Swordfish, how to buy, store, cook and enjoy it.Written by Ruth Polak
Swordfish belongs to group of fish that have recently become more appreciated for their contribution of omega-3 essential oils to diet. These fats, which have to be provided by diet, have now been shown to have a host of health giving benefits including combatting rheumatoid arthritis, heart attacks, high blood pressure, clogged arteries, psoriasis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, multilple sclerosis and even mirgraine headaches. Doctors and nutritionists now recommend three portions of fatty fish per week to get full health giving benefits. Other fish which are also beneficial include, tuna, salmon, mackeral, sardines and boquerones. Swordfish is found in both Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea and forms quite a large part of Mediterranean Diet, which is said to be so healthful.Swordfish- Buying and Storing. When buying swordfish pick fish that is a white to pinkish-beige, if it is tinged with brown it is a sign of an off flavour.Swordfish does have a dark meat, along with white, but this should be cherry red not brown. As with all fish it is best eaten on day of purchase but if you need to store it then first wash and pat it dry before placing on a cake rack over a shallow pan filled with crushed ice and refrigerate. All fish deteriorates if allowed to sit in its' own juice.It will store well like this for up tp 2 days. Swordfish can be frozen for up to 2 months but be sure to defrost slowly and thoroughly before cooking. Swordfish- Preparation and Cooking. The secret to successful swordfish cookery is not to overcook it.Whichever cooking method you use your swordfish will be cooked when its flesh becomes opaque yet is still moist on inside. It is best to cook skinless fillets, steaks or chunks as skin is tough and strong tasting.
| | How to Cook A LobsterWritten by Michael Sheridan
French chefs plunge them into boiling water; English ones, in an attempt to appear more humane, drive kitchen knives through their skulls before doing same thing.No wonder miserable creatures go red. They’re mad as hell. What a way to treat king of crustaceans. Let’s make a pact. From now on let’s treat lobster with respect (and humanity) it deserves. Here’s how: Use a pan deep enough to hold 6 liters of salted water to which you have added some shredded onion, a garlic clove or two and a bay leaf. Purists who live by sea also like to add a pint of seawater. People like me, who’ve seen what gets washed up as a result of coastal run-off, don’t. Put a trivet or round roasting rack in bottom of pan, on which you will place lobster. You do this so that it is not touching bottom of pan and will not be burnt as metal heats up. Does this improve flavor? No, it’s purely for comfort of lobster. So, this is what you have – a pan of cold brine, seasoned, in which a lobster sits on a trivet as happy as a sand boy. How do I know this? Because lobsters have two states of being – they’re either happy or they’re dead. Now, using a gentle heat, gradually raise temperature of water to around 90°F, at which point lobster will be fast asleep and sweetly dreaming. It will never wake up.
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