HOW ONE FISH RECIPE CAN EVOLVE INTO A DIFFERENT DISH

Somehow, I ended up eating fish for most of the week, and part of the first recipe lead into the second, and part of the second led into the third, but each dish was unique.

Of course there were also left overs.

I made Baccalà Mantecato on the weekend. The baccalà has to be soaked for a couple of days before it is poached in milk with some bay leaves and a clove of garlic. It is a dish that comes from the Veneto region and is also particularly popular in Trieste (Friuli Venezia Giulia).

Cooking the garlic in milk softens the taste and once blended with the baccalà and extra virgin olive oil, the taste of the garlic is less aggressive.

I always save the poaching liquid whether I poach the baccalà in milk or in water, and I did this a couple of days later when I made Baccalà Mantecato for a friend who is allegic to diary.

I cooked fish again. I bought some fish cutlets, slices cut horizontally, each steak usually has four distinct fleshy segments and each segment can be studded with a different flavour. Below is a photo of what I expect when I buy this cut of fish that I use regularly. I have included a link to a full recipe at the end of this post.

The photo below shows the four distinct segments of fish that surround the central spine, each receptive to a different flavour. It looks like on that occasion I studded the segments with cloves, oregano, fennel and garlic. At other times I have used sage, cinnamon, dill, thyme, rosemary or tarragon. The flavours I use for the stuffing will also determine what use to deglaze the pan after I have sauteed the fish, for example on various occasions I have used dry marsala (especially for Sicilian cooking), vermouth, Pernod and a variety of white wines that impart different flavours to the fish. Lemon juice or vinegar is also good.

When I opened the parcel and was ready to stud my fish, I noticed that only one slice was as I expected (cut from the tail end of the fish), but the other slices included what I call ‘flaps’, the often long and bony sides of fish encasing the gut of the fish.

It is part of the fish’s anatomy, but what I objected to was that the slices in the display cabinet were all the same size. These slices were not at all suitable for inserting with four different flavours; they were also difficult to fit into the frypan comfortably.

I cut the flaps off and only used two flavours to stud into the flesh of the fish – garlic and thyme.

I pan fried the fish, added some herbs – fresh fennel fronds and parsley. I deglazed the pan with a splash of white wine, evaporated it, added a little of the stock from the baccalà, added some capers.

What to do with the flaps?

The next day I poached the flaps in water flavoured with some onion, whole peppercorns, bay leaves, a little celery. This gave me some extra fish stock as well as an opportunity to remove the flesh and discard the skin and bones. I discarded the greenery.

I had the makings of a fish risotto.

Making a risotto is easy. I decided to add peas, frozen at this time of year and herbs of course, as in all of my cooking.

I softened one chopped onion in butter and extra virgin olive oil, added 1 cup of rice to the pan and toasted the rice. A splash of white wine, evaporated it, added 1 cup of peas and some chopped parsley and fennel. Tossed them all in the hot pan, added a little salt and then proceeded to add the milk stock from the baccalà and the stock used to poach the flaps of the fish to cook the risotto.

I added the fish pieces to the risotto when it was nearly cooked (to warm it), the grated rind and juice of a lemon and at the very end some butter and black pepper.

There was enough for lunch the next day and the evolving fish meals stopped there!

FISH STUDDED WITH SICILIAN FLAVOURS

BACCALÀ MANTECATO (Creamed salt cod, popular in the Veneto region and Trieste)

New Year’s Eve Baccalà Mantecato

BACCALÀ MANTECATO, risotto

 

FISH STUDDED WITH SICILIAN FLAVOURS

The fish steak, sliced vertically from a whole Trevally, offers a perfect opportunity to infuse distinct, aromatic flavours into each of the four sections of the cutlet. On this occasion, I’ve chosen fennel, cloves, garlic, and mint, but the strength of this recipe lies in its flexibility.

I like to mix and match herbs and spices—rosemary, cinnamon, thyme, parsley or sage or even a touch of lemon peel can change the entire vibe.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the Trevally cut into steaks, as it’s usually available whole or as fillets. This growing trend of partitioning fish into different cuts, just like meat, is exciting and lends itself to a broader range of cooking styles. Silver Trevally, also known as White Trevally, has a firm, dense texture when cooked, making it ideal for this preparation. It does need a little care, as it can dry out if overcooked. The addition of a small amount of liquid, like a splash of white wine or Sicilian Marsala Fine (semisecco/semi dry), is key to keeping it moist and succulent.

In other variations, I’ve swapped the Marsala for some freshly squeezed orange juice with a hint of zest, or dry vermouth and when I’m feeling adventurous and pairing it with tarragon – dragoncello – little dragon —a herb not typically found in Southern Italy but often used up North. 

For a more Sicilian touch, sage (salvia) adds an earthy note, though it’s not as widely used in the region’s cuisine especially with fish. (In fact, it is rarely used with fish in other cuisines and I can only think of sage being used with pan fried trout – French)

Trevally is caught in the estuaries and coastal waters of southern Australia, with the majority of the commercial catch coming from New South Wales and eastern Victoria. It’s a wonderfully versatile fish, and I’ve also tried this technique with wild-caught Barramundi shoulders, which gives a slightly richer flavour profile.

And with a tuna fillet, in this case from Albacore Tuna:

Not much detail is needed in this recipe – the photos tell the story.

Recipe:

Prepare the Fish: Using a thin, sharp knife, make four evenly spaced slits along the length of each fish steak. You’re aiming for deep pockets, not cuts all the way through.

Stuff the Fish: Into each slit, insert a clove of garlic and three complementary flavourings. Choose from fennel, cloves, mint, rosemary, a small piece of cinnamon stick, or lemon peel. The key is variety—each section should bring something different to the table.

Sear the Fish: Heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan that can fit the fish in a single layer. Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides, then place it in the pan. Sauté until the fish is golden on one side, then turn and cook the other side.

Deglaze and Finish: Add about half a cup of white wine or Sicilian Marsala Fine (or any other liquid of your choice), allowing the liquid to evaporate and leave the fish sizzling in the pan. The Marsala will enrich the sauce, while the wine adds a light, crisp finish. I sometimes add Ricard or Pernod with a bit of water to add a fennel taste.

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Above  – One Fish, One Chef, presentation by Josh Niland, and part of Melbourne Good Food Month. Josh butchered a large fish, head to tail  – that is correct, almost every part of the fish, innards as well are edible. (Mr Niland, Fish Butchery) 
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A bit of fish butchery at a fish market in Sicily where butchery has been going on for  centuries.
Swordfish display in LxRm5