the art of cooking fish

There must be a section in L'Escoffier's book or an anecdote by M.F.K. Fisher in one of her many memoirs. Maybe it's just common sense but I've never had much talent when it comes to preparing fish. Unless I drench it in beurre blanc or steam it on a bed of carrots and celery with plenty of liquid, the fish turns out dry, undercooked, and/or flavorless. Last night's dinner was no exception. A simple seasoning of salt and pepper with a touch of olive oil and pan seared for about an hour and 30 minutes resulted in a tough, tasteless salmon. Unfortunately, the mistake didn't stop there. The goop in the ramekin is mashed root vegetables - yam, sweet potato, and turnip. Turnip has a mealy watery texture when boiled and smashed; so that's all I tasted. Plus the two pounds of butter. What was I thinking? The green beans were semi-decent, blanched and tossed in a balsamic vinegar reduction, but hardly enough to redeem myself. Quite an unappetizing dinner and I thank Chu for humoring me by saying it was good as she picked away at her plate. Better luck tomorrow.