Kitchen Tool School: Awesome Fish Spatula
Let’s start a campaign to rebrand the fish scoop. Not only is the name “fish spatula” clearly not appealing – like its other nicknames, turner fish and slotted spatula – but the term does not reflect all the diverse functions this small kitchen tool can perform.
In addition to flipping tender, layered fish, the fish turner is also great for flipping, dragging and scraping a variety of foods. Look for a long, flat and sturdy but extremely thin and manageable version with wide slots for draining fluids such as oil. If you don’t already have one, my personal favorite is the All-Clad Professional Slotted Flexible Slotted Trowel . It has the flexibility it needs, but it is well built and hasn’t deformed a bit over the years. It is also dishwasher safe and easy to keep clean; the structure for some reason seems to be resistant to the accumulation of food or fat. And while the $ 24 price tag may seem too high for a kitchen tool, I would say it is worth the price given its long-term cost per use. For all of you lefties, some brands like LamsonSharp and Wusthof even make left-handed versions .
Use a slotted turner as a versatile breakfast tool to flip pancakes, crispy potato pancakes, large pancakes, and tender eggs. They’re also great for Mexican dishes: flip the quesadilla to brown it on the other side, then use the spatula to serve baked dishes like enchiladas doubly. I also use them when toasting chicken cutlets to lightly press on a piece of steak as it cooks, melt the oiled side of the grilled cheese, pull out casseroles like lasagna or manicotti, and remove the sticky vegetables or Parmesan fricos from the baking sheet. If you are frying something like pancakes, simply lift the food out of the pan, drain the oil and blot with something absorbent before transferring to a serving plate. Just remember to wash before dessert; You will need it to remove the cookies from the baking sheet and will come in very handy when serving tiramisu at a dinner party.
With that in mind, I am voting to trademark the fish turner for the cool fish throwing paddle. Who is with me?
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