Weird Norwegian food: Lutefisk

Well, this is weird food, and no one really knows what happened when this dish was first created.

Drying fish is a well known way of preserving it in Norway. Before freezers and fridges, one had to stock food for the long, harsh winters, so fish and meat would be dried, salted, smoked to keep longer than fresh produce.

Lutefisk is lyed fish... Dry fish is soaked in lye until it's moist again, and then rinsed thoroughly, steamed or baked - and eaten.

My kids say it looks like jellyfish... In some cases, it does! But the secret is to use lots of salt during cooking (1 tbsp per kg of fish) - that will keep it crisp as opposed to jellylike!

What to serve with it depends on where you come from. Boiled potatoes, of course, mushy peas, crisp diced bacon (with lots of fat!), fried onions, strong mustard, syrup(!) and/or grated brown cheese... All of this should be swallowed down with generous helpings of Aquavit.

Traditionally eaten during the months before Christmas - some people will have it on Christmas Eve. It has it's own fanclub, of course. The Royal Norwegian Lutefisk Society, no less!

I love the stuff - but I've always wondered what happened - who on earth decided to put dry fish in caustic soda???

Next time: Smalahove - smoked sheep's head that is charred and served as is...

English posts that contain Lutefisk per day for the last 30 days.

Get your own chart!