Article by Christine Budd
Coconut Crusted Flounder over Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients:
6-8 flounder fillets, around 4 oz. each
1 egg
2 tablespoon lime juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 cup baby spinach, chopped
About 2 cups instant basmati brown rice in bags
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Directions:
Preheat the broiler.
Make a breading station by whisking the egg, lime juice, salt and honey in a shallow bowl. Place the coconut on a plate. Line and spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Dip each fillet into the egg mixture and “bread” with the coconut. Since the fillets are so thin we are going to broil them, so there’s no need to coat both sides of the fish with the coconut. Just coat one side and lay on the baking sheet.
Place the fillets under the broiler for 8-10 minutes until the coconut crisps up and browns.
While the fish is cooking, heat the coconut oil in a non-stick skillet and sauté the onion and pepper.
Chop/dice the pineapple and add to the onion and peppers.
Mix in the chopped spinach.
Once the spinach wilts, add the bag of instant rice.
Mix everything well, allowing the flavors to blend. Add the soy sauce and remove from heat. At this point the fish should be cooked.
Take about ¾ cup of rice and topped with 2 smaller fillets and serve with a side of peas.
Baked Rockfish Almondine
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. rockfish
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup parsley chopped
3 lemons
1 lb. asparagus
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Start to steam your rice of choice.
Trim the tougher ends of the asparagus off and discard. Spread the asparagus evenly on top of the parchment paper. Slice 2 of the lemons and spread evenly on top of the asparagus. Set aside.
Rinse the fish and pat dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Lay the fish evenly across the lemon slices.
In a small sauté pan melt the butter. Add the almonds, juice from remaining lemon and parsley. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Carefully spoon over each fillet.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake another 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve over steamed rice along with the cooked asparagus and lemon.
Black Drum with Jalapeño Maque Choux
Ingredients:
(2) 6 oz. portions of black drum fillets
Blackened Seasoning:
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
All other ingredients:
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 red onion, julienned, about ¾ cup
1/4 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp. butter
Splash of white wine (prefer a Sauvignon Blanc)
Directions:
Add avocado oil to a cast iron pan and turn heat to high.
Add vegetables to the pan, and cook 5-10 minutes until you see a nice char forming on the vegetables.
Coat both sides of the fish with blackening seasoning.
Season veggies with salt and pepper and a pinch of blackening seasoning and move to the side, but keep them moving to brown evenly.
Add fish to the pan with 1 tbsp. of butter.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, flip and cook for another 3 minutes with heat turned down.
Remove fish from pan.
Deglaze pan with wine, to release the browning.
Keep turning vegetables over and add 1-2 tbsp. of butter.
Let wine simmer until it reduces, then turn off heat.
Plate vegetables in the bottom of a shallow bowl, and add black drum on top.
Finish with parmesan cheese and serve.
Bacon Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients:
5 strips bacon, uncooked & chopped
1 lb. scallops
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
2 tbsp. wine or more lemon juice
2 tbsp. butter, softened but not melted
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
Cook chopped bacon in a skillet until cooked.
Dry scallops with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat the large skillet until very hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and immediately add scallops. Sear on high heat, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet.
Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons white wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan.
Remove from heat, add softened butter (but not melted) - to create a creamy sauce. Add chopped bacon. Add back seared scallops. Top with chopped parsley.
Easy Blackened Tautog
Ingredients:
1 tautog fillet (8 oz.)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of cumin
1 teaspoon thyme or oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 lemon
Directions:
Rinse fillet in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Mix spices in a small bowl and cover the fish entirely.
Heat butter in the skillet (it has to be very hot) and place fish in it. Cook 4 minutes on one side and then another 3 minutes on another side.
Move to the plate, squeeze some lemon on top and serve!
NOTES:
Do not move fish during cooking otherwise it may stick to the skillet.
You can check the internal temperature by sticking meat thermometer into the thickest part of the fish. It should read 145 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.
Top fish with chopped green onions, lemon slices, chopped cilantro or parsley.
If you want to slice the fish, move it to the cutting board and slice into equal pieces using a sharp knife.
Basic Sheet Pan Baked Fish
Ingredients:
1 lb. potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces (baby golden)
1/2 lb. trimmed green beans or asparagus
1 1/2 lb white fish (cod or flounder)
Olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
Lemon
Chopped fresh herbs, like chives, basil, or parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
On a sheet pan, toss baby potatoes in 1 Tbsp. olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Move to 1/3 of the sheet pan, as pictured.
Toss green beans or asparagus with 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cozy these up next to the potatoes.
Lay fish on remaining third of pan, drizzle in olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice. Leave lemon halves on sheet pan.
Roast for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and fish flakes easily with a fork. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and lemon juice. Top with herbs.
Serves 4.
Best Maryland Crab Dip
Ingredients:
8 ounces whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup tartar sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pound jumbo lump or lump crab meat*
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh chopped parsley to garnish
Sliced and toasted baguette for dipping
Olive oil cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. I like to use my pie dish.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the whipped cream cheese, tartar sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Old Bay and lemon juice. Next fold in the crab meat, half the Monterey Jack cheese, and half the mozzarella cheese with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to break up the crab meat!
Transfer the mixture into your baking dish, and top the dip with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and dip is heated through.
Garnish with parsley and serve with toasted baguette.
* You can use lump crab or jumbo lump crab meat for this recipe. In my opinion, the only time it’s really beneficial to use jumbo lump crab meat is for crab cakes where you really want the crab to shine.
In a dip, it’s not quite as important to only have jumbo lump crab meat since there are plenty of other ingredients. You will save a lot of money using lump crab meat instead!
Oyster Shooters
Ingredients:
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup cocktail sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Hot sauce, to taste
Celery salt, to taste
8 small oysters, shucked
2 tsp. refrigerated horseradish
Chopped fresh parsley
Small lemon wedges, for garnish
Directions:
In chilled bowl, stir vodka, cocktail sauce, lemon juice, pepper and hot sauce. Wet rims of 8 chilled shot glasses; dip rims into celery salt.
Place 1 oyster in each shot glass; evenly pour cocktail mixture over oysters. Sprinkle each with parsley and evenly top with horseradish; garnish with lemon wedges. §
