Norwegian Lutefisk with Mustard (Print-Friendly)

Traditional Norwegian dried cod baked and served with a smooth mustard sauce and boiled potatoes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 2.2 lb dried cod (lutefisk)
02 - Cold water, enough to cover fish for soaking
03 - 1 tbsp coarse salt

→ Mustard Sauce

04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (substitute gluten-free flour if needed)
06 - 10 fl oz whole milk
07 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tbsp whole-grain mustard
09 - 1 tsp sugar
10 - Salt and white pepper, to taste

→ For Serving

11 - 4 small boiled potatoes
12 - 4 slices crispbread or flatbread
13 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Rinse dried cod thoroughly under cold water. Place fish in a large container and cover with cold water. Refrigerate and soak for 5 to 6 days, changing the water daily.
02 - Drain the soaked fish and sprinkle with coarse salt. Let rest for 30 minutes, then rinse off salt and pat dry with paper towels.
03 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Arrange fish in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until opaque and flaky.
04 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute without browning. Gradually add milk while whisking to prevent lumps. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, sugar, salt, and white pepper. Adjust seasoning and keep warm.
05 - Arrange baked cod with boiled potatoes and crispbread or flatbread. Spoon mustard sauce over the fish and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture becomes impossibly tender and delicate once you master the soaking, nothing like the tough dried fish you start with.
  • This creamy mustard sauce transforms mild fish into something genuinely crave-worthy, balancing savory and sharp flavors.
  • It's a dish that genuinely tastes like heritage, and your guests will feel like they're eating something special, even if they've never tried it.
02 -
  • Never skip changing the soaking water daily—I learned this the hard way when I tried to speed up the process once and ended up with fish that tasted overly salty and a little bit off.
  • The fish will look completely unappetizing after soaking, with a gelatinous exterior that seems wrong, but this is exactly what you want—it bakes into something tender and delicate.
  • If your sauce breaks or becomes grainy while cooking, remove it from heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold milk to reset the emulsion.
03 -
  • Order your dried cod well in advance—good lutefisk becomes scarce as Christmas approaches, and sourcing it from a Nordic specialty shop matters more than you'd expect.
  • If the rehydrated fish seems too soft after soaking, reduce the baking time by five minutes, as the texture can shift depending on the age and quality of the original dried fish.
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