By: Molly Reppen
Information courtesy of UW-Madison Scandinavian Studies Senior Lecturer Peggy Hager
There are many ways to prepare lutefisk. The steps vary person by person.
- In Norway, the cod is dried out on big racks in open air. It should be cold enough so the cod does not rot, but not so cold that it freezes.
- Once the fish is dry, it becomes very leathery. Then the fish is ready to be shipped anywhere.
- When you receive the fish, you must first soak the fish in cold water for three to seven days. Keep changing the water, and after a few soakings, you then soak it in a lye solution.
- Then you start the water treatment process all over again! Rinse it and soak it for another four to six days, so then it is finally clear of lye.
Cooking process
- At this point, the fish is gelatinous and slightly mushy. You do not want the fish to fall apart, so be careful while you’re cooking it.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Next, let the fish simmer gently in the water for 20 minutes. Once it is done simmering, the lutefisk is ready to serve.
- You can eat the lutefisk plain, but try eating it with melted butter or on lefse, a traditional Norwegian flatbread.
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