The General Chat Thread

The Black Oil

Whatever about making that, how would you even begin to eat it?

angeldelight

The Black Oil wrote: »

Whatever about making that, how would you even begin to eat it?

With a large spoon

dipdip

The Black Oil wrote: »

Whatever about making that, how would you even begin to eat it?

face first

you could pop it in a trough if you want to be fancy

oscarBravo

dipdip wrote: »

face first

Those were the precise words that popped into my head

The Hill Billy

Super! Thanks folks!!!

Loire

Dolbert wrote: »

Something like this?

WOW!

Can you the link to who posted it - just wondering if there's a recipe.

Thanks,
Loire.

The Hill Billy

I did a Google Image search for the above, but couldn't find a recipe - it is from a site for a cake maker.

However, I did come up with this link for something similar from another pic posted above.

Loire

The Hill Billy wrote: »

I did a Google Image search for the above, but couldn't find a recipe - it is from a site for a cake maker.

However, I did come up with this link for something similar from another pic posted above.

That'll more than do! Thanks a mil

Loire.

Merkin

Did anyone see Food & Drink last night? I thought the way Tom Kerridge did the lamb breast looked sublime!

iwantmydinner

Hi all!

I'm defrosting a hape of seabass. I'm going to use fussy's mediterranean marinade (below) for some of it... Any suggestions for other marinades/ways of cooking? The simpler, the better, as I am very much a beginner with fish!

fussyonion wrote: »

MARINADE:

zest and juice of 1 lemon.
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 very finely sliced and diced red chilli (De-seeded! forgot to mention this)
2 tablespoons of olive oil


1) Put all the ingredients in a medium bowl, add the fish, coat a few times and then leave to marinade in the fridge for a few hours.
2) Get your grill rack, cover it in tinfoil (you don't want a smelly grillpan!) and heat the grill to medium.
3) Place the fish on the foil covered grill-rack and grill for about five minutes on one side, five minutes on the other..or until the fish is opaque and fully cooked.

Merkin

God I love seabass, yum I just cook in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Skin side down on hot pan and DO NOT TOUCH the fish, reduce heat slightly and cook for 3-4 minutes, and when you see that the fish is cooked exactly half way (look at the sides, you will see the change in colour) you then flip over. You will have crispy skin and you only need to colour the other side to have a nice, soft, perfectly cooked fillet.

I then normally make a delicious little warm vinaigrette which is very simple and you're not interfering with the fish in any way.

Warm tomato vinaigrette
(Serves 4)

3 tomatoes , peeled, de-seeded and chopped
1 tsp fresh tarragon, chives, or basil
1/2 small red onion, very finely chopped
85ml olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice

Mix the ingredients in a small pan and heat gently until warm, not hot.
If you don't have fresh herbs, I don't think dried will do in this case, as they wont cook. You could use a small amount of the top of scallions very finely chopped instead.

Don't over cook and the tomatoes are not supposed to cook to a mush.

iwantmydinner

Oh god, that sounds DIVINE Merkin!

Nice bit of warm crusty bread to mop up...

Merkin

iwantmydinner wrote: »

Oh god, that sounds DIVINE Merkin!

It is! You can also throw a few capers in too if you like them. It works really well.

iwantmydinner

Dislike capers!

Neyite

Merkin wrote: »

God I love seabass, yum I just cook in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Skin side down on hot pan and DO NOT TOUCH the fish, reduce heat slightly and cook for 3-4 minutes, and when you see that the fish is cooked exactly half way (look at the sides, you will see the change in colour) you then flip over. You will have crispy skin and you only need to colour the other side to have a nice, soft, perfectly cooked fillet.

I then normally make a delicious little warm vinaigrette which is very simple and you're not interfering with the fish in any way.

Warm tomato vinaigrette
(Serves 4)

3 tomatoes , peeled, de-seeded and chopped
1 tsp fresh tarragon, chives, or basil
1/2 small red onion, very finely chopped
85ml olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice

Mix the ingredients in a small pan and heat gently until warm, not hot.
If you don't have fresh herbs, I don't think dried will do in this case, as they wont cook. You could use a small amount of the top of scallions very finely chopped instead.

Don't over cook and the tomatoes are not supposed to cook to a mush.

Adopt me.

I'm housetrained and everything...

Merkin

iwantmydinner wrote: »

Dislike capers!

I love the little feckers!

Animord

Merkin wrote: »

God I love seabass, yum I just cook in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Skin side down on hot pan and DO NOT TOUCH the fish, reduce heat slightly and cook for 3-4 minutes, and when you see that the fish is cooked exactly half way (look at the sides, you will see the change in colour) you then flip over. You will have crispy skin and you only need to colour the other side to have a nice, soft, perfectly cooked fillet.

Food Of The Gods.

I used to spend a lot of time in Portugal, and there was a restaurant close to where we were that was full of Portuguese - no tourists - they cooked the Sea Bass over an open fire, exactly like you say. Oh dear holy divine. I used to have it every single night.

I need to go back immediately.

Malari

Love pan-fried fish, but hate the smell that lingers in the kitchen for 48 hours afterwards. I grill all my fish

iwantmydinner

Merkin wrote: »

I love the little feckers!

I want to like them, I really do. Keep trying them in various things but... nope.

the beer revolu

iwantmydinner wrote: »

Hi all!

I'm defrosting a hape of seabass. I'm going to use fussy's mediterranean marinade (below) for some of it... Any suggestions for other marinades/ways of cooking? The simpler, the better, as I am very much a beginner with fish!

This is a great recipe - quite a few ingredients but nothing difficult about it.

iwantmydinner

the beer revolu wrote: »

This is a great recipe - quite a few ingredients but nothing difficult about it.

That looks great!

Oh god I'm so excited to get home and get cooking!

Loire

iwantmydinner wrote: »

Hi all!

I'm defrosting a hape of seabass. I'm going to use fussy's mediterranean marinade (below) for some of it... Any suggestions for other marinades/ways of cooking? The simpler, the better, as I am very much a beginner with fish!

Do you have a BBQ?

Fill the inside with fennel, put into a wire mesh * , sprinkle with Ricard or Pastis and cook for a few minutes either side.


* can't imbed image, here's a link to what I am talking about:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bbq-grill-encryption-double-layer-wire-meshes-clip-grilled-fish-clip-fish-curtain-double-faced-anode/1225936116.html

Loire

Merkin wrote: »

I then normally make a delicious little warm vinaigrette which is very simple and you're not interfering with the fish in any way.

Warm tomato vinaigrette
(Serves 4)

3 tomatoes , peeled, de-seeded and chopped
1 tsp fresh tarragon, chives, or basil
1/2 small red onion, very finely chopped
85ml olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice

Mix the ingredients in a small pan and heat gently until warm, not hot.
If you don't have fresh herbs, I don't think dried will do in this case, as they wont cook. You could use a small amount of the top of scallions very finely chopped instead.

Don't over cook and the tomatoes are not supposed to cook to a mush.

Fantastic! This could go with most fish. The reason I've quoted your whole recipe is so I can find it easily later and yes, I WILL be doing that search!

Thanks!
Loire

iwantmydinner

No BBQ - don't even have a balcony

Gloomtastic!

Someone on here posted about a Spicy African Chicken Stew they had a few weeks ago. Going to make it tomorrow to eat on Thursday.

Any ideas for accompaniments?

Merkin

Malari wrote: »

Love pan-fried fish, but hate the smell that lingers in the kitchen for 48 hours afterwards. I grill all my fish

I find a lot of dishes stink the kitchen out don't they! Fish is one but every time I make tacos the place reeks, likewise with tandoori chicken, the place smells like a curry house! I recently bought a scented candle (this one http://www.shearer-candles.com/orange-and-cinnamon-large-candle-tin) and the difference it makes is unbelievable! I normally burn it for a couple of hours after cooking strong smelling food and it really helps!

Malari

Oh that's a good tip! Our kitchen is kind of our sitting room too, so even opening the window isn't really possible in this cold weather! Must pick up a nice candle. At least orange and cinnamon wouldn't smell out of place in a kitchen too.

Markcheese

A bit of a sideways move, had a rib night last night, so did a dry rub for bacon ribs, a barbecue sauce and barbecue beans( served with baked spuds and coleslaw)
Got all the recipes via google and they had one thing in common SUGAR .
Measured in full packed cups,add it to molasses ,on top of ketchup( full of sugar...) really needed a lot of salt and vinegar to balance it ...(and I put in a lot less sugar than called for)

fiddlechic

Merkin wrote: »

I find a lot of dishes stink the kitchen out don't they! Fish is one but every time I make tacos the place reeks, likewise with tandoori chicken, the place smells like a curry house! I recently bought a scented candle (this one http://www.shearer-candles.com/orange-and-cinnamon-large-candle-tin) and the difference it makes is unbelievable! I normally burn it for a couple of hours after cooking strong smelling food and it really helps!

Be careful though and blow out after recommended time! We're in an open plan kitchen/sitting room apartment, and the extractor fan isn't that great, despite regularly cleaning and changing the filter etc. We became very dependent on scented candles and used to burn them for about 3 hours, or so, after cooking. Then I noticed the ceiling corner over where the candle was started to turn brownish, and I think it was from the "soot"-ier fumes that the candle gives off.
Now we give a quick spray with febreze or oust, and have become super paranoid about trimming the candle wick and blowing out after less than 2 hours!

Toast4532

When I cook seabass (I either pan-fry, grill or bake) and use the same recipe for all three.

Squeeze of lemon, 1-2 garlic cloves, salt, pepper, pinch cayenne pepper, pinch chilli flakes, drop of olive oil.

Mix up everything except the olive oil and rub on fish.

Heat up pan and oil and lightly fry fish until cooked.

For grilling baking, add the olive oil to everything and mix it up, then wrap in tin-foil (baking) or if grilling just leave garlic cloves sitting on top of the fish and take out when cooked.

It's really simple and delicious.