Fish



                                                                                               
Lutefisk,a Norwegian speciality
Contributed by Kelly

Recipe:
TO PREPARE LUTEFISK
4 SERVINGS
6 lbs Lutefisk
2-3 Tlb salt
Set the oven for 200C. Place the fish skin side down in a oven-proof dish.
Sprinkle with salt. Cover with lid or foil. Cook for approximately 40 minutes.

TO ACCOMPANY
1/4 lb Bacon
Dice bacon,fry so that fat melts and bacon becomes crispy.

CREAMED PEAS
300 ml dried peas
water
100 ml milk
1 tbs flour
1 tsp salt
Soak peas over night. Boil peas in fresh water til soft. With milk and flour.
Stir the peas into the roux.
Cook for 5-6 minutes. Salt to taste.
Serve lutefisk with creamed peas, boiled potatoes, bacon fat, and crispy bacon.
Salt, pepper, mustard placed at the table.

Traditional on Christmas Eve. (Dried Imported Cod)

Saw fish into 3 parts, clean thoroughly and place in a wooden bowl or pail.
Add water to cover and set in a cool place for 5 to 6 days.
Change water each day. Remove fish and thoroughly clean wooden bowl.
Make a solution of water, lime and ashes and allow to stand overnight.
Drain off clear liquid and pour over soaked fish, set in a cool place for 7 days.
When fish is soft, remove from solution, scrub bowl well and soak fish for several days in cold clear water.
Cook in boiling salted water at simmering temperature for about 20 minutes.
Drain well and serve.
The Norwegians serve the fish with melted butter or porc drip; the Swedes serve it with white or mustard sauce.
Allow 1/3 pound per person.

                  And to finish, you cannot have Lutefisk without Akkevitt!!                  

After which you will happily sing :
The Lutefisk Song
"O LUTEFISK"
[May be sung to the tune of "Oh Tannenbaum"]

Lutefisk... 0 Lutefisk... how fragrant your aroma
0 Lutefisk... 0 Lutefisk...You put me, in a coma
You smell so strong... You look like glue
You taste yust like an overshoe
Put Lutefisk ... come Saturday
I tink I'll eat you anyway.
Lutefisk ... 0 Lutefisk ... I put you by the doorway
I vanted you to ripen up ... yust like dey do in Norway
A dog came by and sprinkled you ... I hit him vit an army shoe
0 Lutefisk ... now I suppose I'll eat you as I hold my nose.

Lutefisk ... 0 Lutefisk ... how well I do remember
On Christmas Eve how we'd receive ... our big treat of December
It vasn't turkey or fried ham ... it vasn't even pickled spam
My mudder knew dere vas no risk ...
In serving buttered lutefisk.

Lutefisk ... 0 Lutefisk ... now everyone discovers
Dat Lutefisk and lefse makes-Norweigians better lovers
Now all da vorld can have a ball ... you're better dan dat Yeritol
0 Lutefisk ... vit brennevin You make me feel like Errol Flynn.

Lutefisk ... O lutefisk ... You have a special flavor
Lutefisk ... O lutefisk ... All good Norwegians savor.
That slimy slab we know so well ... Identified by ghastly smell
Lutefisk ... O lutefisk ... Our loyalty won't waver.

Clouddancer has a comment about this dish...
My mother in-law is Norwegian and has fixed Lutefisk a few times over the
years. Served piping hot it's not bad considering we are talking about cod
soaked in lye then dried. Once every few years is about all my kids can
stand. Downed with their favorite pop or juice. LOL
Clouddancer

Kelly replies...
Yes, we use cod too. But we dry it first and then we soak it in lye and after
that it should be thouroughly rinsed, of course [g]
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Now to something less controversial [g]

Kelly's Salmon Fillets
Contributed by Kelly

I do the salmon fillets the Norwegian way when I have them baked.
I cover them with foil, but first I add a lot of spices that I've gotten from Norway (wood berries and things like that*).
A little bit of sugar and salt, an egg glass [or egg cup] of cognac/brandy, and they come out delicious.
Serve with sour cream and potatoes.
*These berries include dried juniper berries, but there are also others: dried cranberries, etc.
Use what you can lay your hands on, the more the better.

Squid-Tomato Sauce for Spaghetti
Contributed by Jean B.
This is what I lived on when I was an impoverished college student.

1 cup finely chopped onion
3 Tbsps oil
2 lbs squid, cleaned and cut into thin rings*
3 cups (approximately) dry red wine
1 Tbsp oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups (approximately; 1 lb 12 oz can) tomatoes, hacked up**
7-ounce can (about ½ c) tomato paste***
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tsp each basil, thyme, and oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb pasta, cooked hot
Feta or parmesan cheese (I used the parmesan)

Saute onion in oil until soft. Stir in the squid.
Cook over high heat, stirring, until squid's opaque.
Reduce heat and add wine to cover plus the oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
Simmer 1 hour or until the squid is tender.
(As I recall, it starts out tender, toughens up, and then becomes tender again.)

In another pan, combine the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1/2 c red wine, basil, thyme, 2 tsps oregano, garlic, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer 45 minutes or until reduced by about one half.
Transfer squid to tomato sauce using a slotted spoon.
Boil down the liquid that the squid cooked in until reduced by about one half and add to the tomato mixture.
Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve over cooked hot pasta, topped with cheese.

*This was back before you could buy the cleaned stuff; I don't know the equivalent amount of pre-cleaned squid.
**Now, you can get the diced ones....
***Gee, I can't even remember when those cans were 7 ounces; haven't they ALWAYS been 6 ounces!?

Broiled Swordfish
Contributed by Jean B.
This is particularly simple and delicious. Serve with rice to take full advantage of the sauce. You can also do this with shark.
Serves 2

3/4 tsp pressed garlic
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce (I use Lea & Perrins)
1/8 tsp nampla (fish sauce; I use Tiparos, other people like Three Crabs brand)
1/8 tsp pepper
2 4-oz swordfish steaks
2 Tbsp butter
3/4 tsp pressed garlic
1/4 tsp nampla (see note above)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp brandy or cognac

Combine 3/4 tsp garlic, Worcestershire Sauce, 1/8 tsp nampla, and pepper and smear on both sides of the fish.
Place the fish on rack of broiler pan and let stand for ca 1 hour.
Heat broiler. Broil on both sides til done.

Meanwhile brown the butter in a small pan.
Add 3/4 tsp garlic and 1/4 tsp nampla and take from heat.
Stir in lemon juice and brandy.
Serve with rice.

Sole Reno
Contributed by Jean B.
This is the type of thing I used to cook back in the days when I just thought about gratifying my tastebuds.
Hmmmmm. That sounds good to me right now!
Serves 3

1 1/4 lbs filet of sole
2 medium tomatoes, peeled* and chopped
2 Tbsps chopped parsley
½ tsp salt
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup Hollandaise sauce MADE WITHOUT SALT (see below; you'll need ca ½ recipe)

Preheat oven to 350F.
Place fish in one layer in a buttered dish that can go both on the stove and in the oven.
Sprinkle with tomatoes, parsley, and salt.
Pour wine over everything.
Cover dish and bring to a boil on top of stove.
Transfer dish to oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Take from oven and transfer fish to individual ovenproof baking dishes. Keep warm.

Pour cooking juices, parsley, and tomato bits into skillet.
Place over high heat and reduce til about 1/4 of the original amount remains.
Add the heavy cream and continue to cook til thickened.
Stir in Hollandaise sauce.
Spoon evenly over fish and brown under the broiler.

*I rarely bother to peel tomatoes, although it does admittedly give a more refined result. I figure it's a bit more fiber!
Note: I have had this recipe for many years--at least 25. My best guess is that it was in Gourmet, but I really don't know.

Blender Hollandaise Sauce
(note my version is relatively lemony; ca 1 cup):

1 stick (8 Tbsps) butter, melted and bubbly (NOT browned)
4 egg yolks
3 Tbsps freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt (omit for the Sole Reno)
1/8 tsp cayenne

Place yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne in blender and whirr for ca 1 second.
Turn to high speed and add butter in a thin, steady stream.
Turn off blender and serve immediately.

********************************************************************************************
We are STILL waiting for Mick's Halibut and Termite Pie....

Sent in March of 2002, Mick said "I had the recipe here just a few minutes ago.
Now where is that thing." Promises, promises...

Praline Halibut
Contributed by Joy

This recipe comes straight from Alaska and is to die for!

Wipe halibut dry with paper towels and arrange in baking pan.
Melt butter and mix with brown sugar. Pour over halibut. Sprinkle with pecan pieces.
Bake at 350F in oven or cook in microwave.
The time is guesswork. I think about 20 minutes for the oven, or about 10 for the microwave.
It doesn't hurt to cut the time in half and turn the halibut, possibly adding more of the butter/brown sugar mixture to the top.
Halibut is done when flaky.

John tAg's Fish Fillets
Contributed by John tAg

I dip the fllets in beaten egg, and then instant mashed potato flakes.
Fry them in hot oil just like chicken.
Serve them with the usual whatevers plus a sauce made of orange jam, soy sauce, minced garlic and sesame oil.
Four parts of the first two things, one part each of the last two things.

Salmon Fillets
Contributed by Leighann

Here is a recipe my sister has for salmon fillets.
She covers them with mayonnaise, garlic and lemon pepper.
Puts them on the grill, skin side down, and grills them slowly until the top is flaky (doesn't turn them).
I've never had it but keep meaning to try it. She says every time she fixes it, people just go crazy over it.

Comment from Norma:
It's delicious. I remove the skin and also add (generously) grated parmesan and paprika, then bake in the oven.
I also remove the dark flesh because it is fat and makes the fish taste stronger to me.