How to Poach a Whole Fish

(light funk music)

[Narrator] Poaching a whole fish.

Poaching is such a healthy and delicious way to cook fish.

And it's really not hard.

Today, we're going to show you

how to poach a whole sea bass in a fish kettle.

The kettle is the perfect size and shape for a whole fish.

And has an insert to keep the fish steady.

This bass has already been scaled, trimmed and gutted.

Your fishmonger should be able to do this for you.

Then, just rinse the fish in cold water

and place it in the kettle.

We're going to poach the bass the traditional way,

in a quart bouillon,

which is a mixture of water, white wine, vinegar,

carrots, and aromatics.

Prepare the quart bouillon ahead of time

by simmering all the ingredients

and letting the liquid cool.

Then, slowly pour it over the fish

so you don't tear the flesh.

Put on the cover,

turn the heat to moderately high,

and bring the liquid to a simmer.

Once the liquid is just barely simmering,

lower the heat all the way.

Okay, our fish is poached for eight minutes.

So we've turned off the heat

and we're going to check to see if it's done.

To do this, tug on a dorsal fin.

This one came out easily, so we know that our fish is done.

If it hadn't, you just put the fish back in the pan,

simmer it for another few minutes

and then check again.

Once it's done, let the fish cool in the bouillon.

This will keep I moist.

Once it is cooled, lift out the rack

and remove the fish.

To serve the fish, lay it on a platter

and peel the skin off the body.

Doesn't it look beautiful?

(light funk music)