Lutefisk - everything you need to know for a perfect Lutefisk dinner at home
Now the season for Lutefisk is here and I think it will be best when you make it at home. Invite some happy friends, buy good quality ingredients, good drinks and you are ready for a very nice and good meal.
Ingredients
- 2 kg Lutefisk
- 400 gram dry-salted bacon
- 1 bag frozen peas
- 1 pk lefser
- different types of mustard
- syrup
- real goat cheese
- Ringeriks potatoes
- butter
- wheat flour
- salt and pepper
- cream
- milk
Before Christmas, I must always eat Lutefisk at least once. It has become a tradition I am very fond of. It is actually quite easy to make at home and you can make sure that the quality is good. There is no doubt that the accompaniment is important for this to be a good dinner. Many people have different desires for accessories for this dish. I have included the most popular and the ones I like best. In this post I will give you all the tricks and tips you need to prepare for Lutefisk dinner at home. I have used Smak Lutefisk from Coop. Then you get top quality cod from Lofoten and only the best part of the fish (the back).
Step 1
Lutefisken - Buy lutefisk of good quality. I choose large pieces of fish. The day I will serve the fish, I take it out of the fridge about 2 1/2 hours before it is to be served. Put the fish in a pan and sprinkle with plenty of fine salt. I recommend using only loin (the back). This extracts liquid from the fish and gives it a firmer consistency. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. When the fish has been lying with the salt for a little under two hours, you can see that the fish has released a lot of liquid. Rinse the fish pieces gently with water. Pour the liquid from the pan and grease the pan with a little neutral oil. Lay the fish back with the skin side down and cover with aluminum foil. Put in the oven. The cooking time of the fish depends on the size. Large pieces should bake for about 20 minutes.
Step 2
After 10-12 minutes I remove the foil. When the fish begins to flake on the thickest part of the fish, it is ready. Place the fish on a nice plate and it is ready.
Step 3
Bacon - There is a huge difference in the quality of bacon. For a dish like this where bacon is such an important accessory, buy bacon of good quality. Buy whole pieces so you can divide it into cubes.
Step 4
Fry the bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until completely crispy.
Step 5
Pour the bacon into a nice bowl and bring the frying fat. Many people like to take some of this on top of the fish.
Step 6
Pea stew - I buy frozen green peas when I make pea stew. Boil a pan of water and pour in the peas. Let boil for 2-3 minutes and strain off the water. Pour the peas into a food processor or use a hand mixer.
Step 7
Add plenty of butter and a little splash of cream. Add a little salt and pepper and run to the consistency you want. I like that it is a bit rough and not completely puree.
Step 8
White sauce - Start by finding a saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter has melted, add 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir until it becomes a smooth mass and dilute with milk. Stir for a few minutes so the flour taste disappears. Do not use too high heat as the milk may burn. Season with a little salt.
Step 9
Goat cheese - Buy real goat cheese and find the grater. Grate the goat cheese when it is cold it makes it much easier. Put the grated Goat Cheese in a bowl and put in the fridge until dinner is to be served.
Step 10
Syrup - This is an accessory I think is very good for this dish. Especially with lefser. Buy a syrup you like and pour into a serving bowl.
Step 11
Mustard - I like to use different types of mustard. My favorites are French Dijon mustard, dry mustard and a coarse mustard.
Step 12
Lefser - Buy fresh and good lefser.
Step 13
Potatoes - For Lutefisk I always use Ringerik potatoes. It's a bit boring to peel them because they have small pits, but they fit perfectly. Simmer the potatoes for about 15 minutes until tender. I pour off the water and put on some good butter. Finely chop a little parsley and sprinkle over.
Step 14
Set a nice table, present all the food and guests can choose which accessories they want. Serve beer and aquavit or a good white wine. Good luck!
