August 7, 2008

Coffee Roasted Butterfish

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There is only a handful of recipes that caught my interest that look really good on paper but when actually cooked are disappointing. This original recipe created by Romy Dorotan which is in the Filipino cookbook MEMORIES OF PHILIPPINE KITCHENS (Chapter 6: Cendrillon Recipes) is one of them. I have always wanted to make it since I got this cookbook almost 2 years ago, the combination of coffee and different spices sounds new, interesting, and yummy. Aside from cracking the spices which he did not mention in the procedure, I did not alter his recipe at all. The spices are dominated by the coffee and the fact that the sauce has a muddy color makes it very unappealing. I think adding too many ingredients and flavors is an overkill and will not make this again or recommend it. I'm posting the ingredients but not the procedure to save you the trouble and money in making this dish. I still prefer to cook this kind of fish either steamed Chinese-style with salted soy beans or simply fried eaten with vinegar and garlic dipping sauce. Sometimes simple is better.

The ingredients:
butterfish or pompano
salt
oil
shallots
garlic
lemongrass
bay leaves
fresh red chiles
cinnamon sticks
cardamom pods
black peppercorns
coriander seeds
coffee beans
coconut milk
fish sauce
lime juice
cacao beans (optional)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

that is quite disappointing. the recipe interested me as well every time i flip through the book. thanks for taking one for the team. :)

Anonymous said...

I had an eye on that recipe from the book as well. Sorry to hear that it didn't work out for you.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for being the guinea pig on this one, oggi! If it's any consolation, your presentation is pretty;)

What's Cookin Chicago said...

That's quite a list of ingredients for a fish recipe! I completely agree with you in that simple is the way to go so that the natural flavors of the fish can be appreciated.

eatingclubvancouver_js said...

Sorry to hear that it was a disappointment. Pompano is a fish that we usually just have pan-fried. It seems like a good idea to play around and come up with different combinations. Thanks for saving us the trouble.

Lori Lynn said...

Too bad. Because from your photos it sure looked like it had great potential. Even the name sounded good. Thanks for your honesty.

Oggi said...

Paoix, this is the first recipe in the book that my daughter got excited about, and she doesn't cook nor get interested in food.:D

Jude, I really can't tell why it didn't turn out as I expected..maybe I have to alter something.:)

Marvin, thanks..looks could be deceiving.:)
The fish is still good with other sauce, though, or none at all.

Joelen, the butterfish has a delicate sweetish flavor, salt and pepper perhaps is the only seasoning it needs.

Js, I love pompano either pan-fried or steamed with salty ham, ginger, and scallions (Chinese style), really yummy!:)

Lori Lynn, I tried hard to like the dish but can't, there's something off or lacking in its flavor. I am curious as to what the fish tastes like in their restaurant in New York.

 gmirage said...

Looking at the photos, I thought it was good...I didn't read what you wrote so I was surprised reading the comments hehe, binasa ko muna tuloy...

I'm back from somewhere....and now I'm craving for food, silip ko takam foods here...

Anonymous said...

I hate the recipes in that cookbook. The pictures look nice but the food is awful!

Oggi said...

G, maganda nga pero the taste is mediocre.:)
Welcome back!

Anonymous, I've tried a few of the recipes in this cookbook and they are not that bad. I love the ube pandesal and the crispy adobo flakes which I have been making regularly. Other recipes need a little bit of adjustments but otherwise okay, IMHO.:)

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