Like many other sharks that are not dangerous to man - emery or sea calf, dogfish, blue shark, dogfish, etc. - and the rays - stingrays, torpedoes, etc. close to the juncture even with the techniques of small-scale fishing but, to date, the catches mainly take place by trawling, in depth and with large boats; therefore it cannot be considered an exponent of the "poor fish" category. Note: the dogfish population, like many other sharks, following a too intensive fishing, it has suffered a drastic decrease in almost the whole territory, except in the Adriatic Sea, this fish is also recognized as a "vulnerable" or "endangered" species.
Although not a blue fish, the dogfish also has excellent nutritional characteristics. It is classified in the 1st fundamental group of foods as a source of high biological value proteins, specific vitamins and minerals; the fatty acid profile is valuable and the cholesterol intake is not excessive. For more information see the paragraph below. Note: dogfish, if large, has a tendency to accumulate mercury and methylmercury.
The consumption of dogfish is potentially suitable for most diets. It has no major contraindications even in the case of metabolic pathologies and overweight but, on the other hand, there are conditions in which it is advisable not to exceed the portion and frequency of consumption.
Dogfish is eaten fresh or salted. The fins are used in the preparation of the famous Chinese "shark fin soup". Cartilage can be used in the formulation of supplements for the joints. The processing waste is destined for the fishmeal industry - useful as animal feed and fertilizer. The liver is also used for the extraction of fish oil.
In the kitchen it is used like other edible sharks. It is widespread and appreciated above all in fish soups and roasted or baked, baked or grilled - even if, being rather thin, it tends to dry out.
The dogfish lives on the entire continental shelf of the North East Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean and Black Seas, from 5 to over 600 m deep. It is a predator and feeds on other fish, crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs; it is preyed only in young age It is viviparous, that is, it does not lay eggs but gives birth to puppies.
essential omega 3 seeds EPA and DHA; the concentrations of vitamin D and iodine are also notable. The chemical and nutritional characteristics are generally similar to those of other edible sharks, such as emery or sea calf, dogfish, blue shark and dogfish.Dogfish is a low-energy food, nutritional properties mainly due to the modest lipid concentration. Calories are mainly provided by proteins, followed by minor concentrations of carbohydrate lipids. The peptides are of high biological value - they contain all the essential amino acids compared to the human protein model - the predominantly unsaturated fatty acids - with an excellent percentage of the biologically active semi-essential polyunsaturated omega 3: eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid - and simple carbohydrates.
Fibers are absent and cholesterol is well present but not excessive; there are no relevant traces of sea wax esters.
Deepening
Sea wax esters, in English "wax ester", are complex molecules formed by the union between a fatty acid and fatty alcohol. They have a potential beneficial effect on the organism, especially in conditions of malnutrition - over-nutrition due to the Western lifestyle. ; on the other hand, certain insights suggest that the sea wax esters are not completely digestible and absorbable. It already constitutes food supplements and is generally extracted, for the highest degree of purity, from the small crustacean Calanus finmarchicus - zooplankton.
Lactose and gluten are completely absent. The concentration of purines is very abundant. Histamine, absent in fresh produce, increases exponentially in poorly preserved fish. Being a high protein food, it is also a significant source of phenylalanine amino acid.
Dogfish is rich in water-soluble vitamins of group B, especially niacin (vit PP), pyridoxine (vit B6) and cobalamin (vit B12); it also has excellent levels of the fat-soluble vitamin calciferol (vit D), while alpha tocopherol or tocotrienol (vit E) is relevant but not significant. The levels of phosphorus, iron and iodine are appreciable.
The dogfish is one of the fish in which the accumulation of mercury and methylmercury is closely linked to its size. It is therefore considered necessary to avoid eating large dogfish often, especially in large portions.
Dogfish is a food suitable for most diets, including slimming ones, which must be low-calorie and normolipidic. Being very lean, this fish can be cooked using extra virgin olive oil also in the therapy against obesity.
The abundance of proteins with a high biological value makes the dogfish ideal in the diet of malnourished, defied subjects or those with an increased need for essential amino acids. This type of food is recommended in the case of very high intensity physical activity, especially in strength or strength disciplines. with a very important hypertrophic muscular component, and for all particularly prolonged aerobic disciplines. Dogfish is also suitable in case of breastfeeding, pathological intestinal malabsorption and in old age - in which eating disorder and decreased intestinal absorption tend to create a deficit protein.
EPA and DHA, semi-essential but biologically active omega 3, are very important for:
- The constitution of cell membranes
- The nervous system and eyes - in the fetus and children
- The prevention and treatment of some metabolic diseases - hypertriglyceridemia, arterial hypertension, etc.
- The maintenance of cognitive functions in old age
- The reduction of some symptoms of neurosis - depressive. Etc.
Due to the absence of gluten and lactose, dogfish is relevant in the diet for celiac disease and for milk sugar intolerance. The abundance of purines makes it undesirable, in considerable portions, in the nutritional regimen for hyperuricemia, especially of severe entity - with gouty attacks - and in that for kidney stones or uric acid lithiasis. As for the "intolerance to" histamine, on the other hand, if perfectly preserved, it has no contraindications. The massive presence of phenylalanine precludes its massive use in the diet against phenylketonuria.
The B vitamins have a mainly coenzyme function; this is why dogfish can be considered a good source of nutrients that support the cellular functions of all tissues. The D, on the other hand, is crucial for bone metabolism and for the immune system. Note: remember that food sources of vitamin D are very rare. Phosphorus, hardly lacking in the diet, however, constitutes both bone (hydroxyapatite) and nervous tissue (phospholipids). Iron constitutes hemoglobin, the functional group of red blood cells. Its deficiency can cause iron deficiency anemia, more frequent in fertile women, pregnant women and marathon runners. Finally, iodine is necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland - responsible for regulation of cellular metabolism after secretion of the hormones T3 and T4.
Dogfish meat is allowed in the diet during pregnancy, as long as it comes from medium-sized creatures and not from large specimens - rich in mercury and methylmercury. In this case it would still be a good idea to limit their consumption to a one-off time.
The average portion of dogfish - as a dish - is 100-150 g (80-120 kcal).
, also mixed:- for conduction: sautéed, grilled, poached / boiled in water and fried in oil
- by convection: baked, grilled on refractory stone
- by irradiation: charcoal or wood grill
- mixed conduction-convection: steam
- vacuum - even at low temperature - for conduction in water drowning
- vasocooking - even at low temperatures - by conduction and convection.
Overcooking it shows the particular tendency, like all edible fish of the same type - sharks - to dry out excessively becoming stringy and rubbery. It seems particularly susceptible to grilling - especially by irradiation - and to the oven.
Dogfish meat is combined with many ingredients of vegetable origin; the associations with spices such as oregano or marjoram or parsley, chilli and black pepper, with citrus fruits such as lemon or orange, with olives, with capers, with vegetables such as cherry tomatoes and yellow peppers are classic, with anchovies and other sea ingredients such as bottarga and fish eggs in general - including sea urchins - anchovy sauce, seaweed etc. In cooking it is often blended with white wine.
Some famous recipes are: fish soup, fish broth, dogfish with pizzaiola, marinated dogfish, fried dogfish cutlets, baked dogfish au gratin, Mediterranean dogfish stewed, grilled / grilled dogfish, steamed or boiled dogfish, dogfish with lemon etc.
Dogfish fins are a highly sought after ingredient for shark fin soup - of Chinese origin. For the food industry, this fish is a perfect substitute for cod, especially in fried preparations such as fish sticks.
The food and wine pairing with dogfish depends above all on the finished recipe; it is difficult to go wrong by choosing a still white wine, with a medium body, such as chardonnays.
varies from 17% to 21% of the total body length. The eyes are large and oval, elongated horizontally. The upper labial furrows are slightly longer than the lower ones. The mouth is rather short, almost does not go beyond the eyes, with a length of 2.2-3.5% of the body. The teeth are not too big and are blunt, flattened and asymmetrical, with a small central tip. Lateral teeth are present only in very young specimens. The pharyngeal teeth cover only the tip of the tongue and the front of the pharynx. It has two dorsal fins, two pectoral fins, two pelvic fins, one anal and one caudal fin. The first dorsal fin is triangular in shape and longer than the second. The caudal fin is elongated almost horizontally and shows the upper lobe much more developed than the lower one. A ventral notch is visible on the edge of the upper lobe of the tail. The color is gray or gray-brown, without marks, darker on the back. belly is pale, almost white.The skin is very rough, especially if touched in the opposite direction to the swimming direction.of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Note: being similar to other species, it is not to be excluded that some false sightings have occurred.
The dogfish has demersal aptitude and colonizes a "wide bathymetric range. It has been detected from 5 to 624 m of depth, although it mostly remains in the first 50 m; specimens captured at 300-350 m are not rare. It is an excellent predator that feeds mainly on fish - herring - cephalopod molluscs - octopus, baby octopus, cuttlefish, squid, squid - and crustaceans - lobsters, lobsters, crabs and shrimps. It is naturally hunted, only at a young age, by large groupers.
Males and females reach sexual maturity at a length of 70-74 cm and 80 cm, which corresponds to the age of 9.1 and 10.8 years. Mating occurs in spring and pregnancy lasts 10-11 months. It is one of the viviparous sharks, that is, they do not lay eggs but give birth to pups - from 4 to 15 - which during gestation remain in the womb closed in a vitelline placenta to feed on the yolk.
The maximum fixed life expectancy of the dogfish is 24 years, in which time they reach about 2 meters in length. It is most frequently sighted at 100 cm in length.
Dogfish fishing takes place mainly with large boats, trawling and on very deep sea bottoms. Only in the Adriatic Sea are small-scale catches quite frequent. He is occasionally interested in amateur line fishing and never in spearfishing.
