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24 hours, changing the water three times a day. Then pour out the water and drain them. Put in a casserole with oil, garlic according to taste, parsley and a little onion. Let them brown a little and then add the tongues. Give them a turn and turn off the heat and leave it ten minutes. Then put it back on a very slow heat and add three spoonfuls of milk. From time to time lightly stir the casserole and when you see that it is done, remove from the heat, and it is ready to be served.

—El Bacalao, the recipes of PYSBE (Salt Cod Fishermen

and Driers of Spain), San Sebastián, 1936

Cod Roe FED TO FRENCHMEN OR TO FISH

Roes of Cod well salted and Pickled are here neglected but are said to yield a good price in France to make Sawce withall.

When the same are to be used, bruise them betwixt two trenchers, and beat them up with vinegar, White Wine etc. then let them stew or simmer over a gentle fire, with Anchovies and other Ingredients used for Sawce, puting the Butter well beat up thereto: We our selves on the Coasts use the Roes of Fresh Cod for Sawce.

-John Collins,

Salt and Fishery, 1682

OR TO BRITISH SEAMEN ...

Boil as directed (to every gallon of water add I gill of vinegar and 2 oz salt. Bring to a boil, put in the [roe], draw to the side of the fire and simmer gently till the fish is cooked.) and serve with parsley or caper sauce, or coat with egg or batter and breadcrumbs, and fry. Serve with quarters of lemon or anchovy sauce.

—C. H. Atkinson,

The Nautical Cookery Book for the Use of

Stewards & Cooks of Cargo Vessels,

Glasgow, 1941

FOR LENT IN GREECE: TARAMOSALATA

Throughout the Christian Mediterranean, salt cod has remained a Lenten tradition. In Greece, Taramosalata is served during lent. Since roe must be quickly eaten unless salted or smoked, it is generally a delicacy of northern nations. Taramosaláta was originally made from the roe of the golden gray mullet, which is native to the Mediterranean. But as Mediterranean fisheries declined, the Greeks started importing Norwegian cured cod roe, which they called taramá.

I50 grams taramá (salted cod roe)

1 medium onion, grated or finely chopped

1 slice (5-6 cm thick) stale bread*

1 boiled potato* .

juice of 1-2 lemons

1 cup olive oil

Remove crusts from the bread, soak it and squeeze dry. Rinse taramá in water in a fine-meshed strainer to remove some of the salt.

Pound the onion to a pulp in a mortar (goudi) if you have one, then the bread and potato, then the oil and lemon juice, alternately, pounding or beating till smooth, or put it all in an electric blender. Spoon a little oil over the surface and garnish with olives.

Some roe has a richer colour than others; one can cheat and add a little beetroot juice to improve the pale variety which in fact is of a finer quality.

Only bread or only potatoes can be used, but the combination makes a good texture. Whole wheat bread gives a better favour.

—Anne Yannoulis,

Greek Calendar Cookbook, Athens, 1988

Cod-sounds TO BROIL COD-SOUNDS

Clean and scald them with very hot water, and .rub them with salt. Take off the sloughy coat, parboil them, then flour and broil til done. Dish them, and pour a sauce made of browned gravy, pepper, cayenne, salt, a little butter kneaded in browned flour, a tea-spoonful of made mustard, and one of soy. Cod-sounds are dressed as ragout, by boiling as above (boil slowly in plenty of water, with a handful of salt) and stewing in clear gravy, adding a little cream and butter kneaded in flour, with a seasoning of lemon-peel, nutmeg and mace. Cut them in fillets. They may be fried.

—Margaret Dods,

Cook and Housewife’s Manual, London, 1829

Also see page 190.

Tripe

Stomachs are used as sausage casing. In Iceland, according to Hallfredur Örn Eiriksson, a folk customs scholar at the Árni Magnússon Institute, they are “cleaned thoroughly, stuffed with liver, which was sometimes kneaded with rye and then boiled and eaten. The same was sometimes done with sounds.”

The tripe, the stomach lining, is also sometimes