Cod

Pacific cod

Introduction

Cod is a popular fish that is widely used in culinary dishes around the world. This article will provide an overview of the history, habitat, culinary uses, and nutritional benefits of cod

History

Cod has been an important food source for humans for thousands of years. It is believed that the Vikings were the first to fish for cod in the North Atlantic around 1,000 years ago. Since then, cod has become a staple food in many countries, including Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

Habitat

Cod is a cold-water fish that is found in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. It is a bottom-dwelling fish that prefers to live in rocky areas and on sandy or muddy bottoms. The fish can live for up to 25 years and can grow up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) in length.

Culinary Uses

Cod is a versatile fish that can be prepared in a variety of ways. It is commonly used in fish and chips, fish stews, and soups. Cod can also be baked, grilled, fried, or poached. Its mild flavor and flaky texture make it a popular choice for seafood dishes.

One of the most popular ways to prepare cod is by salting and drying it, which is known as salt cod. This process has been used for centuries as a way to preserve the fish for long periods of time. Salt cod is commonly used in traditional dishes like bacalhau in Portugal and Newfoundland fish cakes in Canada.

Nutritional Benefits

Cod is a low-calorie and high-protein fish that is also a good source of vitamins and minerals. A 100-gram serving of cod contains approximately 90 calories, 19 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fat. It is also a good source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium.

Sustainability

The popularity of cod has led to overfishing in some areas, which has led to a decline in the population of the fish. As a result, some organizations, such as the Marine Stewardship Council, have established guidelines to help ensure the sustainability of cod fishing.

Cod liver oil

It is an oil derived from the liver of the Gadus morrhua, and ranging in color, according to the method of its preparation, from pale straw to dark brown. Cod, Codling, Scrod cod, Markets, Steakers

Bacalao from cod fish

Quick Facts

• WEIGHT - Up to 77 pounds
• LIFESPAN - More than 20 years
• LENGTH - Up to 51 inches
• REGION IN US - New England/Mid-Atlantic, Southeast

History

Historically, cod was so abundant off New England that early explorers named Cape Cod for the fish. Furthermore, Gloucester was established by a colonial charter issued to profit from cod fishing, and a painted “sacred cod” carved from pine has hung in the Massachusetts state house since 1784 as a symbol of prosperity.

Where They Live

Pacific cod are found in the coastal North Pacific Ocean, from the Bering Sea to Southern California in the east and to the Sea of Japan in the west. They are less common in Central California and are rare in Southern California.

Fish and Chips at Noyo River Grill

Population decline

Due to high fishing pressure throughout the latter part of the 20th century, there are fewer fish in the U.S. stocks of Atlantic cod than the average for the past four decades.

Cod as food

Cod is a popular seafood item with its mild flavour and a dense, flaky white flesh. Young Atlantic cod or haddock prepared in strips for cooking is called scrod. Cod's soft liver can be canned or fermented into cod liver oil, providing an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA).

Nutritional value

Haddock, roast

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	469 kJ (112 kcal)
Carbohydrates	0.0 g
Dietary fiber	0.0 g
Fat	0.93 g
Protein	24.24 g
Vitamins	Quantity %DV †
Thiamine (B1 )	3% 0.040 mg
Riboflavin (B2 )	4% 0.045 mg
Niacin (B3 )	31% 4.632 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5 )	3% 0.150 mg
Vitamin B6	27% 0.346 mg
Folate (B9 )	3% 13 μg
Vitamin C	0% 0.00 mg
Minerals	Quantity %DV †
Calcium	4% 42 mg
Iron	10% 1.35 mg
Magnesium	14% 50 mg
Phosphorus	34% 241 mg
Potassium	8% 399 mg
Zinc	5% 0.48 mg
Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Recipes

The following section is adapted from Wikipedia

Dishes

Name	Image	Origin	Description
Ackee and saltfish		Jamaica	Salt cod sautéed with boiled ackee, onions, Scotch Bonnet peppers (optional), tomatoes, and spices, such as black pepper and pimiento. It can be garnished with crisp bacon and fresh tomatoes, and is usually served as breakfast or dinner alongside breadfruit, hard dough bread, dumplings, fried plantain, or bogreen bananas. Jamaica's national dish.
Bacalaíto		Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic	Salt cod fritters filled with minced cod fish and garnished with cilantro, tomatoes and onions. A traditional snack typically eaten with an entire meal. Bacalaítos are served at the beach, cuchifritos, and at festivals. They are crisp on the outside and dense and chewy in the inside.
		Scotland and Orkney	Made with speldings, young fish of the family Gadidae such as cod, haddock or whiting. The name is a derivative of cabillaud, the French name for cod. Other ingredients include parsley, horseradish and mashed potato. The sauce is made with butter, flour, milk, hard-boiled eggs, and nutmeg. Alternate versions outside the traditional version's only difference are usually an addition of more spices.
Bacalhau à Brás		Portugal	Made with eggs, onions thinly sliced, potatoes in matchstick-size, salt codfish, soaked, minced garlic clove, extra virgin olive oil, bunch fresh parsley, chopped black Portuguese olives, salt and pepper.
Crappit heid		Scotland	(English: stuffed head). Can be traced to the fishing communities of the North, Hebrides and North-Eastern Scotland in the eighteenth century. In a time when money was scarce, the more expensive fillets of fish, such as cod or haddock would be sold to market but the offal and less attractive parts were retained by the fisherfolk for the pot.
Cullen skink		Scotland	Thick soup made of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. An authentic cullen skink will use finnan haddie, but it may be prepared with any other undyed smoked haddock. The soup is often served as a starter at formal Scottish dinners. It has been described as "smokier and more assertive than American chowder and heartier than classical French bisque".
Fish and brewis		Newfoundland	Consists of cod and hard bread or hard tack. With the abundance of cod around the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador it became synonymous with many Newfoundland households as a delicacy to be served as a main meal. salt fish is soaked in water overnight to reduce the salt content. The hard bread is broken into bite-size pieces, and is also soaked in water overnight. The next day, the fish and hard bread are boiled separately until tender, and then both are served together. The traditional meal is served with scrunchions, salted pork fat which has been cut into small pieces and fried. Both the rendered fat and the liquid fat are then drizzled over the fish and hard bread.
Fish ball		Widespread	Usually made from a white fish, such as cod or haddock
Fishcake		British	Similar to a croquette, consisting of a filleted fish and potato patty sometimes coated in breadcrumbs or batter, and fried. Salted cod is traditionally used as a filling, though since cod stocks have become depleted other varieties of white fish are used, such as haddock or whiting. The fishcake has been seen as a way of using up leftovers that might otherwise be thrown away. In Mrs Beeton's 19th century publication Book of Household Management, her recipe for fishcakes calls for "leftover fish" and "cold potatoes".
Fish finger
Fish fry	120px
Fish pie	120px
Fried fish
Lutefisk
Pescado frito
Scrod	120px
Shirako (milt)
Taramosalata
Traditional Grimsby smoked fish	120px

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See Also

• Fish
• Seafood
• Salt cod