Well, I’m on a stint in Brussels again. And as usual a lot of hanging around. So, I thought I’d contribute to this.
Adrian has covered it pretty comprehensively. So, other than disagreeing with him on pollack (perfectly acceptable in curries, and other made dishes), I will drivel on regardless.
I won’t give recipes. Just 10 or so things I make when I have good fish. If you want recipes fine, just let me know. But you can’t go wrong if you have good fish with just grilling or barbequing it – a few weeks ago we were in TRNC, and I got some sea bream (wild incidentally Adrian, not farmed). Stuffed with bay leaves and thyme, butterfly grill over a charcoal grill. I made a sauce vierge to go with it, but superfluous. Still a cook has to justify existing.
Oh, and bear the following in mind:
A lot of what I cook is South East Asian. With some Scandi.
This notwithstanding I don’t use onions. Obviously in some recipes that is a complete non-starter. But it mostly works. Not original, but, well, hey. In some you can add hing.
I don’t cook oily fish inside (with one noticeable exception).
I don’t deep fry in the classic way. A couple of inches of oil in a wok I am comfortable with.
Scale all your fish properly. UK fishmongers don’t seem to. Fish is better cooked whole on the bone (not every time, obviously), and unless it is one where the skin peels off cleanly, a scale in youe mouth is sub-optimal.
Steamed, either Thai or Chinese.
Sea bass, bream or pomfret work well. Plate on a rack in a wok over water. Thai (pla krapong and then some thing). Lemon grass in cavity, slash side, ginger, red chilli, fish sauce. Steam and then coriander leaf. TBH any other herb would do. Chinese version is similar (I’m told it is Cantonese). Ginger only, then heat sesame oil with sliced garlic. Spring onions over the cooked fish, and then the hot oil and soy. It should sizzle.
Tod mun pla.
Thia fish cake. Beautiful if made well. Boingy if not. Firmish fish, and don’t over process if you wuse a machine. Has to have beans and kaffir lime leaves. Make you own paste.
Pla Raad Prik
Curious one. The Thais have a way of deep frying fish (again pomfret would be good) with out any batter. It forms a hard crust. Normally served with a sauce of garlic, tamarind, chilli and fish sauce (and a few other things).
Goan fish vindaloo.
Superb with monk or shark. You’ll need to make your own paste. Coconut milk. You get the gist.
Chả Cá La Vong.
Sublime. Fish marinated in turmeric served with tonnes of dill. Bowl of nuak chom and rice noodles. Shrimp paste, and a bowl of fresh herbs.
Smörstekt gravlax, hovmästarsås
Right. Make gravlax. Not difficult, unless you get into an argument about how much sugar vs salt you want. I know my proportions. Then after 2 or 3 days cut into 20mm thick tranches and remove the skin (you did remember to scale it properly, didn’t you?). Pulls of easily. Hot pan with butter, sear the salmon very briefly on both side: the interior should be raw, but warm. And serve with the sauce (an emulsion of mustard, vinegar, sugar and a mild oil. With dill added.
Ugnsbakad piggvar.
Roast turbot. Glorious. Did it for my partner in Sweden. Nothing needs to be done after baking other than drawn butter and horseradish. No, trust me.
Bacalhau.
Ah. Salt cod. First came across it in the Fado bars of Lisbon (where I think they make it too salty). All over the med. Worth trying. Morue I think in French (I may be wrong – I have brandade de morue in my head). Popular in Africa and the West Indies. Difference between salt cod and stock fish.
Stuffed squid. Again either Thai or Chinese.
Small squid, pouches stuffed with prawns (likely to be Thai, with the usual suspects: chilli, sugar, fish sauce, galangal and herbs) or pork (the more austere chinese version) both steamed and then barbequed/grilled.
Mohinga.
Burmese fish soup. Rice noodles. Fresh herbs. Ohhhh. Breakfast dish in Burma.
Meen mooli.
Comforting Keralan fish curry. Turmeric, green chillis, curry leaves, garlic, ginger. Very soothing. Any fish will do, ‘cause you don’t really have to stir it much.
Hope that helps.
Or at least amuses. At some point in the near future I will hear why the Rapporteur is taking so much time. And then I can get dinner on for my partner who is really doing the work.