Colies - Can you eat?

[Creeman]

This is probably a question for Rachel Allen but, had a good session at the weekend out west and landed 3 colies using mackerel strips.
Are they good to eat as have had a number of mixed opinions.
Any cooking tips?

[nicefish]

Yes they are not bad, a lot of places sell them as Cod.

[rooster76]

Yes they are not bad, a lot of places sell them as Cod.

I know they sell the pollock as cod,which is a fine fish anyway,think you could easily tell the diff between a coalie and cod, i could anyway.

[Stephen8wood]

Most fishmongers sell smoked coalie. I'd say it would be fine battered but it's not as clean tasting as cod or pollock if cooked with a lighter touch. Pollock is a great table fish and I'd be happier to take a Pollock home over a cod for environmental reasons.

[evan699]

A bit plain. You could easily tell the difference in flavour between a coalie and a cod. They're more similar to pollack. A bit of beer batter and you're laughin.

[saving private brian]

lol one time they used to call a cod a cod nowadays they call a coalie a cod

Yes they are not bad, a lot of places sell them as Cod.

[kaylemf]

only had them once, nice enough a bit more oily than pollack

[fishermannum1]

wrap them in foil with a few herbs salt n' pepper and a knob of butter, stick it in the oven on high for about 15min's. hard to beat........unless its pollock

[nicefish]

Yes they are not bad, a lot of places sell them as Cod.

I know they sell the pollock as cod,which is a fine fish anyway,think you could easily tell the diff between a coalie and cod, i could anyway.

As ive said before here, I worked in Hospitals for over 13yrs and nearly every Friday Cod was on the menu except it was Coalie they were served not Cod. This menu was for the staff and the public and never once did anyone ever complain everyone just presumed it was Cod they were having and I'm sure its the same with the chippers Coalie in batter.

[Al and Jordan]

like the lads already said, a dip into beer batter and into the fryer and they are lovely some people get a bit put off as coalies can get a bit of a whiff to them after being in the fridge for a few days, but it has no effect to the taste .

[chenz116]

I eat smoked coalie that i buy in superquinn and done in the over its lovely.

If your not a fussy eater ya wont be able to tell the difference between it and cod

[fishermannum1]

I eat smoked coalie that i buy in superquinn

totally agree chenz116, but here is a i sometimes smoke my own fish, and i would love to know what type of wood dust/chippings is the supermarkets coley done with ?

[daminim]

I would imagine that the smoked coalie most of us are used to - is not smoked at all. That deep red colour can be achieved from artificial smoking - where the meat/fish is simply dipped in a liquid flavouring for flavour and colour.

[red]

I would imagine that the smoked coalie most of us are used to - is not smoked at all. That deep red colour can be achieved from artificial smoking - where the meat/fish is simply dipped in a liquid flavouring for flavour and colour.

thats true, i worked in the deli in dunnes years ago and most of the smoked fish on the counter was dipped and not actually smoked. never heard of anyone complaining about it tho

[dave mc gregor]

99% of the time for the past 10 years,, when you ordered smoked or fresh cod from a chipper,, you were getting coalie!!

[gfkelly1969]

catfish is sold as cod as well, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/ ... nyone.html

[the skipper]

my pal has a smoker and he does a lovely job on the coalies .smoked is the job.

[nicefish]

catfish is sold as cod as well, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/ ... nyone.html

I bought a box of battered fish from Superquinn recently, I thought it was Cod I was buying, it said in small writing on the side of the box that it was Basa. I never heard of it before, I do now, so it was really Catfish, I hate to think what I'm getting in my curries.

[chuckaroo]

coalies are great to eat but i find that there isn't as much flavour out of them as there is from cod, pollack, haddock etc. But cooked as fresh as possible in beer batter and put in the fryer its great. or use it in fish cakes or soups or pies... slainte

[hugo]

Method I've used on coalies for years: fillet the fish, sprinkle a generous dose of salt on the skin side, then put them in the fridge for an hour or so. Wipe the salt off with paper kitchen towel, or wash off and pat dry with same. After that cook as you fancy - I dredge them in cream flour and pan fry on olive oil with a lump of butter added.
The salt seems to suck out the not-so-palatable fluids from the fish, maybe something to do with the slime glands - always found coalies a bit "wetter" than others. Brief salting also improves conger and ling.