halibut bones are the size of small daggers – definitely bigger than toothpicks. ellie and sayla got the boiled fish goodies that fell off the bones.
s+j came to visit so i prepared an iceberg wedge salad with homemade blue cheese dressing (bon appetit) and cioppino with homemade fish stock. i called gustavo at santa monica seafood to get some halibut bones but all he could offer me was 2.5 lbs of mixed halibut and salmon bones. no matter, stock turned out great. see?
doesn’t even need the bottle of clam juice i still have in my cupboard – would be a travesty to mix the two
perfectly crunchy bacon topping for iceberg wedge salad
i also learned how to crisp *absolutely perfect* bacon. and now i’ve done it 4 times in a row. forget air bacon and skillet bacon. these pieces are *awesome*.
Made it with Mitsuba today. Let’s see how it turns out…
Cuisine at Home Fish Stock
Makes 8-10 cups; Total time: 1 1/2 hours
3 lb. fish (equal portions of catfish with bones and tilapia fillets)
3 oz. carrots, peeled and chopped
3 oz. celery, chopped
1 leek top (green part only)
10 sprigs fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. white peppercorns
8-10 cups cold water
Place fish, carrots, celery, leek, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns in
a 6- to 8-qt. stockpot. Add cold water to cover contents of stockpot by 1 inch;
Simmer stock over medium heat 45 minutes to 1 hour. Skim off and discard
impurities that rise to the surface.
Using a fine mesh sieve, strain stock into a large bowl, discarding bones
and vegetables. In an ice bath, cool bowl of stock to below 40°. Cover
stock with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Before using stock, skim off and
discard layer of chilled fat.
bon appetit’s Wedge Salad
4 servings
Cut 4 oz. slab bacon into 1″-thick pieces
and cook in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often,
until crisp, 5–7 minutes; transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
Whisk 1/2 finely chopped small shallot, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup
buttermilk, 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives, and 1 Tbsp. white wine
vinegar in a small bowl; fold in 1/2 cup crumbled mild blue cheese.
Adjust consistency with sour cream or buttermilk, if needed. Season
dressing generously with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper,
and more vinegar, if needed. Cut 1 small head of iceberg lettuce
into 4 wedges; place on plates and spoon dressing over. Top with
bacon, 1/4 thinly sliced small red onion, and more crumbled blue
cheese and chopped chives. 1. Croutons Truth: Croutons are never a
bad idea. Toss torn bread with olive oil and bake at 375° until
golden. 2. Dried Cranberries We love the tart, chewy fruit against
the snappy lettuce. 3. Diced Avocado A little fatty richness and
pretty color make it a winning addition. 4. Fresh Tarragon This
herb’s delicate anise flavor complements almost any green salad. 5.
Spanish Chorizo Cut into pieces and used in place of bacon, it
brings a smoky spiciness into the mix. 6. Egg Mimosa Push
hard-boiled eggs through a mesh sieve for a fluffy texture. 7.
Toasted Almonds Chopped nuts deliver crunch—and are so good with
blue cheese. 8. Fried Shallots Thinly sliced and cooked in neutral
oil until crisp, they add a sweet, oniony flavor and great texture.
9. Sliced Scallion Mirrors the bite of the chives in the
dressing—but sharper.