18 replies to this topic

[YoChefGregg]

Does anyone else serve Lutefisk as part of their Christmas Eve smörgåbord?

[ronnie_suburban]

My wife's family is Swedish and my MIL often tell tales from her childhood of snacking on Lutefisk (and limberger?) with her father around holiday time. For whatever reason (insert speculation here), that tradition seems to have died off with that generation. I've never even tried the stuff but given the proper opportunity, I would certainly give it a whirl.

Chef Gregg, do you make your own?

=R=

[YoChefGregg]

I have always used purchased lutefisk. Unfortunately the quality is variable. Sometimes it is nice and firm and one has no problem using a fork to eat it. At other times it is quite jelly like and one needs to use a spoon.
Christmas Eve always sneaks up on me. Lutefisk making takes about 2 weeks to complete.
Lutefisk eating is an acquired trait.
I almost like it now, with lots of Dijon béchamel, after about 46 years of eating it at Christmas. My daughters and nephews look forward to trying it each year. They are always surprised that it hasn't killed anyone at our dinner yet.
To all of you other lutefisk eaters.........
Var Så God,

[FaustianBargain]

I have always used purchased lutefisk.  Unfortunately the quality is variable.  Sometimes it is nice and firm and one has no problem using a fork to eat it.  At other times it is quite jelly like and one needs to use a spoon.
Christmas Eve always sneaks up on me.  Lutefisk making takes about 2 weeks to complete.
Lutefisk eating is an acquired trait.
I almost like it now, with lots of Dijon béchamel, after about 46 years of eating it at Christmas.  My daughters and nephews look forward to trying it each year.  They are always surprised that it hasn't killed anyone at our dinner yet.
To all of you other lutefisk eaters.........
Var Så God,

hello there. i am intrigued now. can you tell us how to make it? anything that takes 2 weeks to prepare cant be bad.

[Gifted Gourmet]

i am intrigued now. can you tell us how to make it? anything that takes 2 weeks to prepare cant be bad.

Lutefisk recipe ...

a bit of Christmas seasonal lutefisk humor ...

From out in the kitchen, an odor came stealing

That fairly set my senses to reeling.

The smell of lutefisk crept down the hall

And wilted a plant, in a pot on the wall.

[Mabelline]

While I'm not the one to put down other culture's practices, me and lutefisk have to say adios pard to each other. I am truly sorry, but I can't get ammoniated jellied fish down. There are an inordinate amount of lutefisk mavens here, so I tried it my first year;my second year; my third year it got written off. But if you like it, enjoy, bud!

[MSPD]

anything that takes 2 weeks to prepare cant be bad.

Oh yeah???


My Ode to Lutefisk
by MSPD

I've tried it once,
I've tried it twice,
served with butter,
placed next to rice.

The fish they pound
and soak in lye,
just the stench alone
makes me want to cry.

It jiggles in a crystal dish,
I can't believe it's really fish!
Oh the humanity, please make it stop.
This ammonia-smelling pile of glop.

Year after year,
it's set on the table,
to choke it down,
set your taste buds to "disable".

That poor cod,
what sin did he commit
to end up as a dish
that tastes like such....vom-it? (insert another noun here if you would like)

Set down that spoon!
It's not worth the risk.
It's time this tradition ended.
Just say "no" to lutefisk.

[ronnie_suburban]

LMAO! Thanks, MSPD, for the wonderful verse.

=R=

[the_cow_whisperer]

hello there. i am intrigued now. can you tell us how to make it? anything that takes 2 weeks to prepare cant be bad.

There's a weird shaggy dog type story my mother used to tell about preparing Lutefisk.

Soak fish in Lye for 5 days.

Soak fish in water, changing water twice each day for 4 days.

Put fish on plank, and roast for 2 hours. Pipe potatoes around plank, roast for 30 more minutes.

Throw away the fish and eat the plank :-)

Dried salted cod makes sense as a dish prepared before refrigeration; the Italians have a similar product Baccalà. It doesn't seem to get the bad rap that Lutefisk does.

In all seriousness, where can one get dried salted cod? My mother let the Lutefish tradition die with her mother so I was never exposed to it. Might be nice to try.

[Gifted Gourmet]

In all seriousness, where can one get dried salted cod? 

Northern Products has all types of salted dried fish!

Although cured today using the same century old traditions handed down from generation to generation, our quality control program is produced under the strict quality  management  program of Canadian Fisheries and Ocean regulations.

The ultimate test of satisfaction is our ability to continually deliver the finest Cod, Hake, or Pollock to our customers.

[YoChefGregg]

I can purchase dried cod from my local fish market, although I never have.
I certain that many of us eat things and do odd things in the name of tradition.
Christmas eve wouldn't be the same without Lutefisk.
My two Sudanese foster sons even try it.
They can appreciate the history behind the dish.

[ronnie_suburban]

For you Chicagolanders, I've seen salt cod at Lincolnwood Produce and, IIRC, Produce World as well.

=R=

[fiftydollars]

Lutefisk, lutefisk
Lufsa, lufsa
We're the mighty Lutherans
Yeah sure
Ya betcha

-overheard at a Pacific Lutheran University sporting event

Edited by fiftydollars, 23 December 2004 - 03:19 PM.

[snowangel]

We, too, do the lutefisk thing on Xmas Eve (with the in-laws). Ironically, we used to do oyster soup. Now, don't get me wrong. I love oysters. I just don't like them floating in warm milk (with nothing else). They reminded me of snot balls.

So, one year, Paul suggested we do something different. So, lutefisk and swedish meatballs.

Lutefisk? I put it on boiled new potatoes, and smash the whole works together. Lots of melted butter, some white sauce, and an astonishing amount of cracked black pepper, and you hardly know it's lutefisk.

Heidi (my child with disabilities) loves it. It's white (her favorite food color). It comes with butter and potatoes. It's easy to eat with a spoon off her scoop bowl.

It is what it is. I eat it once a year. I'll eat anything. Except lefse. That stuff leaves me cold. A cold, potato crepe with butter and sugar. ?????

I think this year, I'm going to tote along a bottle of Tabasco chipotle and see what it does for the lutefisk.

I'm taking roasted carrots (a favorite of mine) and a great salad with spinach, pomegranite seeds, candied pecans with a nice dressing. I'm also bringing swedish meatballs, and have resisted the temptation to substitute larb balls.

[YoChefGregg]

Our lutefisk this year was not one of our best. The fish was at it's worst.
Every negative comment was summed up and laying insipidly in our oven proof dish.
I can't wait for next year's attempt.
GOTT NYTT åR

[ronnie_suburban]

Well, there's always next year.

If it weren't for the "off" years, the great ones wouldn't stand out as much. How's that for a rationalization?

=R=

[MSPD]

Our lutefisk this year was not one of our best.  The fish was at it's worst. 
Every negative comment was summed up and laying insipidly in our oven proof dish.
I can't wait for next year's attempt.
GOTT NYTT åR

Sorry to hear that. Ours wasn't that great either (not that it ever is). But, I give it a fair shake every year. Oddly enough, I realized I've sort of come to appreciate the smell -- maybe subconsciously reminds me of living on the water in Rhode Island years ago. I couldn't figure it out.

Now the lefse. THAT was good. Still warm, fresh off the pan.

My brother-in-law made some remark about putting the lutefisk on the lefse, calling it an "Uffda Taco". Anyway...I digress....

[YoChefGregg]

Thanks for the good wishes.
Maybe we'll try luting our own next year.
Here is a true lover of Lutefisk,

http://www.kare11.co...x?storyid=73352

Forum Host Note: Posted edited to activate the hyperlink

Edited by ronnie_suburban, 27 December 2004 - 10:20 AM.

[Mabelline]

I will know what the source is if I should hear of bombdogs stricken by a lack of olfactory senses!!! Good article! May your luck be better next year! As I said, although I can't do it, I hope you enjoy your tradition. I would not expect you to like bison tongue, which I like a lot.