Chef recommends cold grated butter to enrich lean white fish

Ship’s head chef Indrek Tiisk told ERR’s Terevisioon that cold herb butter can add richness to relatively dry white fish. He grated the chilled butter into fishcake mixture and said delicate fish should not be overcooked or heavily seasoned.

For fried flounder, Tiisk used flounder fillets, fresh potatoes, spring onions and tomatoes. He said mild accompaniments work best because they do not overpower the fish. He seasoned the fillets with salt and pepper, then lightly coated them in a flour and breadcrumb mixture.

Tiisk advised against rubbing the coating into the fish, saying it would remove the seasoning. He cooked the fillets in a large amount of butter, which begins to brown at about 140 degrees Celsius and develops a mild nutty flavour.

When the fillet begins to curl slightly upwards, it can be checked and turned if necessary, Tiisk said. He recommended cooking it for a few minutes on each side and no longer.

For the side dish, he added boiled potatoes, chopped spring onions and broccolini to a second pan. He briefly blanched the broccolini in salted water and cooled it before adding it. A classic sauce made from sour cream, spring onions and dill can be served alongside, he said.

Tiisk also made fishcakes. Because white fish is generally low in fat, he prepares dill butter, keeps it chilled, grates it coarsely and mixes it into the fishcake mixture. He also added fried onion and a little sour cream. Lightly pickled red onion, he said, goes well with fish.

For a fish salad, Tiisk used cucumber, tomato and duck egg, mixing the ingredients with Greek yoghurt. Sour cream and mayonnaise may be too rich for delicate fish, he said.

The same dishes can also be made with pike, perch or bream.