poor-john

noun2

1. •
   A small European fish, of inferior quality to the cod.

   • Poor-john and apple pies are all our fare. — 1653
2. •
   Salted and dried hake.

   • What have we here? a man or a fish? dead or / alive? A fish: he smells like a fish: a very ancient and / fish-like smell; a kind of not of the newest Poor-John. — 1610