Monday, November 30, 2015

Lutefisk Dinner

If you live in Minnesota then you will see these signs.  Some Norwegians even mark these dates and times on their calendar and discuss who are the better cooks…and which one should not be missed if you are a connoisseur of LUTEFISK.

Lutefisk

I am only a tad Norwegian as my great Grandmother Amanda was from Norway. My measly 12.5 % Norwegian does not qualify me to like Lutefisk.

I ate Lutefisk once a long time ago in California. We were visiting Aunt Anna and My Uncle Stanley.  Uncle Stanley’s parents Gustie and Sylvia made it for the Christmas Eve dinner at their home.  Luckily they served roast pork too so I didn’t go hungry.  The pork was much better than the lutefisk.

Lutefisk is a dried cod that is soaked in lye to rehydrate the fish, then it is soaked in water to wash off the lye.  Then cooked…either baked or boiled.  Typically served with butter or a cream sauce and potatoes and fresh baked bread…everything on your plate is white. 

I suppose Swedish meatballs might go good with Lutefisk…perhaps this is their way of attracting the Swedes and the Norwegians. And Pie!   If you are in Bemidji Minnesota on December 10 you can go to this feast…as for me I will pass.

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26 comments:

DJan said...

I heard about this once before on your blog and still have no desire to try it out. :-)

Intense Guy said...

I'm going to pass also.

:)

MTWaggin said...

Eww I'm with you - not for me!

linda m said...

Think I'll pass on this one.

Anonymous said...

That all white thing going on for the meal just goes against how I was raised to have colors on my plate. GN asked me to make lutefisk once, so I did. I bought the smallest amonnt I could find. There was a lot left, so I found a recipe for a lutefisk hotdish. She liked that better. I tore up the recipe and prayed she would never ask me again. If I'm gonna eat anything gelatine-like, it has to be green

Gravy said...

My Mother was 100% Norwegian and we used to have Lutefisk at least once a year. Dad was half Norwegian and would brine the Lutefisk and then smoke it. All the years Mom made it it had the flake consistency of normal fish but one time it had the "gelatine-like" appearance like "goodnightgram" described. Brother in law Jerry Hoversten taught me the Norwegian burrito which was mashed potatoes, lutefisk, and melted butter wrapped in lefse. I think they used the lye to dehydrate/preserve the fish and the multiple water baths were to rehydrate it and get rid of the lye taste. Mom would have bacon or Swedish meatballs for my younger sisters who weren't fond of lutefisk.

Tired Teacher said...

I tried lukefisk once, and decided it was not something I liked, but I tried it. Now, pie on the other hand. . .

Anonymous said...

No lutefisk for me either! Yuk!

Shirley H.

Anonymous said...

Here in Sweden people eat lutfisk with a mustard sauce. I've only eaten lutfisk once - tasted like used nappies!

Karen said...

There's just something about the lye....no thanks!

L. D. said...

There use to be a buffet in a town north of us and we would go to it for my Norwegian Mother in law. The always had the fish in the buffet. Gosh that was a long time ago. I doubt that there is any business there anymore.

Linda W. said...

Growing up in South Dakota, I used to hear all about lutefisk...but I never wanted to try it.

Linda said...

I'll pass thank you very much...now if it was fresh cod.......

Red said...

I would definitely try lutefisk. It sounds icky but I'd still try it.

Country Gal said...

Sounds interesting . Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !

diane said...

I've tried it. Liked it too! However the Christmas when I fixed it for my family of 4 the youngest son said he wished we were Italians as he'd rather have spaghetti. Never fixed it again and will go out if I want it.

Gail said...

I like my fish fresh but could not make a fair judgement with out one bite.

Sounds close to a fish Andrew Zimmern tried with heads and insides left in a toe sack in the edge of the briny surf to ferment. It could be eaten raw or cooked. Even Andrew didn't like that!

Granny Marigold said...

Quite interesting to read all the comments that your Lutefisk has generated. I hadn't heard of it before either and don't think I'll ever try it.

Linda Reeder said...

My dad was half Norwegian, half Swedish, so of course that makes me a quarter of each. Mom used to make lutefisk for him once a year, and we kids all thought it looked unpleasant enough to not even taste. I do still make potato lefse though.

Jacqi Stevens said...

I didn't think there even were enough Norwegians in California to support a lutefisk market out here ;)

Shirley said...

I tried lutefisk once.... shudder.....

thecrazysheeplady said...

I can't even imagine what this tastes like...

vickit43 said...

I just heard about this on a new reality show called " I love Kelly". A show about Kelly Pickler the country singer and her husband. He made this Lutefisk for her to try. He is from Minnesota.

Rita said...

I'm 100% Swedish and abhor lutefisk! Yes, I have tried it. My uncle has always loved it. The entire house reeks for days. *shudders* It's a part of the Swedish Christmas tradition, too. Ugh! It is dying out in my generation. ;)

Sam I Am...... said...

Oh my does that bring back memories! My ex was Swedish and his grandmother was from Sweden and every Christmas eve it was the same plus they lived in a mostly Swedish community. I never was brave enough to try it but she always had plenty of other things to eat...thank goodness!

Lynda said...

After hearing it described on a TV Show today - - - seeing its consistency - - - and hearing the commentary of the person who tried it for the first time, it does not sound like something I would care to even have in the same room as me!