Skate Wings

Sally Swindells said:

Can anyone help - I have just attempted to eat a meal of skate wings
which were as 'tough as old boots!'

The fish was very fresh (collected from fisherman this morning as he
sorted his catch). We used a new recipe which involved simmering for
20 minutes in water and a tiny bit of white wine vinegar and a little
chopped onion and carrot. I wonder if it was this longer than usual
cooking time that caused the problem. Usually I fry for 4-5 minutes on
each side, or poach for about 12 minutes.

They were completely inedible, and ended up being whizzed in the food
processor with a portion of mashed potatoes (mine!) and made into fish
cakes, which were actually quite nice.

Do I avoid skate wings in future, or were they just overcooked?

I have only had skate wing once, about a year ago. I dredged it in
seasoned flour and fried it in butter, a few minutes per side. It was
very tender, much like sole. Twenty minutes sounds like long time to cook
it.

Sally Swindells said:

The fish was very fresh (collected from fisherman this morning as he
sorted his catch). We used a new recipe which involved simmering for
20 minutes in water and a tiny bit of white wine vinegar and a little
chopped onion and carrot. I wonder if it was this longer than usual
cooking time that caused the problem. Usually I fry for 4-5 minutes on
each side, or poach for about 12 minutes.

It was a way longer than usual time. They either need to be cooked for a
short time or a very long time. Like squid.

The most common way of cooking them is a fast fry in butter which is
permitted to become brown butter. It's a sear more than a real fry.

If poaching, even 12 minutes is getting out close to too long. I'm
assuming that these wings were from reasonably small critters - not like
a foot across or even close.

Pastorio

Quoted message said:

They were completely inedible, and ended up being whizzed in the food
processor with a portion of mashed potatoes (mine!) and made into fish
cakes, which were actually quite nice.

Do I avoid skate wings in future, or were they just overcooked?
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~where the fish is fresh from the sea

Dave Smith said:

I have only had skate wing once, about a year ago. I dredged
it in seasoned flour and fried it in butter, a few minutes
per side. It was very tender, much like sole. Twenty minutes
sounds like a long time to cook it.

Agreed. Quoting from:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_v20/ai_4254547

George Lang's Cafe des Artistes in New York is also serving
grilled skate wing with a butter and fresh herb sauce. Andrew
Young pointed out, however, that if skate is treated improperly,
it becomes extremely tough. "If skate is sauteed, it should be
kept on the heat only for a very short time," he added.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Sally Swindells said:

Can anyone help - I have just attempted to eat a meal of skate wings
which were as 'tough as old boots!'

The fish was very fresh (collected from fisherman this morning as he
sorted his catch). We used a new recipe which involved simmering for
20 minutes in water and a tiny bit of white wine vinegar and a little
chopped onion and carrot. I wonder if it was this longer than usual
cooking time that caused the problem. Usually I fry for 4-5 minutes on
each side, or poach for about 12 minutes.

They were completely inedible, and ended up being whizzed in the food
processor with a portion of mashed potatoes (mine!) and made into fish
cakes, which were actually quite nice.

Do I avoid skate wings in future, or were they just overcooked?
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~where the fish is fresh from the sea

Did you peel them?
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dave Smith said:

Sally Swindells said:

Can anyone help - I have just attempted to eat a meal of skate wings
which were as 'tough as old boots!'

The fish was very fresh (collected from fisherman this morning as he
sorted his catch). We used a new recipe which involved simmering for
20 minutes in water and a tiny bit of white wine vinegar and a little
chopped onion and carrot. I wonder if it was this longer than usual
cooking time that caused the problem. Usually I fry for 4-5 minutes on
each side, or poach for about 12 minutes.

They were completely inedible, and ended up being whizzed in the food
processor with a portion of mashed potatoes (mine!) and made into fish
cakes, which were actually quite nice.

Do I avoid skate wings in future, or were they just overcooked?

I have only had skate wing once, about a year ago. I dredged it in
seasoned flour and fried it in butter, a few minutes per side. It was
very tender, much like sole. Twenty minutes sounds like long time to cook
it.

Mom always removed the meat from the cartalige, poached for about 10
minutes and served them in a white sauce.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sally Swindells said:

The fish was very fresh (collected from fisherman this morning as he
sorted his catch). We used a new recipe which involved simmering for
20 minutes in water and a tiny bit of white wine vinegar and a little
chopped onion and carrot. I wonder if it was this longer than usual
cooking time that caused the problem. Usually I fry for 4-5 minutes on
each side, or poach for about 12 minutes.

It was a way longer than usual time. They either need to be cooked for a
short time or a very long time. Like squid.

The most common way of cooking them is a fast fry in butter which is
permitted to become brown butter. It's a sear more than a real fry.

If poaching, even 12 minutes is getting out close to too long. I'm
assuming that these wings were from reasonably small critters - not like a
foot across or even close.

In my experience, a foot across is a very small skate. We have caught
hundreds over the years and very few are that small. We never figured out
how to cook them, however. We had heard that properly prepared the wings
taste like scallops. Not to us!

--
Peter Aitken

Peter Aitken said:

We had heard that properly prepared the wings
taste like scallops. Not to us!

One of my college professors asserted that
counterfeit scallops were made by punching
them out of skate wings.

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Peter Aitken said:

We had heard that properly prepared the wings
taste like scallops. Not to us!

One of my college professors asserted that
counterfeit scallops were made by punching
them out of skate wings.

It's true. I have also heard that they might be made of
shark. I think it was Stan who said check out the scallops,
if they are all identical size, that's a tipoff.

nancy

Peter Aitken said:

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sally Swindells said:

The fish was very fresh (collected from fisherman this morning as he
sorted his catch). We used a new recipe which involved simmering for
20 minutes in water and a tiny bit of white wine vinegar and a little
chopped onion and carrot. I wonder if it was this longer than usual
cooking time that caused the problem. Usually I fry for 4-5 minutes on
each side, or poach for about 12 minutes.

It was a way longer than usual time. They either need to be cooked for a
short time or a very long time. Like squid.

The most common way of cooking them is a fast fry in butter which is
permitted to become brown butter. It's a sear more than a real fry.

If poaching, even 12 minutes is getting out close to too long. I'm
assuming that these wings were from reasonably small critters - not like a
foot across or even close.

In my experience, a foot across is a very small skate. We have caught
hundreds over the years and very few are that small.

Unclear writing on my part. I was referring to each wing as being that
size. Sorry.

Quoted message said:

We never figured out
how to cook them, however. We had heard that properly prepared the wings
taste like scallops. Not to us!

Yeah. I've heard that, too and never found it to be the case, either.
Simplest way is grill them or saute them. Very subtle flavor so no
strong condiments.

Pastorio

Nancy Young said:

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Peter Aitken said:

We had heard that properly prepared the wings
taste like scallops. Not to us!

One of my college professors asserted that
counterfeit scallops were made by punching
them out of skate wings.

It's true. I have also heard that they might be made of
shark. I think it was Stan who said check out the scallops,
if they are all identical size, that's a tipoff.

Actually, it's not at all true. Very different textures for all of them.
The meat of skate wings looks different than scallop meat and is more
firm to the touch. And shark is a fish, nothing like scallop.

If the scallops are of reasonably identical size, they've been graded by
weight and are being sold that way.

Pastorio

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Nancy Young wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's true. I have also heard that they might be made of
shark. I think it was Stan who said check out the scallops,
if they are all identical size, that's a tipoff.

Actually, it's not at all true.

Oh, there was a big brouhaha in the papers here some
years ago, places selling skate as scallops. They did mention
about the shark but my recollection isn't clear if they actually
found that or not.

I just googled and right away found this:

http://www.foodsubs.com/Shelfish.html

nancy

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mark Thorson said:

Dave Smith said:

I have only had skate wing once, about a year ago. I dredged
it in seasoned flour and fried it in butter, a few minutes
per side. It was very tender, much like sole. Twenty minutes
sounds like a long time to cook it.

Agreed. Quoting from:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_v20/ai_4254547

George Lang's Cafe des Artistes in New York is also serving
grilled skate wing with a butter and fresh herb sauce.

Baba Neo in Mountain View serves it occasionally also. I like it.

-A

Nancy Young said:

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Nancy Young wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's true. I have also heard that they might be made of
shark. I think it was Stan who said check out the scallops,
if they are all identical size, that's a tipoff.

Actually, it's not at all true.

Oh, there was a big brouhaha in the papers here some
years ago, places selling skate as scallops.

It would have to be a pretty dumb buyer not to spot the difference.

Quoted message said:

They did mention
about the shark but my recollection isn't clear if they actually
found that or not.

I just googled and right away found this:

http://www.foodsubs.com/Shelfish.html

Well, that's generally an accurate site, but not this time. They're
saying that cod cheeks can be substituted for scallops. Not a chance, if
the substitution is to go undetected.

Shark flesh is fish-like because it's a fish. It flakes unlike scallop
adductor muscles (the part we eat). It's used for fish and chips in the
U.K. and often served in restaurants here as steaks. We served them in
several of my restaurants. No chance of confusing scallops with shark.

Skate has a texture that's more firm than scallops. More gelatinous. And
the grain of the skate meat is horizontal where scallop grain is
vertical. The skate wing has a piece of cartilage running through the
center horizontally that separates two thin sheets of meat that are
what's edible.

I suppose it could be done if the dish were sufficiently complicated and
the finished presentation masked the "scallop" enough and the skate were
a giant so the flesh parts of the wing were thick. But plain grilled,
sauteed or broiled skate wouldn't easily pass for scallops.

They also say on this web site that monkfish is served as scallops.

Here's a lot about fish of all sorts. <http://tinyurl.com/9vg2n>
And some more <http://tinyurl.com/87vgj>

In all my years of restaurant operations, I've never seen "scallops"
made from skate wings. But I've heard about it. Maybe my fish guys knew
me better than to try. Dunno...

Pastorio

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mark Thorson said:

Peter Aitken said:

We had heard that properly prepared the wings
taste like scallops. Not to us!

One of my college professors asserted that
counterfeit scallops were made by punching
them out of skate wings.

Stingray.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bob (this one) said:

And shark is a fish

Not really... ;-)
They are related to skates and rays.
Class chondroicthyes or cartilaginous fish.

Bony fish are Osteichthyes.

Different skelatal structures and reproductive systems.

Far more primitive.

But I do agree that shark does not taste like skate, or anything
remotely resembling scallops.

I have been told that cut Stingray is supposed to taste similar, but
I've never had the chance to try Stingray.

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mark Thorson said:

Peter Aitken said:

We had heard that properly prepared the wings
taste like scallops. Not to us!

One of my college professors asserted that
counterfeit scallops were made by punching
them out of skate wings.

Stingray.

Very close kin - cartilage-skeleton critters. And I've never seen it in
all my years. Just shows you how bad public schools are.

Pastorio

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Nancy Young wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I just googled and right away found this:

http://www.foodsubs.com/Shelfish.html

Well, that's generally an accurate site, but not this time.

Bob, several people have said they've heard of the practice, and
now a site you agree is usually reliable says it, even including the
shark, and you still say it doesn't happen?

The fact is, substitutions are widely done in the fish world, not just
with scallops. Perhaps you wouldn't be fooled, but you can bet a lot
of people would be. I think I'd know a sea scallop but I wouldn't
swear to it, and bay scallops? Forget it, you could easily fool me.
I just don't eat much in the way of seafood.

There was another big stink (no pun intended) in the news about
fish a few years back, redfish? ha! it's really (whatever) at redfish
prices.
Etc. Happens all the time.

Quoted message said:

In all my years of restaurant operations, I've never seen "scallops" made
from skate wings. But I've heard about it. Maybe my fish guys knew me
better than to try. Dunno...

See, even you've heard about it, so it's not something we've snatched
out of thin air. It is done, it is true.

nancy

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I have been told that cut Stingray is supposed to taste similar, but
I've never had the chance to try Stingray.

I have. A friend kept catching them so one day I went over there and did
my skate receipe. Waste of time. Stingray is a lot like stringy
tasteless cardboard. You could possibly grind it, douse it with
artificial flavours and sell it for crapsticks, but otherwise a flop.
Unfortunate, since they are big and numerous here. We have lots of 6'
stingrays in the harbour.

-P.

--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com

In article <[email hidden]>,

Peter Huebner said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I have been told that cut Stingray is supposed to taste similar, but
I've never had the chance to try Stingray.

I have. A friend kept catching them so one day I went over there and did
my skate receipe. Waste of time. Stingray is a lot like stringy
tasteless cardboard. You could possibly grind it, douse it with
artificial flavours and sell it for crapsticks, but otherwise a flop.
Unfortunate, since they are big and numerous here. We have lots of 6'
stingrays in the harbour.

-P.

How long did you cook it?

Just curious! I've heard varying stories about stingray...
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson