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.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From1914 1949 Modernised

To1914 1949 Modernised

Modernised → 1949 (proofread, p. 114)~89% of the text changedremovedadded

~~1,5 kg~~ IV 2 kg. hvitting ~~(hel, ganske nyfisket).~~ 2 ~~l vann.~~ 1. vann 2 ss spiseskjeer salt. ~~persillesmør (til servering). Rens hvittingen godt, skyll den~~ Fisken renses og ~~la den renne av.~~ kokes hel. Serveres med persillesmør. Er fisken meget stor, kan den ~~deles i stykker.. Kok opp 2 liter vann med 2 ss salt, og la det synke til under kokepunktet.. Legg fisken~~ skjæres op i det varme, saltede vannet og la den trekke uten å fosskoke til kjøttet løsner fra beinet, omtrent 10–15 minutter alt etter størrelse.. Ta fisken forsiktig opp, la den dryppe av og legg den på fat. Server persillesmør til. stykker.

Note on Modernised

Mål er modernisert (spiseskjeer til gram/ss, «vand» til liter vann). Ellers uendret. Kokemetoden er presisert til å legge fisken i varmt, saltet vann og la den trekke under kokepunktet, slik Erken beskriver ved kokt fisk.

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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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