Klippfisk and Bacalao

Klippfisk, cod split, salted and dried on the coastal rocks, was for centuries Norway's great export, shipped to Portugal, Spain and beyond. On the west coast around Kristiansund it comes home as bacalao, a hearty stew of rehydrated cod with tomatoes, onions, potatoes and olive oil, a Mediterranean idea made Norwegian.

What you'll find

• Klippfisk - the salted, dried cod on which coastal fortunes were built.
• Bacalao - the tomato, onion and cod stew of the west-coast towns.
• Kristiansund - the clipfish capital and its heritage.
• The drying tradition - the history of curing cod on the coastal rocks.

When to go

Year-round; a hearty dish especially welcome in the cold, best sought out along the west coast where it belongs. Kristiansund is its heartland.

Before you go

Salt cod must be well soaked, so a good bacalao depends on the cook, and a poor one can be salty or bland. It is homely, hearty food rather than fine dining. It is most authentic and easily found along the More coast rather than everywhere.

Nearby

Kristiansund and the Atlantic Ocean Road are the heartland; Alesund is down the coast.