by Tom Stobart
SHAD are members of the herring family which reach 60 cm (2ft) in length. They are normally marine fish but swim up rivers to spawn (and this is when they are best for eating).Their big disadvantage is that they are very bony. The European species are the Allis shad (Alosa alosa) and the slightly smaller Twaite shad (A fallax).The American shad (A sapidis sima) is more popular than its Old World equivalents.
[Allis shad – French: alose German: Alse, Maifisch Spanish: sábalo
Twaite shad – French: alose feinte German: Finte, Maifisch Italian: cheppia Spanish: saboga]
SHADBERRY. See rowan.
SHADDOCK (Citrus grandis) originated in South east Asia, where it is still planted commercially and is called the shaddock in the Caribbean because it was first brought there by a Captain Shaddock; pomelo or pummelo is the usual name in Asia. It is the largest of the citrus fruits, sometimes weighing as much as 10 kg (22 lb), and looks something like a huge grapefruit with a coarse, thick rind. Inside, shaddocks are often rather dry; with a hollow core, and segments enclosed in thick, tough and leathery membranes, which easily peel away from the flesh beneath. The juice capsules of the flesh are enormous and usually pink. The taste is described as ‘aromatic, spicy and bitter’ – to me, it is vaguely like the taste of grapefruit with a dash of Angostura. Although the whole fruit is coarse and dry; it can be a very welcome thirst quencher to the traveller who finds it on a hot day. However, the chief distinction of the shaddock is that it is probably the ancestor of the *grapefruit
[Shaddock – French: pamplemousse German: Pampelmuse Italian: pampelimosa Spanish: pamplemusa, citrus decumana]
SHALLOT. Although older books give the shallot as a separate species, Allium ascalonium, it is now regarded as a variety of onion (Allium cepa var. ascalonium). Shallots and types known as potato onions and multiplier onions have bulbs that multiply to produce clusters joined at the root end. Shallots may be round and with red-brown skins, like onions, or elongated and with skins tending towards grey blue (in forms which are usually grown further south and have a slight garlic overtone in their flavour). Shallots are much favoured in French cooking and make the best pickled onions. They are more expensive to buy than ordinary onions and are small to peel, but in addition to their special flavour, they also are excellent keepers.
[Shallot – French: échalote German: Schalotte Italian: scalogno Spanish: chalote, cebolleta]
SHAMA. See millet
SHANK. The lower part of the front leg in mutton and lamb.
SHARK, dogfish, ray and skate are grouped together, because they have skeletons of hard cartilage and not of true bone. In some ways they are a rather primitive group -the first sharks appeared on earth some 300 million years ago, since when they seem to have changed little. Their skin is covered with tooth-like scales (which may be large on some rays), and is rough, like sandpaper. All the cartilaginous fish are carnivorous (although some, such as the whale sharks, feed by straining small crustaceans out of the water).They are entirely marine, despite the fact that some sharks may venture some distance up large rivers, such as the Amazon and the Ganges.
I think that no cartilaginous fish reaches the highest gastronomic pinnacle (except in *shark’s fin soup), but many make good food. In general, they can stand a little over-cooking- one reason for the popularity of dogfish and skate in fish-and-chip shops – and there is no problem with bones. All cartilaginous fish are likely to smell of ammonia, because of the presence of urea in the tissues, as they have a somewhat different physiology to other fish – the concentration of urea counteracts the osmotic effect of seawater, which would otherwise be constantly taking water out of their bodies; bony fish cope with the problem by having large and efficient kidneys.
This smell is neutralized by cooking them in black butter or by deep-fat frying, or, if the smell is not strong, by poaching them in acidulated water.
Sharks are not generally thought of as good food in Britain and the US. However, the flesh of many sharks is commonly eaten, and some is quite good. Sharks have the distinction of being the world’s largest fish. Whale sharks, which fortunately are inoffensive, grow up to 20 tonnes or more and are sometimes 21 m (70ft) in length. On the other hand, the smallest shark is only 17 cm (7 in) when fully grown and weighs no more than 70 g (about 3 oz). In general, sharks are not benign creatures, and some are famed for their ferocity, among them the Great White shark (Carcharodon carcharias), which can grow to a maximum of 11 m (36ft).
The Porbeagle shark or Mackerel shark (Lamna nasus) is found throughout the world and is seasonally common in British and American waters. It has a stout appearance and gets its name from a fancied likeness to a porpoise. Porbeagles grow to up to 4 m (13 ft) long; although voracious eaters of fish, they are regarded as harmless to man. I have heard of one springing at a fisherman and tearing his clothes, but it is more usual for them to rip the nets. In the past, they were considered inedible by the British, but the French value them as veau de mer – the flesh is said to be rather like veal and is dry unless larded. It can be grilled in steaks, like swordfish, and the flavour is delicate and good.
The Blue shark (Prionace glauca), also common in European waters, is sometimes passed off as tunny. The Hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena), which can be found in the Mediterranean and is common on the Atlantic coast of North America, is quite palatable when young. However, the 3.5m (12ft) monsters we used to catch on a rope in the Gulf of Carpentaria were not worth eating.
The tope (Galeorhinus galeus), a small shark which visits British waters in spring and summer, has become a popular sporting fish in recent years. Large topes run to over 30 kg (67 lb) and can be 3m (10 ft) long. They are liable to smell strongly of ammonia, which has given rise to the nick-name Sweet William, but as with other sharks, the smell will tend to vanish on cooking.
Dogfish are small species of shark, so-called, perhaps, because they sometimes hunt in packs. There are many kinds, varying in size, appearance and the quality of their flesh (which is marketed in Britain as rock salmon or rock eel).They are found in seas almost everywhere. Of the well-known European species, the best may be the Spiny dogfish or Spur dog (Squalus acanthias), which has a spine in front of its dorsal fin and reaches a maximum length of 115 cm (45 in).The Smooth hound (Mustelus mustelus) is slightly bigger at 160 cm (63 in) and is also considered fairly good eating. The most common British dogfish, though, is the Larger Spotted dogfish or Nurse hound (Scyliorhinus stellaris); it can reach 120 cm (47 in) and is a bit coarse and tasteless. The Lesser Spotted dogfish (Scyliorhinus caniculus), 75 cm (29 in) long, is also common in British waters and is slightly better.
The US has the same or similar species of dogfish, which may be used for all European recipes. There are few serious recipes for dogfish, although the Italians will take trouble to get the belly of the Spiny dogfish, rather than the back. In Germany, the belly flaps of the dogfish, hot-smoked, are a delicacy.
The Angel fish, Angel shark or monkfish (Squatina squatina and other species) is a flattened, bottom-dwelling shark which has its pectoral fins forming ‘wings’. It is in many ways intermediate between sharks and rays. Some Angel fish grow up to 3 m (10 ft) long. Although they were once despised as food, their flesh is good and there are few bones.
Rays and skates cannot be distinguished scientifically as both names are given to members of the same group of flattened cartilaginous fish. However, the name skate is very often given to the members of the group that are eaten, while ray describes the vast creatures like the Manta ray or Devil fish, which are caught for sport, the Sting rays, which have a spike and associated poison glands in the tail and can inflict a terrible wound (they are quite good to eat), and the Torpedo ray or Electric ray, of which there are some 35 species, all capable of delivering a powerful electric shock.
Rays and skates are kite-shaped fish with pectoral fins that have been modified into ‘wings’ in the course of evolution. They swim with undulating, wave-like motions of the wings, and the tail is used mainly
as a rudder, although it can also be a weapon. Skates are lazy and slow-swimming, in spite of their supersonic shape. They spend a great deal of their time lying on the bottom, usually on sand or mud, waiting for their prey, which they surprise rather than chase. Species of skate range from less than 1 m (39 in) long to good-sized fish like the Common skate, which can grow to 2.5 m (8ft). Skates are found in all oceans, but not all the many species are equally excellent. They are often sold skinned and jointed -the wings are the most valuable part. Years ago, it was forbidden to carry whole skate openly through the streets in some parts of Britain, because they were considered indecent.
The Common skate or tinker of Europe (Raja batis) has a long, pointed snout and smooth skin. It is considered good eating, as is the Thornback ray (R. clavatà), another species common in British waters – it also occurs in the Mediterranean, but not on the west side of the Atlantic. Although it grows to only 1 m (39 in) long, it can give a nasty wound with its thorny tail. Common skates on the American East Coast are R. laevis and R. erinacea, while on the West Coast, R. binoculata is found. Skates are not easy to identify, especially the young, which are called ‘maids’.
The taste of skate improves with a couple of days’ hanging- no more, or the ammonia smell will become too strong. The liver is esteemed; it is poached, pounded and made into a sauce, or slivers of it are put inside skate fillets, which are then rolled up, tied with thread and poached. As the bones are very gelatinous, they give an unctuousness to the flesh when the wings are fried and make a jelly which sets when poached skate cools. In large skates, the thick part of the wing is the best buy, as there is more meat in proportion to skeleton. After hanging, skates are always skinned on both sides.
The Guitar fish (Rhinobatus rhinobatus),from the southern Mediterranean, looks a little like the Angel shark but is a true ray. It grows to 1 m (39 in) in length and is moderately good to eat Similar species from warm seas grow to 2.5 m (8 ft) and are used for liver oil as well as for eating. Also fished as a source of liver oil are the sawfish (species of Pristis), large tropical relations of the rays which have a long, toothed ‘saw’ on the front of the head; they are not usually eaten, as far as I know, although doubtless someone loves them.
[Porbeagle shark – French: taupe, laurie, Iatour German: Heringshai Italian: smeriglio Spanish: marrajo.
Hammerhead shark – French: requin marteau Italian: pesce martello Spanish: pez martillo.
Spiny dogfish – French: aiguillat German: gememer Dornhai Italian: spinarolo Spanish: agulat.
Smooth hound – French: emissole German: Glatthai Italian: palombo Spanish: musola, cazón.
Nurse hound – French: grande roussette German: Hundshai ltalian: gattopardo Spanish: alitán.
Lesser-spotted dogfish – French: petite roussette German: kleingefleckter Kaltenhai Italian: gattuccio Spanish: gato.
Angel fish – French: ange de mer German: Meerengel Italian: squadro Spanish: angelotte.
Common skate – French: pocheteau (blanc) German: Glattroche Italian: razza Spanish: noriega Thornback ray – French: raie bouclée German: Keulenrochen, Nagelrochen Italian: razza chiodata Spanish: raya de clavos.
Guitar fish – French: guitare de mer Italian: pesce violino Spanish: peces guitarra]
SHARK’S FIN and SHARK’S STOMACH are much prized in Chinese cooking and are available dried from Chinese provision shops. The dried stomachs, after soaking, are sautéed or made into soup; the fins are made into soup or cooked in other ways. Both are expensive. Top quality fin is in long filament, the lowest quality in odd pieces.
Shark’s fin threads, which have been bought ready prepared, should be soaked in water for about 20 minutes before use. Of the cruder dried fins, yellow ones need boiling for about an hour and black ones for considerably longer (boil it for 2 hours, take off the black skin, and boil the flesh again for 1-2 hours in new water, then drain and shred it).The prepared shark’s fins (sold in packets) are equivalent to double their weight of yellow and treble their weight of black. Fresh shark’s fins need to be cleaned of all skin, meat and cartilage other than the fin. They can be trimmed, boiled for 5 minutes and left to soak for 4 hours, after which the skin and bones can be separated from the fins. These are then boiled for 6-7 hours, with the water being changed every 2 hours, before they are dried in the sun. Most people will prefer to use a packet of prepared fins.
Soupe aux estomacs de requin (Canh bong cá) Soak 100 g (4 oz) dried shark’s stomach (bong cá) for 1 hour, then drain and cook in hot oil. The stomach softens and swells; after some 20 minutes, it becomes crisp. Put it into 1 It (1¾ pt) of stock made with chicken and lean pork and add 25 g (1 oz) each of Chinese mushrooms and dried lily flowers (soaked). Season the soup with salt, pepper, monosodium glutamate and powdered ginger, then cover and simmer it for 30 minutes. Make an omelette with 2 eggs, slice it and add it to the soup before serving. Sprinkle with some chopped chervil, chives and tarragon.
SHELL BEAN. See kidney bean. US term for a bean that is ripe but not dried.
SHELL FISH is a collective term for aquatic, usually marine, animals that are not fish. The main components in this delicious ragbag of biologically diverse types are *crustaceans and *molluscs.
SHERRY comes from the province of Cadiz in the south-western corner of Spain. The main variety of grape is the white Palomino, which makes the finest wine when it has been grown on the white albariza soil. Other grape varieties, notably Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel, are used to make sweetening wines. When the bunches are picked, they are first spread out on esparto grass mats for a day or more to dry, which increases the percentage of sugar in them. Until after World War II, the grapes were, whenever possible, trodden in wooden troughs by men wearing specially nailed boots. (French wine presses were found to give an inferior sherry.) More recently, German presses, which squeeze the grapes more kindly, have been installed. These have replaced the old methods without loss of quality.
Sherry comes from three towns and their areas. Jerez de Ia Frontera and Puerto de Santa Maria produce very similar wines but Sanlúcar de Barrameda has very different wines and is the source of all the manzanilla – the main types of sherry are listed below. A special characteristic of sherry making is the flor, a white mat of micro-organisms which forms on the top of some butts several months after the vintage and causes the wine in the butt to develop into afino. Another characteristic is the solera system, which was introduced around 1800, in which any wine drawn off from the oldest butt is replaced by an equal quantity from the next oldest, which in turn is replaced from the third oldest and so on until finally the youngest wine enters the chain. Sherries are fortified by adding pure alcohol, not necessarily produced from grapes, which prevents unsuitable organisms developing. Sherry is usually also blended and sweetened. There are a few straight sherries, but these entirely natural finos and olorosos are bone dry, as the sugar has been fermented out, and would not please the majority of drinkers.
When a bottle of sherry is opened, it should not be kept hanging about until the next anniversary. In spite of its high alcohol content, most sherry will deteriorate. Indeed a fino, even when unopened, will deteriorate in the bottle and will be noticeably less good in three months. True sweet sherries deteriorate more slowly – some even improve with keeping, but it takes ten years for the difference to show, and then it may not happen. The general rule is to buy sherry as you want it. Dry sherries should be served cold, down to 3-4°C (38°F) for a dry fino; 5-10°C (40-50°F) is more usual. A sweeter sherry can be a little warmer and a sweet dessert sherry can be at room temperature. There is no law about this – it depends on personal preference. Since cold interferes with the sensation of sweetness the colder a sherry is served the drier it tastes. Sherry should be served in appropriate glasses, either the special ‘dock’ glasses or tulip wine glasses, and only filled half way up to allow room for the bouquet to fill the space. Sherry is one of the wines most used in cooking, and a dry sherry is most adaptable for this purpose; sweetness can
always be added. Because a sherry is to be used for cooking, it does not mean that any old cooking sherry will do; indeed, the very idea of cooking sherry is an abomination. Equally, however, the special qualities of very rare sherry would get lost in cooking.
Amontillado is considered to have something of the taste of a mantilla – hence the name. A certain number of finos will develop into amontillados if they are kept in the butt for eight years or more, but as it will not always happen, and the result is unpredictable, real amontillados are rare and costly. What is sold as amontillado is a blend which tries to imitate the flavour and is more correctly an amontillado-type sherry.
Bristol milk and Bristol cream. Bristol milk, the older type, is a sweetened oloroso. Bristol Cream is mentioned because it is the most popular sherry in the US. It is a sweetened blend of oloroso and amontillado sherries made to a secret recipe that belongs to Harvey’s of Bristol. Though it is formulated there, the sherries are from Spain.
Cream sherry is sweetened and blended; it is for the end of a meal, to be drunk with sweet dishes, but is better perhaps with strong cheeses such as Gorgonzola, cabrales or Roquefort.
Fino. When a flor develops on a young sherry (except in Sanlúcar), it turns into a fino. This is the lightest type of sherry (except for manzanilla) and is pale in colour. A fino that is aged in the butt may perhaps turn into an amontillado or remain as an aged fino; if kept in bottle, it will deteriorate. Fino is the most popular type of dry sherry and a good one to steal for use in the kitchen. It can be used in Japanese and Chinese cooking when genuine rice wines are not handy. If a bottle of fino is kept handy in the kitchen cupboard, there is, of course, every chance it will go off – a good excuse for drinking it. Fino is served cold with prawns, olives and other tapas, meze or hors d’oeuvre.
Manzanilla. Wine from Jerez de Ia Frontera must be taken to Sanlúcar to become manzanilla and Sanlúcar wine to Jerez to turn into fino. This is because a rather different or develops in each microclimate, one of the subtleties of wine making. Manzanilla is usually very dry, too dry and severe for most people, and has a slightly medicinal taste. lt is normally served cold with seafood and is often drunk with tapas at bars in Spain. lt is good in cooking, especially in sauces, less so for sweet dishes.