Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers - Moosewood Collective [37]
Spicy Peanut Sauce
Creamy Caper Sauce
Red Pepper Butter Sauce
Mushroom Sherry Sauce
Sauce Niçoise
Brown Butter Sauce
Classic Pesto
Herbed Aioli
Tartar Sauce
Chipotle Mayonnaise
Flavored Butter
Cooking Methods
BAKING Baking can be done in a very hot oven (400° to 450°) for a short time, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, or in a moderate oven (350° to 375°) for a longer time, but always preheat the oven, or the outside of the fish may be overdone before the inside is done. Bake the fish in an oiled pan, perfectly plain or brushed with butter or oil, drizzled with lemon juice, and seasoned.
BROILING & GRILLING Particularly good for fatty fish; lean fish should be basted with oil or butter. The goal in broiling and grilling is that the surfaces are nicely seared at the same time that the inside is cooked. The timing depends on how hot the broiler or grill is and how far the fish is from the heat. Do not broil cuts much thicker than an inch because the outside may become leathery before the inside is done.
PAN-FRYING & SAUTÉING Pan-fry fish in a skillet on medium-low heat, in a little butter or oil. Don’t crowd the fish or use a lid because either will cause steam, which prevents browning and crisping. Pan-fry 1 inch-thick fish for about 4 minutes on each side.
Sauté fish in a skillet on medium-high heat in just enough oil to prevent sticking. Sautéing is very quick—the fish should be in and out of the pan in minutes.
For either method, fish should be dry when it goes into the pan. Dust the fish with a light coating of flour or cornmeal if you wish. When done, the skin will be crisp and the flesh moist and succulent. Season the fish after it’s cooked.
POACHING Poach fish on the stovetop in enough water, broth, or wine and water to cover. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the fish, and reduce the heat to very gently simmer the fish for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, until it loses its transparent look and flakes easily. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon.
To oven-poach, preheat the oven to 400°, place the fish in an oiled baking pan, add about a cup of liquid, and cover with foil. Cook until done, about 15 minutes for salmon fillets.
STEAMING Steaming liquid can be flavored with herbs, spices, and vegetables, or herbs and spices can be laid on top of and under the fish. Rub the fish with a light coating of oil and place it on a rack or heatproof plate inside a pot with a tight lid. Or you can steam the fish in a cheesecloth bag suspended in the steam like they do around the Chesapeake Bay. Steam fish for about 4 minutes per ½ inch of thickness.
Choose the Freshest
With fish, freshness is all-important—more important, we think, than the kind or cut of the fish. Even when a recipe calls for a particular fish, we’ll substitute whatever fish is freshest at the market that day, and it works out fine.
Your best bet for consistently good seafood is finding a market with knowledgeable and honest people behind the counter. Talk to them. Ask what they’ll be taking home for dinner. They know the fish and know what’s good. Sometimes the most reasonably priced fish is also the highest quality. (When a species is abundant, fishermen bring in their catches more often and the fish is shipped more quickly, making the price lower and the fish fresher when it gets to your market.) So when you shop for fish, instead of insisting on a particular kind, look for the best choice that day.
Trust your own judgment, too. Fresh fish has firm, elastic flesh and a clean, pleasant, deep-sea fragrance. Ask to smell the fish you’re thinking about buying, and don’t be shy about refusing it if the odor is disagreeable. Health regulations may forbid waving the fish itself under your nose, but you can get the same information by sniffing a tissue wiped across the fish.
Wild-Caught & Farm-Raised Issues
Choosing the best seafood while considering health and environmental issues can be daunting.