Who's good at cooking fish?

[Amyw Profile]

What are really expensive potatoes?? I just wouldn't pay for that. I like fish and chips but even with turbot I can't imagine it'd be exceptional enough for that price.

The roasting of mince sounds ..... interesting. I can't visualise that working really though he's far more expert than me so I guess he must be right

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I have a vague memory of a rage bolognese made by baking or roasting the minced meat to give it depth of flavour, was it on a TV programme or just discussed on forums?

Yes, Tom’s recipe seems to have been on the BBC web pages for a while though I can’t see which series it was in

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/tom_kerridges_spaghetti_51800

[Renee Profile]

I am surprised that the mince is rinsed first in a colander and it was reassuring to know that the mince re-hydrates after roasting during cooking. Yes, the roasting would give more depth of flavour. I will follow that recipe next time. I am sure he knows more than I do!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

The rinsing surprised me

I have fried the mince until fairly crispy in the past, and it does come back

[Pampy Profile]

It's brill, not turbot. If you click on the link it takes you to the picture - click on the picture and text on the right hand side of the pane becomes visible.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

But in the Guardian article Tom says it is dayboat turbot. Mind you the Guardian always has rubbish food photos.

[Suelle Profile Website]

Restaurants in this area (as opposed to chippies) charge about £12.50 for fish and chips, so I don't think Tom Kerridge's pricing is outrageous, considering his reputation and overheads. You have to take it in context - if it was much more expensive than other dishes on the menu, that would be a cause for concern (although it is turbot!).

Eta - written before I read the brill comment!

[Pampy Profile]

But in the Guardian article Tom says it is dayboat turbot. Mind you the Guardian always has rubbish food photos.

When you see the large picture of the food, click on it and text at the rh side of the picture will be shown - that's where it says that it's brill. Tom Kerridge's comment is a general one, not about the picture in the article.

[jeral Profile]

According to Wikipedia, brill is a member of the turbot family and a Cornish fish site describes it as "like Turbot". Maybe turbot is used as a generic term?

I've never had brill. It's years since I had turbot, which was in a gastro cafe (popular at the time) and the fish was falling off either side of the plate; I doubt I'd be served such a portion now for less than a bank loan. However, brill is said to grow typically to 55cm (21.5") up to 75cm so is huge. Also, it's said to be sustainable as it's fast growing, which is good.

On price of £32.50, it doesn't seem that bad, although I'm perplexed as to why only a measly looking half a dozen chips, however expensive the potato is.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

I used to avoid the expensive fish on a menu, as it tended to taste the same, stale. My experience of brill has been based on not following this rule. Hopefully I'll get a nice piece one day.

We once had fish & chips at Rick Stein's chippy. To be fair to him, it cost less than F&C at the nearby pub.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Our M&S Food in Pinner does very good vac packed fresh fish and they often have turbot and brill marked down RTC. Even at ful price it's cheaper than Waitrose fish counter.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Brill is …….brilliant....! Often buy it from the f/mongers when in season, & like all fish, the fresher the better - it is a very sweet fish just like turbot - I like all fish, & can't think of any I dislike apart from skate - which when I last bought some a few years ago stunk massively of urine - binned & not ever bought again -ugh!
Fish is incredibly easy to cook - what's not to like?!?!

[Meganthemog Profile]

I was told by a local chef that if you want to cook fish like mackerel or bass by frying it, first put a piece of baking parchment in the bottom of the frying pan and cook your fish skin side down on that. The skin will be crisp and coloured but it won't stick to the pan. Works every time for me now.

[jeral Profile]

Yes, Meganthemog, that's a trick I learned a couple of years ago from the telly (Masterchef demo I think) about baking paper in a frying pan. It's surprising that things brown as they would without it, but they do

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Not heard of that one - will give it a try - are we talking greaseproof paper?

[jeral Profile]

I think it's all just called non-stick baking paper these days, so probably technically not the old definition of greaseproof. By the way, it doesn't seem to matter which side one uses uppermost. Dunno if it even has different sides TBH.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

And then there is this. I'm sure some of you cook it but I wouldn't even try.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/o ... ons-recipe

[jeral Profile]

I imagine that jarred soup is more suitable if one has a huge hot plate so to fire lots of fish at a time and a witch's cauldron to cook in, in the same way that cooking fish offal only makes sense if one quickly accumulates a plethora of heads and relevant innards.

But then, why bother emulating a mini factory production line, as, if the result was that good, it'd be in jars or tins on shelves already. Maybe it's a matter of proving to oneself that it can be done, a bit like Snackmasters?

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Actually that recipe looks quite easy to do
You just need a kilo of fish, and you are away, as long as you have a mouli

I don't know why Bosi thinks you need Mediterranean fish to make fish soup (as opposed to bouillabaisse) since one of the main brands in jars is made in St Malo, and it's good

Bob Granlees doesn't address the essential rouille to go into it though, which used to come in a separate jar sellotaped to the soup, but you now have to buy separately or make it yourself

Most of the fishmongers round here seem to sell one brand or another, I think the one available at my nearest might actually be Spanish not French (there's some sort of Spanish link)

[Meganthemog Profile]

Yes, non-stick baking parchment.