Preparing/Fixin'/Spicing up Fish

[cptjohnstone]

Originally Posted by Lana Warren

Durango,

MARRY ME?

Gotta love a man who can cook!

my ex's idea of cooking was go by Central Market and pick up their dinner for two

ps, I also knew when my mother inlaw was coming to town, she got out the vacuum cleaner

[Lana Warren]

Originally Posted by cptjohnstone

my ex's idea of cooking was go by Central Market and pick up their dinner for two

ps, I also knew when my mother inlaw was coming to town, she got out the vacuum cleaner

[TexTushHog]

Tomato is a nice addition to firm white fish. You can do snapper Veracruz quite easily. Use either fresh or canned peeled tomatoes. If canned, see if you can get them without basil, but frankly, it's not a crime if they have basil. Just make up a nice tomato sauce with the flavors you like and serve warm on the top of the fish.

This is just an example off the top of my head. I'm guessing the proportions are about right for enough sauce for two or three. Four in a pinch.

Take small to medium onion that has been chopped to moderate size.

Add a chopped pepper. Bell pepper if you want no heat. Serrano for a mild almost not heat. Jalapeno without seeds for more heat. I will occasionally add bell pepper and Jalapeno.

(Nothing wrong with a bit of stringed celery or even a bit diced carrots here, either. A bit richer, but more trouble.)

Saute onions and pepper until the onions are translucent.

At the last minute, add a roughly chopped clove or two of garlic and saute another minute or so.

Take four to six canned tomatoes, seeded and chopped, and add to saute.

Season with oregano and let tomatoes stew for a few minutes. I might add a bit of thyme, too.

As you get closer to serving time, you will want to finish off seasoning your sauce with the following, at your discretion:

salt
red pepper
black pepper
cumin

Serve on the fish.


A sloppy, quick version is to get some pre-made pico de gaello from the grocery store and serve it (either at room temp or slightly warmed in microwave) over the fish. That's not a bad dish for a quick meal!

[guest043013-2]

Don't forget to try grilling on the old BBQ grill. Great way to cook some fish and get a great flavor, as well as keeping any fishy smells outside.

Not sure shrimp is included in this cooking lesson, but shrimp on a skewer are great too.

Take your veggies, slice, wrap in foil, and place on the grill too.

[Guest071613-2]

Fish en Papillote (fish in parchment paper) is a super-easy alternative to other cooking methods, and the clean up is a breeze. Here is my favorite recipe, and the beauty of it is, you can substitute anything in the recipe and cook fish a hundred different ways...and you can use that infused oil, too. You don't have to use a whole fish like the recipe calls for. You could totally use fillets. If you do, drop the temp down to 375, but cook for the same amount of time, and make sure you wrap the ends of the paper super-tight:

INGREDIENTS
1 small whole pompano, dressed, about 1 pound
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and fresh black pepper
1/2 pound crab meat, picked for cartilage
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 piece of parchment
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/2 pound cubed butter, cold
5 sprigs fried parsley


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Season the fish with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and fresh black pepper. In a saute pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, saute the fish for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the fish from the pan. In a mixing bowl, toss the crab meat with the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the crab meat mixture over the fish. Fold the parchment in half lengthwise, and place the fish on one half of the paper. Fold the remaining half over the fish and roll the edges of the paper up to seal the fish tightly in the bag. The parchment bag should form the shape of the fish. Place the parchment bag on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. In a sauce pan, combine the parsley, lemon juice and shallots. Bring the liquid up to a simmer and reduce the liquid by half, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the cold butter until all the butter is incorporated. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. To assemble, using a knife, cut the top of the bag to expose the fish. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve.

...also, if grilling is out of the question, I highly recommend getting a cast-iron grill pan from Wal-mart. It sits on the stove top burner and I use mine all the time, love it!

[TexRich]

anyone interested in eating blowfish?

[Bestman200600]

Soak catfish fillets in water overnight, then drop the pieces into a large baggy of Louisianna Fish Fry and cook in a deep fryer at 350 until done.

[Tex9401]

Sweet-and-Sour Fish



works nicely with any firm-fleshed, smaller white fish, such as catfish or tilapia. You can serve it warm, but it can be chilled and served as an ingredient on sandwiches.
4 main-dish or 8 appetizer servings
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup rye or whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 pound firm-fleshed white fish, such as catfish or tilapia
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
8 whole black peppercorns
3 whole allspice berries
1/2 bay leaf

Preparation

Combine flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a wide shallow bowl or pie pan. Dip fish in the mixture to coat, shaking off the excess.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add the fish and cook, in batches if necessary, carefully turning once, until opaque in the center and golden on the outside, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a shallow glass dish large enough to fit the fillets in a single layer. Top with onion slices.
Combine vinegar, water, sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, bay leaf and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Immediately pour over the fish. Remove the bay leaf. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature or cover, refrigerate and marinate for up to 3 days.
Remove the fish and onions from the marinade. Serve warm or chilled.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

[Tex9401]

Baked Fish with Bananas

Baking time will depend on the temperature, thickness and freshness of the fish fillets.
You'll know it's cooked when it flakes easily with a fork.


2 Tbsp/30 mL butter
1 Tbsp/15 mL whole wheat flour
1 cup/250 mL milk
4 fish fillets, each about 5 oz/150 g
1/3 cup/75 mL white wine
2 Tbsp/30 mL lime juice
salt
pepper
2 bananas, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
1/4 cup/60 mL grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F/175C.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add the flour. Stir to mix.
Add the milk.
Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat.

Arrange the fish fillets in a single layer in a baking dish.
Sprinkle the fish with the white wine, the lime juice, and the salt and pepper to taste.

Pour half of the butter sauce over the fish.
Lay the banana halves on top of the fish.
Pour the remaining sauce over the bananas.
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over all.

Bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork (25 minutes or more).

[Tex9401]

Fish with Red Onion and Red Pepper
It cooks up easily on the stovetop, uses simple ingredients, looks great and tastes wonderful! You can use any mild white fish: sole, flounder, haddock, cod, or whatever is available where you live.
If you have fresh parsley available, use 2 Tbsp/30 mL of fresh instead of the dried parsley.
These cooking times are only approximate. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fillets, their temperature, and the freshness of the fish. The fish is ready when it is opaque (solid white in color) and when it flakes easily with a fork.

Tbsp/15 mL olive oil
1 sweet red pepper, cut in thin strips
1 small red onion, cut in thin slices
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp/2 mL dried oregano
1 lb/500 g basa fillets
1 tsp/5 mL dried parsley
pepper

In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil.
Add the red pepper. Sauté until the red pepper softens (aboaut 2 minutes).

Separate the red onion slices into rings.
Add the onion rings,garlic and oregano to the skillet.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft (about 3 minutes).
Push the vegetables to the edge of the pan (or remove them to a small skillet and keep them warm.)

Add the fish to the skillet.
Cook for about 5 minutes.
Turn the fish over.
Cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork (about 5 more minutes).

Remove the fish to the serving platter or plates.
Sprinkle with parsley and season with pepper to taste.
Spoon the red pepper mixture over the fish and serve immediately.

[Tex9401]

Ceviche Recipe

Preparation time: 15 minutes to prepare, 3-4 hours to let sit. Always use the freshest fish possible. Make the same day you purchase fresh fish.
Ingredients

• 2 lbs of firm, fresh red snapper fillets (or other firm-fleshed fish), cut into 1/2 inch pieces, completely deboned
• 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 1 cup of chopped fresh seeded tomatoes
• 1 serrano chili, seeded and finely diced
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• Dash of ground oregano
• Dash of Tabasco or a light pinch of cayenne pepper

• Cilantro
• Avocado
• Tortillas or tortilla chips

Method

In a non-reactive casserole dish, either Pyrex or ceramic, place the fish, onion, tomatoes, chili, salt, Tabasco, and oregano. Cover with lime and lemon juice. Let sit covered in the refrigerator for an hour, then stir, making sure more of the fish gets exposed to the acidic lime and lemon juices. Let sit for several hours, giving time for the flavors to blend.

During the marinating process the fish will change from pinkish grey and translucent, to whiter in color and opaque.
Serve with chopped cilantro and slices of avocado with heated tortillas for ceviche tacos or with tortilla chips.
Serves 4-8.

[Tex9401]

Halibut with Tomatoes, Rosemary, and Zucchini in Foil Packets
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
You can use the oven instead of grill.

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
4 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless halibut fillets
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
Hot cooked couscous

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium high heat (350° to 400°). Arrange 4 (12-inch-long) sheets heavy-duty aluminum foil on work surface. Divide first 3 ingredients evenly among sheets of foil. Top with halibut fillets; sprinkle fillets evenly with salt and pepper. Divide garlic evenly among fillets; top each with a rosemary sprig, and drizzle with oil. Gather sides of foil over fish and vegetables to cover completely; crimp edges to seal packets.
2. Place fish packets on grill. Cook, turning once, 10 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are sizzling inside packets and fish is opaque throughout. Serve with couscous.

[Tex9401]

Baja Fish Tacos

Total Time: 32 min
Prep 20 min
Cook 12 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients
White Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Fish Tacos:

Oil
2 packages Tempura Batter Mix
1 can beer
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
24 ounces boneless cod, cut into 2-inch pieces
6 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 limes

Directions

For the sauce:

Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

Preheat a fryer or a deep pot halfway filled with oil to 375 degrees F.

Mix 1 of the packages of batter, but only use 1/2 the required amount of water and use beer for the remaining amount instead. Add the beer until the batter becomes almost like a heavy cream consistency.

Using the other package of batter add salt and garlic powder, coat cod pieces with the dry mix, then dip into prepared batter. Deep-fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Place fried cod pieces on warmed corn tortillas, add white sauce to fish, a little shredded cabbage and a squeeze of lime, to taste.

[ElisabethWhispers]

Oh wow. THANK YOU for all of the recipes! I'm so excited!!!

And I LOVE LOVE LOVE ceviche!!! It's always been one of those things that I thought it would be completely difficult to make at home. I need to try that.

It's such a fresh, cold and summery type of dish!!!

Kisses,
Elisabeth

[Tex9401]

If you want fish, then you have to do ceviche.

Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers

Oh wow. THANK YOU for all of the recipes! I'm so excited!!!

And I LOVE LOVE LOVE ceviche!!! It's always been one of those things that I thought it would be completely difficult to make at home. I need to try that.

It's such a fresh, cold and summery type of dish!!!

Kisses,
Elisabeth