Breath of the Wild #39: Fruit and Mushroom Mix

Ingredients: Any Fruit, Any Mushroom

Description: "This dish contrasts the sweetness of fruit with the savoriness of mushrooms."

OK so last time I combined mushrooms with fruit (orange?) it was kinda gross, but im feeling good about this one. I have decided to stew some mushrooms and plums together.

First, let's rinse the mushrooms. They're going in whole.

So, I figured... maybe we can accessorise this dish with lots of savoury items to offset all the fruit. I'm chopping some shallots, and then ill add some beef stock, strong flavoured herbs, tomato puree, and some other stuff as I think of it.

I chose some plums that were a bit underripe, so theyll be a bit sour and less sweet. Nice colours though.

I'll just dry fry those for a bit and then add in the rest.

In goes the mushrooms, beef stock cube, chopped rosemary and thyme, a bay leaf, and a bit of hot water to make it a stew.

Hmm to lean into the plummyness, how about a tiny bit of wine, tomato puree and soy sauce?

It looks not bad, I suppose. Are we going to be ok? I think i'll get a bread roll to eat it with too.

**

First mouthful I was like wow! Ive created a really nice umami flavour. The plum, mushroom, wine and herbs really did contrast the flavours nicely. But after a while, the bitterness sunk in, and then i had to eat big wet mouthfuls of slimy mushroom and plum. It seems like it would make a really nice gravy to pour over something else. But gravy isn't a meal. Maybe i'll blend the leftovers and use it as a meat sauce base?

Breath of the Wild #38: Salmon Meuniere

 Ingredients: Hearty Salmon, Tabantha Wheat, Goat Butter

Description: "The crispy skin of this fried hearty salmon puts its texture in a class all its own."

This one's clear! Salmon it is. Same as last times with the flour and butter and the leftover butter-sauce mix, and rocket and tomato to garnish.

This one, i wonder if we can bend it into shape to make it look like the slice in the picture... maybe not... I know there's two fillets but im just going to have one I think. That big monkfish slice last time was overkill.

Speaking of last time, ive made sure the pan is nice and clean and ill try and cook it faster to avoid the butter and flour burning... its still a lot thicker than those hake fillets though.

Once its done, i turn the flame off and just quickly melt the butter sauce with the parsley and capers.

****

(i bent it in half to try and look more like the graphic, but... looks more like i broke it on accident) Obviously with the flavour of salmon, a fish that works quite well even on its own, it was bound to be better than the last one! But, i still struggled not to blacken the flour a bit... Overall I see why sole meuniere is the traditional choice, the thin white fish that cooks fast and absorbs lots of lemon juice is a clear winner. Oh also my raw tomato to everything else ratio was getting out of hand. 

Breath of the Wild #37: Porgy Meuniere

 Ingredients: Armored Porgy or Mighty Porgy, Tabantha Wheat, Goat Butter

Description: "Popular among residents of coastal regions, this juicy porgy is a delish dish."

I guess a porgy is a real fish, but... I thought it would be fun to go for something a bit more distinct from the regular whitefish fillets I used last time. I found a monkfish tail on sale! Then we have the leftover meuniere "sauce" from last time and more wheat flour and butter.

I've never cooked monkfish before, i think ive heard its texturally kinda different. Taking it out I realise it still has bones in! I can feel a massive great bone  in the middle. Well, we've had many a bone-in fish before its probably fine. Once its floured up like last time ill fry it in the pan with plenty of butter.

It feels so much thicker and denser, so im trying to cook it slower and lower... but I think im starting to burn the flour and butter and make gritty charred bits in the pan, ugh. 

Yeah it doesn't look as good as last time but i think its cooked all the way through. Also does it... not have smaller bones throughout it? It has just one big cartillage bone? Well thats something. Lastly we will quickly heat up some of that butter sauce and pour it over.

**

Wow yep that meat really is different. Maybe I just cooked it poorly, but its a little rubbery and more bland. Just doesn't go with the flavours as well. And it didn't crisp up as well, its too wet. I think my frugal attempts to upcycle the ingredients have backfired, it just isn't looking as fresh, is it? You get a lot of meat in a fillet I'll give it that. I think maybe some other recipes would use monkfish well, like i dunno..  green curry? battered nuggets? But this ain't it.