FISH COOKERY

FISH COOKERY

                     

                     Fish provides many attractive and satisfying dishes. Fish is a high protein food, supplying on an average a little more than 5 Gms of protein per edible ounce.

                  

                Fish could be got from lake, rivers of seas. Freshwater fish are considered to be superior in flavour to salt water fish. A fish that has fat is superior in flavour to lean fish. The season also has a bearing on the fish for better taste.

                    

                                  The fat content helps to determine the method of preparation. Fish that has fat will produce superior eating quality if baked, or boiled because of their natural fat which keeps them from drying during cooking. Lean fish are the best poached, boiled or steamed; the flesh is firm and hold together during cooking period. Both lean and fish with fat can be sautéed or fried which give excellent result.

CLASSIFICATION OF FISH

1.   WHITE FISH (Round), White fish has oil in the liver Eg. Cod, Haddock, Hake, Whiting, Mumbai duck, Pholi & Turai.

LEAN FISH (Flat) Eg. Pomfret,  Brill, Lemon sole, Turbot, Sangara.

2.        OILY FISH , This fish have oil in all over body. Eg. Salmon, Mackerel, Herrings, Hilsa, Bindi, Trout & Skate.

SHELLFISH:- It is divided into two-   

1.     Molluscs – Clams, mussels, Scallops and Oyster. (Immobile)

2.     Crustaceans – Crayfish, Lobster, Prawns, Shrimps, Scampies, Crabs and Turtles. (Mobile)

           The food value of shellfish is similar to that of fish, as it contains, protein, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and iodine. Whilst shellfish is difficult to digest, it is a good body-building food. Because they are scavengers, shellfish are regarded as a dangerous food and a source of food poisoning. But this is largely due to poor buying and storage, or that they are misused during the cooking process.

STORAGE

                 Where possible, shellfish should be purchased alive, so as to ensure absolute freshness and stored in a cold room, in a box covered with crushed ice and a damp sack and cooked as soon as possible after purchasing.

 PRE-PREPRATION OF FISH FOR COOKING

Descaling and Cleaning

1. Soaking the fish in cold water for a few minute before descaling helps in removing scales more easily.

2. The blunt side of the knife should  be used.

3. The head of the fish is held with the left hand and holding the knife vertical, scraping is done starting from the tail, working towards the head, the scales are scraped off. The fish is then washed to remove any lose scales.

 3. Cut off the fins, remove the head. The entrails should be removed by cutting the length of the fish from the vent end to the head on the belly side.

Filleting

                  Cut the flesh along the line of the backbone and raise the fillet from the middle of the back to the sides, first working towards the head,

Then the tail.

Skinning

                    Hold the tail end of the fish in the left hand, first sprinkling salt on the fingers for a good grip. Skin the flesh from tail to head, with quick short sawing strokes of a sharp knife. Point the knife blade towards the skin so that no flesh is wasted.

CUTS OF FISH

The common cuts of fish are:

1. Fillets - Deboned, long flat pieces of fish, without the skin. Flat fish gives 4 fillets.

2. Paupiette - The fillet of fish is laid flat on the table, stuffing is spread on it, and then it is rolled up, tied with a string, to keep the shape. Can be poached.

3. Supreme

Large fillets of fish cut on a slant of a large round or flat fish e.g. supreme of turbot.

 4. Goujons and Goujonettes - Strips approx. 8 cm long by 1 cm. wide cut from fillets of fish. Goujonettes are cut smaller and are mainly used as a garnish. Can be crumbed and deep-fried.

 5. Meuniere -Pan-frying of fish, finished with butter noisette chopped parsley and lemon juice.

6. Tron - It is thick piece of fish 4-6 cm thick, cut on the bone from a flat fish like the turbot. It is a fish cutlet or steak with bone.

 7. Darne - A piece of fish cut across and through the bone of a large, whole round fish which is 2-3 cm thick such as cod, salmon,

8. Mignon - Fillet of fish folded as a cornet

(Triangular fold as for piping bag).

9. Pile - Fillet flattened and folded in two.

10. Mendallion - A medallion-shaped portion from large fillets.

11. Fish Farce - Puree of fish, bound, with whole eggs, panada and cream.

COOKING METHODS WITH SPECIAL APPLICATIONS

                       The method of cooking depends upon the characteristic of the fish, its texture, size, form, and percentage of fat and its strength of flavour. Overcooking of fish should be avoided. Oily fish are best and grilling and lean fish are good for steaming, poaching, etc. Either lean or fish with fat are suitable for all types of frying.

A. Boiling

                  The method is suitable for the whole fish, e.g. Malli, Surmai, Indian Salmon and Trouts, etc. Thick cuts of fish could also be boiled. Whole fish cleaned could be put in court bouillon and boiled. The other method is to wrap the whole fish with cheese cloth to prevent it from breaking), and to retain the shape, could be tied to a wooden plank.

This is put into a pan, large enough for the fish and court bouillon used, as the cooking liquor. It should be sufficient to cover the fish and should be brought to the boil and then the temperature should be lowered and allowed to simmer. If the fish is cooked, then a skewer will easily pierce. 10-15 minutes per 500 Gms of fish is enough to cook the fish.

For masala fish, it should be big and then put into the masala.

B. Bisque

                  It is a rich classical soup made from shellfish, shells, tomato, brandy and cream.

C. Steaming

                      For steaming, the fish should be well seasoned and sprinkled with lemon juice to keep the flesh white. Greased, grease-proof paper should be put at the bottom of the steamer before cooking.  This helps in lifting flesh out and does not allow it to stick to the steamer, before cooking. The fish does not stick or break, and can be easily lifted.

Cooking time varies from 10 minutes for fillets to 20 minutes for cutlets, and larger piece. Steamed fish must be well drained before service and should be accompanied by a good, sharp, well-seasoned sauce.

D. Poaching

                     This method of cooking is suitable for small whole fish, cuts or fillets. Cart bouillon should be used for poaching as it enhances the flavour of the fish.

Cooking liquor barely covers the fish, covered with grease-proof paper and poached in the oven. In a moderate oven, it takes 15-20 minutes and the cooking liquor could be used for making sauces.

E. Baking

                 Round white fish is suitable for baking. The fish should be cleaned, and the belly is stuffed with force meat (breadcrumbs, chopped onions, nutmeg, lemon rind, egg yolk, a little butter, seasoning) or any other stuffing and the edges are sewed. Butter is applied to the fish and then it is baked in a baking tray. Fish au gratin and fish soufflé are also baked. Baking time is 10 minutes per 500 Gms.

F. Frying

               Small whole round of flat fish, goujons and fillets are suitable for deep frying. As the flesh is very delicate, the fish must be coated before frying.

The following are the coatings normally used:

(1) Flour, egg white and breadcrumbs

(2) Milk and flour

(3) Flour batter

(4) Flour and beaten egg.

Fillets of fish are always coated with flour and then dipped into any of the above protective coatings and the flour helps the coat to stick. The cooking time is about 5 minutes.

G. Shallow-Frying

                               Fillets, tron, cons, supremes, steaks or small fish are shallow-fried. The term 'meuniere' is used when fish is shallow-fried. The fish is coated with seasoned flour and shallow-fried in butter. The cooked fish is masked with melted brown butter and garnished with fried or fresh parsley and lemon slices.

H. Grilling 

                 It is the suitable method for various cuts and types of fish. They are seasoned, oil applied and cooked over heat on the grill or in a salamander. The grill should be greased so that the fish does not stick. Only fish do not need extra basting. Grilled fish is garnished with lemon and parsley and accompanied with a suitable sauce or butter. The time taken for grilling is about 5 to 7 minutes.

I. Stewing 

                 Bouillabaisse and Matelote are French regional stews in which a mixture

Of different fish are used. Pieces of different fish and shellfish with vegetables, herbs and fish stock are cooked and the cooking liquid is

not thickened.

J. Fish Kettle 

                       Long, narrow, deep pan used for poaching.

POPULAR FISH DISHES

• Cutlets-Mash fish; mix salt, masalas, breadcrumbs, mould and dip in egg and fry.

• Pakodas-Dip pieces in garlic flavoured besan batter and deep-fry, serve with pudina (mint) chutney.

• Driable-Spread with mustard, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grill. Serve with Sauce Ravigote.

• Maitre d'Hotel-Serve parsley butter Maitre d'hotel Fr.) with fried, poached or grilled fillets.

• Flamande-Fillets poached in white wine, mushrooms, parsley, and chopped shallots. Reduce the sauce, garnish with slices of lemon.

• Portuguese-Peach in white wine, chopped onions, garlic, parsley and Tomato concasse. Dish and coat with reduced sauce.

• Tandoori-Marinade in yogurt, garlic, ginger, green chilli paste, orange colour, garam masala and salt. Skewer the fish and place in tandoor mud-coated oven and wood is the fuel used) and roast it. Apply hot butter and serve with onion rings and lemon slices.

• Coquille Mornay-Poached and placed in shells, coated with Mornay sauce and bordered with duchesse potatoes and gratinated.

• Espagnole-Fillets cooked in butter placed on sauteed tomato concasse and served with fried onions and sauteed julienne of Capsicum.

• Duglerce-Fillets poached in white wine, fish fumet, chopped onions, parsley and tomato concasse and remove the fillets, reduce the sauce, cook and mix with veloute sauce, coat the fillets with the sauce and serve cold.

• Bercy-Poach the fillets with chopped onions, parsley, white wine fish stock. Reduce, add butter and flour (Beurre manie Fr.), cook, coat the fish and gratinate.