Durban - It is easy to serve a beautifully presented dish, but it will only be a real success if the meat is first cleaned and filleted properly, cooked perfectly, seasoned correctly and the sauce, if there is one, has been made from a good stock, reduced to the right consistency, finished with suitable flavours, seasoned correctly, and all served at the correct temperature.
All of this requires practice, organisation, time and patience and if your cooking skills are like mine, Lessons With Liam.
The book, published by Human and Rousseau, covers basic but important cooking skills, such as making stock, preparing vegetables and cutting and cleaning various meat, poultry and seafoods.
In the book, chef Liam Tomlin shares his basic techniques and methods of cookery, based on his popular course at his Chefs Warehouse & Cookery School in Cape Town.
Here’s an extract on fish from the extensive book:
Fish is exceptionally versatile and diverse, with each species having its own particular texture and flavour. People are often unsure of what to do with fish or, more importantly, uncertain of what to look for when buying it. Although it can be difficult to obtain fresh fish and shellfish, the first lesson is to find a reputable fishmonger or outlet that sells fresh, whole fish. Fish are seasonal and you should be guided by your fishmonger –he or she is the expert.
The most important part of your fish dish is to choose the freshest fish possible. Frozen fish should not be used and neither should tinned, bottled or preserved, where possible.
The first thing to look for when buying fresh fish is the eyes, as they will tell a lot about the age and quality. Fresh fish have bright, clear, protruding eyes. Next check the gills – they should be bright red. The skin should have a sheen to it and the scales should be tight and firmly attached to the skin.
Fish are firm when they are first caught. When choosing fresh fish, gently press the flesh with the tip of your finger. The flesh should bounce back to its original shape. If it feels soft or spongy or the flesh is dull, these are signs that it is past its best.
The flesh should be firm and translucent and have a pleasant smell. If its smells unpleasant and strong it should be avoided, so too if the flesh is loose and ragged.
Preparing fish is probably what puts many people off buying it as a whole piece. If you don’t feel like preparing it yourself, ask your fishmonger to prepare it in the way you need it for your recipe.
Cooking Fish
When cooking fish, keep the preparation as simple as possible. Season the fish lightly before cooking to prevent the salt from drawing out the juices and season again lightly after cooking to obtain maximum flavour. If cooking whole fish, make diagonal slits with a sharp knife on either side so that the heat penetrates the fish evenly.
POACHING: Cover the fish with a court bouillon or flavoured stock and cook over the lowest heat possible; the stock should barely tremble. On no account should the stock boil as it will result in a tough, overcooked piece of fish. When the fish is three-quarters cooked, remove it from the heat and allow it to finish in the stock. Remove the fish and reduce the stock to concentrate the flavour and serve with the fish.
STEAMING: Place the fish on a perforated rack or in a Chinese steam basket over a pot of simmering water until the fish is opaque. When the fish is three-quarters cooked, switch off the heat and allow to finish cooking in its own residual heat.
BAKING: This cooking method is more suited to whole fish. Season the fish lightly and place in a baking tray greased with butter or olive oil to prevent it from sticking. Scatter diced shallots and fresh herbs over the tray to add flavour. Pour some stock or white wine over and around the fish to create moisture to prevent the fish from drying out. Baste the fish with the liquid regularly as it cooks. Alternatively, follow the same method as described, but seal the fish in aluminium foil – this keeps the fish moist as it cooks in its own juices.
‘EN PAPILLOTE’: Tightly seal seasoned pieces of fish in buttered greaseproof paper with the addition of thinly sliced vegetables, herbs and spices with a dash of wine or flavoured stock. As the fish cooks the steam causes the paper to puff up. Serve the package sealed so your guests can open the parcel themselves and appreciate the wonderful aromas that will billow out, adding a little theatre.
GRILLING: This cooking method is suitable for small whole fish or fish steaks such as tuna or swordfish. Heat the grill in advance. When grilling whole fish, use a sharp knife to make diagonal slits on both sides so that the heat penetrates evenly. Lightly oil and season fish on both sides or marinate it for two to three hours before cooking.
SHALLOW-FRYING: To shallow-fry fish, use a mixture of half oil, half butter and heat in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat until the butter is foaming. Add the fish and cook until the flesh is caramelised before turning and cooking the opposite side. Baste the fish with the oil and butter mixture as it cooks. Avoid turning the fish repeatedly otherwise it won’t caramelise. Towards the end of the cooking, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the pan and lightly season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
DEEP-FRYING: Fish needs a protective coat of seasoned flour, batter or breadcrumbs before it can be deep-fried. The fish being fried should be of even thickness to ensure that it is cooked evenly throughout. Use clean vegetable oil and heat it to 190ºC before submerging the fish into it. Do not add too much fish at the same time as the oil temperature will drop, preventing the outside from sealing and allowing the oil to penetrate the fish. If cooking several pieces of fish, allow oil to come back to temperature before adding the next batch. When fish is cooked, drain it on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil and lightly season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Allow the oil to go cold before passing it through a fine sieve to use again.
Filleting a Whole Salmon
Great care must be taken when handling fresh fish, particularly if it is going to be eaten raw. Work in a clean area with clean knives and cutting boards and keep the fish well chilled at all times.
Salmon is one of the most beautiful and versatile fish available and salmon farming accounts for most of the salmon consumed today. There are numerous ways of preparing salmon: raw as sashimi or tartare, smoked, marinated, confit, poached, grilled, pan-fried, or turned into mousse or brandade.
Cook salmon skin-side down in the pan, turning it over three-quarters of the way through cooking, keeping the centre pink.
A glossy, smooth skin, bright red gills, protruding eyes and firm flesh indicate the freshness of the salmon. Choose between 2.5kg and 3kg in weight, which will yield 8 to 10 portions.
The scales of the salmon must be removed before cooking as they are inedible and impossible to cut through with a table knife. Do this when the fish is whole before filleting.
It is a good idea to do this with the fish on a large plastic refuse bag, as the scales fly in all directions.
Hold the fish by the tail with a damp cloth so that you have a firm grip and, using the back of a knife, at a slight angle, scrape from tail to the head to remove all the scales.
Rinse the whole fish under cold water and pat dry with a cloth before filleting or cutting into darns.
Trim the fins with kitchen scissors as they can be very sharp and give a nasty cut. Cut the gills away as they will impart a bitter flavour if left on the fish during cooking.
Lay the fish on its side and cut through to the bone at an angle behind the gills. Keep the edge of the blade at a slight angle against the bone and continue cutting in an even stroke towards the tail until the fillet is free. Turn the fish over and repeat on the opposite side.
If a recipe calls for the skin to be removed, lay the fillet skin-side down on a chopping board. Make an incision through the flesh at the tail end. Hold the skin tightly in your hand. Work the knife from side to side between the flesh and the skin, working the knife towards the opposite end and at the same time pulling the skin with the other hand. Remove the bloodline.
Using a pair of pliers or fish tweezers, remove the small line of pin bones that run down the centre of the flesh, from the head to two-thirds of the way down the fillet.
Run your fingers or the back of a knife down the fillet to make the bones easier to find.
Once filleted, trim up the fillet neatly, removing the thin belly flap.
Save the salmon bones and head for making stock that can be flavoured and reduced to make a savoury jelly or can be clarified to make consommé. The fish is now ready to be portioned and cooked.
Marinated Salmon with Crab and Lime crème Fraîche
Serves 4
400g fresh salmon fillet
25g Maldon sea salt
10 coriander seeds
10 white peppercorns
10 ml sugar
1 lime, zest and juice
100g picked crab meat
20ml crème fraîche
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
60g brunoise of peeled and seeded cucumber
60g brunoise of peeled red pepper
60g brunoise of blanched and seeded tomato
5ml extra virgin olive oil
48 picked chervil leaves
Remove the skin, bloodline and pin bones from the salmon.
Place the sea salt, coriander seeds and peppercorns in a pestle and mortar and crush to a coarse powder. Add the sugar, lime zest and juice and mix together.
Evenly spread the marinade over the salmon. Wrap the salmon in cling film and refrigerate for 6 hours. Wipe off the marinade with a damp cloth and dry the salmon on a clean tea towel.
Bind the crab meat with the crème fraîche in a bowl. Season to taste with salt, freshly ground pepper and a squeeze of lime juice.
Slice the marinated salmon thinly and arrange on chilled plates. Using an 11cm pastry rim, create neat rounds. In a bowl, mix the cucumber, red onion, red pepper and tomato with the extra virgin olive oil and lightly season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Spoon the vegetables over the entire surface of the salmon.
Shape the crab meat between two tablespoons to form a quenelle and place in the centre of the salmon.
Garnish with picked chervil and drizzle a border of extra virgin olive oil around the salmon. - The Mercury