Article by Mama Jock
Crab Filled Wontons Appetizers
submitted by Sandy Pulsifer
6 oz. crabmeat, minced
6 oz. softened cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
40 Wonton Skins
1 egg, slightly beaten
Vegetable oil
Place a heaping teaspoon of crabmeat mixture in the center of one wonton skin.
Cover the remaining skins with a damp towel to keep them pliable.
Top with another wonton skin and press edges to seal.
Brush a dab of egg on center of both sides of puff.
Use fingers to pleat each edge, pressing to seal.
Repeat with remaining wonton skins.
Cover puffs with damp towel or plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.
Heat 1 1/2-inches of vegetable oil in a wok or deep fry pan to 350 degrees.
Fry 4 or 5 puffs at a time until golden brown, turning 2 or 3 times.
Drain on paper towels.
Serves 10.
Flounder Francaise
submitted by Amanda Pulsifer
2 eggs, beaten
1 TBSP. olive oil
1 TBSP. butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. black pepper
4 large flounder fillets
Sauce:
4 TBSP. butter
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp. parsley
lemon slices, for garnish
In a large skillet, heat the oil and 1 TBSP. butter over medium heat.
Place the flour and all the seasonings in a plastic bag and shake to blend.
Place the beaten eggs in a shallow dish.
When the skillet is hot, put the flounder fillets in the bag one at a time and then dip in the egg.
Coat them completely with the egg and place in skillet.
The egg should sizzle immediately. If it doesn’t, the oil is not hot enough.
Save 1 TBSP. of the flour mixture for the sauce.
Fry over medium heat until brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Add extra butter if needed.
Remove from skillet, keep warm.
Discard any oil left in the skillet and add the butter and 1 TBSP. of the seasoned flour reserved from the flounder.
Whisk until smooth.
Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, stirring constantly until well blended.
Bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
If the sauce thickens too much, add more water, just 1 tsp. at a time until you achieve the desired consistency.
To serve, place flounder over a bed of buttered rice and pour a little sauce over each fillet.
Garnish with lemon slices.
Serves 4.
Shrimp Cakes with Scallion Dip
submitted by Jon Pulsifer
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 scallion, chopped
1 small clove garlic, grated
2 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
3 TBSP. vegetable oil
6 cups mixed greens
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Puree the mayonnaise, parsley, scallion, garlic, 2 TBSP. water, 1 TBSP. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a food processor; transfer to a bowl.
Add half of the shrimp to the food processor and pulse until a thick paste forms.
Add the remaining shrimp, 1/2 cup panko, 2 TBSP. of the prepared dressing, the egg and lemon zest.
Pulse until combined but still chunky.
With oiled hands, shape the mixture into 8 1/2-inch thick patties.
Transfer to a baking sheet; freeze 5 minutes.
Put the remaining 1/2 cup panko on a plate.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
Coat the patties on both sides with the panko; cook until golden, 2 minutes per side.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the patties until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Toss the greens , 2 TBSP. of the dressing and the remaining 1 TBSP. lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
Serve the cakes with the salad and remaining dressing.
Serves 4.
Grilled Tuna with Horseradish
4 tuna steaks
2 tsp. vegetable oil
4 TBSP. soy sauce
4 TBSP. seasoned rice vinegar
2 TBSP. minced green onion
2 TBSP. horseradish, or more to taste
8 cherry tomatoes
1 tsp. hot chili paste
Preheat grill to high, and lightly oil the grate with vegetable oil.
Stir soy sauce, rice vinegar, horseradish, cherry tomatoes and hot chili paste in a bowl until well combined. Let sit 20 minutes.
Place steaks over hottest part of the grill; cook 3 minutes each side.
Transfer to a plate.
Spoon soy sauce mixture over steaks and garnish with green onion.
Serves 4.
Cod Dijonnaise
Dijonnaise Garnish
1 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 lbs. baby spinach
1 TBSP. unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the carrots; cook 5 minutes.
Add the spinach; cook 1 minute; drain well and squeeze excess water from spinach.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the carrots and the spinach; season with salt and pepper.
Cook until well coated with the butter.
Place on a serving platter and keep warm.
For the Cod:
2 TBSP. Dijon mustard
1 cup bread crumbs
2 TBSP. minced chives
1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
6 sprigs fresh parsley leaves finely chopped
1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cod fillets, skin left on
Salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1/2 cup finely chopped thyme leaves
1 TBSP. butter
Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Season fish with salt and pepper and place them into pan skin side down, along with the garlic and thyme.
Sear fillets 3 minutes, turn them over and cook another 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, add the butter; cook 3 minutes or until fish is opaque.
Preheat the broiler.
Spread the mustard evenly over the fillets.
Mix together the bread crumbs, chives and olive oil and pat evenly over the fish.
Broil just until the crumbs are golden brown.
Spoon the Dijonnaise garnish onto a platter, top with the cod, and sprinkle with the parsley.
Serves 4.
Oysters Baked with Buttered Spinach
5 TBSP. butter
1 cup minced onion
1 large bag organic spinach, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh grated nutmeg to taste, usually a scant 1/8 tsp. will do
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1 tsp. minced garlic
24 oysters, shucked
1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Melt 2 TBSP. of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion, cook, stirring until soft.
Add the spinach to the skillet; turn the heat to high; cook, stirring until it wilts.
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Turn the heat to low and add the cream.
Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and stir in 1 more TBSP. of butter.
Transfer the spinach to a buttered baking dish.
Nestle the oysters in the spinach and top with the breadcrumbs.
Dot with the remaining butter.
Bake until the oysters are baked through, their ends will curl, about 15 minutes.
Serves 4.
Pan-Fried Striper with Southwestern Tomato Sauce
1 TBSP. cumin seeds
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 cups ripe or canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste
1 TBSP. balsamic or sherry wine vinegar
1 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TBSP. ground cumin
2 striper fillets, cut into serving pieces
1 cup flour
1/4 cup minced cilantro
Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add the 2 TBSP. of oil and the crushed garlic; raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the garlic is golden brown.
Add the tomatoes and cayenne, reduce the heat; cook 10 minutes.
Add the vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper; cook 5 more minutes.
Reduce heat to low.
Preheat a 10 in skillet over medium-high heat.
Mix together the flour, ground cumin, and some salt and pepper.
Add the 1/2 cup oil to the skillet and when it is hot, dredge the fillets one by one in the flour and put in skillet.
Cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Drain the fish on paper towels and serve with the tomato sauce and garnish with cilantro.
Serves 4.
Grilled Flounder with Peach BBQ Sauce
BBQ Sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
3 TBSP. prepared mustard
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce
Pinch garlic salt
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. pepper
3 TBSP. brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
2 cups fresh or canned peaches
Fish:
4 flounder fillets
Salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste
Mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan, excluding the peaches and simmer over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, puree 2 cups of canned or fresh peaches.
Once the sauce is cooked, add the pureed peaches to the sauce and stir together.
Preheat the grill to medium heat.
Season the flounder with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Cook the fish on each side for 3 to 4 minutes.
During the last few minutes of cooking, brush the fish with some barbecue sauce.
Once cooked and plated, ladle a nice spoonful of the peach barbecue sauce on top of the fillets.
Serves 4.
