{"id":30698,"date":"2021-03-16T07:27:50","date_gmt":"2021-03-16T11:27:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/?p=30698"},"modified":"2024-01-03T05:18:26","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T10:18:26","slug":"gluten-free-cod-cheeks-dressing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/gluten-free-cod-cheeks-dressing\/","title":{"rendered":"Cod Cheeks & Dressing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gluten-Free Cod Cheeks and Dressing - a safe version of a Newfoundland favourite! Cod cheeks are sweet, tender, & a fisherman delicacy! <\/p>\n

\"Gluten-Free <\/p>\n

Note: This recipe was first posted on my original blog, Celebration Generation, on September 7, 2020. It was transferred over to this blog on 3\/16\/2021<\/i><\/p>\n

When the pandemic hit, the first major change we made was to our grocery shopping. <\/p>\n

Not being able to go into the grocery store that first month or two, we had to give up on our weekly visit with our favourite fish monger*. <\/p>\n

Weekly fish has been one of the benefits to moving back to Canada - back in Minneapolis, we had to make a trek out to a speciality fish shop to be able to get GOOD fish. <\/p>\n

Here, it\u2019s all good. We\u2019re incredibly spoiled. Anyway...<\/p>\n

\"Gluten-Free<\/p>\n

We found a workaround pretty quickly, in the form of a CSF - Community Supported Fishery. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s like a CSF box, but you\u2019re pre-ordering fish from small fishermen. Facebook had served up an ad for Skipper Otto<\/a>, the idea of a CSF intrigued me, and we joined. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s been fantastic!<\/p>\n

This last order window included cod cheeks as an option, and I JUMPED on it. I don\u2019t often see fish cheeks available, so this was going to be a TREAT!<\/p>\n

* We were recently reunited, after 5+ months! After the initial \u201cOMGHOWAREYOUHAVEHAVEYOUBEENIVEBEENWORRIED!\u201d, we caught up. It was a nice bit of normalcy! <\/p>\n

... but then there was some customer anti-masker nonsense going down in that store the next two times I went in, so I\u2019m back to ordering. We\u2019ve exchanged email addresses now, though!<\/i><\/p>\n

\"Gluten-Free<\/p>\n

What are Cod Cheeks?<\/h2>\n

They\u2019re literally... cod cheeks. <\/p>\n

Well, meat from the part of the fish that would be considered a \u201ccheek\u201d by human standards, anyway - the meat just below the eye.<\/p>\n

While fish cheeks may sound odd, they\u2019re actually considered a delicacy by fishermen and chefs alike. <\/p>\n

Cod, halibut, grouper, walleye - there are all kinds of fish cheeks available, when you can find them!<\/p>\n

The meat is - IMHO - the best meat of the fish. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s tender, a little sweet... and sort of reminds me of scallops.. Giant, tasty, lovely scallops. Mmm!<\/p>\n

\"Gluten-Free<\/p>\n

There are several popular ways to make cod cheeks:<\/p>\n

You can grill them, poach them, crust them with cornmeal and either fry or bake them. Basically, you can treat them like scallops OR like fish fillets\/steaks.<\/p>\n

Fishermen tend to season them, dredge them in flour, and pan fry them... which is how I was originally intending to serve this batch of cod cheeks, when I ordered them.<\/p>\n

... but then I started thinking about the side(s) I was going to serve with it, my mind wandered to Newfoundland dressing. <\/p>\n

I decided to give the cod cheeks a gluten-free batter and deep fry them. Kind of weird to work in reverse, deciding on the side and then designing the main around it, but whatever - I was going to make a Newfoundland style fried fish out of it!<\/p>\n

\"Gluten-Free\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Newfoundland Dressing<\/h2>\n

\u201cDressing\u201d in Newfoundland is completely different from what I\u2019d always known as the closest analog to it, growing up in Winnipeg: Stuffing.<\/p>\n

Whereas we\u2019d use torn or cut up bread chunks and usually season it with poultry seasoning, in Newfoundland you use actual bread crumbs, not chunks. <\/p>\n

The primary seasoning for Newfoundland style dressing is summer savoury, not poultry seasoning.<\/p>\n

Also, where we\u2019d only have stuffing in conjunction with a roasted chicken or turkey - a holiday thing - \u201cdressing\u201d is an everyday thing in Newfoundland. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s commonly served with Sunday dinner (which is a *thing* there - a full, traditional roast dinner throughout the year, just on regular Sundays!), but it\u2019s also commonly available as a side dish when ordering restaurant food.<\/p>\n

\"Gluten-Free<\/p>\n

\u201cFries Dressing and Gravy\u201d is a super popular side item at fast food and fried fish places. It\u2019s just fries and hot gravy, topped with Newfoundland style dressing.<\/p>\n

So, when I decided on cooking up some cod cheeks, I decided to honour them properly, with a side of Newfoundland style dressing. <\/p>\n

It took me RIGHT back to sitting in The Big R<\/a>, usually after taking a nice long hike beside the ocean. *Happy sigh*<\/p>\n

If you ever get the chance to go to Newfoundland, get ON it. That\u2019s all I\u2019m saying. I haven\u2019t been back since our honeymoon in 2006, and - if I close my eyes - I can still smell the salty ocean air and feel the Cape Spear wind on my face.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s *heaven*.<\/p>\n

Anyway.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Summer Savoury<\/h2>\n

I LOVE Summer Savoury<\/a>. I\u2019d never had it before going to Newfoundland a couple decades ago, but I quickly fell - hard - for it.<\/p>\n

Somehow, despite having had no experience with it at all before that point, it just \u201ctasted like Thanksgiving\u201d. <\/p>\n

Never mind that it tasted literally nothing like anything I\u2019d ever had at Thanksgiving, mind you. Brains are weird sometimes.<\/p>\n

Anyway, my favourite brand is Mt Scio Savoury, which is grown in Newfoundland. <\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know if they\u2019re actually better than everything else out there, or if it\u2019s another case of \u201cthis is the first I had, so it is my default\u201d... but it IS noticeably different than the stuff I could get in the USA (Usually from Penzeys<\/a>). I\u2019d routinely get friends to bring some back with them, when returning to the USA from a trip home.<\/p>\n

Savoury is something I usually measure by the handful, at least when I\u2019m not doing a recipe up for the blogs. A handful in pea soup, a couple handfuls in chicken or turkey soup, a handful or so in a batch of gravy, toss another handful over roast poultry or pork... whatever. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s great stuff!<\/p>\n

\"Gluten-Free<\/p>\n

The Outcome<\/h2>\n

Oh, this was fantastic, The gluten-free batter was crispy and flavourful, without retaining too much grease. The cod cheeks were tender and lovely - definitely worth the wait to find them!\t\t\t<\/p>\n

This was actually my husband\u2019s first time having fish cheeks, he really liked how soft, tender, and mild it was - he was surprised at how right I was, describing it like a scallop.<\/p>\n

\n

More Canadian Recipes!<\/h2>\n

Looking for more recipes from the \u2018great white north\u2019? Look no further!<\/p>\n

Chow Chow Relish<\/a>
\nElk Bourguignon<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Bacon Poutine Pizza<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Beaver Tail Recipe<\/a>
\n Gluten Free Butter Tart Bars<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Butter Tarts<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Cod Au Gratin<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Chicken Mushroom Tourtiere<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Imperial Cookies Recipe<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Nanaimo Bar Brownies<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Puffed Rice Bars<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Schmoo Torte<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Tourtiere<\/a><\/p>\n

Looking for even more Canadian recipes? Check out our full Gluten-Free Canadian Recipes<\/a> list!\n<\/div>\n

\n

Share the Love!<\/h2>\n

Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen<\/a>. We're also on Pinterest<\/a>, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!<\/p>\n

Also, be sure to subscribe to my free email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.<\/p>\n

Well, the published nonsense, anyway!\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Gluten-Free<\/div>\n\t
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5<\/span> from 1 vote<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Gluten-Free Cod Cheeks and Dressing<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n
Cod cheeks are a fisherman's delicacy - sweet and tender, with a texture similar to scallops.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Prep Time<\/span>15 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Resting time<\/span>15 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time<\/span>30 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Course: <\/span>Man<\/span><\/div>
Cuisine: <\/span>Canadian, Gluten-free, Newfoundland<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
Servings: <\/span>4<\/span><\/div>\n
Calories: <\/span>767<\/span>kcal<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n

Equipment<\/h3>