7x chef-worthy fish
Whether you bought a salmon steak at the supermarket or a good old cod at the market: with these tricks, you can turn your ordinary midweek fish into a seriously chef-worthy meal.
In a salt crust
One way to prepare fish super juicy is by making a salt crust. Sounds complicated? Not at all—you make a paste of sea salt (seasoned if desired) and egg whites with a little water. You don’t eat the salt; you only use it to create a kind of steam oven. Sprinkle a generous layer into an oven dish, place the fish on top and cover the top. Bake the fish in the salt crust in the oven for 20–30 minutes until cooked through and leave to cool. Carefully remove the top of the crust and take out the fish to serve.
French-style
Fresh fish and butter are best friends. Of course, you can fry the fish in butter, but if you really want to impress, making a proper hollandaise sauce is well worth the effort. This classic French sauce made with butter, egg yolk and lemon is creamy and slightly tart, and pairs perfectly with smoked salmon, steamed white fish or a poached egg. Watch here to see how to make hollandaise sauce in 1 minute.
Dare to dip
Homemade mayonnaise is easy to make and tastes great with fish & chips. Want to take it one step further? Use your homemade mayo to make a remoulade sauce. Mix in some mustard, finely chopped capers, gherkin and fresh herbs (such as chives, tarragon and parsley), optionally with small pieces of boiled egg and finely ground anchovy. The ultimate dipping sauce for fried fish such as kibbeling, lekkerbek and homemade fish fingers.
Whole
Have you bought a whole trout or sea bass with firm skin? Don’t struggle with filleting; instead, prepare it whole. The skin acts as a natural steam oven and adds extra flavor during cooking. Brush the skin with some olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Roast it whole in the oven at a high temperature for 20 minutes. Cut open the skin and scoop the flaky fish straight from the bone.
Mustard crust
With a mustard rub, you instantly add flavor and texture to a beautiful salmon fillet or other firm fish. Buy a good jar of mustard, preferably with whole seeds. They not only provide great flavor, but also create a crispy crust when baked. Mix a generous spoonful with some olive oil and a finely chopped onion, and massage this marinade into your fish before it goes into the pan.
Swimming or steaming
Of course, you can fry or grill fish. But what else can you do with it? In many Asian cuisines, fish is poached in a light soup or broth, such as in this Japanese sake broth. Another method is to steam it in a bamboo basket, as with this Thai sea bass with lime and chilies. This keeps the fish light and juicy, while all the flavors infuse the fish.
Completely nuts
Craving creaminess, but would rather not use dairy, cream or mayo? The Catalans have come up with something for that: romesco sauce is made with tomatoes, sweet peppers, nuts (almonds or hazelnuts) and roasted spring onion. Lighter than a cream sauce, yet still creamy thanks to the ground nuts.
