I don’t recall fish ever being served with skin on when I was growing up. Back then, filleting meant skinning fish too. How times have changed!
When cooked correctly, fish skin gets a delicious crackle adding great texture to soft flaky fillets. Its flavour is gentle yet intense.
Here, the fish ‘crackle’ is a tasty textural contrast to a spicy Thai-style salad.
SERVES 2
CRISPY SKIN
FRESH FISH SKIN
GHEE (CLARIFIED BUTTER)
SALAD
200 GR HOT SMOKED FISH, FLAKED
3 GOLDEN SHALLOTS, PEELED AND SLICED
3 CHILLIES, RED, YELLOW AND GREEN, SLICED
4 KAFFIR LIME LEAVES, FINELY SLICED
FINELY GRATED RIND FROM ½ LIME
2 TBSP CHOPPED CORIANDER STEMS
1 PINK GRAPEFRUIT, PEELED AND SEGMENTED
2 TSP FISH SAUCE
PINCH WHITE PEPPER
Gently combine the first 6 salad ingredients. Set aside.
Segment grapefruit and set aside. While segmenting, catch juices from grapefruit in a small bowl and swirl in fish sauce and pepper. Set aside.
Cut skin into strips or triangle shapes. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan and add skin pieces. Cook for 2 mins each side and remove. Drain skin crackling on paper towels.
Gently mix grapefruit into salad. Drizzle with grapefruit juice dressing.
Arrange fish skin crackling on top of salad, and serve immediately.
*Note: Ghee can be substituted with coconut oil.
By Sally Jenyns
