Traditional Norwegian Plukkfisk creamy fish stew with bacon butter & chives

This Norwegian west coast classic of humble origin feels anything but humble; in fact it feels utterly decadent with its crisp bacon over flaked, succulent cod and tender potatoes. That fact that it’s deceptively healthy too makes this an instant classic! Here’s how to make it!

Let me start by saying you have a lot of flexibility with this dish, and there are many variations over a common theme. This dish started out as a way to use leftover fish and potatoes, and the name Plukkfisk literally translates to “Plucked fish”.

Its very essence is leftover fish and potatoes in a creamy bechamel. Among the many variations you’ll find some add diced, hard boiled eggs, others add peas or carrots. You can use practically any lean, mild, white, firm fish you want, but cod, ling, pollock and haddock are very common. The fish may be fresh, but you can make it with salted or smoked fish – and a very indulgent variation could even include klippfisk (stock fish) with shaved truffles, since it pairs so incredibly well with bacon and potatoes!

The version in this recipe is fairly close to the “original”, with the only indulgence being delicious bacon butter, crisp bacon and a fuckload of chives to go with it.

We also quite like diced eggs, and a side of Råkost – the Norwegian quick pickled carrots for a fresh, crispy zing – this will also add more fibers and improve the glycemic index of the dish, making it even healthier. We then reduce the amount of fish and potatoes a bit since the eggs and carrots are quite filling.

So how healthy is Norwegian Plukkfisk?

Plukkfisk is surprisingly balanced for what feels like a rich, comforting meal; high quality protein, moderate fat, and excellent carbs without going completely overboard. With the fish, leeks, onions and chives, you’re getting a good dose of Omega-3s and some greens in there too, not to mention a good amount of fiber from the potatoes and leeks.

The bacon and butter doe add some indulgence, but it’s still very well within reason – especially if it’s a weekend meal. You could cut the bacon butter, and just go for crisp bacon crumbles without sacrificing a lot. Doing so will knock off a whopping 50 kcals per serving and turn this slight indulgence into a truly balanced protein packed power meal:

• 690 kcal (640 kcal with just bacon)
• 50 g protein
• 30 g fat (22 g with just bacon)
• 60 g carbs

Basically peak Norwegian husmannskost super food that fuels you up without wrecking your macros.

Ingredients (4 hungry adults)

• 800 g poached fish meat, picked
• 1 kg diced boiled potatoes (800g peeled)
• Bechamel
  • 2 large (or 4 small) onions, diced
  • 2 large (or 4 small) leeks, sliced
  • 3 tbsp real butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 600 ml liquid (at least half of that milk)
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp (10 g) fine sea salt + more to taste
• To serve
  • 4 rashers crisp fried streaky bacon
  • 2 tbsp real butter (for bacon butter)
  • a metric shit ton chopped chives.

Method

If you don’t have any leftover potatoes and fish, start by boiling the potatoes and poach the fish in well salted water. I’m gonna make the bold assumption that you already know how to boil potatoes, but to get restaurant worthy fish, there’s a simple trick:

Bring the water for the fish to 70C, slip the fish in, and if the heat dips to below 60C, bring it back to 60C and turn off the heat. If the thickness is 2-3 cm, let the fish sit for minimum 10 minutes – 20 minutes is fine if that suits your schedule.

Master class: How to cook restaurant worthy fish

When the fish is cool enough to handle, gently flake the fish, and remove any bones you may find. Save the poaching water for the sauce.

Sauté the onions in 3 tbsp (30 grams) of real butter plus the 2 tsp (10 g) salt for 5 minutes, then add the leeks for another 5-10 minutes until they are both completely soft.

Stir in the flour, then add about 300 ml of the poaching water while stirring, then add milk until you have a nice and thick bechamel going on. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then taste and season with fine sea salt to perfection.

Add the nutmeg and the potatoes and stir gently to combine. Next add the flaked fish and gently fold it is, taking care not to break it up too much. It is now ready to serve.

For the bacon (and optional bacon butter), add the tiniest amount of neutral oil to a medium hot pan, and sear the bacon until completely crisp. Transfer to a piece of paper towel to cool off a bit. If making bacon butter, simply add the 2 tbsp butter to the still hot pan along with the rendered bacon fat, then turn off the heat and let the butter brown nicely.

When ready to serve, add a few generous scoops of the Plukkfisk to a bowl, drizzle over the rendered fat (or bacon butter), sprinkle with chives, and crumble over the bacon.

And then there’s only one thing left to do, so take your spoon and stuff your face.

There could be far worse things than a cup of crisp white wine to wash this down with: White Burgundy (Chablis, Meursault, or Pouilly-Fuissé), with Chablis being the crispest choice, while Meursault offers a bit more roundness. Aged Riesling (Mosel or Alsace Grand Cru) is another great option; dry or off-dry with some complexity and acidity to balance the dish.

For beer, something light, crisp, and refreshing is the way to go. Try a Kölsch for example; clean, lightly fruity, and crisp German beer that won’t overpower the dish. Belgian Wit is always a favorite, and the citrus and spice notes from coriander and orange peel work so well with the mild fish and creamy sauce – especially if you serve it along with the quick pickled carrots!

Ready to dive into Plukkfisk heaven?
If you give this recipe a spin (or have a secret family twist), I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment below with your results, or tag us on social with a pic 😀 And if you know someone who needs more Norwegian comfort food in their life, feel free to share!