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The stockfish delivered by
FedEx to Marisa Ciceran, Dec. 7, 2013. |
How to Identify and
Prepare Baccalà
The term "baccal" (English) or
baccalà (Italian; Venetian / Istrian: bacalà) is used
to mean two different things:
- salt-cured cod (Italian:
baccalà)
- air-drid cod, haddock or hake
(Italian/Istrian: stoccafisso or stoccofisso; English:
stockfish).
Although the distinctions are sometimes blurried in the recipes, the two types of fish are different
products with different taste and are therefore NOT entirely interchangeable in
kitchen
recipes.
Identifying the fish
From early times, Italy's salt-cured cod
and air-dried cod have come from northern countries in the fish trade
industry dating back a millennium. In fact, both Italian words,
baccalà and stoccafisso, probably derive from old Dutch
and Middle Dutch (through the Norwegian), respectively. Salt cod
products are especially popular in most regions of Italy, France, Spain,
and Greece, but for some reason nonexistent in the southern
Mediterranean. The Italians would trade wine, cloth, and spices among
other things for salt cod.
It is a curious fact that we should
regard cod, a north-sea fish, as a specialty of our Dalmatian and
Istrian cuisine where it is prepared in a variety of ways and consumed
in prodigious amounts. Depending on the region it can used as a salad,
a' la white, as cod brodetto, cod soup, cod à la red, and in many other
ways. In Istria, both the salt-cured and the air-dried cod products
may be shown in certain modern recipes, the traditional
Christmas
baccal is made strictly from stockfish. Compare this with
the baccala'
dishes in parts of Italy where the distinction has been forgotten.
In any case, both types of fish products
are also extensively eaten throughout southern Europe. In the United
States, where fresh cod is plentiful, there has been
little demand for either salt-cured or air-dried cod except in
ethnic communities - Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, and some West
Indian. In ethnic Italian neighborhoods, stockfish is generally
available only during the Christmas season, whereas the salt-cured baccalà is available year-round in Italian and West Indian neighborhoods,
as well as showing up in supermarkets, too. On the
other hand, in Melbourne and other parts of Australia, it is stockfish
that is
generally available year-round.
Stockfish Manufacture
The science of producing good stockfish is in many
ways comparable to that of making a good cognac, Parma ham, or a
well-matured cheese. Practitioners of the Slow Food movement insist that
all these artisanal products must be made on a small scale and given
time to mature.
The fish is prepared immediately after capture. After
gutting the fish, it is either dried whole, or split along the spine
leaving the tail connected. The fish is hung on the hjell from
February to May. Stable cool weather protects the fish from insects and
prevents an uncontrolled bacterial growth. A temperature just above zero
degrees Celsius, with little rain, is ideal. Too much frost will spoil
the fish, as ice destroys the fibers in the fish. The climate in
northern Norway is excellent for stockfish production. Due to the stable
conditions, the stockfish produced in Lofoten and Vesterålen is often
regarded as the best. The traditional cod harvest in Lofoten also takes
place during the best drying time. Due to a milder and more humid
climate, salted/dried whitefish (klippfisk) was more common in
the fisheries districts of Western Norway.
After its three months hanging on the hjell,
the fish is then matured for another two to three months indoors in a
dry and airy environment. During the drying, about 80% of the water in
the fish evaporates. The stockfish retains all the nutrients from the
fresh fish, only concentrated: it is therefore rich in proteins,
vitamins, iron, and calcium.
After sorting by quality, most of the stockfish is
exported to Italy, Croatia and Nigeria. In Norway and Iceland, the
stockfish is mostly used as a snack and for lutefisk production. In
Italy, the fish (called stoccafisso) is soaked and used in
various courses, and is viewed as a delicacy.
Low-quality stockfish is also commonly used as
supplemental food for pets, primarily as dog food or dog treats.
The 2012–2015 project SafeTrackFood developed a method
of indoor production of stockfish to accelerate the maturing and drying
of the fish in a safe manner.
Physical characteristics
The two fish products are distinguishable
from each other by four other factors:
- Baccalà is white in
appearance, skinless and boneless. Since larger cod is used for this
curing method, it is usually found in the markets in cut sections
rather than a whole fish. You can also generally see and taste the
residue of salt that is left on its surface from the curing process.
- Stoccafisso is a whole fish,
complete with bones and skin, the latter of which gives it its grey
appearance. It has no added ingredients in the processing.
- Baccalà is relatively moist
and tender.
- Stoccafisso is dry and nearly
rock hard.
Taste
Apart from the general fact that smaller
fish are tastier and therefore preferable to their larger counterparts,
stoccafisso (air-dried stockfish) unquestionably has a more delicate
flavor than
baccalà (salt-cured baccal).
Cost
Stoccafisso is more costly than
baccalà
as well as being more difficult to find outside of specialty stores or
ethnic neighborhoods in the U.S.A:, but in other countries (such as
Australia), they are more readily available year-round.
Preparation
Both salt cod (baccalà)
and air-dried cod (stoccafisso) are sold with the bone in or out
or in chunks, but air-dried cod is generally found as a whole fish.
Baccalà is more commonly found in America than
stoccafisso and, being salted, needs soaking in water for
several days to remove the salt, whereas the air-dried fish needs
soaking for an equal amount of time to rehydrate it. Some salt cod
products are pre-soaked and will be labeled as such. With these
products, any cartilage, bone, or skin can be removed at this point, and
they are then ready for use in the recipe.
When purchasing cod, one must ensure that
it is flat, white (the salt-cured fish) or light grey (the air-dried
fish) and transparent about the ears, and that its fins are turned
upwards. Also, smaller cod are tastier than their big brothers.
Baccalà - that is, salt cod -
being too salty for immediate use, must be soaked for at least two days
(five would be better) in several changes of water to ensure that the
excess salt is drained away. It can then be poached, fried, baked, or
used in pates, mousses, and sauces.
Stockfish is much drier and has a
woody texture and appearance, so it must be bashed a little with a
wooden pounder or mallet to break down its fibrous texture before being
soaked in the same manner as baccalà
for at least three and up to four or five days in plenty of fresh
water that is changed at least once daily and kept well-chilled. If kept
covered, the odor of the fish is low, so keeping the soaking fish in the
refrigerator is a reasonable option. Should the fish be larger than any
available vessel, bend it and tie it with string, or saw it into smaller
pieces. If you cannot afford the time to soak the fish in water, wrap it
in a damp cloth and steam it, or cover it with hot ashes. The fish is
then boiled, cleaned from the bone, and, typically, beaten to a
mousse-like consistency with oil or cream.
The two different types of fish prepared
in these two ways can be scraped, washed and cooked according to an
appropriate recipe. Once cooked, the fish should flake easily. Once
softened, place it in cold water and boiled, but do not overcook because
it will be inclined to become tough.
Sources:
- Nina and Marisa Ciceran.
- Clifford A. Wright -
http://www.cliffordawright.com/recipes/salt_cod.html
See also:
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