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Poached Cod

Classic Norwegian poached cod from Erken's Stor kokebok (1914): 2 kg cod cut into finger-thick slices, salted and gently simmered a few minutes in 3 liters of boiling salted water until the bone loosens. Head, liver and roe are cooked separately. Served with boiled potatoes, lemon, parsley, horseradish and melted butter or hollandaise sauce.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 78 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

The recipe appears in the cod chapter, where Erken first describes how to recognize good cod (the barbel under the chin, reddish-brown kelp cod, gray grass cod, spawning cod and "redfish"). Boiled cod with liver and roe was the classic Norwegian winter dish, and Erken emphasizes that the fish must not be cooked until everyone is gathered at the table.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Clean and portion the fish

    Round-clean the cod and cut it into good finger-thick slices with a sharp knife repeatedly dipped in salt.

  2. 2

    Salt and rest

    Wash the pieces, place them on a perforated platter, cover tightly with a fish cloth and sprinkle salt over.

  3. 3

    Bring the water to a boil

    Pour boiling water into the fish kettle. Add the salt only just before the fish is to go in, and let the water come to a rolling boil again.

  4. 4

    Cook the fish

    Add the fish, skim off the foam and let it simmer gently for a few minutes. The fish is done when the bone loosens from the flesh. Take it out at once.

  5. 5

    Cook the head and innards separately

    The cod head is cooked separately for up to 30 minutes in the same ratio of water and salt. Liver, roe and tripe are cooked on their own in salted water (1 dl salt to 1 liter of water) for up to 20 minutes; roe from large fish up to 45 minutes.

  6. 6

    Arrangement

    Place the fish on a platter with a fish rack and no napkin. Garnish with hollowed-out boiled potatoes, lemon, parsley and coarsely grated horseradish, and with liver and roe cut into slices. It is best to bring the innards to the table piping hot on a separate platter in a little salted water.

  7. 7

    Serving

    Serve with melted butter, oyster sauce or hollandaise sauce and freshly boiled, floury potatoes. Set out mustard, vinegar and pepper. Do not cook the fish until everyone is gathered at the table.

  8. 8

    Leftovers

    Any leftovers are set aside in lightly salted boiling water and used for fish hash, gratin, roulades or salad.

Changes from the original

Quantities are given in modern units (dl, liter). "Del." is interpreted as deciliter. The method has been divided into numbered steps, and the cooking times for innards/heads have been worked into the steps. Otherwise the content is unchanged.

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Frequently asked questions

How long should the cod cook?
Only a few minutes at a gentle simmer. The fish is done when the bone loosens easily from the flesh – take it out of the kettle at once.
How much water and salt do I need?
For 2 kg cod, use 3 liters of water and 1 deciliter of salt. The water should boil before the salt goes in, and the fish is added only when the water comes to a rolling boil again.
How do I prepare the fish before cooking?
The cod is round-cleaned and cut into good finger-thick slices with a sharp knife repeatedly dipped in salt. The pieces are washed, placed on a perforated platter and covered tightly with a fish cloth sprinkled with salt.
What is served with the poached cod?
The fish is placed on a platter with a fish rack and no napkin, and garnished with hollowed-out boiled potatoes, lemon, parsley and coarsely grated horseradish, along with cooked liver and roe in slices.

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