Showing posts with label merluche. Show all posts
Showing posts with label merluche. Show all posts

Lieu Noir - Pollock, Saithe, Coley. The Tasty, Inexpensive, Cod Family Member From the North Atlantic

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

   
Lieu Noir
Pollock, Saithe, Coley
    
Lieu Noir (Goberge in Canada) – Pollock, Saithe, and Coley are a large, tasty member of the cod family, and will be on many French menus.

Whole fish are anywhere from 30 cm (12”) to 60 cm (24”) long, though they can reach twice that length. They are caught in the North Atlantic with some larger fish flown home as chilled whole fish and the rest being delivered as frozen fish fillets. In any case, with nearly all the fish being large enough for two or more, you will only be served a filet.
   
A Lieu Noir- Pollock fish filet.
While Pollock is considered a white fish it has a darker section that can be seen here.
Lieu Noir, are more strongly flavored than the similarly named and equally popular Lieu Jaune.
     
Lieu Noir has other regional names French names that include Colin and Merluche. But it shares those names with Lieu Jaune–Pollack (with the a), and Callagh. The reasons behind these mostly harmless cross-channel confusions are related to earlier times, but there is no longer anyone around to blame.

Catch your own. 17lb 4oz – 8 kilos.

   
Lieu Noir, in the UK Pollock, Saithe, and Coley is a favorite for fish and chips. While the French have never bought into the UK art of deep batter fried fish and greasy chips the fish is very popular in France and will be on French menus with other flavors:

Lieu Noir on French Menus:
  
Dos de Lieu Noir en Croute de Sésame, Sauce Whisky et Purée de Patates Douces A thick cut of Pollock/Saithe cooked covered with sesame seeds and served in a Scotch Whisky sauce;  all accompanied by a puree of sweet potatoes

Dos was the term used for a thick cut from the back of a large game fish or wild game; it is considered the tastiest portion.  Despite the origin of “dos” on the menu today it will mostly indicate a thick filet.
   
Dos de Lieu Noir à l'Estragon
A thick cut of pollock flavored with tarragon.
www.flickr.com/photos/marsupilami92/7073674435/

Lieu Noir en Cocotte de Palourdes et Coques  Pollock prepared in a  casserole with clams and cockles. When the menu notes en cocotte, it will usually be informing you that the bowl used for cooking is also the dish that will be used to serve you.

Filet de Lieu Noir, Perles de Couscous, Poireaux et Oignons Rouge – A filet of pollock accompanied by grains of couscous, leeks, and red onions.
   
Clams and cockles.
www.flickr.com/photos/marsupilami92/33584640984/
    
Dos De Lieu Noir, Sauce Ciboulette et  Chou-Fleur – A thick cut of pollock prepared with chives and cauliflower.’’
 
Ceviche de Lieu Noir Aux Légumes Printaniers – Cold, marinated pollock accompanied by crunchy spring vegetables.

Ceviche
www.flickr.com/photos/cyclonebill/3599576717/
   
Dos de Lieu Noir, sur Mousseline de Panais et sa Crème au Coquillages – A thick cut of pollock served on a parsnip moose, accompanied by a creamy crustacean sauce.

Dos de Lieu Noir, Salicornes, Cresson et Emulsion Sariette – A thick cut of Pollock/Saithe served with Samphire/ Salicornia, watercress, and a thick summer savory sauce.
 
Samphire is often, mistakenly, called an edible seaweed; it is not.  It is a coastal plant, with many family members, and grows in salt marshes and even in the sand along the coast.  The mildly salty and slightly bitter taste of Samphire along with its crunchy texture (when properly cooked) allows it to partner well in many salads when served cold or when served warm with fish or shellfish.

Fish, leeks, and tomatoes,
www.flickr.com/photos/laurelfan/2305920409/

Filet de Lieu Noir, Aubergines et Poivrons à la Sarriette et son Écrasé de Pomme de Terre – Filet of Pollock/Saithe prepared with aubergines and bell peppers and flavored with summer savory.  Accompanied by hand-mashed potatoes.

Pollock   in the languages of France's neighbors:
 (Catalan – pollachius), (Dutch - koolvis ),  (German – blaufisch), (Italian - merluzzo nero), (Spanish – bacalao, saithe, palero carbonero, faneca plataeada, fogonero), (Latin - pollachius virens).

-----------------------------------

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman 
Copyright 2010, 2019, 2023.
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com 

---------------------------

Searching for the meaning of words, names or phrases
on
French menus?
 
Just add the word, words, or phrase that you are searching for to the words "Behind the French Menu" (best when including the inverted commas), and search with Google or Bing,  Behind the French Menu’s links, include hundreds of words, names, and phrases that are seen on French menus. There are over 470 posts that include over 4,000 French dishes with English translations and explanations.

----------------------------
Connected Posts:
 

 
 
 

 

 
 


Merlu – Hake, the Popular White Fish. Hake in French Cuisine.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

  
Fresh hake.
 
Merlu, Merlu Européen or  Colin  - Hake and European Hake.  
 
Merluchon, Colinot, Petit Merlu are diminutive names used for small fish from the European hake and pollack families. On the menu, these names often indicate that the fish may be served whole.   

Hake is a member of the cod family with a white flaky texture and a mild flavor that is often hidden with the cooking or with the sauces with which it is served.  French chefs appreciate hake as it is a very adaptable fish, and so it may be offered with a wide range of recipes. Hake may weigh fifteen kilos or more,  but most hake off France’s coasts are caught when weighing from one to three kilos and they will be on the menu sautéed, grilled, baked and poached.

Grilled hake
  
Fresh hake, on French menus, come from the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Frozen hake filets in the supermarket will come from North East Atlantic and as far afield as Argentina.  A great deal of France’s local catch of hake goes to Spain where hake is the most popular fish; in France, the most popular fish is hake’s cousin cod.
  
N.B. Colin is one of this fish's French names, and Colin may also be used for lieu noir, saithe, or lieu jaune, pollack.  They are all fine tasting fish from the same family and not easily identified when cooked and served as filets.
  
Hake on French menus:
 
Dos de Merlu de Ligne Sauce Vierge, Risotto Safrané aux Moules A thick cut of hake caught on a fishing line and served with a sauce vierge accompanied by a risotto with mussels flavored with saffron. Sauce Vierge translates as a virgin sauce. The name comes from the use of virgin olive oil, fresh tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, basil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper. The sauce will be served warm but not cooked as virgin olive oil loses its flavor when heated. The sauce will be drizzled on the fish just before it is served.
 
Dos de Merlu Poêlé et Sauce au Beurre Blanc – A thick cut of hake fried and served with a white butter sauceBeurre Blanc is sauce is made with butter, a dry white wine, lemon, and shallots and named after the city of Nantes. Nantes is a lovely city and the capital of the department of Loire-Atlantique department in the region of the Pays de la Loire.
  
Hake with spinach.
www.flickr.com/photos/marsupilami92/33605045614/
 
Escalope de Merlu Grillée, Déclinaison de Courgettes aux Herbes – A filet of grilled hake served with an arrangement of courgettes, zucchini, flavored with herbs. An escalope is traditionally used to describe a thin cut of veal, an escalope de veau. On this menu listing the chef has clearly got fed up with using the word filet and changed the word to escalope; nevertheless, an escalope of fish is still a filet of fish.

Filet de Merlu à la Crème de Champignons – A filet of European Hake served with a creamy button mushroom sauce.
  
Grilled hake with a butter sauce.
www.flickr.com/photos/herry/6048174209/

Merlu de Ligne de la Criée de St Jean de Luz, Confit de Tomate, Sauce Xipister – Hake, caught on a fishing line and bought in the wholesale fish auction of St Jean de Luz served with a thick tomato sauce and Sauce Xipister.  St Jean de Luzon is an important fishing port on the Atlantic coast of the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the Pays Basque. Sauce Xipister, is a vinaigrette sauce from the Pays Basque made with olive oil, wine or Basque cider vinegar, garlic, herbs and Espelette pepper.

Baked hake with eggplant,
tomato, basil and crushed black olives
Photograph courtesy of Joselu Blanco

N.B. Menu listings that note that hake was caught with a fishing line may make a difference if the same fish had been farm raised.  However, hake is only caught in the wild; there are no hake fish farms.  Hake are either caught with trawls or with tens if not hundreds of trailing fishing lines. Enjoy the hake on the menu but don’t pay extra for hake caught on a fishing line.
  
Hake.
  
N.B. Merluche is white hake, a different fish. White hake is caught in the Western Atlantic and reaches France as frozen filets.

Hake in the languages of France’s neighbors:
(Catalan - lluç), (Dutch – heek, stokvis), (German - seehecht). (Italian - nasello),  (Spanish – pijotilla).
  
Connected Posts:
 
 
   
 

 
 

  
   
 
 
 
 
 
  
 

Searching for words, names or phrases on French Menus?

Just add the word, words, or phrase that you are searching for to the words "Behind the French Menu" and search with Google. Behind the French Menu’s links include hundreds of words, names, and phrases that are seen on French menus. There are over 470 posts that include over 4,000 French dishes with English translations and explanations.
   

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman 
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com
Copyright 2010, 2018, 2023.

Églefin, Eglefin, Aiglefin, and Haddock, Haddock and Smoked Haddock in French Cuisine.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

  
  
Drawing of Haddock from 1872 by the US Fish Commission.
  
Haddock
   
Églefin or Aiglefin, Haddock  –  Haddock is a lean, tender white fish, with flaky meat similar to cod.  On French menus, haddock will be offered smoked, baked, grilled, fried, or poached. Haddock is also more popular in France than it is in the UK or North America and that should not be too surprising as the French eat more fish and seafood per capita than North America or European countries.   
   
Smoked haddock in France.
  
When smoked haddock is on a French menu, then the English name haddock is often used; that acknowledges the tradition of smoking haddock began in Scotland. (In Scotland Haddock mostly called Seed Haddock). However, some French chefs prefer their menus to remain entirely French, and those menus will offer smoked haddock as églefin fume or aiglefin fume. 
  
Haddock on French Menus:

Cannellonis Farcis à l'Églefin Fume – Cannelloni stuffed with smoked haddock. Cannelloni; the popular tube-shaped pasta, about 10 cms  (4”) long by about 1.50 cms (6/10”) diameter. Canneloni is enjoyed in France as much as it is in Italy.


Filet de aiglefin – A haddock filet.
www.flickr.com/photos/marsupilami92/13741591103/
    
Carpaccio d'Aiglefin Fumé, Vinaigrette de Moutarde à l'Ancienne. - A smoked haddock Carpaccio served with a vinaigrette sauce made with traditional mustard.

There are many different mustards in France, nearly all with claims to traditional formulas, and many French chefs do make their own mustards. In-house mustards are often made in a manner similar to the Moutarde de Meaux, the famed mustard from the town of Meaux. That mustard has its unique taste created by mixing the mustard seeds with water rather than crushing them. (Meaux is more famous for its Brie AOP cheese). Despite many chef's interests in unique mustards, the style of mustard that originated in Dijon is still the most popular in private homes.
  
Églefin Meunier  - Fresh haddock lightly fried in a meunier butter and lemon sauce. Sauce Beurre Meunière is a simple, but tasty, butter sauce made with lemon juice and parsley added to the melted butter.  

Dishes with the word meunière are often translated into English as a dish prepared in the manner of a miller's wife. However, watermills don't operate in the sea and so there will be few miller's wives associated with the preparation of saltwater fish. Meunière did not originally refer to the cooking habits of the wife of a meunier, French for a miller. This is another urban legend, probably explained by the fact that such recipes sometimes (not always) imply the fish has been rolled in flour before cooking; hence the confusion. The word meunière is related to a mill but historically referred to various species of freshwater fish, then common in French rivers, that went by the name of "meuniers." These fish were frequently caught around water mills because there was a mill pond with plenty of space and food for the fish. In local usage, the separate names of each of these small fish were not then in common usage. Today, of course, you can order sole, or trout, haddock and much other saltwater fish cooked à la meunière and they will be filleted and served ina butter, lemon, and parsley sauce.
  
Filet d'Églefin aux Moules – Filet of haddock served with mussels.
  
Filet de Haddock Poché sur Lit de ChoucrouteBeurre Blanc. - A filet of poached, smoked haddock served on a bed of choucroute with a beurre blanc sauceHere the use of the English name for haddock on a French menu indicates smoked haddock. Choucroute is a pickled cabbage dish that originated in the old Alsace region of north-eastern France.

Smoked haddock served with a poached egg,
The smoked haddock dish shown above is a traditional Scottish dish made with a Finnan haddie, and there are French versions of this dish. A Finnan haddie is a cold-smoked haddock and in the picture above the filet is poached, sometimes in milk, and served with a poached egg on top for a traditional Scottish breakfast.
     
Duo d'Églefin et Saumon – - A dish of haddock and salmon served together to emphasize the different, but complementary, tastes and textures.
   
Filet d'Églefin Posé sur une Mirepoix de Légumes aux Herbes et Coulis de Crustacés – A fillet of haddock served on a bed of neatly cubed vegetables (mirepoix), flavored with a sauce made of blended crustaceans.
  
Papillote de Haddock, Courgette Craquante, Crème Ciboulette - Smoked haddock baked inside parchment paper, or aluminum foil to keep all the flavors and fragrances together. When the dish is ready, the papillote, the parchment paper, or aluminum foil container will be opened in front of the diner so he or she may appreciate the concentrated fragrance. The haddock in this menu listing is served with a crisply cooked courgette, the USA zucchini, and a creamy spring onion sauce.

Haddock and cod.

Haddock and cod are related, and the French stockfish or merluche, are dehydrated and salted cod or haddock, recipes for preserving fish that originated in Scandinavia. The tradition of drying fish with the aid of salt began hundreds of years ago; then, that was the only way that fish could be sold inland far from the sea. Special recipes were made for these fish after they had been rehydrated and desalted. Many of these traditional recipes remain very popular in Europe. Dishes made with rehydrated cod and or other similar fish will be on the menu as bacalao in Spain and baccalà in Italy. In the beginning, the fish used would be either cabillaud, cod; haddock, julienne; lingmerlu, hake, and other cod family members; however, today, stockfish or merluche is nearly always identified with cod. The French have created many wonderful dishes with rehydrated cod and other fish. Menus will offer popular traditional dishes with names such as brandade and brandade Nîmoise, estoficado, stocaficado, stockfish à la Niçoise, and many others. orld and the Most Popular Fish in France.

 
Salted cod drying on racks in Iceland.
www.flickr.com/photos/quinet/3297973917/
   
France is not alone in having many names that confuse haddock and other members of the cod family. Young haddock are mostly called scrod or schrod in the UK while those same names are both used for young cod and pollack in North America.
  
The cod and haddock family.
Natural history of the animal kingdom for the use of young people
Brighton :E. & J.B. Young and Co.,1889.
biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28687540
www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/5974413991/
    
Églefin, Aiglefin or Haddock in the languages of France's neighbours:
  
(Catalan – eglefí),(Dutch – schelvis), (German –schellfisch),((Italian – asinello, egelfino),  (Spanish – eglefino), 
 
Églefin, Aiglefin or Haddock in other languages:
 
Chinese Mandarin -  黑線鱈  )((Danish – kuller), Greek –bakaliaros), (Hebrew –   מרוון – hamor yam - חמור ים ), (Icelandic – Ýsa), (Norwegian -  hyse), (Polish - plamiak a. lupacz), (Portugues – arnica), (Rumanian – aglefin), (Russian – Пикша, piksha),(Swedish – kolja). 


Thanks for most of these translations to: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2014. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (04/2014)

--------------------------------

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

 

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

 

Copyright 2010, 2014, 2016, 2019
 
--------------------------------

Searching for the meaning of words, names or phrases
on
French menus?
 

Just add the word, words, or phrase that you are searching for to the words "Behind the French Menu" (best when including the inverted commas), and search with Google, Bing, or another browser.  Behind the French Menu’s links, include hundreds of words, names, and phrases that are seen on French menus. There are over 450 articles that include over 4,000 French dishes with English translations and explanations.
  
 Connected posts:



 
     
 


     
 
 
 
 
  


  
   



Responsive ad