Boiled Fish, or Pesce Lesso: Boiled fish is easy to prepare and can be tremendously satisfying. Three pounds of boiled fish will serve four to six as a second course or two to four as a main course. You'll need:
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 or more non-oily fish weighing a total of between 2 and three pounds, scaled and cleaned.
- Rubbing the fish's skin with a slice of lemon will help keep it intact.
- A quarter to a half an onion (depending on the size of the fish), a carrot,
- a stick of celery, a bunch of parsley, and half a lemon.
- Water sufficient to cover the fish
- A fish pan (if you have one)
Preparation:
Lightly salt the water and simmer the vegetables for 20 minutes to a half hour before adding the fish.The fish will done when its eyes pop out, its skin parts when touched, and its flesh becomes tender; in turms of cooking time figure 10 minutes per inch of thickness of the fish, measured at its thickest point. Turn it, carefully, when it's half done, and leave it in its broth until you're ready to serve it (the broth will be quite tasty, and if you strain it, will be perfect for making Lenten Cabbage Soup).
A good boiled fish will do very well served hot, garnished with fresh parsley and accompanied by freshly made mayonnaise or some other sauce (see recipes), and a vegetable.
If, however, you wish to make a more impressive presentation, you can follow Artusi's suggestion and surround the fish with Brussels sprouts, boiled if they're small or done in the oven if they're large, boiled potatoes, and, optionally, hard boiled eggs, all sliced. As a second possibility he suggests that you bone the fish and set it on a platter, spread mayonnaise over it, and decorate it with anchovy fillets and capers.
