Bacalao

Funny where chains of events can lead.

On Thursday, one of the summer intern med-students in the lab was
discussing with another of the techs what she should bring to a going
away luncheon to be held the next day in honor of yet another tech's
imminent departure for Cincinatti or some such wilderness. Anna, the
med-student, is Puerto Rican. She (or maybe it was Sabrina.....of
Italian descent) happened to mention salt cod. Overhearing them, I was
reminded of Mark Kurlansky's book, "Cod: A Biography of the Fish that
Changed the World." The only detail I remembered from reading the book
is that salt cod is still fairly popular in parts of Europe, where the
fish is deeply intwined in the history of the exploration of the New
World and the exploiatation of its resources, and in parts of the the
Caribbean, where it was used extensively as a cheap source of food for
slaves.

Sabrina mentioned that there are a couple of places in the Milwaukee
area where one can still get salt cod, and named one Italian deli not
too far from here. Interested, I filed the information away for
possible future use, which is to say, I forgot about it almost
immediately. Yesterday, when IJ recommended a book to me and JR, it
reminded me of McPhee's "The Founding Fish," and JR's response included
a reference to caviar which reminded me of yet another, "Caviar: The
Strange History and Uncertain Future of the World's Most Coveted
Delicacy," (which, for those who like that sort of thing, I highly
recommend.....um, the book, that is.......I've tried caviar a couple of
times myself and was not surprised to discover that it tastes pretty
much like I expected fish eggs to taste) by the improbably named Inga
Saffron. All of this brought Kurlansky's book and Thursday's
discussion once more to mind.

So, this morning, Becky and I headed out to do some shopping which
included an obligatory stop at a bookstore and there on the clearance
rack (last chance! all books $1.00!) out on the sidewalk was.....yep,
"Cod."

Kismet!, murmurs I.

So, we made one last stop on the way home.....Angelina's deli on North
Avenue. The staff of friendly but woefully undereducated teenagers
smiled as I entered the store but then looked troubled and a bit
apprehensive when I said, "Salt cod?.......I was told I could get some
here." Blank stares, all around. Finally, one of them, with a peaches
and cream complexion that belied the possibility of her knowing
anything about such coarse fare, said, "Ooh! Wait a minute!" and led
me to the corner of the bottom shelf of a cooler and pointed
triumphantly before scurrying back behind the counter.

O.k., here I am, the proud owner of a two pound plank which is
allegedly the flank of a former fish. What to do with it?
Unfortunately, Kurlansky isn't much help. His book is liberally laced
with all kinds of historic recipes, but most of them are bare bones and
unappealing. I can go to the internet, of course. But, I thought I'd
check here first. Anybody ever worked with this stuff?

Wolfgang

Wolfgang wrote:

... Anybody ever worked with this stuff?

Set your search engine to "brandade".

If you can put your hands on an English edition of
_Larousse Gastronomique_ try the recipe on page 154.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
O.k., here I am, the proud owner of a two pound plank which is
allegedly the flank of a former fish. What to do with it?

possibly too basic for you, but.......
first, you have to soak the alleged fish in cold water in a bowl for a
couple days(at least a day), changing water a few times(the more, the
better).

when fish is ready, simmer in a couple inches of water in a deep skillet,
for 10 minutes(if it starts breaking up, remove), remove fish, set aside,
removing skin and bones.
In another saucepan, cook a couple of finely chopped garlic cloves in olive
oil until lightly browned, and then, add
1 of the large cans of peeled plum tomatoes which have been drained and
chopped(better still, 3 cups of chopped fresh ones, but it may be too early
for good local ones up there), a teaspoon or so of oregano, some salt and
pepper. Simmer and cook for 20 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken a bit.
Add 6-8 basil leaves, fresh and chopped to the whole thing. Preheat oven to
400.
Put a thin layer of the sauce in a baking dish. Lay the fish over it in a
single layer, pour over rest of the sauce, sprinkle with olive oil and bake
for 30 minutes......this is
Baccala pizzaiola or some such, if I got the spelling right....
Tom
my wifes people make the stuff, I can take or leave it,
personally.

On 15 Jul 2006 13:24:00 -0700, "Wolfgang" wrote:


(snipped)

O.k., here I am, the proud owner of a two pound plank which is
allegedly the flank of a former fish. What to do with it?
Unfortunately, Kurlansky isn't much help. His book is liberally laced
with all kinds of historic recipes, but most of them are bare bones and
unappealing. I can go to the internet, of course. But, I thought I'd
check here first. Anybody ever worked with this stuff?


My husband would kick me out of the house, unless he'd already run
away screaming. Around here it's called lutefisk.

You have to soak it in cold water (often changed cold water) and then
I think in milk. Finally, it's baked or broiled in the oven and
served with melted butter or a cream sauce.

All the above is by hearsay. The rest of the hearsay has convinced me
I'm never going near the stuff.
--

r.bc: vixen
Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher, etc..
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless. Really.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

Wolfgang wrote:
O.k., here I am, the proud owner of a two pound plank which is
allegedly the flank of a former fish.

Here's what we would do in New England:
1 sm. onion, chopped fine (I prefer green onions but that's not traditional)
1 tbsp. chopped parsley (optional - too much color for *real* New
Englanders)
4 or 5 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed, cooled to room temp.
2 eggs
3 tbsp. soft butter (optional - olive oil is ok, or just omit it)
black pepper to taste
1 pound box of salt cod (see below)
1/2 - 3/4 c. bread crumbs
olive oil or butter for pan frying
You will not need any salt!

Our supermarkets carry salt cod in little wooden boxes holding about a pound
of the stuff - the sides are available in specialty stores. It's the same
stuff. You want to soak overnight at a minimum, preferably 24 hours.
Change the water 3 or 4 times. I like to do the last soak in milk which
will help firm up the fish and mellow it. Bring water to a boil in a
shallow pan, put in the fish, and when the water comes back to a boil, turn
it off and let it poach for 10-15 minutes. If you're using a big piece, you
will obviously need to cut it into smaller chunks. The pan should have
anough water in it to cover your chunks. The secret is to be gentle -
boiing it hard makes it fall apart. Skin if necessary and pick over to make
sure the bones are all out. Flake coarsely.

Mix first 7 ingredients and refrigerate an hour or two. The potatoes should
be cooled to room temp. before adding the eggs so the eggs don't curdle. If
the mixture is too loose, add some of the bread crumbs to firm it up. Shape
into patties and coat with bread crumbs. Size is a personal choice. I
like mine about 2 1/2" in diameter and 1/2 to 3/4 " thick. Cook on griddle
in oil (or butter) until golden brown. Mom always used butter, but I always
use a mild olive oil.

Serves as many people as you 've got to feed if you add enough potatoes.

Traditionally served with (vegetarian!) baked beans and brown bread for
Friday supper. My Dad used to bring my brothers and me to Casey's Diner in
Chicopee Falls for these at least once a month. My sons don't care for
them, but they make my Dad smile. Heinz ketchup is the condiment of choice.

I won't share my late Mom's recipe for creamed cod on toast. I am not
nostalgic for that at all...

--
Stan Gula
http://gula.org/roffswaps

Cyli wrote:
My husband would kick me out of the house, unless he'd already run
away screaming. Around here it's called lutefisk.

That's different. That's cod preserved with lye (ewww!). Salted cod
actually looks like fish when it's cooked right. Lutefisk looks like fish
jelly and I am shuddering just thinking about it. I only saw it once,
smelled it barely, and I never want to be in the same building with it ever
again.

Actually it's not much worse than some of the things we used to eat at my
aunt's house at holidays.
--
Stan Gula
http://gula.org/roffswaps

One of my favorites is baked salt cod in a cream sauce. I think we have the
recipe in one of Julia Childs books. There is also one in a James Beard
book we have. Both of those recipes are rich but not spiced up with olives,
capers etc. Salt cod makes pretty fair chowder as well.
If your really adventurous there is a receipe for "Salt Cod and Peanut Stew"
in AJ McClains -North American Fish Cookery.
Let me know if you want it, I can scan it and send it to you. A report on
how it turns out would be appreciated.

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
ups.com...
Funny where chains of events can lead.

On Thursday, one of the summer intern med-students in the lab was
discussing with another of the techs what she should bring to a going
away luncheon to be held the next day in honor of yet another tech's
imminent departure for Cincinatti or some such wilderness. Anna, the
med-student, is Puerto Rican. She (or maybe it was Sabrina.....of
Italian descent) happened to mention salt cod. Overhearing them, I was
reminded of Mark Kurlansky's book, "Cod: A Biography of the Fish that
Changed the World." The only detail I remembered from reading the book
is that salt cod is still fairly popular in parts of Europe, where the
fish is deeply intwined in the history of the exploration of the New
World and the exploiatation of its resources, and in parts of the the
Caribbean, where it was used extensively as a cheap source of food for
slaves.

Sabrina mentioned that there are a couple of places in the Milwaukee
area where one can still get salt cod, and named one Italian deli not
too far from here. Interested, I filed the information away for
possible future use, which is to say, I forgot about it almost
immediately. Yesterday, when IJ recommended a book to me and JR, it
reminded me of McPhee's "The Founding Fish," and JR's response included
a reference to caviar which reminded me of yet another, "Caviar: The
Strange History and Uncertain Future of the World's Most Coveted
Delicacy," (which, for those who like that sort of thing, I highly
recommend.....um, the book, that is.......I've tried caviar a couple of
times myself and was not surprised to discover that it tastes pretty
much like I expected fish eggs to taste) by the improbably named Inga
Saffron. All of this brought Kurlansky's book and Thursday's
discussion once more to mind.

So, this morning, Becky and I headed out to do some shopping which
included an obligatory stop at a bookstore and there on the clearance
rack (last chance! all books $1.00!) out on the sidewalk was.....yep,
"Cod."

Kismet!, murmurs I.

So, we made one last stop on the way home.....Angelina's deli on North
Avenue. The staff of friendly but woefully undereducated teenagers
smiled as I entered the store but then looked troubled and a bit
apprehensive when I said, "Salt cod?.......I was told I could get some
here." Blank stares, all around. Finally, one of them, with a peaches
and cream complexion that belied the possibility of her knowing
anything about such coarse fare, said, "Ooh! Wait a minute!" and led
me to the corner of the bottom shelf of a cooler and pointed
triumphantly before scurrying back behind the counter.

O.k., here I am, the proud owner of a two pound plank which is
allegedly the flank of a former fish. What to do with it?
Unfortunately, Kurlansky isn't much help. His book is liberally laced
with all kinds of historic recipes, but most of them are bare bones and
unappealing. I can go to the internet, of course. But, I thought I'd
check here first. Anybody ever worked with this stuff?

Wolfgang

Wolfgang wrote:

O.k., here I am, the proud owner of a two pound plank which is
allegedly the flank of a former fish. What to do with it?

Give it to the dog.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
ups.com...
Funny where chains of events can lead.



O.k., here I am, the proud owner of a two pound plank which is
allegedly the flank of a former fish. What to do with it?
Unfortunately, Kurlansky isn't much help. His book is liberally laced
with all kinds of historic recipes, but most of them are bare bones and
unappealing. I can go to the internet, of course. But, I thought I'd
check here first. Anybody ever worked with this stuff?

Wolfgang

IJ--did not Kurlansky"s book include respics for cod ? Or was that McPhee
in the "Founding Fish " ?
Did not understand your message --she got it out of a cooler ?--did you mean
off a shelf?
While in Portagual I tried several dishes from cod, and even went into
markets to learn how they graded the hanging slabs.{ perhaps white folks,
slaves and dogs - I don't understand the language } Best eating was the
grilled sardines they sell streetside similar to chestnuts in N.Y.
Of course the indians in Alaska laughed when I went into their smoke house
and selected some of the salmon they were smoking. Found out later I had
eaten the half cooked fish they save to feed the dogs in winter.
can guess Jeff and Mike are enjoying steak at the roadhouse after fishing
all day.-sounds like they are also enjoying some hot sun.

Conan The Librarian wrote:

Tom's take on it is pretty close to what I remember eating as a kid.
You definitely need to soak it for a day or two and change the water
at least a couple of times. I recall tomatoes, green peppers, onion
and maybe some celery (not sure about the last one), plus garlic, of
course. There might even have been some green olives, too. And
definitely plenty of olive oil.

[I had followed this up yesterday, but it appears it didn't make it,
so I'll try again.]

Sorry to followup my own post, but I remembered that the version my
mom used to make was called "bacalao a la vizcaina". A quick Google
search shows that most of the recipes call for tomato, olives, onion,
garlic and pimientos; no green peppers. Some even call for potatoes,
but the version I ate didn't have them.


Chuck Vance (who's wondering what Wolfgang wound up doing with
the stuff afterall)