It looked better than it tasted
One of several resolutions I’ve had since moving is an increased proportion of home-cooked foods. Last night, I had a hard time deciding what to make (once of the disadvantages of a full refrigerator), and decided to come up with this little experiment.
I’d already had a couple fillets of skin-on trout defrosted. These were quick-fried in an olive oil/vegetable oil combination (non-sensical perhaps, but olive oil’s ‘spensive!) The grape sauce was created from a combination of grape juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and something else I think, using corn starch as a thickening agent.
The fillets were served on a bed of brown rice, covered in the grape sauce, and garnished with the remaining green sprigs from a rapidly wilting bundle of cilantro.
The taste was, unfortunately, rather average, and decidedly inferior to the palak paneer that looked like dog excrement.
Grape sauce? Why didn’t you make a citrus salsa with orange or lemon juice? Seafood does better with an acidic sauce, that is why people add lemon to shrimp fettucine.
I made dinner last night and my steamed vegetables were dry. Should added butter.
Reply to annieIt sure looks good. Some kind of lemony topping sounds good. It’s a miracle how lemon brings out all the good in fish and hides the bad.
Reply to Blue Devil Knight@Annie: It was an experiment. I’ve done a citrus sauce before, which works (although other people don’t seem to be a fan of it.)
That’s a good tip on the steamed vegetables; I’ll have to remember that one.
@BDK: That’s why you can buy “aged” fish for half-off and still have a decent-tasting meal with it.
Reply to DonnieI respect the effort regardless of the results.
Here’s a possibly dopey idea. Rather than toss a slightly-past-prime pear, I sliced it very thinly and put the slices on top of the asparagus in the steamer basket. Helped keep it moist and also added a tiny hint of sweetness.
Reply to Derek Slaterindeed points for creativity. grape sauce is very highbrow
citrus is safe but predictable. What a GREAT idea about the pear…..very Top Chef, Derek! 
I shall try it next time and pray I do not hack off my fingers while trying to slice thinly. 
Reply to annie@Derek: Thanks for the respect.
Recently, I’m becoming more anal about reuse, resource conservation, etc. 
So I like the pear idea, even it seems a little odd. If it worked for you, it’ll be good for someone else. 
@Annie: Thanks for the respect.
This is why you need the Pear Slicer that was on QVC for $19.95 
Grape sauce is better for chicken than seafood. 
If you noticed, I used more smileys than all of y’all.
Reply to DonnieI see that you are both making fun of me.
I will continue to use smileys nonetheless.
Reply to Derek SlaterIf I was making fun of you, it was only in a transitive sense. See, I was just making fun of Annie for using 3 smileys (in my mind, 1 smiley per comment is completely acceptable.) And then, if she was making fun of you…well, I’ll let her speak for herself.
Reply to Donnienononono, no making fun here at all Derek. I like smileys. I’m a smiley person. I really do want to try the pear, I am a very poor cook and I’d love to impress my husband with something pretty to look at and to eat.
:):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
Reply to annie