Gulf of Maine Cod

[johnnyd]

An old buddy from my fishing days has a inshore/offshore fishing charter business and his boat is berthed around the corner in South Portland, Maine. He takes out people from all over to fish in the Gulf of Maine.

Yesterday his customers got into the cod in a big way so there was plenty to go around. When that happens, he usually drops in and gives me the excess bounty...

This time it's ten large fillets, averaging about 14 inches long. That's about 2 pounds each. Local fish purveyors are charging $6.99/lb today - down from $7.99 Friday - so we are looking at about $140 worth of cod here.

What to do?

First of all, it was filleted yesterday, washed with sea-water, bagged and put on ice. When Robbo came by this morning, they seemed a little soft to him so he recommended chowder. They also have bones still and need to be checked for worms.

I drained the fillets and re-bagged them. They smell wonderful - like a seabreeze.

After I de-bone and de-worm all this cod, I'm sure I'll freeze some but I want to cook off as much of it as I can first. Chowder? Sure. But there are a couple Western Mediterranean dishes out there involving tomatoes, bayleaf, some chorizo (which I just happen to buy yesterday) or linguiça, maybe simmered with some olives and white wine. I can't remember exact recipes so if anyone has any suggestions now is the time!

Other bouillabaisse or stew-style ideas (so I can basically freeze it) are welcome. I feel I have to do it all today to capture the fresh taste of this classic fish so everybody start typing!

[AzianBrewer]

Hi Johnnyd, how do you "deworm" if you don't mind me asking.

[lancastermike]

An old buddy from my fishing days has a inshore/offshore fishing charter business and his boat is berthed around the corner in South Portland, Maine.  He takes out people from all over to fish in the Gulf of Maine. 

Yesterday his customers got into the cod in a big way so there was plenty to go around.  When that happens, he usually drops in and gives me the excess bounty...

This time it's ten large fillets, averaging about 14 inches long.  That's about 2 pounds each.  Local fish purveyors are charging $6.99/lb today - down from $7.99 Friday - so we are looking at about $140 worth of cod here.

What to do?

First of all, it was filleted yesterday, washed with sea-water, bagged and put on ice.  When Robbo came by this morning, they seemed a little soft to him so he recommended chowder.  They also have bones still and need to be checked for worms.

I drained the fillets and re-bagged them.  They smell wonderful - like a seabreeze.

After I de-bone and de-worm all this cod, I'm sure I'll freeze some but I want to cook off as much of it as I can first.  Chowder? Sure.  But there are a couple Western Mediterranean dishes out there involving tomatoes, bayleaf, some chorizo (which I just happen to buy yesterday) or linguiça, maybe simmered with some olives and white wine.  I can't remember exact recipes so if anyone has any suggestions now is the time!

Other bouillabaisse or stew-style ideas (so I can basically freeze it) are welcome.  I feel I have to do it all today to capture the fresh taste of this classic fish so everybody start typing!

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the cod is lovely. I know this is a west coast idea, but I find cod great for fish tacos.

[johnnyd]

Hi Johnnyd, how do you "deworm" if you don't mind me asking.

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Seaworms burrow into cod muscle and are removed before retail by placing the fillets on a light table. You can see right through the fish. The worms are small but show up easily. I usually carve out that little area - the pros use special tweezers.

Frankly, I know they get cooked along with the rest of the flesh so I don't mind if I miss any for my personal use. Hey, I'm still here!

[johnnyd]

he cod is lovely. I know this is a west coast idea, but I find cod great for fish tacos.

Hey, lancastermike - did I not see a post of yours detailing either the creation of a couple those or were you taking a pic or two of some at a restuaurant?

I'd like a recipe for those - but I'll bet our local taco quality ain't as good as yours.

[dockhl]

he cod is lovely. I know this is a west coast idea, but I find cod great for fish tacos.

Hey, lancastermike - did I not see a post of yours detailing either the creation of a couple those or were you taking a pic or two of some at a restuaurant?

I'd like a recipe for those - but I'll bet our local taco quality ain't as good as yours.

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johhnyd~

not lancastermike but this recipe is pretty much what I remember from San Diego !

FISH TACOS

My husband's favorite!

[johnnyd]

this recipe is pretty much what I remember from San Diego !

FISH TACOS

My husband's favorite!

Delicious. The sauce - with capers, cumin, oregano and paprika - looks really good.

Unfortunately, we had a mess of fried haddock over the weekend so I will wait to try tacos later. So far, I've come up with (well, corrupted) a Zarzuela sauce recipe that includes:

tomatoes - canned

onion

garlic - not too much

oregano - fresh and dried

saffron - I have a lot of Iranian on hand

paprika

bayleaf

dried chilis

I'll start it all in rendered saltpork and add some linguiça later - something about cod and pork products: harmony in a pot.

[johnnyd]

The gift of cod - part II: de-bone and de-worm stage

Why, that one's trying to get away!

I couldn't cook all twenty pounds of fish that evening so I ended up with 5 freezer bags filled with either cod loins, cod tails or cod scraps,

[johnnyd]

The final recipe for johnnyd's Quick Mediterranean Cod

Sauce:

1 large onion - chopped

1 poblano pepper - chopped

3 cloves garlic - chopped

Oregano - liberal shakes

Saffron - one healthy pinch

1 tsp whole coriander seed

1 tsp paprika

1 big bayleaf

simmer above gently in rendered salt pork fat until soft and fragrant, then add

2 cans diced tomato w/ juice

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup white wine

1/2 lb sauteed chorizo slices

simmer gently for fifteen minutes, then add

2 or 3 pounds of codfish cut in two-inch chunks

salt pork cracklings

I had a lot of flavor going on here. I could have done with less saffron (I always overdo it), but it had the robust fish-stew taste I remember from little restaurants in Spain and Portugal. Olive oil is probably better than salt pork and cubes of good iberian ham a welcome addition instead of cracklings. Additional types of seafood too.

I froze 2 quarts after cooling, and one quart to have this week. I expect a different flavor profile a day later so I'm excited to try it for lunch today. In the end, perhaps what I've got here is a base to make some real Zarzuela after all!

[chromedome]

Brining some of the cod briefly is also an option, when you want a simple preparation. We used to leave fillets in a light brine for just an hour or so, along with some cracked peppercorns (I suppose you could do a reduction of some sort to add extra flavours to the brine, if you wished). This has the dual effect of lightly seasoning the cod, and also helping to firm up the flesh. Then you can just poach in court-bouillon or something, and you're good to go.

Keller, being the off-kilter individual that he is, salts his own for making brandade, but that seems like a lot of work to me.

[lancastermike]

The final recipe for johnnyd's Quick Mediterranean Cod

Sauce:

1 large onion - chopped

1 poblano pepper - chopped

3 cloves garlic - chopped

Oregano - liberal shakes

Saffron - one healthy pinch

1 tsp whole coriander seed

1 tsp paprika

1 big bayleaf

simmer above gently in rendered salt pork fat until soft and fragrant, then add

2 cans diced tomato w/ juice

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup white wine

1/2 lb sauteed chorizo slices

simmer gently for fifteen minutes, then add

2 or 3 pounds of codfish cut in two-inch chunks

salt pork cracklings

I had a lot of flavor going on here.  I could have done with a less saffron (I always overdo it),  but it had the robust fish-stew taste I remember from little restarants in Spain and Portugal.  Olive oil is probably better than salt pork and cubes of good iberian ham a welcome addition, more seafood also.

I froze 2 quarts after cooling, and one quart to have this week.  I expect a different flavor profile a day later so I'm excited to try it for lunch today. In the end, perhaps what I've got here is a base to make some real Zarzuela after all! 

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I think this looks much better than fish tacos. I have never done it nor even thought about it, but how difficult is it to turn the cod into dried salted cod? I would not want to turn all that lovely fish into dried but maybe try some? As I say, I have no idea of how to go about doing this, but I imagine someone out there does

[johnnyd]

A nice poaching in court bouillon sounds like a more respectable way to treat good cod than the flavor-fest I put together - something to try next time this happens.

We used to leave fillets in a light brine for just an hour or so, along with some cracked peppercorns

Interesting about this load: the whole lot sat in seawater rinse run-off, on ice, overnight. Not much at all - maybe a cup - and not a brine. A stronger brine would firm it up better - but almost all of it was in good shape. Fishing charters fillet your catch on-deck on a good cutting board but the heavy sea make for a few ragged cuts.

Peppercorns! I completely forgot to add either salt or pepper. The whole coriander I used is a trick I love doing because after cooking they explode in little bursts of flavor. I use it primarily in my Middle Eastern experiments - usually with lamb.

I did forget to mention - this was served with good country bread and a white wine, a delicious meal.

[johnnyd]

how difficult is it to turn the cod into dried salted cod?

A quick google yields a simple, modern way to salt cod...

Take the fillets of fresh cod and place in a shallow dish. Rub well with a good quality sea salt, cover with cling film and lightly press. Place in the refrigerator and chill for about 24 hours, turning once.

When ready, drain the fish, rinse thoroughly in cold water for several minutes and dry well. The fish will have lost moisture not to mention a third of its original weight and the flesh should be much firmer. It is now ready to use. As a rough guide, you will need about the same weight in salt as you have in fish.

...but I expect fishermen long ago would layer cut cod in barrels of salt until them get back in port. Some bacalhau I've seen are stiff as boards so I always thought they were air-dried. Something to check further.

I've also had miserable results when substituting fresh cod in recipes that call for bacalhau (dried, salted cod).

[Duck Fat]

This is mostly about the process of salting cod. I worked at a major maritime museum and performed this process (albeit on land) for nearly a decade. Since the cod we prepared had not been health code approved, the museum used it in fireplace cooking demonstrations and the staff got to reap the rewards. I have eaten just about every permutation of a traditional New England salt cod recipe.

johnny d wrote:

I expect fishermen long ago would layer cut cod in barrels of salt until them get back in port.

The traditional method for preparing salt cod is as follows: Upon catching the fish, while at sea the fishermen divided into three positions--the "header," who removed the head by tearing it off to retain the triangular piece of meat on the top of the head. Next, the "throater" gutted the fish. Finally, the "spliter" removed about 2/3 of the backbone, therefore allowing the entire fish to lay flat to receive the salt evenly across all the flesh. Properly split, the fish was roughly triangular.

Next, the hold of the vessel (usually schooners) was divided into tall bins (6-8 feet square and 4-10 feet high, depending on position in the hold). These bins, or "kench boxes," were layered with the split cod and salt at a ratio of roughly 4:1 to insure proper preservation. The weight of the fish pressed the salt into the fish layered below.

Finally, upon returning to shore, the salted (pickled, essentially) cod were placed on drying tables called "fish flakes" built of wedge-shaped slats to reduce the surface area of the slats on the fish. These drying tables often took up major acreage in port cities like Gloucester and Boston, Massachusetts, Halifax, etc.

The fish were air-dried. When the sun was shining directly, sun shields made of canvas were stretched over the flakes. When rain threatened, it is said that the youngsters of town headed to the flakes to earn money by stacking the drying fish under small houses that resembled 4-foot long barn roofs. The drying process took 10 days to 2 weeks and resulted in a fish that resembled leather.

To reconstitute for use, the dried cod was soaked in water or milk overnight, changing the water occasionally. I have eaten it so bland that salt needed to be added back IN to season properly.

I've also had miserable results when substituting fresh cod in recipes that call for bacalhau (dried, salted cod).

Too true--they are two different animals (despite the fact that its the same animal!).

And on another note, I friend of mine used to work in a fish market. One day I dropped by and he was holding a piece of cod over his head against the fluorescent ceiling light. When I asked him what he was doing, he looked around, and when he noticed that there was no one was listening, admitted he was looking for worms. He did say, though, that if any "real" customers ever asked, he had been told to say that he was looking for BONES.

[Adam Balic]

Some bacalhau I've seen are stiff as boards so I always thought they were air-dried.  Something to check further.

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Could be a regional thing. Most of Italy calls air dried cod stoccafisso (stockfish), but in Veneto it is called "baccalà", which is what the rest of the country calls salt cod.

[johnnyd]

Outstanding post, Duck Fat! I can't think of a better source to answer the salt cod prep question brought up in this thread. A million thanks and welcome to eGullet.org.

What happens to the moisture that's drawn out of the fish in the kench boxes? Does it collect in the Schooner's bilge? Absorbed by the salt pack? Either way it must have been an unholy smell.

There is a picture somewhere here, perhaps on a eG foodblog, of a european fish market that has shelves upon shelves of salt cod from all over the world. They are marked by their region of origin. If I find it I'll post a link here.

[Duck Fat]

What happens to the moisture that's drawn out of the fish in the kench boxes?  Does it collect in the Schooner's bilge? Absorbed by the salt pack?  Either way it must have been an unholy smell.

johnnyd, you're right on--the liquid collected in the bilge. The fishermen then pumped the bilge out regularly, right on to the deck, and the cod liquid ran out the lee scuppers. Just to be horribly precise, the below-deck fish holds and living quarters were separated by bulkheads. That kept some of the smell away from the men, and more importantly, most of the heat from the living quarters away from the fish.

And yes, it did smell--just like money to them!

[Adam Balic]

There is a picture somewhere here, perhaps on a eG foodblog, of a european fish market that has shelves upon shelves of salt cod from all over the world.  They are marked by their region of origin.  If I find it I'll post a link here.

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From my Tuscan food diary I think. Scroll down to the Mercato Centrale bit.

[johnnyd]

Spot on, Adam! Thanks. This post to be exact.

I still marvel that they had dried cod from the Faroe Islands there.

[chromedome]

Some bacalhau I've seen are stiff as boards so I always thought they were air-dried.  Something to check further.

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Could be a regional thing. Most of Italy calls air dried cod stoccafisso (stockfish), but in Veneto it is called "baccalà", which is what the rest of the country calls salt cod.

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Stockfish is dried, but not salted. Baccala is both salted and air-dried. See Kurlansky's Salt or Cod. The Norse originally traded in stockfish, but later lost major marketshare to the more durable salted product.

I can remember helping my grandfather in Newfoundland turn the cod on his flakes, back when I was a wee critter. I remember thinking that they were the strangest thing I'd ever seen (I was young).

[Adam Balic]

I'm aware of that, but nevertheless the name convention is turned on it's head in Veneto.