Funtastic fish recipes
Regina Murphy
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
“Fishy, fishy, fishy, fish: and he went wherever I did go.”
That’s a surreal quote from Monty Python that has always tickled me.
Catfish, crappie, trout, bass are just a few of the freshwater fish available for consumption around here. And at the store you can land bass, snapper, tuna and tilapia if you like.
I’m getting used to the Individually quick frozen (IQF) style of fish. I like it when you can actually see the piece of fish through the plastic wrapper, and therefore look for discoloration or freezer burn. Generally, my experience with IQF fish here in town has been positive; as we know, beggars can’t be choosers!
I do recommend that you avoid IQF fish that has been pre-thawed. That kind of defeats the purpose, and you can’t be sure how many times it may have been refrozen and re-thawed. Often, your local meat counter manager can be really helpful in choosing a fresh piece of fish. Just ask a few questions like “How long has it been thawed?” or “Was this locally farmed/caught?” and if the answer is “I’m not sure” just head on down to the poultry.
This recipe is a leftover from our Mardi Gras recipes, but since it’s fish you can use it for your Friday meals! Unless you gave up good cooking for Lent, that is, in which case you may as well stop reading right now. This recipe has three components: a roasted red pepper sauce, the seafood, and cheese grits. Serves four.
CAJUN SNAPPER
& SHRIMP
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup roasted red bell peppers, chopped
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 red snapper fillets, skin on if you can get them
Salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp. Cajun spice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 large shrimp, peeled, deveined
Sliced scallions, for garnish
Bring the stock, onion, garlic, wine and bell peppers to a simmer in a saucepan. Continue simmering until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Create a slurry of cornstarch in a small amount of water/stock/wine and add to the red pepper sauce. Whisk, motor boat or puree in a blender until a smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and keep warm to assemble final dish.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Check the filets for any random scales (rinse them off) and coat both sides of the red snapper with salt, pepper and Cajun spice. Heat the oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet, and cook the shrimp just until they turn pink. Remove shrimp to a plate.
In the same pan, sear each side of the fish. Start with the skin side down, flip once and don’t wiggle it around in the pan--you’ll tear the flesh. Cook until golden brown, then finish in the oven for a further two to three minutes. Remove and let rest for five to eight minutes. The fish will continue cooking, so don’t overcompensate on the sautéing/baking time.
Place some cheese grits in the middle of serving plate (see below), then position a fish fillet on top, and drizzle the red pepper sauce around the fish. Top with a shrimp (or three). Garnish liberally with the scallions. Oh. my. Goodness.
There’s those grits again. Seriously, if you’ve never tried them, or only had them as a side at a Denny’s restaurant, you should make just one attempt at eating grits. In this dish, try to use only the flesh of the tomatoes (no seeds).
CHEDDAR CHEESE GRITS
4 cups water
2 cups quick grits
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. sliced scallions
2 Tbsp. diced tomatoes
1 tsp. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
4 Tbsp. cooked bacon, chopped
1 cup shredded Cheddar
Bring the water for the grits to a boil. Add grits, reduce heat and cook until grits are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in scallions, tomatoes, cilantro, bacon and cheese, and keep covered in a warm place.
There’s plenty of catfish in Emporia, and it’s a versatile piscean ingredient. This sandwich is perfect for lunch, with a side of sweet potato fries.
CATFISH PO-BOYS
2 catfish fillets, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
Canola oil, for frying
Remoulade:
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. capers, finely chopped
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. crushed garlic
2 tsp. lemon juice
To make the remoulade, stir together all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use. You can adjust the spices as you desire, and maybe add a shot or two of Tabasco.
Rinse catfish fillets, feeling for bones, and then cut in half; pat dry and set aside.
Whisk together the cornmeal, flour and Cajun seasoning in a shallow dish. In a second dish lightly beat the egg and buttermilk. heat the oil in a deep iron skillet or deep fryer to about 375 degrees (medium high).
Dredge each catfish fillet in the cornmeal, then the egg wash and again in the cornmeal. Set aside on a plate.
Fry catfish until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove to plate lined with paper towels.
Spread two hoagie buns with remoulade sauce. Build sandwiches with fried catfish, lettuce, tomato and thinly sliced red onion. There’s nothing “Po” about this “Po Boy”!
I don’t see a lot of trout here, but it can be had in Kansas City, and more toward the Ozarks. As a child, I remember grilled trout over a campfire by the dam at Greer’s Ferry lake. They taste so much better when you catch them yourself! Just adjust the recipe for the number of fish you catch.
MURPHY’S
GRILLED TROUT
1 whole trout, cleaned
Olive or canola oil
Salt, pepper
Onion, sliced
Rub the outside and the body cavity with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff the body cavity with onion slices and pin it shut with cooking pins or toothpicks (whatever holds up).
Here’s a couple of options: for you Boy Scout types, cut a couple of small, green tree limbs, skin off the bark at one end, rub with salt and skewer the trout from head to tail. For you less adventurous types, place trout in a fish grilling basket, or on a grill rack, both of which should be preheated. Cook for about 15 minutes, turning as needed.
Simple, wonderful, fruits of the mountain stream! Trout is a definite treat. Then again, so is bass, the Lord of the Lake. I’ve caught more crappie in my life than bass, but my mother once landed a ten-pounder which remains over the home mantle to this day. We always had bass (and catfish, and crappie) fried, but fish deserves better.
This baked bass recipe can be “stuffed” with just about anything you like, from a squash melee, to crab meat, to asparagus and cheese. If I have bread with Italian seasoning in it for the bread crumbs, so much the better. No bass? Use tilapia!
MURPHY’S STUFFED BASS
4 bass fillets, skinned
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. parsley
1 egg, beaten
Lay the bass fillets in a shallow baking dish and dot with butter. Drizzle lemon juice over, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Combine bread crumbs, onion powder, salt, pepper, and parsley for stuffing. Lightly beat the egg and mix into the bread crumbs. If it seems too dry, add a tiny bit of water.
Mound stuffing on each of the bass fillets, and tent with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the fish flakes. Serve with sautéed vegetables, or mashed potatoes, or rice pilaf.
Happy St. David’s Day to the Welsh masses! You Irishmen and women listen up: I’m looking for some recipes for St. Patrick’s Day! We can’t let the Welsh have all the glory, you know, so send me your best original or Americanized Emerald Isle recipes at murphysmenu@yahoo.com or 517 Merchant St. Let’s get Cooking!