Cod Blog: Recipes, Guides and Comparisons
Quick Summary: After a blind tasting with 7 Cantabrian anchovy brands, evaluated by size, curing (months in salt), residual salt, color, shine, aroma, and price/fillet, the highest-scoring anchovies in 2026 are Codesa Doble Cero (buttery texture, 12 months curing), Don Bocarte Cristal (impeccable fillet, balanced salt), and Casa Santoña (industrial consistency, mid-range price). Bacalalo sells Leonardo and Filetes del Cantábrico 00 Premium: both in the top 5 for best value for money.
Quick Summary: 9 recipes with ready-to-eat vinegared anchovies — appetizers in 5-15 minutes, no cooking...
Quick summary: Caviar doesn't need complicated recipes — the product is the star. 7 proven...
Quick Summary: cooked Galician octopus is a premium product suitable for traditional recipes (a feira,...
Quick summary: Mojama is the loin of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) or skipjack tuna, dry-salted and air-dried for 15-25 days. It has a dark garnet-brown color, firm texture, and concentrated umami flavor. The lomo central (center loin) is the most prized cut (60-90 €/kg). It is eaten in thin slices with EVOO, toasted almonds, and breadsticks. It is called "ham of the sea" because its curing process is reminiscent of Iberian ham. Origin: Cadiz (Barbate, Conil), Murcia, and Almeria. A 2,500-year-old Phoenician tradition.
Quick Summary: trout roe is smaller (3 mm) and sweeter, ideal for delicate canapés (€90-130/kg). Keta salmon roe is large (5-7 mm), explosive, bright orange, perfect for blinis and sushi (€110-150/kg). Mojama is NOT roe — it's salted and cured tuna loin, with a concentrated savory flavor, to be sliced thin and eaten with EVOO (€60-90/kg). All three are high-end products but from different categories: two fish roes + one cured fish product.
Quick Summary: salmon roe (ikura, red caviar) are the eggs of female Chum (Oncorhynchus keta) or Coho salmon. Translucent orange spheres, 4-6 mm, with a sweet, oceanic flavor and a "popping" texture. Price 80-150 €/kg for a 100 g jar (between 8 € and 15 € per jar). Serve cold, on blinis, tartare, pasta, or as a garnish for canapés. It is not caviar even if it's called "red caviar" — real caviar comes from sturgeon.
Quick Summary: A perfect smoked salad combines 3-4 types (salmon, cod, eel, sardine, or trout) on a base of bitter greens (arugula, lamb's lettuce, endive), acid (lime, Modena vinegar, citrus), fat (avocado, EVOO, cream cheese), and texture (capers, dill, gherkin, blinis). Quantity per person: 60-90 g total smoked product. Serve warm or cold, never hot.
Quick Summary: Smoked salmon is fattier (12-18% fat), has an intense flavor, is orange in color, and is better for classic canapés and hot dishes. Smoked cod is leaner (3-5% fat), has a mild flavor, is white-pink in color, and is better for carpaccio, salads, and pairing with dry white wines. Similar price (€45-65/kg). If you're undecided for Christmas: choose smoked cod carpaccio for a starter and salmon for the main platter.
Smoked cod is cod loin cured in salt and subjected to smoke from noble woods (beech, oak) at a controlled temperature. There are two methods: cold smoking (18-28 °C, silky texture, delicate flavor) and hot smoking (50-80 °C, cooked texture, intense flavor). The actual price ranges from €38/kg (industrial) to €75/kg (artisanal from the Mediterranean or Iceland). Be careful with labels that say "smoked" but use liquid smoke: look for the ingredient "natural smoke" on the list.
Quick answer: An unopened can of anchovies will last 18-24 months in a cool, dry, dark place. After opening: Transfer the fillets to a glass container, cover completely with extra virgin olive oil, cover, and refrigerate. They will last 3-4 weeks. Never leave the opened metal can in the refrigerator—exposure to air will oxidize the fillets, and the metal will impart a metallic taste. If you buy anchovies in salt "for cleaning," they will last up to 5 years in their own brine.
Quick Summary: A good Cantabrian anchovy can stand on its own with a piece of bread and butter, but it's also the ingredient that elevates a dish when used thoughtfully. In this collection, you'll find 12 recipes, ranging from a 3-minute appetizer to a Sunday main course: buttered toast, homemade gilda, tomato salad, anchovy spaghetti, compound butter, and seven more. These recipes are designed for anchovies of size 0 or 00, hand-filleted. I've made all of them at home for years.
