Preparing Ray Wings

Gatica

First timer in the foodie forum and looking for help - on Ray wings specifically.

We're trying to eat more fish these days and got a few recipes for which we get our shopping. I sent the hubby to pick up a Ray Wing. If I'd seen it, I probably wouldn't have got it. I've just no idea how to prepare it. It's slimy, it's got skin on and it's got really sharp bones (which some website correct as being cartilage).

I looked at a couple of youtube videos of skinning it, which make it look easy. However, I was moving it around the fridge this morning and pricked my finger. I'm just worried I'll end up cutting up my hand trying to remove the skin. Any suggestions?

I also read that the bones do not need to be removed. Is this true? All those masterchef programs always have the chefs removing all bones from fish even with tweezers.

endacl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YiafYmAMVg

the beer revolu

They've always been skinned when I've gotten it.
You don't need to worry about the bones - they're really big and easy to work around. I have big issues with fish bones but I love ray on the bone.

username123

I LOVE ray. Its probably the only fish I do love.

Heres how I cook it:
I line a roast tray with greaseproof paper, put the ray wings in, scatter round a sliced lime, cover with tin foil and into a pre heated oven for 40 minutes.

When its cooked it will be meaty and non slimy. It should be cooked so well that the meat literally slides off the bone. I like to put a knife in at the top of the wing and slide down the bones behind the meat, do this on both sides for a lovely pile of ray meat - absolutely yum.

I serve with homemade oven chips and lashings of salt and vinegar.

Edit, you can cook it with skin, the skin is easy to remove when cooked.

Dizzyblonde

I like to coat it with flour and fry it - it gives a lovely golden crust
I don't bother removing the skin that's left on the one side. Apparently you can eat ray bones - but I wouldn't fancy it.

Gatica

thanks for all the suggestions... I'd watched that youtube video, but the fish he had did not seem to have thorns on it like ours.
If you got your fish skinned, do you know if one could ask the fishmonger to do that? I don't wanna be rude asking him if they don't do it already cos it's a huge job.

I pricked my finger 3 times getting 1 wing ready! I used a j-cloth and got half the skin off, had to get hubby to finish it cos it was just really hard to pull it off. Used a knife to slice off the thorns. Didn't bother taking it off the second wing, just wrapped in tinfoil and threw it in the oven, it came off real easy after that.

I wanted to take the skin off cos wanted to marinate it before cooking, didn't want all the flavour left on the skin if was gonna be taking it off.
Other than the thorns, as username123 said the skin comes off easy once cooked and the meat slides off the cartilages. Wouldn't fancy eating them either, but they didn't really pose a problem once the meat can slide off.
It was quite tasty but wouldn't get again unless it came pre-skinned or at least thornless. :rolleyes:

username123

Gatica wrote: »

It was quite tasty but wouldn't get again unless it came pre-skinned or at least thornless. :rolleyes:

Im interested to know where you got it? Ive only ever had it sold to me with with skin a handful of times, and I cant ever recall any thorns!!

Gatica

Fishmonger on Headford Rd in Galway, outside Tesco's. They've a few fish that are sold whole there, so I guess ray wing was no different in terms of prep.

Only things like salmon, tuna, hake/monkfish and other such white fish are filleted, well I suppose that's most of the fish.

Unless maybe my husband could've asked for it to be prepped and he just didn't think of it.

username123

Interesting.

It surely keeps better while waiting to be sold if the skin is on but I would always have imagined theyd ask if you wanted it skinned when buying.

These days I buy mine from a guy that calls to the house and it just comes skinned.

the beer revolu

Gatica wrote: »

thanks for all the suggestions... I'd watched that youtube video, but the fish he had did not seem to have thorns on it like ours.
If you got your fish skinned, do you know if one could ask the fishmonger to do that? I don't wanna be rude asking him if they don't do it already cos it's a huge job.

I pricked my finger 3 times getting 1 wing ready! I used a j-cloth and got half the skin off, had to get hubby to finish it cos it was just really hard to pull it off. Used a knife to slice off the thorns. Didn't bother taking it off the second wing, just wrapped in tinfoil and threw it in the oven, it came off real easy after that.

I wanted to take the skin off cos wanted to marinate it before cooking, didn't want all the flavour left on the skin if was gonna be taking it off.
Other than the thorns, as username123 said the skin comes off easy once cooked and the meat slides off the cartilages. Wouldn't fancy eating them either, but they didn't really pose a problem once the meat can slide off.
It was quite tasty but wouldn't get again unless it came pre-skinned or at least thornless. :rolleyes:

It's their job to skin it if you ask them to and they would do it way quicker and easier than you or I would.

Gatica

the beer revolu wrote: »

It's their job to skin it if you ask them to and they would do it way quicker and easier than you or I would.

darn, I think i'll clobber OH on the ear for that

sure I'll ask next time and if they don't, then so be it and I'll just get something else.

username123

They definitely will!

Another way I cook it is same as above but with fresh pesto drizzled about rather than lime. Im sure you can do much more exciting things with it but I just love it quite plain.

When I was a kid my mother used to deep fry Ray wings in batter. Heaven on a greasy plate. I get slightly itchy lips from it too - Im mildly allergic to something in it, my fish guy says its common.

foodaholic

username123 wrote: »

I get slightly itchy lips from it too - Im mildly allergic to something in it, my fish guy says its common.

I get an itchy chin from ray - think there is something in it to cause it (not allergy related)

I pan fry or poach the ray and I melt butter until its brown (beurre noisette) and add lemon juice and capers to it. Pour it over the ray and its yum

username123

How do you poach it foodie?

Gatica

sounds delicious, will try some of that on some other fishies...

Tcmouse

Most fishmongers have the thorny side skinned. If you intend to fry it, it is best to skin both sides. This allows the shiny side to cook through and not slimy wet. A sharp knife and a little patients is all you need.

foodaholic

username123 wrote: »

How do you poach it foodie?

This is for 4 wings
1lt water
1/2 glass white wine
Splash white wine vinegar
1/2 onion sliced
A bunch of parsley stalk
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbs salt
1 bay

Simmer for 20 mins then add ray and poach for 10 minds