As a kid I played that self same card game…as a grown up it takes on a whole new meaning. Names like Cod, Flounder and Pollack all bring back childhood memories. But wait…there are a few new kids on the block. Some are Hamachi, Escolar and Bronzini…which you might mistake as the name of a law firm. Oddly enough people were satisfied with Monkfish, which is delicious and in its natural state looks fairly pre historic. Monkfish which was viewed as the “poor man’s lobster” can actually cost you more per pound. It looks like a big ugly flounder and it has a lobsteresque flavor while retaining a fish like texture. The skin is dark gray, and fairly smooth. The flesh is an off white with pinkish red tones. Bronzini on the other hand looks more like a cross between Bass and a Perch.
I recently used Escolar, which in french is pronounced Escolier. The flesh has the texture of Sword fish, but is white rather than bluish gray. The bones are quite large which makes me lean also toward Halibut and Cod. The flavor is clean with a sweetness you would associate with the upper North Atlantic coast. The flesh itself is firm when you cook it, but still has some give when you test it for doneness. It sears pretty well and does very well with pretty much any aplication you use. As we all are learning fish are high in omega 3 which is good to fight off bad cholesterol. Salmon being the one most people think of, I’m sure it isn’t holding the title for being the ONLY one high in this catagory. They say it has a lot to do with “fish oil”, so I assume that the oilier the fish the better…right? People long before us new of such qualities…remember back in the day when people would give “cod liver oil” as a cure for pretty much everything? Things have changed, but not as much as we think. The bottom line in this is just this…you need a good ballance of things to stay on track for a long and healthy life. Fish being a resorce we are just tapping into…it is a good plan for health, and for an awesome alternative in you dining pleasure too.
Every beginning also comes with an ending…so before we get to the end, I would like to share another recipe with you. It is one I recently used with Escolar. It is a little harder to find, so if need be you can substitute Halibut. The feed back I received on this dish from one customer at the restaurant was that it was the best meal they have ever had. Pretty good if you ask me. This recipe will serve 4 people, but you can adjust it up or down depending on your needs.
4 Escolar or Halibut Filets about 10 oz. each
20 Asparagus Ravioli or which ever type you prefer.
20 pieces of Asparagus, woody end removed
12 oz. Home made Parmesan cream sauce (Reduced heavy cream infused with Basil, black peppercorn, bay leaf and fresh grated parmesan cheese.)
Green Herb oil, for garnish
Thyme sprigs for garnish
Parmesan foam (add some soy lecithin to the sauce, and foam with a capuccino machine) optional
Pre heat an oven safe saute’ pan to almost smoking. Add some canola oil to the pan. Season the fish with salt & pepper and sear on all sides. Place the pan into a preheated 350 degree oven to finish. In a salted pot of boiling water cook the ravioli until done. Remove from water, lightly oil to prevent sticking and set aside. In another pot boil the cream, add all the ingredients except for the cheese. Reduce the cream to the thickness you desire, strain and whisk in the cheese. Set aside and keep warm. If you desire you can do the step for foaming. It is a really neat trick and with practice you will become a foam master. If you choose not to use this step it is ok.
To Plate this dish place four reheated ravioli into the center of each large soup bowl ( I recommend the oversized ones that are about 12 inches around.) Take the last of each ravioli and harpoon it with the thyme sprigs which will help hold it on top of each Escolar filet. Spoon the sauce around the base of each ravioli bed and place the fish on top of the ravioli beds. If you did the foam, spoon some over the top of each fish close to the thyme sprigs. It adds a cool effect and will wow them at the table. Drizzle some herb oil around the sauce and serve. A note before I go is that Soy Lecithin can be found at www.gnc.com and is a good source of Choline which supports good heart, liver and brain health.
Thats all this time…you you next week. Bye.
