Article by Christine Budd
Parmesan Crusted Tautog with Herb-Lemon Sauce
Ingredients:
Tautog:
1 lb. tautog filets
smoked paprika
salt and pepper
shredded parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper.
Arrange fillets on the baking sheet and sprinkle each fillet on both sides evenly with smoked paprika, salt, pepper and shredded parmesan cheese. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cooked through.
Herb Lemon Sauce:
1 tbs. unsalted butter
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat then add in olive oil and garlic. Bring to a low sizzle for 2 minutes, then turn the heat off and stir in lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper to taste and herbs.
Let the herbs marinate in the sauce for at least 10 minutes, and then strain the herbs out (optional) before drizzling over the fish. You can use this sauce to drizzle over the rice too!
Frankenfish Tacos
Ingredients:
Chimichurri Marinade:
1/4 cup white vinegar
2/3 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
7 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley, stemmed
Juice of 1 fresh ripe lime
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
One 12-oz. skinless fillet snakehead, sliced into 1-inch-thick slices
Grilled Corn Salsa:
4 1/2 ounces onion, small dice
2 ears corn, grilled until blistered, kernels removed
Juice of 2 ripe limes
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed and roughly chopped
Kosher salt
Slaw:
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo, pureed
1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 head cabbage, shaved
Canola oil, for cooking fish
Kosher salt
Grilled 6-inch tortillas, for serving
Fried sweet potato sticks, for serving
Lime slices, for serving
Directions:
For the chimichurri marinade: Combine the vinegar, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, garlic, parsley and lime juice in a food processor. Slowly add in the olive oil while blending.
Cover the snakehead with the desired amount of chimichurri marinade and refrigerate while preparing the slaw and grilled corn salsa.
For the grilled corn salsa: Combine the onions, corn, lime juice, jalapeno and cilantro in a mixing bowl and season with salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
For the slaw: Whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, chipotle and lime juice in a bowl until combined. Slowly add the slaw mix to the cabbage until desired consistency is reached. If you would like more heat, add more chipotle puree.
For assembly: Heat a saute pan over high heat and coat with oil. Once the pan is hot and the oil slides freely across the pan, place the snakehead in the pan and sprinkle with salt. Cook until tender to the touch and the fish begins to flake when pushed with a spatula. This fish cooks extremely fast!
Place the grilled tortillas on a plate and top with the snakehead, grilled corn salsa, slaw and fried sweet potato sticks. Garnish with lime slices.
Cook’s Note:
If snakehead is not available, it can be substituted with another in any other white fleshed fish.
Best Gazpacho
Ingredients:
About 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cored and roughly cut into chunks
1 Italian frying (cubanelle) pepper or another long, light green pepper, such as Anaheim, cored, seeded and roughly cut into chunks
1 cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
1 small mild onion (white or red), peeled and roughly cut into chunks
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, more to taste
Salt
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste, plus more for drizzling
Directions:
Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.
Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.
Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.
Grilled Marlin Steaks
Ingredients:
2 large marlin steaks, about 3/4-inch thick
1/3 cup pineapple juice
2 tbsp. grapeseed oil
2 tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine pineapple juice, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and black pepper. Whisk all the ingredients until well blended.
Put marlin steaks in a large re-sealable bag and pour the marinade over. Close the bag and massage/flip it until the steaks are well coated. Transfer to the refrigerator for 1 to 1 ½ hours, turning and massaging steaks once or twice.
Preheat barbecue to 500-550ºF.
Place the marlin steaks on a plate and discard the marinade.
Transfer the steaks on the hot grill, close the lid and grill for 3 minutes on one side. Flip them and cook for another 2 minutes with the lid closed.
Broiled Flounder with Parmesan “Caesar” Glaze
Ingredients:
8 skinless flounder fillets, 4 to 5 oz. each
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup good-quality mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, grated on the small holes of a box grater
1-1/2 Tbs. loosely packed finely grated lemon zest
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
Position a rack 4 inches from the heat element and heat the broiler on high. Lightly season both sides of the fillets with salt and pepper. Set a fillet before you, skinned side up, and starting at the narrow end, roll up the fillet. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
Spray a broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the flounder rolls, seam side down, in the pan. Broil until the tops are lightly browned, 7 to 8 min. Meanwhile, whisk the mayonnaise, parmesan, lemon zest and juice, Worcestershire, and garlic in a small bowl. Season with pepper to taste.
When the tops of the fillets are lightly browned, remove the fish from the broiler. Spread equal amounts of the mayonnaise mixture over the top of each fillet. Return to the broiler until the topping is golden brown and bubbling, 1-1/2 to 2 min. Transfer the fillets to four dinner plates and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.
Grapefruit Crush
Be sure to stop by the Reel Inn during the White Marlin Open and treat yourself to this refreshing cocktail!
Ingredients:
Smirnoff Grapefruit
Triple sec
Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
Lemon lime soda
Directions:
Pour all ingredients into cocktail mixer and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with grapefruit peel or slice.
