fennel into cubes, finely chop the garlic. Sauté the vegetables and prawn shells together in a saucepan, then add vermouth and white wine (optional). Reduce until the liquid is almost gone. Simmer the fish in the stock to add more flavour. Add fish stock and mussel stock to the saucepan and let it reduce, then add the cream and créme fraiche. Strain the soup and thicken with corn starch. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Serve with fish, prawns and mussel in a bowl, and bread on the side.

Mussels:

Rinse well in running water and steam with onion, ginger and chili. Add a dash of white wine and cream. Use high heat setting and shake the saucepan often (with the lid on). They are done when they open. Throw away any mussels who do not open, those are not edible. Strain the stock and use for soup.

Jan Ivar Kyllo