Food ID/What did I eat

Culture, Media, General Culture, Chains, General Discussions
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Have you ever eaten something “mysterious” and still don’t know what it was? Ask it here. Someone might have an answer.

I think @Barca can tell me what this is. It was in Denia, Spain. Market dried/salted seafood specialist stall. Looks like salted skate wings to me. Or…?

What is “bull”? Is it Catalan for this thing?

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Fantastic stall. There was a queue for the owner’s pickled onions. I queued for the onions and home-cured bitter green olives.

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Fun thread topic. Thank you for starting it!

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@Presunto,

Ray fish = Skate dish.

Normally, this is a seasonal summer variety and it is prepared fresh. There are many varieties of this species …

We sauté it in Evoo, with a bit of sea salt, fresh herbs, and a clove or 2 of garlic diced finally.

Or grill it !!

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Thanks. I thought so. But it’s already salted here. How is it eaten? Like how other salted seafood are prepared in Spain?

I have only eaten fresh/frozen skate wings, first time seeing it salted.

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@Presunto,

  1. Firstly, you have to soak it for at least 1 or 2 nights in cold wáter, changing the wáter approx 3 or 4 times per day.
  2. We do same for “salt cod” ( bacalao ).
  3. Otherwise, it shall be extremely salty.
  4. Then, once it is de-salted, you rinse it and pat dry with kitchen paper towel and can sauté it or grill it … in Evoo with fresh herbs, and garlic to taste and a “rock glass of White Wine - a splash”.
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Thanks again. Sounds delicious. Yes, like how you prepare bacalao.

So many salted fish and seafood in that area (Costa Blanca) but my favourite is mojama.

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@Presunto,

Actually it is an ancient custom during Lent (La Cuaresma). When the Basque Fishermen returned from Newfoundland, Norway and The Fjords, the only way to preserve the cod fish was to salt it for their long journies home to The Basque Country. ( Vikings taught them to salt the Fish ) …

It is not as common amongst younger people to follow the Lent, however, the older generations do still abide.

Cod fish depending where it is from ( Wild Sable from Alaska), The Shetlands, Norway, Sweden and Finland: Basically, when fresh & wild it is lovely and can be
prepared in a million ways.

If you wish something Traditional for Lent, my grandmothers prepare Potaje de Espinicas. It is a chick pea stew with fresh spinach and strips of fresh or salt cod fish. We like it and prepare it all year long.

This same culture of the “baccalà” = the cod fish exists in Italy too. One can soak the fish in any type of milk you prefer and prepare it in a dish called: Mantecato alla Veneziana … Which means cod fish dip or butter.

One must remove the foam and discard all bones and the skin of the fresh cod.
Then simmer for 30 minutes in milk until tender.
Remove bones that were difficult to take out prior.
Take a mortar and combine garlic clove, parsley, black freshly ground pepper and thyme herb.
Combine with a Little Evoo.
Take this and add to the cod and with a stand up mixer, prepare the dip !!
Serve with Grissini bread sticks and flat breads.

And a bottle of Prosecco ! or Cava.

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Interesting that in Andalucia they also have a popular dish of chickpeas and spinach (without salt cod). One of the foods the Moors introduced to south of Spain.

Spain also has brandada de bacalao.

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@Presunto,

Like Portugal, there are over 365 different cod fish dishes.

Brandada de Bacalao is also a northern dish and quite nice.

Late here, so I shall say have a nice day.

This is the season for soups and stews here ! Gets chilly at night and in early mornings.
Daytime: 25 Centigrade … Nice and dry … sunny … but has a chill in the air.

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There are three foods I have eaten that I wish I didn’t know about. There are two more I can’t identify. I don’t want to know.