Skrei, the king of cod

Fabienne Haberthur | 3/7/23

It's been invading fishmongers' stalls for a few weeks now: skrei is back... Really? But what exactly is skrei? What's behind this Scandinavian-sounding name?

"A fine, white-fleshed fish from the cod family," explains Arnaud Vanhamme, MOF fishmonger in Paris. Simply a cod? Well, not quite. What distinguishes it from its close cousin is its ultra-short fishing season: it lasts just four months, from January to April, whereas cod is fished seven months a year, from October to April. Another peculiarity is that it is only fished along the Norwegian coast, when it migrates to the Lofoten islands of Senja and Vesterålen, after spawning in the icy waters of the Barents Sea. Skrei means "hiker" or "wanderer" in Norwegian. A champion cold-water swimmer, this fish is generally larger than coastal cod and has a firmer consistency. This is the result of the epic journey of almost 1,000 kilometers that the skrei undertakes every winter. By the time it arrives in Norway, it's in top form, and its taste is much sought-after by gourmets and chefs the world over.

Sustainable fishing

The skrei fishery is strictly controlled, and the fish is subject to stringent quality standards. "Fishing areas are relatively restricted, allowing for better monitoring and reserve management. Its quality is guaranteed by the "Skrei Quality" label. France is one of the three biggest export markets. In 2022, 4465 tonnes of Norwegian skrei were imported into France," explains Trine Horne, France Director of the Norwegian Seafood Council. One last point: only fresh fish can be called skrei; frozen, it's cod; salted or dried, it's cod...

Gault&Millau gives you the recipe of chef Lucas Felzine, one of our "109" (109 chefs embodying the new blood of French gastronomy). Substitute smoked cod and you've got delicious skrei tacos. Read the recipe.

These news might interest you

Hotels & Bed & Breakfast

Le chef pâtissier du Ritz, François Perret, quittera la place Vendôme après l’été

C’est dans un communiqué commun et sur le compte Instagram du chef que la grande annonce a été faite : François Perret quittera le Ritz fin août 2025.

Hotels & Bed & Breakfast

The Hoxton sort les transats : bienvenue à La Piscine

En plus de ses restaurants et bars, l’hôtel The Hoxton se dote d’une piscine pour un été frais au cœur de Paris.

Craftsmen & Know-How

Cette boutique française mise sur une épice que vous adorez

Les Français sont les troisièmes plus gros consommateurs de cette fameuse épice dans le monde. Et le fondateur de ce nouveau commerce l’a bien compris !

News & Events

Ewen Frin, 28, founder of Omanori, revolutionizes Breton gastronomybreton gastronomy by supplying it with fresh seaweed thanks to an innovative system of preservation in ponds. Based in Saint-Malo, Omanori meetsa growing demand from restaurateurs for a local, healthy and sustainablehealthy and sustainable.Fascinated by the ocean since his childhood in Brittany, Ewen Frin has long been an avid scuba diver anddiving and spearfishing. After studying business in Normandy and five yearsyears in Paris as a consultant, he decided to return to his roots. "In Brittany,i had an intimate knowledge of the richness of marine resources, particularly seaweedalgae," he confides. When I discovered that seafood cuisine in Paris was often limited toover-fished products like salmon or tuna, I wanted to promote local, virtuous species.he quickly became interested in seaweed, a natural product with gustatory and nutritional properties that are often underestimated.nutritional properties that are often underestimated. "Brittany is home to 700 speciesof seaweed, around thirty of which are authorized for consumption. Each has a unique flavor, texture and color. They are not widely promoted because they are not part of ourgastronomic heritage.Traditionally, seaweed is marketed either dehydrated or "fresh", but preserved in salt.but preserved in salt, which presents major drawbacks for chefs."Salt, which is used to preserve seaweed, requires it to be rinsed abundantly before cooking.cooking them, which spoils them, causes them to lose nutrients and alters their texture", explainsthe seaweed grower. This is where Omanori breaks new ground with a revolutionary principle.Thanks to a partnership with a local company specializing in algae cultivationfreshly harvested seaweed (such as sea lettuce, dulse and aonori) is preserved in tanksare preserved in basins, recreating their natural environment. This allows them to live for severalweeks after harvesting. First picked by hand during high tides on the foreshore, they are then cleaned and purified,they are then cleaned and purified in various basins. "This process enablestheir taste and nutritional properties intact, as if they had just been harvested.as if they had just been harvested, even outside high tide periods",Ewen Frin quickly won over prestigious restaurants such as Maison Vermer inSaint-Malo (2 toques), Ombelle in Dinard (2 toques) and Iodé in Vannes (3 toques).

Craftsmen & Know-How

40°C à Paris : les 5 glaces parfaites pour se rafraîchir (et se faire plaisir)

Découvrez notre sélection de glaces et sorbets incontournables à Paris pour surmonter la chaleur environnante !

News & Events

Qatar Airways et Yannick Alléno : une alliance gastronomique au sommet

La compagnie aérienne Qatar Airways s’associe à Yannick Alléno pour une collaboration d’exception. Ensemble, ils redéfinissent l’expérience culinaire des passagers First et Business Class, tant dans les airs que dans les salons VIP.

Chef

Yannick Alléno

Restaurant

Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc 73120 COURCHEVEL