LUTEFISK
Literally translated as "lyefish", lutefisk or lutefish — from the Norwegian lutefisk and the Swedish lutfisk — is an old traditional fish preparation and dish consumed in the Nordic countries of Norway, Sweden and Finland (excluding Denmark and Iceland). In Finland lutefisk is called lipeäkala (= "lyefish"), and is also known by many dialectal names like livekala and likokala, among others.

Lutefisk may also be found eaten in some parts of the United States, among the Scandinavian descendants.

Lutefisk is made of stockfish — formerly dried cod, nowadays mostly dried ling and saithe — by slowly rehydrating it first in cold water, then in a strong alkaline solution, which gives the fish a soft, almost jelly-like consistency. Finally, the fish is rinsed and soaked in water to remove the excess alkaline substance and baked, poached or steamed until white and flaky.

Cooked lutefisk has a very mild flavor and although it has a characteristic, somewhat pronounced odor, it does not much differ from the strong odor of regular fresh cod. In spite of this, people have divided opinions on the deliciousness of the dish, some loving it ardently, others feeling sick just from the smell of it.

Preparing lutefisk with caustic soda lye

2500 g stockfish
350 g washing soda (= sodium carbonate decahydrate, Na2CO310H2O)
400 ml slaked lime (= calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2 )
water

Pound the fish (remove the skin with a pair of pincers) and soak in fresh, cold water for six to seven days, changing the water every day.

Dissolve the washing soda and the slaked lime into cold water and pour over the fish to cover them completely.

Store the fish under a light weight until sufficiently swollen, for about six days. Stir the fish often, so that the lye solution will be evenly absorbed in them.

As soon as the fish have softened and the flesh looks clear and bright, transfer them to soak in fresh, cold water, changing the water every day.

After about five days the fish are ready to be cooked. Lutefisk is stored in snow. The skin removed from the fish is processed into a clarifier for brewed coffee

There are several methods to cook lutefisk:

  • Baking
    Lutefisk is placed in a buttered oven dish, covered tightly with a lid or foil and baked in its own juices in moderately hot oven. This is the method approved by the Norwegians, the foremost lutefisk connoisseurs.

  • Steaming
    Lutefisk is steamed on a rack placed over boiling salted water in a covered pan.

  • Braising
    Without adding any liquid, lutefisk is slowly braised in its own juices in a tightly covered buttered pan on a low heat on stovetop.

  • Poaching
    Lutefisk is wrapped in a cloth and poached submerged in simmering salted water on a low heat.

In addition, many people like to cook lutefisk in a microwave oven.