Monday, May 12, 2014

v. Fish…





Despite the reputation that modern nutrition science is trying to build for this category of food, it seems that many people do not like fish. Maybe it is better that way. Many species are already depleted and it appears the world’s oceans could not sustain a more universal approval.

If we leave aside for another day the many issues of pollution, sustainability, health benefits and hazards, and just concentrate on the cooking potential, we have to marvel at the variety of flavors and consistencies we can experience when we probe that universe of tastes, and rejoice that such a feat is still possible. However, selecting fish species and attendant recipes is very difficult for two reasons. Firstly, despite the vastness of oceans, most fish species are specific to a localized habitat, say the Mediterranean or the U.S. Eastern seaboard. Secondly, fish do not keep as well as meat, which makes the quest for freshness unending.

I am prejudiced for wild salt water fish first and farmed salt water fish second, mainly for reasons of taste and availability.

In the central markets of Tokyo, Paris or Barcelona, fish is given number one ranking. Even in rural southern France, in a small town 20 miles from the coast, I have found my ideal fish shop, selling a large variety of smallish fish that are not processed in any way and have kept their original shape, head, bones and all. They were fished from small boats the day before and show the telltale signs of their freshness: glossy skin, bright protruding eyes, deep red gills and firm flesh. You certainly know what you are buying and can start enjoying it much before meal time.

On the other hand, purchasing fish in the USA can only disappoint. Even in the best shops of the San Francisco Bay area, right by the ocean, it is hard to find appealing whole ocean fish.  Fish comes in fillets, flown in from faraway places like Scotland, Chile or New Zealand. Unless you concentrate on oysters, clams or live crabs which are available in season, you never know how fresh these fillets are, and what kind of off taste you will experience in your plate. Furthermore, the names displayed next to the fish are often misleading, owing sometimes more to marketing than to a desire to help you learn and choose better. (1) (2)

Salmon is a cultural exception. Fishing is sometimes banned; if it is allowed, you can find fresh wild salmon in season, as well as fish flown in from Alaska. They compete with farmed salmon coming from Chile or Scotland which would probably offer a more delicate taste than local ones if they were wild and properly nourished, but this is not the case. One Scottish farm company is making real efforts to achieve good quality and is rewarded by my modest purchases.

“Tai Snapper” is an Asian sea bream flown in whole, which sometimes looks reasonably fresh. It may be your only choice if you want to prepare a fish whole. The fishmonger will scale it and clean it for you. Watch him carefully and stop him before he fillets it distractedly.

Patronizing Asian stores might be your salvation. If not, you may have to bite the bullet and adopt excellent native local fish like halibut, for example, despite its steep price. Local fresh-water sturgeon is another versatile possibility. Monkfish holds up well when cooked and can also be used successfully. An added benefit for the wary is that it has no bones.
Due to a lack of familiarity, many people do not feel confident about their ability to cook fish properly. Let’s reassure them: all classical cooking techniques used with meat apply, with three differences: 1) pound for pound, you should aim for shorter cooking times, or lower temperatures, 2) fish is more fragile than meat and cannot be handled as roughly and 3) you should not expect browning or searing to happen the same way (it is actually not desirable either).

Grilling is possible, for whole fish or solid fillets.
Pan-frying works as well.
Baking is the easiest way to achieve a moist result.
Light steaming also makes your fish delicious (and healthy), very quickly.
Finally a combination of steaming and oven baking is achieved by cooking the fish in a parchment paper wrapping, called papillote in French. The European sea bass, which dries out easily, loves to be cooked this way. An alternative is to wrap it in lettuce leaves, rock salt, or even inside a puff pastry like the “Loup en croûte” made famous by Paul Bocuse in the 1970s and still served in his restaurant today.

If you are lucky enough to have access to very fresh fish (and are so inclined), try eating it raw, in a sashimi or sushi form, or lightly marinated.

The following recipes offer a few leads into this new wonderful world. 



Ceviche is mostly used as an appetizer today. “Modern” ceviche is designed for taste, more than for preserving fish and must be prepared at the last minute, so that the lime juice does not “cook” the fish too much. Fish will be practically raw, which means it needs to be absolutely fresh! Many different species can be prepared this way, but whiter fish is preferable because its color will not change drastically.

You will need:

×           1 lb. of fish (sea bass, halibut, yellowtail, or tako, the Japanese pre-cooked octopus)
×           Juice of 1 lime
×           3 tbsp. of diced sweet Mayan onions
×           ¼ cup of chopped fresh coriander
×           ¼ tsp. of Cayenne
×           Salt and pepper

Cut the fish in fork-manageable pieces, for example irregular slices of 1/8 inch thickness maximum.  Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Count to ten and serve.
These fragile fish are mostly found canned. Nevertheless, if you are lucky or persistent enough to find fresh ones, you can be highly rewarded. Preparation consists of rubbing them slightly under a faucet to eliminate scales, and opening them up, with a sharp knife or with your thumb nail, to get rid of the innards and the main bone.

Anchovies can be salted and dried for future use, or pickled. Sardines adapt easily to a quick barbecuing. Portuguese people are fond of plump sardines prepared that way with a simple lettuce (and onion) salad accompaniment. Both sardines and anchovies can also be marinated.



All the fresh fish you eat in a good sushi place can be prepared that way. This is true of tuna, mackerel (skinned), and salmon, as well as fresh sardines and anchovies. If you have never had anchovies this way before, you will find the taste deliciously mild. (3)

Preparation and assembling should be made at the last minute because these marinades are more a way to flavor the fish than to conserve it.

Marinades are really the world of inspiration. They will be based on lemon or lime juice, olive oil, seasoned with salt, pepper and the herb or herbs of your choice: cilantro, tarragon, mint, basil, thyme, etc… I have become myself emotionally attached to green shiso (which also goes in the West by the name of perilla), a Japanese member of the mint family which combines very well with fish and adds subtle aromas to the mix.

Sardine and anchovy fillets can be used directly. Larger fish should be sliced thinly or diced.

You can place these pieces on a cold white plate, looking for the best visual effect and season them with the elements of marinade, pre-mixed or not.

For a “tartare” treatment, dice the fish’s flesh and mix in a bowl with minced sweet onions, juice of ¼ lime or lemon, 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 3 tbsp. olive oil and minced shiso leaves. Serve as a mound on bare white plates or in small individual bowls.

You can add also a “tartare” of similarly prepared raw common mushrooms or vegetables.
I once read a traditional recipe for Turkish stuffed mackerel which involved gutting the fish out through the head without tampering with the outside appearance. Obviously, I found this idea very attractive (this is the type of challenge that keeps me young) and I tried it out immediately.

However, despite my love of difficulties, I eventually simplified it to make it faster to prepare (4) and less overcooked. The taste is still very evocative of Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine. By the way, the original recipe uses raisins, rather than apricots. You will need:

×           1 lb. of fresh mackerel (or other soft oily fish?)
×           1 lb. of sweet Mayan onions
×           ¼  cup of pine nuts
×           ¼ cup of dried apricots
×           6 tbsp. of fresh coriander or 1 tbsp. of crushed coriander seeds
×           ½  tsp. of fennel seeds
×           ¼ or ½ cup of parsley
×           Olive oil, salt and pepper

Fillet the fish. Remove the outer skin and all bones.
Cut in medium size pieces.
Put aside in a bowl.
Peel and chop onions finely.

Heat a pan with a liberal dose of olive oil.
Stir fry the onions gently over medium heat, with some salt to make them melt.
Add the pine nuts and the apricots.
After 3 minutes, add the fennel seeds.
Stir gently.
After 5 minutes, add the fish and the parsley. Cook for 2 minutes at most.
Salt and pepper to taste.

This dish can be served right away, with a barely cooked fish, in small bowls for example. You could also cook it for a few minutes more in the oven, possibly with added cooked rice or bread crumbs, tomato flesh and lemon, to reach the consistency of a terrine.
Tuna or swordfish steaks can be fried in a pan on both sides, after coating with olive oil and sesame seeds. Cook to a rare stage, with a barely warm inside. Pepper and sprinkle with a ribbon of shoyu. Curiously, no salt is needed.

Salmon can be prepared the same way. Use salmon fillets rather than “steaks” (cut across the fish, steaks will always be drier). You can cook it on both sides or on the skin side only (à l’unilatérale), the top remaining uncooked until the end.
If you are young and/or unconcerned with cholesterol, you may want to experience a traditional French cream sauce, rich enough to clog every artery in sight. Recipes are everywhere and can be invented at will, all based on a reduction and a late addition of rich cream. Fish stock always adds welcome complexity, if you can find a way to make some. I propose a recipe inspired from the Troisgros sorrel sauce but using barely cooked watercress (easier to find) instead.

I personally love it but make sure your guests like acidic watercress before planning for it. You will need:

×           1 ½ lb. salmon or halibut fillet
×           1 cup white wine
×           1 cup fish stock (desirable)
×           2 tbsp. cognac or tequila
×           1 minced shallot
×           ¼ tsp. of various aromatic spices (e.g. turmeric, coriander and ginger)
×           1 ½ cup crème fraîche
×           Juice of ¼ lime (optional)
×           1 bunch of watercress
×           Salt and pepper
         
Cut your fish fillet in four equal pieces and put aside.
Clean and sort out the watercress. Keep aside in a colander.
Put the shallot and the wine in the sauce pan and start reducing.
Add some spices you like, subtle enough for the fish. I suggest turmeric, coriander and ginger.
Reduce to about 1/8 of a cup.
Add the cream and boil it until it thickens. Taste. Add juice of ¼ lime if needed. 

Meanwhile cook the fish in a non-stick pan over medium heat, making sure that it is barely cooked and moist.
When you are ready to serve, throw the watercress into the cream and cook for 20 seconds.

Distribute the watercress and cream equally over four serving plates and place the fish on top. 
Salmon is best when rare, or half cooked. You can place your fillet in a dish, on a bed of fresh or pickled ginger slices and bake it in the oven (20 minutes for a 3-pound fillet). When ready, I sprinkle it with some parched (roasted) sesame seeds and a ribbon of soy sauce. Cooked that way, salmon flavors are enhanced and no salt seems to be needed.

Serve with white rice, with three or four chutneys of the day (curried onions, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed artichokes, carrots and ginger, ratatouille, etc.). This is a very easy dish to prepare in advance when you have invited a crowd and want to spend your time with them, sipping champagne, rather than in the kitchen.
“Tai snapper” is an Asian sea bream flown in whole from the Western Pacific seaboard, which sometimes looks reasonably fresh. The fishmonger will scale it and clean it for you. The Provençale labeling means you have added a few herbs or spices southern French people consider theirs: e.g. thyme, rosemary, savory, fennel or fennel seeds, slices of onion and tomato.

Set your oven at medium/high temperature (375 to 400°F).
Rinse the fish under cold water and place it in a slightly oiled dish.
Cover it with the herbs and spices you have decided to use and pour a ribbon of olive oil over it.
You can also pour one cup of white wine which will contribute to final flavor and also add some steaming effect.
Transfer your dish to the oven and let the fish cook for 20 to 25 minutes, according to size.
You may want to baste the fish once or twice with the dish’s juices during cooking.

Cooking time depends on the type of fish and the actual temperature of the oven, sometimes different from the setting. In the latest stage, you can probe the fish by poking a skewer in its middle and assessing the resistance on the way to the bone. Ideally, the flesh next to the bone should be barely cooked (French cooks say “rose à l’arête”, meaning the flesh close to the bone still has a slightly whitish pink color).  



Halibut fillets are often thick and lend themselves beautifully to baking. Then, you just need to prepare a convenient sauce or accompaniment on the side to go with it. I propose a sauce inspired from Roger Vergé’s wonderful Mediterranean recipe, which fits California produce.

You will need:

×           2 lbs. thick halibut fillet
×           5 to 6 bay leaves
×           2 Navel oranges
×           2 Meyer lemons
×           ½ cup olive oil
×           Salt and pepper

Place the halibut over four bay leaves in an oiled dish (one leaf under every future serving).
Oil the top and add the rest of your bay leaves. Add a cup of water or white wine in the dish.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes at 450°F.

Meanwhile, peel the oranges and lemons with a sharp knife, so that you eliminate any trace of white skin. Then, you can cut each section and peel it to eliminate these white skins too. Eliminate the lemon seeds too. Do this over a plate in order to save the juice.

Pour the pieces of citrus and the juice in a small sauce pan with about ¼ cup of olive oil (left over from the fish baking preparation).
Heat up no more than to a lukewarm stage, so that the citrus pieces keep their body.
Salt, pepper.

Serve the fish on a dish, eliminating the bay leaves, and the citrus sauce in a separate bowl.
Papillotes are little packages of parchment paper filled with fish (or poultry) and another component that will contribute a steaming effect: wine, stock, or a vegetable preparation. These packages are closed as tightly as possible and baked for a few minutes before being served.

The size of a papillote could be the size of the dish but making individual ones will be much more festive, with every guest going through the process of unwrapping his or her own and discovering the contents.

You can make papillotes with all delicately flavored fish: sable fish, halibut or sturgeon for example. I propose two variations based on the same principle: cooking in advance a flavorful vegetable combination which, with added herbs, will lend its steam and aromas to the fish.

1.     Sautéed green pepper and onions / chopped green garlic and cilantro
2.     Steamed green peas puréed with cream / dill

You can imagine to serve both, with a small portion of each for every guest.

Modus operandi:

Cut the fish fillets in rectangles corresponding to half your intended serving.
Spread flat the parchment paper piece which will serve as the envelope.
Spread the vegetable preparation on the paper to the size of the fish fillet piece.
Place the fish on top. Salt it.
Place the herbs on top.
Fold and seal the papillote. If you look for a pretty result, this may prove the trickiest part. Tie your package with kitchen string or some natural fiber.
Place your papillottes in a dish and bake in the oven at 400°F for 25 minutes.

This is it. The fish has been perfectly steamed in the waterproof paper. Serve and let everyone enjoy the moment.
The Eastern Atlantic hake (Merluccius Merluccius) is commonly found in Europe, with its long cylindrical body and a length varying between one and two feet. It lends itself to poaching and is then eaten either hot or cold. It is sometimes available in the Bay Area. Its Pacific cousin could probably be prepared in the same way.

Place the fish in a pot, barely covered with cold water and herb seasonings. Poach for 10 minutes and transfer to a separate dish where it can cool down slowly.
You can then prepare a kind of loose, cold dressing with the following ingredients:

×           3 cups diced tomatoes
×           1 cup minced chives
×           2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
×           3 tbsp. vinegar
×           10 tbsp. olive oil
×           Salt and pepper
×           1 tsp. cumin powder

Serve fish pieces on individual plates over some carrot shavings with a few tablespoons of the chutney on top.
This could be accompanied by a simple string bean salad. 
This fish made Newfoundland a household name in Europe from the 16th century on. It lent itself to salt conservation and drying, which made it convenient in a time of slow transportation. The stock was overfished and almost disappeared a few years ago and seems to be making a come-back, at least in the stores I go to. You can find “fresh” fillets, under the name ‘True Cod’, as well as salt cod, a salted and more or less dried version, either imported from Europe or locally prepared.

Fresh cod can be baked, fried or steamed. Its flesh tends to separate into flakes as it cooks, which adds to the tasting pleasure but not to the visual appearance. Baked preparations are your best bet if you want to keep the fillet together. Very versatile, it will go well with various sauces or chutneys with dominant notes going from green pepper to tomato or orange to ginger.
Cod was originally salted and dried in order to conserve it until consumption, much before refrigeration existed. This process creates a new ingredient, with a different, more addictive taste. Long considered a cheap food for the poor, it has now become an expensive delicacy all over southern Europe. The Portuguese are said to have invented 365 recipes for it.

The most common way to start any preparation using salt cod is to:

1.     cut it into manageable pieces,
2.     let it stand in cold fresh water to eliminate the surplus of salt, up to 24 hours if your piece is thick and/or dry changing the water from time to time, and then
3.     boil it for a few seconds and let it poach away from the burner for 10 to 12 minutes.
4.     dry it off and peel it if any skin remains.

Finding the perfect salt cod is a life quest. Taste depends on cod selection, thickness of fillets, the salting and/or drying process. The salt content varies widely from supplier to supplier, so it pays to stick to your usual place in order to tweak the process above to your taste and reach the same, desirable saltiness every time you prepare it.
Portuguese immigrant families and local amateurs would frequently visit Pedro’s small café in Versailles, where his son Gaby maintained the tradition. Cooks changed often (they may have doubled as girlfriends), but the main recipe was more or less the same every day, based on the winning combination of salt cod, onion, and garlic, with unmatched sautéed potatoes on the side.

Pour 2 to 3 tbsp. of olive oil in a frying pan.
Start by sautéing a minced green pepper.
Add a minced sweet onion.
Add 1 ½ lb. salt cod, cooked as above, some diced tomato in season.
Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.
Pepper and serve.

Salt cod separates into flakes really easily. This may concern you but it will not change the taste. Actually, it may help spread the salt from the cod to other ingredients.
Originating in southern France, this recipe essentially associates salt cod, potatoes and garlic. You can invent your own variations, taking the following recipe as a basis.

You will need :

×           1 lb. salted cod, to be prepared and cooked as indicated above
×           1 cup olive oil
×           1 garlic clove
×           1/3 cup of milk
×           ¼ lb. mashed potatoes
×           1 pinch white pepper
×           Juice of 1 lemon

Crush the garlic clove finely
Separate the cod’s flesh in thin layers.
Put 1/3 cup of your olive oil in a sauce pan.
Start heating it.
Add the cod and the garlic.
Start stirring energetically with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Continue stirring until the mix appears homogeneous.
Reduce the heat.
Add the rest of the oil, the milk,and then the potatoes, stirring constantly.
Add the pepper. Check that no salt is needed. (5)
Add the lemon juice.

This is a delight, served simply as a dome on every plate with a few croutons.
I volunteer one last recipe for salmon, originally coming from Scandinavia. The gravlax process is a salting process using additional sugar. It should be made three days before serving as you would with any salting or brining process. For an appetizer, you will need:

×           1 ½ lb. salmon fillet with the skin on
×           3 tbsp. coarse salt
×           3 tbsp. sugar
×           1 ½ tsp of freshly ground pepper
×           ½  bunch of dill

Wash your salmon fillet in ice water with some salt and dry with a paper towel.
Mix the salt, sugar, pepper and half the dill in a plate.
Spread the mix on all sides.
Film wrap and put into the refrigerator for three days, taking the water out from time to time.

When you are ready to try it out, take it out of the refrigerator and brush off the dill and any remaining salt or sugar.
Cut it in very thin slices like smoked salmon and set them on a cold plate.
Spread fresh dill all over and seal the plate with clear plastic wrap.
Let it sit for an hour before eating.

This can be served standing alone or on crostini.



(1)    Another disappointment is that with only fillets, you do not have the head and bones to make a quick fish stock. This will considerably limit your sauce endeavors.
(2)    There are many small unnecessary lies practiced by this or that shop owner, but also the big institutional lies of the industry: the name Chilean Sea Bass certainly sounds better than Patagonian Toothfish and has helped to make it a vanishing species.
(3)    Removing tuna’s thick skin is pretty straightforward. For mackerel, you want to just peel the thin outer skin, leaving the beautiful pigmented part. For this, once you have filleted the fish, place the fillets on a board, skin down, take hold of one of the ends and run a long sharp knife against the skin and board at an angle of about 10°. You can use the same knife to cut the fillet lengthwise very close to the row of bones on both sides. The alternative is to take out all the bones with tweezers, which will preserve the fillet’s shape.
(4)    This type of recipe may really be a trick to keep women busy in the house.
(5)    Unfortunately, it can be too salty. One possible relief at this point would be to add more potatoes. If you end up having too much, you can keep it in the refrigerator and use it later. It would work as an original spread for crostini.

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