Some cultures will serve a complete fish, straight down to the fish heads. This act upsets some people because they aren't used to consuming or seeing that part of an animal.
The photo (above) is not something you would see in your regular grocery store. A random collection of fish heads.
Fish heads are crucial in making fish stock. Boil a few fish heads and other parts with proper vegetation and you get homemade fish stock.
You could buy a can of fish stock or use a bottom of clam juice and pretend that is the same thing. Making a homemade fish stock requires a sacrifice: dealing with fish heads.
Fish heads could double as a prank for family members who might be more squeamish about fish heads. You could tell them dinner is the actual fish heads.
My local taco cart provider offers tacos from the cabeza, or head. Guanciale is bacon from the pig jowl in Italy and the flavor is wonderful.
The reality is that fish have heads. Cows. chickens, pigs, and the other animals you eat also have heads.
This isn't to scare you or make you turn vegan. Just a reality that fish heads are real and can be used to make yummy stock.
"Fish heads fish heads / Roly poly fish heads / Fish heads fish heads / Eat them up yum"
My introduction to fish heads came in 1978 or 1980 on the Dr. Demento show. Fish Heads from Barnes and Barnes was a classic demented song (a good thing).
The idea of eating a fish head seemed very foreign after listening to the song. Who would eat a fish head?
The song is very good, my second favorite seafood related demented song behind Wet Dream by Kip Addotta.
Use up food you've had for awhile to reduce food waste and save money
Stanley Tucci shows the diversity of Italy and the common theme of cucina povera
I didn't price the fish heads at that market. They are generally cheap. The bits and pieces of vegetation into a stock could help reduce your food waste. Water is free. A cheap fish stock that could add flavor to a lot of related dishes. The only sacrifice is dealing with fish heads.
You could eat most of the fish head as is. Anthony Bourdain and perhaps Andrew Zimmern wouldn't object to eating the whole fish head but you don't have to go that far.
Making fish stock just means having to touch the fish heads as they go into the pot. And straining them to get the liquid gold out when you are done.
Cooking for yourself is normally relative safe from eyeballs. If you are up for an adventure, fish heads can bring wonderful flavor for pennies.
photo credit: me
video credit: The Cosmiks
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