Lutefisk

[meat hunter]

Several months ago, the wife and I stopped at one of the small town stores here in Southern Mn. The were known for their Lutefisk. Always wanted to try so we bought some. The owner of the store who had some write ups in the paper about his Lutefisk cooking, told us how to prepare it. Took it home and last nite we finally tried it. Now maybe, just maybe I made it wrong, I dont know. Was pretty simple, add to water, boil for a bit, eat. Theres allot of Swedes and Norweigians in the part, and every year, its a big deal to have Lutefisk. Well needless to say, it was like eating, how do I say it.......Snot.
LOL. I must be doing something wrong. Anyone eat this stuff and if so, do you have a favorite way to prepare it? I asked my dad, who is 100% Norewgian. He told me how his mother would make it. She would take the Lutefisk and lay it out on cardboard in the sun and dry it for a few days. On the last day, she would have the neighbor hood dogs come by and pee all over it. Then she would remove the Lutefisk, take the cardboard and cook it up. My dad told me that last nite and I almost threw up laughing. He incidentally does not eat fish. I thought that was pretty funny and figured I pass it along. But really though, anyone have a was to prepare this I would be intersted. I mean, 10's of thousands of Norwegians cant be wrog, can they?

 

[fishawn]

Sounds like you cooked it right to me!

 

[smokin' dick]

Shades of Garrison Keillor and Lake Woebegone!!!

 

[vlap]

Any food that requires a special soap is off limits to me.

how bout them powdermilk bisquits!

Growing up I remember mom in the kitchen getting dinner ready and garrison telling his stories on the radio.

 

[smokin' dick]

....and all the children are above average.

 

[kingudaroad]

Ok here's what you do!! Stuff it into a jalapeno,wrap it in bacon with a slice of onion. On the smoker for 2 1/2 hours at 250.

 

[meat hunter]

You might be on to something there. Lutefisk ABT's.

 

[crusty ol salt]

I think your dad hit a homerun with his advice. I watched that i'll eat anything guy andrew zimmerman try it on his show, and i knew there was no way i would ever choke something like that down.

 

[sixpack]

Meat Hunter your a brave man to eat that.

 

[mgwerks]

You made it right, however "right" lutefisk can be. That is one of the most God-awful things civilized people eat intentionally. I still hold with the theory that it was first eaten on a dare.

Don't ever read how it's made.

 

[jimr]

That's the consistency that is normal for fish soaked in lye.

My God!!!!! How did you get through the smell of it cooking????!!!!

 

[meat hunter]

Yeah I agree with eveyone one here. Its some strange stuff. I wonder who thought about making that the first time. "Ole, Hey I got and idea, lets take some cod and soak it in lye then eat it" Yes the smell while cooking was, well Id say comparable to that of boiling my sons gym shoes.

 

[fired up]

That is just wrong. bleh

 

[fishawn]

When I said it sounds like you cooked it right to me, what I meant was it always tastes like that.......WOW that stuff is bad!

 

[oleolson]

Ya sure, you betcha! Dat Lutefisk is some goot stuff!!

 

[mgwerks]

SOunds like another axiom of the Scnadanavian motto "If it doesn't kill you it makes you stronger". Wonder how many had to die...

 

[slanted88]

Ain't Happenin!

 

[vlap]

There is a discussion in Norway as to whether they to classify Lutefisk as a national treasure or a national disgrace.

If you look into the history of Norway and it geography you would see why this dish came about. Much of Norwegian cooking involves preserved foods due to the limited amount of farmable land and very short growing season.

Its very interesting (to me at least) to see the history of a dish and why it was made.

For good information on Norwegian cooking here is a great book:
http://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Norw...5652147&sr=1-5

With every recipe there is a bit of its history discussed. Excellent book!

 

[curious aardvark]

Had to look this one up :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk
so salt fish soaked if birch ash and removed just before the point where the fat becomes soap.

It's right up there with rotted shark meat.

You don't have to have your taste buds removed at birth to be scandanavian - but it's got to help :-)

Oddly it's fairly similiar to how they prepare olives - those are soaked in very strong sodium hydroxide to remove the bitterness and soften them.
Almost put me off olives finding that out lol

 

[rivet]

Why in the world would anyone would want to take perfectly good salt cod and soak it into jelly with lye, of all things?

I happen to love salt cod and have many good recipes for it, but I understand it's a taste you have to grow up with like country ham.

Wow.

I'd put a lot of Tabasco on it.