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Food Thread: Whole Fish? Are You Mad?

I love the whole fish! Fried is my favorite, preferably in a good Southern restaurant. The last time I had whole fried fish I was in South Carolina, and it was so good I went back the next night and ordered the same dish. The Greeks do a great job of grilling them, and occasionally I see it in other places.

But it is one of the very large holes in my cooking technique, and I am not sure why. Certainly it is intimidating, but I can roast a huge chunk of beef or pork or lamb three sheets to the wind and with my eyes closed.

Obviously fish protein is more delicate than the land animals we eat, but it also needs high heat to get that lovely crispy skin. It's a dance, and I keep stepping on my partner's feet!

The prep is the easy part. I always start with an immaculate grill. Otherwise I might as well just shovel the fish into the oven, because it isn't coming off the grill in fewer than nine pieces, with a significant portion going to the grill gods. And I have good tools to flip the fish and take it off the grill when I am done, so I can't even blame that!

It's just...difficult! I'll keep practicing, and eventually I will nail it, get cocky, and ruin another couple of expensive whole fish before I wise up and return to the basics.

But that is half the fun of cooking!

So...what dishes do you fail at?

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The conceit and arrogance of the famous is most notable when they pontificate on topics about which they no nothing, or if they are lucky, very little. Here we have some 30-something twit, without any knowledge of history other than her Wikipedia searches, waxing nostalgic about Anthony Bourdain's rudeness and ignorance when confronted by a British chef toasting the queen.

You know...Anthony Bourdain...the suicidal junkie whose restaurant wasn't nearly as good as the hype, and who was a nasty piece of work when it came to Israel.

Why We Should All Be Like Anthony Bourdain Refusing to Toast the Queen [Don't bother to click on the link...you could write it in your sleep.]

So forgive me if I won't laud his impolite behavior and his stupidity about the British monarchy and the British empire.

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I know...I know...olive oil cake sounds weird. But it is great, and here is Chef John doing a simple version. If you like it, ask Bluebell for her recipe!

And speaking of weird cakes; does anyone like ricotta cheesecake besides me?

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There is a lot of end-of-summer corn available, and it is delicious! I guess the weather cooperated, because it isn't the typical late corn that is tough and not quite sweet. This stuff is tender and sweet and delicious.

And because I actually listened to one of you maniacs I use a very easy technique. I trim the ears, soak them in cold water, and then toss them onto a hot grill for a long time. They turn out fantastic! A bit charred, still tender, with the faintest hint of smoke from the burning husks.

Of course eating it straight off the cob is fun, but cutting the kernels off the cob is easy, especially if you do it this way...

I'm wearing gloves because damn! That corn is hot! Which is good because I add a little butter...no...wait...that's a lie. I add a lot of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, and I can eat it all day.

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I have no idea what I am doing. A glance at a bin of poblanos started the ball rolling, and knowing that I had some pulled pork in the freezer compounded the problem. And oh look! Cotija cheese in the back of the refrigerator!

Now what? I don't know...third base!

Or just stuff the poblano halves with some pulled pork, top them with the cheese and some red onion, and maybe a bit of ancho chile powder and some Mexican oregano, and see what happens.

Will it be great? I doubt it. Will it be tasty? Yes, I think so. And if it isn't I'll never admit it!

Update: I just ate one, and while it needs work, it was pretty damned good.

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What the hell is "Yapchik? Unfortunately the link doesn't really provide an answer, since the writer describes it both as Polish or Hungarian "Cholent," which is a sort of stew, but also as potato kugel with meat, which is rather different.

But I like the word...it amuses me...so I'll poke around and see if I can figure out what she is talking about.

Anyone ever hear of it? Anyone's grandmother make it?

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Just send me oysters. Lots of oysters, and I will provide special dispensation for those without taste who insist upon maple syrup with their French Toast. And pork rib roasts from the front end of the pig where all the good and fatty meat lives, carrots that don't taste like stalky chalk, spare bottles of Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Old Bourbon, an herb garden that actually produces herbs (but no basil!), well-marbled NY strip steaks and elk backstrap to: cbd dot aoshq at gmail dot com.

And don't think that the rest of you are off the hook with maple syrup and French Toast: I'm still watching you! And I am watching you perverts who shake Manhattans and keeping a list for the Burning Times.