Cod liver is not just a type of canned fish. This is a very valuable product, rich in a variety of useful trace elements. And the high-quality Murmansk cod liver is also a real delicacy, tender, melting in your mouth paste. But you need to choose it wisely.
Why "in Murmansk"?
In the store you can find several fundamentally different products from this part of the fish. In a jar called “natural” you will find large pieces of liver in oil, and in canned food marked “Murmansk cod liver” or “seaside” there will be a gentle, smooth, homogeneous paste. The difference between the two products can be not only in form, but also in the recipe. If the canned goods are of good quality, then all these types will be approximately the same in terms of their taste characteristics, but the pastes can have spices that make the taste richer. In addition, the paste is easier to spread on bread or crackers.
How to choose
Naturally, a paste from ground raw materials is much easier to fake than whole pieces of fish liver, therefore, the choice of the product “in Murmansk” should be approached especially carefully.
To do this, carefully study the jar: if it shows the 1st grade of raw materials, it means that the paste was prepared from a frozen liver. Such canned food will be cheaper, but their taste will be less pronounced. The most delicious liver in Murmansk is made from freshly caught fish of the highest grade.
Attention to the place of manufacture - a feature of the cod liver is that it spoils very quickly, so it is often rolled up into cans directly on a fishing vessel. If it is indicated on the label as the production address, take it without a doubt - the product is fresh and of high quality. If the production in the city, especially not the coastal one, is just frozen raw materials, its taste leaves much to be desired. If the production is in Murmansk or another city by the sea, it is possible to use chilled raw materials, it produces a sufficiently high-quality Murmansk cod liver.
The composition of canned food
According to GOST and TU, several other components can be added to the paste in Murmansk style, in addition to the liver itself. The first, of course, is salt, and the composition of ideal canned food could end there, however, some manufacturers add other ingredients.
Often, powdered milk is found in canned food in Murmansk - it is designed to make the taste softer, and the paste itself is more uniform. Flour may also be added for consistency. To enrich the taste, especially if the raw materials are frozen, spices, sugar, acetic acid, onions can be put in jars. Sometimes there are canned foods with the addition of vegetable oil, such as soybean, cotton or corn, but their addition dilutes healthy fish oil, so there is little point in buying such a product.
All these additives are completely edible and not harmful, but they are designed to brighten up the rather poor taste of frozen raw materials or dilute its presence in a jar, so try to choose the product that contains nothing but fish and salt. High-quality cod liver is tasty and does not need additional additives.
When you have already opened the can, before eating the paste, smell and examine the contents. The smell should be pleasant, pronounced fish. The color of the contents may be cream or a little grayish, and fish oil, easily separated from the paste, straw or yellow.
Which manufacturer to prefer
Today, there are several large producers on the market that offer Murmansk cod liver. Customer reviews about them are very different, but they all say that it is difficult to find a really good product.
Let's start with quality products with good reviews. These include canned food under the trademark “Fat Boatswain”. They are produced in Murmansk at several plants, the addresses and markings of which are on the bank. Reviews about this product are positive - it is not bitter, there is no excess oil in the paste, the consistency and color are uniform.
The Master of the Seas brand, also produced in Murmansk, is slightly worse in quality. The main disadvantage of these canned foods is the low proportion of fat, and it is fish oil that is the most valuable component.
But the cod liver in Murmansk “Fur Seal” consumer reviews categorically do not advise. Firstly, there is milk powder in the composition, which makes the taste unexpressed, and all the organoleptic properties of the product are inadequate. Secondly, the consistency is completely inconsistent with what is expected from the recipe in Murmansk. This is a liquid mass that cannot be smeared or scored with a knife.
Benefit and harm
The main value of cod liver is fish oil, which in the product is 60%. These are polyunsaturated fatty acids that help in the fight against atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases.
The product is also rich in vitamin D, which is so important in our climate. Especially in winter, when there is little sun, vitamin D, obtained from other products, affects the functioning of the joints and the entire skeleton, it is necessary for pregnant women and the elderly, so moderate use of such canned food is extremely useful.
Cod liver can not bring harm if not to absorb it in large quantities. In this case, the gallbladder may rebel, as the product is quite oily. Well, in general, consuming so many canned foods is not very useful. Also, the liver will be harmful to people allergic to seafood. To everyone else, the periodic use of this delicacy will bring only benefit and pleasure.
What to cook from canned food
Murmansk cod liver in itself is very tasty, spread it on bread or cracker, and you get a snack for a buffet or a healthy breakfast. For freshness and originality of serving, you can spread the paste on the ring of fresh cucumber, you will get a canapé for one bite.
But with the liver, you can cook more complex delicious dishes, mainly salads and snacks. It is very tasty, spread with a thin layer on a pancake, you can add fresh or pickled cucumber to the filling with straws. You can chop slightly salted red fish, boiled potatoes, dill and cod liver in Murmansk style, put the filling in the middle of the pancake and wrap it in a bag, tied with green onions - this is not only tasty, but also the original presentation.
Cut the boiled potatoes in half lengthwise and take out the middle. Mix cod liver, chopped boiled eggs and green onions and fill potato boats with this minced meat - this is satisfying and healthy.
Murmansk cod liver in perfect harmony with the freshness of vegetables. The recipe for a salad of radishes, bell peppers and fresh cucumbers will surely please your loved ones. Cut the vegetables into strips, add the liver, some olives and crackers. And if you put the appetizer portionwise on the leaves of green salad, you get an elegant festive dish.