How much salt should I put in the poaching water?

The recipe uses 2 tablespoons of salt to 2 liters of water for 1½ kg whiting.

Should the whiting be poached whole?

Yes, the fish is cleaned and poached whole. If it is very large, it can be cut into pieces before poaching.

What is served with it?

Parsley butter, according to the original recipe in Henriette Schønberg Erken's 'Stor kokebok' from 1914 (p. 94).

How long does the dish take?

Count on about 35 minutes in total, including cleaning and poaching.

Whiting, poached

Name: Whiting, poached
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: 1.5 kg whiting (whole, quite fresh-caught); 2 l water; 2 tbsp salt; parsley butter (for serving)

Simple recipe from Erken's Stor kokebok (1914) for whole whiting poached in salted water, served with parsley butter; large fish can be divided into pieces.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 94 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

From the fish chapter in Henriette Schønberg Erken's 'Stor kokebok' (1914). Whiting, in several places also called 'bleke', is described in the book as 'the chicken of the sea' - it has fine, white flesh and must be quite fresh-caught.

How to make it

1
Clean the fish
Clean the whiting well, rinse it and let it drain. If the fish is very large, it can be divided into pieces.
2
Poaching water
Bring 2 liters of water to a boil with 2 tbsp salt, and let it drop to just below boiling.
3
Poach the fish
Put the fish in the hot, salted water and let it poach without a rolling boil until the flesh comes away from the bone, about 10-15 minutes depending on size.
4
Plating
Lift the fish out carefully, let it drain and place it on a platter. Serve parsley butter alongside.

Changes from the original

Measurements modernized (tablespoons to grams/tbsp, 'vand' to liters of water). Otherwise unchanged. The cooking method is specified as placing the fish in hot, salted water and letting it poach below boiling, as Erken describes for poached fish.

Tidsmaskin – hva endret seg?

Velg to utgaver og se hva Henriette Schønberg Erken la til, fjernet eller endret mellom dem.

Fra1914 1949 Modernisert

Til1914 1949 Modernisert

1914 (korrekturlest, s. 94) → 1949 (korrekturlest, s. 114)~28% av teksten endretfjernetlagt til

1½ IV 2 kg. hvitting 2 ~~l. vand~~ 1. vann 2 ~~spiseskeer~~ spiseskjeer salt. Fisken renses og kokes hel. Serveres med persillesmør. Er fisken meget stor, kan den skjæres op i stykker.

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Frequently asked questions

How much salt should I put in the poaching water?: The recipe uses 2 tablespoons of salt to 2 liters of water for 1½ kg whiting.
Should the whiting be poached whole?: Yes, the fish is cleaned and poached whole. If it is very large, it can be cut into pieces before poaching.
What is served with it?: Parsley butter, according to the original recipe in Henriette Schønberg Erken's 'Stor kokebok' from 1914 (p. 94).
How long does the dish take?: Count on about 35 minutes in total, including cleaning and poaching.

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