[Sca-cooks] Fish scales for aspic

[Terry Decker]

You are boiling the fish scales to hydrolyze the collagen and produce 
gelatin.  This is less costly than using isinglass exclusively, as prior to 
1795, isinglass was produced from the swim bladders in sturgeon, 
particularly Beluga sturgeon.

Bear


> Rumpolt has a couple of recipes for aspic, where you begin with a broth 
> made by boiling the fish scales with isinglass and an onion skin.  The 
> onion skin is presumably for color.  It's sieved in a woolen cloth before 
> using for the aspic.
>
> The net has recipes for fish cooked with the scales (which are not eaten) 
> but I didn't see anything for cooking the scales alone.  Has anyone ever 
> seen recipes that call for cooking the fish scales?  What would this be 
> adding the broth?  Color, thickening, flavor?
>
> Ranvaig