Article by Mama Jock
Bluefish Cakes with Chili Butter Sauce
3 cups flaked, cooked fish
5 TBSP. butter
5 TBSP. flour
½ tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 ½ cup milk
1 ½ TBSP. minced onion
1 ½ TBSP. minced parsley
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 egg
butter
Chili butter sauce, recipe follows
Melt butter in saucepan, blend in flour, salt and pepper and slowly add milk.
Cook until very thick, stirring constantly.
Add onion, parsley, lemon juice and fish.
Mix well and chill for several hours.
Shape into 12 cakes, roll in crumbs, dip into egg mixed with 2 TBSP. cold water.
Roll in crumbs again.
Chill 1 hour; fry in butter in a heavy skillet until golden brown.
Chili Butter Sauce
1 cup chili sauce
3 TBSP. butter
1 TBSP. lemon juice
Combine ingredients, heat and ladle over cakes.
Serves 6.
Stuffed Sea Bass
Stuffing
2 TBSP. butter
2 TBSP. diced shallot
2 TBSP. yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
1 TBSP. Italian parsley, minced
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 sea bass
4 TBSP. melted butter
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add shallots, tomato, bell pepper, parsley, salt and pepper.
Saute for 5 minutes.
Sea Bass
1 onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 bunch dill
½ cup dry vermouth
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash fish under cold running water and dry completely with paper towels.
Place stuffing in the cavity and secure with string.
Grease a casserole dish with 2 TBSP. butter, add stuffed fish and surround with slices of onion, bell pepper and a sprig of dill.
Combine the remaining butter, vermouth, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Pour over the fish and cook in oven for 30 minutes, keeping the fish moist by sprinkling with water every 10 minutes.
Serves 4.
Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Pan Sauce
For the Scallops
1 lb. large scallops
1 TBSP. unsalted butter
1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper
For the Sauce
3 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
2 TBSP. finely diced shallot
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup finely chopped parsley and chives
¼ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Salt and black pepper
2 to 3 lemon wedges for serving
Rinse scallops, pat dry with paper towels.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the oil and butter to the pan.
Pat the scallops dry one more time and place them in a single, uncrowded layer.
Season with salt and pepper and let sear undisturbed until one side is browned and crisp.
Using tongs, turn the scallops and sear until the second side is well browned and the scallops are almost firm to the touch.
Transfer the scallops to a plate and keep warm.
Let the pan cool briefly before you make the sauce.
Return the pan to medium heat.
Add ½ TBSP. butter and the scallops and saute until the shallots begin to soften.
Add the wine; simmer until reduced by about half.
Add the herbs and lemon zest.
Reduce heat to low, add the remaining butter and wisk constantly until completely blended.
Return scallops and any juices to the pan.
Gently roll the scallops in the sauce to warm them through.
Taste for salt and pepper and serve immediately with the lemon wedges.
Serves 4.
Grilled Mahi-Mahi
with Jerk Spice
For the Marinade
1 red onion, roughly chopped
1 ½ tsp. dried thyme
2 scallions, only green tops, chopped
1 tsp. allspice
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 TBSP. white pepper
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 TBSP. olive oil
3 tsp. sea salt
For the Fish
4 mahi-mahi fillets
Salt
Place all marinade ingredients into a food processor and process for 15 seconds.
Season the fish with salt and spoon 2 tsp. of the jerk marinade on each side.
Place on a hot grill and turn heat down to medium.
After 2 minutes, turn over and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until fish is cooked through.
Serves 4.
Sicilian
Shrimp Po’Boys
¼ cup plus 1 TBSP. olive oil
4 anchovy fillets
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ cup white wine
2 pints cherry tomatoes
3 TBSP. capers, drained and chopped
1 ½ shrimp shelled, deveined and butterflied
Salt and pepper
2 TBSP. butter
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup chopped parsley
Shredded romaine lettuce, for serving
4 Italian sub rolls, split and toasted
In a skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 3 TBSP. olive oil over medium heat.
Melt the anchovies into the oil, then stir in the chili and garlic.
Cover the pan, increase the heat; cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes burst, about 15 minutes.
Break-up the bursted tomatoes with a wooden spoon and remove from heat.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 TBSP. olive oil, over medium high heat.
Add the shrimp; season with salt and pepper and toss until firm and opaque.
Pour in the remaining ¼ cup of white wine to deglaze the pan.
Add the butter to melt, then stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
Pile some lettuce into the sub rolls.
Top with the shrimp and lots of sauce.
Serves 4.
Flounder Milanese
4 flounder fillets
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup flour
Salt and pepper
3 large eggs
6 slices white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1/3 cup fresh parsley
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
5 to 6 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
4 TBSP. butter
6 cups romaine lettuce
Lemon wedges
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Soak the fish in a bowl with the milk and 2 cups ice for 15 minutes.
Mix the flour with ½ tsp. salt and pepper each in a shallow dish.
Lightly beat the eggs in another dish.
Pulse the bread, parsley, lemon zest and ½ tsp. salt in a food processor until crumbs form, then transfer to a third dish.
One at a time, remove the fillets from the milk and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess.
Dip in the eggs, then coat with the breadcrumbs, gently pressing to coat both sides.
Transfer to a large plate.
Line a baking sheet with foil.
Heat 2 TBSP. each olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 2 fillets; cook until golden brown.
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
Add 2 more TBSP each of oil and butter for the remaining fillets.
Transfer to the oven and bake about 8 minutes.
Toss the salad greens with remaining olive oil and salt and pepper.
Serve the fish with the salad and lemon wedges.
Serves 4.
Seared Mahi-Mahi with Zesty Basil Butter
3 TBSP. unsalted butter
1 ½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ tsp. each of salt and black pepper
1 ½ TBSP. fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 TBSP. olive oil
4 mahi mahi fillets
Combine the butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and basil in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until the butter melts.
Cover and keep warm over low heat.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Season the fish with salt and pepper, to taste.
Cook the fish for 3 minutes; then turn and cook until just opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
When serving, spoon the warm basil butter over the fish.
Serves 4.
Cuban-Style Grilled Tuna
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons or limes
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 large shallots, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt
½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
4 center cut tuna fillets, skin removed
1 (14 oz.) can hearts of palm, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Vegetable oil, for brushing
2 cups salad greens
Preheat grill to medium high.
In large bowl, whisk 2 TBSP. olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, garlic, shallots, cumin, cayenne, 1 tsp. salt and half of the cilantro.
Add the tuna and turn to coat.
Let marinate 15 minutes at room temperature.
Toss the hearts of palm and tomatoes in a bowl with the remaining 2 TBSP. of olive oil, the juice of the remaining lemon and the rest of the cilantro.
Season with salt.
Brush the grill with vegetable oil.
Grill the tuna until marked on the bottom.
Turn and continue grilling until marked on the other side and cooked through, 2 or 3 more minutes.
Serve the tuna with the salad.
Serves 4.
Shrimp Curry with Peas and Cilantro
3 TBSP. canola oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 bay leaf
6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, grated
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground tumeric
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
½ cup plain yogurt
1 ½ lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup frozen peas
2 TBSP. cilantro, chopped
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet.
Add the onion and bay leaf; cook until onion is translucent.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, ground spices, cayenne, ½ tsp. salt, the tomato and yogurt.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid evaporates and the oil separates and turns orange, 5 to 7 minutes.
Continue frying, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan.
Add 1 cup water; stir to combine.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, cook 20 minutes or until the mixture is slightly thickened.
Add the shrimp, peas and cilantro, cook, uncovered for 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
Discard bay leaf; season with salt and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
If you are interested in sharing your favorite seafood recipe with readers of the Coastal Fisherman, you can email it to Mama Jock at [email protected]. All recipes can be found at www.coastalfisherman.net.
