We had the loveliest dinner the other day and while deeply involved in preparing, it took me down the memory lane. Since I was very young, I’ve always liked fishing and from the start even more than eating it:-) As a scout I always had a knife in my belt and of course we had to clean the fish. My wife knows this of course and that’s why I was nicely invited to make the dish. For me it’s not a big deal, but since it tells a bit about our culture and tradition or at least habits in Norwegians home, I was thinking why not share the moments with you. Nowadays I don’t have a knife in my belt, but my Nokia mobile phone to document things for you. So let me first show you the result and invite you to sit in:
The fish was bought frozen in the local grocery and defrosted overnight in the fridge. Like I said; laying it on the kitchen counter and finding the right knife brought me down memory lane. How we made our own fishing equipment and how exciting it was to see who could catch the first one and the biggest one. Then cleaning it, feeling like a surgeon, and with curiosity finding what was in its stomach. Sometimes a small crab, sometimes sardine, starfish or even sometimes a sea urchin. Then we sometimes lit a camp fire to grill the fresh caught fish. We felt very grown up, self sufficient guys – almost like Robinson Crusoe.
Back to our dinner and the preparation; above you see the whole fish and then clean without the head and fish guts, ready for the final touch.
We have found that the easiest way to make a good salmon dinner is to fill it with butter, some slices of lemon and sliced leek. Then we wrap it in aluminium foil and bake it in the oven for an hour or so. You’ll have to scroll upwards again, to see and enjoy the result – Bon Appetite.
I know my regular readers like to learn something from Norway reading my blog. So let me add that fish is our second biggest export article after oil and gas. Not only because we have the North Sea on our doorstep, but also because fish farming has become big industry in Norway. In its natural streams, Atlantic salmon are considered a prized recreational fish, pursued by avid fly anglers during its annual runs. The rest are commercially farmed. Sport fishing communities, mainly from Iceland and Scandinavia, have joined in the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF) to buy away commercial quotas in an effort to save the wild species of the original fish.
So next time you by salmon: look for the Norwegian one and check back on this post to see how easy it can be served as a delicacy:-)
Now I have a hankering for a salmon! I love Salmon. I like it broiled with lemon and salt and onion.
I like it best when someone else makes it for me and all I have to do is eat it.
I was just thinking, isn’t that serving on the pictured plate a little small? I’d want more fish please. :)
I forgot:
“The Queerchef says hi” or “The Queer Chef pimped me here”
You have a very informative site.
mmmm, looks really tasty!
You should be a chef with that beautiful presentation! So, was there any interesting bits in this guys tummy?
Salmon is really very good for the diet! This looks especially tasty!
:)
I like eating salmon. Lots of omega too :)
thanks for the tip on wrapping in foil and putting leeks. I’d try that.
Your fish looks very friendly :)
I bet it come as a surprise to hear that I’m not a fan of salmon :)
Ah, yes – laks. I like mine with carrots, leeks and a nice white wine sauce. Mmmm, nami nam!
I love to fish and you might be surprised to know that I don’t even mind cleaning my own fish!
I like salmon but I hate those tiny little bones.
I love fish baked with lemon and butter.
Happy Friday, Renny! :-)
The “bon appetit” I have got when I saw your pictures, and I love salmon. Unfortunately it’s a bit early to have some. We traditionally eat smoked salmon for Christmas and new year as starter.
i love smoked salmon :)
Smart, sophisticated and a good cook! Wow; you’re talented, bro.
I am not a fish eater, but I love listening to or watching other folks cook anything. Back in Scotland, Grandpa’s family were bakers — and I have been known to make a killer carrot cake (using a neighbor’s recipe).
Be well, be swell! – Bud
My husband always orders salmon when we go out so he’d love this…me, on the other hand am partial to prime rib of the cow!!!
happy valentines belated!
I had to laugh when I saw that you exchanged your belt-knife for your phone, Renny. And much to our delight!
I LOVE salmon. Next time I’ll definitely make sure it’s from Norway. But of course!
Is it usually a meat-centerpiece diet? (or if fish, would that make it cod-piece centered?) Any special veggies or preparations of tubers? Spices or plain?
Well Renny, don’t reveal to the World how Laks or saumon has gone from the Very Rich Mans table down to everyones’. I can remember my parents highest wish for May 17, our national day, were heated saumon (not cooked!), cooked new potatoes, melted butter with parsley and chopped chives and cucumber salad + strawberries with vanilla icecream for desert.
Anna and I actually prefer salmon trout. Less fat.
Conclusion: Ask for Norwegian Salmon, it’s a thousand recipes for a meal for the Gods. And take pictures to RennyBA’s Recipe DataBase.
Have a great Weekend with hugs to all of you.
To all: Woow; how lovely to see all this comments and that sooo many loves (Norwegian salmon!) – thanks!
@Shoshana: I’ll said you are welcome to sit in and there will always be a second round in our house:-)
@Trevor&Rachel: Thanks for the compliments – always good to welcome new readers – welcome back!
@Lime: Taste even better!
@Balou: Thanks – no special in this salmon’s tommy.
@Susie: All Norwegian are tasty LoL
@Liza’sEyeview: Your welcome – tell me when you try it out!
@Teena: I was surprised! I was about to tell you; we always have a slice of pizza in the fridge:-)
@Tim: Yes, salmon in Norwegian is ‘Laks’ and it’s yummy.
@DianeJ: Glad you like it and do it our way. The bones are part of the game you know:-)
@Gattina: You can have Norwegian salmon all year through you know!
@Lws: Me too; salmon can be preserved in a lot of ways.
@DMunro: Thanks bro and I’m glad you’ve picked up some of this lovely traditions from your Grandpa:-)
@MotherOfInvention: As long as you eat together and with joy, that’s all that matters you know.
@NeilDC: Thanks – you too!
@Ginnie: I thought is was appropriate to let you know I have changed my weapons you know:-)
@Pearl: We usually have meat or fish for dinner each day. with this type of fish, we usually have potatoes, carrots and leeks. Only salt and pepper for spice and sometimes a piece of dill.
@TorAa: So well said. Thanks for filling me in! Salmon on our constitutional day has become a habit and I love it.
A great end to your week to you and your wife too:-)
I have to agree with that, we like the Norwegian salmon best too :-)
It looks very yummy!!!
*drooling heavily*
I love this meal. We make the salmon much the same way here too, but with onions and not leeks…
Yummy! Have a great weekend, been too busy for blog reading unfortunately lately! Email me and I’ll tell you more…
wow! it really made me salivate! here in the philippines, we have a similar food like that. it is a milk fish (bangus) which is stuffed with diced carrots, onions, potatoes, celery etc. it is so delicious! you should try it! it is called “Relleñong Bangus”.
I love salmon and now I know how to fix it! I usually just order it in restaurants. The portrait of the fist made me lol – nothing like your dinner smiling at your before you cook him!
hmmm,yummy!!Bon Appetite!!
I love salmon!!And I also do that kinda dish but not in the oven,I wrapped it in an aluminum foil,yeah with butter and lemon and some seasonal vegetables on it then i grill.easy to prepare and really delicious!! :)
Renny was a scout? :)
Happy weekend!!
That small photo of the fish? Up close and personal, it looks scary!
The idea of buying the fish quotas seems like a good idea. Better than telling fisherpeople that no, they cannot make a living anymore. Sounds expensive too!
I really enjoy learning about the world here on the blogs!
@MrsLifecruiser: What a compliment from a Swede! So I take it we’ll have Norwegian salmon on our cyber cruise then:-)
@ET: I know you have lovely and fresh salmon in Canada too – look for the Norwegian one next time then!
Thanks for taking your time to keep me posted!
@DosOcampo: Thanks for the Relleñong Bangus recipe – sounds delicious too!
@Sophie: Glad you liked both the dish and the portrait:-)
@Ghee: We do prepare it the same way, but only in the summer time you know. Grilling in winter time is not that common in Norway:-)
@Meeyauw: Don’t be afraid – he won’t bite!
I really do the same and glad you can pick up some of interest on mine too:-)
That looks lovely Renny! I sometimes experiment on salmon. Though usually I prepare it simply Norwegian or the Swedish version of baking it with cashew nuts and sweet chili sauce as my friend Sha introduced it to me.
This looks quite wonderful Renny…And occassionally I have bought the Norwegian Salmon…and, it is YUM! To have everything so fresh…that had to be amazing…I mean when you were a child!
I think I mentioned this before…there was a lovely Scandanavian Restaurant in Beverly Hills back in the 60’s and it was kind of a Buffet type place. The food was scrumptios—lots of fish and all sorts of lucious veggies, etc…and they had this sauce that you could put on your fish…it was a Dill sauce that had a sweet taste to it—makes my mouth water just writing about it—and whenever you talk about a meal that inc;udes fish, which is often, I think of that lovely special sauce…One used to be able to buy it in the market—they manufactured it, too…Do you ever use a Dill Sauce on any of your fish dishes? YUMMMMMMY!
I love my salmon with hollandaise sauce and fresh dill. yum!
It is delicious but also very healthy to eat a lot of salmon !
I love salmon and my other favorite fish is swordfish! Yum!
this is the thing i love norway so much the culture…. inspite the fact the country is one of the most advanced in the world, oslo ranked with in the top 5 most expensive city to live the people still have culture!!!
i love salmon i miss my fish monger at bgydoy alle perhaps you know that one ;-)
how cold is this!!!!!!! brrrrrrrrrrr
i live in costa rica, and sooo don’t miss the cold.
by the way, when i traveled thru alaska, one of the most incredible things i saw was salmon jumping out of the water. it was magical!!