Fish/Seafood with Mushrooms: Discuss!

[liamsaunt]

Staff note: This post and the reponses to it have been split from the Dinner 2023 topic, because it started a discussion that is interesting in its own right.

 

 

Monkfish baked with shiitake mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce.  Stir-fried baby bok choy and small bell peppers.  Rice.  

 

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

@liamsaunt

I've always been hesitant combining mushrooms and seafood (always thought the mushrooms would overpower) so did the taste of the monkfish come through?

 

[Anna N]

34 minutes ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

@liamsaunt

I've always been hesitant combining mushrooms and seafood (always thought the mushrooms would overpower) so did the taste of the monkfish come through?

 

I am not @liamsauntbut find myself puzzled when anyone questions mushrooms with seafood. I always think of Coquilles Saint Jacques. 

[rotuts]

@Anna N 

 

beat me to it. 

 

a la P  is one of my favorite dishes .

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

I'll be more precise in my wording.

Combining shitake (a strongly flavoured mushroom) with seafood.

 

[rotuts]

@Senior Sea Kayaker 

 

that's a good point.

 

right now i don't have the shiitake profile

 

on the tip of my tongue   

 

and its true , seafood can be easily overpowered 

 

w CSt.J a la P :  if i had them , and it was a concern

 

Id just uses less .

[Anna N]

7 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Senior Sea Kayaker 

 

that's a good point.

 

right now i don't have the shiitake profile

 

on the tip of my tongue   

 

and its true , seafood can be easily overpowered 

 

w CSt.J a la P :  if i had them , and it was a concern

 

Id just uses less .

But even Eric Ripert thinks monkfish and shiitake mushrooms are quite compatible. 
Here. e

[rotuts]

@Anna N 

 

also good point.

 

monkfish was not a fish I worked with very much

 

removing the membrane seemed key , 

 

and I know MF is not Lobster

 

and there was exceptionally fresh salmon 

 

right next to the MF.   a few dollars more

 

but well spent.  w no fiddle and faddle .

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

Here's a thought. Why not just wait until the OP responds?

 

[Anna N]

9 minutes ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

Here's a thought. Why not just wait until the OP responds?

 

This is a community of people who enjoy food  and since your initial inquiry was rather general and inquisitive “I've always been hesitant combining mushrooms and seafood” it’s seems only natural for us to point out that there is nothing, particularly odd about this combination. I am not sure why you would seem to take offense.

 

Most certainly I hope @liamsauntresponds with her assessment of the dish.

 

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

45 minutes ago, Anna N said:

This is a community of people who enjoy food  and since your initial inquiry was rather general and inquisitive “I've always been hesitant combining mushrooms and seafood” it’s seems only natural for us to point out that there is nothing, particularly odd about this combination. I am not sure why you would seem to take offense.

 

Most certainly I hope @liamsauntresponds with her assessment of the dish.

 

 

Not offended in the least.

My initial inquiry was not general. If it had been I would have inquired whether 'mushrooms and seafood work together'

or "any ideas about combining mushrooms and seafood'.

I'm familiar with Coquilles St. Jacques, and Sole Bonne Femme and others, so I was merely interested in the OP's opinion of her dish.

 

Edited January 10, 2023 by Senior Sea Kayaker (log)

[liuzhou]

Nothing unusual about shiitake and fish, especially with a 'meaty' fish like monkfish. Steamed fish (I use Japanese sea bass or red drum depending on availability) with shiitake is a well known preparation, here known as 五柳鱼 (wǔ liǔ yú), literally 'five willow fish'.

 

Oyster mushroms are also often paired with lighter fish.

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

10 hours ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

I'll be more precise in my wording.

Combining shitake (a strongly flavoured mushroom) with seafood.

 

 

Today's NY Times features a David Tanis recipe for shiitake and halibut.

 

 

[liuzhou]

19 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Today's NY Times features a David Tanis recipe for shiitake and halibut.

 

That is a pairing I've also come across here. In fact, just yesterday I was thinking of ordering some halibut online and the listing was accompanied by a picture of a halibut filet and some yes, ... shiitake.

In the end, I didn't order it, but that was nothing to do with the pairing!

[liamsaunt]

19 hours ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

@liamsaunt

I've always been hesitant combining mushrooms and seafood (always thought the mushrooms would overpower) so did the taste of the monkfish come through?

 

 

We enjoyed it.  I saw part of this discussion (before it was split from the dinner thread) while cooking dinner last night, so brought up the topic at the table.  My family decided that we generally enjoy fish dishes with mushrooms that have a flavor profile that includes things like soy sauce.  Also, I tend to use shiitake and/or oyster mushrooms rather than button type.  That's more a reflection of the fact that these are the type of mushrooms I get in my weekly CSA delivery.  We do not like creamy mushroom sauces with fish, or adding them to traditional New England-style dishes like cod baked with butter, lemon, and breadcrumbs.  

 

18 hours ago, rotuts said:

monkfish was not a fish I worked with very much

 

removing the membrane seemed key , 

 

Agreed on this point! We only have monkfish when I get it in my fish share delivery.  In that case, the fish has been newly caught, so the membrane comes off easily with a sharp filleting knife.  The fish share boat does tend to leave on more of the membrane than you would see on a piece in the market, but that actually makes it easier to get it off in one piece with just a tiny bit of trimming after.

 

8 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Today's NY Times features a David Tanis recipe for shiitake and halibut.

 

 

 

This is the recipe I saw that inspired my dinner!  I added garlic, used the monkfish I had, and didn't measure anything.  I definitely used more ginger than the recipe called for.  But the flavor profile was probably pretty similar.  

[Katie Meadow]

This is a most peculiar discussion. I have never found the combo of seafood and mushrooms to be appealing, and I have always stayed away from it, but I thought that was just me. Where did the idea come from that they don't belong together? Meanwhile, despite any accolades for the pairing I probably will stick with my aversion. In my old age I have to admit that I am less inclined to experiment as well as being more picky about what's appetizing. No judgements here. Well, there is one combo having nothing to do with seafood and mushrooms that I do think is insane: that's peanut butter and bananas. I know, off topic.

[AlaMoi]

if one has issues with mushroom + fish, yaw'l wanna not come here for flounder, striper, salmon, steelhead, etc.

 

[Alex]

Salmon (or similar) and morels are a harmonious combo—especially if accompanied by a good Oregon Pinot Noir.

[Dr. Teeth]

Pasta alla Carrettiera (Porcini and Tuna) is sublime.    So is shiitake and shrimp.

[liuzhou]

THE No 1 classic filling for wontons and jiaozi in China is what is known as 三鲜 (sān xiān) flavour - literally 'three delicacies', namely pork, shrimp and shiitake. It's almost a cliché.

I  don't understand this topic at all. In Asia, seafood and mushrooms is no more unusual than fries and ketchup in the west!

[Dr. Teeth]

56 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

I  don't understand this topic at all. In Asia, seafood and mushrooms is no more unusual than fries and ketchup in the west!

Those are properly referred to as ‘chips’, and malt vinegar is the classic accompaniment 

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

14 hours ago, Alex said:

Salmon (or similar) and morels are a harmonious combo—especially if accompanied by a good Oregon Pinot Noir.

Something I'll have to try if I get lucky this spring.

 

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

5 hours ago, Dr. Teeth said:

Pasta alla Carrettiera (Porcini and Tuna) is sublime.    So is shiitake and shrimp.

 

I have a lot of dried porcinis from last Fall's forage so something to try.

There is a lot of variation with respect to the ingredients (online recipes) for that dish so I'll see where it goes.