Grilled Salmon Fillet with its Lime and basil Emulsion

Hello ,

As we keep on reviewing our cooking basics, the next step after the grilling veggies as you were shown in my latest post , will be how to properly grill a fish fillet  and , further on, the easiest and reliable way to make  a light butter emulsion.

Grilling is a key technique and in this post , I will enlighten its most important steps .

Concerning the Lime an Butter Emulsion , we are talking of  a supposed " very difficult to realize" sauce which is very close to the traditional Beurre Blanc but in a very lighter modern version ...

So today two new techniques  will become a piece of cake for you:

• Cooking 23: Fish slice or fillet  grilling**

• Hot & cold sauces - mix 27: lime & butter emulsion***

So , let's start by the grilling section . This post will be your reference concerning fish grilling.
We commonly see big mistakes and the final result is so often spoilt....

When grilling  , we should in fact say marking rhombus ( or fishnet pattern) on the food . The other  goal of grilling is to get this so particular taste of charcoal or wood fire & metal seared food .

• At first step , we will cut the fish fillet in the shape and size we want , pin bone  and marinate. The simplest marinade ever is what we call the "quick marinade".Its purpose is to give a bit of extra flavor to the fish . 

   We need just a bit of oil, a dash of lemon juice , thyme & bay leaves and seasoning.
The fact of using oil will give you an extra chance to avoid fish from sticking to the grill.
Leave the fish few minutes prior cooking.

• The second step we have is to reach a  high  enough temperature on the grill  to avoid the flesh from sticking to the metal.I use a folded   large piece of aluminium foil. 

      Leave it on the grill for few minutes and the temperature  will drastically increase. Be careful nevertheless not to  overheat the metal till it becomes reddish,the fish would develop a bad "iron" taste...So when your grill is very hot (but not red), clean it with the iron brush and wipe it with a piece of cloth.

• The third step is the main part of the technique. We need to get the rhombus/fishnet pattern on the fish.Better than blablabla... Pictures of the goal we wanna reach is more convenient. 

              

                                             

Our goal is to get as closely as possible to this pattern looking . 

So , remove your piece of fish from the marinade , wipe the  excess of oil  and  lay the fish steak ( presentation side first) on the grill and let sear for half a minute without moving it anymore . 

After this time, use a spatula to lift the fish a little bit and turn on a 80 ° angle ( 90°C would be too much in a visual aspect). 

Leave the steak  exactly as you did right before . 

Then do the same thing with the other side.

Great ! Now you have a well marked grilling pattern ..... Notice that this process will be the same for every grilled food...

• Fourth step  is for sure where most people make mistakes.....because of the fire strength. We need a very strong heat to get the fishnet pattern  but in the meantime , this high temperature will be too strong to finalize the cooking. This is why some grills have two independent parts; one very strong for thin and fast cooking food and one ( sometime a shelf ) with a very much lower temperature  to leave the food in a low temperature process.

     For our fish , or for big pieces , will will have to terminate the cooking process with  the lowest      possible  T°c because those products are delicate. This will avoid the flesh to dry & to be stressed and tough .

  This point will show a good you are as grill cook !  If the result is good-tasting, nice  & moist , you passed . But if , the result black , iron tasty  and dry; you ..............

  The easiest way is to end  the cooking of the food in a  medium low oven  150°C / 300°F.

So , now you are almost ready with your dish. The next thong you need is to realize ;

 Lime and Butter Emulsion

This sauce is based on a French Classical recipe know as 'Beurre Blanc or Whipped Butter" but this one is a lighter modern version used by the actual chefs. I will show you the Classical( very much heavier) one in an other post .

My version will be very great with grilled and boiled veggies, grilled, boiled or roasted fishes .

INGREDIENTS - SERVING  8PAX

•  Fish broth (or veggie broth)   10 CL - 3 FL OZ
•  1  Lemon juice   
•  Cod Butter cut in little dices  125GR -  5 OZ
•  Basil or any aromatic  leaves of you choice (minced) 
•  Pinch of salt & pepper

This kind of sauces have the reputation of being very difficult to successfully realize but I show you the step by step way to break  the myth. 

The  main keys you have to keep in mind for success

• cold butter  cut in small pieces
• boiling broth  ( you need  a very hot base)
• acid broth ( acidity helps emulsion )
• intense whisking  to avoid splitting

This sauce has to be served in the next 30minutes and it can't be reheated without splitting. So , it's a last minute task!

TECHNIQUE

1. Pour broth in a saucepan with lemon juice  and bring to boil . 
2. Let reduce from half at least  
3. Whip   the liquid quit quickly  while adding small pieces of cold butter.Do not stop whisking during this phase.You can use a mixer to have an even better emulsion.
4. When all the butter is  in emulsion  , remove from fire .
5. Add minced basil or other herb you wish, check seasoning and serve in the next 30 minutes.

Mediterranean Scents Grilled Vegetables Salad

The Grilled Vegetables Medley served with a cumin French dressing

This week we'll learn two new useful techniques  from your  directory( if you don't have it yet , just subscribe and you'll get it for free).


Grilling vegetables * :  cooking 29

The French Dressing * : Hot & Cold mixes  6

This salad is very nice when  you wish to have a light meal , as a starter or a buffet display...Grilling vegetable might sound very easy but they are delicate to cook correctly this way. Concerning the French dressing, you will know this basic for the rest of your existence......

VEGGIES FOR 10 PEOPLE( as a main course)

• Zucchini                                     600GR--  21oz
• Red onions                                 600 GR-- 21oz
• Red bell peppers                        600 GR -- 21 oz
• Green bell peppers                     600 GR -- 21 oz
• Tomato                                       600 GR -- 21 oz
• Eggplants                                   600 GR-- 21 oz

Technique:

1. Peel the red onions  with removing all the stem tough end and cut in quarters without  breaking .

2. Cut  the bell peppers in for 4 long stripes and remove stem and seeds.

3. Trim the extremities of zucchini and eggplant then cut 1cm---1/4 Inch  thick slices.

Cut the tomatoes in quarters.

4. Heat the Grill up at a very high temperature in order to allow the veggies to be correctly seared.

If the heating is not efficient , I actually use  a big piece of aluminium foil folded in four; leave it on the grill  for a moment and it will help the temperature to drastically increase.

5. When the grill is hot enough , just wipe a bit of olive oil on a cloth to avoid the veggies from sticking.

6. Sear the veggies on the grill just to get them marked by the hot metal. We won't totally cook the vegetables  right now. The aim is to have them nice.Don' t move them during this step , the grill marks wouldn't be visible; leave them long enough to get the result you wish.

7. Afterwards , we need to finish the cooking in a medium oven (150°C --300° F) sprinkled with a bit of olive  oil , salt , pepper ,  cumin and oregano . I use to add a bit of water  or veggie broth in the cooking pan to avoid drying during the cooking process.Cook every kind of veggie separately.
8. when ready , let  the dishes cool  down.The main ingredient are ready.....

CUMIN FRENCH DRESSING FOR 10 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil                                   30CL  --  10 FLOZ
• Red old wine vinegar              10 CL --    3 FLOZ
• Ground cumin                          2 big pinches
• Garlic                                       1 clove thinly  crushed
• Dijon mustard                         10 GR --  0,35 OZ   
• Salt & pepper                          

Technique:

1.In a Bowl, pour mustard salt and vinegar . This step is important because the salt is able to melt correctly in vinegar and mustard but wouldn't in oil. If not , your dressing would be gritty and almost unsalted ...

2. Start whisking the mix and slowly add the olive oil . The aim is to create a emulsion that won't split in few seconds. The faster whisking the better.
Some people even use a blender and  a bit of water  ; the result is great and your emulsion will last few days....

3. Add the crushed garlic and the cumin  and check the seasoning.
Every French dressing will done the same way .

You're done now, dress your plate with some salad in the middle and arrange your veggies all around; pour some cumin dressing  and ... Enjoy!!! 

After Halloween ......... Try the Pumkin and almond tart and its warm chocolate sauce

   

AFTER-HALLOWEEN'S TREAT

Here we are , Halloween time is gone with plenty pumpkin left?
The following almond & pumpkin tart really great .

This recipe will use once more the "Doug 1-2 tart dough/ roll and fill a mould :" and "cooking 1: pre-bake a tart" techniques  but as new tip you'll shown how to realize a warm chocolate sauce named "Cream & mix 18": Chocolate sauce *.

That means , in every next recipe you'll know this sauce. No need re-reading this recipe again; it will  always be the same. 

As I  tell you since a while , if you have already subscribed to this blog, you should have your updated French Chef Cooking Techniques Directory. For the next chocolate sauces , you just need to click on the recipe name and it will lead you right to the "Cream & mix 18": Chocolate Sauce*...So easy!! 

 

OK , let's go ! 

First of all you'll need  a tart dough; no problems , we saw it two weeks ago in the Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart (just click on the link!).It's gonna exactly be the same for rolling the dough, setting it in the mould and pre-baking.

In a word  we just need to learn how to realize the almond and pumpkin mix that will fill our tart and our famous chocolate sauce later on.

Almond & pumpkin mix  :

Ingredient for 1 tart  (serving 8)

• Butter   60 GR
• Cream  6 CL
• Egg yolk  3
• Egg  2
• Peeled pumpkin 600 GR
• Cater sugar 150 GR
• Sliced Almonds  50  GR
• Vanilla Extract 
• Almond Powder  100 GR

Technique:

 Put the pumpkin cut in small pieces in  a pan , add water and ,  bit of salt and if possible a vanilla pod skin to give extra flavor.Bring to boil.

When ready strain the softened pumpkin an mash or blend finely. 

Add eggs, yolks, cream, melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract and almond powder  to the liquidized pumpkin.

You can also add a dash of brown rum if you wish, its flavor matches very well with the pumpkin.

And ........your tart filling is ready.

The tart bottom: 

As we saw during the previous weeks: click in your directory to remind the following techniques ; they will be always done the same way:

"Doug 1-2 tart dough/ roll and fill a mould :" and "cooking 1: pre-bake a tart" 

When your tart is done and pre-baked , it just needs to be filled with your pumpkin mix; sprinkle sliced almonds on top and bake at 180°C (350°F) till the tart is light brown and set.

Your almond ans pumpkin tart is ready.Let it cool down and now we just need to finalize with the warm chocolate sauce that will be referred as "Cream & mix 18": Chocolate Sauce *

Chocolate sauce

Ingredients  for serving 8

• Butter 10 GR - 0,35 OZ
• Semi skimmed milk  10 CL - 3 FL OZ
• Dark (confectionery ) chocolate 100 GR -   3,5 OZ
• A vanilla pod skin( if available) 

This chocolate sauce will be the same for every recipe to go with fruits, ice creams, cakes and so on........

Technique:

Bring the milk to boil with the vanilla skin. 

Turn the fire off ( as i said in the chocolate ganache tart, chocolate hates heating over 56°C -  135°F  to avoid shining loss and gritty consistency).

Sound like ganache isn't it ? Only proportions differ.....

So , enjoy your Almond & Pumpkin Tart . This one was so easy , wasn't it?