Roasted Fish

I love fish, but for some reason, i never cook it.  Shrimps, scallops, mussels, clams, and oysters are all frequent visitors to my pans, but plain old fish, never.  I think i’ve been afraid to cook it.  After this week, my confidence is marginally boosted…..

Roasted Fish, Take One:  Saturday morning, with all intentions of heading to the local fish market, i run out of time and find myself at the megamart.  The recipe calls for striped bass or a litany of firm-bodied alternatives, only one of which is available, and that one i would not feed my cat.  I settle on haddock – it looks fresh, smells perfect, and even though i don’t like haddock, i’m excited to cook it.  Except – it has no skin, and this recipe is all about crisping the skin.   I gingerly attempt to follow the roasting instructions, but ultimately the result is perfectly-cooked not-roasted fish — not fried, not browned, not anything but flaky, moist, delicious, and utterly unphotogenic.  Dinner company loved it; i prefered the stunning oven-roasted kale (topped with gruyere) that i served on the side.

Roasted Fish, Take Two:  Harbor Fish is my favourite fish shop.  Quality fish for reasonable prices.  They even have my striped bass – but i’d have to buy the whole fish, and it’s too big for tonight and i don’t want leftovers.  Sea bass it is – smaller, thinner, but perfect.  I hope.

While reheating the leftover kale, i study the recipe.  I think this fish will be cooked in a fraction of the time and i’m worried it won’t have time to brown.  Into the hot pan…it sizzles, doesn’t splatter…in two minutes the filet looks ready to turn…i think.  How do you tell?  I guess you cook a lot of fish and study it!  Some of the skin sticks when i turn the filet the first time.

Ultimately, the fish was perfectly cooked – flaky and moist, with crispy skin – but i feel like i’m missing something so will try this recipe again.

Roasted Chicken

I’ve lived 40 years without roasting a chicken; better late than never i reckon. Read the recipe, make a shopping list, and off we go to the shop…..the recipe calls for a three pound chicken; the smallest the butcher has is six pounds. The recipe also calls for fresh herbs to tuck inside; not an herb to be found at the local shop but the garlic and lemons look nice. Surely this will work?

Tom doesn’t tell me much about trimming the chicken or how to adjust the cooking time for the larger bird – i consulted the Joy of Cooking on these points. Apparently my butchering skills can use work – i apologised to the poor bird for mangling its neck. Quartered the lemon, peeled some garlic, and stuffed the (clean, dry) cavity.

Tom’s trussing instructions are helpful and i practiced a few times, tying and untying the twine. It held nicely as i plopped the bird on its side in a hot cast iron pan with a thin coat of oil. After about six minutes, the sound changed – almost quiet compared to the initial sizzling – and the side was nicely brown. Managed to flip the bird and repeated the browning process; set the chicken breast-side up and put the pan (with chicken, of course) into the oven.

After 30 minutes, i added some butter to the pan and began basting the chicken about every fifteen minutes (the directions say to “baste occasionally”). I also tossed some potatoes in the oven (lovely little ones from the winter farmer market, quartered and tossed with olive oil and herbs). After 90 minutes, the bird was cooked – the thermometer in the thigh read 170F. I let the chicken rest while i pan-roasted brussel sprouts, then plated the meal. The chicken was perfectly cooked with a faint lemon taste. I was surprised how tasty it was.  Recipe One:  Success.

Hello world!

I looked around the kitchen recently and found my cupboards full of seemingly random food.  It’s not that i can’t find a recipe to use everything, but i want to be able to look at the cupboards – or at the market – and “know” what to do with it, how to cook it, what goes with what…..  It’s not even that i can’t cook, but i’ve hit a wall in thinking about food. 

I recently received Tom Colicchio’s book “Think Like a Chef” and am hoping it will do just that, while teaching fundamental skills as well.   My cooking techniques are definitely lacking – for example, i have no clue how to roast a chicken.   This blog will document the journey through the pages.  Recipe One:  Roasted Chicken.  Stay tuned!