Lutefisk Definition

Lutefisk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Lutefisk (pronounced loo-ta-fisk) is a well-known food of Norway and Sweden which consists of white fish soaked in lye as a preservative, then dried until it hardens. It is edible after multiple rinsings of water to remove the otherwise poisonous lye, and has a jelly-like consistency after washing.

In Scandinavia, the "season" for lutefisk starts early in November and is typically served throughout Christmas. Lutefisk is also very popular in Scandinavian-American areas of the United States, such as Minnesota.

Lutefisk is usually served with akvavit, beer and potatoes. A variety of side dishes is typically provided, including, but not limited to, bacon, lefse (typically used more in the US than in Scandinavia itself), goat cheese, green pea stew, kohlrabi stew, white sauce, syrup and "old cheese". Even if the common denominator is lutefisk, side dishes vary greatly from family to family and region to region, and is a theme of recurring controversy when different "traditions" of lutefisk-eaters meet and eat together.

The dish has sometimes subjected Scandinavian-Americans to jokes about the personality traits suggested by serving chemically-treated white fish with a white sauce. It is somewhat notorious for its intense odor, even within Scandinavia.