Article by Christine Budd
Honey Lime-Glazed Grilled Ahi Tuna
Ingredients:
2 medium limes, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 clove garlic, crushed and minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 (6-ounce) Ahi tuna fillets
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup honey
Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger.
Lay the tuna fillets on a plate, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and spoon over half of the glaze, turning to coat evenly.
Let the tuna fillets marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Add the honey to the remaining half of the glaze and mix well.
Heat an outdoor grill on high or make a hot fire in a charcoal grill.
When the grates are hot, lightly oil them and place tuna fillets on the grill. Cook for about 2 minutes and turn them over, brushing the glaze over the cooked side. Grill 2 minutes more for medium-rare to medium.
When the fish is cooked, transfer it to a plate, and using a clean brush, spread the honey-lime glaze over the other side of the fillet.
Serve immediately with any remaining glaze.
Crispy Rockfish Pub Burger with Provolone & Special Sauce
Ingredients:
For the Special Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chili sauce
1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon black pepper
For the quick-pickled red onions:
½ medium red onion sliced
½ cup seasoned rice vinegar (or more to cover the onions)
For the Burgers:
1 pound rockfish, cut into 4 pieces (makes sure there are no bones)
Salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons corn starch
2 eggs whisked with 1 tablespoon water
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½-1 cup high heat oil for pan-frying (or more if needed)
4 slices provolone cheese
4 pieces of green leaf or red leaf lettuce
4-8 slices of tomato
Sliced pickles
4 pub buns or brioche buns, buttered and toasted if you prefer
Directions:
Special Sauce:
Mix together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sweet pickle relish, garlic, soy sauce and black pepper. Set aside.
Quick-pickled red onions:
Add the sliced red onions to a 16-ounce jelly jar or a glass bowl and cover with the rice vinegar. Let them hang out for about 15 minutes or so, or while you’re preparing the fish. Store the remaining pickled onions in a covered glass jar or container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Rockfish:
Heat a large skillet over medium or medium low heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Set up three plates or bowls, one with the corn starch, one with the egg wash and one with the panko.
While the oil is heating, season the fish pieces with salt and pepper. Then dust them in the corn starch. When the oil is hot but not smoking, dip the fish pieces in the egg wash and then the panko breadcrumbs. Place them gently in the skillet and let each piece cook until golden-brown on both sides. You may need to adjust the heat to low if your fish browns too quickly. Depending on the thickness of your fish, it should take about 3-4 minutes cook time on each side to cook the fish through. Typically, fish will cook 8-10 minutes for every inch of thickness. I find that rockfish cooks just a little faster. Also, fish does continue to cook a little when removed from the heat.
Once your fish is done, transfer it to a fish rack over a baking sheet or plate, or a paper towel lined plate. Top with the provolone cheese. This will give the cheese time to melt a bit. I like using a fish or cookie rack as this keeps both sides of the fish nice and crispy.
To assemble the crispy rockfish pub burger.
I like to toast the buns in the oven or stove top in a pan. I spread a little butter on the inside of each bun and then toast them in the pan or on a baking sheet. Just a little toasted makes them hold up a bit better and the texture is lovely with the fish.
Once the buns are toasted, add special sauce to each side of the bun. Place a provolone topped fish fillet on the bottom bun. Layer with sliced onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles and the top of the bun. Skewer with party picks or toothpick to keep everything together prior to serving, but you’ll want to serve these immediately!
The Best Lobster Tail Recipe Ever!
Broiled lobster tails became a favorite back in the early 80’s when I was a Crabette server at Phillips Crab House. I got to know the cooks in the kitchen and was privied to a lobster tail slid my way here and there when Shirley and Bryce were not around. Make sure to dip each bite in lots of lemon garlic butter!
Ingredients:
4 lobster tails
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup butter melted
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon thyme minced
1 teaspoon rosemary minced
1 teaspoon parsley chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to broil or 500 degrees. Start by preparing the lobster. Using kitchen shears butterfly the tail by cutting down the center. Loosen the meat and pull the lobster meat upward. Salt and pepper the meat and set on a baking sheet.
In a small bowl whisk together the melted butter, garlic, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Spread evenly on each lobster tail.
Broil the lobster tails for about 8-10 minutes or until the meat is opaque and lightly brown on the top. Serve with melted butter if desired.
Bacon Crab Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
½ dozen large eggs
3 – 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
½ cup picked steamed lump crab meat (we use Phillips)
¼ cup chives - diced or left long for a pretty presentation
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
4-6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled or cut into thirds
Directions:
In a heavy large pot with thick base, cover eggs with cold water and bring to a boil.
Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly 14 minutes.
Plunge the eggs into a bowl of ice water to cool for 10 minutes.
Tap the eggs with the back of a spoon gently.
Eggs can sit in water overnight for incredibly easy to peel eggs.
When you’re almost ready to serve, peel eggs.
Cut eggs in half, lengthwise.
Gently use a spoon to scoop out egg yolks. Place in small bowl nearby.
Add yolks and mayonnaise to the bowl.
Whip with a spoon or fork until yolk mixture is smooth and fluffy.
Scoop the yolk mix to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, or a plastic bag with the corner cut off.
Scoop about a teaspoon crab meat into half of the egg white half.
Set the egg white halves on a serving platter and pipe in the filling.
Strawberry Spinach & Asparagus Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces
2 heaping cups fresh spinach
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced in half
1 large spring onion, chopped
1/2 cup pea shoots
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water mixed with a teaspoon of salt to a boil over medium heat. Set aside a bowl of iced water. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Drain the asparagus and immediately add it to the ice water.
In a large bowl combine asparagus, spinach, strawberries, onion, pea shoots, almonds and goat cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad and toss lightly to coat.
Thai Fish Cakes
Ingredients:
Fish Cakes:
1 pound sea bass fillet , cut into 1-inch pieces
2.6 ounces red curry paste
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon fish sauce (or soy sauce if you don’t like fish sauce)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup thinly sliced green beans
Vegetable oil for frying and lime wedges for serving
Dipping sauce:
1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce (store bought)
1 cup seeded cucumber , chopped
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro , minced
1 teaspoon fish sauce
Directions:
Fish cake:
Combine the fish, curry paste, egg whites, fish sauce, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse a few times, to mix until it forms a smooth, thick, and sticky paste, 2 minutes or so. Once finished, poke the fish paste with a spoon. It should be firm, elastic, and springy. Transfer the fish paste into a big bowl.
Fold the green beans into the paste using a spatula.
Heat 1/2-inch oil in a small deep pot over medium heat until hot
Work on the fish cakes in batches. Use a cookie scoop to transfer a ball of 2 tablespoons of fish paste onto an oiled spatula. Then use the back of another spatula or a large spoon to flatten the ball into a 1/4-inch (1/2-cm) thick disc. Gently slide the fish cake into the pan. Fry until the bottom side turns golden, about 30 to 40 seconds. Flip and cook the other side until golden. The whole process should take about 1 minute. (*Footnote 5) To test for doneness, transfer a fish cake onto a plate and poke it with a toothpick. You should feel the bouncy resistance and the toothpick should come out clean.
Sauce:
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl right before serving. Serve the hot fish cake with dipping sauce as an appetizer, or serve them on top of rice or noodles as a main. Enjoy!
You can store the cooked fish cakes in the fridge for a couple days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Note: do not refrigerate the uncooked fish paste. Fried fish cakes made from day-old fish paste results in a tough and grainy texture.
