WILD SPANISH SALMON

During the Middle Ages the monasteries were constantly complaining about the farmers. This was because only the monks had official fishing rights over many Asturian rivers — a fact which the farmers frequently ignored. Without seeking the clergy’s consent, they would fish for salmon, taking cartloads of fish to sell at market. Historical documents even suggest that farmers would ccasionally mix secret tinctures made from green walnuts or a plant related to the bay (Daphne Iaureola) and tip them into rivers to drug the salmon and make them easier to catch.

However, salmon was not a particular delicacy in those days. It was regarded as quite an ordinary food. Reports even chronicle an “anti-salmon campaign” launched by the building workers who constructed the church of Santa Maria in the Basque town of Tolosa in the 17th century. With violent protest, they succeeded in ensuring that the clergy, who had undertaken to feed the builders, could not give them wild salmon to eat more than twice a week – they were so tired of it.

Even at the start of the 18t century, 12,000 salmon a year were being caught in the Rio Sella alone. The national fishing encyclopaedia even claims that between 1791 and 1795 up to 2000 salmon a day were caught at the height of the season. Although the number of wild salmon in northern Spanish rivers has declined greatly over the last hundred years, they have not yet died out completely. In 1996 anglers pulled over a thousand wild salmon out of Asturian waters. The Sella, Cares, Eo, Esva, Narcea, and Deva rivers are regarded as particularly good fishing waters. The conservation regulations are strictly enforced, to prevent salmon and trout from being overfished. Each angler may catch a maximum of three salmon a day and these must be at least 22 inches (55 centimetres) long.

Anglers are seen standing next to the rivers mainly in spring and early summer, when the predatory wild salmon returns from the expanse of the open sea and battles its way upriver, to spawn in the upper reaches. The anglers generally use homemade flies as bait, which they model themselves to resemble an insect and which have a hook attached to the middle.

Catching a fully grown wild salmon, which may be over 5 feet (1.5 meters) long and weigh over 110 pounds (50 kilograms), is naturally an outstanding event. Farm-bred salmon simply pale with envy at the firmness of its flesh and intensity of its flavour. The best way of doing justice to the noble wild salmon is to eat it as naturally as possible, as steaks or fillets. Sophisticated methods of preparing wild salmon are virtually unheard of in traditional cooking. Dishes commonly found in Asturias are salmon a la ribereña (salmon with sidra) and marmita de salmon, a salmon and potato casserole. Another popular way of cooking salmon is very simple. First lay it in milk and season it with lemon juice and herbs. Then simply broil it.

SALMON A LA RIBEREÑA – Salmon Asturian style

4 salmon fliers, each weighing 7 oz/200 g
Salt and pepper
Flour for coating
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 ½ oz/75 g air-dried Serrano ham
½ cup/125 ml fish stock
½ cup/125 ml sidra or apple cider

Rinse the salmon fillets, pat them dry, and season with salt and pepper. Turn them in the flour and shake off any excess. Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet and fry the salmon for about 5 minutes on each side on a medium heat. Lift from the skillet and keep warm. Cut the ham into fine strips and fry it in the oil. Deglaze the skillet with the fish stock and sidra and leave it to reduce for a while. Place the salmon fillets on a preheated serving dish and pour over the sauce. Serve with potatoes in their skins and broiled tomatoes, accompanied by sidra or a light wine.
Fish & Seafood with Bill & Sheila
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