Hi All,
This thread seem to have have developed somewhat. Is it about cooking fish or is it about browning or is it about both?
First, browning - browning is a PROCESS which, when applied to meat. fish, poultry, game and bread, results in the MAILLARD reaction. This is a reaction between the natural sugars present and the proteins, which on the addition of heat result in a browned exterior.
This result may be achieved by:
- sautéeing at high heat - e.g. browning chicken for Chicken Marengo or a Venison Braise;
- grilling or broiling - e.g., cooking a Dover Sole;
- deep fat frying - e.g., dipping whitebait in flour and frying;
- roasting - e.g., roasting a forerib of beef;
- searing a joint - e.g., leg of lamb prior to raosting or slow roasting;
- stir-fry - e.g., beef with asparagus, ginger and spring onion.
If, after browning, liquid is added, as is the case in Boeuf Bourguinonne, the "crust" achieved in browning dissolves over time to colour and/or thicken the dish.
Now, one final way of achiveing a dish that is in appearance is brown is by "red cooking", ie., cooking in soy sauce.
The original question was about cooking fish in the oven and achieving a "browned" result at the end of the cooking process.The muscle fibres of fish are very short and cook very quickly in comparison with those of all but the most tender of cuts of meat, e.g., filet mignon, fillet steak. In addition, there is vey little connective tissue in fish, unlike most meat cuts, which means that the fish will fall apart/dry out very quickly if overcooked. Consequently individual portions of fish should be browned, quickly using the skin as the medium/vehicle/part which is to be browned by pan frying before finishing either in the oven or on a reduced heat if using the top of the stove/cooker.
I think we need to know more about what DISH Cookee is trying to create. I appreciate that Cookee has mentioned specific weights/sizes etc., but if I go back to the previous page I`ll lose all that I`ve written thus far - I know this because I`ve done it twice already. It is possible that the recipe that Cookee is trying to make would be improved if it was not browned but finsihed with brown butter/beuree noisette just before serving.
OK, I appreciate that I`ve probably not answered anyone`s question(s) but I would like to hear from Cookee again regarding what dish are you wanting to make - is it for a commercial kitchen or a domestic situation. There is a bit of me that says the answer is much more simple than the original question.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Archiduc