Grilling is the cooking of fish under direct heat with the aid of fat or oil to prevent sticking or burning. When cooked grilled fish should be served with a garnish of lemon wedges, parsley butter and picked parsley. Examples of types and cuts of fish suitable for grilling are:
(a) small whole fish such as Dover sole, lemon sole, trout and whiting;
(b) cuts of small fish such as fillets of sole, fillets of plaice and fillets of whiting;
(c) cuts of large fish such as halibut steaks, salmon steaks, cod steaks and suprêmes of haddock.
All fish to be grilled must be thoroughly dried and are generally passed through seasoned flour at the last possible moment. All surplus flour should be shaken free from the fish before cooking. Fish may also be coated in breadcrumbs and grilled in butter to give the Saint-Germain dishes.
Makes: 10 portions. Cooking time: 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients:
— 10 x 250 grams skinned Dover soles
— 250 grams seasoned flour
— 3 dl oil
— 3 lemons
— 100 grams parsley butter
— sprigs of parsley
Method:
(1) Pass the fish through seasoned flour and shake off any surplus.
(2) Pass the fish through the oil or brush it over its surface.
(3) Place the fish on a lightly oiled grilling tray or on a hinged fish grill.
(4) Grill the fish until cooked (see Note (3) below).
(5) When cooked, dress on service dishes following the shape of the dish where possible.
(6) Place a slice of lemon on each portion of fish, one slice of parsley butter and some picked parsley. (Alternatively, the fish may be brushed with melted butter just before serving and garnished with lemon and picked parsley, with the parsley butter served separately in a sauceboat.)
Notes:
(1) The presentation side of the fish should be placed facing downwards on the grilling tray so that when turned to cook the other side it is then the right side up for serving.
(2) For large or thick pieces of fish, after the initial colouring under the salamander, cooking may be completed in an oven. This method prevents the fish drying out during cooking and is used where large numbers are being catered for.
(3) When cooked:
(a) fillets of sole and plaice and suprêmes of larger fish should be firm to the touch;
(b) the centre bone should come away easily from tronçons and darnes;
(c) the centre bone just below the head of a whole sole should be easily felt through the flesh;
(d) the backbone of trout, herrings and other similar types of fish should be easily felt through the flesh.
(4) To simulate grill markings the fish should be passed through seasoned flour and shaken to remove any surplus and a trellis pattern marked with a red hot poker.
(5) Flat fish such as Dover sole are skinned prior to cooking, though other cuts such as suprêmes of cod or herring would not be.