Article by Mama Jock
Crab Bisque
2 TBSP. butter
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 lb. lump crab meat
1 TBSP. Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 lb. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 lb. fresh shrimp, diced
1/4 lb. mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp. parsley
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sherry
Melt butter in a medium size soup pot.
Saute onion and celery until soft.
Add remaining ingredients; simmer until steaming.
Serves 6-8.
Perfectly Baked Bluefish
1 large bluefish
1/3 cup butter, melted
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
Juice of half of lemon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Split the fish down the back and dry well with paper towels.
Lay fish in a greased pan.
Melt the butter; add the salt, pepper, onion and lemon juice.
Pour a small amount over the fish.
Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes, basting with the prepared butter mixture every 10 minutes.
Serve very hot.
Serves 4-6.
Fried Soft Shell Crabs with Beer Batter
3/4 cup white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/4 tsp. ginger
3/4 cup beer (any kind but light)
12 fresh, medium soft shell crabs
Corn or safflower oil for frying
In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, egg and ginger; mix well.
Add beer, mix, and let batter stand at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.
Using wok or heavy skillet at least 10-inches in diameter, add the cooking oil and heat to 375 degrees.
Dip crabs in batter and fry three crabs at once, dropping them into the oil one at a time.
With tongs, remove crabs and drain on paper towels.
Serves 4.
Bluefish with Red Potatoes
1 lb. red potatoes
7 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
4-6 fresh skinless bluefish fillets
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white wine
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch slices.
Peel and chopped garlic.
Mix the potatoes and chopped garlic together in a roasting pan large enough to hold the bluefish fillets.
Toss with half the oil.
Tear the basil leaves into thin strips and add to the potato garlic mixture.
Toss with the salt and pepper.
Place the roasting pan in the oven for 20 minutes, baking the potatoes until they are just golden.
Remove from the oven; lift out the potatoes and set aside; keep warm.
Place the bluefish in the roasting pan and drizzle with the lemon juice.
Pour the remaining oil over the fillets.
Add the water and wine to the pan, surrounding the fish.
Cover the fillets with the potato mixture.
Return the filled roasting pan to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes.
Divide the fish among plates and serve with the potatoes on the side.
Serves 4-6.
Baked Flounder with Tomato Caper Sauce
For Sauce:
2 TBSP. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped fennel bulb
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes incl. juice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 TBSP. capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
For Flounder:
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
3 TBSP. unsalted butter (well softened)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
4 skinless flounder fillets
2 TBSP. dry white wine
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium high heat.
Saute onion and fennel, stirring until golden, about 8 minutes.
Add garlic and saute, stirring or 30 seconds.
Add tomatoes and wine; simmer briskly until liquid is reduced by one third.
Stir in capers, salt and pepper; transfer to a 2 quart shallow baking dish.
Stir together bread crumbs, butter, salt and pepper.
Season fish with salt and pepper.
Roll each fillet, skin side up, into a cylinder and arrange, seam side down on top of sauce.
Press bread crumbs onto flounder.
Drizzle wine carefully around fish (not over fish) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Serves 4.
Sea Bass with Artichokes, Zucchini and Tomatoes
1 (6 oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts
2 sea bass fillets
8 oz. plum tomatoes, chopped
1 zucchini, cut into rounds
3 TBSP. fresh basil, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup bottled clam juice
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Drain marinade from artichokes into a 9-inch glass pie dish.
Add fish; turn to coat with marinade.
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper.
Scatter artichokes, tomatoes, zucchini, basil and garlic around fish.
Pour clam juice over fillets.
Bake until fish is just opaque in center, about 20 minutes.
Serves 2.
Cheesy Garlic Basil Flounder
6 flounder fillets
1-2 TBSP. basil
1 TBSP. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced lemon peel
1/4 cup white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 TBSP. butter
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
6 TBSP. Asiago cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the dry basil, garlic, lemon peel and wine; let soak for 5 minutes.
Arrange the fillets in a baking dish and pour the spice mixture over the fish.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Dot the fillets with butter and top with the fresh basil.
Sprinkle with 4 TBSP. of cheese.
Bake for 15-25 minutes. Do not overcook.
Sprinkle with remaining 2 TBSP. of cheese and serve.
Serves 6.
Flounder Fillets with Mustard-Pecan Topping
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup dark brown spicy mustard
1 lb. flounder fillets
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly butter a large shallow baking pan.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard.
Pat the fillets dry with paper towels.
Arrange fish in prepared pan.
Spread mayonnaise mixture over each fillet.
Sprinkle each with the pecans; press down gently.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.
Serves 4.
You can find all of Mama Jock’s recipes at www.coastalfisherman.net. Just click on “Recipes” at the top of the page.
