There’s nothing quite like mahi mahi for grilling: the flavor and texture are robust enough to stand up to bold marinades, but delicate enough to stay sweet and tender. With warmer weather on its way, it’s time to start thinking about barbecuing again! This can be prepared in minutes, and then set aside in the fridge for an hour or more while you throw together a salad and steam some rice; if you’re using a charcoal grill, the marinating time is the perfect amount for you to fire up the flames and let them settle to coals.
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and finely chopped
2 T minced fresh ginger
1/4 thinly sliced green onion
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 T olive oil
1. Rinse the fish, and place it in a single layer in a glass dish or other non-reactive pan.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, and then pour the mixture over the fish. Making sure the steaks are well-coated on all sides, cover the dish and let it marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or more.
3. Place the fillets on an oiled grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning pieces one and basting frequently with the marinade. Serve immediately.
As the weather gets warmer, start thinking about spending some more time outside. It’s almost picnic season! Gather a few friends and pack up an elegant lunch to share - think about bringing sturdy fruits, like tart apples and sweet pears; small pieces of dark chocolate, carrot sticks, and something fizzy to drink are all excellent, along with a selection of hard and soft cheeses, a variety of breads or rolls, and a few savory spreads.
This is a simple, healthful, and delicious way to make halibut a portable and elegant addition to any picnic - serve it as sandwiches, or try wrapping it washed butter lettuce leaves for a low-carb alternative. The flavors work beautifully with salmon, as well - try it as a use for leftovers.
1. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the halibut until browned, then set it aside to cool. Once it can be handled, flake the meat into a bowl with a fork - don’t mash the fish, just pull it into large flakes; it should be tender enough to separate easily.
2. In another bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, celery, scallions and dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Carefully fold in the halibut until all ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Chill before packing it for a picnic.
While most Americans think of corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day, seafood and fish dishes are in many ways more traditional Irish fare. Savory pies and cobblers are favorites throughout the region, either wrapped in flaky pastry, or baked under a thick layer of mashed potato crust, like this preparation. This is a hearty, delicious way to start your evening - and will help soak up all the Guinness and whiskey that comes later!
1. Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl, and then cut the shortening into the flour mixture, using a pastry cutter or a pair of knives. Continue to work the shortening and flour until the chunks are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in the water 1 T at a time and blend with a fork until the flour is moistened and the dough pulls the flour from the sides of the bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and then flatten it into a round. Wrap with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator as you prepare the filling.
2. Preheat oven to 425. Cut the scallops into 1-inch pieces. Heat 2 T of butter in a large skillet and add the mushrooms and leek. Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid and turn light brown. Once the liquid evaporates, remove the vegetables from the skillet and set them aside.
3. Heat 2 more T of butter in the skillet until hot. Add the scallops and cook until they are opaque but not chewy - about 4 minutes. Remove them from the skillet with a slotted spoon, then reserve the liquid.
4. Heat the remaining butter in the skillet over low heat, and stir in the flour, salt, mustard and pepper. Cook until smooth and bubbly, stirring constantly.
5. Pour the scallop liquid into a measuring cup, and add white wine until you have 1/3 cup of liquid. Add that to the half and half, then bring to a boil, still stirring. Let cook another minute or so, then add the mushrooms and scallops. Remove from heat.
6. Pour the filling into a shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
7. Unwrap the pastry and place it on a well-floured board. Roll the dough into a sheet an inch larger than the casserole all around. Cut out designs from the center of the dough - this is not only decorative, as it allows steam to escape and the liquid to bubble through and evaporate.
8. Place the pastry over the top of the casserole, turn the edges under, pinch them to seal, then flute the edges, using your thumb and forefingers as pincers. Beat together the egg yolks and water, then brush the mixture over the top of the pastry.
9. Bake until golden brown - about 25 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.
This is a wonderfully tasty dish that can be made a day ahead, if necessary. If you don’t have shrimp on hand, good quality lump crab meat could work, as well. It comes from a beautiful book on Indian cooking by Ruta Kahate, 5 Spices, 50 Dishes. They go great with a number of different dipping sauces. You will need:
2-3 cups canola oil, divided
1/2 yellow onion, minced
3 small green serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 t cayenne
1/2 t ground turmeric
1 small sweet potato, peeled, cut into pieces, and boiled until tender (leftover mashed potatoes can be used in a pinch)
1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a small skillet over medium heat, and lightly saute the onions, chiles, and ginger until the onion is golden. Be careful not to add too much oil - the small amount helps the cakes hold together. Add the cilantro, cayenne, and turmeric and saute another minute and then set aside to cool.
2. Mash the sweet potato.
3. Coarsely chop the shrimp and combine with the potato, onion mixture, egg, and a little salt. Make a very tiny patty and saute it in a small skillet to test the seasonings. Adjust salt or other seasonings to taste if necessary.
4. Wet your palms before forming the patties to prevent sticking. Divide the mixture into 12 balls, then flatten them into discs. They will be roughly 1 1/2 inch in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Pat the cakes in bread crumbs, coating them well on all sides. The cakes will be loose in texture - this is a good thing. It ensures they will be moist and tender.
5. Heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the cakes in a medium skillet. When the oil begins to shimmer, gently place in one layer of cakes. Do not crowd. Cook 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, then flip and repeat on the other side. Remove the cakes to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat for the remaining cakes. Serve immediately.
Note: These may be formed and refrigerated a day in advance, layered on wax paper and covered with plastic wrap. Fry directly before serving.
Great cooks don’t just have an enormous mental catalogue of different tasty recipes; they have a solid knowledge of basic preparations: grilling, sauteing, broiling, poaching, baking - each of which can be applied to a number of different foods, from seafood to vegetables, meats to soy. They then create variations through sauces, poaching liquids, and other flavorful add-ins to produce a full spectrum of creative and delicious dishes.
Here are three basic sauces from Hawaii that go great with any number of easy seafood preparations. With fresh or high-quality frozen seafood, simplest is often the best. Try grilling salmon, halibut, or skewered shrimp and serve drizzled with one of the following.
SWEET THAI-CHILE HONEY SAUCE
1/4 C sweet Thai chile sauce (Mae Ploy)
1/4 C honey
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger and/or roasted garlic
1/4 C canola oil
Blend all but canola till smooth, and then add oil slowly with blender on low to emulsify.
SPICY SOY MIRIN SAUCE
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1 t minced fresh ginger
1/2 t red chile flakes
1/2 t toasted sesame seeds
Bring all to a boil. Simmer 5 min. Chill until ready to serve.
LEMON OIL
1/2 C canola oil
2 T lemon zest
1 T sugar
1 t red chile flakes
1 T minced fresh lemon grass
Warm all ingredients over medium heat till zest begins to bubble - 5 minutes or so. Do not let it boil. Cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain and refrigerate till needed. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Ah, Superbowl parties. One of America’s most time-honored excuses to eat a variety of things either creamy, spicy, mushy, or prepackaged, scooped up in loving heaps and mouthfuls by edible spoon-like shapes. Headed to a party and want to bring more than the requisite half-case of beer? This dip is quick and easy, and knocks the socks off anything you’ll find at the store.
You will need:
1 brick cream cheese
1 small container sour cream
1-2 cans baby clams (in juice);
3-4 cloves fresh garlic
zest and juice of one lemon
Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco
salt and pepper
optional: chili powder, chipotle powder, cajun seasoning
1. Unwrap the cream cheese and drop it into a bowl. If you have a microwave, it’s a good idea to zap it for a few seconds to soften it up. Scoop out the sour cream and cream the two together with a fork until the consistency is even.
2. Using a garlic press, crush the garlic into the creamy mixture, making sure to get all the juice and to add the pulp from the press. Mix well.
3. Add the clams and some of the clam juice, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, some of the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a few shakes of Tabasco. Mix until it reaches the desired consistency; if you need more liquid, add either clam juice or lemon juice as suits your tastes.
4. You can really kick up the spice by adding chili or chipotle powder or cajun seasoning, but it tastes great on its own, too. Serve with potato chips.
2009 is the year of the Ox, according to the traditional Chinese zodiac, a calendar made up of 12-year cycles. People born in the year of the Ox are considered stubborn, loyal, patient, and capable of inspiring great confidence in others. They are also known for having considerable mental and physical stamina, and often make great leaders. President Barack Obama was born in the year of the Ox, as were Richard Nixon, Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin, George Clooney, and Napoleon Bonaparte. If you were born in any of the following years, you are an Ox, too!
New Year’s celebrations, or Spring Festivals, as they’re known in Chinese, vary from region to region throughout China and the Chinese diaspora. Common elements include fireworks, feasting, and the color red. Some traditional foods include jiaozi (dumplings) and melon seeds, along with a number of fish dishes, often consumed on New Year’s Eve. The word for “fish” in Chinese is yú (鱼), and is a homonym for “surplus” - these kinds of similar-sounding words are considered auspicious in Chinese culture, and so fish is symbolic of plenitude and a successful harvest for the coming year.
This is a tasty version of a traditional Chinese fish dish.
1. Soak the fillets in salt water for half an hour. While they are marinating, move on to step 2.
2. Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water and set aside. Prep the vegetables, and combine them in a small bowl; set aside. Combine the garlic and ginger in a small bowl; set aside. Mix together the rice wine, broth, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar; whisk until well blended, and set aside.
3. Drain and rinse the fish, and pat the fillets dry with paper towels. Dip each in beaten egg and then dredge in cornstarch until they are evenly coated. Fry in hot peanut oil until they are golden brown; remove with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, then transfer to a serving dish. Keep warm.
4. Remove the dried mushrooms from the bowl and squeeze out any excess liquid. Trim and discard the stems, and then slice into think strips and add to the bowl of vegetables.
5. Heat a few tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok, swirling it around to coat the sides of the pan. Fry the ginger/garlic mixture until it starts to turn golden, and add the rest of the vegetables, stirring quickly. Saute for a few minutes, then add the liquid mixture. Allow it to come to a simmer, then whisk in the water/cornstarch combination. Bring the whole lot to a boil, and test the vegetables for doneness.
6. Season liberally with sesame oil and white pepper, then pour the vegetable sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.
This is a simple and relatively fail-safe way to prepare a large amount of fish for a hungry crowd.Its warmth and rustic flavors are a great addition to any holiday table, and leftovers can easily be converted to soup or stew.
1 lb. small red or fingerling potatoes, washed – halve any large ones and leave the rest whole
olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh tarragon
1 sprig fresh rosemary
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
½ cup dry white wine
3 T butter, cut into cubes
1.Boil the potatoes in salted water with the whole sprig of rosemary for around 15 minutes, or until potatoes are partially (but not fully) cooked, then drain and set aside.
2.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof skillet and sauté the onion until translucent.Add the garlic and tomatoes and sauté a few minutes longer, until the garlic is fragrant.
3.Place the fish in the skillet, and cover with the tomato-onion mixture.Surround the fish with the potatoes and pour the wine over everything.Strip the thyme from its twigs and sprinkle the leaves over the fish.Do the same with the tarragon.Dust the entire contents of the skillet with salt and pepper.
4.Bake under foil (or skillet lid) for 22-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily at its densest point.Remove the roast from the oven, dot with the butter cubes, and recover.Let it stand for a few minutes, until the butter melts.Serve warm with hot crusty bread.
Fried rice is one of those dishes that you can keep at the back of your mind and make on a few minutes’ notice with just about anything you have in your fridge. There are a few staple ingredients that I try never to go without - eggs, for instance, or fresh ginger and scallions - but experimentation should lead to great results, as long as the rice is fresh and you have a few spices on hand to make it interesting. Note that there is no soy sauce in this. In China, fried rice is made with salt, not soy, as many American cooks like to do it. Soy makes the rice soggy, and it often burns in the pan; salt has the same seasoning effect yet allows the rice to stay firm and the other flavors to combine.
This recipe works with almost any seafood: crab, shrimp, and scallops are all great additions. I like the smoked salmon because it allows you to use as little or as much as you have on hand and still get really big flavors out of the fish and the rest of the ingredients. This will serve three or four; it’s quick and simple enough to make for one - reduce amounts accordingly.
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and chopped - big chunks are nice
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
2 cups shredded hearty greens, such as kale, chard, or bok choy
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 or 5 scallions, cut into inch-long diagonals
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
allspice
nutmeg
cumin
ground chilies or chili flakes
seasoned rice vinegar
toasted sesame oil
olive oil
salt
1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy wok or deep frying pan. Sautee the onions, peppers, greens, ginger, and garlic until the greens have wilted, the peppers are softened, and the onions are translucent.
2. In another, smaller skillet, scramble the eggs and season with salt, cumin and ground chilies.
3. Add the rice and scallions to the larger wok, along with healthy doses of allspice, nutmeg, cumin, and chilies. Fry quickly, breaking apart any clumps with a wooden spoon and turning the rice frequently, to combine the ingredients and heat it all through. Add the peas.
4. Flake the salmon into the rice and continue to cook; if it’s too dry, shake some rice vinegar over the top to keep it moist. Fling a few pinches of salt over the top and keep stirring. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
5. Add the eggs at the last, cutting them into the rice with your wooden spoon. Your final result should be light and well-mixed, not soggy or clumpy. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and serve.
Other nice add-ins include: shiitake mushrooms, minced dried brine shrimp, diced and steamed potatoes, broccoli crowns, or galangal root (remove before eating). A good dressing for on top includes equal parts Thai fish sauce and rice vinegar, plus sliced fresh red chilies and a spoonful of brown sugar. Try it!
Sometimes the most interesting creations are accidents. This recipe is not the one I intended to write, and yet it is now one of my favorites, a discovery I made thanks to the uniform bags I buy bulk goods in, and the remarkable resemblance of flour to powdered sugar. I was in a hurry, things got mixed up, and…voila! A new fish preparation is revealed. The combination of sweet and savory is found in nearly all world cuisines, and yet gives unexpected depth to this dish. If you’re not feeling adventurous, go ahead and use flour like I had originally intended. If you’re up for something new (and wonderful), follow this recipe.
You will need:
1 lb. (fresh or thawed) skinless, boneless white fish - halibut or cod are both excellent
a handful of powdered sugar
2 lemons, one zested
5 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 cups strong vegetable broth
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Greek olives; kalamatas or mixed green olives are good
salt, pepper, and cayenne
olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the fish under cold running water. Dust a plate with the powdered sugar, and then dredge the fish, coating it lightly but completely on both sides.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, ovenproof skillet. Add the garlic and sautee until golden. Place the fish over the garlic and sear it well, so the sugar browns on both sides. Season liberally with salt, pepper, and a shake of cayenne (optional).
3. Before the fish is cooked through, remove the skillet from heat and douse the fish with the juice of two lemons. Toss the lemon wedges or halves in with the fish, and pour the broth into the pan until the level of the liquid comes most of the way up the fish.
4. Sprinkle with chopped olives and bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes with a fork. Serve immediately.
I served this with rice that I’d steamed with lemon zest, oregano, and pepper; I caramelized an onion and added some cashews at the last minute to warm them, then covered the rice in the onions and nuts. We had a simple salad on the side: coarsely chopped greens with onions and gorgonzola cheese, and a sharp lemon vinaigrette. Warmed coriander pita finished it off, and was perfect for swabbing up the sauce from the fish.
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