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Home : Recipes : Lutefisk with Traditional Sides

Lutefisk with Traditional Sides

In this recipe, we show you how to prepare traditional pickled cod (lutefisk) with delicious side dishes. The Christmas atmosphere naturally unfolds when the lutefisk is served alongside pea pudding and bacon. All of our recipes are sourced from godfisk.no

Photo: Studio Isidor

  • Preparation time: 20-80 minutes
  • Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

Pea stew

Side Dishes

Method

Lutefisk

  • Divide the lutefisk into serving pieces, estimating two good pieces per person.
  • Place the fish pieces with the skin side down in a baking dish or ovenproof dish.
  • Sprinkle generously with crushed sea salt and let the fish sit like that for 30 minutes (the fish can also be left in the refrigerator for an hour or two with the salt on).
  • Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Press firmly around the edges to seal tightly.
  • Bake the fish at 200°C for about 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pieces. Let the fish drain well before serving.

Side dishes for lutefisk

Pea stew

  • Soak the peas overnight in plenty of cold water with a pinch of salt.
  • Drain the soaking water, rinse the peas, and transfer them to a saucepan.
  • Add fresh water so that it covers the peas by a couple of centimeters.
  • Bring to a boil, skim off any foam that forms on the surface if needed.
  • Cook the peas until tender with the lid 'halfway' on.
  • When the peas are tender and much of the water has evaporated, there should still be a few centimeters of liquid left in the pot.
  • Add the butter and blend everything with an immersion blender or mash with a masher until smooth but slightly coarse.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • For extra sweetness, add a pinch of sugar.
  • Add chopped chives just before serving.

Bacon

  • Cut the bacon into small pieces.
  • Fry the bacon until crispy in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of butter or pork fat.
  • Serve piping hot lutefisk with pea stew, bacon, and boiled potatoes.

Serving

  • Arrange the fish on a bed of pea purée, top with crispy bacon.
  • Additional side dishes like flatbreads, mustard, syrup, and brown cheese are also delicious.

Tip:Lutefisk is often served in two courses. If you have different sizes of pieces, start by baking the larger ones first, then bake the smaller pieces for a second serving. This way, you avoid reheating fish that hasn't been eaten during the 'first round'. It's better for guests to wait a little for the fish than for the fish to wait for the guests.

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