Smelly Cod

[buckytom]

I was talking with some fishing buddies, and we all recollected that Atlantic cod are at their best in the fall into winter.

I haven't been out for cod in many years. There are few fish the yield so much good flesh.

I hate to say it, but smelly cod might be the year old stuff at the bottom of a frozen pile being cleaned out to make room for this year's catch. (even though the catch is lower this time of year - for several reasons).
Or, it was improperly handled at some point.

 

[jennyema]

Never, ever buy prepackaged fish

 

[Kayelle]

Never, ever buy prepackaged fish

+1
Only buy frozen. You have no clue how long prepackaged fish has been defrosted.

 

[Addie]

I presently have a box from Nova Scotia of salted Cod. My plans for it are creamed cod with mashed taters and petite peas.


Right now Cod is on the endangered list and the boats docking here on the East Coast are allowed to catch just so many pounds per trip. Any poundage over the amount, is confiscated. At one time their whole catch would be confiscated. Then just prior to a very religious holiday all the boats sat tied up here in Boston. That changed the rule real quick. Folks were driving to NH or RI to get their fish. The Govt. mustn't mess with religious traditions.

Other than salted Cod, I prefer Atlantic Haddock. Oddly enough, Cod used to be really inexpensive. And it would cost you an arm and leg along with the life of your first born for Haddock. I've seen Haddock going for more than $10 a pound. Now it is down to $7.00-$8.99 per pound. Come warm weather the price will go down even more.

 

[Linda0818]

+1
Only buy frozen. You have no clue how long prepackaged fish has been defrosted.

Agreed. I only buy frozen now.

 

[GotGarlic]

+1
Only buy frozen. You have no clue how long prepackaged fish has been defrosted.

Agreed. I only buy frozen now.

There's one fishmonger near me that I trust to have fresh seafood, but it's not prepackaged. One time, I wanted some scallops and stopped by to see what he had. He told me to come back in a couple of hours because he had a truckload of seafood being driven down from New England, including scallops that had been caught that morning. I've also bought seafood for ceviche from him. I ask him what he recommends from what he has in the case and he will even slice it for me. It's very expensive, though - just about everything is over $20/lb. - so shopping there is an occasional treat.

 

[Addie]

There's one fishmonger near me that I trust to have fresh seafood, but it's not prepackaged. One time, I wanted some scallops and stopped by to see what he had. He told me to come back in a couple of hours because he had a truckload of seafood being driven down from New England, including scallops that had been caught that morning. I've also bought seafood for ceviche from him. I ask him what he recommends from what he has in the case and he will even slice it for me. It's very expensive, though - just about everything is over $20/lb. - so shopping there is an occasional treat.

Wow! And again WOW!!! I would have a heart attack looking at those prices. Our scallop fleet is out of New Bedford in SE Mass. Emeril Lagasse home town. One of the delicacies they serve down there is Conch Salad. Stinks to high heaven. Conch is a huge crab type animal in the really large shells you find on the seashore. My second husband used to bring home those shells with the live animal in it. I kept a bucket of bleach outside and he would put the shell in it before I would allow it in the house. The Pirate would take the shell down to the Curio Shop and sell the shell for money for the movies.

I know how lucky I am living here. Now at that price, I know just how much luckier I am.

Last week I saw scallops selling for $9.00 lb. They were huge. I almost bought ten of them. Five for Pirate and five for me. YUM!

 

[taxlady]

Wow! And again WOW!!! I would have a heart attack looking at those prices. Our scallop fleet is out of New Bedford in SE Mass. Emeril Lagasse home town. One of the delicacies they serve down there is Conch Salad. Stinks to high heaven. Conch is a huge crab type animal in the really large shells you find on the seashore. My second husband used to bring home those shells with the live animal in it. I kept a bucket of bleach outside and he would put the shell in it before I would allow it in the house. The Pirate would take the shell down to the Curio Shop and sell the shell for money for the movies.

I know how lucky I am living here. Now at that price, I know just how much luckier I am.

Last week I saw scallops selling for $9.00 lb. They were huge. I almost bought ten of them. Five for Pirate and five for me. YUM!

Conch is more snail like than crab like. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conch

 

[Linda0818]

There's one fishmonger near me that I trust to have fresh seafood, but it's not prepackaged. One time, I wanted some scallops and stopped by to see what he had. He told me to come back in a couple of hours because he had a truckload of seafood being driven down from New England, including scallops that had been caught that morning. I've also bought seafood for ceviche from him. I ask him what he recommends from what he has in the case and he will even slice it for me. It's very expensive, though - just about everything is over $20/lb. - so shopping there is an occasional treat.

That's pretty pricey, but I think I'd pay it for some fresh scallops.

 

[GotGarlic]

Wow! And again WOW!!! I would have a heart attack looking at those prices. Our scallop fleet is out of New Bedford in SE Mass. Emeril Lagasse home town. One of the delicacies they serve down there is Conch Salad. Stinks to high heaven. Conch is a huge crab type animal in the really large shells you find on the seashore. My second husband used to bring home those shells with the live animal in it. I kept a bucket of bleach outside and he would put the shell in it before I would allow it in the house. The Pirate would take the shell down to the Curio Shop and sell the shell for money for the movies.

I know how lucky I am living here. Now at that price, I know just how much luckier I am.

Last week I saw scallops selling for $9.00 lb. They were huge. I almost bought ten of them. Five for Pirate and five for me. YUM!

Was that at your local grocery store? They were most likely wet-pack scallops treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, to help them retain moisture. That also makes it difficult to sear them well because they're so wet. I can get those cheap scallops at my grocery store, too, but they're not the ones I want. The ones I'm talking about are dry-pack with no added chemicals.

I've had conch salad many times in Florida. They should not smell bad. Like other seafood, they should smell like the sea. If they smell bad, they are bad.

 

[Linda0818]

I've never had conch salad, but while visiting Florida, I ate the best fish sandwich I've ever had in my life. A couple friends and I went to this little beach side cafe and I ordered the fish sandwich and it was a Grouper filet that had to have been almost 2 inches thick. It came on a toasted hoagie roll with lettuce, tomato, onion and tartar (on the side). I wanted to taste that fish, so I only spread on a very thin layer of the tartar sauce and it was the most amazing thing I've eaten in a long time.

 

[buckytom]

Most fish that is sold as conch is actually its cousin, the whelk.

Conchs are from warmer waters, and are herbivores. Whelks can live in colder water, and are carnivores or scavengers.

The smaller ones are delicious quickly baked or grilled right in their own shells, much like snails.

 

[Addie]

Was that at your local grocery store? They were most likely wet-pack scallops treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, to help them retain moisture. That also makes it difficult to sear them well because they're so wet. I can get those cheap scallops at my grocery store, too, but they're not the ones I want. The ones I'm talking about are dry-pack with no added chemicals.

I've had conch salad many times in Florida. They should not smell bad. Like other seafood, they should smell like the sea. If they smell bad, they are bad.

No. The sign said "Dry Scallops". I know the difference between them. I never buy wet ones. I refuse to pay for water. I never asked my mother what my first solid food was. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was seafood. During WWII, if there were small kids in the family, you would always find them at the beach in the summer, digging clams for meatless days. And after a Nor'easter, it was lobsters also. That's probably why I ended up marrying a professional fisherman. Seafood is as much a part of my makeup as breathing.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Addie, I'm going to guess those scallops were older stock that the seafood manager needed to move along. The best price I've seen for dry-pack, fresh scallops at either Market Basket or Price Chopper has been $12.99. This week they're $13.99. Still a better bargain than lobster by a long shot.

...It was a Grouper filet that had to have been almost 2 inches thick...and it was the most amazing thing I've eaten in a long time.

Grouper is Himself's favorite fish. We usually go to FL for a week each year. The first thing he tracks down is a grouper something - sandwich, dinner, nuggets. Loves his grouper!

 

[Linda0818]

Addie, I'm going to guess those scallops were older stock that the seafood manager needed to move along. The best price I've seen for dry-pack, fresh scallops at either Market Basket or Price Chopper has been $12.99. This week they're $13.99. Still a better bargain than lobster by a long shot.

Grouper is Himself's favorite fish. We usually go to FL for a week each year. The first thing he tracks down is a grouper something - sandwich, dinner, nuggets. Loves his grouper!

It's wonderful stuff. I also love orange roughy.

I mentioned monkfish a few posts back. Has anyone here ever had it?

 

[taxlady]

I had monk fish once. It was at a buffet in Iceland. It was really yummy.

 

[JustJoel]

It's wonderful stuff. I also love orange roughy.

I mentioned monkfish a few posts back. Has anyone here ever had it?

I have, in Japan, where it’s known as the “poor man’s fugu.” (Fugu is the pufferfish that is poisonous if not prepared correctly. It’s a Japanese delicacy, very strictly regulated and quite expensive.) If I remember correctly, it’s a firm white fleshed fish that’s very delicately flavored.

 

[Linda0818]

Yes, exactly, it's very firm and very mild and super delicious. Around these parts, it's known as "poor man's lobster" because the flesh, in taste and texture, is very similar. With the monkfish, however, only the tail can be eaten. It's an ugly ugly ugly fish whose upper body is basically all head, bones and teeth. But the tail is divine.

I don't find it often and, when I do, it's pretty pricey. But I pay whatever it costs at the time, since finding monkfish here in Columbus, Ohio, is like discovering a treasure chest at the bottom of the sea.

 

[tenspeed]

Monkfish is commonly available here, typically around $7.00 / lb. While the texture is similar to lobster, the flavor isn't. Lobster is sweeter and more delicate in flavor I've grilled monkfish with a little EVOO and garlic. Not bad, but nowhere near as good as lobster.

Fresh dry scallops are usually in the $15 - $18 / lb. range. A supermarket had a special early this summer when they were about $10 - $12 / lb. (I can't remember the exact price), but that was for one week only. I've seen previously frozen scallops for $13 or so.

 

[CraigC]

Grouper, especially black and gag are excellent. I love to blacken it, either for a sandwich or with rice pilaf and green vege for a side. If you have had conch since around 1977, it was not from Florida. A 10 year ban was placed on harvesting Queen conch back then and it was made permanent in 1985.