“Poached Fish in Wacky Water” recipe – “Acqua Pazza”

Instructions

• 1.

  Gutting, scaling and washing the fish

  • Sea Bream - about 450gr (whole)
  • See Bass - about 450gr (whole)
  • Gurnard - about 400gr (whole)

  Gut the fish and wash it under running water to get rid of any remnant (step 1 - pic. A).
  Cut the fins and scale the fish using the back of a paring knife, or use some polenta flour and rub it. Then, wash the fish under running water again (step 1 - pic. B).
  

• 2.

  Filleting and deboning the fish

  • The gutted fish

  Using a filleting knife, make a first diagonal cut starting at the top of the head, running the blade down behind the front side fin and meeting the lower cut on the stomach.
  Then run the blade along the dorsal fin starting from the tail up to the head, meeting the diagonal you just made (step 2 - pic. A).
  Run the blade longwise gradually scraping the meat and exposing the thick upper bones and the central spine. Keep scraping the meat further down, separating the fillet also from the last ventral bones, which are thinner and more flexible than the others, so they need extra care (step 2 - pic. B).
  Repeat the same cuts on the other side, to obtain the two fillets (step 2 - pic. C-D).
  Run your finger along the middle line of the fillet to spot the position of the third line of lateral bones that was running along the spine. Extract each one of them with a pair of kitchen tweezers (step 2 - pic. E).
  

• 3.

  Making a quick “fumet” for the poaching sauce

  • Parsley sprigs - 25gr
  • Black pepper corns - 2gr
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 60gr
  • Suited Garlic - 4 cloves
  • Basil sprigs - to taste [1 of 2]
  • The fish bones

  Thoroughly wash the parsley under running water and dry it gently with a kitchen cloth. Then separate the leaves from the stalks and make a small “bouquet garni” with these. Set aside. Finely crush the black pepper corns with pestle and mortar. Set aside (step 3 - pic. A).
  Put the frying pan over a gentle low heat with the extra virgin olive oil, the npeeled garlic, the parley stalks and part of the basil. Let it gain flavour for about five minutes (step 3 - pic. B).
  Add the fish bones, part of the parsley leaves [part 1 of 3] and some more fresh basil. LEt the fish bones cooke through on a gentle low heat (step 3 - pic. C).
  

• 4.

  Adding the cherry tomatoes

  • Parsley leaves [2 of 3]
  • Cherry tomatoes - 180gr
  • The flavoured extra virgin olive oil
  • Basil sprigs - to taste [2 of 2]
  • Water - 450ml
  • Salt - 10gr
  • Black pepper - a pinch
  • Fish “fumet” - 80gr (optional, see the recipe here)

  Finely mince half of the remaining parsley leaves and halve the cherry tomatoes. Set aside (step 4 - pic. A).
  Take the cooked fish bones out of the pan and leave the flavoured oil and the garlic in it (step 4 - pic. B).
  Add the cherry tomatoes and a fresh sprig of basil, season with a pinch of black pepper and add the water (step 4 - pic. C).
  Set the heat to a medium-high power and let the water come to a gentle simmer (step 4 - pic. D).
  As an option, for adding more flavour to the poaching base, you can add some ready fish “fumet” at this stage.
  

• 5.

  Poaching the fish over low power heat

  • The poaching base
  • Fish “fumet” - 80gr (If you have skept step 3, see the recipe here)
  • Parsley leaves [3 of 3]

  Set the heat back to the minimum power. Then add the larger fillets first (should be the Sea Bream). Place them with the skin down and let them cook on one sidefor about 2 minutes (step 5 - pic. A).
  Turn the large fillets on the other side and add the medium fillets (the Sea Bass). Place them with the skin down. Let the fish cook gently for 2 or 3 minutes (step 5 - pic. B).
  Add the last small fish fillets (the Gurnard), with the skin side down first (step 5 - pic. C).
  Let the fish cook through basting the fillets with the sauce. Take the pan away from the heat, sprinkle with the minced parsley leaves and serve, preferably together with a slice of tuscan style bread (step 5 - pic. B).
  

• Servings : 3
• Ready in : 30
• Course : Main Course
• Recipe Type : Classic Italian dish, Gluten Free, Lactose Intollerance
• Ingredient : Basil, Black Pepper, Cherry Tomatoes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fish "fumet", Garlic, Gurnard, Parsley, Salt, Sea Bass, Sea Bream, Tomato, Water