Skrei cod is on the menu at B Too until early April (Photo by Evan Caplan).
Dish of the Week: Skrei Cod
Where: Equinox, B Too, Legal Sea Foods, Whaley’s
From the deepest, darkest depths of frigid Norwegian waters comes a hearty, flaky, and culturally fascinating fish. It’s the Skrei cod. Once prized by the Vikings, it now has earned the well-deserved moniker “The Norwegian Miracle.”
Skrei, in Norwegian, means “wanderer,” and for good reason. Besides its lengthy journey (more on that later), it’s now being reeled in by restaurants in D.C. Norway began focusing on imports to the U.S. about five years ago, according to Jessica Butera, a representative of the Norwegian Seafood Council. Since then, it’s being scaled up as a sought-after seasonal dish. Chef Tood Gray of Equinox (818 Connecticut Ave. NW) is one fan.
“I loved cooking with Norwegian Skrei—it’s such a gorgeous fish and since it’s only available for a short time, that makes it extra special,” he says.
Skrei can be found on the specials menus at places like B Too (1324 14th St. NW), Legal Sea Foods (Crystal City, DC, and Tysons Galleria locations), Equinox, and Whaley’s (301 Water St. SE). Skrei season lasts through early April, so be sure to give it a try while you can.
Whaley’s is serving it with stewed chickpeas, merguez, roasted tomatoes, piquillo peppers and mussels. At Legal Seafoods, roasted skrei gets matched with mashed sweet peas, a bacon shallot vinaigrette, and rainbow carrot salad.
Chef Bart Vandaele of Belga Café and B Too says skrei “is juicy and succulent—the perfect saltwater fish. I found it is perfect to roast. I like to brine it first in some sea salt for a couple hours, then sear it in real butter. It doesn’t need more than that.” He notes that it also goes great with bacon.
Skrei cod isn’t just any Atlantic cod. Skrei cod grow up in the Barents Sea, in the Arctic Circle. When it comes time to mate, however, it dives south (or as far south as Norway could be) to the country’s jagged coastline. Its mating season takes place in January. Dating back to the Eric the Red era, dedicated fisherman have braved the fiercest of seas for this cherished catch.
The Skrei’s grueling journey makes for some great meat. Though it’s pretty muscular, Butera, says the fish is “light and lean, with firm flakes and a delicate, silky flavor.” And Rich Vellante, executive chef of Legal Sea Foods, notes that “Skrei has a firm, flaky meat and clean taste from swimming in the clean, pristine waters of Norway.”
Skrei cod is also very much a cultural phenomenon. Besides being a touchstone for fisherman lore and as a harbinger of springtime, kids get involved in the process, too. The highly important job of cutting out the cod tongue is given to children—kind of like practice for when they take up the family profession. After removal, tongues are usually floured and deep-fried.
In a rare and surprising feat of international cooperation, Russia and Norway actually work together to protect the Skrei cod population, after unwanted trawling incursions by the USSR in decades past. The two nations coordinate across both countries’ economic zones to promote sustainability and prevent habitat destruction. Given that the cod industry is a maritime gold mine, it’s an impressive binational system in a time of increased isolationism.
