Fiske Budding
"Fish Pudding"
From the treasured pages of Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog
Unknown Author
Fiske Budding
"Poteter koges i vel saltet Vand; et halvt lille Brød udblødes i koldt Vand og vrides tørt i et rent Klæde; der røres lidt Salt, Peber og en Spiseskefuld hakket Persille i; 2 Pund Fisk renses, skjæres i tynde Skiver og lægges i koldt, salt Vand. Naar Poteterne er kogte, pilles de, mases gjennem en Sigte og krydres med Peber og Salt. En Buddingform smøres i Bunden med Smør, og et Lag Brød og et Lag Fisk lægges skiftevis i den; øverst lægges et pynteligt Lag af Potetesdeigen, og den bages en Time i en ikke for hed Ovn."
English Translation
"Potatoes are boiled in well-salted water; half a small loaf of bread is soaked in cold water and wrung dry in a clean cloth; a little salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of chopped parsley are mixed in; 2 pounds of fish are cleaned, cut into thin slices, and placed in cold, salted water. When the potatoes are cooked, they are peeled, mashed through a sieve, and seasoned with pepper and salt. A pudding mold is greased on the bottom with butter, and layers of bread and fish are laid alternately in it; on top is placed an attractive layer of the potato dough, and it is baked for an hour in a moderate oven."
Note on the Original Text
Written in the formal, slightly florid Danish-Norwegian culinary style of the late 19th century, this recipe assumes basic domestic knowledge—measures are approximate and instructions concise. Spelling reflects Danish: 'koges' for 'boiled,' 'skjæres' for 'cut' (modern 'skæres' in Danish or 'skjæres' in Norwegian), and 'budding' for 'pudding.' The recipe does not specify oven temperatures, but instead describes relative heat, as thermometers were uncommon. Quantities are given in pounds and loaves—a call to baker's and market measures, not the standardization we expect today.
Title
Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog (1884)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1884
Publisher
"Den Norskdanske boghandels" forlag
Background
A delightful journey through Danish culinary traditions as they flourished in Chicago at the end of the 19th century, this book offers a tasteful collection of recipes and practical cookery wisdom for both the adventurous and the nostalgic gourmand.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This fish pudding recipe originates from a Norwegian-Danish community in Chicago and was first published in 1884 by the "Den Norskdanske boghandels" forlag. The blend of fish, potato, and bread reflects Scandinavian frugality and a tradition of making nourishing, filling fare from simple staple ingredients available to immigrants in the New World. The recipe captures the cross-cultural current of the 19th-century Scandinavian diaspora—combining familiar Old World cooking with the ingredients and kitchen realities of North America. It's a rare window into the everyday culinary practices and resourcefulness of Norwegian and Danish homes abroad.
Cooks would have used basic hand tools: a cast iron pot or saucepan for boiling potatoes, a sturdy knife for cleaning and slicing fish, and a large, fine-mesh sieve or food mill to mash the potatoes. Bread was soaked and wrung out by hand, using a clean linen cloth—a kitchen staple. The pudding would be assembled in a well-buttered ceramic or tin mould or baking dish. Baking was carried out in a wood- or coal-fired oven, which required careful tending to avoid too high a heat; hence, the instruction for 'not too hot' an oven and a relatively long baking time.
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Servings
6
Ingredients
- 1 lb 2 oz (18 oz) potatoes
- 5 oz white bread (half a small loaf), crusts removed
- Salt (to taste, for boiling and seasoning)
- Black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon (about 0.2 oz) chopped fresh parsley
- 2 lb (32 oz) white fish fillets (such as cod or haddock)
- Cold water (for soaking and boiling)
- Butter (for greasing the baking form)
Instructions
- Begin by boiling about 1 lb 2 oz (18 oz) of potatoes in generously salted water until tender.
- Meanwhile, soak half of a small loaf (about 5 oz) of white bread in cold water, then wring it dry in a clean cloth to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Season the bread with a pinch of salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley.
- Take 2 lb (32 oz) of white fish (such as cod or haddock), clean thoroughly, then slice into thin pieces and place in cold salted water for a few minutes.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, peel and mash them through a fine sieve or potato ricer, seasoning again with salt and pepper to taste.
- Grease the bottom of a pudding or baking dish with butter.
- Layer the drained bread mixture and fish slices alternately, starting with bread at the bottom.
- Finish with an attractive top layer of the mashed potatoes.
- Bake at 340°F (not too hot, according to the original) for about 1 hour, until the top is golden and the pudding is set.
Estimated Calories
330 per serving
Cooking Estimates
We estimate the prep time by summing up the time to peel and boil potatoes, soak and prepare bread, clean and slice the fish, and assemble the dish. The cook time is the baking time in the oven. Calories and serving size help you plan your meal and portions.
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