Sandra's Whole Poached Fish

Ingredients

• 1.whole fish, cleaned; seasoned with salt and black pepper
• 2.fish stock, strong; made as for gefilte fish — do not use sugar; use a heaped teaspoon of fish seasoning; enriched with a riesling-type wine after straining
• 3.salt and black pepper, to season fish
• 4.parsley, lots; added to stock
• 5.riesling wine, sweetish; to enrich the strained stock
• 6.mayonnaise, for serving bed and coating

Method

1. 1.Make a strong fish stock as for gefilte fish. Do not use any sugar but do use a heaped teaspoon of fish seasoning. Strain and enrich with a riesling-type wine — the wine is sweetish so there is no sugar in the stock.
2. 2.Lay a large, clean serviette or dish cloth on the rack of a roasting pan.
3. 3.Season cleaned fish with salt and black pepper. Place fish on the serviette.
4. 4.Pour in stock to ¾ way up fish. Add lots of parsley to the stock. Do not use bayleaves and do not use celery.
5. 5.Cover and cook, basting often. When fish is done, turn upside down — use the serviette to help. Fish must cool in the stock.
6. 6.Skin the cooled fish. Choose the platter you are to serve from. Lay down a bed of mayonnaise. Put fish on this bed. Coat top of fish with mayonnaise and decorate as desired.

Notes

• GUIDE FOR POACHING TIME: Measure thickest part of fish. Cook 10 minutes for each inch and 10 minutes over. (1 inch = 2.5 cm.) Prick with skewer — no pink juices should run out.
• The serviette (cloth) technique allows you to turn and lift the delicate whole fish without it breaking.
• No bayleaves and no celery in this stock — contrast with other poached fish recipes in this collection.
• Riesling-type wine sweetens the stock naturally without sugar.