Cooking Bonito at home : PART II

Clean and Healthy Cooking

First of all, when I started writing this blog, my intention was only to share simple and delicious food recipes which I cook myself as real time as the posting dates. So far, I am very pleased to see that the reviews increased very fast, I should thank you for this.

Anyway, I was going to write about the grilled sirolin beef tonight, but tonight's menu at my home was Bonito in the oven, so I changed the subject. Although it is the Bonito season in Istanbul right now, due to the bad weather conditions up in the BlackSea, fishermen cant sail, thus the price of Bonito went up to 22,50 Liras from 15 Liras per one, at the supermarkets. What can I say, fresh fish still temps me at this time of the year...Simple, delicious, and very fresh.

For the main course: For Two                                

2 Bonito Fillets (De-boned)                                    
Extra virgin olive oil                                                
Small size onion
4 - 5 cloves of garlic
Green peppers (Not hot/spicy)
Salt&Pepper
1 lemon
Cooking Paper or Aluminium Foil
1 Tomato

For "Silenzio Salad": For Two

1 Large Carrot

1 Large Tomato

1-2 cloves of Garlic

Parsley

Green Calamata Olives

Red Grapes

Extra Virgin OliveOil

Balsamic Sauce

Lemon Slices

Salt & Pepper

Recommended Wine:

SAVA Merlot / Rose 2011 Denizli / Turkey

Recommended Extra Virgin Olive Oil:

KILYE 

Stone Mill, Eceabat, Canakkale / Turkey

Setting everything on the tray 

Take a good portion of cooking paper and lay it over your tray topped with smeared olive oil on top. Then place your bonito fillets with skinned sides facing down. Chop your onions as large rings, then chop the garlic in the same way. Cut one tomato into four pieces, and place them on the fillets along with green peppers. Spread some olive oil, add salt and pepper, slice a couple of lemon rings on them.

Heat your oven up to 160 - 170 Celsius degrees with Fan on...

Then place your tray in the oven, and cook for about 20 - 30 minutes, with keeping an eye on them.

When they turn a little crispy and brown, you are all set to take it out of the oven and serve it on a plate.

Making the "Silenzio Salad"

Actually it couldn't have been easier...just take your carrots, tomatoes, garlic and parsley, then start copping them nicely. Put them in a bowl, and add a bunch of red grapes, calamata green olives, some balsamic sauce, salt and pepper then decorate it with a couple of slices of lemon. You can also add some crushed walnuts as well...tastes better.

Don't forget...simple life, simple food, simple love.

Enjoy :)

Cooking Bonito (Palamut) fish at home...,When its simple, then its delicious.

Fish season is opened, long live Bonito !

Cooking among men are becoming very trendy these days and supposedly it is perceived as very "sexy" by most of the ladies. I have been enjoying all kinds of cooking since ten years now, and experimenting new recipes from different kitchen cultures including Turkish, Italian and some of my own treats me during my utmost stressed times. Not only cooking but, I enjoy very much eating as well. Fishing season has just begun in Turkey so, most of the fish are very fresh and tasty.

One of my favorite fish is Bonito, or so called "Palamut" in Turkish and it can be cooked in many different forms. Grilled fillet, deep fried medallions (takoz - Turkish), stew (bugulama -Turkish), or baked in oven.

Bonito Fish or "Palamut" in Turkish

Today I chose to cook them on diecast pan over the stove. After having them professionally cleaned, had them cut as fillets.However, I further cut them into two pieces because my diecast pan is rather a small one.

Bonito Fillets

Just simply season them with sea salt, and a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and let them rest for about five to ten minutes so that they can suck up the salt and olive oil. In addition, if you like herbs, you can also add some black pepper and oregano as well. I like to taste the fish, so I only use salt and olive oil.

While your fish are marinating, put your diecast pan on the stove, spread a little olive oil on it and let it heat up for that ten minutes with medium heat. Once you start seeing a slight smoke coming out of your pan, you are all set to go. Be careful when placing your fish on the pan, because the oil is hot, you can easily burn your fingers. Gently, place your fish and do not turn them for five minutes.Which side to start with? No difference, but I normally start with the skinned side, so that when its crispy and cooked, it is easier to turn it with tongs.

Diecast pan with Bonito medallions

What is good with it?

Mixed green salad with French onion, corn and dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt is Bonito's second best friend. Very easy to do, in fact you can have it in five minutes while your Bonitos are being cooked. Take a good size of lettuce, and fresh basil and use your hands to chop them off. Yes, you heard me right....Do not use knives when chopping greens. Simple tear them off into pieces. Now you are set to go cutting French onion. When finished with all chopping and tearing apart, just put everything in a nice salad bowl and add good portion of extra virgin olive oil, squeeze one medium size lemon, add some sea salt. Finally a can of corns to finish the final touch....

Lettuce, French Onion, Fresh Basil, Corn with simple Olive oil and lemon dressing

What is event better with it?

Yes, you are right...a glass of Raki, but for those who doesn't know what Turkish Raki is, let me give you a little explanation. I will let the Wikipedia do the work for me : Raki (Turkish: rakı,^[1] Ottoman Turkish: راقى, pronounced [ɾaˈkɯ]) is a Turkish unsweetened, anise-flavored hard alcoholic drink that is popular in Turkey and in the Balkan countries as an apéritif. It is often served with seafood or Turkish meze. It is similar to several other alcoholic beverages available around the Mediterranean, Albanian regions and the Middle East, e.g. pastis, ouzo, sambuca, arak, and aguardiente. It is considered as the nationalalcoholic beverage of Turkey.^[2] 

Should you wish to learn more about Raki here is the link for you:

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raki)

Soon, I will write an entire page on Raki, its do's and dont's....

Don't forget....simpler it gets, tastier the food gets. So, dont try to go over your head trying to discover America again. Just keep it simple, believe me, people will love your food.

Enjoy your Palamut... Serefe ("Cheers" in Turkish)