Joy's Fish Fumet

Joy’s Fish Fumet with salmon Belly

I bought two huge heaps of salmon belly—it looked so delicious and fatty and frugal at the store. At home though, it looked like what it was: a mish mash mix of scales flaking off, snaky long pieces of skin, wedges of pearly blubber, and fins.

I betray myself for what I am: not a fishwife. I like fish, but I’m a novice, and my attempts at tugging and slicing the gorgeous deep-orange sushi-grade salmon belly off of the offal? Not successful. Stock to the rescue! Three cheers for any food that lets you throw alarming garbage in, and strain gorgeous nourishment out.

2 tbsp butter

2 lbs fish heads and bones

1 sliced unpeeled onion

1 large leek

1-2 garlic cloves

1 c. white wine

1 tsp lemon juice

Cold water to cover

Bouquet garni

Melt the butter in a stockpot, and cook the vegetables about 5 minutes on medium-low. Add the fish and cook until they begin to turn opaque, 5 more minutes. Don’t let anything brown. Add the liquid and bouquet garni and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, skimming often for 20-30 minutes. Strain and cool uncovered, then refridgerate covered.

Rating: A+. Ah... this is why I heart Joy. A warning though-- this made my house reeky for three days.

Salt Grilled Akule fish with Savory Cabbage

Two gorgeous whole hooked Akule were at our grocery store. Here we are living on an island and I almost never cook fish-- I just don't really know how! Plus their goggly eyes looking up at me through the saran wrap, it's almost too much. But these guys called my name. They're a small fish-- about 1/2 lbs each-- with nice white flesh.
We got them home and Matt cleaned them out for me and scraped off their scales(one of which I see lodged in my cookbook), and left the heads on . I patted them dry, rubbed them all over with red sea salt, and dredged them in flour. Then I heated about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a big skillet over medium high and threw the suckers in to brown. They cooked for about 6 minutes per side and got a nice golden crust on them.
Meanwhile I chopped up a quarter head each of green and purple cabbage, threw those in a little saute pan with 1 inch of chopped fresh ginger, about 3 tbsp mirin, and a tablespoon of hoisin sauce. I stirfried that for about 2 minutes-- until the cabbage is still crunchy but warmed through and the sauce is bubbling.
I served the fish whole on a bed of the cabbage. Yummmmmmy.