Description
Saltfish (salted cod fish or bacalhau) with bones, product of Norway
Norwegian saltfish is the best on the market and you deserve the very best!
Note, there are other white fish such as pollock, hake, cusk, and haddock offered salted and dried at a lower cost than saltfish (salted cod fish).
Saltfish is cod which has been preserved by drying after salting. The production of saltfish dates back at least 1000 years, to the time of the Vikings. Salting produces a chewier texture and milder, almost sweet, yet still fishy taste than its fresh counterpart.
Saltfish formed a vital item of international commerce between the New and Old Worlds, forming one leg of the so-called triangular trade. Thus it spread around the Atlantic and became a traditional ingredient of many cuisines, including Caribbean, Mediterranean, West African, Brazilian and Northern European.
The drying of food is the world’s oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage life of several years. Salt has strong antibacterial properties which allows the fish to be stored for long periods of time, even at warm temperatures. All salted fish products must be soaked out before cooking. This freshened fish is still uncooked and once re-hydrated, will spoil within 24 hours unless cooked promptly.
In Norway saltfish is called klippfisk, literally “cliff-fish”. Traditionally it was dried outdoors by the wind and sun, often on cliffs and other bare rock-faces. You may be happy to know that now klippfisk is usually dried indoors with the aid of electric heaters.
Saltfish is attributed nutritional and health benefits of: lowering blood pressure; sharpening memory; encouraging healthier skin; lubricating joints; source of essential fatty acids; and source of vitamins and minerals.
Keep refrigerated
Recipe for ‘Codfish Balls’
- 1/4 kg saltfish
- 2 cups diced, raw potato
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 tbsp. ground black pepper
- 2 eggs, beaten
- bread crumbs
- vegetable oil for deep frying
Soak saltfish overnight, changing water to remove salt. Boil saltfish for 8-10 minutes, drain and flake. Make sure to remove fine bones.
Boil diced potatoes for 20 minutes.
Add butter, black pepper and shredded fish to potatoes, mix well.
Form mixture into light, feathery balls. Dip in beaten egg then bread crumbs.
Fry in deep oil in fryer basket until golden brown.
Drain on absorbent paper and serve very hot with a cocktail sauce.