Fish doesn't have to be boring. This Lent, leave that box of fish sticks in the freezer and try serving one of these delicious fish recipes, from the Eagle archives.
- By Margaret Button, The Berkshire Eagle
PITTSFIELD — The days are getting longer, the sun seems a bit warmer, spring is on its way and Easter is right around the corner.
Today, Christians observe Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, an observance lasting 40 days, not counting Sundays, and ending just before Easter Sunday.
"Lent is spiritual; it's an intense time of preparation and observing the Passion of Christ. Easter is celebrating His resurrection," said the Rev. Matthew Guidi of Assumption Parish, which includes St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Cheshire and North American Martyrs Chapel in Lanesborough.
Among the Lenten rituals are "giving up" certain things as an act of penitence and not eating meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays in Lent.
The practice of going meatless dates back to the early Christians, who made Friday a special day because Jesus Christ was crucified on a Friday.
"The church instituted the practice of not eating meat on Fridays," Guidi said.
According to the Roman Catholic church's 1983 Code of Canon Law, which is still current, Guidi said, no meat should be consumed on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the other Fridays in Lent. In addition, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are fasting days, allowing for one full meatless meal, and two smaller meatless meals, if they are needed for a person to sustain strength.
"Fish is allowed because it does not have the same status as consuming the flesh of mammals, to honor Christ who sacrificed his flesh," Guidi said. "Meat was more of a celebratory dish than fish in the early days of the church. It was also a rich man's dish, fish was for the poor."
So, what does he eat during Lent? When it comes to his favorite Lenten meals, Guidi was quick to respond his all-time favorite was mac and cheese, adding "I do like to eat!" He also said he likes baked scrod, cheese pizza, tuna noodle casserole and eggplant Parmesan; all which he makes for himself.
Owner/chef Shari Peltier of Thrive diner on Wahconah Street, which specializes in plant-based cuisine, suggested one way to go meatless during Lent was to create a loaded baked potato bar.
"I like to use russet potatoes, but sweet potatoes are fun, too," she said. "You could top them with vegan burger or sausage and the other usual toppings — cheese, sour cream ... You might like it and never go back to using meat."
Peltier also suggested creating a Buddha bowl. "Take a big bowl, I use a 32-ounce one, and on one side put quinoa or rice, on the other greens and veggies. Top it with beans, soup, a meatless chili or a vegan coconut curry soup," she said.
Peltier said that most of your favorite casseroles and dishes can be turned into meatless versions by using plant-based proteins like tofu, a soy milk bean curd, or tempeh, fermented soy beans. She added that tempeh should be marinated before using it to impart some flavor into it.
"When substituting plant-based proteins, remember there is no fat or grease in them like there is in meat, so you don't need as much in a recipe as you do with meat," she said, recommending using 3/4 of a pound of plant-based protein in place of a pound of meat in a recipe.
Members of the features department at the Berkshire Eagle dug through their recipe boxes for some of their favorite tried-and-true meatless recipes. And let's not forget Father Guidi's recipe for stovetop mac and cheese ...
VEGGIE TUNA BURGERS
These burgers are a great way to get some veggies and protein in your dinner, without any meat. You can prepare the chopped vegetables ahead of time and make the "burger patties" right before frying them up for dinner. Unlike other tuna burgers I've tried, these are super moist and flavorful. You won't even miss the meat!
(Lindsey Hollenbaugh, managing editor of features)
Yield: Six tuna burgers
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup each of shredded zucchini, yellow squash and carrots
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups of whole wheat bread crumbs
1 can water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon butter
DIRECTIONS:
In a large, non-stick skillet, sauté onion and garlic for 1 minute. Add shredded zucchini, squash and carrots. Sauté until tender. Drain and cool mixture to room temperature. In a large bowl, combine egg, bread crumbs, tuna, salt and pepper. Add vegetable mixture. Shape mixture by hand into six patties. The mixture should be wet, but still hold together. Coat a skillet with cooking spray and cook the patties in butter for 3 to 5 minutes on each side on medium heat until lightly brown. Serve on buns with a slice of cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. A tarter sauce, or homemade garlic aioli also goes great with these.
MEATLESS QUICHE
This has been my go-to quiche recipe for literally decades. The original recipe calls for 6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled, but for Lent, I add meaty shiitake mushrooms in their place, although you could add any cooked veggie you have on hand. It claims to serve 8, but with my family it feed three — with no leftovers!
(Margaret Button, associate features editor)
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
For the crust:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup margarine
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
For the quiche filling:
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced and sauteed
1/4 pound Swiss cheese, diced
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in ice water until mixture forms a ball. Roll dough out on a floured board to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Transfer to pie plate and flute edge.
Sauté onion in 1 tablespoon margarine until tender. Set aside to cool. Line bottom of crust with sautéed mushrooms and diced Swiss cheese. Combine eggs, cream, remaining salt, spices and cooled cooked onion and pour into crust.
Bake at 375 F for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle of the quiche comes out clean. Serve hot.
STOVETOP MAC & CHEESE
(Courtesy the Rev. Matthew Guidi, from Yummies4Dummies.com. Guidi said he adds a 16-ounce box of Velvetta 2 percent Milk Cheese to the recipe.)
Estimated Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups dry elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 1/2 cups cold whole milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Cook the macaroni according to the instructions on the package, then drain; set aside.
In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture is a light golden color.
Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
Add the cheese, a handful at a time, whisking well after each addition and not adding more until the previous handful is fully melted and incorporated. Season to taste with garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper.
Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine, breaking up any clumps of macaroni. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
I know that for some people, cooking fish feels daunting. There’s fear of a smell throughout the house, and perhaps some concern over finding an easy, foolproof technique. And there’s good reason for these concerns. Some cooking methods generate more odor, and some types of fish flake more easily and are difficult to manage in the pan.
On the other hand, there are kinds of fish that work with easy cooking methods for a great option in your dinner rotation. We eat salmon most often, either cooked on the grill or baked in the oven. We have a gas grill, which is much quicker than charcoal on a weeknight — no matter what we’re having. When we grill salmon, we use a store-bought marinade with ginger and sesame for an hour or so before cooking. I like to put the fish on the grill flesh-side down for just a couple of minutes on low to medium heat, to give it some grill marks and firm it up a bit. Then I flip it and put the filet skin-side down on a large piece of heavy-duty foil, turn the heat up, pour any extra marinade over the top, and close the cover. Although this does mimic baking, the grill definitely adds flavor. Unless it’s an extremely thick filet, it should take about 6 to 8 minutes with the cover closed until it’s done.
While grilling is easy enough, it’s not something one wants to do on a bitterly cold night or with heavy rain or snow coming down. Fortunately, my favorite oven method is a great option for year-round cooking. Although this calls for fresh ginger and lime zest, which may not be staple ingredients in every household, you can keep these on hand in the freezer! Both can easily be grated from frozen on a fine grater. For the ginger, you can trim off the peel or not before freezing, your preference. With citrus, whenever I squeeze lime or lemon halves for the juice, I save the rind in a plastic bag in the freezer. Just be sure to zest only the top layer and not the white pith below.
I’ve made this many times, and I have often improvised with different combinations for the glaze, so feel free to be creative. Another great feature of this recipe for busy families is to make more than you’ll eat in one meal, and on another night flake the salmon over greens and other produce to create a main course salad.
GINGER-LIME BAKED SALMON
Serves 2, can be doubled
INGREDIENTS:
2 six-ounce pieces of salmon filet, or one large piece
2 teaspoons real maple syrup
1 teaspoon lime zest, grated from about half a lime
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated from about 1 inch of ginger root
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Pinch fresh ground pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 F. (If you are cooking something else in the oven at a lower temperature, that will be fine with a longer baking time allowed for the fish.) On top of a piece of parchment or foil, place the salmon skin-side down on a half sheet pan, in a roasting pan or in a glass baking dish. (The parchment paper or foil will make clean up easier; otherwise the skin sticks to the pan rather tenaciously.)
Combine the maple syrup, lime zest, ginger, mustard, soy sauce, and pepper in a small bowl. Spread the glaze over the salmon.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the fish has just little bit of give when pressed lightly. If your oven is set at 350 F, it should take about 30 minutes.
- By Dick Lindsay, Berkshire Eagle
A devout Catholic, Melodie Sinopoli looks to beef up her meatless meals during Lent, the 40-day preparation leading up to Easter.
The Pittsfield mother and wife wants to excite her family's taste buds, as her Catholic childhood was one of macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and basic fish dinners when meat was a no-no on Ash Wednesday, which is today, and Fridays of the Lenten season.
Among her favorite contemporary recipes is lobster casserole — a far cry from the classic, and often maligned, tuna noodle casserole.
"It's basically a homemade mac and cheese, just add lobster meat or any type of seafood," said Sinopoli, who works in the advertising department at The Berkshire Eagle. "Very flavorful."
The Lenten obligation of no meat dates back to ancient Israel and the dawn of Christianity when Jesus died on the cross, sacrificing his flesh on Good Friday. Catholics are obligated to fast — one full meal or two lighter meals — for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, as well as abstain from eating meat. For the Fridays in between, simply avoid beef, pork and poultry. Young children, people with health concerns and those 60 years of age and older are exempt from Lenten meal restrictions, although many older Catholics observe them as meat was once forbidden every Friday of the year.
While Catholics often look to fish as the main substitute for meat, it's not required, according to Rev. John Salatino, former pastor of St. Mark's Catholic Church in Pittsfield.
"Omelets, salads, rice on days of fasting are just as good as the idea is to lean toward simple meals," he said.
Being a professional cook prior to becoming a priest 20 years ago, Salatino prepares many of his own meals, even jazzing up a can of tuna fish.
"Take the tuna (drained) and put over arugula with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice," he said. "It's a great lunch."
Many local restaurants are mindful of the meatless restrictions during Lent, none more so than Salmon Run Fish House in Lee, Mass. For more than 20 years, owners Paul and Dawn Face have offered a variety of seafood entrees.
"We typical do sell more fish on Friday during Lent," said Paul Face. "Fridays become busy for fish dinners than on Saturday."
From grilled salmon to the popular seafood stew, Salmon Run patrons have plenty of fish dishes to choose from the menu.
"We have a seafood stew that does well in the winter as people like hearty warm dinners," Face said. "The stew has scrod, shrimp, mussels, clams, potatoes in a light, creamy seafood broth."
But Salmon Run's top seller is Fish 'N Chips, an English tradition that has been an American favorite for decades.
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Courtesy Melodie Sinopoli
Ingredients:
1 pound cavatelli pasta
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 pound mixed grated cheese; sharp cheddar cheese, american, muenster
1 pound lobster meat cut into small pieces (from about 3 boiled lobsters) or a seafood mixture; lobster, shrimp, scallops, crab
Topping:
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions, al dente.
Make a roux sauce; melt butter with flour until it forms a paste add milk and cream. Add cheese and stir until it is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the pasta in a large bowl with the sauce and mix well, add lobster meat and mix. Pour into lightly greased casserole dish, cover with bread crumb mixture (combine all topping ingredients to make).
Cook for approximately 1 hour until bubbly
Baked fish
Courtesy of Rev. John Salatino
Ingredients:
A piece of haddock or scrod
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Oregano
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with baking spray, place a piece of haddock or scrod. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, give it a turn, lightly drizzle with a touch more olive oil and sprinkle with oregano. Place back in oven for 2 to 3 minutes or until fish is flaky.
Serve with a salad and a starch or your choice. Enjoy!
- By Melissa d'Arabian, The Associated Press
The health benefits of eating fish two or three times a week are well-documented. So, as a mom of four kiddos, I'm always looking for creative ways to add fish into our weekly menu.
I love Alaskan cod especially this time of year because it's in season, it's loaded with omegas and lean protein, and my girls all love the mild flavor. But any mild white fish will work for today's recipe, Cod with Pomegranate and Zucchini en Papillote. My kids love the pretty color play between the bright green lime and rich-ruby pomegranate, while I love the fact that I can make a fantastic dinner that isn't loaded down with extra fat or empty calories.
I use the papillote method, which is simply loading up a sheet of parchment with fish, aromatics and some quick-cooking veggies and sealing them up into a pouch and baking. Cooking in the cozy, moist heat of the parchment pouch means the fish stays tender as it baths gently in the steam created by the vegetables and a tiny splash of wine, like a flavorful spa.
The result is fish that is almost impossible to overcook, giving a busy weeknight cook a forgiving window of time for serving dinner. Cooking in a papillote also means you can cook with no additional fat, making fish-en-papillote a super strategy for anyone watching their caloric intake.
If you feel like living it up a little, add a drizzle of olive oil or a tiny pat of butter — you'll be amazed by how even a tiny bit of fat can make the rest of the ingredients sing. Make a large papillote to eat family-style, or make smaller, individual papillotes for a dinner party — either way, you'll feel like dinner is a tiny bit special.
Cod with pomegranate and zucchini en papillote
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds cod, or other mild white fish, cut into 4 portions, or kept in one large portion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced zucchini, about two small zucchini
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced, seeds removed
2 tablespoons white wine
1/4 cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
salt and pepper
Special equipment: parchment paper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly salt and pepper the cod fillet and set aside. Cut a sheet of parchment paper that is a couple of inches longer than the length of the fish, and a little more than twice the width. Use one large piece of parchment if fillet is whole; or four individual pieces of parchment if you've cut the fish into individual portions. Place the sliced shallots along the middle of the parchment paper, and layer the zucchini on top of the shallots - this is the bed where you'll place the cod. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Place the fish on top of the zucchini. Top the fish with the sliced lime, white wine, pomegranate arils, and a little salt and pepper. Close the parchment paper by folding the paper in half over the fish. Create a closed pouch by starting at one corner, and folding the paper into small triangles, tightly pinching them closed as you go around the edges. The result will be a semi-circle shaped sealed pouch.
Place the pouch on a baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, or a few minutes less if fish is thin. Remove from the oven, carefully cut open the pouch and serve.
Chef's note: Recipe can also be made in a baking dish: Simply layer, cover and bake.
Nutrition information per serving: 201 calories; 15 calories from fat; 2 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 73 mg cholesterol; 687 mg sodium; 12 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 33 g protein.
Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, "Supermarket Healthy." Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net
- By America's Test Kitchen
A surfside treat, California fish tacos feature battered and fried crispy white fish and sprightly pickled vegetables. When done right, they are light and fresh, with a lively mix of textures and flavors.
This recipe may look involved, but the components come together quickly, so invite your friends to help. The frying uses a mere 3/4-inch layer of oil (no splattering vats).
We made an ultrathin batter by adding two sources of carbonation, beer and baking powder; they provided lift and their slight acidity limited gluten development. Frying in batches helped maintain the oil's temperature.
For toppings, we quick-pickled onion and jalapenos and then used the brine to brighten shredded cabbage. Slice fish on the bias if your fillets are not 4 inches wide. Serve with green salsa if desired.
CALIFORNIA-STYLE FISH TACOS
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
Pickled onion and cabbage:
1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
1 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper
3 cups shredded green cabbage
Tacos:
2 pounds skinless white fish fillets, such as cod,
haddock, or halibut
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup beer
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup crema
DIRECTIONS:
For the pickled onion and cabbage: Combine onion and jalapenos in medium bowl. Bring vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Pour vinegar mixture over onion mixture and let sit for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Transfer 1/4 cup pickling liquid to second medium bowl, add cabbage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to combine.
For the tacos: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 F. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Cut fish crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips. Pat dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add beer and whisk until smooth. Add fish and toss to coat evenly.
Add oil to large Dutch oven until 3?4 inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat to 350 F.
Remove 5 or 6 pieces of fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 F and 350 F. Fry fish, stirring gently to prevent pieces from sticking together and turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.
Using slotted spoon or spider skimmer, transfer fish to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 F and repeat with remaining fish. Serve fish and pickled onions and cabbage with tortillas, cilantro, and crema.
Nutrition information per serving: 699 calories; 307 calories from fat; 35 g fat ( 5 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 65 mg cholesterol; 530 mg sodium; 59 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 33 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like California-Style Fish Tacos in "New Essentials ."
- By Sara Moulton, The Associated Press
When it comes to landing dinner on the table on a weeknight, fish fillets are among the very quickest dishes you can prepare, rarely requiring more than five minutes to go from raw to ready to eat. And given the relative mildness of a fish's flavor, they're a natural canvas for a vast palette of seasonings (and acid, too), meaning they turn out just about exactly as flavorful as you make them.
For Spicy Sautéed Fish with Pineapple Mango Salsa, white fish fillets are dusted with flour spiked with Creole spice mix, after which they're crisped up in a skillet.
The famously potent spice mix — spearheaded by cayenne and black pepper — is built into the DNA of Louisiana cuisine. Virtually all of New Orleans' Hall of Fame chefs — including Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse — developed signature versions of this mix and used it liberally and to great effect in just about everything they cooked. Fair warning: If you're not a fan of blazing heat, you won't be a fan of Creole spice mix. Unless, of course, you balance it with one key ingredient — sugar. Sugar will balance any spicy dish. If you dig into a bowl of chili and discover that you've overdone the hot sauce, just sprinkle in a little brown sugar. If your barbecue sauce sets your mouth on fire, tame it with a dab or two of honey. Conversely, if you've added too much sugar to one of your savory dishes, even it out with some heat. The goal is to add just enough of sweet and heat so that you're not bowled over by either of them.
In this recipe, the fiery Creole spice mix is countered by the natural sugars built into the pineapple mango salsa. The additional herbs and fresh lime contribute some festive end-of-summer flair to this weeknight entrée.
Spicy sautéed fish with pineapple mango salsa
Start to finish: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup finely diced pineapple
3/4 cup finely diced mango
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, soaked in ice water for 20 minutes and patted dry
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or cilantro or a mix
Kosher salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons creole spice mix (recipe below) or store-bought, such as Zatarains
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Four 6-ounce firm-fleshed white fish fillet pieces, such as tilapia
DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl combine the pineapple, mango, onion, lime juice and herbs; add salt to taste.
On a piece of parchment, combine the flour and the spice mix; stir well. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Dip the fish in the flour mixture, coating it well on all sides, shaking off the excess, and add it to the skillet. Cook it until golden brown, about 2 minutes a side and transfer a portion to each of 4 plates. Top each portion with a heaping spoonful of salsa.
Creole spice mix
INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons hot paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon oregano
3/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together well.
Nutritional information: 328 calories; 106 calories from fat; 12 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 85 mg cholesterol; 573 mg sodium; 21 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 36 g protein.
- By Katie Workman, The Associated Press
I love a deep-fried, puffy-battered fish sandwich, with a tempura-like coating, but I'm not doing that at home. That's for an indulgent summer seafood shack lunch, or if you're lucky enough to find yourself in a British pub.
But a great, pan-fried piece of fish can be yours with much less work, and significantly less oil. One time to do it, and stat, is when you have Alaskan halibut. It's worth seeking out — sweet and delicate, with white, firm, flaky flesh. It keeps its shape nicely even as you flip it in the pan. One-quarter inch of oil will get you a great crust, and when that crispy fish is nestled in a roll with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce, you will feel like summer has returned.
You could certainly just go out and buy some prepared tartar sauce if you're in a hurry, but a homemade tartar sauce is a bit of a revelation, and very simple to make. If you don't have cornichons, you can substitute jarred relish.
Halibut fried fish sandwich with lemon basil tartar sauce
Makes 4 sandwiches
Start to finish: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Lemon basil tartar sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons minced cornichons (baby pickles)
2 tablespoons minced scallions
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed, then minced
2 teaspoons coarse Dijon or Creole mustard
1 tablespoon minced basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Halibut fried fish sandwiches:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup panko bread crumbs
4 (6 -ounce) pieces halibut
vegetable oil for pan frying (about cup)
4 potato rolls
Several pieces of leaf or romaine lettuce, torn to fit the rolls
1 ripe tomato, sliced
Lemon wedges for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to broil.
Make the tartar sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, cornichons, scallions, capers, mustard, basil, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Have all of the sandwich rolls and toppings ready to go so that when the fish is cooked, you can assemble the sandwiches right away.
In a shallow wide bowl, mix the flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. In another shallow wide bowl, beat the egg with the milk and the hot sauce. Place the panko bread crumbs in a third shallow wide bowl.
Heat enough oil to come up 1/4-inch high in a large skillet over medium high heat. While the oil is heating, dredge each piece of fish first in the flour, shaking off any excess, then in the milk mixture, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl, and then finally dredge the fish in the bread crumbs. Fry the fish in the oil for about 4 minutes on each side until the fish is golden brown and cooked through. Remove it with a slotted spatula and place on a paper towel-lined plate or surface to drain for a minute.
While the fish is cooking, broil the buns cut side up for just a minute until lightly browned. Place a piece of cooked fish on the bottom half of each roll, and top with a spoonful of the tartar sauce. Top with the lettuce and tomato, and then with the second half of the roll. Serve immediately, with the lemon wedges.
Nutrition information per serving of Lemon Basil Tartar Sauce (about 2 tablespoons): Nutrition information per serving: 98 calories; 93 calories from fat; 10 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 6 mg cholesterol; 319 mg sodium; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 0 g protein.
Nutrition information per serving of Halibut Fried Fish Sandwiches: 611 calories; 168 calories from fat; 19 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 139 mg cholesterol; 686 mg sodium; 62 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 45 g protein.
Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, "Dinner Solved!" and "The Mom 100 Cookbook." She blogs at http://www.themom100.com/about-katie-workman
- By America's Test Kitchen
Cooking salmon can be intimidating since it overcooks and dries out so easily. But the multicooker makes the process foolproof: The consistent moisture level and temperature, as well as the precise timing safeguards against overcooking, produce evenly cooked salmon each and every time.
Cooking the salmon on a foil sling made it easy to transfer in and out of the multicooker, and propping the fish up on lemon slices insulated it from the direct heat.
While both methods produced great salmon in under an hour, we slightly preferred the slow cook setting since it allowed us to regularly check the doneness of the fish, guaranteeing that it was cooked perfectly.
To complete our healthy dinner, we made a fresh and light salad with cucumber, tomatoes, olives and herbs. If using the slow cook function, check the salmon's temperature after 15 minutes of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 135 F.
POACHED SALMON WITH CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD
Servings: 4
Pressure cook total time: 25 minutes
Slow cook total time: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 lemon, sliced 1/4 inch thick, plus 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest and 2 tablespoons juice
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, stems reserved
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, stems reserved
1 (1 1/2-pound) skinless center-cut salmon fillet, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, sliced crosswise into 4 equal pieces
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
DIRECTIONS:
Fold sheet of aluminum foil into 12-by-9 inch sling. Press sling into multicooker, allowing narrow edges to rest along sides of insert. Arrange lemon slices in single layer on prepared sling, then scatter parsley and dill stems over top. Add water until liquid level is even with lemon slices (about 1/2 cup). Season salmon with salt and pepper and arrange skinned side down in even layer on top of herb stems.
To pressure cook: Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high-pressure cook function and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off multicooker and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
To slow cook: Lock lid in place and open pressure release valve. Select low slow cook function and cook until salmon is opaque throughout when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 135 F (for medium), 15 to 20 minutes. (If using Instant Pot, select high slow cook function.) Turn off multicooker and carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
Meanwhile, whisk oil, shallot, capers, lemon zest and juice, and chopped dill together in large bowl. Add cucumber, tomatoes, olives and parsley leaves and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Using sling, transfer salmon to baking sheet; discard poaching liquid. Gently lift and tilt fillets with spatula to remove herb stems and lemon slices and remove any white albumin. Transfer salmon to individual plates and serve with salad.
Nutrition information per serving: 427 calories; 262 calories from fat; 29 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 62 mg cholesterol; 1145 mg sodium; 16 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 26 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Poached Salmon with Cucumber and Tomato Salad in "Multicooker Perfection ."
- Associated Press
KWAREZIMAL
(Lenten Almond Cakes)
Start to finish: 45 minutes
(20 minutes active)
Makes 12 cakes
2 cup blanched almonds (whole, slivered or chopped)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of 2 oranges
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lightly chopped pistachios
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the almonds on a baking sheet and place in the oven to toast for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and orange zest.
When the almonds are done, remove them from the oven and transfer to a food processor. Pulse until the almonds are coarsely ground. Add the almonds to the flour mixture.
Add the water and mix to form a very stiff dough. Add additional flour or water to get a tacky, but not sticky, dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead several times.
Form the dough into a log, then flatten to form a 6-by-18-inch rectangle. Use a knife to cut the rectangle into 1 1/2-by-6-inch bars. Carefully transfer the bars to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1/2 inch between them.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until just lightly browned at the edges and still tender. Cool for 5 minutes, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pistachios.
The addition of potatoes to this traditional dish creates a more robust version for cool weather meals. It's a staple, eaten hot, in Ukraine and Russia, but it's also popular in other Eastern European countries.
Another borscht, eaten cold, is prepared differently.
HOT BEET & POTATO BORSCHT
Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 6 to 8
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
4 medium beets, peeled and grated
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 cup orange juice
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, more or less to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In a large stockpot, heat over medium. Add the onion and saute until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the sugar, salt and pepper.
Add enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower heat, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.
If soup is too thick, add a bit more water. Season with sugar, salt and pepper, then simmer for another 5 minutes.
Copyright © 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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- By Margaret Button, The Berkshire Eagle
PITTSFIELD — The days are getting longer, the sun seems a bit warmer, spring is on its way and Easter is right around the corner.
Today, Christians observe Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, an observance lasting 40 days, not counting Sundays, and ending just before Easter Sunday.
"Lent is spiritual; it's an intense time of preparation and observing the Passion of Christ. Easter is celebrating His resurrection," said the Rev. Matthew Guidi of Assumption Parish, which includes St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Cheshire and North American Martyrs Chapel in Lanesborough.
Among the Lenten rituals are "giving up" certain things as an act of penitence and not eating meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays in Lent.
The practice of going meatless dates back to the early Christians, who made Friday a special day because Jesus Christ was crucified on a Friday.
"The church instituted the practice of not eating meat on Fridays," Guidi said.
According to the Roman Catholic church's 1983 Code of Canon Law, which is still current, Guidi said, no meat should be consumed on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the other Fridays in Lent. In addition, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are fasting days, allowing for one full meatless meal, and two smaller meatless meals, if they are needed for a person to sustain strength.
"Fish is allowed because it does not have the same status as consuming the flesh of mammals, to honor Christ who sacrificed his flesh," Guidi said. "Meat was more of a celebratory dish than fish in the early days of the church. It was also a rich man's dish, fish was for the poor."
So, what does he eat during Lent? When it comes to his favorite Lenten meals, Guidi was quick to respond his all-time favorite was mac and cheese, adding "I do like to eat!" He also said he likes baked scrod, cheese pizza, tuna noodle casserole and eggplant Parmesan; all which he makes for himself.
Owner/chef Shari Peltier of Thrive diner on Wahconah Street, which specializes in plant-based cuisine, suggested one way to go meatless during Lent was to create a loaded baked potato bar.
"I like to use russet potatoes, but sweet potatoes are fun, too," she said. "You could top them with vegan burger or sausage and the other usual toppings — cheese, sour cream ... You might like it and never go back to using meat."
Peltier also suggested creating a Buddha bowl. "Take a big bowl, I use a 32-ounce one, and on one side put quinoa or rice, on the other greens and veggies. Top it with beans, soup, a meatless chili or a vegan coconut curry soup," she said.
Peltier said that most of your favorite casseroles and dishes can be turned into meatless versions by using plant-based proteins like tofu, a soy milk bean curd, or tempeh, fermented soy beans. She added that tempeh should be marinated before using it to impart some flavor into it.
"When substituting plant-based proteins, remember there is no fat or grease in them like there is in meat, so you don't need as much in a recipe as you do with meat," she said, recommending using 3/4 of a pound of plant-based protein in place of a pound of meat in a recipe.
Members of the features department at the Berkshire Eagle dug through their recipe boxes for some of their favorite tried-and-true meatless recipes. And let's not forget Father Guidi's recipe for stovetop mac and cheese ...
VEGGIE TUNA BURGERS
These burgers are a great way to get some veggies and protein in your dinner, without any meat. You can prepare the chopped vegetables ahead of time and make the "burger patties" right before frying them up for dinner. Unlike other tuna burgers I've tried, these are super moist and flavorful. You won't even miss the meat!
(Lindsey Hollenbaugh, managing editor of features)
Yield: Six tuna burgers
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup each of shredded zucchini, yellow squash and carrots
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups of whole wheat bread crumbs
1 can water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon butter
DIRECTIONS:
In a large, non-stick skillet, sauté onion and garlic for 1 minute. Add shredded zucchini, squash and carrots. Sauté until tender. Drain and cool mixture to room temperature. In a large bowl, combine egg, bread crumbs, tuna, salt and pepper. Add vegetable mixture. Shape mixture by hand into six patties. The mixture should be wet, but still hold together. Coat a skillet with cooking spray and cook the patties in butter for 3 to 5 minutes on each side on medium heat until lightly brown. Serve on buns with a slice of cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. A tarter sauce, or homemade garlic aioli also goes great with these.
MEATLESS QUICHE
This has been my go-to quiche recipe for literally decades. The original recipe calls for 6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled, but for Lent, I add meaty shiitake mushrooms in their place, although you could add any cooked veggie you have on hand. It claims to serve 8, but with my family it feed three — with no leftovers!
(Margaret Button, associate features editor)
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
For the crust:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup margarine
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
For the quiche filling:
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced and sauteed
1/4 pound Swiss cheese, diced
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in ice water until mixture forms a ball. Roll dough out on a floured board to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Transfer to pie plate and flute edge.
Sauté onion in 1 tablespoon margarine until tender. Set aside to cool. Line bottom of crust with sautéed mushrooms and diced Swiss cheese. Combine eggs, cream, remaining salt, spices and cooled cooked onion and pour into crust.
Bake at 375 F for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle of the quiche comes out clean. Serve hot.
STOVETOP MAC & CHEESE
(Courtesy the Rev. Matthew Guidi, from Yummies4Dummies.com. Guidi said he adds a 16-ounce box of Velvetta 2 percent Milk Cheese to the recipe.)
Estimated Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups dry elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 1/2 cups cold whole milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Cook the macaroni according to the instructions on the package, then drain; set aside.
In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture is a light golden color.
Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
Add the cheese, a handful at a time, whisking well after each addition and not adding more until the previous handful is fully melted and incorporated. Season to taste with garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper.
Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine, breaking up any clumps of macaroni. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
I know that for some people, cooking fish feels daunting. There’s fear of a smell throughout the house, and perhaps some concern over finding an easy, foolproof technique. And there’s good reason for these concerns. Some cooking methods generate more odor, and some types of fish flake more easily and are difficult to manage in the pan.
On the other hand, there are kinds of fish that work with easy cooking methods for a great option in your dinner rotation. We eat salmon most often, either cooked on the grill or baked in the oven. We have a gas grill, which is much quicker than charcoal on a weeknight — no matter what we’re having. When we grill salmon, we use a store-bought marinade with ginger and sesame for an hour or so before cooking. I like to put the fish on the grill flesh-side down for just a couple of minutes on low to medium heat, to give it some grill marks and firm it up a bit. Then I flip it and put the filet skin-side down on a large piece of heavy-duty foil, turn the heat up, pour any extra marinade over the top, and close the cover. Although this does mimic baking, the grill definitely adds flavor. Unless it’s an extremely thick filet, it should take about 6 to 8 minutes with the cover closed until it’s done.
While grilling is easy enough, it’s not something one wants to do on a bitterly cold night or with heavy rain or snow coming down. Fortunately, my favorite oven method is a great option for year-round cooking. Although this calls for fresh ginger and lime zest, which may not be staple ingredients in every household, you can keep these on hand in the freezer! Both can easily be grated from frozen on a fine grater. For the ginger, you can trim off the peel or not before freezing, your preference. With citrus, whenever I squeeze lime or lemon halves for the juice, I save the rind in a plastic bag in the freezer. Just be sure to zest only the top layer and not the white pith below.
I’ve made this many times, and I have often improvised with different combinations for the glaze, so feel free to be creative. Another great feature of this recipe for busy families is to make more than you’ll eat in one meal, and on another night flake the salmon over greens and other produce to create a main course salad.
GINGER-LIME BAKED SALMON
Serves 2, can be doubled
INGREDIENTS:
2 six-ounce pieces of salmon filet, or one large piece
2 teaspoons real maple syrup
1 teaspoon lime zest, grated from about half a lime
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated from about 1 inch of ginger root
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Pinch fresh ground pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 F. (If you are cooking something else in the oven at a lower temperature, that will be fine with a longer baking time allowed for the fish.) On top of a piece of parchment or foil, place the salmon skin-side down on a half sheet pan, in a roasting pan or in a glass baking dish. (The parchment paper or foil will make clean up easier; otherwise the skin sticks to the pan rather tenaciously.)
Combine the maple syrup, lime zest, ginger, mustard, soy sauce, and pepper in a small bowl. Spread the glaze over the salmon.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the fish has just little bit of give when pressed lightly. If your oven is set at 350 F, it should take about 30 minutes.
- By Dick Lindsay, Berkshire Eagle
A devout Catholic, Melodie Sinopoli looks to beef up her meatless meals during Lent, the 40-day preparation leading up to Easter.
The Pittsfield mother and wife wants to excite her family's taste buds, as her Catholic childhood was one of macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and basic fish dinners when meat was a no-no on Ash Wednesday, which is today, and Fridays of the Lenten season.
Among her favorite contemporary recipes is lobster casserole — a far cry from the classic, and often maligned, tuna noodle casserole.
"It's basically a homemade mac and cheese, just add lobster meat or any type of seafood," said Sinopoli, who works in the advertising department at The Berkshire Eagle. "Very flavorful."
The Lenten obligation of no meat dates back to ancient Israel and the dawn of Christianity when Jesus died on the cross, sacrificing his flesh on Good Friday. Catholics are obligated to fast — one full meal or two lighter meals — for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, as well as abstain from eating meat. For the Fridays in between, simply avoid beef, pork and poultry. Young children, people with health concerns and those 60 years of age and older are exempt from Lenten meal restrictions, although many older Catholics observe them as meat was once forbidden every Friday of the year.
While Catholics often look to fish as the main substitute for meat, it's not required, according to Rev. John Salatino, former pastor of St. Mark's Catholic Church in Pittsfield.
"Omelets, salads, rice on days of fasting are just as good as the idea is to lean toward simple meals," he said.
Being a professional cook prior to becoming a priest 20 years ago, Salatino prepares many of his own meals, even jazzing up a can of tuna fish.
"Take the tuna (drained) and put over arugula with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice," he said. "It's a great lunch."
Many local restaurants are mindful of the meatless restrictions during Lent, none more so than Salmon Run Fish House in Lee, Mass. For more than 20 years, owners Paul and Dawn Face have offered a variety of seafood entrees.
"We typical do sell more fish on Friday during Lent," said Paul Face. "Fridays become busy for fish dinners than on Saturday."
From grilled salmon to the popular seafood stew, Salmon Run patrons have plenty of fish dishes to choose from the menu.
"We have a seafood stew that does well in the winter as people like hearty warm dinners," Face said. "The stew has scrod, shrimp, mussels, clams, potatoes in a light, creamy seafood broth."
But Salmon Run's top seller is Fish 'N Chips, an English tradition that has been an American favorite for decades.
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Courtesy Melodie Sinopoli
Ingredients:
1 pound cavatelli pasta
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 pound mixed grated cheese; sharp cheddar cheese, american, muenster
1 pound lobster meat cut into small pieces (from about 3 boiled lobsters) or a seafood mixture; lobster, shrimp, scallops, crab
Topping:
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions, al dente.
Make a roux sauce; melt butter with flour until it forms a paste add milk and cream. Add cheese and stir until it is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the pasta in a large bowl with the sauce and mix well, add lobster meat and mix. Pour into lightly greased casserole dish, cover with bread crumb mixture (combine all topping ingredients to make).
Cook for approximately 1 hour until bubbly
Baked fish
Courtesy of Rev. John Salatino
Ingredients:
A piece of haddock or scrod
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Oregano
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with baking spray, place a piece of haddock or scrod. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, give it a turn, lightly drizzle with a touch more olive oil and sprinkle with oregano. Place back in oven for 2 to 3 minutes or until fish is flaky.
Serve with a salad and a starch or your choice. Enjoy!
- By Melissa d'Arabian, The Associated Press
The health benefits of eating fish two or three times a week are well-documented. So, as a mom of four kiddos, I'm always looking for creative ways to add fish into our weekly menu.
I love Alaskan cod especially this time of year because it's in season, it's loaded with omegas and lean protein, and my girls all love the mild flavor. But any mild white fish will work for today's recipe, Cod with Pomegranate and Zucchini en Papillote. My kids love the pretty color play between the bright green lime and rich-ruby pomegranate, while I love the fact that I can make a fantastic dinner that isn't loaded down with extra fat or empty calories.
I use the papillote method, which is simply loading up a sheet of parchment with fish, aromatics and some quick-cooking veggies and sealing them up into a pouch and baking. Cooking in the cozy, moist heat of the parchment pouch means the fish stays tender as it baths gently in the steam created by the vegetables and a tiny splash of wine, like a flavorful spa.
The result is fish that is almost impossible to overcook, giving a busy weeknight cook a forgiving window of time for serving dinner. Cooking in a papillote also means you can cook with no additional fat, making fish-en-papillote a super strategy for anyone watching their caloric intake.
If you feel like living it up a little, add a drizzle of olive oil or a tiny pat of butter — you'll be amazed by how even a tiny bit of fat can make the rest of the ingredients sing. Make a large papillote to eat family-style, or make smaller, individual papillotes for a dinner party — either way, you'll feel like dinner is a tiny bit special.
Cod with pomegranate and zucchini en papillote
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds cod, or other mild white fish, cut into 4 portions, or kept in one large portion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced zucchini, about two small zucchini
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced, seeds removed
2 tablespoons white wine
1/4 cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
salt and pepper
Special equipment: parchment paper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly salt and pepper the cod fillet and set aside. Cut a sheet of parchment paper that is a couple of inches longer than the length of the fish, and a little more than twice the width. Use one large piece of parchment if fillet is whole; or four individual pieces of parchment if you've cut the fish into individual portions. Place the sliced shallots along the middle of the parchment paper, and layer the zucchini on top of the shallots - this is the bed where you'll place the cod. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Place the fish on top of the zucchini. Top the fish with the sliced lime, white wine, pomegranate arils, and a little salt and pepper. Close the parchment paper by folding the paper in half over the fish. Create a closed pouch by starting at one corner, and folding the paper into small triangles, tightly pinching them closed as you go around the edges. The result will be a semi-circle shaped sealed pouch.
Place the pouch on a baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, or a few minutes less if fish is thin. Remove from the oven, carefully cut open the pouch and serve.
Chef's note: Recipe can also be made in a baking dish: Simply layer, cover and bake.
Nutrition information per serving: 201 calories; 15 calories from fat; 2 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 73 mg cholesterol; 687 mg sodium; 12 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 33 g protein.
Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, "Supermarket Healthy." Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net
- By America's Test Kitchen
A surfside treat, California fish tacos feature battered and fried crispy white fish and sprightly pickled vegetables. When done right, they are light and fresh, with a lively mix of textures and flavors.
This recipe may look involved, but the components come together quickly, so invite your friends to help. The frying uses a mere 3/4-inch layer of oil (no splattering vats).
We made an ultrathin batter by adding two sources of carbonation, beer and baking powder; they provided lift and their slight acidity limited gluten development. Frying in batches helped maintain the oil's temperature.
For toppings, we quick-pickled onion and jalapenos and then used the brine to brighten shredded cabbage. Slice fish on the bias if your fillets are not 4 inches wide. Serve with green salsa if desired.
CALIFORNIA-STYLE FISH TACOS
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
Pickled onion and cabbage:
1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
1 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper
3 cups shredded green cabbage
Tacos:
2 pounds skinless white fish fillets, such as cod,
haddock, or halibut
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup beer
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup crema
DIRECTIONS:
For the pickled onion and cabbage: Combine onion and jalapenos in medium bowl. Bring vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Pour vinegar mixture over onion mixture and let sit for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Transfer 1/4 cup pickling liquid to second medium bowl, add cabbage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to combine.
For the tacos: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 F. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Cut fish crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips. Pat dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add beer and whisk until smooth. Add fish and toss to coat evenly.
Add oil to large Dutch oven until 3?4 inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat to 350 F.
Remove 5 or 6 pieces of fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 F and 350 F. Fry fish, stirring gently to prevent pieces from sticking together and turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.
Using slotted spoon or spider skimmer, transfer fish to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 F and repeat with remaining fish. Serve fish and pickled onions and cabbage with tortillas, cilantro, and crema.
Nutrition information per serving: 699 calories; 307 calories from fat; 35 g fat ( 5 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 65 mg cholesterol; 530 mg sodium; 59 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 33 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like California-Style Fish Tacos in "New Essentials ."
- By Sara Moulton, The Associated Press
When it comes to landing dinner on the table on a weeknight, fish fillets are among the very quickest dishes you can prepare, rarely requiring more than five minutes to go from raw to ready to eat. And given the relative mildness of a fish's flavor, they're a natural canvas for a vast palette of seasonings (and acid, too), meaning they turn out just about exactly as flavorful as you make them.
For Spicy Sautéed Fish with Pineapple Mango Salsa, white fish fillets are dusted with flour spiked with Creole spice mix, after which they're crisped up in a skillet.
The famously potent spice mix — spearheaded by cayenne and black pepper — is built into the DNA of Louisiana cuisine. Virtually all of New Orleans' Hall of Fame chefs — including Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse — developed signature versions of this mix and used it liberally and to great effect in just about everything they cooked. Fair warning: If you're not a fan of blazing heat, you won't be a fan of Creole spice mix. Unless, of course, you balance it with one key ingredient — sugar. Sugar will balance any spicy dish. If you dig into a bowl of chili and discover that you've overdone the hot sauce, just sprinkle in a little brown sugar. If your barbecue sauce sets your mouth on fire, tame it with a dab or two of honey. Conversely, if you've added too much sugar to one of your savory dishes, even it out with some heat. The goal is to add just enough of sweet and heat so that you're not bowled over by either of them.
In this recipe, the fiery Creole spice mix is countered by the natural sugars built into the pineapple mango salsa. The additional herbs and fresh lime contribute some festive end-of-summer flair to this weeknight entrée.
Spicy sautéed fish with pineapple mango salsa
Start to finish: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup finely diced pineapple
3/4 cup finely diced mango
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, soaked in ice water for 20 minutes and patted dry
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or cilantro or a mix
Kosher salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons creole spice mix (recipe below) or store-bought, such as Zatarains
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Four 6-ounce firm-fleshed white fish fillet pieces, such as tilapia
DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl combine the pineapple, mango, onion, lime juice and herbs; add salt to taste.
On a piece of parchment, combine the flour and the spice mix; stir well. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Dip the fish in the flour mixture, coating it well on all sides, shaking off the excess, and add it to the skillet. Cook it until golden brown, about 2 minutes a side and transfer a portion to each of 4 plates. Top each portion with a heaping spoonful of salsa.
Creole spice mix
INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons hot paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon oregano
3/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together well.
Nutritional information: 328 calories; 106 calories from fat; 12 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 85 mg cholesterol; 573 mg sodium; 21 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 36 g protein.
- By Katie Workman, The Associated Press
I love a deep-fried, puffy-battered fish sandwich, with a tempura-like coating, but I'm not doing that at home. That's for an indulgent summer seafood shack lunch, or if you're lucky enough to find yourself in a British pub.
But a great, pan-fried piece of fish can be yours with much less work, and significantly less oil. One time to do it, and stat, is when you have Alaskan halibut. It's worth seeking out — sweet and delicate, with white, firm, flaky flesh. It keeps its shape nicely even as you flip it in the pan. One-quarter inch of oil will get you a great crust, and when that crispy fish is nestled in a roll with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce, you will feel like summer has returned.
You could certainly just go out and buy some prepared tartar sauce if you're in a hurry, but a homemade tartar sauce is a bit of a revelation, and very simple to make. If you don't have cornichons, you can substitute jarred relish.
Halibut fried fish sandwich with lemon basil tartar sauce
Makes 4 sandwiches
Start to finish: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Lemon basil tartar sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons minced cornichons (baby pickles)
2 tablespoons minced scallions
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed, then minced
2 teaspoons coarse Dijon or Creole mustard
1 tablespoon minced basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Halibut fried fish sandwiches:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup panko bread crumbs
4 (6 -ounce) pieces halibut
vegetable oil for pan frying (about cup)
4 potato rolls
Several pieces of leaf or romaine lettuce, torn to fit the rolls
1 ripe tomato, sliced
Lemon wedges for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to broil.
Make the tartar sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, cornichons, scallions, capers, mustard, basil, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Have all of the sandwich rolls and toppings ready to go so that when the fish is cooked, you can assemble the sandwiches right away.
In a shallow wide bowl, mix the flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. In another shallow wide bowl, beat the egg with the milk and the hot sauce. Place the panko bread crumbs in a third shallow wide bowl.
Heat enough oil to come up 1/4-inch high in a large skillet over medium high heat. While the oil is heating, dredge each piece of fish first in the flour, shaking off any excess, then in the milk mixture, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl, and then finally dredge the fish in the bread crumbs. Fry the fish in the oil for about 4 minutes on each side until the fish is golden brown and cooked through. Remove it with a slotted spatula and place on a paper towel-lined plate or surface to drain for a minute.
While the fish is cooking, broil the buns cut side up for just a minute until lightly browned. Place a piece of cooked fish on the bottom half of each roll, and top with a spoonful of the tartar sauce. Top with the lettuce and tomato, and then with the second half of the roll. Serve immediately, with the lemon wedges.
Nutrition information per serving of Lemon Basil Tartar Sauce (about 2 tablespoons): Nutrition information per serving: 98 calories; 93 calories from fat; 10 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 6 mg cholesterol; 319 mg sodium; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 0 g protein.
Nutrition information per serving of Halibut Fried Fish Sandwiches: 611 calories; 168 calories from fat; 19 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 139 mg cholesterol; 686 mg sodium; 62 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 45 g protein.
Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, "Dinner Solved!" and "The Mom 100 Cookbook." She blogs at http://www.themom100.com/about-katie-workman
- By America's Test Kitchen
Cooking salmon can be intimidating since it overcooks and dries out so easily. But the multicooker makes the process foolproof: The consistent moisture level and temperature, as well as the precise timing safeguards against overcooking, produce evenly cooked salmon each and every time.
Cooking the salmon on a foil sling made it easy to transfer in and out of the multicooker, and propping the fish up on lemon slices insulated it from the direct heat.
While both methods produced great salmon in under an hour, we slightly preferred the slow cook setting since it allowed us to regularly check the doneness of the fish, guaranteeing that it was cooked perfectly.
To complete our healthy dinner, we made a fresh and light salad with cucumber, tomatoes, olives and herbs. If using the slow cook function, check the salmon's temperature after 15 minutes of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 135 F.
POACHED SALMON WITH CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD
Servings: 4
Pressure cook total time: 25 minutes
Slow cook total time: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 lemon, sliced 1/4 inch thick, plus 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest and 2 tablespoons juice
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, stems reserved
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, stems reserved
1 (1 1/2-pound) skinless center-cut salmon fillet, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, sliced crosswise into 4 equal pieces
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
DIRECTIONS:
Fold sheet of aluminum foil into 12-by-9 inch sling. Press sling into multicooker, allowing narrow edges to rest along sides of insert. Arrange lemon slices in single layer on prepared sling, then scatter parsley and dill stems over top. Add water until liquid level is even with lemon slices (about 1/2 cup). Season salmon with salt and pepper and arrange skinned side down in even layer on top of herb stems.
To pressure cook: Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high-pressure cook function and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off multicooker and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
To slow cook: Lock lid in place and open pressure release valve. Select low slow cook function and cook until salmon is opaque throughout when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 135 F (for medium), 15 to 20 minutes. (If using Instant Pot, select high slow cook function.) Turn off multicooker and carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
Meanwhile, whisk oil, shallot, capers, lemon zest and juice, and chopped dill together in large bowl. Add cucumber, tomatoes, olives and parsley leaves and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Using sling, transfer salmon to baking sheet; discard poaching liquid. Gently lift and tilt fillets with spatula to remove herb stems and lemon slices and remove any white albumin. Transfer salmon to individual plates and serve with salad.
Nutrition information per serving: 427 calories; 262 calories from fat; 29 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 62 mg cholesterol; 1145 mg sodium; 16 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 26 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Poached Salmon with Cucumber and Tomato Salad in "Multicooker Perfection ."
- Associated Press
KWAREZIMAL
(Lenten Almond Cakes)
Start to finish: 45 minutes
(20 minutes active)
Makes 12 cakes
2 cup blanched almonds (whole, slivered or chopped)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of 2 oranges
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lightly chopped pistachios
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the almonds on a baking sheet and place in the oven to toast for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and orange zest.
When the almonds are done, remove them from the oven and transfer to a food processor. Pulse until the almonds are coarsely ground. Add the almonds to the flour mixture.
Add the water and mix to form a very stiff dough. Add additional flour or water to get a tacky, but not sticky, dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead several times.
Form the dough into a log, then flatten to form a 6-by-18-inch rectangle. Use a knife to cut the rectangle into 1 1/2-by-6-inch bars. Carefully transfer the bars to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1/2 inch between them.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until just lightly browned at the edges and still tender. Cool for 5 minutes, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pistachios.
The addition of potatoes to this traditional dish creates a more robust version for cool weather meals. It's a staple, eaten hot, in Ukraine and Russia, but it's also popular in other Eastern European countries.
Another borscht, eaten cold, is prepared differently.
HOT BEET & POTATO BORSCHT
Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 6 to 8
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
4 medium beets, peeled and grated
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 cup orange juice
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, more or less to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In a large stockpot, heat over medium. Add the onion and saute until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the sugar, salt and pepper.
Add enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower heat, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.
If soup is too thick, add a bit more water. Season with sugar, salt and pepper, then simmer for another 5 minutes.
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