Norwegian Lutefisk with Mustard (Printable)

Tender baked lutefisk served with a creamy mustard sauce and boiled potatoes for a traditional Norwegian meal.

# What You 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 (use 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)

# Directions:

01 - Rinse dried cod thoroughly under cold water, then place in a large container and cover with cold water. Soak in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days, changing water daily. After soaking, drain fish, sprinkle with coarse salt and let rest for 30 minutes. Rinse off salt and pat dry.
02 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Place fish pieces in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until opaque and flaky.
03 - 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.
04 - Arrange hot baked fish with boiled potatoes and crispbread or flatbread. Spoon mustard sauce over fish and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The creamy mustard sauce transforms the delicate fish into something rich and deeply satisfying without overwhelming it.
  • Once you understand the soaking rhythm, it becomes almost meditative, and the payoff on baking day is absolutely worth the wait.
02 -
  • Skipping even one day of water changes during soaking will leave you with fish that tastes aggressively fishy—consistency here isn't negotiable and completely changes the result.
  • White fish should be opaque and flaking when it emerges from the oven; any translucence means it needs another few minutes, and overcooked fish will become mushy rather than flaky.
03 -
  • A whisk is non-negotiable when making the sauce—it's the difference between silky and lumpy, and five minutes of attention here prevents disappointment.
  • If your mustard sauce breaks or looks grainy during cooking, remove it from heat and whisk in a tablespoon of cold milk off the heat; this usually rescues it.
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