Article by Christine Budd
Seared Tuna Tostadas
Ingredients:
1 6-8 oz sashimi grade tuna steak
1 large ripe avocado pitted, thinly sliced
1 large jalapeno thinly sliced into rounds
Arugula
Pepper
Sesame seeds
1-2 limes
Grapeseed or sunflower oil
Corn tortillas
Old Bay Crema Ingredients:
1/3 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp mayo
1/2 lime juiced
2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp chipotle pepper
Water to thin
Directions:
To make the Crema:
Whisk together all of the ingredients until combined. Taste and adjust if needed. Add a tsp of water at a time if needed for thinning. This helps drizzle the sauce better. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat a griddle or flat top on high heat. Use a large pan if you don’t have either. Dress the tuna with fresh ground pepper on both sides pressing to create a crust. When the cook top is hot, sear the tuna on both sides for about 1 minute per side. Remove from heat and let rest a few minutes. This will make it easier to cut. Once cooled, use a sharp knife to thinly slice, going across the grain.
On the same cook top, reduce the heat to medium. Brush both sides of tortillas with oil (you can do this on the grill). Lay each tortilla flat on the grill. Be sure not to overlap for even cooking. Cook on both sides for 1-2 minutes until they begin to bubble and turn slight golden. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. Repeat until all tortillas are cooked. When the tortillas have finished put the jalapeno rounds on the grill and give them a quick cook to soften them up a little.
To assemble, layer 1 tbsp. crema as the base over each tostada, top with a bit of arugula, a few slices of avocado, layer 2-3 pieces of tuna, top with jalapenos, sesame seeds and more crema if needed. Serve with lime on the side.
Shrimp Creole
Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons butter
1 large onion , diced
1 rib celery , diced
1 green bell pepper , diced
2 cloves garlic , minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon flour
1/3 cup dry white wine (optional)
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, or about 1 ¼ cups peeled and diced fresh tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, to taste
2 lbs large uncooked shrimp, (about 32)
6-8 cups hot cooked rice, for serving
2 green onions, chopped for garnish
Directions:
Add butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic and sauté until veggies are lightly browned.
In a small bowl whisk together the thyme, salt, pepper, cayenne and flour. Stir into onion mixture and cook for 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with wine (if using) and then add chicken stock, tomatoes, bay leaves and hot sauce. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove bay leaves. Add shrimp and cook until pink, just 3-4 minutes.
Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with green onion.
Baked Mahi with Parsley Sauce
Ingredients:
4 mahi fillets, about 1-1.5 lbs.
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon capers + 1 teaspoon brine
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Season fish with salt & pepper. Place in a baking dish.
Stir the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Spoon about 1/2 the sauce onto the fish and reserve the rest for later.
Bake the mahi for about 10 – 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Remove from oven and top with remaining sauce before serving.
Flounder Piccata
Ingredients:
4 flounder fillets, about 20 ounces total
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large egg whites
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs, or gluten-free crumbs
Olive oil spray, about 1 tbsp worth
1 tbsp whipped butter, or regular butter
2 lemons, 1 juiced with squeezed lemon halves reserved, the other sliced for serving
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp capers, drained
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Directions:
Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat the oven to 200F.
In a shallow bowl, beat the egg whites. Place the bread crumbs in another dish. Dip each fish fillet in the egg whites, then bread crumbs.
Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Spray a generous amount of olive oil spray on one side of the fish, and lay it in the pan, oil side down. Spray the other side of the fish generously to coat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until fish is opaque and cooked through.
Set aside on a platter in the warm oven until you make the sauce.
Over medium heat in the same pan, melt butter, add the lemon juice, wine, chicken broth and the reserved lemon halves, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.
Boil over high heat until the liquid is reduced to half, about 3 – 4 minutes.
Discard the lemon halves, add the capers and spoon the sauce over the fish; place a slice of lemon on each fillet and top with fresh parsley.
Blackened Fish Flatbread
Ingredients:
For the Fish:
1 lb of mild local fish
Blackening seasoning of choice
Salt
Pepper
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Canola oil
For the simple spicy tartar sauce:
1/3 cup tartar sauce
2–3 tsp of lemon juice
Cayenne, Sriracha, and/or Blackening Seasoning to taste
Other:
Flatbread
Chopped lettuce
Thinly sliced red onion
Thinly sliced tomato
Directions:
Heat butter and canola oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on one side of fish and then coat with blackening spice to desired preference.
Place the fish, seasoned side down into the pan and quickly season the other side in the same way. Cook fish for roughly 3-4 minutes per side: 7-8 minutes in total. Remove from skillet, tent with foil and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes.
Heat flatbread in oven at 350° F until just warmed through. Remove from oven and layer on the lettuce, tomato, red onion, and spicy tartar sauce to preference. Place fish fillet on top, fold up the sides and wrap one end in parchment paper or foil. Serve with a lemon wedge if desired.
Blackened Tuna Steaks with Mango Avocado Salsa
Ingredients:
Blackening seasoning or
Cajun /Creole seasoning, about 1–2 tablespoon
4 ahi tuna steaks
1 tablespoon cooking oil
For the salsa:
1 mango, diced
1 avocado, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Directions:
Combine the mango, avocado, pepper, red onion and cilantro in a large mixing bowl. Add lime juice, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Pat the tuna steaks dry and season them liberally with blackening seasoning.
Heat a large skillet to high heat with cooking oil. When oil is hot, add the steaks and sear for 1 – 2 minutes per side.
Remove from the pan and allow the steaks to rest for a minute or two.
To serve, slice the tuna and top with mango avocado salsa. §
