Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

Fish!

(A little early again this week, to get ahead of Mom's Day; but here is your weekly cookin' thread :-)

I am not much of a meat-eater; in fact, I was largely a 'veg/fish-itarian' until I met and married my husband.

I like a good hamburger now and then, or my husband's barbecued pork chops; and I like chicken pie and chicken and dumplings. But I'm not one to go into a restaurant and order a 'slab o' meat'. Steak, for instance, isn't near the top of my list.

But I do love FISH! along with all the other 'beautiful swimmers'.

We have two recipes that we 'go to' when we have some really good fish.

The first recipe is one originally designed for Bluefish; but it works with any firm, oily fish (I'm not sure where we found it, but it may have been in a Chesapeake cookbook). I personally think the sauce would make a great, simple pasta sauce, leaving out the fish:

Bluefish baked with Tomatoes and Capers

1/4 cup Olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 T. chopped garlic

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1-1/2 lbs tomatoes, peeled and chopped, with juice (3 cups) OR 1 28-oz can chopped tomatoes

1 Cup dry white wine

3 T. capers, drained and chopped

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

4 Bluefish fillets, 6 to 7 oz. each.

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a heavy pot, heat the oil and saute the onions, celery, garlic and green onions until limp.

Add tomatoes, wine, capers, thyme, bay leaf, and lemon juice. Simmer 45 minutes, and season with salt and pepper.

Make a layer of 1/2 the hot tomato sauce in the baking dish. Arrange the fish on top. Spoon the remaining sauce over the fish.

Butter one side of a sheet of waxed paper that is cut to fit the top of the baking dish.

Place the paper, butter side down, on top of the dish.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until the fish flakes.

Remove fillets to a heated platter. Spoon the sauce over, and serve at once. Good over rice.

Second Recipe: here is a recipe we first received from either one of Jacques Pepin's books, or his television show. My husband thought that Jacques made it look so easy, that he tried it. Somewhere I have a pic of husband proudly showing off his rendition of this Stuffed Salmon in Pastry; but you don't have to do it so fancy. It can be done in the pastry with small fillets for individual portions; and the fish and stuffing alone would also be wonderful 'en papillote'.

But for a big shindig, the entire whole-fish presentation is impressive, and not very difficult to pull off:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-salmon-in-flaky-dough-recipe.html

I think I've seen more detailed instructions on how to simulate the fish's scales, using a small round cutter, so that it looks more like this:

http://www.cakestudent.com/decorating-with-puff-pastry/

-JT

[JRandomFreeper]

As I said. I'm spoiled. I have one of these every morning. Bunch of calories and perfectly round scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuit, and strawberry preserves.

I manage to make it on my own, and for some reason, I'm picky about it. I couldn't do it unless I was cooking for myself. ;)

/johnny

[greeneyes]

I have done it with pot roast and chili and broth. Cooked overnight. Ate it for breakfast, turned it off. Stuck the crock in the refrigerator. Got it out at night and put it back in the base and let it warm up on low to eat, and set it to warm to hold it if Hubby wasn’t home yet.

When in a hurry, I just take a serving out, plop it on a microwave safe plate (paper - no washee needed), cover with splatter shield or waxed paper, and dinner’s ready in a minute. No additional pot!

[JRandomFreeper]

I have seriously considered getting another refrigerator. I'm at the point where I actually need one. Or I need to scale WAY back.

/johnny

[Rodamala]

My brother and I went out for Bluefish with a bunch of our friends on a 78’ boat from Point Pleasant, NJ. We brought home a cooler full of Blues. We tried every recipie imaginable... but the end result is I will never ever eat Bluefish again.

[greeneyes]

That is NOT RICE.

My favorite breakfast, a little of lots of stuff-think buffet or farmhand breakfast:

Ham,Bacon,Sausage, Scrambled Eggs & a little supersharp cheddar or couple of over easy eggs, hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy. OJ,Coffee and Milk.

After satiation is reached, I can do a full day’s work and not get hungry till dark. LOL

[Roos_Girl]

Thank you!

[greeneyes]

We have two refrigerators and two freezers.

Although, one freezer we don’t use. It was too new - fangled. It went along for months working just fine, then with out warning it would quit, and the warning buzzer never came on. Repair man could never find anything wrong.

We’d unplug it clean it up, plug it in again. It would work then quit and repeat. So the last time, I just unplugged it, cleaned it out, stuck a towel in the door to keep it from accidentally getting closed before it dried out.

Finally bought a cheapo smallish chest freezer from Walmart. Sometimes I wonder why only 2 people need so much stuff. I think the answer is we like the convenience, which gives us time to do stuff we like to do as opposed to stuff we have to do. LOL

Maybe we are at that stage of elder hood where we are actually going into our 2cnd childhood. LOL

[bonfire]

Well then rice is a no brainer for you!! ;)

I also make mashed taters and keep them in the fridg til I’m hungry. I add more milk and ZAP!

Make sure you eat red meat, salmon and drink lots of 100% concord grape juice to keep your white blood cells in check.

[pugmama]

This is a a great recipe.I love sea bass.

ROASTED SLASHED FILLET OF SEA BASS STUFFED WITH HERBS, BAKED ON MUSHROOM POTATOES WITH SALSA VERDE – A LA TONY BLAIR

Recipe courtesy Jamie Oliver

4 (8ounces) sea bass fillets
1 handful mixed herbs (green or purple basil, parsley), roughly chopped
2 1/2 pounds potatoes scrubbed
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful parsley leaves, chopped
1 1/4 pounds mixed, preferably wild, mushrooms, sliced
4 lemons
1 recipe salsa verde, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 9. Slash the fish fillets about half way down and stuff with the herbs. Wash the potatoes and slice them lengthways, just under a 1/2-inch thick. Dry them off with kitchen paper and very lightly coat them in olive oil. Mix in half of your finely chopped garlic, season with salt and pepper, then lay them out in one layer on a flat baking tray. It is always helpful to put a bit of greaseproof on the bottom of the tray, rubbed with olive oil. Lay your potatoes out in a thin layer and put it in the oven for around 12 minutes until they are lightly golden and soft. Remove and put to one side. In a pan add the remaining garlic with 2 good knobs of butter and sprinkle with parsley. Now scatter the mushrooms over the potatoes. Place your sea bass fillets on top, cut the lemons in half and place in the tray as well. Now bake in the oven for 12 to15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove the tray, cover the top with foil and let sit for about 5 minutes during which time all the juices will run out onto the potatoes. Serve it with salsa verde and a crisp white wine.

Salsa Verde:

2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small handful of capers
1 small handful pickled gherkins (the ones in sweet vinegar)
6 anchovy fillets
2 large handfuls flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves picked
1 handful fresh mint, leaves picked
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8 tablespoons best quality olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

The secret of a good salsa verde is to chop all the ingredients very finely and to use it the same day, as it doesn’t tend to keep for long, even in the fridge. A fantastic accompaniment to any grilled meat or fish. Particularly good with sea bass recipe. Finely chop the first 7 ingredients and put them into a bowl. Add the mustard and red wine vinegar then slowly stir in the olive oil. Balance the flavors with freshly ground black pepper and, if necessary, sea salt and a little more red wine vinegar. Yield: 8 servings

Yield: Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

[pugmama]

This is one of my go to recipes when company comes unexpectedly. I always have snapper in the freezer, but fresh is always good.

Snapper with Pears and Filberts

from the Scandia Restaurant in Los Angeles.
I changed it up a bit.

1 pear, peeled and julienned( I did not peel it)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
11/2 lbs red snapper fillets
salt and pepper
cornstarch or flour
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp safflower oil
1/4 cup chopped filberts or slivered almonds
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 cup green seedless grapes
2 oz cointreau, warmed( my addition)

Place pear in lemon juice. Season fish with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with flour. Saute in 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. oil for 2 minutes each side. Add warmed cointreau and flambe til flames go out. Fish is done when it separates on fork. Remove to heated platter. Add remaining butter to pan. Heat just until it starts to brown. Add nuts, toast lightly. Add lemon peel, grapes and pears until just warm. Spoon over fish. Serves 4.

I serve this with a rice pilaf and a fresh vegetable such as asparagus and strawberries for dessert.

[MomwithHope]

Oy that’s funny. I walk right by the walleye and whitefish in the meat case. I do like a smelt meal when they are running. Now smoked whitefish is great, we love to stop by Carlson’s in Leland when we are up north.

[MomwithHope]

Hey we made a visit to the gulf coast around that time and had the grouper sandwich. It was amazing. Funky place pretty sure had Alligator in the name. Lots of fun paraphernalia on the walls.

[Liz]

The fastest, most succulent fish dish you'll ever eat....Asian method.

Fish Paillard / Ginger, Garlic, Tomato Sauce

METHOD On hot flameproof dish heated searingly hot under broiler: place 2 oz slices boneles/skinless salmon filet, tuna, halibut, grouper, red snapper, sturgeon, sea bass, or albacore, no thicker than 1/4 inch. Pour hot fish stock over to cook top.

Serve topped w/ Asian Ginger Garlic Sauce, garnished w/ squeeze of lime, avocado cubes, cilantro sprigs.

GINGER GARLIC SAUCE Mix 2 oz piece grated gingerroot, 3 minced gar/cloves, 2/3 cup chp fresh tomatoes.

[Liz]

Emeril's Caramelized Salmon / Asian Citrus Sauce

SALMON Dredge 2-6 oz s/p salmon filets in cup sugar, coat well. Add to hot pan; sear/caramelize 2-3 min per side; plate.

SERVE Drizzled with Citrus Sauce

SAUCE Juiced orange/lime, 2 tbl rice wine vinegar, tea sugar, 2 tea ea sesame oil, red pepper flakes, chp fresh cilantro leaves.

Add stir-fry vegetables on the side.

[Hardens Hollow]

Ok, the bread pudding wasn’t very good.

I try one every 5 years or so. The concept always founds good, but I don’t like the consistency. The bread gets ‘ruined’, IMO, LOL!

[Hardens Hollow]

mmmm, sounds good!

[Jamestown1630]

I made this for a Christmas party last year, and it turned out really good:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/new-orleans-bread-pudding-with-bourbon-sauce

[Nea Wood]

I love the cookbook that my Granny got with her first microwave

Wouldn't mind if you shared some of the recipes from it! Hint, hint! :-)

[Hardens Hollow]

Looks good. I also like the geometric perfection, being an engineer ;)

I’ll order mine with cheese, hold the preserves though.

How often do you make biscuits? Just wondering how long they last. Mine get dried out fairly quickly.

[Hardens Hollow]

Looks good - I think the sauce is the key. It would give my rather one-dimensional (texture-wise) bread pudding a 2nd note.

I just wish I could figure out how to have some texture within the bread structure - some pieces a bit harder than others, without having them be too hard. The soaking for 30min-4hrs seems to make mine all the same texture. I soaked the one I made for just 15 min - same result.

I guess that’s how it’s supposed to turn out!