Persetorsk from Bergen - A traditional Norwegian fish dish
It all started as a joke on Facebook, but the motion was passed by the city council within the year: An official day, 28 January, was dedicated to the Bergen dish ‘persetorsk’. Learn more about this unique cod dish, and who knows, maybe it will become one of your firm favourites!
You’re probably wondering: What is ‘persetorsk’ anyway? Restaurant owner and chef Gard Haugland fills us in.
‘It’s probably the most authentic dish we have in Bergen. I don’t think you’ll find it anywhere else. It’s a very special and delicious fish dish.
A dish Bergen forgot
Gard is a local patriot and ‘father’ of persetorsk. He runs, among other things, Bien Basar in Bergen and rediscovered ‘persetorsk’ in connection with a book project he was working on – a cookery book on traditional Bergen fare naturally.
‘I had heard of it, but my family never made it. So I’d never actually tasted it before I came across an old recipe,’ he says.
Haugland decided to give it a go, and it didn’t take many mouthfuls before the experienced chef realised he had to resurrect it.
‘It was just so good. We had a great time eating and enjoying our rediscovery of this forgotten gem. Especially since it’s a 100% authentic Bergen dish.’
Photo: Visit Bergen/Kristoffer Fürstenberg
The renaissance of persetorsk
The unique thing about the dish is that the cod is pressed for a long time in a sugar and salt solution. It was also traditionally served with egg butter.
‘The ingredients suggest that it was a dish enjoyed by the bourgeoisie. It was by no means ordinary plain fare. Many families ate it around Christmas time,’ he explains.
So when Haugland initially started serving the dish in his restaurants, it was as part of the Christmas menu. His restaurant Bien Basar, however, serves it all year round.
‘And it is the dish we get the best and most feedback on. Without asking for it! People from all generations tell us that they think it’s a fantastic dish. They ‘get it’ at once, like I did. That shows that ‘persetorsk’ is a worthy dish not purely because of tradition, but also because it’s delicious.’
Photo: Visit Bergen/Kristoffer Fürstenberg
Persetorsk in the air
He is convinced that there’s something special about the dish. Something very specific that makes so many people like it. But it’s very important that it’s made the right way:
‘You must have a good balance between the sugar and salt, and it has to be pressed long enough. What you serve with it is also important, and good butter is an absolute must. We’ve modernised the dish a bit at Bien, and we serve it with a green pea purée, which goes really well with it,’ says Haugland.
He notes that it’s taking off. And not just because the city council took his Facebook joke to dedicate an official day to the dish seriously. Persetorsk seems to be in the air in Bergen.
‘We see that it’s making a comeback. More people are talking about it, which is great. It’s great for us locals to be able to serve visitors to Bergen some of the finest and most authentic fare the city has to offer,’ he says and concludes:
‘Especially when it’s so delicious.’
If you’re heading for Bergen and you would like to try persetorsk to see if you ‘get it’ too, you’ll find it on the menu in many restaurants, including Bien Basar and Bryggen Tracteursted.
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