Fish Sticks

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3/4 pound haddock fillets (or other firm white fish), cut into 1-inch strips
• Butter-flavored cooking spray

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400°. 
2. In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs and seasonings. Place flour and egg in separate shallow bowls. Dip fish in flour to coat both sides; shake off excess. 
3. Dip in egg, then in crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere.
4. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; spritz with butter-flavored cooking spray. Bake 10-12 minutes or until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, turning once.

 

Pecan Crusted Dijon Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, spicy brown, or stone ground mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 4 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees .  
2. In a small bowl, stir together butter, mustard, and honey. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.
3. Brush each salmon fillet lightly with honey mustard mixture, and sprinkle the tops of the fillets with the bread crumb mixture.
4. Bake salmon 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Garnish with a wedge of lemon.

Grilled Trout

Ingredients:

• 2 whole trout, cleaned
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lemon, thinly sliced
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 close garlic, minced
• 2 sprig fresh thyme
• 2 sprig fresh rosemary

 Directions:

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
2. Rub each trout generously with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt; sprinkle inside of cavities with salt and black pepper. Place half the lemon and onion slices into cavity of each trout, and place a sprig of rosemary and thyme into cavities.
3. Turn preheated grill down to low (or adjust vents for charcoal) and place the trout directly onto the grill; cook until flesh flakes easily and the skins are browned, 6 to 7 minutes per side, flipping once.

Fish Tacos

Don't let the multi-step directions scare you off. These are well worth making and add a nice variation on Mexi-Cali food. As always, dial down the jalapeno if you don't like it hot. As made, we get two generous tacos and one generous tostada from the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 T sour cream (for the crema)
• 2 T light cream  (for the crema)
• Hot sauce to taste  (for the crema)
• 1/2 C thinly sliced cabbage (for the slaw) 
• 4 or 5 scallions, thinly sliced (for the slaw) 
• 1 red jalapeno, half finely diced and half left whole  (for the slaw and for the fish) 
• 1 T fresh lime juice (for the slaw) 
• 2 T sour cream  (for the slaw) 
• 3/4 pound firm white fish like tilapia (for the fish, well duh this IS the fish)
• A bit of flour for dredging (for the fish)
• 1 to 2 T olive oil (for the fish)
• Tortillas (for assembly)
• 1/2 C finely diced fresh cilantro (for assembly)

Directions:

Crema:

1. Mix the sour cream and light cream together. It should be fairly thick.
2. Add hot sauce to taste.

Slaw:

1. Mix the lime juice and sour cream together in a small bowl.
2. In another bowl, combine the cabbage, scallions and diced jalapenos.
3. Add the lime juice/sour cream mixture to the cabbage mixture and toss well.

Fish:

1. Heat the oil in a skillet large enough to hold all the fish in one layer.
2. Add the half jalapeno to the oil and move it through the oil. Leave it in the pan to continue cooking.
3. Dredge the fish in flour (or toss the flour in a plastic bag, add the fish and shake gently to coat).
4. Sauté the fish in the skillet along with the jalapeno and cook until done.
5. Remove from heat and put the fish in a bowl. Shred the fish with a fork or knife.

Assembly directions:

1. Heat your tortilla.
2. (If you want cheese, add it now)
3. Place some diced cilantro on the fish.
4. Top with slaw.
5. (Add sliced avocadoes if you want)
6. Drizzle crema over your masterpiece.
7. Enjoy!

Penne Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Caper Cream Sauce

I love smoking food. One of my favorite thing to smoke is salmon. Something about the fatty fish just is perfect with smokey flavor. Up until recently there was only one dish I would use smoked salmon in; a dip (I'll post a recipe for my irresistible smoked salmon dip soon enough). But this creamy pasta dish works perfect with smoked salmon. Even though this dish breaks a few culinary rules you'll find that it is lip smacking good!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pound smoked salmon, chopped (I smoke this myself, it is cured before hand as well, but that's another post)
1 cup heavy cream (a.k.a. whipping cream)
1-2 tablespoons capers, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (if you smoke your own salmon, I'd skip the salt)
1 pound pasta, cooked al dente, drained (reserving about 1/4 cup of the cooking water)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 lemon

Directions:

1. Cook your pasta
2. In a large skilled add your olive oil and onions. Cook the onions til they are translucent, but not brown.
3. Pour in the cream and the capers. Heat an additional 1-2 minutes.
4. Combine sauce and pasta.
5. Add the pasta water you reserved.
6. Sprinkle your serving with (gasp!) Parmeasan cheese.
7. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top of your portion.
8. Enjoy!