Article by Mama Jock
Sea Bass with Mustard Crust
3 TBSP. Dijon mustard
3 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
1 TBSP. minced garlic
1 TBSP. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. fresh marjoram leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 sea bass fillets, skin on
1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a bowl, combine the mustard, 2 TBSP. of the oil, garlic, thyme, vinegar, marjoram, salt and pepper and mix well.
Rub the fish with 1/2 tsp. of oil and place in roasting pan, skin side down.
Brush mustard mixture onto the fish and lay the lemon slices on over the top.
Drizzle with the remaining 2 1/2 tsp. oil and roast until the fish is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Serves 4-6.
Clam and Hot Italian Sausage Soup
12 oz. hot Italian sausage
1 cup fresh clams, chopped
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped
3 cups tomato sauce
1 (16 oz.) can chopped tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) bottle clam juice
1 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 TBSP. dried parsley
In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage; drain well.
Combine sausage and remaining ingredients in a 4 quart soup pot.
Simmer for at least 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Serves 6.
Baked Weakfish
2 weakfish fillets, butterflied
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
3 TBSP butter, melted
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Arrange fish in a greased
9 x 13 baking dish, skin side down.
In a small bowl, mix dry seasonings together.
Sprinkle over fish, pressing lightly to adhere to fillets.
Drizzle with lemon, then butter.
Bake 20 minutes.
Weakfish can also be grilled.
Serves 2.
Striped Bass au Gratin
6 striped bass fillets
1 lb. scallops
3 cups water
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 TBSP. fresh basil
2 TBSP. butter
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
Boil lemon and 1/2 sliced onion in water.
Add basil; cook 5 minutes.
Add rockfish and scallops; poach 5 minutes.
Remove, break apart the fish, reserving the liquid, but discarding the lemon and onion.
In a saucepan, saute the minced onion and pepper in butter; add the mushrooms.
Sauce:
1 cup butter
1 cup flour
2 cups cream
2 cups fish stock
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup Swiss cheese or Gruyere
1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and slowly whisk in the flour.
Add the cream and stock, stirring until thickened.
Add the mustard, cheese, wine, salt and pepper.
Combine the fish, vegetables and sauce.
Place in baking dish; cover with Panko and bake for 35 minutes.
Serves 6-8.
Crab Gumbo
1 1/2 lbs. crab meat
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 stick butter
1 large can whole tomatoes
1/2 lb okra, trimmed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 cups cooked rice
In a large stock pot cook the okra, onion and celery in butter until tender.
Add the garlic, tomatoes and spices.
Simmer for one hour.
Add the crab meat.
Serve over rice.
Serves 6.
Marinated Bluefish
2 1/2 lbs. bluefish fillets
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and pepper
3 TBSP. fresh rosemary, chopped
3 TBSP. fresh oregano, chopped
5 ripe tomatoes, sliced
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Rinse and pat dry the fillets.
Place the fish in a shallow dish.
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
Add half of the fresh herbs and pour over fillets, making sure each piece is well coated.
Marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour.
When ready to cook, drain the marinade and bake uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes.
If you prefer, broil the fish instead of baking it.
To serve, place the fillets on a bed of sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with the remaining herbs and drizzle with olive oil.
Serves 6.
Scalloped Oyster Casserole
1 pint oysters
2 cups coarse cracker crumbs
1 stick butter
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Half and half
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain oysters and reserve the liquor.
Combine the crumbs and butter.
Spread 1/3 of the crumbs in the bottom of a small casserole.
Cover with 1/2 of the oysters.
Sprinkle with cheese; add 1/3 crumbs and add remaining oysters.
Add enough half and half to the oyster liquid to make 1 cup.
Sprinkle with rest of crumbs.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until brown and bubbling.
Serves 4.
Fried Clams
6 cups shucked clams
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Oil
In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk.
In pie plate combine the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper.
Dredge the clams in the milk mixture and then the flour mixture.
Heat the oil in a skillet; fry the clams for 1 minute and remove with a slotted spoon.
Drain on paper towels.
Serve with tartar sauce, seafood sauce or lemon slices.
Serves 6.
Seared Scallops with Lemon-Butter Sauce
1 1/2 lbs. scallops
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup sweet white wine
2 TBSP. fresh parsley, chopped
1 TBS. minced shallots
2 tsp. grated fresh lemon rind
2 TBSP. butter
Pat scallops dry with paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add scallops; cook 2-3 minutes on each side.
Remove scallops from pan and keep warm.
Add wine and next 3 ingredients to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
Add butter; cook 2 minutes until sauce is slightly thick.
Return scallops to pan; cook 2 minutes.
Serve scallops with sauce.
Serves 6.
Sea Bass Fillets in a Bath of Garlic
6 sea bass fillets
Salt to taste, plus 1 tsp.
Pepper, to taste, plus 1/2 tsp.
8 TBSP. olive oil
20 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 dried chili pepper of choice, seeded and chopped
2/3 cup fish stock or bottled clam juice
Juice of 3 limes
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper.
Place a large cast-iron or other heave bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat.
When hot, add 3 TBSP. of olive oil.
Add the fish; sear, turning once, until lightly golden on both sides, 1-2 minutes.
Place the fillets in a shallow baking dish and place in oven to finish cooking, 3-5 minutes.
Add the remaining 5 TBSP. of oil to the same pan over medium heat.
Add the garlic, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper; saute 2 minutes.
Add the chili pepper; saute for 1-2 minutes longer.
Add fish stock or clam juice and any juices that collected in fry pan holding the fillets and raise heat to medium-high.
Boil until reduced by half.
Add lime juice and parsley; bring to a boil.
Remove from heat.
To serve, place fish on a serving platter and pour sauce over fillets.
Serves 6.
Flying Fish Cocktail
2 parts gin
1 part orange flavored brandy
1 part lemon juice
1 part peach liqueur
Lemon-lime soda
Fill shaker with ice cubes.
Add lemon juice, orange flavored brandy, gin and peach liqueur.
Shake well and strain into a chilled highball glass filled with ice cubes.
Top with lemon-lime soda.
Flying Fish Cocktail
(version #2)
1 3/4 oz. gin
3/4 oz. orange curacao
1/4 oz. maraschino liqueur
1 dash peach bitters
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and strain.
Serve in a cocktail glass.
You can find all of Mama Jock’s recipes at www.coastalfisherman.net. Just click on “Recipes” at the top of the page.
