History

Lutefisk's lye preparation dates to medieval Scandinavia as a way to rehydrate stockfish, and remains a fixture of Norwegian Advent and Christmas tables. The dried cod is treated in birch ash lye for two days, then soaked in cold water for four more before cooking. Oslo's traditional rooms run dedicated lutefisk menus through October to early January; Schrøder, Engebret Café and the lutefisk lunch at Theatercaféen are the canonical addresses.

Common allergens: Fish

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 20 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg ready-soaked lutefisk fillet (from a Scandinavian deli or fishmonger)
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 200g smoked bacon lardons
  • 300g frozen green peas
  • 100g unsalted butter, melted, to serve
  • 2 tbsp coarse mustard, to serve
  • 800g boiled almond potatoes, to serve
  • Lefse, warmed, to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200C. Line a deep oven dish with baking paper and lay the lutefisk skin-side down in one layer.
  2. Sprinkle the salt over the fillet, cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The flesh should be opaque and flaking apart cleanly with a fork.
  3. While the fish bakes, render the bacon lardons in a dry pan over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
  4. Simmer the peas in lightly salted water for 3 minutes, drain and crush lightly with a fork so they hold a spoon.
  5. Lift the lutefisk to a warm platter with a wide slotted spoon, draining any liquid that has come out.
  6. Serve each portion with melted butter, crisp bacon, crushed peas, a teaspoon of coarse mustard, boiled potatoes and a piece of warm lefse.

Tip from the editors. Buy lutefisk that is already soaked and ready to cook; the lye-to-rinse stage takes a week and demands food-grade lye. Do not boil; it falls apart.

Where to eat lutefisk

Lutefisk in Oslo

Engebret Café ★ 4.8

Traditional Norwegian$$$kvadraturenMon-Fri 11:30-23:00, Sat 17:00-23:00, Sun closed

Engebret Café at Bankplassen 1 is Oslo's oldest continuously operating restaurant, founded 1857 by Engebret Christoffersen, in a 1760s listed building.

Signature: Lutefisk in season, Reindeer fillet

Order: Lutefisk in the November-December season; reindeer fillet year-round.

Tip: Open from 17:00 weekdays; the lutefisk season runs through Advent and books out by mid-November.

Bankplassen 1, 0151 Oslo Book →

Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri ★ 4.0

Traditional Norwegian$$$sentrumMon-Sat 11:00-23:00, Sun closed

Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri at Grensen 1 occupies a 1699 listed building one corner from Stortorvet square, with a la carte Norwegian classics, a courtyard.

Signature: Lutefisk in winter, Smorbrod platter

Order: Lutefisk plate October to Christmas; smorbrod at the cafe in summer.

Tip: The courtyard runs May to September; lutefisk season books out by November.

Grensen 1, 0159 Oslo Book →

Asylet ★ 4.1

Traditional Norwegian$$gronlandMon 11:00-22:00, Tue-Fri 11:00-00:00, Sat 12:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-22:00

Asylet on Grønland in Oslo's old town is the wood-panelled 1730 merchant-yard timber building, one of the city's oldest, serving kjottkaker.

Signature: Kjottkaker with mash, Reindeer stew

Order: Kjottkaker with brown sauce and lingonberry; reindeer stew in winter.

Tip: The courtyard runs late spring through summer; the back-bar fireplace is the winter seat.

Grønland 28, 0188 Oslo Book →

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