FOOD Perfect fish, every time

Here fishy fishy …


Food and wine
Redmond Cabot

Friends, heading into February we are now well past the excesses of Christmas, as well as the guilty detox afterwards. Time now to look for beauty, grace, style, and delicacy in our foods close to home. No better place to start than FISH! Mayo is an ocean county, we are never too far from the sea, and it is a source of fresh, nutritious, and natural foods.

A fishy history
For all its coastline I get the impression that historically Mayo has not embraced this rich natural resource…any suggestions?
The idea of a traditional Mayo meal is meat dominated, why does it not include the seductive and worthy delights of a whole range of fish products. In France, Italy, and Spain people would wet themselves with what we have on offer on our doorstep. Also, historically fish could tend to be overcooked, a culinary crime to such a delicious foodstuff! Of course people overcook fish because they fear fish going off, but nowadays there is no excuse.
So many others just do not have this wonderful opportunity, so give up yer moans about life and at least be happy to have such culinary delights on our doorstep. 

Tips for fish
With fish the story as ever is, ‘Keep It Simple Silly’! The only reason people overcook fish is for fear of gone off fish, but this should not apply in these modern times. Seller’s integrity comes into play here. The traditional idea of white fish and white cream sauce is a little tired now, as well as being heavy. Keep it light and positive. Bake any fish by wrapping it in tinfoil with knob butter, seasoning, dash white wine, dab fish in plate of flour mixed with salt and pepper before frying in hot oil and pan. Broil any fish in hot water. Grill it, do not over-dry. If cooking for ladies and those of gentle dispositions make it easy on them and remove skin. I love skin but for some reason most people don’t.
Fish Pie is a great family dish and the kids always love the fluffed up mashed potato crust, while getting great nutrients into their chicken nugget contaminated bodies! Or else try a simple hake (affordable and sustainable so far) and potato pie, with a garlic, parsley and breadcrumb crust instead. Just par-boil the spuds, grease ovenproof dish, make layers with hake fillets skinned and cut, bake for 15 minutes while basting with melted butter, process whizz two slices bread, two garlic cloves, 15gm parsley, salt and pepper together and spread on top of the dish, bake uncovered for 15 minutes still crisp. Add peas for kids!
The fish chef I really admire, Rick Stein, is always so interesting as he surprises you how simply he cooks delicious fish dishes. In one of his classic simple dishes, Hake in classic parsley sauce, he simply places the hake fillets in water already simmering for five minutes with lemon and salt, cooks for two minutes and removes the pan from the heat for the fish to finish cooking while he makes the white sauce.
So that’s it friends. Get out there, ask what fish is available, make a simple plan for cooking, easily search the internet for a recipe you find achievable. In particular get to know your local fish seller whether it be a shop or local boats. Remember, by buying fish locally you are maintaining local employment and retaining money in the local economy!
Hake wrapped in Pancetta with curried potatoes
This is a recipe that I have mixed feelings about. On one hand it has been overused in a tired way by restaurants and hotels from when it first appeared, and yet in another way it is a simple and lovely dish that we can all make at home and we may not have thought about the combination before because the pancetta comes from Italy. Try it and let me know, always good to try things different. Serves four, time 25 mins.

Ingredients
>  Fish: four x hake fillets, 12 x thin pancetta slices, frying oil, salt n pepper.
>  Potatoes: 1lb cooked spuds, bunch spring onions chopped, 20 fl oz crème freche, pinch curry powder plus turmeric plus cumin seeds, half lemon, chopped parsley leaves.

Method
>  First fry/sauté the spuds (cut smaller pieces if you need to) for a couple of mins, stirring in spring onions. Add in curry powder, turmeric, squeeze lemon, then crème freche, the cumin and parsley and simmer 10 mins.
>  Then wrap pancetta slices around filets, cook for 2-3mins either side on non-stick pan with oil (cook it too long + pancetta gets too dry). Place fish on warmed plates and serve potatoes besides it

Some wine with that?
Just to mix things up, we'll deviate from the general rule of white wines with fish. Here's a red wine that's still suited to this end-of-winter weather – and that's currently on special offer at Market 57, Bridge Street, Westport: Maison Thomas Bassot, €9.99, a delicious French Cotes Du Rhone full of brambley warm winter fruits.

Next time Lets get down and meaty with amazing Mayo Lamb from the sweet wilderness of our own back yard. How people would love to have access to what we have