The Adventurous Kitchen by cHEF KEN FRANK Skate: unusual, but delicous T delicious treasures.he ocean is full ofweird-looking, but Skate is one of my favorites. Skate are smaller members of the sea ray family who fly along the sandy bottom of the ocean, propelled by their wings. Once considered a trash fish in the U.S., they have become prized for their sweet, delicate flesh. Skate have no bones, only cartilage. The edible part is the wing, long skinny fingers of flesh fanned out along the wing. They’re a bit tricky to fillet and it’s best to let your fishmonger do that for you, but don’t let any of this deter you— they’re incredibly versatile and easy to cook. The one important thing to know is that skate is very perishable and should be cooked the same day you bring it home. In France, pan fried “Aile de Raie” is a legendary with a little lemon juice and salt, then bake meat practically beg to be battered and F U N dish, and it couldn’t be any simpler. It’s or steam it quickly until done. Cool it in the fried. It’s quite easy and they’re positively lightly floured and sautéed in butter for a refrigerator for a few hours. When it is cool, addictive. If you’re really adventurous, you minute on each side, served with lemon and shred the meat into a salad with green beans, can also fry up little strips of the cartilage caper brown butter. Or you can use the beer peppers, slivered onions, cherry tomatoes from the wings, un-battered, until they’re + batter recipe below to coat it. Skate is also and some really good olive oil. crunchy golden brown. F O O D very tasty cold in a salad. Season the fish Unique to skate, the little fingers of Bon Appétit! Beer Batter worry if the batter seems thin. Thin batter will cookWhisk together the flour, beer and salt. Do not up nice and crisp, not greasy. Thicker batter may 1 cup all-purpose flour coat things better, but it makes them doughy. Fry 1 cup beer in clean oil at 350 degrees until light golden brown. 1 teaspoon salt Serve with tartar sauce and fresh lemon wedges. 68 w w w . n A P A V A L L E Y L I F E m A G A z I n E . c o m
NVLife_JulyAug_2012
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