Peter Gordon: Crumbs of wisdom

Soft foods such as croquettes may need double-crumbing. Photo / File

The executive chef of dine by Peter Gordon at SkyCity answers your cuisine questions

Soft foods such as croquettes may need double-crumbing.

I heard a chef say that for things like crumbed croquettes or fish, you should double crumb to get a really crunchy finish. I dip in flour, beaten eggs and then the crumbs. Does this mean for the second crumbing I should dip croquettes back into eggs and then crumb? How do you stop the first coating of crumbs falling apart in the egg? Chef's secret?
- Mary

You're correct - you'd dip again in egg and then flour. But to be honest I only ever do it with soft things like goat's cheese, or soft croquette mix, in case it bursts in the fryer. No need to do it to fish - it'll just make it a bit doughy.

I found a delicious, locally made mussel sauce at the Food Show. It was fermented in the same way as fish sauce, but had a distinctly mussel note in the flavour. I'll use it in my Asian cooking, but what other ways do you think I could use it?
- Alister

Sounds wonderful - best to ask the producers what they recommend - but I'd like to taste it when I'm back in Auckland this month.

I've been told you must use onions on the day they are cut and never leave them overnight (for use the next day). Is there any truth in this? If so, does the same apply to leeks?
- Anne M.

I'd say that's a lot of gobbledegook - there's no truth to it whatsoever.

I've seen some gorgeous Italian recipes using fresh artichokes and fresh sardines. If I can't get hold of these - it's too soon for artichokes and fish shops rarely sell whole sardines - could I substitute with tinned artichokes or sardines?
- Gina

Canned artichokes can work at a stretch (depending on the recipe - try to get ones preserved in oil) and sardines from the can are so different from fresh. But again it depends on what you're planning to do with them.

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