Daily Unadventures in Cooking » Fish

Salmon with Lentils and Braised Leeks

katerina — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:05:29 +0000

Now here is a salmon and lentils recipe which is greater than the sum of it’s parts. I could talk about contrasting flavours and textures but neither looking at it or describing the dish does it justice.

I cook at home a lot so I don’t get tons of praise unless something stands out. Not only did my husband comment on it while he was eating it (“this is so good, I am just shovelling it back. Seriously this may be the best salmon dish I have ever had…”), but he remembered and mentioned it the next day.

A fish recipe getting praise the day after it is eaten is as usual as…. well, I’ll let you know if it ever happens again.

Chinese Steamed Fish Recipe

katerina — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:20:46 +0000

A meal of Chinese steamed fish can be as common as an American spaghetti in some Cantonese households. A white fish is steamed, then topped with green onion, ginger, soy and hot oil. The first time I tried steamed fish was at a formal Chinese banquet, a whole rock cod was prepared and shared between 8 people. Serve yourself from between the pin bones and then spin the lazy Susan to the next person. Though the simplest of many memorable dishes, the steamed fish stuck with me because of it’s rich flavor.

Now, as a former vegetarian I used to find a little fish face looking up at me from a dinner plate very daunting, that is until I started to appreciate the flavor that fish bones impart and the delicacy of fish necks and collars. By steaming fish on its hundreds of little bones the flesh will be extra moist and flavorful. By keeping the face and tail intact you can enjoy the fish with very little waste.

This recipe has been tested two ways: first with a whole fish, and second by using fish fillets. If doing a large whole fish you will either need a very big steamer or to fashion something in a wok with a lid. In the above picture, I used a whole tilapia which is small enough to fit in a medium steamer. The recipe below is enough for two small fillets or one small fish, if doing a big fish then double the garnish and sauce.

Lemon Sole with Soba Noodles Recipe

katerina — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:27:30 +0000

One day several weeks ago I tried to buy sablefish from my fish guy at the farmers market. Alas he was out, but not one to miss the opportunity for a sale he sent me home with some petrale sole. It took a bit of convincing but he swore it was one of his favourites and at half the price of the sablefish I bought a few fillets.

This petrale sole is my new favourite fish! It is buttery and light and has a firmer texture then the typical sole I get. To cook it I very lightly breaded it and fried it in butter then finished it with lemon. I served alongside some quick and easy soba noodles and it was a huge hit.

After making this lemon sole recipe about four times I decided it was time to share it. This is reflection of the sort of healthy comfort food that I like to make regularly on weeknights.

Spaghetti with Tuna and Tomatoes Recipe

katerina — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:14:10 +0000

Most of the tuna you find at the grocery store is canned in water, the next time you are in a Mediterranean grocery or specialty market take a look around and see if you can find some tuna which is canned in olive oil. In olive oil is the standard way to can tuna in Italy, and it has a lovely softening effect on the flavour of the fish.

This classic Italian tuna pasta recipe is meant to address a weeknight emergency that can easily be pulled from the depths of your pantry. Don’t skip the chili flakes they brighten up the flavours of what could otherwise be a flat sauce.

Seared Tuna with Ponzu

katerina — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:00:28 +0000

One of my favorite indulgences in the summer is quickly seared tuna drizzled with a salty soy dressing and a bit of sharp onion for balance. Usually I make a grilled ahi with green onion or chives and tamari. It takes minutes and is always well loved by those who consume it.

This tuna recipe is a variation with a more citrusy twist. The raw onions are soaked in water briefly to take the edge off (a great trick for Greek salad by the way). The only complaint I received was that there wasn’t enough — even though this was only the appetizer.

Rather than doing it in a pan, this tuna recipe can also be done on the grill and served immediately. By doing it in a pan and freezing it briefly before slicing it is simply easier to get a clean cut. Feel free to do it a few hours ahead of time, store it in the fridge, then slice and served cold when you are ready for it.

Sake Halibut en Papillote

katerina — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:43:08 +0000

When was the last time you ordered a steamed fish on a menu? Would it help if it was called en papillote? Leave it up to the French to create a fancy name for what is really just steaming something in a bag in the oven.

But to be fair, this method is a wonderful way to easily cook moist and healthy seafood with diverse flavour profiles. It isn’t about being healthy it is about fresh and clean flavours. This Japanese inspired halibut recipe, could just as easily be a Tilapia with fresh vegetables and ponzu or why not a white wine and paprika chicken? Or a beautiful package of dill and butter steamed carrots? What does your parchment bag say about you?

Salmon Don (Marinated Raw Salmon on Rice) Recipe

katerina — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:58:31 +0000

Many years ago, when I lived in Victoria we used to frequent this Japanese retaurant called Zen sushi (or Sen Zushi). The soup had fish heads in it, the slabs of fish were so long they appeared to swim right off the nigiri, and they had this salmon donburi. The salmon don was unlike anything I had seen before or have found since. It’s been 7 years and I still think about it.

Donburi or don translates to rice bowl, and usually a salmon don means pieces of fish on rice. Instead, in their version the raw salmon had been tossed with a salty and fresh dressing which I have been wanting to replicate every since.

Unfortunately, the restaurant no longer exists so I can’t send you there, but instead why not be adventurous and try making this at home? If you are have trouble finding sashimi grade fish try your local japanese market, you should be able to find it frozen. RIP Sen Zushi.

Grilled Tuna with Soy and Chives Recipe

katerina — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:10:05 +0000

Cooking tuna rare is easy, just get yourself a nice piece of tuna and get your grill really hot! The hardest part is not cooking it too long, you want the tuna to have a thin jacket of cooked edge with the middle still being cold and vibrantly raw.

Serve this grilled tuna recipe family style and arm everyone with chopsticks. Everyone will be nice and friendly with soy sauce dribbling down their chins and fighting for the last piece of fish, it will be gone quicker even than it takes you to make it!

Grilled Tuna with Soy and Chives Recipe
(serves 4 as an appetizer)

1 lb fresh tuna steak
2/3 cup tamari or light japanese soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (or green onion)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
fresh pepper

Stir together the soy, vinegar, chives and ginger in a small bowl. Heat your grill or BBQ to high.

Pat the tuna dry and grease your grill with canola oil. Put the tuna on the grill for 30 seconds. After30 seconds, flip and grill for another 30 seconds. Remove to a cutting board and slice thinly. Top with freshly ground pepper and drizzle witha few tablespoons of the sauce. Serve extra sauce on the side.

Healthy Baked Fish Sticks Recipe

katerina — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:01:27 +0000

Confession Time: I loved fish sticks as a kid. They were a rare treat served only when Mum was tired and Dad was out of town. Plus they were frequently accompanied by tater tots or curly fries. The fish fingers disappeared off our table sometime when I was a teenager and around the same time it occurred to me what might be in them. I haven’t eaten them since.

So now, decades later, the idea struck me to try and create my own homemade fish sticks recipe. The recipe was an instant success with some fresh fish and a few staples from the cupboard. Accompanied by the healthy tartar sauce recipe these make for fun finger food with a low guilt ratio. Try them with the currently fresh Pacific Halibut.

Healthy Baked Fish “Sticks” Recipe
(serves 2-3)

~1 cup breadcrumbs (I used regular not Panko)
500g halibut or cod fillets, skin removed

Marinade for fish:
3 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 tbsp Dijon
1 tbsp oregano
2 small pinches of salt
pepper

Olive oil Spray

1 batch of Homemade Healthy Tartar Sauce

Turn oven on to 450F and place a baking sheet in the middle. Place a small frying pan over medium low heat and add the dry breadcrumbs. Toast them gently by tossing the breadcrumbs often until they are browned and fragrant. Remove from the pan and put breadcrumbs on a plate. Remove any skin from the fish and pat dry, cut into ~1” wide strips. In a small bowl combine the fish marinade and set aside.

Check to make sure the oven is preheated. Once it is, carefully remove your baking sheet from the oven and place on top. Give the sheet a healthy spray with oil.

Take your first piece of fish and dunk it into the marinade using your left hand. Move it into the breadcrumb plate and using your right hand toss in the breadcrumbs. (This is the best method I know to not end up with two hands covered in gunk!) Once the fish is breaded on all sides carefully place on your hot baking sheet. Repeat with remaining fish leaving space in between all the pieces. Move tray to the oven and set your timer for 10 minutes.

While the fish starts cooking, you can put together your tartar sauce.

Once your timer goes off, carefully flip each of the pieces of fish and bake for another 10 minutes (The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your fillets, if they are thin you may want to check them after the total cooking time is 15-18 minutes). Check the biggest piece, it should flake easily.

Serve with tartar sauce while hot! If you need to wait, transfer the fish to a cooling rack so it doesn’t get soggy.

Broiled Salmon with Spinach and Feta Recipe

katerina — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:33:39 +0000

This salmon recipe takes less than fifteen minutes to prepare. You cook the salmon separately from the greens which is how it comes together so fast. A perfect quick and healthy meal for a late weeknight supper.

The salty feta and spinach is balanced well with the strong flavours of the salmon and the freshness of the lemon. J actually makes a chicken with spinach and feta cheese which is very similar and was currently in the works to be published so expect that soon too. Besides the obvious spanakopita, really, spinach and feta goes with everything, I especially love it in pasta and omelettes.

Broiled Salmon with Spinach and Feta Recipe
(serves 2)
Adapted from the Martha Stewart website

2 salmon fillets
salt and pepper
1 box baby spinach
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 lemon
1/3 cup feta, crumbled

Turn on the broiler and position the oven rack in the top position. Put a large skillet on a burner on medium low. Pat the salmon dry on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place salmon flesh side up on a baking sheet and put under the broiler until cooked. (I had lovely thin, tail salmon fillets and they took 5 minutes, but we like our salmon rare.)
While the salmon is cooking add the spinach to the skillet with a pinch of salt and pepper, if you can’t get it all in to begin with, that’s fine. Stir fry it until it wilts, adding more as there is room. When the salmon is wilted down, remove from the heat. Add the juice of half the lemon, the pine nuts, and the feta cheese and toss. Plate salmon together with spinach & feta mixture plus cut the remaining lemon in wedges and add to the plates.