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    • Online Cookery School
      • Online Cookery School
      • EP 1 - Packing Flavours
      • EP 2 - Intro to BBQ
      • EP 3 - Campfire Cooking
      • EP 4 - Mise En Place
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      • EP 6 - Fish
      • EP 7 - Vegetables & Fruit
      • EP 8 - Dinner Party
    • Cookery Demonstrations
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  • Home
  • Online Cookery School
    • Online Cookery School
    • EP 1 - Packing Flavours
    • EP 2 - Intro to BBQ
    • EP 3 - Campfire Cooking
    • EP 4 - Mise En Place
    • EP 5 - Meat
    • EP 6 - Fish
    • EP 7 - Vegetables & Fruit
    • EP 8 - Dinner Party
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EP 6 - Fish

Episode 6 : Notepad




Fish -  Cure it or Gently Smoke it



I hope you enjoyed episode 6, here are the notes and a recipe below


I discussed the simplicity of approaching fish and what to look for when buying.


When buying fish, it’s important to know what to look for to ensure freshness and quality. Here’s a simple guide:


  1. Eyes: The eyes of a fresh fish should be clear, bright, and slightly bulging. Cloudy, sunken eyes are a sign that the fish is past its prime.
  2. Skin: Fresh fish should have shiny, metallic skin with tightly attached scales. If the skin looks dull or the scales are falling off easily, the fish is likely not fresh.
  3. Gills: Look for vibrant red or pink gills, which indicate good health and freshness. Brown or faded gills are a clear signal that the fish has been sitting around for too long.
  4. Flesh: The flesh should be firm and resilient. Press it gently with your finger—if it bounces back, the fish is fresh. If it leaves an indentation, it’s best to avoid it.
  5. Smell: Fresh fish should smell clean and like the ocean—mildly briny. A strong, fishy odor or any sour scent is a major red flag.


White Fish: These fish, like cod, haddock, and tilapia, have light, lean flesh with a mild flavour. They’re low in fat, making them a go-to for light and delicate dishes. White fish cooks quickly and is often flaky, perfect for grilling, pan frying and gentle smoke


Oily Fish: Think salmon, mackerel, and sardines. These fish have darker, richer flesh and are packed with healthy fats like omega-3s. Oily fish are flavourful and hearty, great for smoking, grilling and curing!


 

Recipe 1 : Gravlax & Gin

Ingredients - 2 Portions

  • 2 Salmon Fillets
  • Salt 3tbsn
  • Brown Sugar 2tbspn
  • Dill stems finely chopped
  • Lemon zest 1/2 lemon
  • Cucumber
  • Radish
  • Sour Cream
  • Horseradish sauce
  • Gin 35ml 


Step 1 - Make the Cure Mix

Place the salt, sugar, dill stems and gin in a bowl and mix.

Add the Salmon Fillets and make sure they are completely covered in the cure mix.

Place in Fridge for at least 8hours, overnight is better

Step 2 - Make the sauce and Gin Cucumber relish

Combine equal parts sour cream and horseradish sauce into a dish and stir.

Prep the cucumber.  Remove the seeds and the skin and finely dice.  Sprinkle with salt and rest for 15minutes.  Then drain the pieces and dry them out with a clean tea towel.  Add equal parts gin, sugar and white wine vinegar and stir.  Make enough pickle mix to just cover the cucumbers.  


Step 3 - Plate it up!

I ran the cream on the base and then topped it with sliced salmon.  I then added the slices of radish, dill pieces and a small spoonful of the cucumber gin pickle.  I squeezed my lemon over and topped it with black pepper.  Get creative! 


Recipe 2 Smoked Sea Bass and Roasted Tapenade

Ingredients - 2 Portions

  • 2 Whole Sea Bass
  • Red Peppers
  • Olives
  • Capers
  • Shallot
  • Garlic
  • Tomatoes
  • Olive Oil
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Red Wine (optional)


Step 1 - Light the Cobb and set up for Indirect cooking

Prepare your cobb for indirect cooking and soak some wood chips

Step 2 - Roast the peppers

Once the cobb is ready, roast your peppers.  Add the tomatoes half way through.  This should take around 40-50mins.


Step 3 - Prepare the sauce

Same approach as previous episodes;

Soften the shallot,

add garlic,

de-glaze with red wine


Step 4 - Prepare the sauce

Add the peppers, tomatoes, chopped olives, capers and paprika.  At this point, I add some balsamic, red wine vinegar and a little bit of maggi stock.  You can add a little splash of water too. Simmer for a few minutes and then let it rest, reheat before plating.


Smoking on a Cobb BBQ

Step 5 - Smoke the fish!

Add the damp wood chips to the charcoal, then place you fish on the roast rack and close the lid.  Leave it for around 10-15mins and then check your internal temperature.  You are aiming for 57c and then remove the fish!


Smoked Sea Bass with Tapenade

Step 6 - Plate it up!

I like to peel back some of the skin and then spoon the tapenade over the fish.  I top it with a grilled lemon and enjoy with a glass of wine and some rustic bread!  Enjoy!



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  • Online Cookery School
  • EP 1 - Packing Flavours
  • EP 2 - Intro to BBQ
  • EP 3 - Campfire Cooking
  • EP 4 - Mise En Place
  • EP 5 - Meat
  • EP 6 - Fish
  • EP 7 - Vegetables & Fruit
  • EP 8 - Dinner Party
  • Join us

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