Norwegian lutefisk with bacon and pea purée (Lutefisk)

1. Rinse the ready-soaked lutefisk in cold water and cut it into 4 equal pieces.

2. Put the fish skin side down in an ovenproof dish, salt it, cover tightly with foil and bake in an oven preheated to 200 °C for 20-30 minutes until the flesh is translucent and flakes easily.

3. Meanwhile cook the peas in a little salted water for 5 minutes, drain and roughly mash with 20 g butter (this is Norwegian ertestuing).

4. Cut the bacon into small dice and fry in a dry pan until crisp.

5. Melt the remaining butter in a small pan.

6. Pour off the liquid released during baking, lift the fish onto plates and serve with the pea purée, crispy bacon, melted butter, mustard and boiled potatoes.

Tip: Lutefisk is dried cod soaked in lye and then rinsed again; in Norway it is eaten during Advent, and its jelly-like texture surprises many. It is almost impossible to find outside Scandinavia, so use soaked salt cod instead: soak it in cold water for 24-48 hours, changing the water several times a day, then bake it the same way. The texture won't be as jelly-like, but the bacon, butter and mustard bring the same festive mood.