Wheel! Of! Fish!
Jan. 7th, 2008 16:53![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
torquillI decided I was going to run through the offerings at the local fish market. Here's what I've discovered so far:
With each one, I filleted it, dredged it in flour, salt, and pepper, and pan-fried it.
White Bass
Form factor: Smallish, long, broad, thin. Scaled. Fins have spines (ow).
Disassembly: Easy. 1 set of ribs, easily avoided by pulling the belly flap back (they poke out). Just be careful with the soft flesh, as it can tear.
Edibility: Wonderful. Very delicate texture, good flavor; no significant fat under the skin, but the skin crisps well. My favorite so far, and I wish the market would get more in.
Striped Bass
Form factor: A little larger and longer than white bass. Scaled. Spines again (watch that).
Disassembly: As with white bass.
Edibility: Okay. Medium firmness, no particular flavor; it reminded me of cod. Still good crispy skin, though.
Milkfish
Form factor: Medium sized, long, medium-broad, somewhat thick. Silvery scales.
Disassembly: A little tricky cutting around the head, not bad. Thick rib bones, easily cut around. Fat under the skin and especially across the belly, where it ends up like toro (hard to tell fat from muscle). Use a sharp knife and don't sweat the little bones. 2 sets of ribs, in a chevron pattern toward the center of the fillet.
Edibility: Good. Soft texture, slightly tart like it has some lemon in it, a little oily without being greasy. Eat it from the tail end forward, with a fork, as the meat will come right off the little bones in that direction. Be wary of large clusters of small bones radiating from both the head and tail; all of the little bones branch at their tips, but pull easily. You'll have a little pile of fine bones at the end.
The belly meat is half fat, but fries up like bacon, and has a very delicate texture... fish oil is good for you, and it's tasty and crispy. The skin also crisps well.
Goo
Form factor: Medium-sized, long, very broad, thin. Scaled.
Disassembly: Pretty average. 2 sets of ribs: the thick ones don't pull easily, and they're so long they break off. Best to just include them, slicing them off the backbone, as they're easier to remove later. The thin ones parallel the thick ones in the same line. Be sure it's thoroughly clean, as the belly membrane can cling, and it's very strongly flavored.
Edibility:Okay. Very firm -- be sure the skin side is cooked first, as you want to be able to flatten the fillet with a spatula (it'll arch and curl like bacon). Flavor is average, like cod. The skin doesn't crisp, and the whole fish is quite lean.
Catfish
Form factor: Medium-sized, long, flat, thick. No scales.
Disassembly: Cutting around the head is tricky; there's a spur of the skull that extends well out toward the spine. Tough skin, use a very sharp knife. 1 set of ribs, short and easily cut around, even though they go out to the skin. The skin can be rubbery; remove it by placing in a cold pan and heating for a few seconds, just until the fillet arches up. The skin can then be peeled away from the meat.
Edibility: Okay. Quite firm; I've had it before, and got it this time because it's recommended for soup, being very firm and easily boned. Taste is mild but can be very fishy if not especially fresh.
More fish as I try them.
With each one, I filleted it, dredged it in flour, salt, and pepper, and pan-fried it.
White Bass
Form factor: Smallish, long, broad, thin. Scaled. Fins have spines (ow).
Disassembly: Easy. 1 set of ribs, easily avoided by pulling the belly flap back (they poke out). Just be careful with the soft flesh, as it can tear.
Edibility: Wonderful. Very delicate texture, good flavor; no significant fat under the skin, but the skin crisps well. My favorite so far, and I wish the market would get more in.
Striped Bass
Form factor: A little larger and longer than white bass. Scaled. Spines again (watch that).
Disassembly: As with white bass.
Edibility: Okay. Medium firmness, no particular flavor; it reminded me of cod. Still good crispy skin, though.
Milkfish
Form factor: Medium sized, long, medium-broad, somewhat thick. Silvery scales.
Disassembly: A little tricky cutting around the head, not bad. Thick rib bones, easily cut around. Fat under the skin and especially across the belly, where it ends up like toro (hard to tell fat from muscle). Use a sharp knife and don't sweat the little bones. 2 sets of ribs, in a chevron pattern toward the center of the fillet.
Edibility: Good. Soft texture, slightly tart like it has some lemon in it, a little oily without being greasy. Eat it from the tail end forward, with a fork, as the meat will come right off the little bones in that direction. Be wary of large clusters of small bones radiating from both the head and tail; all of the little bones branch at their tips, but pull easily. You'll have a little pile of fine bones at the end.
The belly meat is half fat, but fries up like bacon, and has a very delicate texture... fish oil is good for you, and it's tasty and crispy. The skin also crisps well.
Goo
Form factor: Medium-sized, long, very broad, thin. Scaled.
Disassembly: Pretty average. 2 sets of ribs: the thick ones don't pull easily, and they're so long they break off. Best to just include them, slicing them off the backbone, as they're easier to remove later. The thin ones parallel the thick ones in the same line. Be sure it's thoroughly clean, as the belly membrane can cling, and it's very strongly flavored.
Edibility:Okay. Very firm -- be sure the skin side is cooked first, as you want to be able to flatten the fillet with a spatula (it'll arch and curl like bacon). Flavor is average, like cod. The skin doesn't crisp, and the whole fish is quite lean.
Catfish
Form factor: Medium-sized, long, flat, thick. No scales.
Disassembly: Cutting around the head is tricky; there's a spur of the skull that extends well out toward the spine. Tough skin, use a very sharp knife. 1 set of ribs, short and easily cut around, even though they go out to the skin. The skin can be rubbery; remove it by placing in a cold pan and heating for a few seconds, just until the fillet arches up. The skin can then be peeled away from the meat.
Edibility: Okay. Quite firm; I've had it before, and got it this time because it's recommended for soup, being very firm and easily boned. Taste is mild but can be very fishy if not especially fresh.
More fish as I try them.
