What about "Lutefisk" and or Swedish Meatballs, you Scandahouvians (restaurant, shrimp)

[Jillaceae]

My mom (1/2 Swedish) said she's make me lutefisk sometime. I'm glad she never did. I'm a little more into the Royal Swedish Sugar Cookies part of my heritage.

Also, she totally buys the Ikea meatballs.

[Bulldogdad]

I know they spread lye on dead bodies when burying them unprocessed a la natural in the bare earth with no coffins to help decomposition.

[TabulaRasa]

I went to a Swedish college that had a Christmas feast every year that befouled the air with the smell of lutefisk. Can't deal with it. Lefse, on the other hand...

[chicagojlo]

Also available at Ikea - glögg

[gentlearts]

I have a great old "Swedish Food" cookbook if anyone wants some authentic recipes.

[gentlearts]

Ok, so here's the Lutefisk (also called "ling") recipe from Swedish Foods, 1948.
The recipe begins with the admonishment, "If you want it for Christmas, you must start on December 9th".

Lutefisk

To every 2 1/2 lbs dried spring ling (Gee, I hope they have this at Publix):
1/2 lb slaked lime
1/2 lb soda
water

Divide fish in 2 or 3 pieces and put into a wooden tub. Add cold water to cover, and place in a cool place, changing water every day for 4 days. Then scrub fish on both sides and remove. Empty tub. Cover bottom with lime, arrange layer of fish skin side down on top. Cover with lime, add another layer of fish, skin side up, and cover with lime. Dissolve soda in a little warm water and add cold water. Pour slowly over fish until well covered. Solution should always cover all the fish. Last of all, place a weight on top to keep everything submerged. (They favor a board with a rock).
Soak fish 5-7 days or until soft enough to let a finger penetrate the thickest part easily. Remove, rinse tub, return fish and cover with fresh cold water. Change water every day for the first 3 days, then about twice a week. Fish is ready to cook after 4-6 days in fresh water. Cook small piece first to test. Fish may be kept a long time, but becomes hard if kept too long.
NOW to cook it.

It is boiled in cheese cloth and "always" served with salt, white and black pepper, mustard, boiled potatoes, melted butter and white sauce.

[gentlearts]

Swedish Meatballs (kottbullar, sounds like chet'-buller)

1# beef, pork and veal mixture
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 egg
3 T. minced onion
1 T. butter
2 teas. salt
1/4 teas. white pepper

To fry:
2-3 T. butter

Gravy:
pan juice
1 T. flour
3/4-1 c. cream or milk
salt, pepper

[DewDropInn]

Anybody here from L.A.? Huell Howser did a show on lutefisk that was hysterical. He didn't much care for it.

(For the uninitiated Huell Howser is a Tennessee boy who has a program called "California Gold" on the local PBS station. He goes to all the great places. Like where they make See's candy, or talks to people putting flowers on the floats for the Rose Parade. He went to the Sons of Norway Lodge in Van Nuys and they did a whole show on it.)

"So this is lutefisk!!"

[Oildog]

I had to eat it on holidays when I was younger. Yes I too grew up in Minnesota. It was the most horrible thing I ever ate. Swedish meatballs by contrast were very good.

[chicagojlo]

That recipe doesn't include leaving it out in the snow for weeks - which is the authentic way! So bizarre. I never understood why my Swedish friends wanted to eat this stuff.