Article by Christine Budd
Blackfish Beignets with Spicy Sauce
Ingredients:
Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Sriracha or other hot chili sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Batter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg yolk
1 cup soda water
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2/3 cup canola oil
1 pound blackfish (tautog) or other firm white fish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 12)
Salt
Directions:
For the Sauce:
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
For the Batter:
Put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, and half the soda water in a bowl and mix until smooth with a whisk. Add the rest of the soda water and the chives and mix well. (The batter can be made up to a few hours ahead and refrigerated.)
For the Beignets:
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Heat half the oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, until hot. Dip 4 pieces of the fish into the batter until coated on all sides and place in the hot oil. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining fish, adding more oil to the skillet as needed. Serve with the sauce.
Note: If making the beignets ahead, reheat them under a hot broiler for a couple of minutes on each side before serving.
SIMPLE OVEN BAKED SEA BASS
Ingredients:
1 lb. sea bass (cleaned & scaled)
3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves
2 tsp. fresh coarse ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 lemon wedges
1/3 cup white wine vinegar (optional) or 1/3 cup white wine (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450F°.
In a cup, mix garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
Place fish in a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish.
Rub fish with oil mixture.
(Optional) Pour wine over fish.
Bake fish, uncovered, for 15 minutes; then sprinkle with parsley or Italian seasoning and continue to bake for 5 more minutes (or until the thickest part of the fish flakes easily).
Drizzle remaining pan juices over fish and garnish with lemon wedges.
20-Minute Baked Flounder au Gratin
Ingredients:
4 - 6 oz. flounder fillets, or any other white fish will do
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup panko crumbs
2/3 cups freshly grated
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. dried thyme
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Place the flounder fillets on a lightly oiled baking dish. Brush the tops of the fillets with 1 Tbsp.melted butter.
In a small bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, grated cheese, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and thyme. Add the rest of the melted butter to the crumb mixture and mix it until the crumb mixture becomes buttery, crumbly, and golden in color.
Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the fillets and lightly press the crumb mixture down into the fillets.
Bake the fish for 12-15 minutes, or until the fish is opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and reaches an internal temperature of 145° F.
This recipe goes great with a vegetable side, pasta, potatoes—pretty much anything!
Rockin’ Oysters Rockefeller
Ingredients:
48 fresh, unopened oysters
1?½ cups beer
2 cloves garlic seasoned salt to taste
7 black peppercorns
½ cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 oz. fontina cheese, shredded
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup milk
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs
Directions:
Clean oysters, and place in a large stockpot. Pour in beer and enough water to cover oysters; add 2 cloves garlic, seasoned salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, drain, and cool.
Once oysters are cooled, break off and discard the top shell. Arrange the oysters on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter until soft. Reduce heat to low, and stir in spinach, Monterey Jack, fontina, and mozzarella. Cook until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Stir in the milk, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over each oyster, just filling the shell. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake until golden and bubbly, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
BLACK SEA BASS with SHRIMP in LEMON SCAMPI SAUCE
Ingredients:
12-14 ounces black sea bass fillets
6 - 16-20 count shrimp peeled & deveined
1 tablespoon capers
1 clove garlic – finely chopped
Juice of one half lemon
Splash of white wine
2 ounces vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of butter rolled in flour
1/2 teaspoon Italian parsley – finely chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Place sea bass fillets in a baking pan and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Add a little water to the pan to help keep the sea bass moist.
Roast sea bass for 15-20 minutes
In a sauté pan add olive oil and chopped garlic, when the garlic starts to cook add the shrimp.
Turn the shrimp over and add the capers.
When shrimp are almost fully cooked add a splash of white wine.
Add stock, lemon juice and butter rolled in flour.
As the sauce begins to thicken up add chopped parsley, remove from heat and serve over plated black sea bass fillets.
Garnish with sliced lemon and serve with your favorite sides.
BLACKENED DRUM
Ingredients:
Sweet Potatoes:
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Green Beans:
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon
Blackened Drum:
1 cup Cajun blackening spice
1 tablespoon kosher salt, if needed
6 skinless black drum fillets
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
Herb Butter, recipe follows, for serving
Directions:
For the sweet potatoes: Heat a large skillet over high heat until smoking hot. Add the grapeseed oil and then the sweet potatoes. Allow the potatoes to sear for 2 to 3 minutes and then turn the heat down to medium. Toss the sweet potatoes and cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the molasses, chili powder and cayenne and toss to coat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
For the green beans: Bring a large pot of water (seasoned with 2 tablespoons salt per gallon of water) to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath to shock the beans. Add about one-quarter of the beans to the boiling water (you don’t want to add so many beans that the water loses the boil) and cook until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the beans from the water with a skimmer and shock in the ice bath. Repeat until all of the beans are cooked. Remove the beans from the ice bath and dry with a towel.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Melt the butter and then add the green beans. Sauté the green beans until tender and slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
For the blackened drum: Combine the blackening spice and salt, reducing or omitting the salt as needed (taste the spice mix first as some brands already have salt added). Spread the spice mixture on a plate and coat each side of the fish fillets.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the grapeseed oil, gently lay the fish in the skillet and sear until the spices have blackened and formed a nice crust on the fish, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently flip the fish and sear on the second side for 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from the pan and allow the fillets to rest for a few minutes before plating.
For serving: Mound some of the sweet potatoes in the centers of 6 plates. Place the green beans on top of the sweet potatoes and then top each plate with a fillet of fish. Top the fish with some herb butter and serve while the butter is melting over the hot fish.
Herb Butter:
Yield: About 1 pound.
Combine the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and parsley in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Virginia Crab Imperial
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely diced onion
1 tablespoon butter
¾ cup mayonnaise, divided
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 lb. crabmeat (jumbo lump, lump or backfin)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Spray 4 (8-ounce) ramekins or one (1-quart) casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Sauté the bell pepper and onion in butter to soften. Cool before mixing.
In a large bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, egg, pepper and Old Bay seasoning. Stir in the cooled vegetables. Add the crab and gently fold to mix, being careful not to break up the crab.
Divide the mixture among the 4 prepared dishes. Use the remaining ¼ cup of mayonnaise to spread about 1 tablespoon on top of each dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until brown and bubbly.
