Article by Mama Jock
Oven-Fried Sea Bass
1 ½ lbs. bass fillets
1 ½ cups milk
Corn flake crumbs for dredging
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 TBSP. butter, melted
Lemon wedges
Soak the fish in the milk while you preheat the oven to its highest temperature.
Season the bread crumbs with salt and pepper; remove fillets from the milk and dredge fillets in the bread crumbs, patting them to make sure they adhere.
Drizzle a little butter over bottom of pan and lay fish in.
Drizzle with remaining butter.
Bake near the top of the oven for about 8 minutes.
The fish will be tender and opaque when done.
Serve with lemon wedges.
Serves 4.
Weakfish Pie with Potatoes
2 cups grated peeled potatoes
1 TBSP. salt
2 cups flaked cooked weakfish
2 TBSP. minced fresh basil
Black pepper to taste
2 TBSP. butter
2 TBSP. olive oil
Put the grated potatoes in a colander and sprinkle them with the TBSP. of salt.
Let them sit for about 15 minutes, tossing and squeezing occasionally.
Combine the weakfish, basil, pepper, and a little more salt.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Place the potatoes in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much remaining moisture as possible.
Combine them with the fish.
Melt 1 TBSP. of butter and 1 TBSP. of oil in the skillet.
Keeping the heat on medium, add the fish and potato mixture and flatten out into a cake.
Cook for 10 minutes, then slide the cake onto a large plate and cover with another plate of equal size.
Add the remaining olive oil and all but a bit of butter to the skillet.
When the butter melts, invert the plates and slide the cake back into the skillet.
Cook another 10 minutes, then slide onto a serving plate.
Spread the remaining bit of butter on top and serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200 degree oven for 1 hour, or serve at room temperature.
Serves 4.
Scallops with Mustard Sauce
1 TBSP. butter
1 TBSP. garlic oil
2 oz. prosciutto, finely diced
24 large scallops
1 medium shallot, finely minced
4-6 TBSP. Grey Poupon mustard
1 cup heavy cream
2 TBSP. chives
2 TBSP. parsley
Salt and pepper
Melt butter and garlic oil over a low/medium heat in a large saute pan.
Saute prosciutto until crispy, remove and set aside.
Drain scallops, pat dry and saute in pan until golden.
Remove scallops from the pan and tent to keep warm.
In same pan, add shallots and saute until opaque, using additional oil if necessary.
Add mustard; stir 30 seconds.
Slowly whisk the heavy cream into the mustard mixture.
When blended, add prosciutto and scallops, including accumulated juices.
Warm through gently.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley and chives, and serve.
Serves 4-6.
Crab and Avocado Salad
Salt
½ lb. green beans, halved
2/3 cup plain yogurt
3 TBSP. mayonnaise
1 to 2 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
½ cup chopped fresh chives
¼ cup fresh basil
3 anchovy fillets, chopped
Black pepper
½ lb. lump crabmeat
1 avocado, halved, pitted and diced
3 romaine hearts, chopped
1 ½ cups croutons
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil.
Add the beans; cook until crisp-tender.
Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
Puree the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, basil and anchovies in a blender until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper.
Toss the crabmeat, half the avocado and about 1 TBSP. of the yogurt dressing in a small bowl.
Toss the romaine, croutons, beans and the remaining avocado with the remaining dressing in a large bowl.
Divide the romaine salad among plates, top with the tomatoes and place some of the crab mixture in the center.
Serves 4.
Baked Tuna with Potatoes
2/3 cup olive oil
2 ¼ lbs. potatoes, thinly sliced
1 large onion, cut into rings
1 ½ lbs. tuna fillets, sliced
1 red chili, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Brush an ovenproof dish with oil and make a layer of half the potato slices and then a layer of half the onion rings.
Season the fish pieces on both sides with salt and pepper and lay them on top of the vegetables, then sprinkle with the chili and drizzle with half the oil.
Cover with a second layer of potatoes and a second layer of onion and sprinkle with the garlic and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with remaining oil.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
Serves 6.
Flounder Fillets with Citrus over Wilted Spinach
4 flounder fillets
2 oranges
2 grapefruit
8 slices bacon, diced into ¼-inch pieces
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
1 large red onion, sliced as thin as possible
1 TBSP. fresh tarragon, chopped
1bag spinach
Prepare the citrus by cutting away rind and pith and cut into individual segments.
Place in bowl; set aside.
Fry bacon until crisp.
Remove bacon but reserve the bacon fat for cooking the fish and spinach.
Using the same skillet, bring 2 TBSP. of bacon fat up to high heat.
Lightly salt and pepper fillets and place them in skillet.
Sear well on both sides.
Sprinkle the sliced onions around the fish.
Add the fruits and their juices, bacon and tarragon.
Cover with tight fitting lid.
Remove from heat and let steam 5 or 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
In another skillet, heat 2 TBSP. of bacon fat (use oil if necessary).
Once fat is hot, add spinach.
Toss until spinach is warm and has begun to wilt.
To serve, arrange spinach on plates.
Lay flounder on top of spinach and place fruit segments and onions loosely over fish.
Spoon bacon and tarragon and pan juices over each portion.
Serves 4.
Lemon Shrimp and Mushrooms
Shrimp - 40 medium or 28 large
2 lemons
6 TBSP. olive oil
½ lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper
4 sprigs parsley, chopped
Peel shrimp except for last remaining tail section.
Remove zest of half a lemon and cut zest into fine julienne.
Juice the lemon.
In large skillet over medium-high heat, saute mushrooms in 4 TBSP. of oil for 1 minute.
Push to the side of the skillet.
Add 2 TBSP. oil and bring it up to temperature.
Add shrimp, saute 1 minute on each side; season with salt and pepper.
Add lemon zest and juice and parsley. over tightly and remove from heat.
Let steam for 6 minutes.
Serves 4.
Flounder and Oysters
1 ½ lbs. flounder fillets
1 pint oysters with broth
1 TBSP. lemon juice
½ tsp. seafood seasoning
Dash of red pepper
3 ½ TBSP. butter
1 ½ TBSP. flour
Parsley
Place fillets in a buttered baking dish.
Put drained oysters on top of them.
Pour 1 cup of oyster broth (add water if necessary to make the cup) over the fillets and oysters.
Sprinkle with lemon juice, seafood seasoning and red pepper.
Dot with 2 TBSP. of butter.
Cover and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the fish flakes.
Drain liquid into a saucepan and place on low flame.
Keep the fillets and oysters warm.
Mix the flour and 1 ½ TBSP. of cold butter with fingers.
Drop little chunks of the mixture into the liquids and simmer until the broth is thickened, stirring constantly.
Ladle sauce over the flounder and oysters.
Garnish with parsley.
Serves 4.
Broiled Mahi-Mahi with Lime Mustard
½ cup Dijon or coarse-grained mustard
Juice and grated zest of 1 lime
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 TBSP. olive oil
1 ½ lbs. mahi, in 1 or 2 fillets
1 large tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
Lime wedges
Mix together the mustard, lime juice and zest, salt and pepper.
Preheat the broiler.
Brush a rimmed cookie sheet or broiler pan with the oil, and lay the mahi on it.
Brush fish with the mustard-lime mixture.
Broil 6 inches from the heat source for 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Sprinkle with the tomato and return to the broiler for 1 minute.
Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Serves 4.
All of Mama Jock’s recipes since 2008 can be found at www.coastalfisherman.net. Just click on “Recipes” at the top of the page.
