![Bacalhau (Porto)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Bacalhau_%28Porto%29.jpg)
Dried and salted cod, sometimes referred to as salt cod or saltfish or salt dolly, is
cod
Cod is the common name for the demersal fish genus '' Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly not call ...
which has been preserved by
drying
Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or another solvent by evaporation from a solid, semi-solid or liquid. This process is often used as a final production step before selling or packaging products. To be considered ...
after
salting. Cod which has been dried without the addition of salt is
stockfish
Stockfish is unsalted fish, especially cod, dried by cold air and wind on wooden racks (which are called "hjell" in Norway) on the foreshore. The drying of food is the world's oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage lif ...
. Salt cod was long a major export of the North Atlantic region, and has become an ingredient of many cuisines around the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean.
Dried and salted cod has been produced for over 500 years in
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
,
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
, and the
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...
, and most particularly in
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
where it is called klippfisk, literally "cliff-fish". Traditionally it was dried outdoors by the wind and sun, often on cliffs and other bare rock-faces. Today ''klippfisk'' is usually dried indoors with the aid of electric heaters.
History
Salt cod formed a vital item of international commerce between the
New World
The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...
and the
Old
Old or OLD may refer to:
Places
*Old, Baranya, Hungary
*Old, Northamptonshire, England
*Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD)
*OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...
, and formed one leg of the so-called
triangular trade
Triangular trade or triangle trade is trade between three ports or regions. Triangular trade usually evolves when a region has export commodities that are not required in the region from which its major imports come. It has been used to offset t ...
. Thus, it spread around the Atlantic and became a traditional ingredient not only in
Northern European cuisine
European cuisine comprises the cuisines of Europe[ "European Cuisine."Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...](_blank)
,
West African
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Ma ...
,
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
, and
Brazilian cuisines.
The
drying of food is the world's oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage life of several years. Traditionally, salt cod was dried only by the wind and the sun, hanging on wooden scaffolding or lying on clean cliffs or rocks near the seaside.
Drying preserves many nutrients, and the process of salting and drying codfish is said to make it tastier. Salting became economically feasible during the 17th century, when cheap salt from Southern Europe became available to the maritime nations of Northern Europe. The method was cheap, and the work could be done by the fisherman or his family. The resulting product was easily transported to market, and salt cod became a staple item in the diet of the populations of
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
countries on 'meatless' Fridays and during Lent.
Names
In
Middle English
Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English p ...
dried, and salted cod was called ''haberdine''.
Dried cod and the dishes made from it are known by many names around the world, many of them derived from the root ''bacal-'', itself of unknown origin.
[Sutton, David C. (2011]
"The Stories of ''Bacalao'': Myth, legend and History"
In: Helen Saberi (Ed) ''Cured, Smoked, and Fermented'', Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cooking, page 312. Explorer
John Cabot
John Cabot ( it, Giovanni Caboto ; 1450 – 1500) was an Italian navigator and explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England is the earliest-known European exploration of coastal North ...
reported that it was the name used by the inhabitants of Newfoundland. Some of these are: ''
bacalhau (salgado)'' (Portuguese), ''bacalao salado'' (Spanish), ''bacallau salgado'' (Galician), ''bakailao'' (Basque), ''bacallà salat i assecat'' or ''bacallà salat'' (Catalan), μπακαλιάρος, ''bakaliáros'' (Greek), ''Klippfisch'' (German), ''morue salée'' (French), ''baccalà'' (Italian), ''bakalar'' (Croatian), ''bakkeljauw'' (Surinamese Dutch), ''bakaljaw'' (Maltese), ''makayabu'' (Central and East Africa), and ''kapakala'' (Finnish). Other names include ''ráktoguolli/goikeguolli'' (Sami), ''klipfisk'' (Danish) klippfisk/kabeljo (Swedish), ''stokvis/klipvis'' (Netherlandish Dutch), ''saltfiskur'' (Icelandic), ''morue'' (French), ''bartolitius'' (Canadian), and ''saltfish'' (Anglophone I Caribbean).
Process
![PortugalOktober2019Peniche017 (49036656513)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/PortugalOktober2019Peniche017_%2849036656513%29.jpg)
The fish is beheaded, eviscerated and cut flat by removing the spine, often on board the boat or ship. (This is feasible with
whitefish, whereas it would not be with
oily fish
Oily fish are fish species with oil (fats) in soft tissues and in the coelomic cavity around the gut. Their fillets may contain up to 30% oil, although this figure varies both within and between species. Examples of oily fish include small ...
.) It is then salted and dried ashore. Traditionally the fish was sun-dried on rocks or
wooden frames, but modern commercial production is mainly dried indoors with electrical heating. It is sold whole or in portions, with or without bones.
Species of fish
Prior to the collapse of the
Grand Banks
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus south-east of the island of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. The Grand Banks are one of the world's richest fishing grounds, supporting Atlantic cod, swordf ...
(and other) stocks due to
overfishing
Overfishing is the removal of a species of fish (i.e. fishing) from a body of water at a rate greater than that the species can replenish its population naturally (i.e. the overexploitation of the fishery's existing fish stock), resulting in th ...
, salt cod was derived exclusively from
Atlantic cod
The Atlantic cod (''Gadus morhua'') is a benthopelagic fish of the family Gadidae, widely consumed by humans. It is also commercially known as cod or codling.[pollock
Pollock or pollack (pronounced ) is the common name used for either of the two species of North Atlantic marine fish in the genus ''Pollachius''. ''Pollachius pollachius'' is referred to as pollock in North America, Ireland and the United Kingd ...]
,
haddock
The haddock (''Melanogrammus aeglefinus'') is a saltwater ray-finned fish from the family Gadidae, the true cods. It is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Melanogrammus''. It is found in the North Atlantic Ocean and associated seas where ...
,
blue whiting
The blue whiting (''Micromesistius poutassou'') one of the two species in the genus '' Micromesistius'' in the family Gadidae, which also contains cod, haddock, whiting, and pollock. It is common in the northeast Atlantic Ocean from Morocco to I ...
,
ling
Ling may refer to:
Fictional characters
* Ling, an ally of James Bond's from the film ''You Only Live Twice''
* Ling, a character in the ''Mulan'' franchise
* Ling, a playable character from the mobile game '' Mobile Legends: Bang Bang''
* Ling ...
and
tusk
Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canine teeth, as with pigs and walruses, or, in the case of elephants, elongated incisors. Tusks share c ...
. In South America, catfish of the genera
Pseudoplatystoma
''Pseudoplatystoma'' is a genus of several South American catfish species of family Pimelodidae
The Pimelodidae, commonly known as the long-whiskered catfishes, are a family of catfishes ( order Siluriformes).
Taxonomy
The family Pimelodidae ...
are used to produce a salted, dried and frozen product typically sold around Lent.
Quality grades
In Norway, there used to be five different grades of salt cod. The best grade was called superior extra. Then came (in descending order) superior, imperial, universal and popular. These appellations are no longer extensively used, although some producers still make the superior products.
The best klippfisk, the superior extra, is made only from line-caught cod. The fish is always of the ''
skrei
The Atlantic cod (''Gadus morhua'') is a benthopelagic fish of the family Gadidae, widely consumed by humans. It is also commercially known as cod or codling.[spawning
Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, ''to spawn'' refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aquati ...]
. The fish is bled while alive, before the head is cut off. It is then cleaned, filleted and salted. Fishers and connoisseurs alike place a high importance in the fact that the fish is line-caught, because if caught in a net, the fish may be dead before caught, which may result in bruising of the fillets. For the same reason it is believed to be important that the klippfisk be bled while still alive. Superior klippfisk is salted fresh, whereas the cheaper grades of klippfisk might be frozen first.
Lower grades are salted by injecting a salt-water solution into the fish, while superior grades are salted with dry salt. The superior extra is dried twice, much like
Parma ham
''Prosciutto crudo'', in English often shortened to prosciutto ( , ), is Italian uncooked, unsmoked, and dry-cured ham. ''Prosciutto crudo'' is usually served thinly sliced.
Several regions in Italy have their own variations of ''prosciutto crudo ...
. Between the two drying sessions, the fish rests and the flavour matures.
Culinary uses
![Bacalao from cod fish](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Bacalao_from_cod_fish.jpg)
Before it can be eaten, salt cod must be rehydrated and desalinated by soaking in cold water for one to three days, changing the water two to three times a day.
In Europe, the fish is prepared for the table in a wide variety of ways; most commonly with potatoes and onions in a casserole, as croquettes, or as battered,
deep-fried
Deep frying (also referred to as deep fat frying) is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot fat, traditionally lard but today most commonly oil, as opposed to the shallow oil used in conventional frying done in a frying pan. Normal ...
pieces. In France,
brandade de morue is a popular baked gratin dish of potatoes mashed with rehydrated salted cod, seasoned with garlic and olive oil. Some Southern France recipes skip the potatoes altogether and blend the salted cod with seasonings into a paste. There is a particularly
wide variety of salt cod dishes in
Portuguese cuisine
The oldest known book on Portuguese cuisine, entitled ''Livro de Cozinha da Infanta D. Maria de Portugal'', from the 16th century, describes many popular dishes of meat, fish, poultry and others.
''Culinária Portuguesa'', by António-Maria De O ...
. In Greece, fried cod is often served with
skordalia
Skordalia or skordhalia or skorthalia (Greek: σκορδαλιά , also called αλιάδα, aliada/aliatha), is a thick purée in Greek cuisine made of garlic in a base of potatoes, walnuts, almonds or liquid-soaked stale bread mixed with o ...
. There are also numerous and very varied specialities in north-eastern Italy.
Salt cod is part of many European
celebrations of the Christmas Vigil, in particular the southern Italian
Feast of the Seven Fishes
The Feast of the Seven Fishes ( it, Festa dei sette pesci) is an Italian-American celebration of Christmas Eve with dishes of fish and other seafood.
Origins and tradition
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is part of the Italian-American Christmas Ev ...
.
In several islands of the West Indies, it forms the basis of the common dish saltfish. In Jamaica, the national dish is
ackee and saltfish
Ackee and saltfish is the Jamaican national dish prepared with ackee and salted codfish.
Background
The ackee fruit ('' Blighia sapida'') is the national fruit of Jamaica. It was imported to the Caribbean from Ghana before 1725 as 'Ackee' or ' ...
. In Bermuda, it is served with potatoes, avocado, banana and boiled egg in the traditional codfish and potato breakfast. In some regions of
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, it is fried with egg batter, then simmered in red sauce and served for Christmas dinner.
In
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
, England, prior to the post-war
slum clearance
Slum clearance, slum eviction or slum removal is an urban renewal strategy used to transform low income settlements with poor reputation into another type of development or housing. This has long been a strategy for redeveloping urban communities; ...
s, especially around the docks, salt fish was a popular traditional Sunday morning breakfast.
File:Cod preparation.jpg, Cod preparation, French fishing station in Cape Rouge, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, ca. 1857–1859.
File:Saltfiskur.jpg, Drying of salt cod in 19th century Iceland
File:Tirade BacalaoSecoSalado-Ruso-P1060560.JPG, Strips of dried and salted Russian cod
File:Morue for sale Nice.jpg, ''Morue'' for sale at a Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
market
File:Bacalao valencia.jpg, ''Bacalao'' for sale at a market in Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
See also
*
Bacalhau
() is the Portuguese word for cod and—in a culinary context—dried and salted cod. Fresh (unsalted) cod is referred to as (fresh cod).
Portuguese and other cuisines
dishes are common in Portugal, and also in former Portuguese colonies li ...
– dried and salted cod in Portuguese cuisine
*
Fish processing
The term fish processing refers to the processes associated with fish and fish products between the time fish are caught or harvested, and the time the final product is delivered to the customer. Although the term refers specifically to fish, in ...
*
List of dried foods
This is a list of dried foods. Food drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which inhibits the growth of bacteria and has been practiced worldwide since ancient times to preserve food. Where or when d ...
*
*
Collapse of the Atlantic northwest cod fishery
In 1992, Northern Cod populations fell to 1% of historical levels, due in large part to decades of overfishing. The Canadian Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, John Crosbie, declared a moratorium on the Northern Cod fishery, which f ...
*
Ackee and saltfish
Ackee and saltfish is the Jamaican national dish prepared with ackee and salted codfish.
Background
The ackee fruit ('' Blighia sapida'') is the national fruit of Jamaica. It was imported to the Caribbean from Ghana before 1725 as 'Ackee' or ' ...
Notes
References
*
Davidson, Alan (1979). ''North Atlantic Seafood''. .
* Kurlansky, Mark (1997). ''Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World''. New York: Walker. .
* Sanjuán, Gloria (2009). ''La Cocina del Bacalao''. Madrid: Libro Hobby. .
{{Dried fish
Dried fish
Cuisine of Newfoundland and Labrador
Fish processing
Jamaican cuisine
Mexican cuisine
Norwegian cuisine
Icelandic cuisine
Italian cuisine
Greek cuisine
Faroese cuisine
Portuguese cuisine
Antigua and Barbuda cuisine
Belizean cuisine