Homemade Fish Sticks

Ingredients:

The Aioli
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest (the zest of one whole lime)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Black pepper (3 turns of the pepper mill) 

Panko-Crusted Fish Sticks
1 pound firm to semi-firm fish (I use cod or wild Chilean Sea Bass
1 cup panko
2 beaten eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for deep frying 

Directions:

 

Combine the mayonnaise with the lime juice, lime zest,tarragon salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat approximately 4 inches of oil in a heavy fry pan.
 

Cut your fish into pieces, dip in egg and then in panko.
 

Add approximately 4 inches of oil to a deep skillet and heat oil to 375 degrees. Carefully drop your fish sticks into hot oil and fry until golden brown, Remove and place on paper towel to absorb any extra oil. Add additional salt if you like directly after they come out of the oil. Alternately you can pan fry the fish sticks in about an inch of oil in the skillet, I recommend seasoned cast iron or a non-stick skillet.
 

Serve with aioli as a dipping sauce.

Tuna and Tomato Sauce with Pasta

Ingredients:

Olive oil
1/2 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 - 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 red chili, thinly sliced - de-seeded 

1 can of chopped tomatoes
Black sliced olives
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire sauce
Fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
1 can of tuna chunks oil, drained and flaked
Fresh parmesan, grated
Pasta cooked as per the directions


Directions:

Heat some olive oil in a pan on a medium heat. Chuck in the onion, garlic and chili and let that sizzle for a couple of minutes until the onion starts to soften up. Pour in the tomatoes and stir in some olives. Add a splash or two of Worcestershire sauce, some sugar and season to taste. Let this simmer for a couple of minutes. If using, stir in the tuna and the basil leaves and let them heat through.

Serve on pasta and if you're using it, grate some parmesan on top.

Fried Oyster Poor Boy Sandwich

Ingredients:
 
32 ounces shucked oysters
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal (recommended: Indian Head)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Vegetable Oil for frying
4 (6-inch) hoagie loaves
Remoulade Sauce, recipe follows
4 leaves romaine lettuce
1 to 2 lemons
Special equipment: brown paper bag

Directions:

Drain the oysters and place in a small bowl. Cover with 1 cup milk and let soak for 15 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining milk, water, cayenne and eggs. Place the flour,cornmeal, black pepper, and salt into a brown paper bag, close and shake to mix.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, pour enough oil to fill the pan halfway. Heat until a  deep frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 360 degrees F.

Drain the oysters from the milk. In batches dip oysters in the egg mixture then drop in the paper bag. Close and shake. Remove to a plate and repeat with the rest of the oysters. When oil is at 360 degrees F, fry oysters in batches. Do not overcrowd. Cook turning once until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel. Repeat with remaining oysters.

To serve, cut sandwich loaves in half horizontally. Slather a generous amount of Spicy Remoulade Sauce on the inside. Place a lettuce leaf inside and fill generously with oysters. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over oysters just before serving.

Spicy Remoulade Sauce

1 1/4 cups mayo
1/4 cup stone-ground mustard
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 tablespoon pickle juice
1 tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Frank’s Red Hot)
Special equipment: a food processor

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

1 pound linguine, cooked

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pinch red chili pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Directions:  

Start cooking the pasta as directed on package. 

Heat the oil and melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. 

Add the red chili pepper flakes and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Add the shrimp and saute until cooked, about 1-3 minutes per side. 

Remove the shrimp from the pan. 

Add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. 

Simmer the liquid until reduced by about half, about 3-5 minutes. 

Add the butter, wait for it to melt and turn off the heat. 

Add the shrimp, pasta and parsley and toss to coat.

Salmon with Avocado Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

 for the Avocado Mango Salsa

half a large avocado, peeled and diced

1/3 cup peeled, diced mangoes

2 tablespoons minced red onions

2 tablespoons minced tomatoes

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers

¼ teaspoon sea salt

for the Salmon

½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

four 4-ounce salmon fillets

pinch sea salt

pinch freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Combine the avocado (or blueberries), mangoes, onions, tomatoes (or bell peppers), cilantro, lime juice, jalapenos, salt (and sugar, if using) in a medium bowl. Lightly crush with a fork to release the juices. Set aside. [Wear gloves when handling hot chile peppers, or wash your hands thoroughly before touching your eyes, nose or mouth.]

Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and sear for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through.

Serve each salmon fillet with ¼ cup Avocado Mango Salsa.

Fried Calamari Tacos

Ingredients:

Calamari

1 1/2 pounds calamari tubes and tentacles
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Vegetable oil for deep frying

12 to 14 corn tortillas* (5 to 6 in.), warmed 

Tartar Sauce

Fried Caper & Orange Slaw

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup capers, patted dry
2 oranges, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced crosswise
1/2 cup slivered red onion
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup small mint leaves

Directions:

Calamari

Preheat oven to 200°. Cut calamari tubes into 1/2-in. rings; pat calamari mostly dry. Mix flours, cayenne, and salt in a bowl.

Heat 1 1/2 in. oil in a 5- to 6-qt. pan over medium-high heat to 380°. Toss one-quarter of calamari at a time in flour to coat, shaking off excess. With a slotted spoon, lower calamari into oil and cook until golden (adjust heat to maintain 380°), 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Keep warm in oven as you fry remaining calamari.

Fried Caper & Orange Slaw

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add capers and sauté until pale golden, 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.

In a bowl, combine oranges, onion, cayenne, lemon juice, remaining 1 tbsp. oil, and salt. Just before serving, stir in lettuce, mint, and capers.

 

Assembling

Smear each tortilla with about 1 tbsp. tartar sauce, then fill with calamari and slaw. Add more sauce if you like.

Shrimp Fritters

Ingredients:

3/4 lb raw tiger shrimp, peeled and cut into chunks
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs

vegetable oil for frying 

Directions:

Preheat oil to 350°F.
  

Place shrimp, green onions and garlic into a large mixing bowl and toss together. Set Aside.
 

Pour water into medium pot and add butter and salt and bring to a boil.
 

Once mixture has come to a boil, add flour and quickly stir with a wooden spoon, until dough forms. Continue to stir over medium heat, for about 3 minutes.
 

Place dough into a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment and run on medium speed, allowing steam to escape.
 

Once most of the steam has disappeared add the egg, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
 

Fold pepper into the pate a choux (the doughy/battery mixture).
 

Fold the shrimp mixture into the pate a choux until fully incorporated.
 

Once oil is hot, add tablespoon sized balls of the shrimp mixture into the oil (you’ll have to do this in batches); make sure not to crowd the pan/fryer.
 

Fry each fritter for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway if necessary. Drain on a paper towel and season lightly with salt.  Serve immediately.

Popcorn Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 to 2 cups breadcrumbs, as needed
Dash of cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper
1 pound small shrimp, shelled
2 eggs, beaten in small bowl
2 to 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:

Combine the breadcrumbs and the cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.

With a slotted spoon, dip shrimp in the beaten eggs, then into the cayenne/breadcrumb mix. Toss with a fork to coat thoroughly.

Pour 1 to 2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep pot and heat to 350°F. Add shrimp and cook until golden brown. Drain and eat like popcorn.

Crab Cake Hush Puppies

Ingredients:

1 cup self-rising white cornmeal mix
1/2 cup self-rising flour
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked
1 large egg
3/4 cup beer
Vegetable oil
 
Preparation:

Stir together cornmeal mix, flour, green onions, bell pepper, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

Stir in crabmeat, egg, and beer until just moistened. Let stand 10 minutes. Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 360°.

Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into hot oil, and fry, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.  Serve with tartar or cocktail sauce.

Shrimp Fitters

(Makes about 30)

Ingredients:

3/4 lb raw tiger shrimp, peeled and cut into chunks
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs

Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

 

Preheat oil to 350°F.
 

Place shrimp, green onions and garlic into a large mixing bowl and toss together. Set Aside.
 

Pour water into medium pot and add butter and salt and bring to a boil.
 

Once mixture has come to a boil, add flour and quickly stir with a wooden spoon, until dough forms. Continue to stir over medium heat, for about 3 minutes.
 

Place dough into a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment and run on medium speed, allowing steam to escape.
 

Once most of the steam has disappeared add the egg, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
 

Fold pepper into the pate a choux (the doughy/battery mixture).
 

Fold the shrimp mixture into the pate a choux until fully incorporated.
 

Once oil is hot, add tablespoon sized balls of the shrimp mixture into the oil (you’ll have to do this in batches); make sure not to crowd the pan/fryer.
 

Fry each fritter for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway if necessary. Drain on a paper towel and season lightly with salt. Serve immediately. 

Flounder Roll Ups

Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

Ingredients:

1 pound firm white fish fillet, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican beer (or non-alcoholic option)
1 tablespoon Mexican seasoning
Vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup Mexican beer (or non-alcoholic option)
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
12 fresh corn tortillas, warmed
1 lime, cut into wedges
3/4 cup shredded queso blanco or Monterey Jack cheese
3 cups shredded green cabbage
1/2 red onion, cut into strips

Baja Sauce Ingredients and Preparation
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Combine all ingredients; stir well.

Directions:

Place fish in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Combine 12 ounces beer and Mexican seasoning in a bowl, stirring well. Pour beer mixture over fish; seal. Chill 2 to 3 hours.

Pour oil to depth of 1 1/2 inches into a deep skillet or Dutch oven; heat to 360°.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup beer and hot sauce. Drain fish, discarding marinade. Coat fish in batter.

Cook fish in batches about 4 minutes or until done. Drain on paper towels.

Place 2 to 3 pieces of fish on each tortilla. Squeeze lime wedges over fish; top with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

Crunchy Coconut Shrimp with Maui Mustard Sauce

Ingredients: 

18 unpeeled, large fresh shrimp

1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 (7-ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

Peanut oil

Salt

Maui Mustard Sauce

Maui Mustard Sauce Ingredients and Preparation

1/3 cup pineapple preserves

1/3 cup apricot preserves

1/4 cup stone-ground mustard

Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Directions:

Peel shrimp, leaving tails on. Butterfly shrimp by making a deep slit down the back of each from the large end to the tail, cutting to, but not through, inside curve of shrimp.

Stir together coconut milk, cilantro, and lime juice in a large bowl. Add shrimp, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Drain shrimp from mixture (do not pat dry).

Whisk together flour and soy sauce in a small bowl. Combine coconut and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dip shrimp into soy sauce batter; dredge in coconut mixture, pressing onto shrimp. Place shrimp on baking sheet; freeze 20 minutes.

Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven, and heat to 350°. Cook shrimp, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve immediately with Maui Mustard Sauce.

California Sushi Rolls

Ingredients:

2 sheets nori (seaweed) (each about 8 inches square)

1 recipe Sushi Rice Filling

Desired fillings (such as small carrot, zucchini, or cucumber sticks; avocado slices; flake-style imitation crab meat; smoked salmon (lox-style); and/or small peeled, deveined, and cooked shrimp)

1 recipe Honey Ginger Sauce (below)

Directions:

Lay seaweed on a sushi mat lined with plastic wrap; with damp fingers, spread 1 cup of the Sushi Rice over each sheet to within 1 inch of the edge at one end. Arrange desired vegetable or seafood fillings just below center.

Roll seaweed toward the 1-inch unfilled edge. (To shape a tight even roll, place your hands under the edge of the mat closest to you. While carefully lifting the edge of the nori, roll the rice-topped seaweed away from you.) Press unfilled edge over top, brushing with water to seal, if necessary.

Cut each roll into 6 pieces; arrange on a platter. If desired, cover and chill for up to 4 hours. Serve with Honey-Ginger Sauce.

Makes 12 sushi rolls

Sushi Rice Filling

In a fine-mesh sieve wash 1/2 cup short grain rice under cold running water, rubbing grains together with your fingers. In a small saucepan combine rinsed rice, 1 cup cold water, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes (rice should be sticky). Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup finely shredded carrot, 1 tablespoon sugar, and if desired, 1 tablespoon sake or dry sherry. Cover and cool about 45 minutes or until room temperature. (Rice can be prepared ahead; cover and chill for up to 3 days.) Makes about 2 cups.

Honey-Ginger Sauce

In a small saucepan combine 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons plum sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and one 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced. Bring to boiling, stirring frequently; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly thickened. Strain into a small bowl; cool. Cover and chill. Makes a scant 3/4 cup.

Black Pepper Shrimp

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup julienned green pepper

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Prepare shrimp: Make a deep cut in the back of the shrimp 3/4 of the way through. When they cook, this will allow them to open up.

Set a seasoned wok over a large burner on high heat. Once wok is very hot add oil (pour it around the sides of the wok so it coats it evenly). Add shrimp and allow to sear undisturbed for a few seconds. Add pepper, minced garlic, minced ginger and stir well. Season with soy and stir quickly to cook shrimp through until they are pink. Remove shrimp from wok and set aside on platter.

Add a little more oil to the wok and saute vegetables for 2 minutes so they still have their bite but are just lightly seared. Add shrimp back to wok and toss everything together for just 1 minute. Serve in a large flat bowl.

Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup quick-cooking grits

2 tablespoons margarine

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound peeled and deveined small shrimp

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x12 inch baking dish.

Bring chicken broth and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Stir in the grits, return to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, melt the margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the green onions, green pepper, and garlic; cook until the peppers have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they begin to firm.

Stir the Monterey Jack cheese, 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shrimp and vegetable mixture, canned tomatoes, and black pepper into the grits; pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese.

Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 30 to 45 minutes.