a few friends have asked for fish recipes. i guess because it's summer and you're feelin a little bored [puffy].i'm merryhappy to share with my buddies my $25k education plus years of working with some uber-talented [screaming] chefs. for free. others should benefit besides myself. just don't get annoyed when i ask for legal advice in return.
this blog's tagline is cooking, eating, drinking. i haven't said a darn thing about cooking. here you are thinking all i do is eat and drink on dates. all i really really do is cook.
i know you're smarter than me. really smart in many areas but perhaps lacking in confidence, common sense and creativity in the kitchen. whereas i suck at math, directions and electronics, [and dating] as you well know.
i'm not bagging on you; i'm not that smart myself but i'm a rockstar in the kitchen thanks to getting my ass kicked every night for a few years in dc's top resto.
i'm honking my own here but i have earned the right to refer to myself as a bmf in this department.
the thing is i have no fish recipes to copy and paste into this post. you can research ideas on what to serve various fish with. instead it's better if i provide you with proper technique. without technique, it doesn't matter what you serve it with. period.
firstly, i recommend finding a fish market. just cuz it's at whole foods doesn't mean you should buy it. [and please don't buy that pre-stuffed and seasoned crap - ick.]
if you can't find a fish market, check out the offerings at your grocery store but this is where common sense becomes real important. if it looks funny, don't buy it. fish should smell like the sea. it shouldn't be slimy. it's ok to check it out before that dude wraps it up in white paper and slaps a sticker on it. it's a free country. i also don't recommend buying anything farm-raised; it's pretty flavorless and tends to have high levels of blah, blah, blah. salmon and halibut are best from the pacific northwest. rockfish from maryland, virginia is great, not even sure you can get it anywhere else but red snapper's basically the same [and btw very hard to screw up].
if you're worried about mercury you can check out http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp and if you're mindful about eating over-fished fish, check out http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx. according to the site, the fish you should avoid eating altogether due to mercury include: king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish and bigeye/ahi tuna. me, i don't avoid much of anything to be honest; do what's right for you.
there's really only one way i ever cook fish: pan-searing. i don't like poaching fish - i think it's gross. unless of course you're poaching it in butter (beurre fondue sauce - advanced class) or in olive oil, again advanced level and very expensive. i also don't care for baked fish that much because you really end up overcooking it. pan-searing is the way for this cook. and if you follow, you'll get it right every time.
when you get your fillets home, cut them into the portions you want - a dinner serving is 6-7 oz per fillet. pat them dry with a paper towel. season with salt and pepper only. sometimes i lightly coat the filets in a little wondra brand flour, tapping off the excess. (wondra flour can be found in the flour aisle but it's in a blue canister - it's superfine flour). this is to make sure the fish is dry and if you don't know what you're doing for real, this is a way to cheat to get that brown crust [i.e. better searing action] on the outside of your fish without overcooking it. bonus.
to cook your fish properly, you'll need either a well-seasoned cast iron skillet (that you know how to use properly, otherwise you're just gonna screw this up) or, a non-stick pan. i recommend the 2nd for you.
the other item that's key is a fish spatula. never tongs and never a plastic spatula - it's too thick - you need thin. set yourself up for success, man. i like this one from lamson sharp for about $25. don't worry you can use this to turn steaks or burgers or whatever. can be found at sur la table. maybe williams-sonoma. or look online. they come for lefties too. cool, no?
put the pan on the burner and let the pan get hot. i repeat and this is not a joke. don't let the fish get near the pan til it's hot - this could take 4 minutes, go check your email or whatever. once it's hot, pour olive oil in the pan. how much? i don't know, common sense is important here as well. enough - that's what chef used to say when asked how much. enough. you're not trying to fry the fish in it and if you don't have enough oil it's gonna burn and stick. use your best judgment.
let the oil get hot too. but not smoking hot. place the fish fillets (pretty side or skin side down first - you know, the side without any coloring or lines in it) in the pan and leave them there for probably 3-4 minutes. don't neglect the other side of the fish of seasoning. if the pan's superhot and you feel (due to common sense i've reminded you to exercise) it's gonna burn, pick the freakin pan up off the heat. don't mess with trying to move the fish at this point or you'll ruin it. just pick the pan up for a minute to relinquish some heat. you can pour a tad more oil in the pan if you want, too help cool down the pan.
you also need to consider the thickness of this fish - don't overcook it, especially if it's salmon [salmon should be served medium rare to medium - and if you don't like salmon it's because you've never eaten it properly cooked; there's no reason to dislike salmon - they're yummy and good for you so stop already].
if it's a thin fillet, you can cook it entirely on one side. you can. believe me. this ensures that it gets brown and if you're lucky a little crispy on the one side. if it's thick, after three or four minutes, use your lovely new fish spatula and take a careful peek to see there's browning going on. if so, flip the fish carefully. sautee on the other side for a minute or two. if you're serving it now, great. if not, transfer to a plate and set aside in the fridge. when you're ready to serve, let it come to room temp and finish it in the oven for about 3-4 minutes (375 ish). there you go. bang. easy.
what to serve with? well that all depends on your taste. me, i came from the french school of "fish does not like sweet" so unless i'm in a tropical setting i don't go for any of that mango pineapple salsa baloney with my fish. and even still. not so much.
in the summer check out the veggie aisle for stuff that looks good. baby bok choy quickly sauteed or grilled is nice. for salmon i like to thinly slice fennel (quick saute or raw) and segment some oranges and let that sit in a little red wine vinegar and the juice from the orange. makes a french cole slaw sort of. asparagus tips grilled or roasted is good too.
for rockfish, halibut, red snapper, or other mild white fish, mostly i prefer some mediterranean flair and chop up some kalamatas and slice some grape tomatoes. saute these together in olive oil and toss in some capers and chopped basil and/or parsley. yummy. serve with angel hair or on top mixed greens or cous cous. so easy. try halving or quartering whole romaine hearts, brush with olive oil and grill for a second. yummy. drizzle caesar dressing or even just basil oil on top with some lemon juice and voila. grilled zucchini and squash in the summer is good with anything, sprinkle it with salt & pepper and thyme or basil.
enjoy.
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