Bream- part 2

Welcome again to the “An Ingredient Adventure” Blog!

If you read my last post, you will realize I sort of disagree with what Chef owner’s decision on how to cook this big Sea Bream he got from the market.

we ALL know, butter is taste great, don’t believe me? go ask the French!  Just kidding….Everyone loves butter, the smell of it, the taste of it, it is very better with is browned, the Hazelnut butter aka Beurre Noisette (maybe with exception of vegan….)! However, Sea Bream is a white flesh, light in taste, full of fat, and most importantly, the flesh very sweet. Sea Bream in this size undoubtedly it is going to be sweet and fatty, with more butter is just gonna kill the taste of the delicate sweetness.

What I believe the best ways of cooking a Sea Bream:

Steam, can’t go wrong with white fleshed fish

Baked, either salt baked, or salt crusted baking

Braising, make a fantastic stew

nonetheless, Grilling, to be exact: Charcoal Grilling

Charcoal Grilling a fish will totally enhance the taste of the fish, by concentrating the taste of the sea, the nature umami taste of the fish itself; with the additional taste of smokey get from the burning charcoal, for me personally is the best way of enjoy a cooked fish.

The savor the best taste of white flesh fish, grilling give the most simple yet original taste of the ingredient itself, so next time you can try to grill a fish at home, especially a sea bream, no matter is red or black give a try !

 

Yellow Garoupa

Welcome again to the “An Ingredient Adventure” Blog!

I am Ko Loy Yee or David Ko from Hong Kong, I am here to share the ingredient I have or had came across so far, these are mostly taken with my IPhone and shared on my instagram account.

Through this blog, I would love to share and explore different ingredient through some of my travelling experience and from my work, if you have any comment of thought, please leave a comment.

 

• Yellow Garoupa also known as grouper, 黃斑魚.

this family of fish most common fish when it comes to any banquet in Cantonese region, like sea bass to Frenchman, grouper is quite important when it comes to dining out at a restaurant.

The grouper family is pretty big and here is the link if you really interested in scientific term : grouper family explained.

Here is a Japanese Yellow Grouper like most of its relatives, there have a very firmed flesh, low on fat but thick skin (unlike a lot of human), because of the characteristic of the fish, is going to be a waste if you want to grill or pan-fried it.

Best Way to Cook it: Steamed or like the below Pan Roasted.

Pan roasting is a western way of cooking fish in the southern part of France. and this recipe simple that you can do at home. originally only ask for equal parts of Olive Oil, Butter, Water & Lemon juice; and when our team tries to do it when according to the recipe of the French Chef…. it taste like CRAP.

So there is where something call “Common Sense” kicks in; here is the recommendation, trust of you taste bud but on the on light side at the beginning of the cooking, Because everything will reduce and concentrated.

Here is not a real recipe but a sample:

Chicken Stock 1L

Olive 100(50)g . 100g to start, 50g for finish

Butter 100g

Lemon juice 20g

Apart from the basic liquid for the roast, you will also need tomatoes, confit tomatoes if you have, basil, thyme, garlic, salt. A 400-600g grouper, pan roasting in 180C  oven usually take about 12-15mins with 2 cuts on the back of the fish like in the picture. And then you will have a flaky, juicy and meaty grouper, with cream yet tangy sauce!

Here is the reason why there wont be much recipes in this blog:

Savory or Hot side is most like craft, with little bit of measure, if you trust your taste bud, your dishes will hardly go wrong. It will be more important to know Ratio Than Grams, when it comes to hot food, be brave!

 

 

Akamutsu (nodoguru)

Welcome again to the “An Ingredient Adventure” Blog!

I am Ko Loy Yee or David Ko from Hong Kong, I am here to share the ingredient I have or had came across so far, these are mostly taken with my IPhone and shared on my instagram account.

 

Through this blog, I would love to share and explore different ingredient through some of my travelling experience and from my work, if you have any comment of thought, please leave a comment.

Nodoguru / Akamutsu also know as

– black throat sea perch

-黑喉 ， ノドグロ

If you really want to know the scientific name…

This is high priced wild fish from Japan , high fat content and extremely delicate flesh.

Featured in one of the signature dishes of Ryugin by chef Yamamoto

3 star Michelin way of preparing Akamutsu by Ryugin

 

I would preferred cooked over charcoal or grilled , with salt cured for an hour forehand.

 

However because i was the first time i came across with this fish, and the way being filleted, i managed to break one of the three nodoguru that were sent from Tsukiji that morning. I feel have lucky I still have have my job today.

 

So here is the result of the grill, with the slow and white charcoal, gently cook one side the skin side only, it made a contrast between the crispy skin and the moist, fatty white flesh underneath.

This is my first “real” post on WordPress.com, there will be more interesting to you all, on “An Ingredient Adventure” blog.