The Mouthful
Posts
Scared of cooking fish? Try this.

Scared of cooking fish? Try this.

& why taste isn't "flavor", the secret to flavorful beans, & damascus steel knives.

Keith McBrayer & Ethan Chlebowski
November 12, 2023

Good morning…If you’re looking for a forgiving way to prepare fish, try steaming it in a parchment paper package, a technique known as “en papillote.”

The steam inside the package maintains a moist environment and consistent temperature, so it’s harder to overcook the contained ingredients (and it means your precise oven temperature doesn’t matter that much).

Foolproof. See below for the method breakdown.

TRY SOMETHING NEW 🤯

Poached fish in parchment paper

You can get fancy with the parchment folding, but what really matters is that you create a sealed environment.

Components

Fish

Any fish filet of choice. White-fleshed fish like cod, grouper, & halibut work well here, but salmon is also a good choice.

Vegetables

Chopped or thinly sliced vegetables of choice like green beans, carrots, cucumbers, etc

Aromatics

Citrus slices, herbs, chopped alliums, etc

Poaching components

Parchment paper
A splash of liquid: water, broth, coconut milk, white wine…pretty much anything goes
A sprinkle of salt

Instructions

1) Make the parchment vessel: Cut parchment paper into a large circle. Place vegetables, aromatics, and a filet on one half of the parchment. Sprinkle with salt. Fold the parchment over and seal the edges to create a package. Add cooking liquid before sealing completely. Repeat for remaining servings.

2) Bake: Transfer parchment boats to a cooking sheet, then bake at 350-400°F for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the fish is cooked through.

3) Serve: Taste & adjust with an extra sprinkle of salt, if needed. Transfer packages to plates, and you can serve the meal right in its parchment package.

Pro-Move: You can use this technique for any delicate protein, like chicken breast, just cooking vegetables too.

THROWBACK TIME 🍳

Refried bean secrets

Here’s a throwback to Ethan’s travels in Mexico city. What sets really great refried beans apart?

Turns out, it’s often the added aromatics. In some regions of Mexico, adding in Epazote leaves imparts an aroma that can elevate the humble dish.

If you can’t find epazote, you can try cilantro stems or think about other ways to add aromatic complexity: try different spices, like a sprinkle of cumin seeds or a minced pepper.

For more inspiration on improving weeknight beans or using them in different meals, check out the full video or recipe here.

By the way — we’d love to make more travel-inspired food content in the future. What countries would you want to see videos made from next?

THE LEFTOVER SHELF 🥡

Enfrijoladas

Enfrijoladas are the perfect meal to use leftover refried beans — they are similar to enchiladas but instead of a chili sauce, the tortillas are dipped in a pureed bean sauce.

Like enchiladas Potosinas, enfrijoladas usually get folded in half, instead of rolled, with fillings tucked inside.

Ingredients

Corn tortillas
Cooking oil
Leftover refried beans
Fillings of choice: cheese or meat, like cooked chorizo or shredded chicken
Garnish with cilantro, onion, and crema

To assemble

Puree the beans: In a blender or food processor, puree leftover beans until smooth. Add a bit of water if needed — they should be pourable but able to coat tortillas. Heat up the puree in a pot or in the microwave.

Warm the tortillas: Add a layer of oil to a skillet over medium heat. One by one, pass tortillas through the oil, coating each side and warming them through until pliable. Stack on a plate on the side.

Assemble: Dip each tortilla through the bean puree, making sure to coat each side. Lay on a plate, add a line of fillings to one side, and fold over. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spoon any remaining beans over the top. Garnish & serve.

FOOD TRENDS EXPLAINED 🚀

Damascus & Carbon Steel Knives

Q: Should you splurge for that Damascus or carbon steel knife?

A: If you’re looking for a chef’s knife upgrade this holiday season, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Carbon steel blades are harder than traditional stainless steel knives. They’ll hold an edge for longer (so you won’t have to sharpen as often), but they are slightly more brittle (won’t be as forgiving on bones, or if dropped from the counter).
They also take more maintenance than carefree stainless steel. To avoid corrosion, you’ll need to clean & wipe them dry immediately after each use.

How is Damascus different from general carbon steel blades?

Mostly aesthetics. The defining characteristic of Damascus steel is its visually striking pattern, which is made by layering and forge-welding multiple types of steel together.

Because of the laborious process, Damascus steel is even more expensive than the already pricey high-carbon steel blades.

So are these products worth it?

If you value beautiful craftsmanship and enjoy taking care of heritage tools, or if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen and want a blade that won’t easily go dull, then these might be for you.

For most people, a stainless steel blade will get the job done and last a lifetime, even budget options.

For a Goldilocks option that balances price, blade hardness, and ease of sharpening, check out knives made with VG10 steel, which hold an edge but don’t need pampering since they are stainless.

READER Q&A 🧠

Taste vs. “flavor”

Question: “Whats the difference between taste and flavor?” - Natasha L

Answer: Taste is just one element of how we perceive the overall flavor of a dish.

Flavor is a more complete perception of food formed in the brain, which takes into account taste, aroma, texture, and even the physical (think temperature) and human (emotional) elements of food.

There are only 5 basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.

By contrast, an ingredient or dish can have hundreds of smells (aroma compounds) at once, which influence the flavor much more (raw sugar & pumpkin bread are both sweet, but have a much different “flavor” thanks to their aromas).

But even then, taste and smell aren’t the only things that affect our perception of flavor.

For instance, texture is wildly important to food:

A limp french fry can “taste” the same as a crisp one, but which one is better?

Furthermore, the visual element of food matters (purple soda tastes more like grape), not to mention the human, emotional impacts on an eating experience:

The setting of a meal, or nostalgia associated with a dish, can change how we enjoy certain foods more than others.

To summarize: Taste is just one of the elements of flavor, and simply our tongue registering foods as sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or umami. Flavor is a more complete psychological perception affected by aroma, but also physical, visual, and emotional inputs.

READER PHOTO SUBMISSION OF THE WEEK 🏆

Podium-worthy pasta

This week’s dinner winner is Simon P., who made homemade pasta with Parmigiano Reggiano and sauce made from the garden shown behind the dish. Very impressive, Simon!

Reply with a picture of the best meal you made this week for a chance to be featured in a future email.