Winging it with Skate and last minute shoots

It has been a fairly non-eventful week. I have not got myself into any pickles and have successfully managed to avoid any major dramas. That's if you don't count wrapping your car around a pole after dinner on a Tuesday night uneventful, it's all relative. I have wanted to keep it tidy this week as I have a pretty heavy, jam-packed weekend ahead, yet still got lead down the garden path on Tuesday night and last night and I am not entirely sure how it all happened. So tonight I am settling in with a great piece of fish (how many people can say that?) and hoping for a decent night's sleep before an early morning shoot tomorrow. With a client that has never been behind a camera. So much to look forward to.

Now, about this fish; I am lucky enough to live only down the road from a fabulous fishmongers, again in Dunkeld. The centre is a cook's dream. The fruit and veg shop stocks everything, the butchers is top notch and the fishmonger is one of the best in Joburg - you should visit on a Friday as that is when they get their main catch. I was surprised to see that they stock Skate Wing as I have only had this in the UK and probably one of my favourite fish choices, not to mention it is cheap as chips and you get a lot of meat for your money. It is shell-shaped with thick cartilaginous bones so it doesn't leave you spluttering and coughing as you fish out hair-fine bones from the back of your throat (which I find so sexy when on a date).

Traditionally, I have mostly seen Skate done with a nut brown caper butter sauce which does taste great but butter in that quantity doesn't really fly with me, I am not exactly a shining physical example of someone who loves cooking but that's because I do my best to find healthy, tasty alternatives that don't compromise on taste. The best variation I have come up with in my experimentation for Skate wing has been to steam it and then serve it with a soya, ginger, garlic and chili lime dressing. So easy and so tasty.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

2 Skate Wings
1 thumbnail of fresh ginger
2 cloves of garlic
1 birds eye chili
4 tablespoons of soya sauce
2 teaspoons of fish sauce
3 tablespoons of boiling water
juice of 2 limes
1 heaped teaspoon of treacle / brown sugar
4 spring onions


METHOD

Steam your skate wings for about 7-10 minutes depending on their size. Once cooked they will take on a white fleshy texture.

Finely chop your garlic, ginger and chili (deseeded for less of a kick) and set aside.

Mix your boiled water with the sugar so as to dissolve it. Add the soya sauce and fish sauce and lime juice to the sugar mixture and mix well.

Add the chopped ginger, garlic and chili to the sauce.

Pour over the steamed fish and garnish with chopped spring onion.

Serve with steamed pak choi

Fragrant, simple, healthy. As Gordon would say: DONE.