Mark & The Norwegians

I have long avoided such Norwegian delicacies as Lytefisk (cod cured with lye among other things) and Rakfisk (fermented and raw fish). At one point some of our Norwegian staff on the bottom level of my area actually prepared some Rakfisk for a mini-party. The stench permeated up three floors to the command group area. Everyone thought something was wrong with the drains.

Rakfisk is made from fresh trout or char, preferably over 750g. Remove the gills and guts and rinse well so that all the blood is gone. Scrub the blood stripe with a fish brush. Rinse the fish and put it in vinegar solution for about half an hour. Let the fish rest and the vinegar run off for a while. Then place the fish in a bucket with straight sides, close side-by-side with the abdomen facing up. Fill the abdomen with sea salt (60g per kilogram of fish). Some sprinkle tiny amounts of sugar on the fish to speed up the "raking", but not more than a pinch for each layer of fish.
Then place the fish under pressure with a lid that fits down into the bucket and a weight on top. The rakfisk bucket is put in a cold place (a stable temperature at about 4 degrees Celsius is the best, but it should be below 8 degrees Celsius at least). After a couple of days you should check if the fish is brined. If not enough fluid has formed to completely cover the fish, add salt brine containing 40g salt per litre of water. Some place the fish at a higher temperature for some days to make it brine better, but one should be very careful with this. Leave the rakfisk for two to three months. Rakfisk is well conserved in the brine. When the fish is appropriately "rak", you can put it into a fresh 4% salt brine, which will slow down the "raking" process. Another method for slowing it down is to put the tub in the freezer (or outside if cold enough) for some time. As long as the fish is lying in the brine it will not freeze.



One of my co-workers decided it was time I buckled down and tried some--and he's not even Norwegian. So he brought a "starter kit" in a basket to our Thanksgiving reception. The Rakfisk itself (already prepared in a package) was of the mild flavor. Also, some onions, potatoes, Norwegian flat bread, and finally some aquavit to kill the taste afterwards. We begged off trying some that night, but . . .

I particularly like the nice warning . . .

Note that all recipes for rakfisk states that the fish must never be in contact with soil. This is very important because of the risk of the wrong bacteria growing in the fish, especially Clostridium botulinum which causes botulism. The finished product does not need cooking but is eaten as it is. Rakfisk is usually served sliced or as a fillet with raw red onion, lefse, sour cream, and almond potatoes. Some also use mustard-sauce, a mild form of mustard with dill. Although not an everyday meal, approximately 500 tonnes of rakfisk are consumed in Norway annually.

It is not recommended that Rakfisk be eaten by people with a reduced immune defense or by pregnant women.

Tonight was the night to at least try some. Being wise in the ways of smelly fish, I went outside to try some. Well, it felt hideous--slimy and easily disintegrating in my fingers. It smelt hideous. And, you guessed it . . . it tasted hideous. I didn't try the aquavit yet, as we have to go to a reception tonight, and I need to drive, but I wished I could've.


On the less fishy side of life, this week has been the socializing week. First an open-house at one General's house, then the NATO-Norwegian military Christmas reception, and finally tonight, the Canadian reception. Lots of standing around, but now we move into the quieter, family part of Christmas.