TWO THOUSAND | years ago, at the time of the Roman Empire, the Chinese were raising fish in ponds and tanks. They must be credited with the invention of the fish farm, a method of raising food that is now popular in our culture. The people of the Mediterra- nean also contributed a great deal to our knowledge of fish. The Greeks have always enjoyed fish — from the beginning of re- corded history. In ‘the. fourth century BC, Aristotle, the great Greek philos- opher, wrote exhaustive biological studies on fish that overshadowed any other work done’ on fish until the 16th or, 17th century. We have our Chinese and Greek ancestors to thank for the foltuw- ‘ing fish dishes. 1 think you will enjoy them. STEAMED FISH WITH SOYBEAN CONDIMENT '» AND BEAN CURD (serves 4 as part ; -of a Chinese meal) In this simple’ dish. the bean ‘curd picks up the wonderful fla- vors of fish, ginger and the soy- bean condimert. ‘Ya pound whitefish, boncless ‘fillet, cut inte thin slices (cod or sea bass will be fine) ‘1 cake bean curd, cut into 42-inch stices -° SAUCE." 1 clove garlic, crushed Ms teaspoca finely grated fresi ginger : 2 tablespoons peanut oil _A tablespooa light soy sauce - Pinch of sugar. . Pinch of MSG (optionai) 1 tablespoon soybean. condiment (‘mein see,” availabie in Oriental Taarkets) : GARNISH . ; : 3 green oniéns, Slivered Cut the bean curd and arrange on a large steaming plate. Arrange the fish on top of the o2an curd. Mix the sauce and pour over the- top. ‘Garnish with the green - onions” and place in a bamboo Steamer... : Steam for 20 minutes or to your taste. : BRAISED FISH ol MANN Oi Mann is.a wonderful restau- _Yant in the New Territories, on the mainiand just west of Hong Kong. Smith THE FRUGAL GOURMET The fish is arranged in tanks in front of long alleyways of res- taurants and peddlers. You pick out what you want and the owner carries it, live,:into his restaurant and prepares it for you. Y. pound whitefish fillets, boneless and cut square pieces FRYING BATTER lege 1 teaspoon baking powder ¥% cup cornstarch 4 cups peanut oil for deep-frying SAUCE 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1 large clove garlic, diced very fine V2 teaspoon fresh ginger, cut into fine julicnie twigs . 1 teaspoon soybean condiment (‘mein see’’) 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry Y% cup chicken soup stock, fresh or canned ’ Pinch of sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1% tablespoons water GARNISH Green onion, leaves, chopped Heat the oii for deep-frying in a wok to 360°F, Mix the egg with the baking powder and add the fish to the batter. Put the cornstarch on a plate and remove the fish pieces from sliced, or celery . the batter and dredge each in the cornstarch. Deep-fry. in two batches, until into 1-inich- Irene the fish is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Be sure to keep the oil up to temperature. Drain the fish pieces on paper towels. Heat another wok and add the tablespoon of fresh peanut oil. Chow (stir-fry) the garlic and ginger together for a moment, then add the soybean condiment. Chow for a moment and add the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Thicken wiih the corn- starch. Add the fish to the sauce and toss just until all is hot. Garnish and serve. HINT: if your deep-frying oil smells of fish, simply deep-fry a few slices of fresh ginger in the oil for a few minutes. You will be amazed at how the ginger will. clean the Mavor and odor of the oil. BAKED FISH ARCHESTRATUS (serves 4-5) Archestratus was a Greek from Syracuse who wrote one of the earliest known cookbooks. His recipe for baked fish gives the following advice: ‘‘Buy the best fish you can find, preferably from Byzantium. Sprinkle with marjoram. Wrap the fish in fig leaves and bake. Have slaves serve it on silver platters.”’ 1 pound whitefish 2 teaspoon marjoram Salt and peppe: Juice of 1 lemou 4 green onions, sliced the long way into 2-inch pieces 12 fig teaves or 1 small jar grape leaves, drained and rinsed 1 cup dry white wine Cut fish into 1-inch-square pieces, Sprinkle with marjoram, salt and pepper and lemon juice. Pour hot water over the fig leaves to soften, or rinse the canned grape leaves in cold water. Spread leaves out one by one. Place a piece of fish and a bit of green onion on a leaf and wrap it up, tucking in the sides as you roll. Place the rolls side by side on an oiled baking pan and pour the wine over all. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes, uncovered. VELVET PRAWNS (serves 3-4 as part of a Chinese meal) The process of ‘‘velveting’ a food is a Chinese invention of D Deceptively simple cheesecake, a ANNE |. GARDINER WILSON CHEESECAKES HAVE a ‘long association with Easter dinners. Paskha, a Russian Easter dessert made from pressed curd cheese, goes back to the early Russian Orthodox Church. © It’s not surprising’ that cakes made with cheese have remained real favorites! Their ultra-smooth texture is unique. And if you consider a list, of lavish desserts, cheesecake ranks among the easiest and quickest to make. ; Fans, of. baked cheesecake can usually be divided into two camps. Those like Sue, who make light, airy versions, separating eggs, ad- ding the yolks to creamed cheese | and ‘sugar,. folding in beaten whites, and topping with a layer, of sour cream ... And those who prefer the more solid variety. Anne’s favorite is a smooth, dense, New York-style cheesecake made from cream cheese beaten with sugar, whole eggs, sour cream and a splash of vanilla, The extra air added with whip- ped ingredients such as egg whites or heavy cream makes some cheesecakes lighter in texture, but not necessarily in calories. The higher the butterfat content of the cheese, the more dense and rich the cake will be. Calories are less abundant in recipes that call for ‘cottage cheese, buttermilk or yogurt. Though ‘some unusual . recipes call for Swiss or even blue cheese, unripened cheese is most com- monly used. Cream cheese, Neufchatel, NEWS photo Terry Pators A TRAY of rainbow trout await the cook’s inspiration. great importance. The flavor. of the food is preserved, the texture is enhanced by the process and the result will just blow your socks off!. Y% pound large -yrawns, 30-35 count per pound THE BATTER 2 egg whites 2 tablespoons cornstarch Ye teaspoon salt 4 cups peanut oi! for deep-frying Peel the shrimp, leaving the tail attached.” Cut the shrimp down the back side so they can be opened and ‘‘butterflied.”’ Mix well the ingredients for the batter. Marinate the prawns in this mixture, refrigerated, for 30°. minutes. ; Heat the oil to between 280°F and 300°F and deep-fry the shrimp. When the shrimp turn white’ and float, they are cooked. — Do not. overcook. them; they will not turn the least bit. brown at this temperature, be Drain well and serve. See Shrimp page So perfect Easter dessert ricotta, goat cheese and cottage - cheese are the favorites. The simplest way to be sure the filling is smooth is to warm these soft cheeses to room temperature, then beat until. they’re silky, be- fore adding other ingredients. Flavers ‘vary from simple vanilla, almond, grated lenion rind or liqueurs to lavish chaco- late concoctions’ and surprises such as pumpkin or cappuccino. Crusts may be dense pastry or made from ground nuts, cookie, or cracker crumbs combined with just enough melted butter or mar- garine to hold together: The combination of ingredients makes cheesecake much like custard, As it bakes, heat sets the pro-.: tein in.the eggs, holding liquid in- gredients in an invisible network. As in all egg cookery, ove cooking means toughened. protein squeezes out liquid . rather than holding it. A watery cheesecake with a wet crust has likely been overbaked. Overcooking is also one of the reasons why cheesecakes crack. It’s best to remove the. cake from the oven while it’s still soft in the centre. !t- will continue to cook as it cools. Cracking can also be reduced by running a knife around the sides of the cake as soon as it’s remov- ed from the oven so it can con- tract without being stuck to the pan. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at.least four hours. Let cheesecake stand. at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving; . flavors arg,;.more pro- _ nounced when it’s served cool, but not cold, ;