Norwegian Lutefisk Recipe

Lutefisk is a traditional Norwegian dish made from dried fish that has been soaked in lye. The lye is then removed, and the fish is cooked by baking or boiling and enjoyed with other accompaniments. It is enjoyed as a main meal.

Lutefisk is made with pollock or ling fish but skrei, a Norwegian cod is preferred. The fish, which is dried and salted, must be reconstituted to be eaten. The lye aids in this reconstitution but also alters the fish’s texture.

This process takes several days, starting with a water soak, followed by lye then another soak with more water to wash out the lye as it should not be consumed. The fish is then cooked normally.

Traditionally lutfisk was served with peas, potatoes and bacon. In Trondelag, a coastal village, it is eaten with syrup and brown cheese.

Contrary to popular belief, lye is not required to reconstitute dried fish as many other cultures also have salted fish which is reconstituted with plain water and boiling.

Origin and Cultural Significance

Lutefisk originated in Norway and it has been part of Norwegian cuisine at least since the 1500’s. There are several theories about how this tradition started.

The most common is that when the storage house of salted fish caught fire and burned down, the ash having fallen on the fish, became wet from the rain creating a sort of nature made lye.

Later after the fish was washed off it was discovered to still be edible.

Lutefisklag which take place annually in December, is a lutefisk dinner which celebrates the season as lutefisk is considered a holiday food. It is also enjoyed in Finland, Sweden and Norwegian communities in the US.

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Norwegian Lutefisk Recipe

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Additional Time: 10 days

Total Time: 10 days 1 hour 10 minutes

Lutefisk is a traditional Norwegian dish made from dried fish that has been soaked in lye. The lye is then removed, and the fish is cooked by baking or boiling and enjoyed with other accompaniments.

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Ingredients

• Lutefisk - 4.5 lbs
• Bacon - 7oz
• Salt - 2 tbsp
• Green peas (dried) - 2 lbs
• Butter - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Sugar - to taste
• Almond potato (mandelpotet) - 21 oz

Instructions

1. Soak the fish in clean water for 3 days.
2. On day 4, add 2 tbsp lye into a gallon of water.
3. Soak for 3 days in this solution.
4. Toss out the lye water and soak for another 4 days in clear water, changing the water every day.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
6. Cut the lutefisk into servings and place in a baking pan with skin side down.
7. Sprinkle with salt and cover with aluminum foil or a lid.
8. Bake the lutefisk in the oven for approx. 30 minutes.
9. Dice bacon and fry on medium heat so the fat melts and the bacon gets crispy.
10. Leave the peas in water over night.
11. Cook them in fresh water until tender and the stew evens, approx. 45 minutes. Add more water if it gets too firm.
12. Gently add butter and taste with salt and a little sugar.
13. Boil the potatoes until tender when poked with a fork
14. Serve the lutefisk with bacon, pea stew and almond potatoes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 477Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 4489mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 13gSugar: 15gProtein: 30g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.