Alright folks, gather ’round! Let me tell ya about my recent lutefisk adventure. You either love it or hate it, and well, I decided to dive headfirst into the “love it” camp – or at least try to!
First things first, gotta find the lutefisk. Not exactly something you see every day at your local grocery store, is it? I ended up heading to a Scandinavian specialty shop a bit outta town. Grabbed a couple of packages – gotta make it worth the drive, right?
Next up, the soaking process. This is where things get…interesting. Lutefisk is basically dried whitefish that’s been treated with lye. Sounds appetizing, huh? So, you gotta soak it in cold water for days! I’m talkin’ changing the water daily, sometimes twice a day, to get rid of all that lye. I soaked mine for about five days, just to be sure.
Then came the cooking. Now, there are different schools of thought on how to cook lutefisk. Some people bake it, some people steam it. I decided to go with steaming. Seemed like the least messy option. So I put it in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and let it go for about 20-25 minutes, until it was nice and flaky.
While the lutefisk was steaming, I got the sides ready. Gotta have the right accompaniments, you know? Boiled potatoes were a must, of course. Also made some cream sauce with a little bit of nutmeg – that’s a classic. And for a bit of contrast, I threw together some mashed rutabaga. Adds a little sweetness to the whole thing.
Finally, the moment of truth. Plated up the lutefisk with the potatoes, cream sauce, and rutabaga. Took a deep breath and dove in. Honestly? It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting! The texture is kinda…gelatinous, I guess you could say. But the flavor was mild and the cream sauce really helped. The rutabaga was a nice touch, too.
Cleanup, oh boy, the cleanup! Let’s just say, make sure you ventilate well! That lutefisk smell lingers! I aired out the house for a good hour afterwards.
All in all, it was a fun experience. Would I make lutefisk again? Maybe. Probably not anytime soon, though. It’s definitely a once-a-year kind of thing. But hey, I can now say I’ve conquered lutefisk!
- Found the lutefisk
- Soaked the lutefisk
- Steamed the lutefisk
- Made Cream Sauce
- Served with potatos and rutabaga
What I Learned
The key to edible lutefisk is proper soaking. Don’t skimp on that step! And don’t be afraid to experiment with different sauces and sides. It’s all about finding what works for you.
