Fish Poached in Soy Sauce

This dish did not thrill us, but here it is if you would like to try it.

Striped Bass Poached In Spicy Soy Sauce

New York Times

Poaching fish in a mixture of soy sauce and water is a simple, fast method that adds gorgeous flavor to fillets, which emerge moist and succulent. It is also flexible and forgiving, with a cooking liquid that can accommodate a host of seasonings. Here those seasonings are sugar (to cut the saltiness of the soy sauce), scallions and an optional fresh or dried chile pepper (either minced or put in whole), but you could experiment with ginger, garlic, lime juice or other flavors. Combine all the ingredients, except the bass, in a skillet. Bring to a boil, add the fish flesh-side-down, and adjust the heat so that the mixture does not bubble too aggressively. The fish cooks in 8 to 10 minutes, until its flesh is mahogany-colored and doesn’t resist when you slice in with a thin-bladed knife. Serve on top of rice, garnished with the cooking liquid and the scallions, which are now limp and tender. Other fish, like cod, halibut, monkfish and salmon, also work, but keep an eye on it as it poaches — you will likely need to adjust the cooking time slightly.

Striped Bass Poached In Spicy Soy Sauce

Time: 20 minutes

1/3 to 1/2 cup good soy sauce

1/2 to 2/3 cup water

2 teaspoons sugar

About 15 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths, or 2 or 3 spring onions or 1 large onion, peeled and sliced

1 dried or fresh chili, optional

About 1 1/2 pounds striped bass fillet, about 1 inch thick.

1.   Combine the soy sauce, water, sugar, scallions and chili in a skillet just large enough to hold the fish. Turn the heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.

2.   Add the fish, and adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles but not furiously. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice, until the fish is coated with a brown glaze and cooked through. Serve with white rice, spooning the sauce over all and garnishing with the scallions.

Yield: 4 servings.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti is one of those many dishes that could make me be a vegetarian! We have made this recipe many times and it is wonderful. It is one you really should try if you like baked pasta! You can get the recipe on our blog of: October 21, 2014. Click the date to get the recipe.

Bollywood in Silverlake

Cathy, Tim and Kashmera 

Krushna, Kashmera and Shumon can dance while cooking

Crab Dynamite

Chicken, Rice and Paratha

Mustard Oil is the key to Indian Frying

Warm night on the Patio

Our Bollywood friends Kashmera and Krushna were in Los Angeles. Krushna is a great cook and offered to cook for us in our house. We were delighted to have them over. Tim joined us along with Shumon. We started with our favorite go to appetizer: Crab Dynamite. K & K had requested that we make it for them.

Shumon assisted the two of them in making Masala Chicken. We served the Chicken with Rice and Paratha. For dessert, we had a pie from Cake Monkey. Our heaters kept us nice and toasty on the deck. It was a fun night for all of us. It is always great seeing them, especially when they cook for us!

Gribenes

When I was a child, we always had Friday night dinner at my Grandmother's. She often served Gribenes basically Crispy Fried Chicken Skin, that is fried in Schmaltz (Chicken Fat). I loved it. I don't think I have had it since my childhood. It has to be one of the singular most un-healthy dishes that you can eat. But it sure was good. We made an Indian Chicken recipe for Butter Chicken, that called for skinless pieces of chicken. When I skinned them I realized I could use the skin to make Gribenes. I didn't have a recipe so I used the one below from The New York Times. I don't actually remember if my Grandmother used onions, but I followed the recipe. The recipe doesn't say how much Schmaltz to use, in fact maybe they just want you to use the fat attached to the skin, it was unclear. We had to go to McCall's Meat and Fish and I noticed they had Duck Fat for sale, so I bought a tub of Duck Fat and used it to fry the skin and onions till they were crispy. We noshed on the Gribenes like Potato Chips. 

Schmaltz and Gribenes Recipe

The New York Times

Schmaltz is rendered poultry fat, in this case made from chicken, while gribenes are its crispy, crackling-like byproduct that comes from bits of chicken skin. The key to this recipe is to go low and slow: You want the fat to cook gently and thoroughly so it renders completely without burning. Some would argue that the onion is mandatory and not optional, but if you plan to use the schmaltz for very delicate recipes, or sweet recipes (chilled schmaltz works wonderfully as the fat in pastry dough), feel free to leave it out. Your schmaltz won’t have as deep a flavor, but it will be more versatile. Schmaltz will last for at least a week in the refrigerator and up to six months in the freezer. If your butcher won’t sell it to you, the best way to obtain chicken skin and fat is to collect trimmings in the freezer every time you buy a whole bird. Or you can strip the skin and fat from chicken thighs and save the skinless meat to use in other recipes.

INGREDIENTS

¾    pound chicken skin and fat, diced (use scissors, or freeze then dice with a knife)

¾    teaspoon kosher salt

½    medium onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices (optional)

Preparation

1.   In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, toss chicken skin and fat with salt and 1 tablespoon water and spread out in one layer. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until fat starts to render and skin begins to turn golden at the edges.

2.   Add onions and cook 45 to 60 minutes longer, tossing occasionally, until chicken skin and onions are crispy and richly browned, but not burned.

3.   Strain through a sieve. Reserve the schmaltz. If you want the gribenes to be crispier, return to the skillet and cook over high heat until done to taste. Drain gribenes on a paper-towel-lined plate.