Rakfisk

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A distinctive dish from Norway, this food item includes fish, usually trout or salmon, that has been preserved through salt curing and fermentation, typically served raw with various accompaniments
2. This unique Scandinavian specialty features trout or salmon that has undergone fermentation in a salted environment, creating a robust flavor profile for consumption in its raw state
3. A traditional Norwegian delicacy characterized by salted and fermented trout or salmon, which is enjoyed raw and often accompanied by side dishes

Etymology: Rakfisk is a Norwegian compound, and its parts tell the story. "Rak" is related to the English "raw" in the sense of uncooked or unsalted-then-fermented, while "fisk" is simply "fish." The dish was traditionally made by salting fresh trout or char, packing it in barrels or wooden containers, and letting it ferment for weeks or months until it softened and soured, so the "raw" in the name refers to the fish never being cooked rather than to a lack of processing. Rakfisk is especially associated with the Valdres and Hallingdal valleys in central Norway, where it has long been a festive food, often eaten with flatbread, sour cream, raw onion and aquavit. The word itself is a plain Norwegian formation with no borrowed foreign source, so its history lies in the dish and its preparation rather than in a long journey between languages.