“Lutefisk is a Scandinavian food tradition that was imported to the United States. As a Christmas delicacy, it is even more popular in the U.S. than it is in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.”
There ya go.
LOL!
(I have never heard a good, subjective, word about Lutefisk (not said in jest) from any American.)
But, Carry On.
SWEDISH LUTEFISK
Ingrediants
1 piece dried lutefisk, sawed into 6 inch lengths
2 tablespoons lye
Directions
Soak the fish in clear water for 3 days.
Add 2 tbsp lye into a gallon of water.
Soak for 3 days in this solution.
Then soak for 4 days in clear water, changing the water every day.
To cook the lute fish————.
Tie the fish loosely in a square of cheese cloth.
Drop in a large enamel pot of boiling water.
Cook 10 minutes or until well done.
Remove cheese cloth put on a platter and debone.
Serve with a white sauce or a mustard sauce.
I worked in a small office with four men, one a Norwegian, who did the traditional lutefisk on Christmas or New Year’s (not sure which). After about three years, the boss told the Norwegian guy that the day after having lutefisk he either needed to stay home, or use the restroom waaaay down the hall from our suite.
“Babette’s Feast”
A French chef learns the art of Scandinavian fish preservation and how to prepare them for cooking.
A GREAT movie, BTW.
About the same time “Like Water for Chocolate” (Mexican heritage) was made. Another good movie.
That is because here in the US it is a "dare food". Like really hot peppers.
Lutefisk - the piece of cod that passes all understanding.
You have obviously never tasted lutefisk and lefse made by an older Norwegian cook! It was very mild. With mashed potatoes spread on lefse, melted butter POURED ALLL OVER and lutefisk wrapped in the warm, homemade lefse , it was marvelous!! Everybody loved it. Since then, I have prepared any white fish the same way. Spread the lefse with the mashed potatoes, place the fish on top and roll it up. Dip the carb heavy creation in melted butter and commence moaning as the butter drips down your hands. In the local churches, they have lutefisk, lefse and meatball dinners all season long. Big fund raiser.