What lutefisk smells like?

Lutefisk has a distinct smell

Most people describe it as a very pungent, fishy smell that can't be easily forgotten. Simply put, lutefisk smells strongly of fish, with notes of sourness and ammonia. The smell does tend to recede after the lutefisk has been cooked, though some don't make it that far.

Why is lutefisk soaked in lye?

Lutefisk starts as cod, traditionally caught in the cold waters off Norway. It's then dried to the point that it attains the feel of leather and the firmness of corrugated cardboard. Water alone can't reconstitute the fish, so it's soaked in lye.

How is lutefisk not poisonous?

Lutefisk, Norway

By this point it has a caustic pH value of 11 or 12 and is therefore inedible and highly toxic. Adventurous foodies needn't despair though – a few more days of treatment and water soaking renders the fish safe for human consumption – assuming it's undertaken correctly that is.

Who eats the most lutefisk?

A 2005 survey found 20% of Norwegians ate lutefisk during the Christmas holiday season, although only 3% would consider it for their Christmas dinner. Far more lutefisk is consumed in the United States than in Scandinavia, much of it by Scandinavian Americans in Lutheran churches and fraternal lodges.

What does Rakfisk taste like?

But once diners get past the smell, the taste of rakfisk is actually mild, slightly salty, and a bit tangy. Always eaten raw, it's typically sliced and served with lefse (flatbread), red onions, sour cream, potatoes, and occasionally a mustard-dill sauce.

What lutefisk smells like?

What is the world's smelliest fish?

A newly opened can of surströmming has one of the most putrid food smells in the world, even stronger than similarly fermented fish dishes such as the Korean hongeohoe or Japanese kusaya.

Is lutefisk buried?

The returning villagers poured water on the racks to put out the fire. Ashes covered the dried fish, and then it rained. The fish buried in the ashes in the ashes thus became soaked in a lye slush.

Does lutefisk taste good?

Generally speaking, people say lutefisk tastes mildly fishy, with a soapy aftertaste and a hint of ammonia on the palate, though there seems to be a lot of variation of its description based on whether people are fans of the stuff or not.

What do you drink with lutefisk?

Lutefisk is traditionally served with boiled potatoes, mashed green peas and fried bacon. A dry white wine with good acidity will work best. Wine is relatively new in Norway, so the traditional, viking drink is beer and Aquavit.

Can you fry lutefisk?

Bake the lutefisk in the oven for approx. 30 minutes. Smaller amounts of lutefisk require shorter time in the oven. Dice bacon and fry on medium heat so the fat melts and the bacon gets crispy.

Is lye poisonous lutefisk?

When this treatment is finished, the fish is full of lye and basically is poisonous. You don't want to eat the fish at that point, so to make it edible a final treatment of yet another four to six days of soaking in cold water — also changed daily — is needed.

How do you pronounce lutefisk in Norway?

The article about Lutefisk claims: "Lutefisk (prounounced loo-te-fisk) is a well-known food of Norway and Sweden (prounounced loo-ta-fisk)which consists of white fish (normally Cod) soaked in lye as a preservative, then dried until it hardens.

What kind of food is lutefisk?

Lutefisk is made from dried whitefish — usually cod— which has been rehydrated in baths of lye and cold water. The cook just has to heat and serve. Lutefisk is famous for being terrible, and jokes about it are prevalent among Scandinavian-Americans.

What is lutefisk English?

lutefisk in British English

(ˈluːtəˌfɪsk ) noun. a traditional Scandinavian fish dish, usually consisting of dried whitefish and lye.

What is lutefisk and lefse?

Lefse, with its intricate process and special tools, is the taste of a culture of builders—of great ships and snug homes and large stone hearths. Lutefisk, soaked in lye and smelling of feet (if fish had feet), invokes a vision of very large, very tough men. Lefse started out as an unremarkable flour pastry.

What is the nutritional value of lutefisk?

What is remarkable is that no nutrients are lost in this process and all the calories and vitamins are delivered intact and efficiently to the body (about 79 calories per 100 grams [3.5 oz.]

What is lutefisk and how is it made?

In case you're unfamiliar, lutefisk is white fish (usually cod) that has been dried and soaked in lye and then re-hydrated before being cooked in a boiling pot of water or in the oven, and then served in a hefty bowl of melted butter, with plenty of salt and pepper.

Is aquavit a digestif?

Today, aquavit is still viewed as a digestive aid during big meals, which makes it a common companion during Christmas and Easter lunches, as well as Midsummer feasts of smoked fish, pickled herring, pungent cheese, lutefisk, and crayfish.

How can I enjoy aquavit?

In Sweden, Denmark and Germany aquavit is served chilled and in a small shot glass. In Finland and Sweden, it's common to drink aquavit at summer crayfish parties. Things are a little different in Norway, where the drink is typically served at room temperature in special tulip-shaped glasses.

What's the grossest food in the world?

Are there bones in lutefisk?

Before it can be eaten, lutefisk is thoroughly soaked and rinsed with water to remove the lye solution, then boiled back to an edible texture. At this point, the bones must be separated from the fish.

What do Norwegians eat for breakfast?

The basic Norwegian breakfast consists of bread, brown cheese, and milk. Traditionally this meal included a porridge such as grøt (flour boiled with milk) or rømmegrøt (with cream instead).

Do people still eat lefse in Norway?

In the States, lefse is often eaten with butter, cinnamon, sugar or jam – but many families also prepare traditional Nordic dishes like lutefisk to eat with their lefse. Though lefse is made from ancient recipes and often using very traditional cooking methods, it's a food that remains very popular today.

What is the stinkiest smell in the world?

Recent research has pinned down the fact the planet smells like rotten eggs. A team of astronomers discovered recently that it is none other than Hydrogen Sulfide, a gas that gives it that distinct smell and which is present abundantly in the atmosphere of Uranus.

Is surströmming illegal?

Surströmming: The Most Disgusting (And Partially Illegal) Fish You Can Eat.