Pollock recipes, anyone?

Cafe Society
1

No, not THAT Pollock, ya smartass. :stuck_out_tongue:

It’s on sale cheap around here and gramma’s having a heckuva time cooking it. It’s not walleye or sunfish and her normal cooking method (coating in seasoned flour and frying in oil) is producing less-than-stellar results - it keeps breaking up into little pieces. She didn’t like the baked version, either, but I’m not sure why - I thought it was fine. I did a little net searching and found a bunch of recipes for soups and stews but she really wants something that at least sort of resembles her regular fried fish.

One more caveat - these are meat and potatoes type people, folks. Anything too much more adventurous than salt and pepper will make them fall over.

Anyone have any ideas?

2

Is this Alaska pollock or Atlantic pollock? Two different fish. From your location, I assume the latter.

As you’ve found, pollock can be pretty flaky, and if you haven’t eaten much of it yet, be advised that it’s pretty mild no matter what you do with it. Indeed, I consider it a borderline boring whitefish along the lines of cod. If you’re going to bread and fry, it’ll work better to deep-fry rather than pan-fry, as the batter will help to keep it together (just lower the pieces into the oil carefully with a spider rather than holding by one end with fingertips and dropping).

My recommendation: I’d broil it. Minimizing futzing with the fillet will reduce breakage, and a very light treatment with olive oil, salt, and pepper won’t overwhelm the flesh. I’d serve it with an equally mild sauce accompaniment: say, a lightly flavored bechamel, either cheese (gruyere, I’d think) or dijon mustard, maybe with some dill.

You could also try making a chowder or a bisque with chunks of pollock mixed in. The mild flesh will pick up the flavor of the surrounding liquid.

Alternatively, a flaky whitefish like this makes an excellent filling for fish tacos, which are one of my favorite whip-it-up-quick meal options because they’re easy to make and very tasty. Obtain the following (quantities will vary depending on how many servings you need):
[ul][li]flour tortillas[]shredded cabbage[]shredded cheese, taco blend (pre-made example, or grate your own)[]a couple of fish fillets[]good tartar sauce**[]cayenne (or chipotle, your preference)[]cumin[]plum tomatoes, dicedlime[/ul][/li]Fry the fish in a small amount of oil and break it up in the pan as it cooks. Season with salt, cayenne, and a dash of cumin. After a few minutes, when fish is roughly crumbled and maybe thirty seconds from being done, squeeze some lime juice over it. Taste and season again as desired.

Assemble: down the center of a tortilla, spread a bit of tartar sauce; top with shredded cabbage; follow with the fish; then the tomato; finish with a sprinkling of cheese. Fold in half, then roll tightly; and enjoy.
*The similarly bland tilapia works well too.

**I prefer this, but any quality brand will do as long as you stir in some heat.

3

Sorry, I meant to comment on the meat-and-potatoes thing: I’m offering the fish tacos as an idea because the familiarity of both the fish and the taco might be enough to overcome the newness of the ingredients’ arrangement. If not, stick to what I started with: deep-fry instead of pan-fry, or broil.

4

  1. Cervaise, you rock.

  2. My grandmother never ceases to amaze me.

I just called her and told her about your suggestions and she’s all over the fish tacos.

I fell off my chair.

She’s going to do half-and-half - half tacos and half something else, since she thinks there’s no way grampa will ever go for 'em. If he wants to try them I do believe I will fall off my chair AND have a heart attack.

5

Hmph…fine! See if I share my mother’s Paczki recipe with you, then!

Mmmm…Paczki…

6

Excellent, I’m glad the suggestions seem to be working out.

Couple of additional tips: Make sure the cabbage is pretty finely shredded (a premade bag for coleslaw works nicely if you don’t feel like cutting up a head); and go easy on the cheese, more like a flavor accent than a drippy-melty Taco Bell type application.

Let us know how it goes. :slight_smile:

7

So, you take a bunch of cans of paint and basically just go nuts.

8

If it’s not too late, if you haven’t cooked already, I completely forgot to mention the aromatics. They’re automatic with me; I put 'em in stuff automatically so I didn’t think to include them in the recipe. Sorry 'bout that. They’ll really make a difference in this.

Okay, so: Before cooking the fish, sweat some finely diced onion in a small amount of oil with a dash of salt over low heat. After they’re translucent (5 min), add a minced clove of garlic and continue cooking another couple of minutes. Then increase heat to medium and add the fish, and proceed as above.

9

I’m not actually typing this now. See, I’ve not only fallen off my chair and had a heart attack, I’ve stroked out. Grampa not only tried it - he LIKED it. The end times are near. The rest of us did, too, but I’m not surprised about that.

Great idea, Cervaise, thanks. :slight_smile:

10

Fantastic. Considering the impression you’ve given in other threads of your grandparents as cool people, I’m pleased to have been able to help feed them a tasty meal. :slight_smile:

(Of course, you’ll know the recipe is a real winner if your grandmother makes it a second time. ;))

11

For the dough:
1 pint sour cream
5 cups flour
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons olive oil

For the filling:
1/2 pound ground beef
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound soft farmers cheese
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 whole egg

To finish:
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup sour cream

For the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, flour, butter, 2 whole eggs, egg yolk, 2 teaspoons salt and olive oil. Knead the mixture into a soft dough. Divide the dough in half and cover for 10 minutes. On a floured surface, roll each half of the dough into a thin circle, 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough using a 3-inch circle cutter. For the filling: Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a saute pan, render the ground beef for 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper-lined plate. In a mixing bowl, combine the cheese, ground beef, shallots, garlic, green onion and egg. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each circle of dough and fold over. Press and seal into half-moon shapes. Use a little water to seal the pierogi’s. In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pierogi for 8 minutes, or until they float. Remove from the water and drain. In a saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Sear the pierogi for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown. Remove from the pan. The pierogi will need to be sauteed in batches. Arrange the pierogi’s on a platter. Garnish with parsley and serve with sour cream.

What?!?!

In my 29 years, I’ve never heard an actual non-historical example of anti-Polish sentiment or heard anyone of Polish descent called a polack. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered the word outside of old jokes, All in the Family, and A Streetcar Named Desire. In kindergarten, I heard kids tell “polack jokes,” but I don’t think any of us could have told you what the word meant. I found out as soon as I told one to my mother, and I never told another one. Until this post. Because I don’t believe polack is in current usage as an ethnic slur, I don’t believe anyone will be offended by my pun on pollock/polack. If I am wrong, I sincerely apologize. Please let me know if this is the case.