Hi everyone

I just remembered that when I used to shop for my grandfather he used to have me pick up a piece of salt cod. This is available at most grocery stores. It looks gross - huge filets of fish dry and stiff just sitting in a basket a room temprature. My gradfather loved it. I have never had it, but my mother said if you soak it overnight to re-hydrate and remove the salt, it is quite good. It would be some protein and easy to store. Anyone had any experience with it? I might just pick some up. Our new and trendy supermarket doesn't have it, but I'll find some!

-- citygirl (citygirl@idirect.com), December 07, 1999

Answers

Yes, you are correct that you have to rehydrate the salted cod. You have to change the water several times. This is a way to preserve fish used for hundreds of years. As for recipes, you might recall the Frugal Gormet on TV. He did some books and had a recipe for the use of salted cod in there.

-- smfdoc (smfdoc@aol.com), December 07, 1999.

That brings back memories of Christmas time at Grandma's. When the whole family was there we would have salt cod, fried potatoes, scrapple, pancakes and eggs for breakfast. And any pie left from supper the night before, of course. The salt cod used to come in wooden pails, too. My toy box at Grandma's was one of those pails with a design painted on the outside of it. I suppose they held about 3 or 4 gallons. Don't know where you would get salt cod any more, as today people want fresh or frozen fish, but back then it was harder to ship frozen meat or fish, and the salt cod and similar products made more sense.

-- Jim (jiminwis@yahoo.com), December 07, 1999.

www.dbkenneyfisheries.com/salt_fish.htm

-- Ein (Stein@bierstube.com), December 07, 1999.

yes! That stuff is great!!! My husband's family introduced me to it. Yes, you rehydrate by soaking overnight and changing the water several times. Then try cooking it with tomatoes, hot peppers and onions...very portuguese! Sure wish I could get it out here. Very delicious.

Good luck!

-- Ynott (Ynott@incorruptible.com), December 08, 1999.

Ummmm....something seems to be missing...if you are prepping for a serious breakdown after Y2K...do you really want to use several changes of water for a single meal?

Hate to bring it up because the memories and the food sounds nice.....

-- Satanta (satanta@zdnetmail.com), December 08, 1999.

When I was a young Navy wife, we were stationed in Iceland. The locals had "fish drying racks" for cod. I think they were then sold to Africa. I remember because there were some on the "golf course." They were a hazard, as were the sheep that grazed freely.

I also have a recipe for drying fish (fish jerky) in one of my recipe books. It says that it will keep for 3 months in a cool place or 6 months, if frozen. You just eat it. You don't have to hydrate it.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), December 09, 1999.