What does the cooking stock consist of?

5 l water, 2 dl vinegar, 100 g salt, 10 g whole pepper, 250 g carrots, 50 g parsley stalks, 1 sprig of thyme, and 1 bay leaf.

How do I make the stock correctly?

Clean and chop the carrots, combine everything except the whole pepper, and cook for 1 hour. The pepper is cooked for the last 10 minutes. Skim well and strain the stock through a straining cloth.

Should the salmon cool in the stock?

Yes. Place the fish in the boiling, strained stock and cook until tender. Then put it in a deep dish and pour the stock over it, so that it cools in the stock.

How is the cold salmon served?

Lift it onto a fish platter when it is to be used, and garnish with tarragon. The skin can be removed or left on, as desired. The salmon is cooked whole or in slices.

Salmon, cold (saumon froid) – 1914 recipe

Name: Salmon, cold (saumon froid)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 4 h 10 min
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: 2 kg salmon (whole or cut into slices); 5 l water; 2 dl vinegar; 100 g salt; 10 g whole pepper (added during the last 10 minutes); 250 g carrots (cleaned and chopped); 50 g parsley stalks; 1 sprig thyme; 1 pcs bay leaf; tarragon leaves, chervil, and parsley (for garnish); lobster roe (for garnish); tomatoes (halved and hollowed out, filled with salad); hard-boiled eggs (halved and stuffed); shrimp or lobster in aspic (for garnish); cold sauce (green herb butter, horseradish butter, or similar, for serving)

About the dish

From the fish chapter of 'Stor kokebok' (1914). Cold salmon was one of the most prestigious presentations in Norwegian bourgeois party food, and here Erken gives both the court-bouillon and suggestions for garnish and cold sauces in the French style.

How to make it

1
Boil the court-bouillon
Clean and chop the carrots. Combine them with the water, vinegar, salt, parsley stalks, thyme, and bay leaf in a large pot and set over the heat. Let it cook for 1 hour, skimming well along the way.
2
Add the pepper
Let the whole pepper cook for the last 10 minutes. Then strain the stock through a cloth.
3
Cook the fish
Place the salmon in the boiling, strained stock and let it cook until tender.
4
Cool in the stock
Lift the fish into a deep dish and pour the stock over it. Let the fish cool completely in the stock.
5
Arrange and garnish
Lift the fish onto a fish platter, and remove the skin if desired. Garnish with tarragon leaves, lobster roe, chervil, and parsley, as well as halved, hollowed-out tomatoes filled with salad, halved stuffed eggs, and shrimp or lobster in aspic.
6
Serve
Serve with cold sauces, for example green herb butter or horseradish butter.

Changes from the original

Quantities are converted to modern units (deciliters/grams), and the amount of salt in the court-bouillon is kept as in the original since the fish only steeps in it for a short time. The amount of salmon is estimated, as the original does not give a weight. The method is rewritten in steps, and the order (court-bouillon first, then the fish) is clarified.

Original 1914 recipe

Verbatim from the first edition of the Big Cookbook.

Facsimile of the 1914 page at the National Library of Norway — Foto: Faksimile: Nasjonalbiblioteket

ProofreadPage 107

5 l. vand 2 del. eddik 100 gr. salt 10 gr. hel pepper 250 gr. gulerøtter 50 gr. persillestilker 1 gren timian 1 laurbærblad. Laksen kokes enten hel eller skaaret i skiver; avkjøles i kraften. Skindet fjernes eller ikke, som man vil. Laksen blir særlig god ved at kokes i følgende blanding: — Gulerøtterne renses og hakkes, blandes med alt det øvrige undtagen den hele pepper og sættes over ilden, koker 1 time. De sidste 10 minutter koker pepperen med. Skummes godt. Siles gjennem sileklædet. Fisken lægges i den kokte, silede, kokende kraft og koker til den er mør. Fisken lægges op i et dypt fat, og kraften heldes over. — Naar fisken skal benyttes, lægges den op paa fiskefat; pyntes med estragonblade, hummerrogn, kjørvel, persille, overskaarne, uthulede tomater, fyldt med en eller anden salat, overskaarne, fyldte egg, ræker eller hummer i gele. Forskjellige kolde sauser som grønsakesmør, pepperrotsmør o. s. v. serveres til laksen.

Revised 1949 recipe

From the revised edition of the Big Cookbook.

Facsimile of the 1949 page at the National Library of Norway — Foto: Faksimile: Nasjonalbiblioteket

ProofreadPage 131

Laks, kold. (Saumon froid.) Laksen kokes enten hel eller skåret i skiver; avkjøles i kraften. Skinnet fjernes eller ikke, som man vil. Laksen blir særlig god ved å kokes i følgende blanding: 5 l. vann 2 del. eddik ioo gr. salt io gr. hel pepper 250 gr. gulerøtter 50 gr. persillestilker i gren timian i laurbærblad. Gulerøttene renses og hakkes, blandes med alt det øvrige undtagen den hele pepper, og settes øver varmen, koker i time. De siste io minutter koker pepperen med. Skummes godt. Siles gjennem sileklædet. Fisken legges i den kokte, silte, kokende kraft, og koker til den er mør. Fisken legges op i et dypt fat, og kraften helles over. Når fisken skal benyttes, legges den op på fiskefat; pyntes med estragonblade, hummerrogn, kjørvel, persille, overskårne, uthulte tomater, fylt med en eller annen salat, overskårne, fylte egg, reker eller hummer i gelé. Forskjellige kolde sauser som grønnsakssmør, pepperrotsmør o. s. v. serveres til laksen.