Stockfish

Stockfish and salted codfish is by drying preserved fish - especially cod ( cod ), and saithe, haddock and ling, where previously the heads and viscera are removed in both variants.

When cod, the fish are tied together in pairs along the tail fins and hung on wooden racks ( floor racks ) for drying.

When dried cod, the fish are salted in addition to dewater. After salting, they are spread out to dry, before this happened on rock cliffs on the beach.

History

Codfish served in earlier times the mass supply of crews and soldiers armies. Trade and supply of canned fish as influenced to a considerable extent the discoveries and the world of Western politics.

When the conquest of America required the supply of ships' crews with non-perishable food, was remembered on the long -known tradition of preservation with salt. Air-dried salted meat is very popular in the form of Parma or Serrano ham today. Besides sauerkraut, which should help minimize the spread of scurvy due to vitamin deficiency, stockfish was one of the most popular foods of the time.

As for navigation much of these foods were produced, the stockfish was also widespread in the Mediterranean countries on the mainland, where fish was not widespread because you could not transport him before. Stockfish was included in the sequence as a food for the journey on horseback. For a wooden frame was similarly attached to the Ochsenjoch on the withers of the horse. The fish was allowed to be longer than the shoulder height of the horse, which has influenced the name of stockfish.

Another meaning came the cod to a popular fast food in the Middle Ages. The food culture of the Middle Ages was deeply influenced by the use of this fish. In particular, the domestic population away good fishing waters was strongly conserved, the easy fish interested. So took the trade with dried cod an important part in the Hanseatic trading volume. The monopoly rights, inter alia, to trade with dried cod guaranteed the Hanseatic city of Lübeck in its medieval heyday in 14-15. Century economic prosperity.

Due to the sharp decline of cod stocks in the last decades of the classic cod has become relatively expensive today, and thus has its reputation as a poor-man's food largely lost.

Preparation

Cod can be cooked or eaten raw watered. Waters means that the fish is placed in a cool in plenty of water. After two to three days, depending on how often the water is changed and after of taste preference, the fish is ready for further processing in the kitchen. The real Norwegian variant is the fish - mostly cod - about 5 days in 4 ° C cold water insert ( to ensure the sterility in the fridge). He takes during this soak time greatly in volume. In areas where the tap water is heavily chlorinated, so that should not be watered. The fish is bitter in conjunction with chlorinated water.

Especially in Spain and Portugal, and from there coming, in Brazil, will stick and dried cod - Spanish Bacalao, Portuguese called Bacalhau - even today still processing to a variety of traditional dishes. In addition to the feijoada Bacalhau is one of the local national courts. There is a saying that there are 365 different recipes - for each day of the year a.

In Norway, dry fish are also eaten raw and ungewässert. The dried fish is cut into bite-sized pieces and eaten without further ingredients as a snack. In Iceland you like sweeps the pieces with (salted ) butter.

National Kitchen

Italy

Cod is eaten mainly in Veneto, Lazio and southern Italy. There are also specialty restaurants for that. In supermarkets you can buy it at the fish counter. He will be called stoccafisso or salted cod fish. In southern Italy, also abbreviated stocco or baccalaru. There are many different recipes for it.

Spain

The clip fish was originally a so-called " poor man's food", since cod was caught in sufficient quantity and salt was cheap. The finished dishes do not taste salty, the fish is very tender. Bacalao is often fried in conjunction with tomato as a vegetable or sauce. Since the preparation is not trivial, a lot of time and some skill is required, the fish today is indeed one of the most common dishes, but does however can something special

Klipfish particular part of Basque cuisine, but is also often prepared in Navarra and Rioja.

Portugal

An important role in the Portuguese cuisine is the Bacalhau, from this be a year per person on average 7 pounds of ungewässerter and consumed 15 kilos watered Bacalhau. It is eaten raw, marinated, grilled, boiled, they processed it in soups, salads, appetizers ( Pastel de Bacalhau ), main dishes and even desserts.

Portugal also claimed its own production process for dried cod ( " Bacalhau de cura tradicional portuguesa "). This method requires a drying time of approximately 150 days, the drying only by wind and sun (or in a drying tunnel ) and the exclusive use of pure sea salt to rub the fish. It currently runs an application to obtain protection for this particular method of production throughout Europe as " traditional regional specialty".

Croatia

In Croatia, more precisely in Dalmatia, the Bakalar is a traditional festival dishes, especially on Christmas Eve.

Greece

On the island of Kefalonia is the Bakaliaros ( rare Stokfisi called ) breaded with skordalia ( a mashed potato with olive oil and garlic) served. This dish is now also spread throughout Greece, but as a court of Easter.

Russia

In Russia, stockfish (Russian Сушёная рыба / Suschonaja ryba or Таранка / Taranka ) is often eaten as a salty snack to beer.

Scandinavia

In Scandinavia, the stockfish is widely used as tørrfisk or tørrfisk ( dried fish, dried fish di ). In particular, in Norway and Iceland the dried fish has a long tradition. Until the 20th century the fish was still dried on big racks in the salt wind. Even today, this method is practiced in some places.

The salted variant is called klippfisk. A further refinement represents the Lutefisk

Japan

In Japan, dried fish as a Himono (干 物) is popular.

Germany

An example of food consumed in Germany dried fish is the Dreught fish - dried clods from Hamburg -Finkenwerder. Do not confuse it with the grilled mackerel fish stock that is often offered in Bavaria at folk festivals.