This Week's Recipes

With it being Lent this week, I thought it might be a great time to post some of my favorite seafood recipes. I have a little of everything; fish tacos (a recipe I developed after visiting San Diego)and to "lighten" the recipe up you could roast or grill the fish rather than using batter and deep frying. Looking forward to a fish taco "throwdown" at Diamond Fresh Seafood once the weather warms up. If you are friends with me on facebook you can catch my WGN link where I made the potato encrusted seabass and also shrimp ceviche. I love the salmon in parchment, sealing in the veggies make the salmon so moist and flavorful. Don't forget to visit Diamond Fresh Seafood for all your seafood needs, mention my blog and get 10% off fresh seafood. Check out my upcoming cooking classes, I have a couple free programs coming up this spring. Enjoy the recipes and happy cooking!

Carol
Salmon en Papillote

8 Tbls. butter
4 skinless salmon fillet, 6 to 8 ounces; about 1 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
1 small zucchini; julienne
1 Tbls. Italian flat-leaf parsley
white wine (2 Tbls. per package)
A sheet of parchment paper, about 16 inches in length


Mix together tomato, zucchini, garlic and parsley, season with salt and pepper. Next take the sheet of parchment paper and fold in half, cut out a heart shape, open up and place the salmon fillet in the center top with tomato mixture, 2 Tbls. white wine and then top with two pats of butter. Fold the parchment over, crimp ends tightly to seal the package. Place the package on a sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Serve the package on the dinner plate and make a slit with a sharp knife to open. Serves 4.

Lemon Parmesan Tilapia with Toasted Asparagus Barley

4 pieces of tilapia
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
½ cup flour
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1 lemon

Mix together panko and parmesan cheese. Season flour with salt and pepper. Mix together eggs. Use the standard breading procedure; dredge fish in flour, egg and then panko mixture. Sauté in a non stick skillet with about 2 Tbls. olive oil or grapeseed oil. Place on sheet pan and finish in 400 degree oven for about 5-7 minutes to finish cooking, time will depend on thickness of the fish. Just before serving squeeze lemon over chicken.

Toasted barley with asparagus:
3/4 cup barley
one bunch of asparagus or sliced sautéed mushrooms
olive oil
1 cup chicken stock

Toast barley in a medium size pot with about 2 Tbls. olive oil, stirring frequently for about 7 minutes, add stock and simmer about 15 minutes. Barley should still have some firmness to it, toss with diced asparagus.

Wash and dry asparagus and break off woody part of the stem. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Either roast in 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes or you can grill turning occasionally until all sides are charred (not burned). Cut into about 2 inch pieces.


Fish Tacos

1 lb. Firm white fish (such as halibut or cod), cubed
11/2 cup beer
1 cup flour
oil for frying

12-16 corn tortillas

1 ½ shredded purple cabbage

1 cup salsa

Tarter Sauce:
¾ cup mayo
1 Tbls. lemon juice
1 tsp. Minced garlic
¼ cup cilantro
Mixed together.

Dip fish into batter and drain on paper towel. Sauté corn tortillas in oil, drain on paper towel.
To assemble: Place fish in corn tortilla top with tarter sauce, salsa and cabbage, squeeze of fresh lime and fold over. Make 12-16 tacos.


Sautéed Sea Bass with White Beans, Mushrooms and Orzo

¾ cup white beans
½ cup orzo

4 large tomatoes, sliced thick
2 Portobello mushrooms
Olive oil for sautéing
2 Tbls. fresh rosemary; chopped
6 cloves of garlic


5 Tbls. Olive oil
1 Tbls. Balsamic vinegar

4 6-oz. Sea bass fillets

Place white beans in large pot and cover with water (chicken stock); cook until tender about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook orzo until soft, about 10 minutes. Mix together and set aside.

Heat 4 Tbls. olive oil in sauté pan over medium high heat, season fish with salt and pepper, sauté about 2 minutes per side (until golden) and finish in 400 degree oven. (rule of thumb for fish 7-10 minutes per inch)

Sauté portabello mushrooms and tomatoes in olive oil until cooked add garlic and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper, Add beans and orzo; add olive oil and balsamic vinegar to coat mixture. Cook until hot.

To Serve: Divide bean mixture up onto 4 plates, top with fish.


Potato Encrusted Sea Bass
served on a bed of Angel Hair Pasta with a Saffron Sauce

2 large Idaho Potatoes, peeled
4 (4-6 ounce) Sea bass filets
salt and pepper
4 Tbls. Dijon mustard
1-3 Tbls. olive oil

1/3 lb. cooked angel hair pasta, tossed with olive oil, set aside

Grate potatoes using the large holes of the grater.

Rinse fish and pat dry with a paper towel, season with salt and pepper. Generously spread one side of fish with mustard. Cover the mustard with grated potatoes to coat. Press down to ensure that the potatoes are on firmly and season again with salt and pepper.

Using a non stick fry pan, heat oil, when hot place fish gently in the pan, potato side down. Sauté until golden, gently flip and finish cooking in the oven.

Saffron Sauce:

2 tsp. garlic
3 Tbls. shallots
½ cup white wine
pinch of saffron
1 cup chicken stock
6 Tbls. heavy cream
6 Tbls. butter

Heat 1 Tbls. olive oil in sauce pan sweat shallots and then garlic add white wine and saffron reduce au sec. Add chicken stock and cream let simmer 10 minutes as it will thicken up finish sauce with butter (monte au beurre). Set fish on top of pasta, ladle sauce around plate and garnish plate with chopped chives.

Check back for recipes to make during Lent!

 

Made by Lena