Friday, July 25, 2008

Recipes to Rival: Thank George's Bank


Just before I get to today's post, I want to throw in a little reminder to vote in this month No Croutons Required event. The theme this month is a soup or salad that uses your favourite herb.

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Have you heard of the new group called Recipes to Rival?



I think of this group as a savoury response to Daring Bakers. A dish is chosen once a month and revealed on a pre-established date. The mission is to work together as a group or individually to create a recipe that will increase our repertoire of cooking skills. To lend support and guidance as needed to other members of the club. Last but not least, to enjoy the whole experience. Here's the growing list of participants.

Last month was their first month and they featured a Ratatouille. You can learn more about joining the group by visiting the forum here.

This month's recipe is called Thank George's Bank. Here is the explanation of the recipe name, the original source is the Recipes to Rival website by way of the Black Dog Cafe:
According to The Black Dog this recipe is to honor George’s Bank, a bank on the outer continental shelf of the Gulf of Maine. For hundred’s of years, fishermen have gone there for cod, haddock, flounder, scallops, swordfish, tuna, etc… The fishing is now strictly controlled so the fish stocks can recover.

You can also find the full recipe at this link.

Essentially, the recipe involved steaming cod (something I've never done before):



The cod are steamed along with onions (I blended the onions afterwards):



Blend all of the ingredients together:



Form the fishcakes. A fair number of people in the group mentioned difficulties having the cakes stick together. Some ideas were freezing the cakes a bit before frying and adding more potatoes. I didn't have too much trouble with this myself.





When the fishcakes are nearly done, I poached a couple of eggs by putting vinegar in water and cracking the egg into the boiling vinegar water. The vinegar helps to prevent spreading of the egg.




The final step is topping the egg and fishcake with a hollandaise sauce:





Verdict:

This recipe definitely stretched me from the type of dishes I usually make. Even the fish alone was a stretch for me as I rarely cook with fish. This is something I would like to change. I'm glad to have tried cod, but I didn't love the cod flavour or smell.

I'm really looking forward to next month's recipe and continuing to stretch my skills/repetoire.
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28 comments:

Laura Paterson said...

Thanks for the reminder - my votes in!!

That's a great idea for a group - and your dish looks lovely (though I do like fish!!)

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! That looks soooo good and sooo delicious! So glad you made it! :)

OhioMom said...

I love fish cakes! Looks good.

Elle said...

This looks fabulous! You did a great job!

Anonymous said...

What a weird name too. I'm with you on the cod...I thought it would take on more flavor of the dish but it doesn't seem too...Oh well! And cool group.

Anonymous said...

that looks so freaking good!! ok gotta check this group out!

Bunny said...

the anonymous above me, yeah that was me, don't know what happened. I just signed up for Recipes to Rival! excited!!

Anonymous said...

I love your step by step photos. I was so busy trying to get everything done simultaneously so not one part got too cold before the other got done that I didn't get a chance to take photos. Great job!

glamah16 said...

Any recepie with fish interests me. This would be great for brunch.

Adam said...

That's pretty neat that it took you out of your comfort zone. I can agree that I would never make a dish like that normally.

Maybe I'll check out that group, sounds like fun.

Neen said...

Thanks for letting the rest of us know about this group -- I really like the idea about being stretched culinarily, but am too much of a beginning baker to feel comfortable with the Baking Challenge group. It does look like a lot of work, but the background story makes it almost worth it... as long as the taste is good too!

That Girl said...

This looks like the weirdest eggs benedict ever!

Temperance said...

Your Cod cakes turned out georgeous! Mine were kind of soupy, I think it is the potatoes fault but it is great to see what they should have looked like. :)

Great Job Guys!

kat said...

what an interesting sounding group. Your finished dish looks great

Robyn said...

I was hoping this recipe would stretch people's experience! Sorry you didn't like the cod flavour, but it might be good with a different type of fish as well.

Lori said...

The funny thing about fish is that you might try cod today and it tastes fishy and tomorrow taste cod from a different source and it doesnt taste fishy at all. I think it really depends on its freshness.

I liked that it was a dish I normally would not try either.

Lori Lynn said...

Thanks for the information about this concept. I just might give it a whirl.

I know for a fact that I would have loved your fish cakes, right up my alley.

Anonymous said...

Great job on your challenge! Really great job on trying out fish, that is usually what most people get nervous about. Your photos look really good, I envy your photograpy skills.

Dee said...

I love fishcakes, but have never used cod. Usually it's thai fishcakes with salmon or something. Definitely something to try. I'll definitely check out Recipes to Rival too. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

What an interesting idea! Congrats on a beautiful looking dish AND stretching your cooking skills/repertoire!

grace said...

it's good to see that you're stretching your culinary muscles. and how odd that a random piece of land gets a fish dish named after it. odd, i say. :)

Cakelaw said...

Yum - the poached eggs with hollandaise on sauce really makes it.

Emily said...

Well, they look crispy brown and delicious. It's a beautiful presentation.
I think I'm like you - I'm just not that into fish...yet. Hopefully I will be!

jenniferhoiyin said...

Wow, they look great!!!

Michelle said...

I'm in!!! Thanks for posting about R2R!

Helene said...

I love cod under all forms so this sound really good to me right now!

Anonymous said...

You are so great at participating in these events. I need to get more organized :)

Anonymous said...

Wow, yum! I hadn't heard of this group, thanks for the heads up! I think this is more up my alley, since we're not so much dessert people.

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