09.13.09
Cooking Fish the Easy Way…
I grew up near the ocean. And I’ve always felt this connection with the Neptune world. As an adult, I’m almost ashamed to admit that I didn’t used to like eating fish. Why? The best excuse that I could come up with is that perhaps I was simply spoiled by the abundance of meat dishes that my mother frequently presented on the dining table. Or maybe it’s because I was a rapidly growing active child, I needed something heftier than those delicate water creatures that would go through my digestive system faster than I could get to dessert. And now, how I regret missing out on some good eating all those years! I’ve come to appreciate, I mean really appreciate the many good qualities of fresh fish now that I’m all grown up.
Speaking of fresh, don’t accept anything less if fish is the main feature of your dinner. I have so many friends whose taste buds have been traumatized for life just because somewhere somehow someone in their distant past made them eat some old chewy smelly slimy so-called fish. It’s absolutely tragic when that happens. When you don’t live near the coast and don’t have a personal fish-monger friend who knows where to get the daily fresh seafood shipment, most fish that you buy might be frozen. It’s alright to cook with frozen fish, just keep a few tips in mind:
- Thaw the fish in the refrigerator no more than 24 hours before you’re ready to cook it.
- A trick to “revive” the freshness taste in the frozen fish – try thawing it in a bowl covered in fresh milk. Keep the bowl covered in the refrigerator overnight before cooking. Rinse the fish before you cook it, and discard the milk.
- Cook the fish as soon as it thaws.
- It is not recommended to refreeze previously frozen fish.
My husband and I were walking back to our car after spending a morning at Mehdia Plage in Morocco, when his friend who runs a family-owned hotel offered us a freshly cleaned fish that was given to him by a fisherman friend. Not having much experience shopping for fish in the medina (a Moroccan market), my husband wanted to know how he could determine if it’s fresh. Here are the 3 ways that I do it:
1. Look
Make sure the eyes are bright and mostly clear, and the skin is intact.
2. Smell
Fresh fish should smell sweet like you’re out at sea on a boat. It shouldn’t smell strong and fishy.
3. Touch
Gently press on the body of the fish with your index and middle fingers. Firm flesh is a sign of freshness.
The fish at the hotel passed my quality check. In fact, it was so fresh it must have been caught no more than 2 hours ago. To say the least, I was eager to take it back to the house and prepare it for dinner. So we jumped into our car under the midday sun, cranked up the air-conditioner, and hurried home.
Let’s count how many ways fish can be cooked – poached, fried, sauteed, en papillote, steamed, roasted or grilled, baked, stewed, smoked, and cured. Did I miss any? Ah yes, the easiest, most fun, and most spectacular way – salt-baked.
Fortunately, I was on vacation staying at my in-laws’ house. This time I only have 2 tasks to perform for this dinner – documenting and eating. The idea of salt-baking a fish might seem daunting to those who haven’t done it. But if you follow some of the advice below, you’ll realize it’s actually quite simple. And the dramatic wow factor is remarkably huge compared to cooking it any other way. The fish will be moist and succulent. And if done properly, you might find it peculiar that the fish is just perfectly seasoned!!
Choice of fish
For salt-baking, medium sized firm whole fish is the best candidate. Examples are whole snapper, sea bream, salmon, etc. For every 2 servings, add 1 pound to the size of the fish you get.
Preparation
Leave the scales on. They will come off with the salt crust when done. After gutting the fish, rinse and dry it thoroughly.
Flavors
Fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and dill are great for this cooking technique. Slices of lemon will give a freshness to the fish as well. Stuff the cavity of the fish with the herbs and lemon slices. Sprinkle the outside of the fish with herbs also if desired.
Choice of Salt
Coarse-grained sea salt is preferred. But if it isn’t available, substitute with cooking salt like kosher salt. Depending on the size of the fish, have at least 3-4 lbs of salt available.
Applying Salt
Layer the bottom of a roasting pan with about 1/4 inch of salt. Put the herb-stuffed fish on the salt and pack more salt around it, tightly covering the entire fish. Lightly sprinkle a few drops of water on the salt and use your hands to firm the packing around the fish.
Baking
Bake the fish in a preheated oven at 400ºF (200ºC) for 35-40 minutes.
Dramatic Presentation
If you’d like, you can remove the salt crust in front of your guests. Crack the salt encasing the fish. Some large pieces of salt crust will come loose. Using a pastry brush, brush off any loose salt from the fish. Cut the skin across the fish and pull it away from the flesh. With a spatula, carefully remove the flesh and transfer to a serving platter or your guests’ plates.
Accompaniments
Serve the fish with a side salad, a rice pilaf, some lemon wedges, a lemon aioli, or simply drizzle some very good extra virgin olive oil.
Hope you’ll give this a try at your next dinner party or when you come across a gift from the ocean like we did.
