I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer. Well, last night I solved the
problem with a delicious dish I found he
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-pa...leaves-255001/

Here's the actual recipe. Not having lovage leaves, we used celeriac
leaves from the garden for the pesto that goes on the skate cheeks.
This was really, really good. Even Helen, who never likes salad
dressing and isn't that fond of fish, loved it.

Pan-fried skate cheeks with lovage and lemon dressing Serves 4
5-6 plump skate cheeks per person
2tbsp finely chopped lovage leaves
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
spring onion, finely chopped (no idea how much)
1 tbsp white wine or cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
¼ tsp dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin, cold pressed, rapeseed or olive oil
2 handfuls seasonal leaves or rocket
Firstly pick through the skate cheeks, trimming any membranes, but keeping
them as whole as possible
Make 2 dressings, one with the lovage, the lemon, the chopped garlic,
spring onion and enough oil to slacken but not so that it’s swimming, and
season with salt and a pinch of pepper.
The other dressing make with the vinegar, the mustard, the honey salt and
pepper, and enough oil that the vinegar doesn’t catch the back of the
throat.
Heat a frying pan with oil and fry the skate cheeks, turning after a
minute or so to colour on both sides. If they are still translucent in the
middle, remove from the heat and leave to rest in the frying pan until
just cooked through. Toss the salad with a few tablespoons of the
vinaigrette, scatter onto 4 plates, place the skate cheeks on top and
spoon over the lovage dressing.
--
Doug Weller --
A Director and Moderator of The Hall of Ma'at http://www.hallofmaat.com
Doug's Archaeology Site: http://www.ramtops.co.uk
Amun - co-owner/co-moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amun/

On Sun, 12 Sep 2010 17:45:12 -0600, "gloria.p" >
wrote:

> Doug Weller wrote:
> > I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
> > skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.
>
>
> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.
>
Skate cheeks? I won't even ask.


--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 12 Sep 2010 17:45:12 -0600, "gloria.p" >
> wrote:
>
>> Doug Weller wrote:
>> > I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
>> > skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.

>> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.

> Skate cheeks? I won't even ask.

Right up there with cod cheeks on my "I'd starve first" list.
Felice

"gloria.p" > wrote in message
...
> Doug Weller wrote:
>> I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
>> skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.
>
>
> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.

It was humor! lol But I'm sure it was very good, though I've never eaten
skate cheeks.

Cheryl wrote:
> "gloria.p" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Doug Weller wrote:
>>> I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
>>> skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.
>>
>>
>> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.
>
> It was humor! lol But I'm sure it was very good, though I've never
> eaten skate cheeks.
>
>


I wondered if he was referring to the legend that "Most scallops on the
market are punched with a die out of skate wings." A legelnd I don't
believe, btw.

gloria p

On 9/13/2010 10:17 AM, gloria.p wrote:
> Cheryl wrote:
>> "gloria.p" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Doug Weller wrote:
>>>> I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
>>>> skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.
>>>
>>>
>>> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.
>>
>> It was humor! lol But I'm sure it was very good, though I've never
>> eaten skate cheeks.
>>
>>
>
>
> I wondered if he was referring to the legend that "Most scallops on the
> market are punched with a die out of skate wings." A legelnd I don't
> believe, btw.
>
> gloria p

I don't know about most Gloria but back in the mid-fifties I worked on a
shrimp boat. Sting rays were often caught in the net and we sold them to
the fish house where they used a piece of sharpened pipe on the wings to
cut out "scallops." They sold well too. I had scallops the other day and
they were definitely scallops, maybe they've stopped the practice.

On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:17:55 -0600, in rec.food.cooking, gloria.p wrote:

>Cheryl wrote:
>> "gloria.p" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Doug Weller wrote:
>>>> I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
>>>> skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.
>>>
>>>
>>> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.
>>
>> It was humor! lol But I'm sure it was very good, though I've never
>> eaten skate cheeks.
>>
>>
>
>
>I wondered if he was referring to the legend that "Most scallops on the
>market are punched with a die out of skate wings." A legelnd I don't
>believe, btw.
>
>gloria p

Skate Cheeks are the cheek of the skate, the muscle that lies either side
of the Skates mouth. This pair of muscles is used to control an immensely
powerful mouth that in turn is used to crush and chew the hardest of
shellfish and the even tougher hardback crabs. A delicacy because of their
concentrated flavor.

They are also sometimes called skate knobs, at least in the UK. Hard to
find as they are hard to trim and usually get tossed with the waste.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...se-841218.html

Doug
--
Doug Weller --
A Director and Moderator of The Hall of Ma'at http://www.hallofmaat.com
Doug's Archaeology Site: http://www.ramtops.co.uk
Amun - co-owner/co-moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amun/

On 9/14/2010 12:00 PM, Doug Weller wrote:
> On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:17:55 -0600, in rec.food.cooking, gloria.p wrote:
>
>> Cheryl wrote:
>>> > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> Doug Weller wrote:
>>>>> I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
>>>>> skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.
>>>
>>> It was humor! lol But I'm sure it was very good, though I've never
>>> eaten skate cheeks.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> I wondered if he was referring to the legend that "Most scallops on the
>> market are punched with a die out of skate wings." A legelnd I don't
>> believe, btw.
>>
>> gloria p
>
> Skate Cheeks are the cheek of the skate, the muscle that lies either side
> of the Skates mouth. This pair of muscles is used to control an immensely
> powerful mouth that in turn is used to crush and chew the hardest of
> shellfish and the even tougher hardback crabs. A delicacy because of their
> concentrated flavor.
>
> They are also sometimes called skate knobs, at least in the UK. Hard to
> find as they are hard to trim and usually get tossed with the waste.
>
> http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...se-841218.html
>
> Doug


I ate cod cheeks in Newfoundland and they were delicious. Are skate
cheeks like cod cheeks?

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

George Shirley wrote:
> On 9/13/2010 10:17 AM, gloria.p wrote:

>>
>> I wondered if he was referring to the legend that "Most scallops on the
>> market are punched with a die out of skate wings." A legelnd I don't
>> believe, btw.
>>
>> gloria p
>
> I don't know about most Gloria but back in the mid-fifties I worked on a
> shrimp boat. Sting rays were often caught in the net and we sold them to
> the fish house where they used a piece of sharpened pipe on the wings to
> cut out "scallops." They sold well too. I had scallops the other day and
> they were definitely scallops, maybe they've stopped the practice.


I am originally from one of the big New England scallop-fishing ports
and the concept of fake scallops is strange to me. I still have some
of the big deep-sea scallop shells from a friend's dragger (that he
brought back for me as a favor) for baking Coquilles St Jacques. They
usually remove the shells and extraneous innards and throw them
overboard, storing the "meat" in layers of ice on board in cloth bags.
We used to rake legally for bay scallops in shallow water starting Nov.
1, I think. The water was SO COLD!, but the harvest (nickel and
dime-sized scallops, fresh and sweet) was really worth it.

gloria p

On Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:21:05 -0500, in rec.food.cooking, Janet Wilder
wrote:

>On 9/14/2010 12:00 PM, Doug Weller wrote:
>> On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:17:55 -0600, in rec.food.cooking, gloria.p wrote:
>>
>>> Cheryl wrote:
>>>> > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>>> Doug Weller wrote:
>>>>>> I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
>>>>>> skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.
>>>>
>>>> It was humor! lol But I'm sure it was very good, though I've never
>>>> eaten skate cheeks.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I wondered if he was referring to the legend that "Most scallops on the
>>> market are punched with a die out of skate wings." A legelnd I don't
>>> believe, btw.
>>>
>>> gloria p
>>
>> Skate Cheeks are the cheek of the skate, the muscle that lies either side
>> of the Skates mouth. This pair of muscles is used to control an immensely
>> powerful mouth that in turn is used to crush and chew the hardest of
>> shellfish and the even tougher hardback crabs. A delicacy because of their
>> concentrated flavor.
>>
>> They are also sometimes called skate knobs, at least in the UK. Hard to
>> find as they are hard to trim and usually get tossed with the waste.
>>
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...se-841218.html
>>
>> Doug
>
>
>I ate cod cheeks in Newfoundland and they were delicious. Are skate
>cheeks like cod cheeks?

The same bit, yes, but maybe not the same shape. These still had bone in
them, by the way - but large bones, sort of like a knuckle bone, no
problems when eating them.

Doug
--
Doug Weller --
A Director and Moderator of The Hall of Ma'at http://www.hallofmaat.com
Doug's Archaeology Site: http://www.ramtops.co.uk
Amun - co-owner/co-moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amun/

On 9/15/2010 12:45 AM, Doug Weller wrote:
> On Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:21:05 -0500, in rec.food.cooking, Janet Wilder
> wrote:
>
>> On 9/14/2010 12:00 PM, Doug Weller wrote:
>>> On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:17:55 -0600, in rec.food.cooking, gloria.p wrote:
>>>
>>>> Cheryl wrote:
>>>>> > wrote in message
>>>>> ...
>>>>>> Doug Weller wrote:
>>>>>>> I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
>>>>>>> skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.
>>>>>
>>>>> It was humor! lol But I'm sure it was very good, though I've never
>>>>> eaten skate cheeks.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I wondered if he was referring to the legend that "Most scallops on the
>>>> market are punched with a die out of skate wings." A legelnd I don't
>>>> believe, btw.
>>>>
>>>> gloria p
>>>
>>> Skate Cheeks are the cheek of the skate, the muscle that lies either side
>>> of the Skates mouth. This pair of muscles is used to control an immensely
>>> powerful mouth that in turn is used to crush and chew the hardest of
>>> shellfish and the even tougher hardback crabs. A delicacy because of their
>>> concentrated flavor.
>>>
>>> They are also sometimes called skate knobs, at least in the UK. Hard to
>>> find as they are hard to trim and usually get tossed with the waste.
>>>
>>> http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...se-841218.html
>>>
>>> Doug
>>
>>
>> I ate cod cheeks in Newfoundland and they were delicious. Are skate
>> cheeks like cod cheeks?
>
> The same bit, yes, but maybe not the same shape. These still had bone in
> them, by the way - but large bones, sort of like a knuckle bone, no
> problems when eating them.
>
> Doug

The cod cheeks didn't have any bones. They were sort of like eating
fried clams, but the round part, not the long part.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:48:52 -0500, in rec.food.cooking, Janet Wilder
wrote:

>On 9/15/2010 12:45 AM, Doug Weller wrote:
>> On Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:21:05 -0500, in rec.food.cooking, Janet Wilder
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On 9/14/2010 12:00 PM, Doug Weller wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:17:55 -0600, in rec.food.cooking, gloria.p wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Cheryl wrote:
>>>>>> > wrote in message
>>>>>> ...
>>>>>>> Doug Weller wrote:
>>>>>>>> I'm sure we've all struggled with the problem of what to do with the
>>>>>>>> skate cheeks in our fridge or freezer.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I can't say I've ever struggled with that dilemma.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It was humor! lol But I'm sure it was very good, though I've never
>>>>>> eaten skate cheeks.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I wondered if he was referring to the legend that "Most scallops on the
>>>>> market are punched with a die out of skate wings." A legelnd I don't
>>>>> believe, btw.
>>>>>
>>>>> gloria p
>>>>
>>>> Skate Cheeks are the cheek of the skate, the muscle that lies either side
>>>> of the Skates mouth. This pair of muscles is used to control an immensely
>>>> powerful mouth that in turn is used to crush and chew the hardest of
>>>> shellfish and the even tougher hardback crabs. A delicacy because of their
>>>> concentrated flavor.
>>>>
>>>> They are also sometimes called skate knobs, at least in the UK. Hard to
>>>> find as they are hard to trim and usually get tossed with the waste.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...se-841218.html
>>>>
>>>> Doug
>>>
>>>
>>> I ate cod cheeks in Newfoundland and they were delicious. Are skate
>>> cheeks like cod cheeks?
>>
>> The same bit, yes, but maybe not the same shape. These still had bone in
>> them, by the way - but large bones, sort of like a knuckle bone, no
>> problems when eating them.
>>
>> Doug
>
>The cod cheeks didn't have any bones. They were sort of like eating
>fried clams, but the round part, not the long part.

Sounds good. I remember eating fried clams at Howard Johnson restaurants
in the 50s.

Doug
--
Doug Weller --
A Director and Moderator of The Hall of Ma'at http://www.hallofmaat.com
Doug's Archaeology Site: http://www.ramtops.co.uk
Amun - co-owner/co-moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amun/

On Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:59:51 +0100, Doug Weller
> wrote:

>Sounds good. I remember eating fried clams at Howard Johnson restaurants
>in the 50s.

Howard Johnson had the *best* fried clams! Once I was old enough to
appreciate them, that's what I ordered. As a kid, HJ was one of those
stops we made on car trips to break the monotony and have an ice cream
break on a hot day. I remember them advertising xx flavors of ice
cream before I'd ever heard of Baskin Robin. I think the last HJ near
me closed in the '80's. In fact, we passed the spot where it was just
the other day and talked about their fried clams as we went by.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On 9/17/2010 9:00 PM, sf wrote:
> On Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:59:51 +0100, Doug Weller
> > wrote:
>
>> Sounds good. I remember eating fried clams at Howard Johnson restaurants
>> in the 50s.
>
> Howard Johnson had the *best* fried clams! Once I was old enough to
> appreciate them, that's what I ordered. As a kid, HJ was one of those
> stops we made on car trips to break the monotony and have an ice cream
> break on a hot day. I remember them advertising xx flavors of ice
> cream before I'd ever heard of Baskin Robin. I think the last HJ near
> me closed in the '80's. In fact, we passed the spot where it was just
> the other day and talked about their fried clams as we went by.

I remember going to HoJos was a treat when I was a kid. Now they're all
gone--all but three that are HoJos in name only.

For some reason this makes me sad.

On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 09:58:49 -0400, "J. Clarke"
> wrote:

>For some reason this makes me sad.

We stayed at their motels occasionally too. Maybe I'd give them a
pass as an adult, but they suited me just fine when I was a kid.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On 9/17/2010 8:00 PM, sf wrote:
> On Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:59:51 +0100, Doug Weller
> > wrote:
>
>> Sounds good. I remember eating fried clams at Howard Johnson restaurants
>> in the 50s.
>
> Howard Johnson had the *best* fried clams! Once I was old enough to
> appreciate them, that's what I ordered. As a kid, HJ was one of those
> stops we made on car trips to break the monotony and have an ice cream
> break on a hot day. I remember them advertising xx flavors of ice
> cream before I'd ever heard of Baskin Robin. I think the last HJ near
> me closed in the '80's. In fact, we passed the spot where it was just
> the other day and talked about their fried clams as we went by.
>

The peppermint candy ice cream! It had little pieces of peppermint
stick in it.

I loved the fried clams, too. I would beg the first husband to take us
there when they had the all you can eat fried clams night.

It's nice to think about them, but now I'd probably get heartburn. :-)

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On 9/18/2010 9:32 PM, sf wrote:
> On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 09:58:49 -0400, "J. Clarke"
> > wrote:
>
>> For some reason this makes me sad.
>
> We stayed at their motels occasionally too. Maybe I'd give them a
> pass as an adult, but they suited me just fine when I was a kid.

The motels are still around, just no restaurant. What's really sad is
to see a nicely kept Hojos motel with the abandoned restaurant rotting away.

On Sep 25, 7:59*am, "J. Clarke" > wrote:
> On 9/18/2010 9:32 PM, sf wrote:
>
> > On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 09:58:49 -0400, "J. Clarke"
> > > *wrote:
>
> >> For some reason this makes me sad.
>
> > We stayed at their motels occasionally too. *Maybe I'd give them a
> > pass as an adult, but they suited me just fine when I was a kid.
>
> The motels are still around, just no restaurant. *What's really sad is
> to see a nicely kept Hojos motel with the abandoned restaurant rotting away.

The HoJo's around here (Kirkwood, MO) became a Best Western years
ago. We stayed there when there was an extended power outage 5 or 6
years ago. It was nice, and I'm sure that the restaurant was better
than the former HoJo's too.

On 9/18/2010 9:40 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> On 9/17/2010 8:00 PM, sf wrote:
>> On Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:59:51 +0100, Doug Weller
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> Sounds good. I remember eating fried clams at Howard Johnson restaurants
>>> in the 50s.
>>
>> Howard Johnson had the *best* fried clams! Once I was old enough to
>> appreciate them, that's what I ordered. As a kid, HJ was one of those
>> stops we made on car trips to break the monotony and have an ice cream
>> break on a hot day. I remember them advertising xx flavors of ice
>> cream before I'd ever heard of Baskin Robin. I think the last HJ near
>> me closed in the '80's. In fact, we passed the spot where it was just
>> the other day and talked about their fried clams as we went by.
>>
>
> The peppermint candy ice cream! It had little pieces of peppermint stick
> in it.
>
> I loved the fried clams, too. I would beg the first husband to take us
> there when they had the all you can eat fried clams night.
>
> It's nice to think about them, but now I'd probably get heartburn. :-)

Dunno where you live, but if there's a Friendly's near you and you
haven't tried it, you might want to. Doesn't look much like a Hojos,
but conceptually they're not that far apart. I don't like clams so
can't comment on the fried clams, and right now the peppermint stick
icea cream seems to be off the menu (they had it earlier this summer)
but if you liked Hojos it's worth a try.