Fried. Grilled. Baked. Poached. You’ve tried your hand at them all, and whatever the method, cooking to perfection is key. As you watch the wok like a hawk, monitor the sous-vide temperature, and get the pan sizzling, let us bring you another prerequisite for nailing fish to the tee.
A delicate protein influenced by factors like temperature and geography, the selection of the fish is imperative for the flakiness that allures. Deep fried salmon, whitebait en papillote, sardine croquettes – doesn’t quite ring a bell, right? Let us welcome you to the world of fish selection. For ‘em perfect fish & chips, tandoori tikkas, and curry, your pick of fish will dictate the race and you well know the award. Decoding the algorithm that makes you go belissimo, #DSSCRecommends ace tips for the game that dictates the fate of your meal – Match the fish.
The Fry
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A backdrop of cool breeze and bright sun, a table set with crunchy chips, gherkin tartar sauce, golden brown crust and moist fish – a winter afternoon unlike any. The journey to the perfect pescatarian meal begins with a lean fish fillet or petite whole fish. Neutral, white fishes like sole, cod, and tilapia offer the ideal fillet for frying, perfect to be coated with eggs and breadcrumbs. Thick enough to prevent drying as they cook, these fillets work just as well when fried without skin as they do with the protection layer. Whilst whiting, sardine, anchovies, and whitebait should be fried whole to achieve 100/100 vis-á-vis crunch. However, rich & oily fish fillets don’t fare well in that mighty fryer, so steer clear of that salmon we all love & adore.
Get sole fillets from here and serve deep fried with lemon & lime mayonnaise.
The Grill
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Winter is here and so is barbecue season. It’s time to bring out the grills and get the meats sorted; but they aren’t the only thing worthy of charring on chilly nights. Hearty steaks of Arctic char, tuna, and swordfish lend themselves well to the grill. Thick steaks of mahi mahi and salmon barbecue well with skin. The smoke adds depth to the flavour while the dry heat accentuates texture. A whole fish boasting of concentrated flavour, like trout, when stuffed and grilled in its entirety makes for a smashing meal with F&F. However, delicate fishes like sole and flounder are likely to fall apart with stage (a.k.a grill) fright.
Ideal for tandoori fish tikkas, get surmai fish here. If you’d like to take barbecue nights up a notch, get whole Pomfret here.
The Poach
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A protein and cooking method that light green on the fitness-o-meter, health enthusiasts, we bring you poached fish. Hot broth puts the fish through the wringer and only the fillets with a certain amount of sturdiness sustain. Lean fishes like Dover sole with mild flavour stay moist when cooked in liquid, and whilst poaching a fillet is no mean feat, when cooked right the fish falls apart in the mouth, bringing you closer to nirvana. Salmon and trout also poach beautifully, both whole and cut. Flaky texture is the key, so choose wisely. No, don’t even think about poaching swordfish in a broth. Mush is all that act with yield.
Poach Salmon in coconut milk with fragrant herbs for a comforting meal to pair with PJs this winter. Get Norwegian Salmon fillets from here.
The Steam
Patra-ni-machhi. Meen pollichathu. Poisson en papillote. We see we’ve got your attention. The water vapours ensure the delicate meat retains its moisture, no oil needed (thinking of making it a Joey’s special? Great minds think alike!). A whole fish works wonders with this method and makes for a great centrepiece on the supper table. However, only those with lesser bones are worthy of the sauna sesh. Delicate white fish like red snapper, bass, tilapia, and halibut pass the test. En papillote in the oven or wrapped in banana leaf on a bamboo steamer, steamed fillets served with crispy skin on side can woo even the harshest critics.
If you aren’t already prepping the Parsi classic Patra-ni-machhi, try your hand at steamed red snapper with ginger and soy. Pair it with sticky rice and voila! Get red snapper here.
The Bake
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Baked fish and sauce will forever be a classic. The right fish, the right temperature, the right timing, and your meal will be ready sooner than you think. Dense cuts of large fishes, like Arctic char, salmon, and sablefish, are a success when cooked in uniform dry heat. You get brownie points for cooking it whole, stuffed or not. If fillet is the route you’re taking, basting is key and don’t lose the plot by taking off the skin (it’s called a protection layer for a reason after all, in this case it’s protection from drying out). Oodles of butter or olive oil (and a sprinkle of herbs of course) will not only keep the that delicate protein moist, but will also amp up its delish quotient. If healthy is the approach you’d like to take, place it on a bed of vegetables like tomatoes and celery, sprinkled with rosemary.
Baked sea bass in creamy lemon caper sauce, it doesn’t get any more classic than this. Get sea bass/bhekti fish here. If you’d like to celebrate the strawberry season, we have just the recipe you need. Say hello to balsamic glazed salmon with strawberry salsa.
Armed with the basics of fish selection, we’re all set to dive deep into the world of cooking. Sea you on the shore!
Featured image courtesy: texture.com
