Article by Christine Budd
Blackfish Beignets with Spicy Sauce
Ingredients:
Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Sriracha or other hot chili sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Batter:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg yolk
1 cup soda water
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2/3 cup canola oil
1 pound blackfish (tautog) or other firm white fish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 12)
Salt
Directions:
For the Sauce:
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
For the Batter:
Put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, and half the soda water in a bowl and mix until smooth with a whisk. Add the rest of the soda water and the chives and mix well. (The batter can be made up to a few hours ahead and refrigerated.)
For the Beignets:
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Heat half the oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, until hot. Dip 4 pieces of the fish into the batter until coated on all sides and place in the hot oil. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining fish, adding more oil to the skillet as needed. Serve with the sauce.
Note: If making the beignets ahead, reheat them under a hot broiler for a couple of minutes on each side before serving.
Pan Seared Tilefish with Asparagus, Onions & Wild Mushrooms
Ingredients:
2 6 oz fresh tilefish fillets, scaled with skin on
4 small new potatoes, boiled and cut in half
1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 2” pcs.
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 cup cremini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 small yellow onions, peeled and julienned
3 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 bunch chives, chopped
Directions:
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in one tablespoon of butter, reduce the heat to low and cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned and the pan is dry, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a medium saucepan and set on low heat to keep warm.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat, stirring a few times until lightly browned for about 8 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper then add to the mushrooms. In the same skillet, quickly sauté the asparagus spears over high heat for two minutes. Then add to the mushrooms with the new potatoes together with the chicken stock. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables are warmed through, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and sear, skin side down, until the skin is browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn the fillets over, and cook another minute until the fish is just cooked through.
Stir in half of the chopped chives into the vegetables and stir to combine. To serve, divide the vegetable mixture among 2 pre-warmed plates and set a fillet on top. Garnish with the remaining chives and serve at once.
Easy Clambake
Ingredients:
1/2 stick unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
6 cloves garlic
1/2 lb. shell-on and deveined shrimp
1/2 lb. clams
1/2 lb. mussels, scrubbed and breaded
8 oz. small red potatoes
1 ear fresh corn (shucked and cut into 4 pieces)
1/4 cup beer or white wine
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
3 dashes ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Melted butter for dipping
Lemon wedges
Directions:
Par-boil the potatoes and corns until they are cooked. Drained and set aside.
Heat up a cast-iron skillet on stovetop. Add the melted butter and saute the garlic. Add the shrimp, clams, mussels, red potatoes and corns.
Add the beer or white wine, Cajun seasoning and ground black pepper. Turn the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes, or until all the shellfish are cooked.
Add the parsley, stir to combine well. Serve the clambake immediately with melted butter and lemon wedges.
Garlic Parmesan Crusted Sheepshead
Ingredients:
Fish:
4 sheepshead fillets – skinless and boneless
1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
Garlic powder, to season
Salt and cracked black pepper, to season
Garlic Parmesan Crumble:
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and cracked black pepper, to season
Squeeze of lemon juice
Directions:
Turn your oven on to 400 degrees. Combine parmesan crumble ingredients, set aside.
Place the fillets onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush evenly with mayo, sprinkle on mayo with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Add the parmesan crumble right before you put the fish in the oven. Bake fish for about 12-15 minutes and then BROIL for about 1 minute or so to really crisp up the parmesan crumble. Your fish is done when it flakes apart in the thickest part.
Black Sea Bass with Shrimp in Lemon Scampi Sauce
Ingredients:
12-14 ounces black sea bass fillets
6 16-20 count shrimp peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon capers
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, more or less depending upon your likes
Splash of white wine
2 ounces vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of butter rolled in flour
1/2 teaspoon Italian parsley, finely chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Place sea bass fillets in a baking pan and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. add a little water to the pan to help keep the sea bass moist.
Roast fillets for 15-20 minutes.
In a sauté pan add olive oil and chopped garlic, when the garlic starts to cook add the shrimp.
Turn the shrimp over and add the capers.
When shrimp are almost fully cooked add a splash of white wine.
Add stock, lemon juice and butter rolled in flour.
As the sauce begins to thicken up add chopped parsley, remove from heat and serve over plated Black Sea Bass fillets.
Garnish with sliced lemon and serve with your favorite sides.
Foil Packet Grilled Mahi
Ingredients:
4 pieces Mahi Mahi thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound asparagus
1 cup chopped potatoes
1 lime
1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning or Old Bay
Salt to taste
Directions:
Microwave the cut potatoes for 5 minutes to soften.
Preheat your grill or oven to 375º F.
Tear four pieces of tin foil.
Add a piece of mahi to each.
Add the potatoes and some asparagus (or any other vegetable you like).
Sprinkle the seasoning along with salt & pepper over the fish and vegetables. Top with fresh lime slices.
Drizzle olive oil over each and then fold up the foil. Fold up the foil packets and put onto the grill.
Grill about 10 minutes and check. The potatoes should be soft and the fish firm.
Remove the foil packets from the grill or oven and enjoy! §
