On Food And Cooking Part 26

120 120.

Pufferfish, fugu ( Pufferfish, fugu (Fugu); blowfish (Sph.o.e.roides, Tetraodon)

Sunfish

3 3.

Mola ( Mola (Mola)

Adapted from J. S. Nelson, Adapted from J. S. Nelson, Fishes of the World, Fishes of the World, 3d ed. (New York: Wiley, 1994). 3d ed. (New York: Wiley, 1994).

Carp and Catfish The freshwater carp family arose in east Europe and west Asia, and is now the largest family of fish on the planet. Some of the same characteristics that have made them so successful - the ability to tolerate stagnant water, low oxygen levels, and temperatures from just above freezing to 100F/38C - have also made them ideal candidates for aquaculture, which China pioneered three millennia ago. Carp themselves can reach 60 lb/30 kg or more, but are generally harvested between one and three years when they weigh a few pounds. They're relatively bony fish, with a coa.r.s.e texture and a low to moderate fat content.

The mostly freshwater catfish family is also well adapted to an omnivorous life in stagnant waters, and therefore to the fish farm. Its most familiar member is the North American channel catfish (Ictalurus), which is harvested when about 1 ft/30 cm long and 1 lb/450 gm, but can reach 4 ft/1.2 m in the wild. Catfish have the advantage over the carps of a simpler skeleton that makes it easy to produce boneless fillets; they keep well, as much as three weeks when vacuum-packed on ice. Both carp and catfish can suffer from a muddy flavor (p. 193), particularly in the heat of late summer and fall.

Salmons, Trouts, and Relatives The salmons and trouts are among the most familiar of our food fishes - and among the most remarkable. The family is one of the oldest among the fishes, going back more than 100 million years. The salmons are carnivores that are born in freshwater, go to the sea to mature, and return to their home streams to sp.a.w.n. The freshwater trouts evolved from several landlocked groups of Atlantic and Pacific salmon.

Salmons Salmon develop their muscle ma.s.s and fat stores in order to fuel their egg production and nonstop upstream migration, processes that consume nearly half of their weight and leave their flesh mushy and pale. Salmon quality is thus at its peak as the fish approach the mouth of their home river, which is where commercial fishermen take them. The stocks of Atlantic salmon have been depleted by centuries of overfis.h.i.+ng and damage to their home rivers, so nowadays most market fish come from farms in Scandinavia and North and South America. The wild Alaska fishery is still healthy. Opinions vary on the relative qualities of wild and farmed salmon. Some professional cooks prefer the fattiness and more consistent quality of farm fish, while others prefer the stronger flavor and firmer texture of wild fish at their best. Salmon develop their muscle ma.s.s and fat stores in order to fuel their egg production and nonstop upstream migration, processes that consume nearly half of their weight and leave their flesh mushy and pale. Salmon quality is thus at its peak as the fish approach the mouth of their home river, which is where commercial fishermen take them. The stocks of Atlantic salmon have been depleted by centuries of overfis.h.i.+ng and damage to their home rivers, so nowadays most market fish come from farms in Scandinavia and North and South America. The wild Alaska fishery is still healthy. Opinions vary on the relative qualities of wild and farmed salmon. Some professional cooks prefer the fattiness and more consistent quality of farm fish, while others prefer the stronger flavor and firmer texture of wild fish at their best.

Salmons and Their Characteristics

Fat Content, %

Atlantic

Atlantic: Salmo salar Salmo salar

14 14.

Pacific

King, Chinook: Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

12 12.

Sockeye, Red: O. nerka O. nerka

10 10.

Coho, Silver: O. kisutch O. kisutch

7 7.

Chum, Dog: O. keta O. keta

4 4.

Pink: O. gorbuscha O. gorbuscha

4 4.

Cherry, Amago (j.a.pan and Korea): O. masou O. masou

7 7.

size, lb/kg

Atlantic

Atlantic: Salmo salar Salmo salar

100/45; 612/35 farmed 100/45; 612/35 farmed

Pacific

King, Chinook: Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

30+/14 30+/14.

Sockeye, Red: O. nerka O. nerka

8/4 8/4.

Coho, Silver: O. kisutch O. kisutch

30/14 30/14.

Chum, Dog: O. keta O. keta

1012/45 1012/45

Pink: O. gorbuscha O. gorbuscha

510/24 510/24

Cherry, Amago (j.a.pan and Korea): O. masou O. masou

46/23 46/23

Major Uses

Atlantic

Atlantic: Salmo salar Salmo salar

Fresh, smoked Fresh, smoked

Pacific