Edens
Sneldon

CUISINE SCENE

THE SAYING goes some-
thing like: “It’s like bringing
coals to Newcastle.”

Well, in this case, Newcastle
_ brought something to us. Coals? —
- no. A superb fishmonger of the best
. kind? — yes! And he is Robert
~. Waggott of Waggoit’s Fish Market
_ at Park Royal South’s Marketplace. °
- Trained in London, with stints in
. the Channel Islands, Bermuda, and
' our Maritimes — he finally settled
in Vancouver as executive chef at
- the Kettle Of Fish.
_On to joining Albion Fisheries
(they supply our very best restaurant
‘and hotels), and then the grand
“opening of Waggoit’s Seafood in
December ’92, Lucky for us on the

fo .. North Shore to have such a treasure.

Just walk into Waggott’s..No
fishy smell — ever!

“Immaculate surroundings, a gor-
“geous mountain of crushed ice at the
~entryway showcasing whatever is

‘freshest (and most exotic) at the

“moment, :
: I’ve seen skate wings, a gigantic

carp, barracuda and monkfish.
Something new all the time... :
~. You'll most likely be greeted by
Rob Noble. If there’s a friendlier
face, I haven’t seen it. Rob was the

sous chef at the Kettle Of Fish —so’. .

" you are guaranteed expert advice
_ whatever your question.

«Trust these guys. They know
; how to buy it, how to cook it, how to

store it at home and what to serve
* with it. Just ask. :
If you pop over r to Waggott’s

. now, you'll find fresh halibut °

“*. (through November), farmed

" salmon, the first'of the wild salmon,
ahi (yellowfin tuna), swordfish, and
local B.C. prawns in the shell.

’- Fresh scallops, hand- peeled
shrimp, and lots more. The freezer
case at the rear of the neat shop.
holds all kinds of treasures (1 found
those crayfish once for a New
Orleans dinner), and the shelves
hold chowder mixes, seasonings,
and “go withs” for seafood cookery
at home.

Waggott’s specializes in local

- fresh seafood, as well as fresh
imports from New Zealand, Eastern
‘Canada and Hawaii. Hence the fresh
finds such as orange roughy, moon-
fish, shark, ahi, and mahi-mahi.

L asked proprietor Waggott for a
few tips on bringing your fresh fish
purchase home. He offered the fol-
lowing guidelines:

Of course, same.day is best. Most

” customers buy fish to cook that
evening. -

If your fish has been placed into |
a plastic bag, open it up loosely
when you get home before refriger-
ating it. Hf left closed tightly, natural
enzymes in the fish form a natural
gas which creates that fishy odor (no
harm, but not very ple; easant).

Best to store shellfish in a shal-
low container with a cold, damp
towel over the top. They need oxy-
gen! Store up to two days.

Freezing defeats the point of buy-
ing fresh seafood. It breaks down the
fibres and texture of the fish, and the
result is deterioration. Home freez-
ers freeze so slowly, that they really
cannot do the job properly.

(Commercial freezers blast-
freeze properly, keeping the fish in
top-notch prime condition.)

Avoid acidic ingredients like
lemon juice and vinegar in your
marinades — they actually cook the
fish chemically (as in a Ceviche).
Add only at the final moment before
grilling, or after fish is cooked.

Don’t marinate fresh fish before
grilling for longer than 20 minutes
(never overnight!). Customers ask
why their fish turned mushy — this
is why.

I don’t know any nicer way of
cooking fresh seafood than over a
hat bed of coals.

Succulent flavor, charred outside
contrasting with the juicy flesh
inside, sizzling and waiting for a
slab of flavored butter to melt over
the top. Don’t overcook.

I’ve included recipes for some of
my own favorites for you to try —
savory butters, nice marinades and
Waggott’s own suggestion.

Sc — whether you catch it your-
self, are gifted by a fisherman
friend’s bounty or visit your local
fishmonger — do your next batch of
fish or seafood on the grill.

Herbed Butters
Keeping some. of these savory

. flavored butters on hand in the

refrigerator or freezer. makes. good
practice for summer grilling and
entertaining.

Simply slice off a big chunk

66 Avoid acidic
ingredients like lemon
juice and vinegar in
your marinades. 99

ra

(chilled or frozen), and place onto a
Sizzting piece of grilled fish or meat
— right off the barbecue. Here are
some of the most popular from my
Canada Cooks! Barbecue cookbook.

After preparation, form butter

. into a log shape about 14” (4 cm) in

diameter. Wrap in waxed paper,

‘twisting ends to seal.

Store them, tightly wrapped, for
one week in the refrigerator or
frozen, up to two months.

Lemon Butter

Delicious used to top a sizzling
piece of grilled fresh halibut or
salmon right off the grill, Good for
grilled corn too! Makes | cup (250
my

% Ib. (250 g) very fresh butter,

slightly softened
4 Tbsp. (50 mL) fresh lemon juice

Grated rind (yellow part only)

from 1 large lemon
2 Thsp. (30 mL) minced fresh

parsley —

Cream the softened butter in a
food processor. Add the lemon juice,
rind, and parsley. Process until light
and fluffy.

Ginger-Lime Butter
This favored butter is especially
nice used to top a sizzling piece of

- grilled salmon, monkfish or, yel-

lowfin tuna. Makes 1 cup (250 mL).

“% Wb. (250 g) very fresh butter,
slightly softened

2 Tbsp. 30 mL) minced or grated
fresh ginger

2 tsp. (10 mL) grated rind (green
part only) irom 1-2 limes
2 Thsp. (30 mL) fresh lime juice
1 small clove garlic, peeled and
pressed

3 Tbsp. (45 mL) minced fresh

cilantro or parsley
Freshly ground white peppercorns
Cream the softened butter in a
food processor. Add the ginger, lime
tind, juice, garlic and herbs. Process
until light and fluffy. Add ground
pepper to taste.

Rosemery-Orange Butter
Delicious used to top a sizzling
awordfish steak hot off the grill.
Nice over the accompanying grilled
squash, onions, or corn, too. Makes
1% cups (325 mL).
% bb. (250 g) very fresh butter,
slightly softened
% ec. ($0.mL) dried currants
(soaked in warm water 10 min-
utes, and drained
1 small clove garlic, peeled and
minced
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) fresh orange juice
Grated rind from 1 large orange
(orange part only)
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) minced fresh
rosemary leaves
1 Tbsp. (15 mL)
Sherry wine vinegar
Several shakes Tabasco sauce
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Cream the softened butter in a
food processor. Add the soaked cur-
rants, orange juice and rind, rose-
mary and vinegar. Process until light
and fluffy. Season to taste with
Tabasco and cayenne.

Waggott’s Favorite
Fish Marinade

Waggott shared his favorite fish.

marinade with me for this feature.
1 part light soy sauce’

3 parts olive oil

Grated fresh ginger (to taste)
Crushed fresh garlic (to taste)

. Balsamic vinegar (optional) added

right before grilling

Whisk ingredients together (dou-
bling or tripling recipe as needed).
Brush over fish steaks, and let stand
no more than 20 minutes before
grilling over hot coals.

: Teriyaki Marinade
A. quick 20 minutes in-this
Japanese-inspired marinade gives

fresh salmon filets (prawns, too!) a

delicious flavor. Try it with flank
steak, chicken and pork ribs as well.
Makes 14% cups (375 mL). Keeps
refrigerated for one week.

% ¢. (125 mL) soy sauce

% ec. (75 mL) peanut oil

¥% ce. (75 mL) Sherry

% ce. (60 mL) honey or maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed

2 Thsp. (30 mL) grated fresh gin-

ger
4c. (75 mL) thinly sliced scailions
Whisk all ingredients together in
a food processor until smooth and
emulsified. Store in tightly capped
glass jar until needed.

Martini Marinade

My amusing name for a very
good marinade using two classic
ingredients for a martini — gin and
vermouth.

Great with swordfish, tuna and
prawns — and nice for game birds
and pork as well. Makes 14 cups
(375 m.).
4¢. (125 mL) gin
4c. (50 mL) dry vermouth
4c. (75 mL) olive oii
12 juniper berries
2 bay leaves, crumbled
“” tsp. (2 mL) cracked black

peppercorns

COOKING IN TUSCANY
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NEWS photo Neil Lucente a a

ROBERT WAGGOTT (left): and Rob Noale. of Waggott Seafcod *-
at The Marketplace at Park Royal South display the first wild
salmon and fresh-cut halibut steaks of the season. Get. the ©.

coals going on the barbecue!

2 Tbsp. (30 mL) fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. (10 mL) finely grated lemon .

rind (yellow part only)

Whisk all ingredients together in
a food processor until smooth and
emulsified. Use as needed, marinat-
ing fish no longer than 20 minutes
before grilling.

Best-Ever Homemade
. Tartar Sauce

Not just for. fried fish ’n’ chips!
This delicious home-style tartar
sauce is great as an accompaniment
to grilled fresh halibut, salmon, or
fish and vegetable brochettes.

Kids love it as a topping for coal-

roasted new potatoes. Makes about -

1% cups (375 mL).
Light mayonnaise and sour
cream can be used.

EDGEMONT VILLAGE
Comer of Edgemont Blvd. + Queens

%c. (125 mL) mayonnaise .

4’c. (125 mL) sour cream *

%e. (75 mL) sweet pickle cli .
completely drained . :

1 Tbsp: (15-mL) tiny capers, a
drained 5

2 Tbsp. (30 mL) minced onion»

Several shakes Tabasco sauce.

% tsp. (1 mL) salt’ og

Ground black pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp. (15 mL) minced. fresh ao

parsley

-1tsp. 6 mL) fresh. lemon juice ;

Grated rind. (yellow part only)
from 1 Jemon ;
Pinch sugar and cayenne
Combine all ingredients. in a
small glass mixing bowl.
Whisk smooth. Cover tightly,
and“chill several hours’ or overnight
before serving. Serve chilled. i

983-9330