On Saturday 14 January 2012, Cracking Cook Rob led Discovering Fish, the first public cooking session of the year at Chorlton High School.
Although filleting the mackerel was a little gory for some, everyone listened attentively then got stuck in, resulting in a delicious dish of mackerel stuffed with crushed almonds and watercress. The flavours worked so well together that I (not a keen mackerel fan) had to sample the dish again…
Participants formed a production line to create the delicately spiced coley goujons - it’s amazing how a little turmeric and cumin can transform a batter! A light and refreshing garlic dip was whipped together and a devilish spicy Szechuan sauce (made to CGF’s own recipe) was also served as an accompaniment.
Normally, Rob explained, he would used Dover sole to make the Veronique dish, but due to cost, the sole was substituted with fresh filleted pollock. The Veronique sauce was made with cream, white wine, mushrooms and grapes. The flavour was definitely enhanced by using a stock we made with the remaining fish parts and some of the usually discarded bits of vegetables, and lots of fresh herbs. This lightly flavoured dish was accompanied with the crispiest of roast potatoes; all together it made a wonderful dish, and seconds were had by all!
This cracking session was filled with so many amazing dishes and some very useful filleting and purchasing tips, and was enjoyed by everyone - so much so that the participants gave Rob a very well-deserved round of applause to show their appreciation!
And if you don't believe Tracey, here is some of the feedback we received about the class:
"I’ve had a good day. I feel I’ve learnt a great deal, including information on organic sources, and cleaning and boning of fish. Rob is a good communicator and draws one's interest." Ray Southern
"The fish filleting was really informative, and it was great that you could have a go – all really hands-on. All the food was lovely… will be trying it at home." Kate McWilliams
"Really enjoyed the session – straightforward, pleasant atmosphere. Filleting the fish was great and I learnt some useful tips about cooking times. The goujons were really nice – think I can get my children to eat coley... very cheap!" Mike Randal
"All of us had a go with fish handling and the filleting, stock reduction and goujons felt really simple thanks to Rob." Barbara Allen
"A very good day." Ian Gibb
There are lots more photos from this session on our Facebook page. Click here to be redirected.
No comments:
Post a Comment