Brown Sugar Salmon

My son watches different food vloggers.  A few weeks ago he asked if we could have salmon made the way a gal he follows makes it.  I figured, sure why not. 

First have salmon fillets cut to the size each person wants.  I tend to buy mine with the skin in tact.  I use my Tupperware marinating container and if you don't have one, I highly recommend getting one.  To the container, add 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce.  Add Sprigs of Fresh Dill.  Add Fresh Salmon and top with more dill.  

NOTE:  1/3 - 1/2 Lb per person is a nice size portion - center cut if you can get it.  If you buy the whole side that you plan to cut yourself, use the tail portion for whomever likes theirs more done.  Let the salmon marinate in the soy for about 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350. Place salmon of a foil lined sheet pan and top generously with Light Brown Sugar - at least a 1/4 Cup each.  You can get it ready of to this point if you are having company.  Place the sheet pan directly in the refrigerator.

Place in preheated oven for about 20 mintes for medium temperature.  For medium rare temerature, add those fillets after about 5 minutes into cooking so they are ready at the same time.  

Remove from the oven when the sugar has bubbled and formed a light crust.  If at the end you want it a bit more crustier, use your broiler for a minute.  Add the drizzle from the sheet pan directly on the fish or on one of the sides you plan to serve.  Let the salmon rest for 5 minutes before removing from the sheet pan.  

Interesting combination but tasty.  We actually made it a second time.  

Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Peach Salsa

We've been eating lighter now that it's hot.  Yesterday I had a hankering for Shrimp Tacos with a zesty Peach Salsa, so I picked up what I needed just before dinner.  Let's say this was a nod to Louisiana.

The Peach idea came from years ago, when a guest chef at the local farmer's market found things at the booths and cooked fish and served it with a simple fresh peach salsa.  I thought it was the coolest idea.  We are talking 15 years ago, so though there is no way I could duplicate what he did I made my own quick Salsa.

Rinse Shrimp, peel devein, pat dry, and add 5 to each skewer, this just makes for easy grilling.  Drizzle with Olive Oil and season with Blackening Seasoning on both sides, I like Paul Prudhomme's the best.

For the Salsa, Dice 2 Ripe Peaches.  Mince a few strips of Jalepeno - use them to your liking depending on how much heat you want.  Add 1 tsp Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice.  Season with 2 tsp minced Cilantro and if you want, 2 tsp Minced Red Onion.  Drizzle with 1 TBL Olive Oil and stir.

Shred lettuce, I used Red Cabbage and Spinach, but you can use micro greens, napa cabbage, sprouts of any sort, really whatever you want.

Preheat Grill til hot and grill shrimp, turning once.  Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet so they are pliable.

We have taco tenders and I recommend them. Assemble tacos by placing shredded greens in the bottom, add 3 shrimp and top with Salsa.  We sampled Gluten Free Tortillas but I didn't care for the texture at all.  I would stick with flour tortilla's or if Gluten Free is needed, I would rather make my own with gluten free flour.

Salmon, Scales on, Cooked in the House

Every time I hear the word "salmon", it reminds me of an early episode of American Idol where Kellie Pickler was describing to Simon a dinner she had the night before.  She told him she a eaten saLmon for the first time, pronouncing the L.  He didn't quite know at first what she was talking about and finally he said something like, oh, salmon, saying it properly.  She looked at him dead serious and said you know there is an L in there.  It was too cute.

As my son says, moving on...
We have been cooking salmon more often than in the past and the main reason is that I have found a suitable way to cook it.  I have a previous post where I grill it and that is divine, but at times I don't want to mess with the grill.  I like my salmon just under done, firm but tender and ever so slightly, soft.  My husband wants his rare.

The first line of success is that we shop for 2 pieces of Salmon that are different thickness.  We always buy the salmon the day we are cooking it and I don't want any leftover.  The fillets should be firm to the touch, have relatively little to no smell, and be very bright in color.  The fish for dinner last night came from the Mandeville Seafood Market on Highway 59 and it was super fresh.  I think it was around $9.99 a pound.

For this preparation, I preheat the oven thoroughly to 350 and I preheat an empty pan over medium heat.  I rinse the fish and pat it dry.  I add a drizzle of olive oil to the flesh side of the fish and add S&P.
I begin with my piece of salmon.  I add it to the skillet, FLESH side down.  After about 4 minutes or so, and once browns, it will easily lift from the pan in 1 piece.  I turn it over now scale side down. 

At this time, I add the thicker piece of salmon to the skillet, SCALES side down.  I sprinkled dill on the the flesh side of both pieces.  I place the pan in the oven for 8-10 minutes depending on how thick it is.  While it is finishing in the oven, I thinly slice a lemon.  When I remove it from the oven, I place each piece of salmon on our respective plates.  I add 1/2 TBL butter to the fish and let it melt over the flesh.  Next, I layer the thin sliced lemon and sprinkle a bit more dill.  My husband likes capers so I add them at this time. I tent the plates with a piece of foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.

For this meal, I happened to have risotto that I made the day before and had that warming on the stove.  When we were ready to eat, I sprinkle my fish with a pinch of Hawaiian Black Salt that I bought this summer.  It was crunchy and really tasty.  I felt it complimented the fish well, you know, Hawaii & Salmon, a good combination.

NOTE:  If you both like the same doneness, just stick to one or the other preparation.  I hope you give this a try.  Salmon is a really great fish for a lot of reasons.  The nutritional value is superb. 

New Orleans Barbeque Shrimp over Lemon Rice Pilaf

I have been wanting to put these two dishes together for ages.  I finally ended up with all the ingredients to do so.  If you have been to New Orleans, you know the barbeque shrimp is just swimming in butter, literally, about 1 stick per pound of unpeeled shrimp.  As much as I would like to, I just can't consume that amount of butter.  Here is a lighter version with all the parts of the original dish.  I made up both of these recipes.  These quantities are about right for 3 portions.

Get the prep done for the shrimp part of the dish, cook the pilaf, then cook the shrimp.  This dinner goes together fairly easily. 

Peel 1 lb Large Fresh Shrimp (I decided to take the tail off this time but you don't have to.)  Place peeled shrimp in a single layer on a paper towel lined plate. Open New Orleans Barbeque Seasoning (I buy my favorite seasoning by the case and sell it for $5 + shipping - just message me), set out bottle of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, Zest 1 Lemon then Juice the lemon.  Set skillet on the stove.

Here is the Lemon Rice Pilaf recipe.  Dice 1 small Vidalia Onion. Heat a heavy bottom pan over medium heat.  Add enough Olive Oil to lightly coat the bottom.  Add the onion and saute for about 3-5 minutes until soft but not browned.  Add 1 Cup Arborio Rice.  Stir until the rice is coated in oil and cook for about 1 minute more.  Begin adding (1) 14 1/2oz  Chicken Broth, a few ounces at a time, and stir after each addition.  Keep adding in this manner until the entire can has been added.  Stir in the juice of 1 Lemon.  The rice will not be done so keep adding small amounts of water until the rice is cooked.  It may need 1/4-1/2 cup of water in all.

Cook the Shrimp.  Heat an empty skillet over medium high heat.  Add 3 Tbl UnSalted Butter.  Add shrimp and cook until almost done.  Add the juice of the lemon and half of the zest.  Add 1 Tbl Barbeque Shrimp Seasoning and stir to coat.  Add 1/2 Tbl Worcestershire Sauce.  Add the lemon slices, toss to coat and remove from heat.  Serve at once over the lemon rice pilaf with the lemon zest and fresh rosemary garnish.  Serve with warm crusty bread.  The sauce doubles and triples well to allow for dipping.

Trout Amandine (Inspired by Luke, a John Besh restaurant)

Our friend, J, once again went fishing and caught trout, redfish, and a tuna.  We were recipients of all three.  Although I had something planned for dinner the night he brought the fish over, those plans went out the window.

My husband found a recipe for John Besh's Trout Amandine on a blog written by a food journalist who ate at Luke's.  I decided to give it a try.  I read through a blog post several times.  He never paid tribute to the origin of the recipe.  Normally, you would think, if you ended up with a recipe for a New Orleans' favorite dish while dining in a favorite New Orleans' chef's restaurant, the post might cross over from the dining experience itself to obtaining a recipe.   You know, meeting the chef, a tour of the kitchen, or the waiter secretly stealing a recipe, but no, nothing is mentioned.  I had to read the recipe a few times as well, because something didn't seem right as it pertains to the sauce.  I made it as written but I have my doubts that it's directly from John Beshs' mouth.
 
You should know by now, if you are a frequent reader, that your success will come if you get all the prep first. What's neat about this type of cooking is that trout is a thick fish.  This dish can be made and finished in the oven so it is served piping hot.  Trout is also long, so it's best to have a spatula made specifically for fish. 

Rinse 1 Fillet of Trout per person and let dry on a paper towel.  These quantities work for 3 people so increase as needed.  Season the fillets with Salt, Pepper, and Something like Tony Chachere's, Zatarain's, or Paul Prudhomme's Creole Seasoning.

Using 2 flat bottomed dishes, add to one 1 Cup Buttermilk and to the other 1 Cup Flour.

For the sauce, have at the ready 1 Stick UnSalted Butter, 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds, (I would Zest the Lemon first) but you need the Juice of 1 Lemon, 1 TBL Fresh Chopped Parsley.

Now for the fun part.  Preheat oven to 300.

Preheat the empty pan for the fish over medium heat.  Add 1/2" Olive Oil and heat thoroughly.  Dredge the fillets, one at time, in the flour, the buttermilk and back in the flour.  Place fillet in the hot oil and repeat.  Turn once after the first side browns, about 5-7 minutes.  (NOTE: As the second side is cooking, preheat the empty skillet to being used for the sauce to medium high.)  Cook the second side for about 5-7 minutes and place on a sheet pan and finish in the warm oven.

As soon as the fish is in the oven, make the sauce.  Add the Butter to the pan.  Once it melts and begins to brown along the edges, add (and here is where I didn't like the recipe)  add the Almonds, Lemon Juice and the Parley.  Cook until the almonds brown.  Season with Salt.  Plate the fish and top with the sauce.

You can brown almonds in butter but not with the moisture of the lemon and mine didn't brown.  I kept debating on doing it the way I felt was right but I thought I would give this a shot on account it is "John Besh's".  I would've browned the almonds, added the lemon juice for about a minute to reduce and thicken slightly, then finished with the parsley for the last 30 seconds or so.   Never one to pass up a chance to garnish with lemon zest, or better yet, I would've added the lemon zest it to the buttery browned nuts for 10-15 seconds right before I added the lemon juice.  The oil form the rinds would've made that butter delicious.  So for next time, those changes...

Anyway, I'll have to check out Luke's and order it for myself.  None the less, the dish was tasty, and fattening, and I will make it in the future.  To keep it light though, you can serve with sliced Creole Tomatoes served with salt and some warm crusty bread...you know so that sauce doesn't go to waste.

Tilapia Topped with Hand Picked Crabs and Lemon Butter Sauce

This was so delicious topped with local hand picked crabs.  The crabs were cooked perfectly with the right amount of seasoning.  The Talapia was cooked perfectly with the right amount of lemon and butter in the sauce.
Heres what I did.
Buy 6 Crabs.  These came from Mandeville Seafood Market and were $20 a dozen, not bad.  Hand pick crabs.  If you don't know how to do this, buy local crabmeat already picked (and hopefully seasoned.)
First, some prep.  Heat water for pasta.  Rinse and pat dry 1 Tilapia Fillets per person.  Zest and juice 1 Lemon.  Mix 2 tsp Corn Starch with 2 tsp Chicken Broth and set aside.  Cut 1/2 Stick UnSalted Butter into 4 pieces.
Heat empty skillet over medium heat until thoroughly heated.  Add salt and pasta to water.  Add 1 Tbl Oilve Oil and 1 Tbl UnSalted Butter to skillet.  Add fish fillets to skillet and cook until just done turning only once.  The second side will take slightly less time than the first.  Remove the fish from the pan, place on a plate, and cover loosely with foil.
Make Sauce.  Add Lemon Zest and cook for 10 seconds.  Add 2 Tbl Dry Vermouth and cook for 30 seconds.  Add Lemon Juice and cook for 30 seconds until it appears thick.  Add Corn Starch Mixture and 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth. Cook for another minute or 2 allowing it to bubble gently.  Turn off heat and add butter.  Swirl gently.  Add Crab Meat.  Plate up pasta and fish and top with the crabmeat sauce.  Serve with a salad, a buttery white wine, and crusty bread.

Trout Pecan with Lemon Butter Sauce

Like I mentioned in my last post, I am trying to perfect my Lemon Butter pan sauce.  This was an even better try as I made a few minor adjustments.  Rinse fish, in this case Trout Fillets, 1 per person.  Set onto paper towels to absorb excess moisture.  Lightly Salt and Pepper the fillets.  Zest and Juice 1 Lemon for every two fillets.  Set aside.  This fish is larger than the Orange Roughy (if you have read my previous post).  To cook 4 fillets, I used two 12" skillets.  If you don't have two then make this 2 times and clean the skillet before making the second batch.  Rough chop Pecans and toast in 1 Tbl Butter over medium heat.  Add A Few Pinches of Sugar, 1 Few Pinches of Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper and stir while they are toasting.  Set a side.  Heat empty skillet over medium high heat.  Add 2 Tbl Butter and melt.  Add fish fillets.  When they begin to look opaque around the edges, carefully flip the fish.  Let the second side cook until the fish is firm to the touch in its thickest part.  When done, place on a warm plate and make the pan sauce.  Add the lemon zest to the pan.  Stir for about 20 seconds.  Add lemon juice and swirl for 30 seconds.  Add 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth and cook until it begins to thicken.  Turn off heat and add 2 Tbl Butter and swirl until melted.  Spoon over the fish and top with the toasted pecans.  Serve at once.
NOTE:  The changes I made to this recipe vs. the Orange Roughy were to replace the Olive Oil with Butter and to swirl in more butter at the end which gave the sauce a thicker consistency.  I also added S&P and Sugar to the pecans provide a sweet and savory compliment to the butter lemon sauce.  If you wanted to take it one step further you could add a bit on cayenne pepper to give the nuts some heat.  I would love to hear some feedback from anyone making any of these recipes.  The comments section is open without a login.

Orange Roughy with Lemon Butter and Toasted Pistachios

I have been working diligently on perfecting a pan sauce after sauteing a piece of fish.  I really sort of copied a bit of my brown butter technique for this sauce and it's tasty. But what I am really after is the light lemon butter sauce we see in local restaurants.  After many tries I am convinced they may make up a lemon butter sauce and that it isn't made with the pan juices every time they fire up a fish dish.  That will be a whole 'nother set of experiments.  For now, I am just trying to get a quickly cooked piece of fish that has some color on the outside, that can be turned without breaking apart, that can be removed from the pan without breaking apart, is tasty and has a quick 2 minutes sauce.  None of these are that simple though it sounds as if it should be.
I have many spatulas but I need to get to Simplee Gourmet on Hwy 21 (for the local gang) to get a tool for turning fish.  Any good gourmet shop will have what you need and that is our local store.  The other variable is the pan.  I am concluding that the newer pans I have (and the pans sold) are coated.  I don't feel they render themselves to the browning I am after.  I may have to invest in a larger stainless skillet for that.  In any event, when making this dish you will need to have a thick bottomed skillet.....Ok, a lot of talk, here's what I did:
First, rinse fish fillet(s) and pat dry or place on paper towels to dry.  While it is drying, heat a small skillet and toast chopped Pistachio Nuts in 1 Tbl Butter.  Set aside.  Zest and Juice 1 Lemon.  Heat a skillet, large enough to fit the fillets, over medium high heat.  After a few minutes add 2 Tbl Olive Oil and add 1 Tbl Butter. Swirl to coat the add 1 Orange Roughy Fillet per Person but don't overlap the fish.
When the fish begins to turn opaque around the edges, carefully turn it over.  Cook the second side until fish feels firm to the touch at it's thickest point.  Place on warm plates.  To the pan, add the lemon zest and stir for 20 seconds.  Add lemon juice and swirl to combine.  Add 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth.  Let this reduce for a few minutes until it thicken slightly.  Turn off heat and add 1 Tbl Butter, swirling the pan the entire time.  Pour over fish fillets and add toasted pistachios.  Serve at once.

Grilled Salmon, Scales On

First, when buying salmon, buy fresh salmon fillets with the scales on.  Buy individual fillets since they are easier to remove from the grill and can be purchased based on how well done you like your fish.  If you want to buy a full side, cut it into pieces that will fit on your spatula once cooked.  I like mine a bit thinner so it is more done than the way my husbands prefers his fish.  By buying 2 thicknesses, I can cook them both at the same time for the same amount of time.If you don't see the sizes you like, ask the fish monger to cut pieces for you.  I bought 2 fillets around 1.2 pounds total.

This recipe preparation is one of the few times I love our infer-red grill.  Place 1 Salmon Fillet Per Person, scale sides down, on a platter about a hour before cooking.  This allows the fish to begin to warm up to room temperature.  Either drizzle or brush Virgin Olive Oil on both sides of the fillet.  With scales down, top with the Zest of Lemon.  (The zest of 1 Lemon will top 2 Fillets)  Add Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste. If you like Dill, add it now.

About 20 minutes before cooking, throughly heat your grill.  Place the Salmon Fillets on the grill scale side down and close the lid.  Note: You will not be turning the fish.  The fish will cook in a matter of 2-6 minutes depending on your doneness and the heat of your grill.  Using your tongs, you can feel for doneness, soft and springy means rare in the middle and firm is cooked all the way.  The fish will go from a bright orange to a milky pink color as it firms up.  You can open the grill to peek as you are learning how long to let it go.  Try not to over cook it though because dry salmon isn't good.

To remove it from the grill, get the spatula under the scales.  It is easiest if you approach the fillet from a corner and at a diagonal to the grate to get it started.  With a quick motion, get the entire fillet including scales on the spatula and carefully transfer to each plate as is.  This goes great with grilled Asparagus, Lemon Rice Pilaf and a Lemon Drop Martini!  Eat immediately!!

Blackend Redfish on the Grill

Our friend, J, went bow fishing and rod fishing last week and he and his guests limited out on Redfish.  They were all out of town guests, so he got to keep the catch.  He must have spent the better part of Saturday morning giving out the fish.  Some of the fish was "on the half shell" meaning the fillet was left on the scales, perfect for grilling!  I chose Blackend for my fish.  Butter lightly the rinsed Whole Redfish Fillet with 1 Tbl Soft Butter.  Add Blackening Seasoning to Taste.  Add to hot grill, scales side down, and close the lid.  When scales begin to roll gently around the edges and the fish feels slightly firm to the touch, it's done.  It should easily come up from the grill, scales and all.  This puffed up nicely and in the end was thicker than it appeared when it was raw.  Wow, spectacular!  Thanks J!