Smalahove

Method

1. Check 1 salted and smoked half sheep's head over: scrape away any bristle the singeing missed with a small knife, rinse the ear canal and the cut face of the skull under cold running water, and scrub the skin clean.
2. Put the head in a deep bowl or bucket and cover with 1.5 l cold water. Leave to soak 8-12 hours, or overnight, in a cool place, changing the water once halfway through; this pulls out enough salt that the meat is seasoned rather than harsh. Drain and pat dry.
3. Bring a few centimetres of water to a steady simmer in a large, deep pot fitted with a rack or an upturned heatproof plate. Set the head on the rack cut side down, ear pointing up, so it steams rather than boils. Cover tightly and steam over low-medium heat for 3 hours, checking every 45 minutes and topping up with boiling water so the pot never runs dry.