| |
>>
continue
While I was strolling down Canal Street, envisioning a sensational party,
my fantasies were disrupted by a strong fish odor: I was passing by those
fish stores whose goods are spilled all over the sidewalks. I turned my
head and, along with the usual baskets of jumbo shrimps and red snappers,
I saw Stock Fishes hanging down from the ceiling. This vision sparked bittersweet
memories of an incident associated with that fish.
Three years ago I paid a surprise visit to my long-distance boyfriend on
his birthday. I knew that he had planned a dinner party at his house. I
showed up at his office door to find him speechless, overwhelmed by joy,
or so it seemed. On the way back to his country house we stopped at his
aunt’s to pick up the “Stoccafisso” (his favorite fish dish) she had prepared
for the party. I remember that car ride so vividly: a pan full of fish on
my lap and the guy of my dreams sitting next to me. The warm summer breeze
was blowing through his hair, and around us were picture perfect Chianti
Hills. I took a deep breath, I was in love. As the dinner party started
and his close friends arrived, I realized that one girlfriend was a little
too friendly. Clearly that blond mistress had no clue who I was. Angry and
dumbfounded, I dug in the Stoccafisso, which went down really well with
the white wine. The fish melted in my mouth. It was creamy, soft, velvety,
and had a surprising spicy aftertaste. It was so delicious that, bite-by-bite,
it made the misery fade for the night. Needless to say, after this soap
opera evening, my long-distance boyfriend and I broke up, but in between
the screaming and shouting and slamming doors I managed to ask him for his
aunt’s Stoccafisso recipe.
Stoccafisso (Stock Fish) is cod fished in the Loften Islands in Norway,
which is hung on sticks to be dried in the cool, clean Northern air. When
Stock Fish arrives in fish shops, it can be either whole or already cut
into skinned and boned fillets. If bought whole, procedure needs Stock Fish
to be soaked in water for a couple of days before cooking, during which
the fish grows to twice its original weight. Stock Fish mild flavored meat
is lean and firm and is perfect for light menus. My ex’s Aunt recipe says
to soak it in water for two days, changing the water at least twice daily.
After skinning, boning and cutting it into filets, it needs to be placed
in an aluminum pan covered in milk. It then has to be seasoned with oil-salt-pepper-rosemary
and marinated (oil- garlic-red peppers-parsley) anchovies prepared days
in advance. The recipe says to cook it for 25 minutes in a 250 F oven. It
is then finished by pouring a puree of chickpeas, carrots and onions over
the filets and drizzling the plate with aromatic rosemary olive oil.
My ex’s Aunt added a Post Script to the recipe that said: “If you can’t
find Stoccafisso, buy Baccala’.” Baccala’ (or Salt Fish) is a cod as well,
but it’s conserved differently. While the former is simply dried out in
the crisp air, the latter is sliced and preserved under salt. Stock Fish
has a milder taste than Salt Fish, but generally Salt Fish can be used in
Stock Fish recipes and vice-versa.
-- Elisabetta Bucci
|
