Fish low in saturated fats (the daily intake of which should not exceed 10% of the calories introduced with food) and rich in omega 3 (elements of fundamental support for the health of the heart and arteries) stockfish it is one of the most important allies that we can find on the table to guarantee our body a concentrate of vitamins and minerals property greetings.
Indeed, from the Humanitas Research Hospital website we learn that it is “a good source of protein of high quality, of Vitamins of group B (important for the proper functioning of the organism), of magnesium (a mineral involved in numerous cellular reactions), of potassium (which by controlling heart rate and blood pressure protects cardiovascular health), of phosphorus (important both for bone health and teeth than for that of the kidneys, muscles and heart, for the proper functioning of the metabolism and for the transmission of nerve impulses) and selenium (which helps defend the body from oxidative stress)”. In particular we find a significant concentration of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin K and even sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, folate, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin.
We add that a large part of its "mass" is made up of water, and has a very low amount of calories, athletes who follow high-protein diets that aim to increase lean mass are well aware of this, but also to the beneficial effects of its high content of lysine amino acid present in considerable quantities whose particular function is to help tissue growth also indicated for pregnant women.
Italy in Europe comes immediately after Portugal for consumption of cod. And the Campania nationally it occupies second place, placing itself immediately after the Veneto, by cod processing and marketing capacity.
Cod, history and origins: the discovery of the Venetian nobleman and then the alternative to meat for abstinence decided by the Counter-Reformation church
A long Story mainly rooted in Somma Vesuviana, a small town in the metropolitan area of Naples that has made cod its gastronomic flagship. History must be traced back to the times of the shipwreck led by the Venetian patrician Peter Querini which traveled the routes of Flanders to commercialize Malvasia wine, spices, cotton, wax, rock alum. The Venetian patrician and trader had his ship destroyed by a violent storm in 1431 and for three months he found shelter in the Norwegian islands of Lofoten where he discovered+ the use of local fishermen to dry cod to ensure food for the crews of the ships in their long sea voyages . Upon his return to Italy, Guerini brought a load of cod, and it was a notable commercial success. Those dried fish kept their nutritional qualities intact for a long time, safeguarding the food needs of sailors from perishability on long journeys. The consequent opening of intense trade with Norway in which the traders of the Vesuvius area immediately distinguished themselves.
But a good hand at cod spread he then gave it to Church of the Counter-Reformation. The Council of Trent (December 4, 1563) established the calendar of abstinence and lean days which extended for 150 days a year: Fridays, Christmas Eve, Lent, all for about 150 days a year and this caused a spasmodic search for something substantial that could replace meat. And cod with its substantial and tasty meat was immediately considered a valid alternative. to meat An important role for the cod trade in this area was played by the monks of the nearby convent of the Madonna dell'Arco, a sanctuary much revered by the Neapolitans, who prepared and used the first cisterns for soaking and rehydrating cod dried that arrived from the north using the fresh and pure waters of the nearby source of the river Sebeto.
The cod of Luigi Salomone, chef of Re Santi e Leoni
From Somma Vesuviana to Nola there are only 11 km and in the city of Giordano Bruno we find a sanctuary, this time secular, and it is the starred restaurant of Luigi salomone, chef of Kings Saints and Lions.
In the premises of an ancient nineteenth-century building behind the main square of the city conceived in a modern minimalist dimension, a contemporary design of aluminum and geometries inspired by the work that Gae Aulenti experimented with in the early 70s, i.e. ancient and new in comparison, Luigi salomone operates a constant alchemy of integration between ancient and modern, between tradition and innovation with a strong emphasis on territoriality.
The "Neapolitan spirit" at the basis of his culinary philosophy is expressed with a careful, targeted attention to the flavor of the material which is not betrayed by boldness or deviant experiments, but is always identified to speak to the heart, arousing persuasive emotions in the customer.
Simplicity is its watchword, a word that in the kitchen takes on a meaning that is diametrically opposed to the literary one, which means rigor, technique, creativity.
As in cod recipe, almond ricotta, green beans and ponzu sauce where the cod, considered until the mid-twentieth century, poor food and always associated with equally poor ingredients such as polenta, potatoes, anchovies, stale bread becomes the protagonist of a refined recipe that redeems and stands out the value. For Luigi Salomone the body in the mouth of polenta or stale bread is given by the element of the almond which, blended, becomes a fat and enveloping sauce. By the cod instead it gives the dish a satisfying "fleshyness", an elegant but decisive taste, giving emotions to the palate that taste of history and tradition. A tradition that for the Chef is above all a memory linked to festivities and the local area: "as a child I didn't even want to see it or smell it, at Christmas my grandmother would bring it to the table I would turn away, then over the years I learned to love it” says Luigi Salomone and continues “the inspiration for this dish comes from my mother's hand who made it with rocket salad, green beans and potatoes”.
Cod with ricotta, green beans and ponzu sauce: Luigi Salomone's recipe
Ingredients for 4 people:
4 pieces of cod of 150 gr
100 gr of cod bones
200 g of boiled green beans
100 gr of cod skins
200 gr of almonds
20 g soy sauce
20 g nori seaweed
20 gr granulated sugar
20 g white vinegar
For the broth:
Toast the bones in the oven, cover with water, add soy, sugar and vinegar. Boil for 15 minutes. Infuse the seaweed. Strain and add lemon juice.
Almond emulsion:
Put the almonds and 100 g of water in a pacojet. Freeze and pacotize 3 times.
For stockfish:
Vacuum-pack the cod and cook at 56 degrees for 10 minutes.
For the crusty skin:
Blanch the hides in water, dry them and dehydrate them in the oven at 60 for 12 hours. Fry in sunflower oil until crispy.
For the green beans:
Clean and blanch in water.
Which wine to pair with cod: Rossese del Ponente Ligure
The sommelier Salvatore Matarazzo recommends the ideal pairing with a wine from the Ligurian sea: Il Rossese by Dolceacqua Maccario Dringenberg. Elegance, lightness, little structure and a light red color are the characteristics of the initial impact. We are located in Val Nervia and Val Verbone in Western Liguria. Giovanna Maccario and her husband Goez Dringenberg head the company which currently owns 3,5 hectares of organic farming with a production of 24 bottles a year.
Il Rossese it opens to the nose with a bouquet of berries, spices and flowers and has a very dynamic drink thanks to its freshness. “It goes nicely with low-temperature cooked cod, thanks to the fruit that counteracts the flavor of the protein. Its drinkable dynamism and its balance are combined with the vegetable part and the almond ricotta” says the Sommelier.
RE SANTI E LION RESTAURANT
Via Brick Amphitheater, 92,
80035 Nola NA, Italy:
Reservations: thefork.it
