Anglicaners:

Every old hand here knows that the Norwegian "delicacy" called Lutefisk is somehow worked into Anglican threads near the holidays. This is generally done by former Lutherans or by the several Scanadanavian Anglicans who post here (Hi Deb, hi Kathleen).

One of my professional lists has just had a discussion of Lutefisk and FBI (food borne illnesses --not the Feds). On it, we emerged with not only a definitive statement on the risk of the dish but indeed a Lutefisk bibliography as well! In the spirit of the list and for long term menu planning, I quote both posts below.

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Lutefisk is dehyrated, lyed cod. For the preparation from the dehydrated and lye treated state you must allow the lutefisk to soak in water for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator, with several changes of water to leach out the remaining lye. Once the fish has been rehydrated and the lye removed, it is then boiled. Very often the lutefisk is placed in a cotton bag during boiling to prevent the fish from falling apart. The Lutefisk is then served hot, usually with melted butter. As for FBI related facts and concerns, the dehydration and lye would prevent problems with FBI in the dehydrated state and the boiling process should kill any pathogens that may have been present during rehydration.

"....here are some books written about Lutefisk in USA."

Lee, Art, 1978: The Lutefisk Ghetto, 8. Printing 1986, Staples Mn.
Lee, Art, 1984: Leftover Lutefisk, 4. Printing 1986, Staples Mn.
Stangeland, E.C. Red. 1985: O Lutefisk, Sioux Falls, DAK.
Welsch, Roger L., 1987: Lutefisk - Food as Symbol: The mysterious Ritual of the Norwegian-American Christmas Dinner. The World and I. Dec.
Ingrassia, Lawrence, 1982: Some People Hold Lutefisk in Esteem, Others Hold Noses, Wall Street journal. Dec. New York.

Here are some references to "lutfisk", its chemistry, and recipes of how to prepare it. Some call it a "culinary catastrophe" and in my personal view I am prone to agree. Others love it. It is traditionally eaten here in Sweden and in Norway with mustard sauce or white sauce for Christmas, (along with the Christmas ham, a remnant from the pre-Christian times), and is a culinary remnant of the Catholic Days, before the Lutheran reformation of Sweden in 1527, when fasting or abstaining from meat before big holidays was a common religious practice.

Many Swedish emigrants of the late 1800's settled in Minnesota, because the landscape and climate reminded them of home.

http://www.santesson.com/christ/lutfisk.htm
(LINK DEAD - August 8, 2006)
http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/europe/swedish/lutfisk1.html   
(Link updated - October 4, 2002)
http://personal.riverusers.com/~roses/lutefisk.htm   
(Link dead - October 4, 2002)
http://www.lsbc.com:70/Lutefisk97.html    (Link dead - October 4, 2002)