Harbor Legacy · Cod & Tomato Stew
Bacalao
📷 Closely related photo — Photo: IngimarE / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Klippfisk, the salt cod behind the dish, literally means 'cliff fish': it was laid out to dry on Kristiansund's bare coastal rocks before local merchants shipped it south to Spain and Portugal.
Dried, salted cod is rehydrated and simmered slowly with tomatoes, onions, potatoes, olives, and chili until it turns into a rich, saucy stew. It's a signature dish at Kristiansund's harbor restaurants and food stalls, celebrated with its own annual festival.
Why it's made this way: From the 17th century, Kristiansund merchants exported dried cod directly to Spain and Portugal, and the returning trade brought southern European recipes — and the dish itself — back to the Norwegian coast.
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Part of World of Street Food — 3443 dishes from 118 countries.
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