Seared Cod Liver...

[Ducky]

The other day we came across some fine looking canned cod liver at our local purveyor of fine foods, and, on a 15 year-old McCallan single-malt induced whim, decided to buy the entire shelf. (At only $3.00 C dollars per tin, this was not as extravagent a whim as this may at first appear.)

Now the brand on the tin is "S&F" - and it is from Iceland (where the water is cold and the cod is pure) and it contains only pure cod liver "packed in it's own juice".

What could be wrong with this? As a youth I was given cod liver oil - both as a tonic and in gel-cap form - and this seems to have served me very well. We decided to experiment at home with these tins - and I will spare you the details here - but this is one very, very fine product. Indeed, after an afternoon of experimentation we both concluded that we prefer it to foi gras. And we would like to continue to believe it is good for us - but would be interested to hear if anyone on this board has any advice to the contrary.

Our favourite version ( of many favourite versions!) was just to sear the pieces straight out of the tin in a very hot non-stick pan for one minute per side. Then you take the cod liver out of the pan with a slotted spoon and place it on a pre-warmed plate. Keep the heat on "high" and sautee a handfull of finely-chopped chopped scallions (green onions) in the cod liver oil for about 30 seconds, and dribble this over the cod liver. Add some fresh ground black pepper and serve at once with a neutral cracker - such as a Carr's.

This is really outrageously good - and goes exceptionally well with a good single-malt - though my wife insists that a Mersault does it greater justice.

The point of this thread is to ask if anyone else has experimented with tinned cod-liver?

[Pan]

Everyone I know from my parents' generation who was forced to drink cod liver oil to stave off vitamin D deficiency hated the taste, and I don't even like the residual taste in much of the chicken farmed in the US, so I can't imagine volunteering to eat seared cod liver. What's next, artisanal castor oil?

[Pille]

The point of this thread is to ask if anyone else has experimented with tinned cod-liver?

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I'm from Estonia, and we often make codliver salad - mushy consistency and delicately fishy flavour. Just drained cod liver, finely chopped onion, salted cucumber and boiled eggs, salt&pepper. Nice as a stuffing for boiled eggs or on crackers.

I've got a picture here: http://nami-nami.blogspot.com/2006/01/esto...ver-canaps.html

We use canned cod liver in oil, not cod liver in its own juice.

[Pan]

Pille, sorry if my reaction seemed rude. Maybe the canned cod liver in oil really tastes different from cod liver oil itself.

[Pille]

Pille, sorry if my reaction seemed rude. Maybe the canned cod liver in oil really tastes different from cod liver oil itself.

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It didn't, Pan I've never been asked to have spoonfuls of cod liver oil, so have no clue whether it tastes better or worse than the actual liver disguised in a salad But the salad isn't bad at all, I actually get cravings for it once in a while..

[jackal10]

Err...Cod is now an endangered species and its consumption is to be discouraged.

However conssumption of fish oils with omega 3 and 6 are now thought to give health benefits.

Edited February 22, 2006 by jackal10 (log)

[Anna N]

Having been born of that generation that awoke knowing the day would begin with cod liver oil, I cannot even conceive of eating cod liver. I shudder at the very words and don't believe I could ever get beyond that to try the product itself. My girl friend of the same generation was overdue with her first baby. Doctor suggested she down some cod liver oil to move the process along. She went into labour 30 minutes later and swore that just the threat of cod liver oil did the trick.

[johnnyd]

That sounds delicious. We have a lot of monkfish liver around here but I think it's milder. The only cod liver I've had is in a spicy marinade for sushi mentaiko.

[Ducky]

Everyone I know from my parents' generation who was forced to drink cod liver oil to stave off vitamin D deficiency hated the taste, and I don't even like the residual taste in much of the chicken farmed in the US, so I can't imagine volunteering to eat seared cod liver. What's next, artisanal castor oil?

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It tastes nothing like the cod liver oil you were forced to drink as a child. It has a rich creamy, almost nutty taste with a very light and fresh fish finish. It is really a sensational taste - which for sheer luxury and decadence can, in our view, hold its own against foi gras - particularly when pan-seared.

Foie gras, at $30.- a tin, is a popular luxury food despite the issues of force feeding etc. to say nothing of it's questionable nutritional value

"Foie de morue" (as the cod liver is marketed here) on the other hand, at $3.- a tin, has none of those issues - and has an equally rich and decadent taste. Curious is it not? The price of fashion!

And Jackal: I was under the impression that Iceland has always maintained a cod fishery in its waters (and this is just a by-product of that fishery) and that that fishery is - or would be - sustainable absent overfishing by other nations. At least that is what I would like to think in order to justify continuing to purchase this product.