European Recipes:Norwegian Recipes:Fiskepudding Eller Fiskefarse (fish Pudding Or Fish Balls

Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

       Title: FISKEPUDDING ELLER FISKEFARSE (FISH PUDDING OR FISH BALLS
Categories: Norwegian, Seafood, Main dish, Appetizers
       Yield: 60 fish balls

       1 tb Butter; soft
       2 tb Bread crumbs; dry
   1 1/2 lb Cod or haddock; skinned and
            -boned
     1/2 c Light cream and
       1 c Heavy cream; combined
       2 ts Salt
   1 1/2 tb Cornstarch

   "To make an authentic Norwegian fish pudding - white, delicate and
   sponging in consistency - you should begin with absolutely fresh
   white fish. The pudding is served weekly in Norwegian homes, usually
   hot, with melted butter or a shrimp sauce (see recipe). Cold and
   sliced, it is also excellent as part of an open-faced sandwich."
   With a pastry brush or paper towel, spread the bottom and side of a 1
   1/2 quart loaf pan or mold with 1 tablespoon of soft butter and
   sprinkle the mold with 2 tablespoons of dry bread crumbs. Make sure
   the crumbs are evenly distributed and tap out any excess.
   Cut the fish into small pieces and place a few pieces at a time in a
   blender, along with a couple of tablespoons of the combined creams to
   facilitate pur‚eing. Blend at high speed, turning the machine off
   after the first few seconds to scrape down the sides of the jar with
   a spatula. Continue to blend, one batch at a time, until all of the
   fish is a smooth pur‚e. As you proceed, use as much of the cream as
   you need to form this smooth pur‚e.
   Place the pur‚ed fish in a large mixing bowl, beat in 2 teaspoons of
   salt and the 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch and slowly add any of the
   cream that was not used in the blender, beating vigorously until the
   mixture is very light and fluffy. Pour into the prepared mold and
   bang sharply on the counter to settle the pudding and eliminate any
   air pockets. Smooth the top with a spatula.
   Preheat oven to 350øF. Butter a sheet of tin foil and seal it tightly
   around the top of the mold. Place the mold in a baking pan and pour
   into the pan enough boiling water to come 3/4 of the way up the sides
   of the mold. Set the pan in the middle of the oven for 1 to 1 1/4
   hours, regulating the heat if necessary so that the water simmers but
   does not boil; if it boils, the pudding will have holes. When the top
   of the pudding is firm to the touch and a toothpick or skewer in the
   middle comes out dry and clean, the pudding is done.
   Remove the mold from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Pour off all
   excess liquid in mold, run a sharp knife around the inside, place a
   heated platter on top and holding the mold and plate together,
   quickly invert the two to remove the pudding from the mold. Clear the
   place of any liquid with paper towels and serve the fiskepudding
   while still hot.
   TO MAKE FISH BALLS: Prepare the fish in the blender as described
   above. Chill the pur‚ed fish in the mixing bowl for about 30 minutes,
   then roll about 1 tablespoon of the fish in your hands at a time, to
   make 1" balls. Refrigerate them, covered with wax paper, until ready
   to cook. Poach these fiskefarse by dropping them into 3 or 4 inches
   of barely simmering salted water for 2 or 3 minites or until firm to
   the touch. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon, drain thoroughly and
   serve as part of a fish soup (see recipe). Makes 60 fish balls.