Vörðu
Vörðu is a traditional Icelandic dish made from fermented shark meat. The shark used is typically the Greenland shark, which is poisonous in its fresh state due to high levels of trimethylamine oxide and urea. The fermentation process, which can take several months, breaks down these toxins, making the meat edible. The process involves burying the shark in a sandy or gravelly pit, where it is pressed by stones to expel fluids. After several months, the meat is hung to dry for another few months.
The resulting Vörðu has a very strong, pungent smell and a distinctive, ammonia-like taste, often described