Day Three in Norway: THE GREAT SALT FISH BATTLE
That morning we packed our bags and prepared to leave Tromsø; we’d be catching two flights (via Oslo) to Ålesund. But before heading to the airport, the Jamaican and the Dominican Republic chefs participating in the Norwegian Seafood Council press tour had a friendly cookoff. For once, the journalists and photographers (from Jamaica and Mexico) didn’t have the most demanding job in the room.
Our host, Norwegian Seafood Council Director of Brazil and the Caribbean Øystein Valanes, was joined by his colleague Ørjan Kjaervik Olsen, country manager new markets (including Mexico), and the council’s trainee Bendik Fredriksen. The Norwegian Seafood Council convinced the accommodating team at Mathallen Tromsø — a first-class restaurant regarded as “a temple for Arctic, North Norwegian ingredients” — to open their kitchen to the press tour’s chefs. Amazing.
Gunnar Jensen, head chef and co-owner of Mathallen Tromsø, was happy to share his kitchen with Jamaican Executive Culinary Artist Oji Jaja and Dominican Republic chefs Enmanuel Santos and Jacqueline Henriquez. A Norwegian, a Jamaican, and two Dominicans walk into a kitchen… could be the precursor to an epic punchline. However, there was nothing hilarious about the laserfocus of each chef in showcasing how they would use the finest quality salt fish.
There are three categories of salt fish (clipfish) — superior, universal, and popular. The chefs got to use superior-grade salt fish, but before starting to cook, the chefs got the lay of the land (er, kitchen) from Chef Jensen and chose their ingredients from the Mathallen Tromsø pantry.
The journalists and the Norwegian Seafood Council directors spent time discussing their respective cultures’ uses of salt fish and the origins and evolution of these dishes. Fun fact: Mexicans usually eat salt fish during Christmas in a dish called
bacalao a la vizcaina. Besides salted and dried cod, the Mexican Yuletide dish comprises tomatoes, olives, parsley, and baby potatoes.
While the Dominicans used clipfish, Jaja opted for primo fresh cod. Two whole fresh fish were sitting there. How could he not? Chef Jensen broke down (butchered), cleaned, and apportioned the fresh cod while Jaja retrieved a bit of culinary arsenal from his line of Ashebre spices. The man came to Norway prepared.
Chef Henriquez gave her salt fish the crudo treatment.
Not cooking after soaking, she dressed the thin fish slices with oil, soy, chillies, and ginger, served alongside fresh guacamole topped with pickled red onions and microgreens.
Chef Santos looked like he was in a Top Chef final. He carefully prepared each element on his plate — browned leeks, julienned scallions, sautéed whole baby tomatoes and carrots, crispy bacon crumble, potato cream (poured tableside), and a plump piece of seared clipfish.
Chef Jensen did two preparations of salt fish. One was a ceviche served in lettuce cups,
and the other seared clipfish served atop whipped potatoes with fresh petit pois and crispy bacon. Bacon and salt fish is a favoured Norwegian culinary pairing.
Chef Jaja’s dish was swoonworthy. “Today is my third day in Norway. My dish is inspired by the meals I’ve eaten so far, using traditional ingredients and pairing with a Jamaican flair,” the Ashebre The Virtual Restaurant principal said. Jaja served his beurre noisette-seared fresh cod with smoked mushrooms (he’s a pescatarian, so this replaced bacon), fresh tomato, and a simple arugula salad atop puréed
carrots (you may recall from our day one recap carrots in béchamel is a traditional Norwegian clipfish accompaniment). Jaja finished the dish with a drizzle of herb-infused oil and a sprinkle of Ashebre Scotch bonnet pepper salt.
We had such a good time eating four plates of food that we had to almost rush to the airport to catch our two-hour flight to Oslo, after which we’d head on a shorter flight, 50 mins, to Ålesund. Just when we thought our experience in Norway was unbeatable, Valanes knew that the experiences which lay ahead in Ålesund would be mind-blowing.