Akutaq is also known as agutak, Eskimo ice cream, or Indian ice cream. Akutaq is an Eskimo word for "something mixed" as the dish is made from a mixture of animal fat, seal oil, snow, berries, and sometimes ground fish. Berries were often scarce in the arctic environment of what is now Alaska and akutaq was the preferred method of storing them. Preserving berries in fat or oil was an effective indigenous practice used for generations. Sourdock, a local herb, and shredded whitefish have long been traditional additions. The recipe for akutaq became sweeter with the arrival of European colonists who adapted it to make a rich dessert. Although it's no longer necessary to preserve berries this way, the dish is still sometimes prepared the old-fashioned way.
Recipe Servings: 24
+ 2 hours resting
Ingredients
Directions
- Put the caribou or moose fat in a large mixing bowl.
- Knead the fat, adding a little cold water if necessary, until it becomes pliable.
- Drizzle in the seal oil and continue to knead until the mixture is homogeneous.
- Gradually knead in the sugar, followed by the snow.
- Add the cloudberries and stir the agutuk to combine without crushing any berries.
- Chill the mixture in the freezer for at least 2 hours, or until completely set.
- Serve frozen.
Notes
Salmonberries, blackberries, cranberries, crowberries, or other native Alaskan berries can be used. A mixture of different types of berries is also an option. Traditionally, this dish did not include sugar though most modern versions do. Sugar can be omitted completely or increased to 2 cups if the berries are very sour. Melted reindeer fat is more traditional than the caribou or moose fat but requires more beating. Solid vegetable shortening can substitute for animal fat.
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