Cooking Pollack

[krommy]

I remember throwing one on a barbie one summer but it kind of fell apart when cooked....gave up with pollock after that but think i will try something like the above recipe...sounds good

[Alan Taylor]

Norrie:

Alan also has a Dutch recipe called Kibling, very tasty,but aint too sure how it is done, a great excuse to go back over

You never need an excuse Norrie, my home is yours oh and the ceiling still needs doing

 

With Pollock, gut and bleed it asap, don't throw the guts over the side or you will attract the gulls and they are a bugger when they get caught up in your line.

Fillet it out and when you get home soak it in salt water over night. This gets rid of the oily/greasy stuff, rinse off in fresh water then freeze for 24 hours minimum.

for the Kibling that Norrie mentioned, when it is defrosted cut into chunks just over an inch square, dip in flour, dip in Tempura batter mix and deep fry in very hot oil/fat (blue smoke).

Sonja makes the batter mix using half beer half water. Skin on or off its up to you.

 

I also make a cracking fishermans pie from Pollock/pout/coalie etc.

50/50 milk and water, an onion sliced, put the fish and onion in and just bring to the boil then switch off the heat. Drain off the liquid and boil your spuds in the drained off liquid and mash as usual, some salt and black pepper but take it easy (you can put it in but not take it out )

While the above is cooling line an oven proof dish with butter (don't be tight with the butter).

 

I knock up a garlic butter with some diced red peppers chucked in.

 

Gently go through the cooled fish for any bones that you may have missed, you can feel them with your fingers without destroying the flakes of fish.

 

Now FOLD the fish and mash together in the bowl, gently folding it in keeps the fish flakes, I also add a few cooked prawns for a bit of colour, cover with grated cheese.

 

Your dish is now cooked so all you have to do is re heat the whole thing in the over and brown the cheese under the grill. Serve with sweet peas and a nice white wine

 

For decent sized pout I use them for fish cakes and as mentioned gutt them asap after capture remembering to take the blood line near the spine and the black belly lining out. Mix with mashed spud, coat in bread crumbs and pan fry.

 

Hope this helps and sorry if I have repeated any previously posted advice

 

Now I am hungry.

 

I also deep freeze my Cod fillets asap, the taste is much better IMO than fresh.

 

Pollock can also be fried in batter the same as cod, the secret is the soaking overnight

 

Alan

[Bob on Stronsay]

Hello Vagabond. I would imagine most folk in Orkney and Shetland have Norwegian/Danish connections.

 

Stronsay is a lot closer to Norway than say Perth in Scotland, both in miles and culture.

 

If you see our islands you will understand they cannot support the populations (Pre welfare state) on what can be found during the winter. Most of their protien would need storing so with no freezers (Mains electric only got here in the 70's) the only option to keep fish would be salting and drying.

 

This was then taken up by the navy as a way of feeding the sailors and I bet you there are traditions of salt fish being loaded on ships when they came to Orkney to pick up crew for the likes of the Hudson Bay company. And this is how the West Indians found the stuff. Bet you there are also Canadians who do the same salt/drying process.

 

Yes you could sole your shoes with it. You could also use a piece to bang the nails in.

 

Going back to what a few locals have said Cod/Pollock/Coalfish are all considered "Wet" so a light salting over night may be the way to go with them.

 

Bob

[Quinny]

An old fisherman friend told me to eat fast fish as soon as possible, but to leave slower fish for a day or two before eating. Where do you think pollack comes into all this?

 

The pouting i had caught were in a bucket for a couple of hours after catching, i guess the guts etc. must have tainted the flesh.

 

I saw an old Rick Stein programme and he used pollack flesh to make a clarified fish stock, which he explained was quite a versatile base for a lot of recipes.

 

Quinny

[spanner]

Fish pie - similar to Alan but stick a few cloves in when you poach the fish......gives it that something extra.

[Alan Taylor]

Cheers spanner, never stop learning mate

 

Quinny welcome to AN by the way and as for your signature, there are 2 things guarenteed in this life, the other is taxes

[Vagabond]

Three, according to John Geirach.

 

"Death, taxes and leaky waders"

[Alan Taylor]

Bob on Stronsay, I think you would be very interested in reading a book called COD by Mark Kurlansky, it goes back many hundreds of years with the story of how Cod changed the world.

 

Dam good read.

 

Alan

[Gillies]

I'll second what Alan's saying, it is a fantastic read - there is so much in it, the history of Cod and its place in the world is amazing!

 

Recipes in it also! Though, I have not tried making the pate out of the bones yet

 

Gillies