Baked Egg Fish???

Nature Boy · February 2000

There is a recipe in my "Complete Book of Spices" that sounds great, and I wondered if y'all might have some tips on how to adapt it to the egg. The dish is "Monkfish Baked in Coconut Milk". It consists of shallots, garlic and ginger, along with cumin, chili powder, coriander, galangal and lemongrass. Rub the fish with dry spices, place half of wet spices on bottom of "ovenproof dish, lay on fish, lay on other half of wet ingredients. Dump coconut milk over everything, and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.[p]So is it eggable??? If so, what type of dish should I use??[p]TIA
Nature Boy

Gretl · February 2000

Nature Boy,
I'd guess pyrex, but I've never tried it in the Egg. Shouldn't hurt, and as long as you keep it near the recommended temperature and you protected the pan from the direct heat so as to prevent burning the bottom, it should be excellent. I've never tried monkfish, but I hear its texture is similar to that of lobster. Try it out and let us know!
Cheers,
Gretl

Mike Oelrich · February 2000

Gretl,[p] Definitely be careful with the Pyrex if you try it. Though most of my problems have been with *cooling* Pyrex too fast, it has been known to explode if exposed to a direct flame when cold. Since the recipe calls for the fish to be baked, I'd set the pan on top of a spacer on firebricks. Going indirect will keep your Pyrex safe. Another thing I've seen with Pyrex is that it will get "smoked" and be pretty hard to clean. I'd try a clay pan of some kind. There is a place in NY that purports to sell what looks like the perect stuff for BGE baking, but my e-mail queries have never been returned. Check out the link below. Maybe they deserve a phone call.[p] Now for a completely different idea: Since I picked a few things up in Hawaii when I lived there, and since I've been doing a bit of research into how to do a clambake on the BGE and it occurs to me you might be able to try something similar here. If you could find seaweed, or some other suitable form of vegetation (seaweed, corn husks?, ti leaves?), you could place the fish on a bed of moist plant life, put the ingredients on, then cover with the remaining plant life. Of course, you wouldn't get browning on top this way, but it would sure look cool! If I could only find a place around here to get fresh seaweed, (I think I can get my hands on decent chix and clams) I'd go for it with the clambake. That'd be something different for the Eggfest![p]MikeO
[ul][li]Batman's Butler's Bakeware?[/ul]

Gretl · February 2000

MikeO,
Yes, I thought I cautioned about not using direct heat in my reply to NB but maybe I didn't. As I said, I hadn't tried Pyrex and you're right about the warning. The Batman's Butler's Bakeware looks just wonderful; there's some very enticing stuff like the lasaga pan. Oh, dear. Should I spend more money?? I do have an 8 or 9-inch round ceramic BGE baking dish, but I've only used it once for bread. It's glazed green outside and unglazed inside. It wouldn't be big enough for the fish.[p]Could a clambake be done in a large cast iron kettle or dutch oven? NB had sort of mulled this around awhile back. I don't have a big enough dutch oven for a serious clambake, unfortunately. Fresh seaweed's not easy to come by in central Pennsylvania; I'm lucky to find toasted sushi nori in the international groceries! [p]Cheers,
Gretl

Mike Oelrich · February 2000

Gretl,[p] Yes, you did warn about the Pyrex. My reply was supposed to be to NB's original message and agree with you. But alas, I wasn't paying attention . . .[p]MikeO

BBQfan1 · February 2000

Nature Boy,
I'm just sneaking a peek at forum from work, so I didn't get a chance to check out link to the other bakeware recommended in other posts; but I would picture this dish working well in one of those East Indian tandoori cookers. I'm quite certain they're made to withstand the type and kind of wood/charcoal flame you'd be using.

Nature Boy · February 2000

<p />MikeO,
Thanks. I would definitely go indirect if I do it. Maybe I could wrap the bottom and sides in foil. I will check out the link you posted, it would be nice to have a set of eggable bakeware. Here is a shot of the claypot I use when I do Vietnamese Caramel Hot Pot Fish. Seems to work well, but works better with chunks than filets.[p]The seaweed thing sounds very interesting. Have you been to the huge Korean market right near you at Fairfax circle?? It is called Lotte. They have a whole isle of dried seeweed products, but don't know if they have fresh. I wouldn't be suprised if they did. That place is amazing. They have 2 or 3 full isles of differnt sauces. Everything you can imagine from seasoned soy sauces to bulgoki sauces to every type of oil and vinegar you can imagine.[p]That is where I just returned from with a monkfish in hand! Maybe I will chunk it, and try it in the clay pot. Grocery stores sell monkfish for $8.99/lb. I picked up 2 pounds for 8 bucks at Lotte.[p]So, thanks for the tips, I will let you know what happens![p]NB

sprinter · February 2000

Nature Boy,[p]I have 4 Pampered Chef bread loaf pans, about 4x9 or so, they've been in the egg before and they work great, be sure to use indirect to protect the bottoms. I'm not a salesman for Pampered Chef by any means or have any affiliation, but do love their cookware. I could see this fish recipe working well in one of their stoneware pieces. They have a dutch oven, small and large sizes, that would be perfect for this. Not that it will help you with this meal but if you know of anyone who sells the stuff its worth it to take a look. Not sure of the website, try a search, I think it may be just pamperedchef.com, dont quote me on that though. Let me know how this turns out, I'm looking to try some fish on the grill but have not gotten around to it yet. [p]Troy

sprinter · February 2000

Gretl,[p]I would venture a guess that anything green floating on the water in Central PA should be avoided like the plague. Heck, it may BE the plague.[p]Not bashing PA at all, here in Southern IL there are one eyed ducks and two headed cows from all of the pesticides that they spray on the fields. [p]Troy

Nature Boy · February 2000

sprinter,
Thanks. Found their website, but could not find an online catalog. Probably right in front of my face. I will check back there later.[p]NB

RhumAndJerk · February 2000

Nature Boy,
I actually own a clay pot just like that one. I have never used it. I just do not know how.[p]Do you have any land-based dishes that you cook in it?
RhumAndJerk

MAC · February 2000

sprinter,
I think we have everything made by pampered Chef and they are all great. Even oven cooking in them is Grrrrr...ATE. Question. We have a couple of those enamelized cast iron dishes. Chaffing dish and an dutch oven. Would they work on the egg? Thought of that shallow dish when sprinter mentioned the fish.[p]MAC

Mike Oelrich · February 2000

Nature Boy,[p] You won't find an online catalog. They are sort of like Tupperware -- you need to find someone who sells their stuff. One of my old roommates had a girlfriend that sold the products, but at the time I had no need for it, though I remember being interested in their stoneware deep dish pizza pan. Don't know anybody anymore who sells it. Fill out the info on the page linked below if you're interested.[p]MikeO
[ul][li]Pampaered Chef Info Request Page[/ul]

Gretl · February 2000

sprinter,
You got that one right! Here I am, laughing out loud at work again. And I don't make enough money to have THIS much fun! No offense intended. Bashing PA is a great sport, even for the natives.
Cheers,
G.

Mike Oelrich · February 2000

MAC,[p] I've got some Le Creuset pans. Heavy enameled cast iron. However, I'm afraid to put them into the BGE. The finish on them is so beautiful, I don't want to ruin it! Plus, the handles on the lids are high-temp plastic. Don't trust them not to melt if I mess up and the BGE gets really hot. I use them for the stove and oven and absolutely love them, but stick to the standard cast iron for the BGE.[p]MikeO

MAC · February 2000

MikeO,
One advantage of being older. These are 70s brown. even the top is cast enamel. [p]MAC

Nature Boy · February 2000

RhumAndJerk,
We bought it to use for the hot pot fish, but don't see why you couldn't slap some land critters in there. There is a Vietnamese dish that uses pork chunks, but is similar to the caramel fish. Caramel sauce, fish sauce, shallots and the like. I am sure you could come up with lots of possibilities.[p]NB

Mary · February 2000

Nature Boy,[p]Go for it. I wouldn't use cast iron for this - probably would taint the flavors. Put a good thick layer of ceramic mass down, a grid on top for a bit of air space and use a pyrex or corning ware dish for it and bake like it says in the recipe. I've done several recipes like that with very good success. Remember to up the dome temp a bit as the cooking level temp is a bit below the registered dome temp.[p]I just bought a nice set of Le Creuseut high fired pottery at an outlet store for pretty reasonable prices - fired at 1950F so they should do very nicely in the egg. Stoneware seems to bake things more evenly than glass or corning ware does, so I like to use it if it can take the heat.[p]Mary

Mary · February 2000

Gretl,[p]Interesting process they describe for making the pots. Apparently they manufacture a porcelain-like clay for the coating - extremely finely ground clay so it seals the pot. Real porcelain is made from naturally occurring very fine clay and when fired it makes a "glaze" or seal without putting on a glaze, which is a glass coating on most pots.[p]I'm interested in the baking properties of these pots - by not having a regular glaze, they might behave differently than regular glazed pots.[p]Mary

Unknown · February 2000

Mary,
Thanks. I ended up using my ceramic pot that I posted a picture of. It was pretty good, but something was missing. I think it "stewed" too much, as there was plenty of liquid in the recipe. The texture wasn't what I remember for monkfish.[p]I got the recipe from a book, and it had some plusses, but was lacking something. I can say that lemongrass and crushed coriander seeds are great with fish. The lemon flavor was wonderful, even without lemons. I have found that if you use lemon juice with fish before cooking, you lose a lot of the lemon flavor. The combination of the lemonny flavor in lemongrass and coriander seeds were excellent.[p]Have a great day.
NB

Mary · February 2000

Natue Boy,[p]I agree about lemon juice prior to cooking. I retain better lemon flavor with the zest. Lemongrass and coriander are great together with fish. cilantro too if you like it.[p]I thought your pot would stew it. A flatter dish would probably do less stewing and allow a little browning on top.[p]Mary

Nature Boy · February 2000

Mary,
Live and learn! Nothing quite like browning the fish in a cast iron pan in clarified butter, or olive oil.[p]I will keep trying to figure out a good egg-baked fish dish.
I will probably order some of that Tufty Ceramic stuff soon, and give it a whirl. [p]Thanks
NB

Baked Egg Fish???

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