Article by Christine Budd
Sheepshead Chowder
Ingredients:
1½ pounds fresh sheepshead fillets or any firm-fleshed white fish
½ cup chicken broth
2 8- oz bottles clam juice
½ teaspoon Italian hot pepper flakes
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 small red potatoes diced in ½ inch pieces, about 1 ½ cups ( no need to peel)
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 large ribs celery thinly sliced, about ¾ cup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 bay leaf
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup corn
Directions:
Cut fish into chunks and set aside.
In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and celery, and cook stirring until veggies are tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. You don’t want the “raw” taste of flour.
Slowly whisk in the milk, broth, clam juice, hot pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and bring to a simmer. Add the potatoes and bay leaf, simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. The last two minutes of simmering add the fish and corn.
Finally add the cream, dill, and lemon juice, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with the sea salt and the freshly ground black pepper or additional red pepper flakes.
Grandma’s Baked Bluefish
Ingredients:
4 bluefish fillets, about 8 ozs. each
1 - 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Juice of one large lemon
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place the fillets on a large baking dish or jelly roll pan.
Brush the fish with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Place the tomatoes and celery on top of the fish.
Sprinkle with dill.
Scatter the bread crumbs evenly over the fish.
Bake for about 16-20 minutes or until cooked through. If the surface needs browning, place the pan under the broiler for a minute or two.
Buttery Garlic Steamed Clams
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 dozen little neck clams, rinsed and scrubbed
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Wedges from 1 lemon for garnish, if desired
Directions:
In a large skillet (that has a lid), melt 2-½ tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Add wine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
Add clams and remaining butter. Cover and steam until clams have opened (about 7-8 minutes). Occasionally shake skillet while steaming.
Discard any clams that do not open.
Sprinkle evenly with parsley and garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.
Serve with a french baguette or over a bed of cooked pasta.
Baked Crab Cake Bites with Lemon Remoulade
Ingredients:
For the Baked Crab Cake Bites:
10 ounces lump crab meat
1/3 cup onion chopped
1/3 cup bell pepper chopped
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon mayo
1 egg beaten
1 1/2 cups Ritz cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking spray
For the Lemon Remoulade:
1 cup canola mayo
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup dill pickles chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Make the remoulade by combining all the ingredients, and allow it to sit the fridge while you make the crab cakes.
In a small pan, saute the chopped onions and peppers, just until they are tender. Set them aside to cool.
Combine all of the crab cake ingredients, then chill the mixture for 1 hour in the fridge.
After the mixture has chilled, form them into 1 tablespoon sized balls, and lay them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spray the crab cake bites with cooking spray.
Bake the crab cake bites at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until they’re golden brown and cooked through. You can broil them for a few minutes near the end to brown the tops if they need it.
Serve the baked crab cake bites with the lemon remoulade and some lemon wedges.
Crispy Flounder Sandwich
Ingredients:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rounds
4 oz. bread-and-butter pickles, plus ½ cup brine
¾ cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped dill
2 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
1 tbsp. kosher salt, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 flounder fillets cut in half crosswise on a diagonal
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
8 slices sandwich bread
1 cup potato chips, plus more for serving
Directions:
Combine onion, pickles, and pickle brine in a small bowl.
Mix mayonnaise, dill, hot sauce, pepper, 2 tsp. lemon juice, and ½ tsp. salt in another small bowl.
Place eggs, panko and flour in 3 separate shallow medium bowls.
Season each fish fillet with ½ tsp. salt. Working one at a time, dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess. Coat evenly with egg, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Coat with panko, pressing to adhere. Transfer fish to a plate.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook fish until breading is golden brown and cooked through, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a paper towel-lined plate. Season fillets with ½ teaspoon salt.
Spread one heaping tablespoon mayonnaise mixture on one side of each slice of bread. Pile each bottom slice with ¾ cup lettuce, 1 fish fillet, a small handful of potato chips, and ¼ cup onion mixture.
Close sandwich with second slice of bread, mayo side down, and push down lightly to crush potato chips. Transfer to a platter.
Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
Serve with lemon wedges and more potato chips along side.
Do Ahead: Pickled onions and dill sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Pan Seared Tilefish with Garlic, Herbs & Lemon
Ingredients:
2 skinless tilefish or other sturdy, thick white fish fillets (about 7 to 8 ounces each), skins removed
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
3 green garlic shoots or scallions, thinly sliced
1½ tablespoons finely chopped chives, mint and sorrel
1 tablespoon minced lemon thyme or regular leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon, basil or marjoram
Juice of ½ lemon
Directions:
Remove any remaining pin bones in the fish, pat dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter. Once butter has begun to foam, lay fish in pan. Add green garlic or scallions and a pinch of salt. Without disturbing the fish, tilt the pan toward you; using a spoon, ladle green garlic butter over fish. Continue basting fish for 2 to 3 minutes.
Using a spatula, gently flip fish. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Uncover pan, add herbs and continue basting fish with butter until it is just cooked through, another minute or two longer.
Transfer fish to a serving platter or individual plates, pour pan sauce over the top, and pour lemon juice over everything. Season with more salt and black pepper if needed. Serve immediately.§
