Don't be frightened by scale of fish reputation; Chef 's Special Grilled wild bass with garlic butter and fried capers from David Woolf from Spoon Restaurant, Allerton.
Byline: David WoolfMOST people shy away from fish. But cast caution aside and dive into the sea of culinary delights, and you can net yourself a superb dish that will feed a family or impress when guests are invited around.
"Don't ever be intimidated by fish," says David Woolf.
"People are scared because of how it looks or because they think it will be slimy, but nowadays nothing comes with heads on and it's virtually prepared for you."
So in week two of David's Chef Special series, he plans to reassure us and show that it needn't be difficult to create a seafood speciality.
"Fish is great for a dinner party or for family dining at home," says David.
"It's just knowing how to cook it and nothing could be simpler.
"Little takes more than seven minutes to cook and while it's simple to cook, the results are superb and sophisticated.
"And don't forget as well as having wonderful taste - especially when bought from our own fish market on Edge Lane in Liverpool - fish is very good for us and high in nutritional value.
"So just give it a go - and don't be frightened."
Grilled wild bass with garlic butter and fried capers
Ingredients: 1-2lb Wild bass filleted' 20g garlic butter' 5g capers' 100ml vegetable oil' 1/2 lemon' 10g unsalted butter' Sea Salt and Pe pper.
Method: On a buttered baking tray add the two fillets of bass skin side up, season well with salt and pepper, then spread the garlic butter over the skin.
Place under a hot grill and allow to cook for about three to four minutes or until golden brown. Once cooked squeeze the lemon over the top.
In a frying pan add the vegetable oil and allow to get hot, add the drained capers and allow to cook in the hot oil till crispy (always use caution when ever using hot oil) and add to bass.
Chef's notes: I would serve this dish with some boiled Jersey Royals and garlic spinach.
Roasted salmon, braised leeks, tomato chutney and pink oyster mushrooms
Ingredients: 180g portion of salmon' 2 medium leeks' tomato chutney'15g pink oyster mushrooms, 10g butter and 5g chives. Sea salt and pepper.
Method: In a non stick pan add a little vegetable oil, then add the fish skin side down, season and allow to cook for three minutes. Turn over then add a knob of butter and take off the heat, and allow it to finish off cooking in the pan.
In a saucepan add a little butter, and then add the mushrooms, sautA until cooked, drain on kitchen paper then season.
Using the same pan add a little water and the remaining butter, place the leeks that have been cut into 2cm lengths, cover with a lid and allow to poach gently for around four to five minutes.
Once the leeks are cooked you should be left with a silky butter sauce at the bottom of the pan with the flavour of the cooked mushrooms and cooked leeks, and this will be your sauce for the finished dish.
Add the mushrooms back to the pan and some chopped chives to finish. Check for seasoning.
MOUTHWATERING: Grilled sea bass with garlic butter and fried capers (left) and (below) roasted salmon, braised leeks, tomato chutney and pink oyster mushrooms
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ENCOURAGEMENT: Chef David Woolf
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| Title Annotation: | Features |
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| Publication: | Liverpool Echo (Liverpool, England) |
| Date: | Nov 9, 2006 |
| Words: | 562 |
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