If you have traveled to Andalusia at some point between the 1990s and today, it is very likely that you already know about the benefits of this delicacy that you can easily find in most of the bars, beach bars and restaurants that run along its coastline. And, although today it is beginning to be more common to see it on the shelves of supermarkets and fishmongers nationwide, you will only be able to read that from “Pink Iron” either “Fried Rosé” on the boards of cities like Malaga, where this fish is an institution.
You want to know why? Well, actually there are several reasons that lead you to love the pink from the moment you try it for the first time: its texture, its flavour, its versatility and, why not, its price. Of course, we recommend that you do not look for images of the Genypterus blacodes (also know as “pinkling” either “pink cusk-eel” outside our borders), because more than one has taken an impression that we have preferred to spare you.
Although it must also be said in its favor that if we only fed on beautiful fish, everything would be much sadder in this life. There are the scorpion fish, the conger eel, the monkfish, the lamprey and many others to confirm it! But let’s not deviate from the topic that concerns us today, which is to pay homage to the wonderful pink, although for now what we are going to do is leave very far from the Alboran Sea because we are not going to find a lot of pink around here.
Rosada, how nice that you came! But, from where?
There are many of us who have found out late and badly about the origin of this white fish which gets its name from the color of its skin (although it’s actually more orange than pink). And it is that when one lifts a meter and a half from the ground they have a great time enjoying its flavor both fried and grilledbut does not worry too much about the place of birth of the specimen.
That is why it should be noted from now on that the pink one is captured, mainly, in the waters of Namibia, Argentina, Chile and New Zealand. It is a fish that lives near the seabed, at a depth of about 300 metres, and which has a special predilection for the crustaceans on which it feeds. tell us Louis Michael Minorthe young chef and owner, together with César Morales, of two places of reference in Marbella for lovers of fish and shellfish: La Milla and Bar Guerra (San Pedro Alcántara).
“The ones that usually bring us they come from Argentina or Chile“, qualifies the man from Malaga. But let no one raise their hands to their heads. Despite arriving deep-frozen, this animal, which could well have been baptized as “anguilejo” (it has the head of a pollock and the body of an eel), has some nutritional properties to take into account, which is why every day it gains more followers beyond the southern zone.
So you know, when you read that about “fresh pink”, that you know that it is not exactly like that. “The ones that are sold as fresh really are not, have been deep-frozen on boardmaybe in New Zealand”, points out the chef who at this point we can already call Luismi. And to leave the subject of freezing and freshness closed, it is important that, before you run out to your fishmonger or supermarket of reference, know that you will find two formats. This professional who has been in business since 1996 also explains it to us.
“You can buy them fillets or whole rose, which comes with the skin and with the bone. In the second case, you have to give it the cut that you consider to be the best for the elaboration that you are going to prepare”. We will talk about the versatility of the rosé below, since beforehand it is important that we explain the icing theme (also known as icing). And here the chef takes a step forward: “The only thing we ask our supplier is that they come with as little glaze as possible, which is that thin layer of ice that covers the meat from the top and serves to better preserve the piece “. He says this because sometimes the icing is a finger thick, and in this case, although it can be very beneficial for the seller, because he is selling you the water at the price of rosathe same for you it is not so much.
The pink one in the kitchen, a versatile fish
And finally we come to the most enjoyable part of the entire article, that of getting into the kitchen with this teacher who the first thing he confesses to us is that “because of its texture, it is very similar to monkfish or grouper, and its flavor can remember the one with the hake”. To which he adds: “it is very flat and that allows it to accept very well any seasoning you want to add to it.” What does the thing look good?
Well, with this we can confirm that with the pink many more things can be done, in addition to grilling it (with a little minced garlic and parsley) or frying it in the same way as any other little fish. Obviously, we ask Luis Miguel for some examples: “A lot of work is usually done fried because its texture invites the use of this type of technique, but having a meat that absorbs all kinds of flavors so wellyou can make it in marinade, lemon, garlic,… It will take much more flavor than other fish!”.
So give free rein to your creativity and dare to discover all the possibilities offered by the pink. The thinking head of the most exclusive beach bar in Marbella leaves you a clue: “Currently we only work on it at Bar Guerra, but it could work perfectly in some dishes at La Milla. For example, for the paella bottoms, which always carry some white fish or shellfish. Being such a tough meat, it can withstand a lot of cooking, unlike sea bass, for example, whose meat would end up undone.”
And we finish with the argument that will allow us reach all ages with these outreach efforts: “Another of the good things about La Rosa is that has a single central spinevery similar to monkfish also in this”. Surely this has made the father of some creature has taken good note, so we take the opportunity to confirm that it is a perfect fish for children (several generations of Malaga can attest).
The fact that I keep similarities to other fish of greater renown -we are convinced that many of those who remove it without giving it even half a chance would enjoy it enormously if they were told that it is another fish- means that in its day some “professional” brought out its bad arts. “When I started in the world of hospitality, pink used to be sold as merethey are so similar that nobody noticed the picaresque”.
And if we go a little further back in time we discover another curiosity about the pink one: “As a child, I remember that it was a discarded fishpeople who did not have great purchasing power drank it”. And see if it has changed the thing that right now the most normal thing is to find it at €14 and even €18 (per kilo), when years ago it was around €8, as much. But you know, it’s the law of supply and demand.
And with this I think that we can say little more about this wonder that surely reached our shores thanks to the ships that fished in Argentine or Chilean waters they wanted to try their luck, bringing some specimens of that animal so unattractive but so exquisite at the same time. And, seeing that she was really hot and that had great acceptanceWell, they have continued to do so to this day.
Now I just need to ask you that, in addition to giving you a tribute at home and dedicating an altar to the rose, do not forget to visit the temples that work best. From the aforementioned and highly recommended Bar Guerra to the restaurant Twins (Malaga), passing through the Canute Bar (San Pedro Alcantara), the Altamirano Bar (Marbella) or the pink bar (Vera Beach). These are just a few examples, you can actually find it in most tapas bars on the Andalusian coast.
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