Fish is certainly a healthy and tasty food that should be included in any diet. One of the most common is haddock, also called donkey, which is found on the market both fresh and smoked. You can buy the latter in yellow (thanks to a dye) or natural, according to your preferences; the meat is similar to that of cod. There are few ways to cook it. You should calculate portions of 180-240g per person; ask the fishmonger to provide you with boneless fillets, so you will avoid nasty surprises.
- Preparation time: 5-10 minutes
- Cooking time: 10 minutes
- Total time: 15-20 minutes
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Boiled
Step 1. Fill a saucepan with milk
The size of the pan and the amount of milk depend on how much fish you have to cook at one time. The pot should be large enough to accommodate all the fillets and leave some space to insert the spatula, the milk should be enough to cover the fillets.
- Alternatively, use an equal parts mixture of cream and water.
- Do not use water alone, as it will disperse the flavor of the fish.
Step 2. Season with pepper
Grind it directly into milk to give the haddock a strong flavor. At this stage, if you wish, you can also add other spices such as bay leaf, onion, garlic, parsley or even dill.
Step 3. Heat the milk
Heat it while avoiding that it reaches a boil; if it starts to bubble, take it off the heat and wait for it to cool down a bit. When it's hot, reduce the heat to prevent it from boiling.
Step 4. Add the fish
Put the haddock in the milk which has almost reached a boil and arrange the fillets so that they are all well covered with milk.
Step 5. Cook the fish
Let it simmer for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Alternatively, the very small fillets can be cooked in hot milk without needing to remain on the stove. If so, remove the pan from the stove after adding the fish and put the lid on.
Step 6. Check for doneness
The haddock is ready when its flesh is completely opaque and flakes easily. If it still looks translucent or the bits don't come off with a light tap, cook it a little longer.
Remember to check the thickest part of the fillet. The small and thin ones cook faster than the others
Step 7. Serve the fish while it is still hot
Smoked and boiled haddock is a typical dish of English cuisine and is served with fresh bread and butter. The milk is drained and used as a sauce, while the bread absorbs the excess from the dish.
Haddock can also be chopped up and incorporated into other recipes such as a fish pie or kedgeree (a kind of salad with fish, eggs, boiled rice, curry and butter)
Method 2 of 4: Baked
Step 1. Preheat the oven
Turn it on and set it to 180 ° C.
Step 2. Place the fish on the parchment paper
You can use one large sheet for all fillets or decide to use one each. In any case, the piece of parchment paper must be about twice the size of the fillet in order to cover it.
Step 3. Season
Put a knob of butter on top of each fillet and then add all the flavors you love. You can use pepper, lemon juice, parsley, bay leaf, or chili powder. Most smoked haddock fillets are already salty, so avoid adding more salt.
Step 4. Fold the parchment paper over the fish
At this point, roll up the edges to seal the fillet well inside the foil.
You can also add vegetables to the package if you wish to increase the flavor, but remember that some tough vegetables have a significantly longer cooking time than fish, so they won't be good to eat unless you have them. precooked before adding them to the foil
Step 5. Bake the fish
The packets can be placed directly on the oven grill or placed on a baking sheet. The parchment paper is not very strong and it is recommended to place the packages on a baking sheet before placing them in the oven.
If you have prepared a single large foil for all the fillets, you should place it on a baking sheet to handle it more easily and to prevent the juices from dripping
Step 6. Cook the fish until ready
Leave the haddock fillets in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked. The meats are ready when they are completely opaque and flake easily. If they are still translucent or bites don't come off with a simple flick of the fork, wait a little longer.
Make sure you always check the thickest part of the fish, the thin and small ends cook faster
Step 7. Bring the fish to the table with side dishes
Serve it with at least two vegetable dishes or with one vegetable and one starch to create a healthy and balanced meal. If you want to respect the English tradition, accompany it with several slices of Pudding_salato black pudding.
Method 3 of 4: Pan-fried
Step 1. Heat the pan
Take a large one and heat it over medium-high heat; when it reaches the desired temperature, reduce the flame to prevent it from burning.
Step 2. Add oil
You can use any oil (or butter) you want, but olive oil is best for cooking fish. No need to measure it, just a splash in the pot is enough. Wait for it to warm up.
Step 3. Prepare the haddock
While the pan is heating up, prepare the fish. You can follow two methods: you can marinate it in oil or flour it. Either way, add flavorings like pepper, lemon juice, parsley, bay leaf, dill, or curry.
- Marinate the fish by greasing both sides with olive oil and then sprinkling it with herbs. Rub it in to completely cover it with the aromatic blend and let it sit for several minutes so that it absorbs the scents.
- Sprinkle the fillets with a mixture of flour and herbs. Shake them lightly to drop the excess flour.
Step 4. Put the fish in the pan
Lay it with the skin side down. Cook the fillets for about 8 minutes or until they start to become crisp and golden. Be careful not to burn the fish. Cook it over medium to medium-high heat to avoid charring it.
Step 5. Turn the fillets
Wait for the second side of the fish to cook for several minutes as well or until golden. If the pan feels particularly dry, you can add another knob of butter or a drop of oil when you turn the fillets.
The skinless side doesn't have to cook as much as the first, so check the process carefully
Step 6. Check the thread
When ready, the haddock becomes completely opaque and its meats flake off smoothly. If you notice that it is still translucent or the bits do not come off with a gentle flick of the fork, then wait a few more minutes.
Remember to check the thickest part of the fish, as the thin, fine ends cook faster
Step 7. Serve the haddock still warm
Make sure you bring it to the table immediately, before it cools down. You can sprinkle it with a little lemon juice or with a caper and lemon sauce. Accompany it with at least two vegetable side dishes or one of vegetables and one starchy for a healthy and balanced meal.
Method 4 of 4: In Mustard Sauce
Step 1. Prepare some potatoes
Cut some red potatoes (or whatever variety you prefer) into medium-sized pieces, then steam, boil or roast them until soft and finally divide them into several plates.
New potatoes and small varieties do not need to be cut
Step 2. Boil the smoked haddock
Read the first section of this article for all the details. Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the milk and place it on top of the potatoes.
Step 3. Drain the milk from the pot
Do not throw it away, but filter it to remove the pieces of fish and aromatic herbs.
Step 4. Melt two knobs of butter over high heat
Use the same pan in which you boiled the fish. Add a little flour (about as much as the butter), mix the mixture (roux) well and cook for 2-4 minutes.
Step 5. Add the filtered milk
Pour it slowly without stopping stirring. Continue adding the milk until the sauce reaches the density of your choice.
You can adjust the density of the sauce by adding milk or flour. Remember that the mixture will still thicken as it cools
Step 6. Add the mustard
Stir about a tablespoon of mustard into the sauce. At this point you can also add other spices to your taste such as tarragon.
Step 7. Pour the sauce over the fish fillets and potatoes
It should be hot and reheat both the haddock and the potatoes. Now the dish is complete and should be served immediately.
- If you are concerned that the potatoes and fish have become cold, you can add them to the pan with the hot sauce and heat them on the stove. Just be very careful not to damage the fillets (they will still be great, but the presentation will not be the best if you break them while heating them in the sauce).
- You can add fresh parsley as a garnish.
Step 8. Evaluate variants
You can add other vegetables to this recipe. For example, you can prepare a bed of spinach between the potatoes and fish or serve the haddock with peas (instead of potatoes).
