[Sca-cooks] Salt fish recipes?-- I.E. SALTED (preserved) fish

[Dragon]

On Wed, April 30, 2008 16:55, Daniel Myers wrote:
>
> I did a quick search for "stockfish" and here are the recipes that
> appear to involve salted fish:
>
>

Just to clarify... (I know some of you know the difference but some may not).

Both stockfish and salt cod are made from the same type of fish (usually
Atlantic cod) that has been filleted and preserved but there is a big
distinction between them in how they are processed and how you must treat
them.

Stockfish is cod that has been simply dried, sometimes it is done by
hanging it under the sun and in the wind and sometimes it is done on racks
over a very low wood fire. The fire is mainly to provide hot air but not
to cook it or smoke it (though it will be a tad smokey if done this way).

Salt cod is dried by salting. I know that sounds obvious but it is
something quite significant.

Both products are stiff and hard as a board and must be softened by
soaking. With salt cod, you must soak it for a much longer period and with
several changes of water to remove the salt or it is pretty much too salty
to eat. Salt cod can take up to 3 days to soak properly while stockfish is
often only in need of an overnight soak if it will be cooked with a wet
method.

Now you very often can use either form in most recipes once they have been
properly soaked. Stockfish tends to have a much more pronounced fishy
smell to it but in both cases, this is moderated a bit by the soaking.

It has been my experience that salt cod is the more common product
available in my area, I don't ever recall having seen stockfish for sale
anywhere here in Southern California.


-- 
Dragon
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  Venimus, Saltavimus, Bibimus (et naribus canium capti sumus)
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