Tag: Fish

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS METHODS

FISH STOCK


½ cup/125 ml olive oil
1 small leek, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 small bulb fennel, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon/3 ml dried fennel seeds
2 kg/4.6 lbs fish bones, thoroughly rinsed and roughly chopped
1½ cups/375 ml dry white wine
¼ cup/60 ml  Noilly Prat
8 cups/2 liters cold water
2 sprigs each of parsley, thyme and tarragon
½ lemon, unpeeled
1 teaspoon/5 ml white peppercorns

In a large pot, lightly saute the leek, onion, celery, fennel and garlic in the oil.  Add the fish bones, wine, Noilly Prat and the dried herbs, and cook until the wine  has evaporated.  Add the water and bring to the boil.  Skim the surface frequently. Add the fresh herbs, lemon and peppercorns, and cook gently for 20 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let the stock cool.  Strain through a muslin lined colander, but take care not to disturb the solids at the bottom.  Leave to cool, then chill or freeze in smaller containers until needed. Discard the solids.

Categories
MAIN COURSE

Poached salmon in a seafood broth with fennel and tomato


Serves 4

Salmon

The stock:
1/3 cup/80 ml olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon/15 ml fennel seeds
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml orange zest
8 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml tomato paste
1 medium-hot red chili, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon/5 ml saffron strands, soaked in cold water
1 sprigs of thyme
4 cups/1 liter fish stock, heated

15 g/½ oz butter
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
reserved shells of prawns
¼ cup/60 ml white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper

The seafood:
4 tablespoons/60 ml olive oil
4 x 250 Norwegian salmon fillets, the skin removed
8 large prawns, shelled and de-veined, reserve shells for stock
3 ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and diced chopped
1 teaspoon/5 ml  Pernod
1 tablespoon/15 ml cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons/15 ml cold water (optional)

The aïoli (garlic mayonnaise):
4 egg yolks
½ teaspoon/3 ml salt
3 cloves garlic (more if you wish)
2 teaspoons/10 ml lemon juice
2 cup/500 ml groundnut oil

The garnish:
2 tablespoons/30 ml fresh coriander, finely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml dill, finely chopped
crusty white bread, thinly sliced and lightly toasted

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onions, bacon, leeks, celery, fennel seeds and garlic until soft.  Add the orange zest, tomatoes, tomato paste, chili, saffron and soaking liquid, thyme, and fish stock and bring to the boil.  Boil for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.
In a separate frying pan, heat the butter and olive oil and sauté the garlic, shells of the prawns until golden and aromatic.  Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce until half the wine has evaporated.  Add the contents of the pan to the prepared stock and set aside until ready to poach the fish and prawns.
Strain the thoroughly and discard the solids. Add the liquid to the prepared stock.

In a saucepan big enough for the fish, prawns and broth. pour the prepared broth and bring to a gentle simmer.  Add the diced tomatoes and Pernod and, if desired, thicken slightly with the cornstarch. Let it simmer for a few minutes longer until slightly thickened, the add the  salmon to the broth.  Poach for about 4 minutes, then add the prawns and poach 4 minutes more or until you are satisfied that the prawns are cooked.  Check seasoning, then turn off the heat and prepare the serve.
For the aïoli, blend together the egg yolks, salt, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor. Add the oil in a thin steady stream while the machine keeps running.  Continue until all the oil is incorporated. Check the seasoning.
(See the Glossary on the use of excess egg whites.)
This recipe contains raw eggs and is not suitable for pregnant women, the elderly or very young children.

To serve:
Lift the fish from the broth and place into deep pre-heated bowls.  Carefully pour the broth around the salmon, add three prawns to each dish, and sprinkle the fresh coriander and dill over. Serve the crusty bread and small bowls filled with the aïoli on the side.

Categories
MAIN COURSE

Seafood pie with a golden potato crust


Served with a fennel, carrot and apple salsa and an apple juice and maple syrup dressing or pickled beetroot.

Serves 4

FISH PIE

This dish is even more tasty the next day, just reheat it in a very hot oven for 8 minutes.  If there is any leftover pie, be adventurous and convert it into a soup by liquidizing it and adding more fish- or chicken stock and cream.

The seafood:
300 g/10.5 oz three different types of firm white fish, cut into bite-size pieces
100 g/3.5 oz prawns, shelled, shells reserved for the stock
100 g/3.5 oz king crab legs, shelled, shells reserved for the stock
juice of ½ lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

The stock:
25 g/0.8 oz butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
reserved prawn and crab shells
1 cup fish stock

The onion and mushroom mix:
6 cippolini onions, quartered (if cippolini onions are not available, use
shallots)
10 small button mushrooms
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons Noili Prat
dash of Tabasco (pepper sauce)

The potatoes:
300 g/10.5 oz potatoes, peeled and sliced with a mandolin to 2 mm thick slices
25 g/0.8 oz clarified butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

The white sauce:
1 medium sized onion, studded with 10 whole cloves
¾ cup milk
¾ cup full cream
25 g butter
20 g flour
2 tablespoons spring onions, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F.
  • For the stock, in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the garlic. Fry for about 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
  • Add the reserved prawn and crab shells and cook gently whilst stirring – for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the fish stock and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes then turn off the heat and let the stock infuse for about half an hour. Strain and discard the solids.

  • For the onion and mushroom mix, bring the strained stock back to a boil, add the onions, mushrooms and lemon juice and season to taste.
  • When the mushrooms are tender, remove from the heat and add the Noily Prat and Tabasco. Put aside to cool.

  • For the white sauce, bring the milk and cream to the boil in a saucepan and add the onion studded with cloves. Pour it in a bowl and leave to infuse.
  • In the same saucepan, melt the butter then stir in the flour and over low heat cook whilst stirring for about 5 minutes.
  • Strain the infused milk, discard the onion and cloves, and slowly pour the hot milk into the butter and flour mixture, whisking constantly until it reaches the desired consistency.
  • Add seasoning to taste and cook for a further 5 minutes. Strain the sauce, then add the chopped spring onions and parsley and put to one side.
  • Dot the surface with flakes of butter to prevent a skin from forming.
The onion can be reused (without the cloves) to make a sauce for another dish or for soup.
  • For the potatoes, blanch the potato slices in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes. Drain, plunge in iced water and set aside.

Assemble the dish:

  • Season the fish, prawns and crab meat and gently mix with the onion/mushroom mixture and the white sauce.
  • Spoon into a buttered ovenproof dish and smooth out with a spatula.
  • Carefully place the blanched potato slices like scales over the top and brush with the clarified butter.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven. If the potatoes are not golden brown at the end of the cooking time, turn on the grill and brown them directly.
  • When the dish is cooked, remove from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes in a warm place before serving.
  • Serve with the Salad of fennel, apple and carrot salad (recipe follows).
Beetroot is also delicious with Seafood pie.  See Pickled beetroot salad with onions.

For the salad:
3 small heads of fennel, jullienned
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and jullienned
2 carrots, jullienned
½ red onion, finely diced
½ cup toasted slithered almonds, and 2 cups mixed baby salad leaves. 

For the dressing:

  • Bring ¼ cup apple juice, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoonl balsamic vinegar to a boil in a saucepan and reduce down to about half.
  • Remove from the heat and add the salt and pepper. Leave to cool, then whisk in 1 cup avocado oil.
  • Just before serving, gently mix all the salad ingredients and drizzle the dressing.
  • Serve immediately with the Fish pie.